E-BLAST - 1 DECEMBER 2013

Tugun Baptist Craft Group that Delma regularly gives tutorials in hand crafted card making. When Delma gives such a tutorial - the preparation is amazing. Every lady gets a plastic sleeve with card material, pattern or embossed paper, ribbon, embellishments, buttons, stickers, felt, envelopes - a huge effort - funded by Delma's limited resources - and very creative, collects anything (such as shredded colour paper), that might look great on a card for her tutorials.

E-BLAST - 24 NOVEMBER 2013

Ret. Australian Cricketers Bi-Annual Newsletter - 27th edition - posted tomorrow to each of the State Cricket offices who post them out / or they Email the E-Copy we send them. 30 Nov and 30 March are the two annual editons. This Life After Cricket ministry program has been and continues to be remarkable. The summer of cricket is upon us already.

pic - 2006 Festival of Cricket "Panel" - retired cricketers Peter Phillpotts, Mark Waugh, John Benaud and Australian Cricket Chaplain Mark Tronson.                                                                     

VIDEO ON ARPA ON WAY

Belinda Croft is the young writers video guru and the latest production on the 2013 ARPA conference (Aust Religious Press Ass'tion) released by 1 Dec. Belinda's been producing ministry videos for many years and enjoys a good laugh with Mark on one word - "lighting" - from her dad Peter who was a senior television engineer. Peter has helped Mark over a life time in ministry.

Belinda produced the 2012 ARPA video, the 2013 Young Writers pre-conference video then the 2013 young writers mini-conference video and now the 2013 ARPA video. Belinda is also a young writers with husband Russell as a fill-in in 2013 who is again helping out in 2014. 

YOUNG WRITER HELP 2014

Laura Veloso (pic) is one of a number assisting Mark in 2014 Young Writers. Laura (Melb) 2013 Basil Sellers Young Writer Award 2nd prize winner (a mum of 3) along with Natalie Chu (Sydney) and Russell Modlin (Sunshine Coast) and others helping next year. Laura, Natalie and Russell are each taking on 1 week of the Young Writer program - sending out "reminders", checking syntax etc, collate articles and dispatching them to Christian Today. With 60+ young writers in 2014 this task too heavy for Mark alone.

Christian Today editor David Chang calls this a win-win solution for the long-term continuation of the young writers program.

E-BLAST - 17 NOVEMBER 2013

Delma painting with our grand daughter (not permitted to show the grand children on the Internet) in Sydney 8 days ago.  There were lots of laughs and Christmas paintings.

We watched her end of year very colourful Dance presentation and then equally enjoyed a very lovely time and lunch with the congregation of our first parish church, Croydon Park Baptist. We have another young writer for 2014 as a result of our visit.     

SEE-SAW

Privacy prevents us from having any photographs of the grand children's faces, but this is grand-ma in the park on the see-saw with two very enthusiastic grand children. This was Saturday 8 days ago in Sydney. We have been back in Tweed Heads less than a full week after 3 weeks away.

HANDS WITH RSI

Delma has done so many hand crafted cards this year in her ministry and for Mark's ministry that often she has had to take several days off from her handiwork with very sore hands.

This Christmas Mark has chosen one of Delma's Christmas hand crafted cards and photographed it and down loaded it onto the December Message for the Newsletter envelope. This will help Delma a great deal and everyone will have the pleasure of this one card's creative handiwork Christmas greeting. We trust everyone understands why there will not be a personalised hand crafted Christmas card this year.

E-BLAST - 10 NOVEMBER 2013

The birthday card hand crafted by Delma for Mark's 62 birthday last Tuesday while at Laguna Quays Respite. The card represents Midge Point beach - the ocean, the sand, the palm trees, the road and vegetation. Many young writers sent in Facebook messages for his 62nd - yes, old guy Mark is on Facebook!

MARK AND REVEREND PIETER HENNING

Reverend Pieter Henning the Whitsunday Baptist Minister visited Mark at the Laguna Quays Respite cottage on his 62 birthday. Delma was in Proserpine at Craft Class run by Sue Spencer. Pieter is from South Africa and this is his second Australian parish, the previous work was in Dalby. Pieter and Barbara have three children and grand parents, all in Australia and one is at home in Year 11. 

AN REAL LIVE RESPITE VISITOR

As bookings for the Laguna Quays Respite are all done by phone and Email we never personally meet any of them - that what Sean and Sue Spencer do, our respite co-ordinators. So what a wonderful surprise to have the Reverend Lynette F call in who was passing through. Lynette read that we were up here and we had the most delightful time over a cuppa. Lynette has stayed a number of times. .  

POWER TO CAR PORT

The trench for power from Laguna Quays Respite cottage to car port bbq dug by hand - Michael Kent, Karl Kirkwood (neighbours) and Mark (yes, Mark). After Rod Dench the electrician laid the condute, Michael Kent filled in the trench with his mini-tractor. There are now two sets of power points and a large fluro light in the car port.

OFFICE - CAR PORT BBQ AREA

Mark sets up his portable table and lap top in the car port bbq area. On the car port 4th post is a double power point. From this vantage point is a you-beaut view of Repulse Bay.

E-BLAST - 3 NOVEMBER 2013

Penny Curnow with Delma - Penny runs the Midge Point Business Certificate 4 Class funded by Government. Penny has joined our volunteer team to co-ordinate the Business Luncheon in May next year and the Black-tie Awards Night in October (both new community events). Sue Spencer chairs the Art Prize for July. Sue writes up the Midge Point news and Kim Hanson the Bloomsbury news for our community news on-line project  -  many helpers! www.mpbnews.org

BBQ COOKER

Laguna Quays Respite - Mark chief bbq cooker - a possible new career path - the car port bbq area a sensation. Mark took his portable office out there over several days. Next project is to put power across to the car port. Mark's lost 12kg.

Mark turns 62 on Tuesday, 5 November.

$10 SEWING CHAIR

Delma wanted a nice little fold up chair for her sewing at Laguna Quays Respite. We found one for $10. The children gave the sewing machine to Delma for Mothers Day 2012. It is left here to use when we're here.  

BLUE BUTTERFLY

We spied this beautiful blue butterfly at Midge Point Beach grass board walk while at the Laguna Quays Respite. It stayed stationary long enough for Mark to take this photograph..

ONE GREEN LEAF

Spied this one green leaf in the ocean waters at Midge Point Beach. Each morning 7.00am while at Laguna Quays Respite, we have a 30 minute beach walk. Delma walks briskly along the beach and Mark heavy-walks in the water.