Margaret River - Wineries

Did you know that Australia is the fourth largest exporter of wine around the world. Well, I did not know that till I did some "research" on the wine industry.

Australia’s wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country, with vineyards located in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. The wine industry is also a significant contributor to the Australian economy through production, employment, export and tourism.

Since Margaret River is one of the Australia's well known wine producing region, it would be a shame (at least for me, it would be) not to visit some of the wineries and sample their wines. The predominant grape varieties that are cultivated in this region include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sémillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

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and the mouse is missing

Contributor - Anonymous
Photo by Miia Ranta

Margaret River - Chocolate Factory

Are you a Chocolate lover? If you are, this is one place you really do not want to miss.

Margaret River Chocolate Company - Margaret River is located at the corner of

Harman's Mill Road and Harman's South Road
Metricup WA 6280

It is about 20 minutes drive from Busselton or from Margaret River, depending on where you are coming from.

This chocolate factory is one of Western Australia's most popular tourist attractions, with manufacturing, sales and cafe facilities. There are interactive displays which gives you an insight into the world of chocolate. There is also a viewing window to watch the chocolate products being made and if none of these appeal to you, there is always the FREE chocolate tastings. After that, we had to treat ourselves to a couple of boxes. There are 100s of choice to make.

The Lord's Prayer and Blessings

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
Our LORD who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and forever.
Amen...

GOD WANTED ME TO TELL YOU, it shall be well with you this coming year.

No matter how much your enemies try this year, they will not succeed.

You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieve all your goals this year. For the remainder of 2011, all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will be incoming in abundance.

Today, God has confirmed the end of your sufferings sorrows and pain because HE that sits on the throne has remembered you. He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down.

I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me, My child! What can I do for you?

And I said, 'Lord, please protect and bless the person reading this message.'

Contributor - Anonymous

Margaret River - The Town

Margaret River is a small town south west of Western Australia, 277 km or three and a half hour drive from Perth.

It is a quiet town at the time we visited in October. I see Margaret River primarily as a one street town, a pit stop before passing through to the many tourist attractions within the region, the wineries, surf beach and caves.

As a pit stop, the tavern seems very much to be the centre of the town. So we had some lunch, a pint and some good Aussie country music.

The Devil and The Duck

Hebrew 8:12 (NLT)
And I will forgive their wrongdoings,
and I will never again remember their sins.

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes'.
But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.'

Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.' Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help?

She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'

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Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is...You need to know that: God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved. When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

Contributor - Anonymous

Jesus, the Noah's Ark

Romans 8:28 (NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

For the most part of last year, we have been visiting several churches in and around Melbourne city, one at a regional township in Victoria and at least two interstate churches. What strikes me most was the variety of worship and service formats from the churches visited, even among churches within the same church denomination.

It was also fruitful to meet with and talk to the leaders and "shepherds" who care for their congregation and to be among the people, young and old, who worship God, exercising their faith with others within their congregation and also within their community. God is working in them and through them.

It was an eventful journey. I found some of my personal views, I hold of certain church denominations challenged and it got me thinking.

Have you ever wonder why there are so many church denominations in the Christian faith? You could go to a library and read up on church history and find the historical perspective. You can read the biography of the great men and women of God, who by revelation or calling have brought about a church denomination or a movement.

However, is it how God intended this to be? Was it part of God's plan or was this as a result of man's pride at work?

In seeking the Lord on this matter, the story of Noah's Ark (Genesis 6-9), the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) and the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29) came to mind.

Noah's Ark
In the story of Noah's Ark, it writes of God's sadness of the extent of the people's wickedness; it broke His heart and of His decision then, to wipe out the human race. (Genesis 6:5-7)

But Noah found favour with the LORD. Having told Noah of His plans, God instructed Noah to build an ark. Genesis 7:1-3 gives an account of who and the various kind of animals and birds that can be brought into the ark, when the day of the flood which will cover even the highest mountains on the earth, comes. (Genesis 7:19)

Noah and his family represents the "shepherds" charged with looking after the many animals and birds in the ark. The animals and birds represent Noah's flock or congregation. It is interesting to note that the name Noah means; "He will bring us relief from the painful labor of farming this ground that the LORD has cursed." (Genesis 5:29 (NLT))

Isn't that an appropriate description of the role of a pastor?

The ark itself represents Jesus Christ which is how God the Father planned to save the world and to reconcile His creation back to Himself. With Jesus as the head of His church and with us, the church under His direction/leading (Ephesians 4:15-16), Jesus will bring about a unity of purpose to carry us, the church, His bride, through the storms and floods that we face in our everyday lives.

Parable of the Sower
The parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20), is often used to shows how well the seed, the Word of God, is received by a person and his response to it. When the seed takes root (Mark 4:8), it bring forth a thirty, sixty and even a hundred times return in that person.

In the light of the above revelation, this person can very well typify the level/amount of revelation received by the various churches, denominations or movements. Hence, the many church denominations.

Photo by Terry Howes

Parable of the Growing Seed
In this parable (Mark 4:26-29), once the farmer sowed the seeds in his field, he goes about doing his many other activities. He does not need to understand the workings of how the seed sprouts and grows from the ground, but when the season is right he will go and harvest his crop.

From the above, I come to understand that the churches, denominations and movements exits to minister the Word of God/Gospel to the world. Like the farmer in the parable, there is no need for me/us to understand how the Word of God/Gospel affects the people who hear the Word but that the Word of God will do His work and produces its fruit. This is as was said of the Word in Isaiah 55:11.

Isaiah 55:11 (NLT)
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

For some of us, this verse may be more familiar and better expressed in the King James Version;

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.