A simple brochure was the spark that inspired a teenager to pursue a dream that would take her on an adventure like no other. Standing strong in the waters of distant countries is a tall white ship with blue trims called the Africa Mercy. This ship is a light on the ocean that carries... » read more
It was drawing towards the end of the six week Christmas holidays. My children were aged three, four, ten and eleven at the time, and the house had echoed with childish noises for many days. That’s fine and well for the most part of it, but on this particular day my ears were tired and... » read more
Lion | Movie Review Brave. This is the word I think of when I think of little Saroo, so little, so adorably cute and so devastatingly separated from his family by ever increasing distances. Saroo is a mighty little man wrapped up in a little body with a huge smile and strength beyond his years.... » read more
Silence | Movie Review Silence filled the theatre immediately following the screening of this film, but after a time of reflection, it left viewers anything but silent. Martin Scorsese’s film Silence, is layered with so many possible metaphors to explore, it will have you talking for days. Set in the 17th century, and based on... » read more
My young social media friends often begin their posts with the phrase: That moment when… This is usually followed by something awkward that has happened to them or something obvious has dawned on them such as ‘that moment when you realise you’ve turned up to work with two different socks on’ or similar. Well, I’ve... » read more
‘First to Forty’ presents a random collection of forty short articles and poems that inspire and connect us to the beauty of the everyday. Drawing us each into a more passionate love and engagement with our family, home and life. First to Forty is a discovery of a life, love, hope and happiness that leads... » read more
Sniffles were heard throughout the theatre and I could tell that I wasn’t the only one who had been impacted by the painful journey of Will Smith’s character Howard in the thought-provoking film – Collateral Beauty. Yes, this movie is a tear-jerker but also bears the mark of a well thought out script with... » read more
“What?” she exclaimed. “Only two more sleeps until Christmas?” said every mother who hadn’t started her Christmas shopping until the last minute. That was almost me, but I managed to get my act together in the final few days and, with lots of prayer and minor miracles, no one knew any different (maybe just... » read more
New Year, new you, new dreams, goals and resolutions. This season is the time of year that we come together to celebrate Christmas, the hope of new life, and look forward to the year that is to come. For some, the year that has passed has been a great one and we can only... » read more
Have you ever had days, weeks or months when you have felt like you are a bowling pin at the end of a tenpin bowling lane. The bowling ball is aimed and released and you pray to God that that ball is going to roll down the gutter. Sometimes the ball rolls and misses,... » read more
When my daughter asked me if she could spend Schoolies at the Whitsunday’s on a Scripture Union trip last year, I replied with a resounding, “Yes!” My response was incredibly enthusiastic; I didn’t even stop to think twice about it, because when I heard the words ‘schoolies’ and ‘Scripture Union’ in the same sentence, my... » read more
The night was clear and calm after a week of weather with bouts of wind and rain. The guests began to arrive, dressed in vintage glamour costumes. It was going to be a fun night and I had been given instructions to stay outside and enjoy the party. As the Jazz band played, laughter and... » read more
Genre: Documentary Directed and Produced by: Sara Hirsh Bordo Writer: Michael Campo Rating: PG You’ve heard the saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, well this is also true when it comes to people, and it is certainly true in the case of Lizzie Valesquez. In this multi award winning documentary by Rising Women,... » read more
Raindrops on roses – this is what awaited me one morning when I peered out the window at my potted rose plant, which recently bloomed the most delicious smelling, deep pink bud I have ever seen it grow. Each time I glanced its way, it had grown a little bigger and leaned in as if... » read more
When my children were babies, I tended to their every need. I nursed them, held them and sang over them. I let them know at every opportunity that they were loved, secure and safe. As they grew, my love took on new forms. I still loved on them with hugs and comfort, but my role... » read more
With Senior’s week coming up, I thought I’d spend some time getting to know some of the retired folk who live in our area. I began by taking myself to join an aqua aerobics class. Can I tell you, I had the best time! The ladies from the aqua class had me in stitches. The... » read more
Arriving to interview a lady for a story a few weeks ago, I was feeling prepared. My voice recorder was charged and ready, I had my list of questions ready to go and I was early. As I stepped out of my car, my glass water bottle fell to the ground and started rolling... » read more
Genre: drama Directed by: Janet Grillo Story: Jennifer Deaton Produced by: Joey Carey, Lucy Mukerjee-Brown, Stefan Nowicki, Morgan White Cast: AnnaSophia Robb, Famke Janssen, Israel Broussard, Taylor Richardson, Sophia Anne Caruso, Rating: PG (Mild themes and course language) “She can be a lot more than who she is if you give her a chance.” -Jack... » read more
Don’t laugh now, but the thought of snorkelling has always made me a little nervous. Breathing through a pipe while having your nose blocked made the word ‘claustrophobic’ come to mind, so I never felt the need to go out of my way to try it. That was, of course, until we recently visited the... » read more
Genre: drama, biographical Directed by: David Leo Schultz Story: David Leo Schultz, Ashleigh Phillips Produced by: David Leo Schultz, Dave Mullin’s, Ryan Bodie, David Holechek Cast: David Schultz, Michael Koch, Wolfgang Bodison, James Kyson Rating: PG If you’ve ever imagined what a Christian song writer looks like, you may picture a clean-cut, well-dressed, everything-is-fine-with-the-world kind... » read more
Genre: drama, family Director: Patricia Riggen Screenplay: Randy Brow Story: Christy Beam Producers: Joe Roth, T.D. Jakes, DeVon Franklin Cast: Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Eugenio Derbez, Queen Latifah Rating: PG Mark Twain once said, “truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.” The... » read more
My family enjoys nice tasting food. Despite a few stand out failures, I can usually deliver on this, but recently we ran out of one small ingredient – salt. I had almost bought a new packet of salt at the supermarket but was sure I had a refill at home, so I left it. That... » read more
Genre: drama, family Director: Jason Winn Screenplay: Michael Buchanan, Diane Lang Run Time: 1hr 17 mins Cast: Christopher Rivera, Kelly Washington, Chris Bert, Cole Carson Rating: M (bullying themes) High school is tough, but for Jimmy Winterpock it is a whole new world of bullying and not fitting in. When Jimmy (Christopher Rivera) is bullied... » read more
As we chatted with the Madden family over the Easter weekend of 2015, none of us had any idea of what was about to take place for them in the following few days. Children’s entertainers, Russ and Helena with their four children, were beginning their ‘Go Frills’ Easter holiday tour through Toowoomba, St George, Roma... » read more
Genre: drama, action Director: Kevin Reynolds Screenplay by: Kevin Reynolds, Paul Aiello Story by: Paul Aiello Produced by: Mickey Leddell, Patrick Aiello, Pete Shilaimon Executive producers: Robert Huberman, Scott Holroyd Run Time: 1hr 47mins Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis Rating: M In a time of rising rebellions, the truth is sometimes... » read more
Climbing Mt Coolum earlier in the year was a great idea – until we got half way up the slope to the steep incline, which is when our post-Christmas bodies decided maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Nevertheless, we pushed forward. Now to those of you who are pretty fit, you may... » read more
Genre: music, family, drama Director: Andrew Lauer Writer: David Kauffman Run Time: 110 mins Cast: Cheyenne Jackson, Kevin Pollak, Christopher Lloyd, Christing Woods, Avi Lake Rating: PG Ben Cantor had been on this musical rollercoaster before. In the past he’d had the deal every musician dreamed of but couldn’t bring himself to sacrifice the dignity... » read more
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Twelve year olds Jessica and Dylan, sat... » read more
Genre: drama Director: Johnny Remo Run Time: 100 mins Cast: Billy Ray Cyrus, Joel Smallbone, Jennifer Taylor, Kerry Knuppe Rating: PG 13+ Take a broken vase and gradually put the pieces back together. This is the image that came to my mind when watching Like a Country Song. Jake Reeson (Joel Smallbone) is an up... » read more
The wind was rushing, the waves were crushing And high upon gusty seas The little boat came sailing Though nothing he could see. ‘I know the land is near,’ he said, ‘it won’t be far away.’ Though night was here, He did not fear For morning would bring day. And so the boat kept... » read more
Standing at the service desk of a retail outlet recently, I was struck at how constantly the phone was ringing and how frazzled the attendant was, trying to keep up with each demand. “Gee, you’re busy!” I said to the attendant when there was a break. “Yeah, it’s been crazy this morning,” she replied. She... » read more
Genre: drama Director: Brandon Dickerson Run Time: 104mins Cast: Wes Cunningham, Amy Acker, Tony Hale, Jeremy Sisto, Robyn Lively, John Billingsley Rating: PG Sometimes the most challenging journeys bring us to the greatest prize. On the verge of fame and fortune, Thomas Fisher is living a musician’s dream. With a killer record deal and a... » read more
Perched beside the ocean in a tree set way up high, Sat a nest, held strong in branches, with four baby chicks inside. The mother bird was very near with food to satisfy The little chicks grew bigger as each sunny day went by. — She gave her babies lessons, She taught them wrong from... » read more
Genre: Family, drama Director: Nikita Zubarev Distributed by: Heritage Films Run Time: 85mins Cast: B. Bradenton Harper, Blade Yocum, Dariush Moslemi Rating: PG Life can be difficult for teenagers as they transition into adulthood, but throw a couple of tragedies into the mix and you’ve literally got to sink or swim. Things just aren’t going... » read more
What if up was down, black was white, left was right and out was in? Sounds a little like the world we live in don’t you think? It seems that with every passing trend, there is a new one to follow. What once was unthinkable is then accepted and then not accepted, and the cycle... » read more
Genre: Christmas, Family Directed by: Harvey Kahn Studio: Hallmark Run Time: 90 minutes Cast: Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Crystal Lowe, Geoff Gustafson, Rob Estes Rating: not rated Christmas – my favourite time of the year! And one of my favourite things to do at this time of year is to watch Christmas movies with my... » read more
Have you ever heard of the gag: pull my finger? Bound to get a few giggles from kids in the school yard and the odd dad or two, this gag is set to fool the unsuspecting recipient into pulling the taunter’s finger, only to be followed by an unpleasant sound and smell, looks of disgust... » read more
Genre: Family Directed by: Gary Wheeler Studio: Swirl Recording and Film Inc. Run Time: 90 minutes Cast: Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Loretta Devine, Gregalan Williams, Esai Morales Rating: PG Distributed in Australia by Heritage Films How many times have you taken your family to a movie and chewed your fingernails hoping that it wasn’t going to impact... » read more
It took years before I could drive past the school and not think about it. Even now it is still not far from my thoughts. Since we heard the first reports of the missing teenager in December 2003 and saw hundreds of volunteers in their orange vests scouring the bush beside the highway of our... » read more
Genre: Satirical Comedy Directed by: Will Bakke (Riot Studios) Run Time: 1 hour 33 minutes Cast: Alex Russell, Zachary Knighton, Johanna Braddy, Miles Fisher Distributed in Australia by Heritage Films Believe Me, this movie got the discussions going in our house! Out of my two teenagers, one said it was funny and thought-provoking,... » read more
From where I sit, I can see the sky. As I look, there are two beautiful eagles circling way above every other bird. Strong, powerful creatures that fly as much with confidence as with elegance, and seem to own the air that they live in. Our property is often nick-named ‘Eagles Ridge’ or ‘Eagles... » read more
The Island of Port Vila, Vanuatu was an adventure to visit. Kissed by the sun in the midst of Winter, the locals were happy and the water was sparkling. A beautiful sea playground and delight for snorkelers, it’s aqua coloured waters and natural settings were a treat for any who chose to pass that way.... » read more
We have a pet goat called Bono and a sheep called Raphi. We’ve had them since they were babies. They’re pretty cute and on a good day they graze on the hill which creates a peaceful scene for us to gaze upon from our lounge room windows. At most other times, however, Bono the goat... » read more
Ten thousand women packed the Qantas stadium in Sydney for a weekend in March. Most men would have run for the hills! But this Hillsong Colour conference for women was special, touching the hearts of most, if not every woman there. As I listened to speakers – including Brian and Bobby Houston, Dawn Cherie, Sheila... » read more
This is not a story about politics. This is not a story about Gough Whitlam, Paul Keating or the Labor or Liberal Parties. This is a story about The Lady of the House, Queensland’s first female Member of the House of Representatives (1980-1993), her life, her journey and those she met along the way. Her... » read more
Ok busy mums, it’s time for a coffee break. Put away what you’re doing and take a breather. You’ve made it to the end of another busy day. Yes, it was a great feat in organisation. Clothes were washed, children were delivered to activities, meals were made, floors were cleaned, bills were paid, shopping was... » read more
Why hello there. So nice to see you. You look exhausted, come sit with me a while. Take off your shoes, wipe the sweat from your brow. I see you’re still pushing your wheelbarrow around. Your load has grown since last I saw you. It must be heavy. No wonder you feel tired. Let’s see... » read more
After a very difficult and challenging year, we decided to have some time-out during the holidays by taking our little sailing boat on the river for some short runs. My husband had spent a good part of the month restoring the little ‘Mirror’ sailing boat. He’d carefully mended it, cleaned it and painted it. He... » read more
Being thankful in all circumstances can sometimes be challenging. Within 48 hours we ran out of tank water, had an eight hour power outage and to top it off, a magpie flew into my house and pooped all over my floor, lounge and curtains. Frustrating? By all means! But so ridiculous that I had to... » read more
Walking into the studio of David Hart was surreal. It was very neat and ordered and there were pigeon holes for every category of artwork, but his paint-splattered shoes gave away some secrets of an artist in his element. The vibrant colours of his famous flower and dragonfly paintings captured my attention, as well as... » read more
The decision to join the local fencing club as a 16-year-old was not usual for a teenage boy living in Australia in the 1960s. This choice proved to be a wise one that would lead him on a quest to unexpected places where he met legendary characters, thus changing the course of his life. Rebecca... » read more
Recently I had to give myself a good talking to. I was becoming overwhelmed with the amount of terror saturating my social media sites, on the news and in conversation. The barbarism and evil that we are seeing is so foreign and shocking to our way of life, that it concerned me as to how... » read more
I don’t normally drive in my pyjamas. In fact, it was the first time I’d ever done it. Apparently for some of my friends it’s a regular occurrence, but dropping my teenage daughter off at 6.15am for school camp in my pyjamas was not what I had in mind. Yes, I could roll off the... » read more
It was not at all what they expected. Two different families. Two different towns. Two different times. But the one thing they had in common was the news the doctors presented to them, “your child will likely have multiple abnormalities and may live no longer than a couple of hours once born.” Linda was 22... » read more
With the constant struggle to find employment on the Coast, it seems there is a growing number of families who have husbands and loved ones working in Fly In Fly Out jobs otherwise known as FIFO. FIFO is a means to transport employees to mining or construction sites without having to relocate the families. Many... » read more
Since the establishment of the first Buderim coffee farms in the 1870s, which soon became Queensland’s leading coffee growing area by 1911, the Sunshine Coast seems to have had an ongoing love affair with the bitter bean. Over time, however, the farms have slowly disappeared, but not our love for coffee. With each cup improving... » read more
In 2007, there were 257 drowning deaths in Australia. On Sunday morning of the 14th January 2007, Ruby Fletcher would have became one of those statistics if it were not for the quick thinking and actions of her father. It was an easy Sunday morning. Darren and Gee had just been to church and were... » read more
Rock n roll stages and newspaper pages – there’s not a lot of difference between the hearts of writers and brothers Peter and Mark Furler. Entering the Furler household is like receiving a warm hug. Their puppy yaps with excitement and Julie usually has the jug boiling ready for a cup of coffee to accompany a good... » read more
Someone recently asked me, “if there was one verse in the Bible you could give to your children to remember, what would it be?” Well, I thought about this and decided that there were just so many to choose from. The Bible as a whole gives the best picture of God’s wonderful love for us... » read more
Deuteronomy 11:19 ‘Teach them (God’s words) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up‘. Horse-drawn carriages, glamorous costumes, the grandeur of the old buildings, a slower pace of life, an era we never lived in –... » read more
As we waited for the paramedics to arrive, my daughter clutched my shoulders as she struggled for breath. A very bad reaction to a migraine was having a spiraling effect on her. The instructions from the call centre were to keep her calm. I wanted to cry as I looked at her white frightened, clammy... » read more
