Friday 31 May 2013

These Many Years


         

A long time ago a nurse met a handsome young man at  Bible college. They soon fell in love and married.

Over the years they shared many things and today they are both writers. She writes romance novels, he writes devotional meditation books but also poetry that often brings tears of delight and tremendous thanks to the Giver of all wonderful gifts to her. Here is another example of these love poems. It was handed to her today.
These Many Years

Many years have flown
Since our very first kiss
That fateful Friday night
When water and moonlight
Met on Sydney harbour
And I was filled with awe
As our love was born
Those many years ago

Fifty years have sown
Many memories
To colour our testimony
Of two lives becoming one
Creating our history
With Jesus, God’s Son
Within His ministry
Those many years ago

Many years have flown
Light through shadows still shone
In them both we have stood
Knowing bitter and the good
Sharing God’s providence
Believing with confidence
His promises are true
Those many years ago

Fifty years have sown
A love for you alone
You’re my joy, my crown
And this I would make known
Before our Lord I bow
There to renew my vow
To love and cherish you
Those many years to come

©Raymond N. Hawkins May 2013.






Saturday 18 May 2013

IN BED WITH A KINDLE




My husband Ray and I have always had a lot of fun. He also writes great blog posts. Although...hmm...not sure about this one!

Oh, and don't miss the "special" photo of him at the end!










Mary loves to read in bed. That’s okay in daylight. Unfortunately house and other commitments make this rather difficult. So it is a night time feature. That requires a light. But we share the bed. That in turn means the light of her reading lamp to varying degrees casts its glow in my ‘realm’. Add to that the thunderous noise of turning pages and you understand my sleep deprivation.

Our children understood the pressure I was under due to lack of sleep. So their answer – buy mum a ‘Kindle’. They wanted me to enjoy a greater depth of slumber land and produce sweeter, richer tones to my snoring. Now Mary reads in bed with the kindle’s soft light and no crashing sound of turning pages. Bliss? I hoped so but it wasn’t so. Now every–time she touches the screen to turn the page a shadow flits across the ceiling and off the walls. Have you ever tried to sleep when light and shadow perform their weird dancing ritual? It might be silent. It is spooky. I once thought the room was haunted. This was due to a combination of her turning pages, she reads quickly, a storm outside and when she chuckled about something.

Still you can adapt to anything after a while and with cunning strategies. If you can’t beat them, and you can’t join them, confuse them is my suggestion. I now listen to my bedside radio either to the news or soft dreamy music. Then with a mind at ease and eyes unafraid I drift off to sleep. Guess who has to turn off the radio.

You may think this wildly exaggerated. It is! However it does reveal the peril of modern inventions seized upon by addicted writers and readers. Then bosses, managers and governments wonder why we have so many workers arriving half asleep to work and coffee sales soaring.

Still, if I had to be honest, I wish I could sustain reading in bed for more than a paragraph. I’d love to challenge Mary to a Kindle endurance readathon? O well, a man can dream can he not?

Ray (sleep deprived) Hawkins April 2013.

There it is! And we did have fun as he posed for the photo, but somehow I don't think he was quite prepared when the camera flashed as he acted out!

But here is a big, big, thank you my darling for all those nights you did let me read with that bedside lamp on.

And I have to add that of course the book on the photo is my own first Amazon e-book, Faith in the Great Southland.

And just been told Hope in the Great Southland and Love in the Great Southland should be released also by Truly Yours Digital Editions in June.
I can hardly wait.


Saturday 11 May 2013

ACRBA BLOG TOUR - ELLENVALE GOLD

I alway enjoy historical books set in our Australia. This book by one of my favourite Australian writers is one I really enjoyed and not to be missed. It is the first of three books and the next one, Black Forest Redemption, which is also now published is even better!




6 - 10 May
is introducing

Ellenvale Gold
(Even Before Publishing November 2012)

By
Amanda Deed


About the Author 
Amanda Deed grew up in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne in a Christian home, and found faith at an early age. She has followed her passion to serve the Lord through music and literature since her teen years. Now married, with three children, Amanda enjoys the variety of being a mother, finance administrator, musician and historical romance writer. Her debut novel, The Game, won the 2010 CALEB Prize for fiction, and Ellenvale Gold was a finalist for the same prize in 2012. For more information go to

Website:  http://www.amandadeed.com.au/




About the Book:

It is the time of Australia’s harsh rogue-filled goldrush of the 1850’s when Miss Penelope Worthington suddenly finds herself orphaned, isolated and alone. With a large sheep station to run single-handedly, she has little option but to enlist the aid of a mysterious, but sinister stranger.
But who is the more treacherous? Gus—the scruffy, trespassing, ex-convict who co-incidentally shows up looking for work just when she desperately needs a farmhand or Rupert—the handsome, wealthy neighbour who would willingly marry her at the drop of a hat and solve her apparent dilemma?
Repeatedly, her faith is tested as she faces the unforgiving elements, deceit, lies and uncertainty. But where and how will it all end? But…is it the end? Will vengeance return or
will Penny’s faith prevail?

Thursday 2 May 2013

A Tutor For U3A

Would really appreciate any thoughts about my venture into this new role.

Never heard of U3A? I did a few years ago but even when I found out what it stood for, have to confess didn’t even occur to me to investigate U3A.

Wikipedia tells me, “The University of the Third Age is an international organisation whose aims are the education and stimulation of retired members of the community - those in the third 'age' of life. It is commonly referred to as U3A.”

I was curious enough to attend a special meeting to introduce U3A commencing early this year in my area and liked what I heard so much I am now a member of the Tamar Valley U3A. Then when I heard about the kind of six week courses already being offered ventured to put my name down as willing to be a tutor. After all, I’ve been learning a lot about story telling now for more years than I like to remember some times!

So now, I am on a new learning adventure about being a “tutor” since my submission on writing memoirs was accepted. Registrations for the second term courses are now being taken and they will commence on May 20th. My course will be from 2-4pm each Thursday.

U3A is an international organisation and I’d love to hear from anyone who has been, or is still a member.
I’ve now given many talks about writing, presented several workshops for writers but I’m wondering just how this may be different. I am planning on talking about using story-telling techniques to hook not only fond family readers but a wider readership.

What did you like the most about the tutor? What did you dislike the most?

And for those who have not been to U3A, what would you think those attending will need and also expect to learn about writing your life story so your ancestors will know who you are?