Spring 2013

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t h e

s p r i n g 2 0 1 3

a life unleashed

it’s the word that makes the difference

escape into freedom

Free

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Contributors

Cherie Allan

Joy Barraclough

Kerrie-Anne Bennett

Bonnie Giles

Roxanne Hayden

Sharlene Hunter

Ruth Jeffs

Steph Love

Tim Lovell

Kellie Merriman

Marjorie Moody

Cartia Moore

Jsjiah Moore

Rebecca Moore

Paula Ploenges

Ellie Smith

Lindsay Smith

Special Thanks: thanks to Jono and kelsie cunliffe for a fun photo shoot on horseback and to the folks at tunnel ridge ranch who made it all possible!

Cover Image: www.kerrieanne.com

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s p r i n g 2 0 1 3

06 Letter from the editor

08 A Life UnleashedBy kellie merriman dropping 90kgs and finding a fuller life

16 Book ReviewsGoodlife Book club members share their thoughts

20 Little BirdBy rebecca moore little Bird’s courageous first flight

24 Escape Into FreedomBy lindsay smith one woman’s journey out of domestic violence

34 It’s the Word that Makes the Difference By rebecca moore peter and mark furler - two brothers, two writers, one heart

42 Spring Clean Your HealthBy paula ploenges tips from a qualified nutritionist

Contents

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48 Recipe: kale, avocado and asparagus salad

50 Regular Happeningsat the Goodlife community centre

52 Fragments Of The MindBy tim lovell Burn the ships!

The Good life magazine is an extension of the Goodlife community centre. our intention is to drop a bit of hope into your hands, encouraging you to find a place of connection and belonging because we are convinced that people matter.

the views expressed in articles and letters are the responsibility of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of Goodlife community centre or the Good life magazine. the acceptance of advertisements does not indicate editorial endorsement. no part of the publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. © copyright 2013

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a l e t t e r f r o m t h e e d i t o r

growing up i was always told that i could do anything i put my mind to. i remember a particular time hearing those actual words from my dad’s mouth. i don’t remember what i had asked him ... my goals and dreams varied from year to year ... but i remember him saying to me “Bonnie, you can do anything that you put your mind to.” most times though, it wasn’t those exact words that he and mom spoke, but other words (and actions) that encouraged me to always try my best and move forward towards whatever goal i had set.

in high school, we had to visit the guidance counsellor to talk about our career aspirations and how we were going to get there. By that stage in my life, all i knew was that one day i wanted to grow up, get married and have babies. that was the one dream i had always had that never changed. You can probably imagine how frustrating it was for the guidance counsellor who was given the task of trying to steer me down another path.

i didn’t want to go to uni without some idea of what i wanted to ‘be’ so i took some time to discover that. over 20 years later, i’m still discovering ...

along the way i have spent countless hours beside the pool, lifeguarding and teaching children to swim. Babysitting many of the children in our little community led to a year as a teacher’s aide and then to being the actual teacher of a pre-school class. a few months in a large department store taught me that retail was not for me. making reservations for an airline, the perks were great, but i needed something more.

well, except for the years i took off to fulfil my lifelong dream of becoming a mummy! i did grow up, get married and have babies. Gradually, as they grew and went off to school, i started looking for the next step in my journey of discovery. that step led me here, to what i am doing now, and to a new level of appreciation for the encouragement of parents who have always believed in me.

my son said to me just the other day “mum, i don’t know how you do it. sit in an office all day. i could never do that.” and my reply “it’s good that you don’t have to then. You can do anything you put your mind to...”

bonnie6

My first job in an office came when I was in my early twenties. It was like a light came on! THIS! This is what I was looking for! Paperwork! Spreadsheets! Filing cabinets! Things I could organize! I’ve been doing office work ever since.

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a l e t t e r t o t h e e d i t o r

i have appreciated the book review by sharlene hunter in the most recent issue where she reviewed a novel by lynda la plante.

i was so impressed that i borrowed the book from the town library, and have now read 5 books by the same author.

i plan to read all the books that she has written.

thank you book club for adding another name to my list of favourite authors.

yours faithfully, a reader.

“LOVE the magazine your team compiles

for Goodlife! I live out at Brightwater in

Mountain Creek and love the fact I am

receiving your publication even here!” - willI am wrItIng to express my appreciation of your magazines and the interesting articles they contain.

if you’d like to write a letter to the editor, you may send it to

[email protected] note, some letters may be

published in future magazines. please advise in your email if you do noT

want yours to be published.

we would really love

to hear your thoughts.

we would really love

to hear your thoughts.

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A LifE

Unleashed

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b y K e l l i e m e r r i m a n

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Cathy Sheargold has an incredible story to tell. Two years ago she weighed a staggering 160 kilograms. Then an incident happened in her family that caused her to rethink her future. She knew if she didn’t make drastic changes, she may not see her young son grow up and she worried that there would be no-one to take care of him. In a moment of clarity, Cathy decided it was time. Time to get over the past, commit to some serious life changes and live a life of freedom – forever!

when you sit down with cathy, you immediately feel that you are meeting a woman who is at peace with herself. her demeanour is one of calmness and positivity. she can also be described as a picture of health. she is fit and trim. we sit opposite each other in a café booth and i note she is sipping a cappuccino. she remarks that it is made on skim milk and also that the staff have learnt not to give her any chocolates or marshmallows on its saucer. frankly, it’s hard to believe the woman sitting opposite me was recently labelled as ‘morbidly obese’.

“i had been overweight since i was 10 years old. however, i did not have a dysfunctional childhood. the thing was that in that generation love was shown through giving someone food. plus, i was an emotion eater. i never felt okay expressing my emotions so i stuffed emotion down my throat, literally, with food.”

cathy began to put on weight because of these acts of love and she would also eat in secret. the emotions she stuffed down ended up living on her body in the form of excess weight.

she reflects on a particular incident. “when i was 12, i was going to be a bridesmaid at my sister’s wedding. however she told me

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that i couldn’t because i was the fat girl. it was heartbreaking.” looking back, the smallest cathy remembers being was a size 18.

“when you overeat, basically you are medicating yourself. Being fat is soul destroying. You are constantly thinking about it. it never leaves you. everything you do and everywhere you go, you are conscious of your weight. even getting onto a plane and realising that you have to encroach on someone’s space sitting next to you is exhausting and debilitating. the whole time you’re on the flight you’re trying to make yourself smaller by pulling everything in and up, holding your arms over the front of you and trying to disappear.”

we talk about what her usual diet looked like. to many this will sound crazy and even funny. however, the sad truth behind it is a hurting person stuck in addiction.

“it was not uncommon for me to eat ten pieces of chicken and two large chips from kfc. or, it would be two large pizzas and a loaf of garlic bread to myself.”

she chortles quietly when she speaks of the lies she told to feed her addiction. “i would order the pizzas over the phone and pretend to be ordering for more than one person. i would tell the person on the other end of the phone to ‘hold on’ while i spoke to an imaginary person in my home to ask them what type of pizza they wanted. i didn’t want the person at the pizza shop to think it was all for me.”

then, in her late-30s, her world was turned upside down when her father became very ill.

“i knew being overweight wasn’t good for me. my son, archie, was two years old when my dad got sick with a pulmonary embolism (a sudden blockage in a lung artery usually caused by a blood clot). i was worried about what would happen to my son if my parents

weren’t around. and as a single mum who was overweight, i was also frightened i wouldn’t be there for him. i often woke up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, it scared me that much. archie would be an orphan.”

cathy’s weight had skyrocketed another 30 kilos in the three years since she had fallen pregnant. officially, she was 150 kilos. however, she knew she was at least 10 kilos heavier than that but there weren’t scales that could weigh her beyond the 150 kilos.

cathy’s father becoming sick was a turning point in her life. she knew her days of binge eating on take-away and junk food had to end so she decided there was only one option – to have gastric bypass surgery.

she headed straight for the internet and started researching her options. as she browsed the various sites, she came across michelle Bridges 12 week Body transformation program (12wBt program).

“i enrolled and the journey began. it was the right thing at the right time. i’m so glad that this came along and that i didn’t go ahead with the gastric bypass surgery.” >

“Being fat is soul destroying. You are constantly thinking about it. It never leaves you.”

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cathy began her 12wBt program in september, 2011.

“the first week of the first program i did nothing. Basically, i hated it, i hated everything about it. the second week, i started to get into it a bit. i was unhealthy and unhappy anyway so i decided i just had to get moving. Getting used to exercising took a while and the first few weeks my body hurt all the time.”

in conjunction with michelle Bridges’ program, cathy joined a gym. she smiles as she tells a funny story. “i would drive to the gym, park my car and not get out. this lasted a week before i went inside. You feel like being fat is a secret and i must have looked ridiculous with layers of clothes on to hide how fat i was.”

cathy signed up for a series of personal training sessions. after one lap around the car park, cathy would be sweating like she had just run a marathon.

“i learnt how to move again. this is when i decided it was time to fight for my life.”

the first program was the hardest as she had to break old habits. however, she lost 30 kilos. after such great success, cathy participated in round 2.

after round 2, cathy was recognised by michelle Bridges with the “inspirational role model award.” and for the first time in two decades, she broke into double figures on the scales.

“it wasn’t about the weight i’d dropped. i’d just made a commitment to being an open and honest

“I learnt how to move again.

This is when I decided it

was time to fight for my life.”

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13

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person and a lot of people connected with that. i didn’t want to be the girl i was before, i was changing. i didn’t want to stuff emotions down any more.”

“when you drop large amounts of weight, 50-70 kilos, a shift takes place. You realise that this is my life, my life is active. i can climb mountains, visit waterfalls and eat food that is really good for me and also enjoy it.”

cathy is adamant about using terminology with extreme care. You may notice that she refers to her weight loss as ‘dropping’ weight, not ‘losing’ it.

“You can always find something you lose, like your keys. however, if you drop it and walk away, it’s gone. i want to encourage people that losing weight is a negative but when you drop it and walk away from it, you free yourself.”

then straight from this woman, who talks animatedly with her hands, comes a quote made of gold that will probably resonate with many of us.

“now, i only put food in my mouth that i love and that is good for me!”

“it’s all about life and sustainability. i am the one living my life and my body will react the way it does depending on how i nourish it. i have to listen to my body more. and considering what i’ve put it through over the >

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years, i’m lucky because my body has forgiven me for so much.

“Before i was a frightened version of myself. now, i’m an honest, braver version of who i was.”

after five 12wBt programs with michelle Bridges, cathy’s life is transformed. she has dropped more than 90 kilos. in fact, it is so transformed that it may come as no surprise that cathy is now studying to be a personal trainer. she wants to focus on those with a Bmi over 30. she believes dropping weight is

more than a number on a scale. don’t focus on numbers. it’s about your forever.

“small choices lead to long-term sustainability. it doesn’t matter whether you have to lose one kilo, five kilos, 50 or 100 kilos – your head, heart and body have to move together with you.”

“dropping weight is not about punishing yourself, it’s a gift to yourself. i want to see people move past punishing themselves for past sins every day. now, i’ve learnt to find the joy in movement and i’ve learnt how to

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play for the first time in over 20 years. it’s life-changing stuff.”

cathy has ended her long-term relationship with kfc and vows never to rekindle it. today, she enjoys boxing, trail running in the bush and pushing herself beyond her limits.

as we wrap up our time together, cathy wants to encourage people.

“i want to say to people who face dropping weight that you will find who you are along the way. choose your best life and live it every moment. it won’t be easy but you will find someone you never thought existed – the real you. and you never know, you might just come to like yourself in the process.”

Fill a shoe box with small gifts and leave it at Goodlife on or before 20 October

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Cathy took on a monumental challenge for her 40th birthday in June.she ran in the spartan race in ipswich, barefoot. however, the spartan race isn’t just your regular marathon. the race hosts four distances from the 7km sprint to the 42km marathon. participants race against the clock as they climb ropes, throw spears, balance beams, jump fire and traverse walls individually or as part of a team. at the end, participants face off against the spartan Gladiators - expect no mercy in the arena as 30 burpees await each obstacle a runner fails to overcome. “Choose your best life and live it every

moment. It won’t be easy but you will find someone you never thought existed

– the real you. “

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book reviews

From the Goodlife Book Club members

The club is inclusive and open to everyone, with any level of reading, interest, or age.

interested? Contact lindsay [email protected]

goodliFe Book CluB

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last Friday of the month @ Goodlife 9:30am

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a Table by the windowLawana Blackwell, Bethany House

Review by Marjorie Moody

can you change the life of a child from an abusive background simply by encouraging them through their critical teenage years? what is the real reward of following a dream? how important are your relationships, even your relationship with God? these issues are lived out in this novel and your interest will be held by the unusual plot.

over an issue of conscience, carley leaves her teaching job in san francisco after hearing she has inherited the home and assets of her grandmother whom she only visited once as a small child. instead of selling the house in faraway tallulah, mississippi, she unexpectedly decides to live in the house and ends up fulfilling a career dream. in the midst of it all, a budding romance turns deadly.

the novel is an easy read but its quality lies in the fact that it leaves you ruminating over and appreciating the values and issues the story raises.

cleoHelen Brown, Allen & Unwin

Review by Sharlene Hunter

cleo is a little black cat, who comes into the life of the Brown family after their 9-year-old son, sam, is killed in a car accident. helen, sam’s mother, was not a “cat person,” but when her younger son rob strokes cleo’s fur, and smiles for the first time since sam’s death, the cat secures her place as an integral part of the family.

the book gives us an insight into the crushing pain and grief a parent feels at the loss of

a child. however, the sadness is interspersed with the funny antics of cleo, and we see how the little cat’s zest for life helps to heal the traumatised family and slowly teaches them to laugh again.

i loved this book. i found it very easy to read and am amazed at the courage the author has to share her deepest sorrow with us. i also appreciated her talented writing skills. she is such a gifted wordsmith that i can see why this book is an international best seller and is also being made into a movie. a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Death in holy ordersP.D. James, Faber & Faber

Review by Joy Barraclough

death in holy orders is a murder mystery featuring James’ popular cid detective commander adam dalgliesh.

the setting is a high anglican theological college, which is run by priests who are training young ordinands for the priesthood. the college is on a desolate and remote stretch of the east anglian coast of england with all its wild beauty.

dalgliesh is sent to re-examine the suicide verdict given regarding the death of a young ordinand in residence. murder follows murder as dalgliesh works to uncover the perpetrator and motive behind the killings. the cast of characters comes to life and live easily in the imagination of the reader. it is full of suspense and entertainment right through the devious twists to the final unveiling of the truth.

a good read for all lovers of murder mysteries written by one of the masters of fiction.

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feature review

a pleDGe oF SilenceFlora J Solomon, Self-published

Review by Ellie Smith

if you’re anything like me, there are times you are completely unprepared for a book you read. You may have read the description or even a couple reviews to see if it was something that would interest you. But somehow, you manage to gloss over the emotional and traumatic events contained inside. that is, if you’re anything like me.

that’s how it was with “a pledge of silence”. even with statements such as this in the first chapter: “margie stepped back into the shadows, wishing she could guide the choices of her young self, but sadly she knew she could not change her fate.” what follows is a journey back in time. we see margie and her childhood sweetheart, abe make their college choices. we follow them through the fun times of job seeking and young love. But then, wwii begins, and abe joins up to be a fighter pilot and margie is called up in the army nursing reserve and sent to the philippines to care for our fighting boys over there. the war rages and finally catches up with her. so we watch as she and her fellow nurses become the first u.s. military women to be taken as prisoners of war by a foreign enemy.

the book is a work of fiction, but the author, flora J solomon did her research well, so that it could very closely mirror true events. in fictional novels, you expect a happy ending. however, we all know that real life offers us no such guarantees. throughout the book, that tension of fiction vs. reality is ever present.

i recommend that you step out of what you know and read this book. it is heartbreaking and hopeful and i think you’ll like it. if you’re anything like me.

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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 right

then one day she had noticed it was time to take their flight.

they had some practice take-offs and flapped their brand new feathers

one by one they had become well versed in all their measures.

and then the day arrived when the little ones should fly.

she knew it must be done But mother bird still had a cry.

"Just remember You've been given everything you need to fly. You've got feathers, wings, direction and you've even got good eyes.

Your landing gear is working and your tail sits nice and high, so go on now and spread your wings

soar up and reach the sky." >

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the breeze swept up and caught his wings the bird was quite surprised,

it balanced and supported him it took him through the sky.

across the town, across the school across the meadows green

he saw the blue horizon how the sun made waters gleam.

the little bird grew tired and began to feel alone Very soon he swirled around and headed on back home and when he saw his tree beside the ocean way up high

he found his nest and came to rest, and waved the breeze 'goodbye'.

"oh mother bird, we had such fun, the breeze, the sky and i. i'm glad you taught me very well, i'm glad that i can fly."

one little bird arranged his feathers, lifted up his chin,

he climbed up on the straw nest-edge and gave his mum a grin.

he summoned all his courage suppressed those butterflies

took one more step, held his breath and then he shut his eyes.

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b y l i n d s a y s m i t h

The story of one woman’s journey out of domestic violence.

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Terry is living free from a relationship in which she was physically, emotionally and mentally abused for five years. She tells her story to inspire and bring

hope to women who are still trapped in domestic violence situations.

From the idylliC Beginnings of a relationship with a man she loved, to its hellish end, terry has endured with strength and character. she has fought a battle for her survival, and today, has found a life where she can flourish and live freely. her journey is marked by her indomitable spirit and courage. it’s a hard, heavy story, told bravely as part of a healing process, and as a signpost for others who are now walking this road.

terry is a forty something mum, raising her two children in a safe home. she is quick to laugh and her openness to share her life is profoundly moving. she’s honest and straight down the line, involved in her community and connected into friendships. she has changed in the last two years and has become the woman she remembered she was before. Before him.

terry’s upbringing was nothing different from your everyday family. she explains, “it was normal. my mum was mum and my dad was dad!” although her teenage years were tumultuous, terry now realizes her stubborn attitude had much to do with it. “i thought i was better than everyone else. i was rebelling at that time. i thought i was bigger and better!” she says. she laughs as she talks of those simpler years in her life, then her voice deepens and becomes thick and full as she describes the next stage.

she met this amazing man, with a secret he didn’t share. she describes him. “when i met him, he was nice at first. he was every girl’s dream. he was sweet and generous, and kind and perfect. six months later, the real side kicked in. the drinking side. the nasty side.” >

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the abuse started verbally. then he began banging on the table. “i used to get so scared when he would bang on the table but in the end, i wished he would bang on the table and not on me!” she smiles wryly as she speaks. she didn’t know that the alcohol would change him so radically; he had kept it hidden from her. “then the hitting started. there was no getting away. i left a few times, but every time he found me and physically dragged me back,” she said.

over the next few years, life deteriorated into an endless cycle of violence. terry knew when he walked in the door what was going

to happen, just by his mannerisms. she would quickly get the kids into bed before he exploded, trying to protect them. she laughs dryly as she remembers, “the worst part was if he brought me flowers, i knew i was getting a flogging for sure.” she explained that when he had flogged her, he would bring her flowers. if she didn’t show enough gratitude for the flowers, he would beat her again. this would go on every day for two weeks and then she might get three days break, then the cycle would start over.

terry is very pragmatic as she relates what happened. she observes, “to this day, i don’t know why. at first i thought it was because the kids weren’t quiet enough or the house was not clean enough, or he didn’t like the food. then i realized he just needed an excuse.” when she thinks back to this time, she sees that he had to control every aspect of her life. even if she got up to go to the toilet, he would question her, and then tell her to sit down. she says, “if he had said to me 'stop breathing.’ i would have stopped!”

she was isolated and alone. his family was around, but they were too scared to do

anything. his mother knew and covered for him. she used to tell terry not to antagonize him, not to set him off and just to ‘cop it’. when medical attention was needed, his mother took her and terry knew that if she said anything, it would be reported back to him. the first time he beat her, he made the mistake of hitting her on the face and then had to keep her locked away until the bruises faded. after that he ensured all the damage was from the neck down. a work mate saw the bruising once and questioned her, but terry was too

“I used to get so scared when he would bang on the table but in the end, I wished he would bang on the table and not on me!”

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scared to say anything and the subject was never pursued. terry explains, “trying to make people understand that you can’t tell anyone is the hard part. that’s what i hated the most, keeping his secret. it was like i was making him who he was, because i kept it hidden. i felt i was enabling him to go ahead and do it, because he knew i would keep his secret.” her voice wavers, as she says that all she was waiting for was someone to say the words, ‘i’ll help you’.

when terry fell pregnant with her daughter, it got really, really bad and never improved after the birth. terry knew that if she didn’t do something her son would grow up thinking that this is how you treat women and she didn’t want her baby girl thinking every man has to beat you up. she hid money and tried to escape several times. he knew what she was doing, but he didn’t care as he always found her. all he had to do was go down to the local pub and say that his woman had left him and the blokes would tell him where the shelters were, as that is where they had found their women. terry comments, “i couldn’t trust anybody. i’d be thinking i was safe and then he would ring and the people i was staying with would reveal i was there. they were scared.” he is a 6ft bloke with broad shoulders. he isn’t a little man. one of his hands is like two of terry’s. >

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what happened in the week that led to her final escape is

confronting. he had come home, thrown his dinner plate at terry, as he

didn’t like the food. then he grabbed her wrist and squeezed (this was one of

his ways of abuse) but this time was one time too many, and the wrist just popped out of the socket. her arm was put into plaster. then three days of nonstop drinking started and terry knew he would crash soon, so she started to gather a few bits and pieces for the kids when he wasn’t watching. then he passed out, so she ran to the nearest shopping centre and called the domestic violence help number. they sent a taxi for her, which took her and the kids to another shelter.

But they were not safe there. he found them. terry tells the story, “i walked out of the shelter to get some shopping; he was sitting at the end

of the street in his car. i couldn’t walk back to the refuge. i couldn’t walk forward. i was frozen and he knew it. he just opened the car door and said, ‘Get in.’” terry describes how her brain was telling her to run, but she couldn’t. she had a pram and a toddler. he took her back to the house. this time it was different. his family was there and he didn’t care who witnessed his rage. he pinned terry with a knife to her throat and said he was going to kill her and the kids. his sister called the police; it took nine of them to hold him down. the police organized terry’s escape and she ran to another town. it was too close. he followed, so she kept running further and further away until he couldn’t find her.

safe, in a new town, battered and scared but determined to create a new life, terry readily admits it wasn’t easy. she didn’t sleep and her heart kept racing. she wasn’t sure if she wanted to run or be sick. she describes the feeling, “adrenalin was pumping. i didn’t know how to be normal any more. it was a long time until i did.” the refuge helped her put legal procedures in place, organized counseling and courses to help her build her new life.

during this time terry had an epiphany, a revelation that maybe life was bigger, her life more meaningful than she ever believed. the refuge she was staying in took her to a support group for coffee three days after she arrived.

“I didn’t know how to be normal any more. It was a long time until I did.”

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domestic Violence occurs when one person in an intimate relationship behaves in a way that causes fear or harm to the other person. it is the use of fear and power to control another person’s physical, emotional, social, sexual and/or spiritual being.

women's dv line 1800 811 811

mensline Queensland 1800 600 636

Domestic violence

W h a t i s

she was shell-shocked, traumatized, wearing the same clothes and underwear she had run away in. a group of women met her there and terry remembers thinking how bizarre the whole idea was. what could she possibly say to these ‘normal’ looking women? then one of the older women, placed her arm gently on terry’s shoulder and said, “i just want to say welcome.” something inside terry cracked open and she went back to the shelter amazed. the following week, she returned to the coffee morning. she comments, “it was like i was coming home. when i arrived there i felt a different feeling i didn’t understand. was i supposed to run, or hide? my anxiety dropped. it was like i had a peace button inside my chest. i felt safe.”

then these ‘normal‘ women organized bags of clothes for terry and her kids. as she was leaving the group one morning, one of her new friends mentioned how glad she was that God had rescued terry. in response terry thought, "it wasn’t God! i was there. it was the **** police!" Back at the refuge, terry started to cry and to think, “why do these people do this? Give me clothes, friendship. maybe there is a God? maybe God was there? maybe he stopped the violence. maybe?” she found the answers to her questions.

life is now a new kind of normal; a fresh sort of ordinary and terry loves it. >

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she’s cut her hair into a funky, urchin look. it’s the symbol of her freedom. she was never allowed to cut it before. every time she had run away, she had cut a little off, only to pay the price later. she laughs, “i keep thinking why didn’t i cut it years ago, and then i remember why!” the process of liberation has not been easy, but terry’s advice to others is to be strong; that there is help out there. she still has anxious moments, but they don’t consume her every day.

terry remembers how the relationship started, before the drinking, before the abuse, and there is sadness for what could have been. now she is in a different season of her life, she is settled, and has dreams for her children. she smiles. “i have a peace and freedom about me i never had. now i know normal. i have that same boring routine life like other women and i love it.”

Life is now a new kind of normal; a fresh sort of ordinary and Terry loves it.

32

whilst she reassessed her future, she decided she would make this time count for something. she shared her dream with a trainer at her local gym, and started preparing for the swimming state masters to be held in march 2013.

Julie-anne has been involved with swimming since she was a child. initially, she had to find someone to teach her to swim as she came

b y l i n d s a y s m i t h

When life doesn’t go in the direction we have planned, we are forced to reconsider our futures. For Julie-Anne Beard, the direction was in her

career when her position was made redundant.

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NEw DiREctioN

Swimming in a

from a non-swimming family. in the years that followed she achieved state level swimming in her teen years; has taught swimming to kids with disability; been involved in 24 hour fundraiser swims, and in 2003 swam her first masters. she found herself on the sunny coast, and in 2008, was faced with the challenge of doing an ocean swim as part of a triathlon team. she wryly comments, “i had never swum outside the flags.” Before she competed, as she

33

was walking out of the ocean, she tore her cruciate ligament (acl). doctor’s verdict – she was to do no running or exercise. undeterred, Julie-anne entered the race and had a fantastic swim; she loved it. as she came out the water to finish her swimming section of the tri, the crowds were cheering her to run to the finish; unable to run, she just had to smile at the crowds!

five years later she had set her sights on the state masters and the challenge of Queensland summerville house short course. the masters event is for swimmers from 18 years to 90 years! swimming in a 25m pool is not Julie-anne’s favourite as there are so many turns, which put pressure on her ligament injury. so, apart from the actual physical swimming, she had to overcome the psychological issues with short course events. her training involved three to four sessions in the pool with a set program, two workout sessions with her trainer and other times spent in the gym. Julie-anne comments, “my trainer helped me work through pain, using my strengths; i needed to think positively about them. i became a better competitor and was prepared in my mind as well as my body.”

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the competition was run over three days and Julie-anne was rewarded for her hard work with a handful of medals. when asked how she felt at the end, she smiled, “i felt fulfilled and physically capable. it was hard, but i did it. and i recovered! i enjoyed it.” her trainer says this about Julie-anne, “she’s a very determined and committed lady. inside she has a warm heart and a passion for swimming. Julie-anne improved her skills and her techniques and came out of her comfort level.”

Julie-anne’s direction change motivated her to achieve a dream. she knows that she is blessed with very few major health challenges and has already set her next goal. it is a 10km swim for motor neuron disease at the end of the year. a close friend is currently battling this horrific disease and not a lot is known about it. this is a way to raise awareness.

Julie-anne loves to swim, but as she says, “swimming doesn’t consume my life; it’s in my life.” she used her passion to work out her life circumstances and is now, looking outwardly to help others. way to go, Julie-anne and congratulations.

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b y r e b e c c a m o o r e

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.

the differenCe

it's the Wordt h a t m a K e s

e x t r a o r d i n a r y o r d i n a r y

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their puppy yaps with excitement and Julie usually has the jug boiling ready for a cup of coffee to accompany a good chat. Just recently the family celebrated as mark, Julie’s husband, was named apn news and media’s australian editor of the Year.

mark has been delivering the news to the sunshine coast for more than 25 years. with a father who has published books about his adventures as a missionary, a sister who writes poetry and another sister who has written a biography, his love for writing seems to have been born in him. Becoming dux of his school gave mark the opportunity to pursue the profession of his choice. his great love of writing and heart to fight for justice in society lead him into the pathway of journalism.

“when you see things that are wrong in society,” says mark, “you can tell people’s stories and see them change, that’s the ultimate for a journalist. You see the result of what you do. You see laws change; you see things exposed that should never have happened”.

when daniel morcombe went missing in december 2003 mark was there with the sunshine coast daily. they started the campaign where people put red ribbons on their letter boxes in remembrance of daniel until he was found. mark spent a lot of time getting to know the morcombes and was able to walk alongside of them to help give them a voice during this most tragic time of their lives. the daily was able to bring awareness to the community on child safety matters as well as the dangers that lurk on our streets. >

Entering the Furler household is like receiving a warm hug.

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when daniel was found and his body laid to rest in december of 2012, people sent in their red ribbons to denise morcombe who was very touched by this. she has publicly praised the sunshine coast daily for their involvement in the search for daniel.

“families are appreciative,” he says, “they’re going through the most terrible circumstances that anyone

can imagine and you’re there as their voice to the rest of the community. that’s when media can be useful.”

mark also admits that there are ugly sides of the media. “the media gets a bad rap generally,” he told me, “most journalists are there for the right reason. some of them get swayed into the wrong path where it becomes more about them rather than the story, but for 80-90% of people they’re there because of what they believe. their aim is to make a difference and that’s how you make a difference.”

with such a creative family, it is no wonder that mark’s older brother peter also found his way in the

world through writing, but this time in the form of songwriting. peter furler is the founder, drummer and former lead singer of the christian rock/pop band the newsboys, who sold 7 million albums worldwide with 27 number one hits. they have been featured in Business review weekly among australia’s top earning music exports. peter has now ventured out on his own as a solo artist with his latest album titled peter furler on fire.

i had the chance recently to speak to the brothers who had met up again on peter’s latest visit to australia

“When you see things that are wrong

in society,” says Mark, “you can tell

people’s stories and see them change,

that’s the ultimate for a journalist.”

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and asked them what it was like growing up together.

“mark was violent,” grinned peter with a chuckle, “mark was the younger brother so when we were growing up i’d be taller than him, then two months later he’d be taller than me. every time he was taller than me

he’d take me on. we’d put holes in the wall at dad’s house from fighting and wrestling. it was all in love of course, brotherly love.”

mark relayed stories of their days at school when peter had tried to start a revolution in rebellion to the strict school uniform of Bethesda christian college. he didn’t like the drab grey pants and decided that if enough

of them wore grey corduroy jeans, they may be able to change the school uniform. unfortunately for him, the school was quick to act and peter got the cane. Very quickly, his followers fled as they knew what was coming to them and the uniform protest was unsuccessful.

mark also told me of how peter and his friend once went walk-about during school time and a search party had to be called out to search for the boys in the surrounding hillside. with his love for life and adventurous spirit, it is no wonder that peter ended up in the rock scene, belting out his passions through a microphone.it’s not just all about the music for peter though. it’s about the friendships he’s made along the way, the joy and the laughter that comes >

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with writing songs with mates like steve taylor, phil Joel and paul coleman. But most importantly, it’s about the message. “some people suck the life out of you,” says peter, “and others leave you feeling encouraged. that’s like the two types of music. the Bible says ‘the power of life and death is in the tongue’ and that’s really how i see it. we all play similar chords, but it’s the words that come through that make the difference. it’s the word that changes a life.”

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BOOKS, BOOKS & MORE BOOKS

Friday 25 October 7am - 7pm

Saturday 26 October 7am - 12pm

in the gardens of Goodlife

Come and browse through a

huge selection of new and

pre-loved books for all reading

abilities and ages

Café Open • Story Time

Fill A Bag for $5 (bag supplied)

Enquiries 5444 2126 or

[email protected]

100 Buderim Pines Drive, Buderim

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lifeDiScovER

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over the next few years, buildings and facilities were developed with the help of generous supporters and many hands that laboured from sun rise to dusk. today, tunnel ridge ranch has dormitories and permanent tents, a dining room, horse sheds, carefully selected horses, a volleyball court and a massive pool with a rope swing. among their offered activities are canoeing, archery and leather crafting. the structured program run by qualified staff includes trail rides over fire trails on 36 hectares of natural bush land. during the week, the kids go on night walks, and have a mid-week bonfire evening with an open forum to ask any questions. cheryl remembers the awe on the faces of a group of Japanese girls when on a night walk, they looked up and saw more stars

than would ever be possible back in their city.

school groups with children up to 15 years are welcomed. if your school doesn’t take

your kids, then the camping experience can be accessed in the school holidays. check out their website for more information and the dates. challenge your kids to experience something more important than an Xbox!

when you reaCh the crest of the winding, tree lined driveway, the mooloolah Valley opens up with views over the ewan maddock dam. there in front of you is a campsite where children can live for a while in the beauty and wilderness of the bush, while exploring the bigger questions of life. who am i in relation to the world? what part do faith and God play in my life? located only 20 minutes from Buderim, tunnel ridge ranch welcomes you.

twenty years ago, the fishburn family, paul and cheryl with their daughter lauren, arrived on this piece of land

with a clear vision of what needed to happen. a recent tragedy had led the family to think about where their comfortable lives were leading them.

They knew they had to create new experiences for school kids, to challenge them through encounters with

the wilder side of Australia and to persuade them to consider God seriously. That vision became this camp.

Tunnel Ridge RanchChristian Youth camp on the Sunshine Coast

Holiday Camps - 6 days $330School Mid Week - 3 days $202

NEW in 2013Horse Riding Lessons - 6 per term $350

p: 5494 8657 | www.tunnelridge.com.aue: [email protected]

paul and cheryl Fishburn

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g o o d h e a l t h

spring clean Your HealtHb y p a u l a p l o e n g e s bsc (public health); b . nutrition

a Change oF season is an opportune time to spring clean your health as well as your home. You don’t need to go to extremes to notice improvements in your health and wellbeing. Being aware of your current heart health, stress levels and diet can encourage you to make small changes that will have a positive impact on your health.

a healthy heart is vital for delivering oxygen to muscles, healthy circulation, and preventing

chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. a visit to your Gp is recommended to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked. also, have a blood glucose test done to assess if your body is absorbing sugars efficiently. a brisk half hour walk each day is a great way to boost heart health.

stress is a natural response to life’s pressures. too much stress can create an imbalance of hormones in the body which can lead to symptoms of poor health such as headaches, hair loss, nervous tension and mental disorders. simple ways to manage stress include getting regular exercise, having a balanced work and social life, and limiting stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol.

nutrient deficiencies can lead to a number of health and vitality issues, so it’s important to eat a varied diet full of fruits, vegetables, lean

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FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

protein, low Gi grains, and healthy fats. an added benefit of consuming a healthy diet is increased energy, weight loss, and chronic disease prevention. lemon, grapefruit, berries, spring onions, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, spinach, rocket, asian greens, beetroot, asparagus, green beans, peas, carrots, parsnip, artichoke, avocado and most herbs are all in season from september to november.

check out your local farmers market for the freshest and most affordable produce, for a healthier you this spring.

more great advice and recipes for healthy eating available on paula’s Good nutrition facebook page.

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tREASuRE HouSE

s t o r y K e l l i e m e r r i m a n

p h o t o K e r r i e - a n n e b e n n e t t

t h e

After an airline to Fiji wouldn’t allow extra luggage on board that contained goods for an orphanage, Melinda Charkow of the Sunshine Coast decided to empty her own bag and fill it with donated goods for the children.

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• Excellence in Christian Education since 1980

• Proven record of academic and vocational achievement

• Kindy to Year 12 on the one stunning campus

• Outstanding facilities and extra-curricular programs

Why not request a Prospectus and a copy of the NCC DVD and see for yourself? For further information or to book a tour, contact our College Registrar.

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in her suitCase she carried 30 pairs of canvas tennis shoes, t-shirts, shorts, underwear and toiletries. the trip to the island paradise was a holiday with her husband and two sons, aged 18 and 15. melinda decided that while she was there she could help some people in need.

“i told the ladies at my gym that i was going and they were so generous with their donations that i wanted to publicly acknowledge the women who donated so generously.”

“people would just walk up to me with money and give it to me. it was amazing.”

i also want to say a big "thank you" to smiles dental at mountain creek who donated toothbrushes and toothpaste for the children for years to come.

the treasure house which lies just outside of nandi houses 27 children from newborns to

17 years old. it is heartbreaking to hear how these children end up at the orphanage.

“some are just dumped on the front doorstep because they are mixed race or simply not wanted any more. they might have a disability or the parents/family can’t care for them.”

the treasure house is run by elderly local women. currently they are raising funds to build a new home for the orphans as they are all crammed into a three-bedroom house.

“i want to encourage people to throw a few extra items in for the needy when they go on a holiday, especially if it’s to Bali or fiji. there is always someone in need.”

simple items such as cds, dvds, deodorant, vegetable seed packs, nappies, and baby formula can go a long way.

to donate go to: www.treasurehouse.co.nz

4646

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night,

and spring after winter.” - Rachel Carson

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Can’t make it? we have podcasts! www.goodlifebuderim.podbean.com

Sunday Church Services 8.15am, 10.00am, 6.30pm

Sunday Youth Church - Grades 6-12 meet in the Good life café 10.00am

Sunday Kids Church 10.00am

live text captioning bi-monthly for hearing impaired. www.goodlife.org.au/community/church

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Goodlife Community Churchis a gathering of people from a broad cross section of our

community who desire to explore what it means to have

a relationship with God and one another in the context

of faith and spirituality.

as christians we believe that God is the creator of life

and that he delights in our discovery of his love and

purposes for us. we believe that his love and design for

life is revealed in Jesus christ. we work hard to create

an atmosphere that is friendly and encouraging to all and

we hope that all people who desire to will find a place in

our church family.

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r e c i p e

ingredients

½ a bunch of kale - washed, stems removed, chopped

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, chopped

2 bunches of asparagus

1 small lemon

olive oil

sea salt

sesame seeds, toasted

method

put the chopped kale in the bowl you will serve the salad in, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt. using clean hands, massage the oil/lemon/salt into the kale. chop asparagus into bite size pieces and sauté in a bit of olive oil about 5 minutes or until cooked to your desired tenderness. while that is cooking, chop your tomatoes and avocado and mix into kale leaves. top the salad with warm asparagus and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

kale, avocaDo & asparagus

salaD

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Friday night kids (grades 2-7)

fridays during school term @ 5:[email protected]

go Frills

musical show for under 5’s

Various days @ 10:[email protected]

good english

conversational english classes

every wednesday @ 4:00pm [email protected]

goodliFe BookCluB

last friday of every month @ 9:30am [email protected]

goodliFe gym

class timetable & opening hours on websitewww.goodlife.org.au

goodliFe playgroup

tuesday and wednesday mornings @ 10:30am [email protected]

goodliFe sport

Futsal, basketball, badminton

indoor | Various evenings [email protected]

the Breast milk Bar

is a friendly place to come, to share and

to feed. it is a support networking group

for mothers; breastfeeding or mixed

feeding. we cover a topic of interest,

we share and your baby is weighed with

an experienced midwife and lactation

consultant. every friday fortnightly

@ 10:00am.

Yvette - 0407713084 or www.breastmilkbar.com.au

CaFé goodliFe

Great Food | amazing coffee

opening hours on website www.goodlife.org.au

Chit Chat

Social Group for women 50+

every wednesday @ 10:00am [email protected]

ChurCh serviCes

every sunday @ 8:15am, 10:00am & 6:[email protected]

GoodLife Community Centre | www.goodlife.org.au

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reGuLarhappenings

Come and find a place where you belong...

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07 5444 2126 | 100 buderim pines drive, buderim

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goodliFe mums group

every day overflows with activity, from

the excitement of constant curiosity

to the chores needed to keep a family

going. Being a mother is a balancing act.

it can get overwhelming sometimes and

we need to remember to make time for

ourselves. Goodlife mums meet every

friday fortnightly from 10:30am-12 in the

creche. mums connect, whilst bubs play.

Phone 0422 985 372 or email [email protected]

goodliFe women

Small Group bible Study

thursdays during school term @ 9:[email protected]

gymBaroo

multiple days & timeswww.gymbaroosunshinecoast.com

kids ChurCh

every sunday @ 10:[email protected]

kindermusik

Various [email protected]

little kiCkers

every saturday @ 8:00am & tuesday @ 10:00amwww.littlekickers.com.au

speCial needs support group

every wednesday @ 9:[email protected]

the sunny Coast sisters

cancer Support Group

2nd tuesday of every month @ 2:[email protected]

sunshine Coast Computer CluB

every thursday @ 12:[email protected]

swim sChool

operating six days a [email protected]

youth (grades 7-12)

every friday night @ 7:[email protected]

youth ChurCh (grades 6-12)

every sunday @ 10:[email protected]

52

ships!b y t i m l o v e l l

Burn the

f r a g m e n t s o f t h e m i n d

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it was the year 1519 and hernan cortes, one of spain’s great explorers, stood on the shores of the newly discovered americas faced with a very unsure future, formidable opponents and a discontented crew. Going ahead on his expedition made no sense whatsoever.

“it makes no sense!”

these words are so often the turning point in many great journeys.

these words rise up and threaten us into submission.

these words come and suffocate our dreams.

stop for a moment and think of a time in life when it just “made no sense”. what was your response?

what was hernan cortes’s response?

“Burn the ships!” or “scuttle the ships”, (both are recorded as his declaration).

regardless of which utterance is more accurate to action, the sentiment is the same. remove the option of running away, retreating, retracting or quitting and we have no choice but to hold true to the course we committed ourselves to.

retreat is easy when we leave it open as an option.

“that doesn’t make sense.”

these words can so easily become a phrase that we hide ourselves behind. we tell ourselves that certain things ‘don’t make sense’ because it makes it easier to abandon the proposed course.

it would most certainly have “made sense” for cortés to keep a ship or two, if not his entire fleet but cortés was on a mission, and he knew that the only way to keep himself or his men from quitting was to remove that option.

cortés put himself and his men into a genuine ‘do or die’ situation. retreat was not an option.

there are things in our lives that we have embarked upon, decisions that we have made, journeys that we have started for which quitting is simply not an option.

the question we have to ask ourselves is this: what are my ships? what am i afraid to let go of? what looms so large that i am overwhelmed and want to retreat from it? what escape clauses have i built into my life?

i don’t know everyone’s situation but i have come across many times where i have had to ask “what ships do i need to burn in my life?”

we will all face hard times but stay the course and fight for things that have worth.

“pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. fight the good fight of the faith.” 1 timothy 6:11-12

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The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller

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GOODLIFE | 100 Buderim Pines Dr, Buderim Q 4556 e | [email protected] w| www.goodlife.org.au p | 07 5444 2126 f | 07 5444 3603