Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 26th & 27th December, 2009.

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 26th & 27th December, 2009.

See and do

The other afternoon on radio, people were telephoning the host and suggesting what they would be doing Christmas Day and in the holidays that followed it. Of course , it was dominated by family gatherings and talk of traditional and novel foods to prepare and celebrate.

One man said if you want a good laugh to go to any boat ramp on Christmas Day afternoon or Boxing Day and watch people launch their new toys they got for Christmas. He said you will laugh your head off as they try to reverse down the ramp, and remember they haven’t put in the drainage hole bung (screwed plug) or try to start their motor, maybe for the first time.

I remembered that a few years ago I had witnessed such scenes at a boat ramp. Just a few days before Christmas, my little Swiss Mate and I went fishing. It was not the most successful day’s fishing. We came home with one fish!It was our last fishing trip before she was to fly to Switzerland to be home for a “proper cold Christmas” with her family rather than the very hot Australian Christmas. When we got back to the boat ramp we found it was quite busy with people coming and going. We had to wait our turn to load our boat onto our trailer.

There were obviously some Christmas presents a day or four early. There was one bloke (guy) with a magnificent 5 metre (17ft) boat on a trailer and he was towing it with a brand new Holden Monaro (in USA its called a Pontiac GTO). He was taking photos of the combination. Then there was the other bloke with a four wheel drive (SUV) towing a trailer with a brand new Sea-Doo (personal recreational boat – like a motorbike for the water). We had to wait while he reversed the trailer down the ramp to unload the Sea-Doo.

The bloke demonstrated very quickly that he did not have a clue on how to reverse a trailer. In fact he managed to get his 4WD onto the ramp with a bit of good luck. When the trailer started to head for the side, he decided another approach was necessary. He decided to unhook the trailer and take it down the ramp by hand. All went well until he unhooked it and the jockey wheel on the tow bar of the trailer was in place. It was about then he realised that the only brakes the trailer had was him. He almost ran down the ramp trying to hold the trailer from getting faster. Two things helped him. The ramp is not very long and the water had a natural braking effect when the wheels entered it. So he managed to hold the trailer at just about the right place in the water.

Now he had to get the Sea-Doo off the trailer and then return the trailer to his vehicle and clear the ramp. It was about this time that I decided it may be quicker to help him immediately instead of just enjoying the comedy show. (I should say here that as a small boat fisherman I don’t like Sea-Doos and similar noisy things that disrupt quiet time fishing). I got down there just in time to show him that it was probably safer to use the handle for the ratchet on the winch than to pull it back with his fingers. He commenced to wind the handle of the winch but the Sea-Doo did not move. He then unhooked it from the winch strap and gave it a great push. Same result.

I suggested to him there may be a strap at the back which held it to the trailer, as by now the back should have been floating. He went to the back and unhooked the strap and immediately it popped up to float on the surface. He came back to the front and gave a great push. The tightening chain at the front indicated something. It took him a little while to realise that the Sea-Doo was still attached to the trailer by a strong chain. It took him a little longer to undo the chain. The Sea-Doo was immediately free and he was able to beach it next to the ramp. He then returned the trailer to the vehicle and I rushed to my car to get my turn on the ramp. I decided it was best not to take an opportunity to watch someone on a Sea-Doo for the first time without an instructor.

I thought of two things.

The first was “When all else fails read the instructions”

The second was the verse from the King James Version of the Bible where Paul says to his spiritual son, Timothy “ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15).

This can be applied to Christmas. What is the meaning of Christmas? We can often think about Christmas with a mix of Bible knowledge, traditional stories and legends and more modern inventions and interpretations of the events and season.

It is a lovely exercise at this time of the year to turn to the first chapters of the Gospel in the New Testaments. Here we find Matthew, and Luke, each relate some of the events we associate with the birth of Christ. John’s Gospel talks about the reason Jesus came and His eternal existence and its benefit to us. They are all well worth reading and thinking about.

You want to know about the real Christmas ? Read the instructions and events in the Bible. (Various Bible versions can be accessed on the search window drop down menu at : http://www.biblegateway.com).

[Listen: Songsters (78 rpm) : http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/MF305%20-%20Vocal%20-%20Tell%20Me%20The%20Story%20of%20Jesus.mp3 ]

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus
Sang, as they welcomed his birth:
Glory to God in the highest,
Peace and good tidings to earth!

Chorus
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.

Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that he passed;
How he was tried and was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of his labors,
Tell of the sorrows he bore;
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected and poor.

Tell of the cross where they nailed him,
Mocking his anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid him;
Tell how he liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Glory for ever to Jesus,
He paid the ransom for me.
Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)
The Salvation Army Song Book : Song Number: 99

[Listen: Congregation and Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/songs/songs_077.mp3]

Tell me the old, old story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and his glory, Of Jesus and his love.
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child,
For I am weak and wary,
And helpless and defiled.

Chorus
Tell me the old, old story,
Tell me the old, old story,
Tell me the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love.

Tell me the story slowly,
That I may take it in,
That wonderful redemption,
God's remedy for sin.
Tell me the story often,
For I forget so soon;
The early dew of morning
Has passed away at noon.

Tell me the story softly,
With earnest tones and grave;
Remember! I'm the sinner
Whom Jesus came to save.
Tell me the story always,
If you would really be
In any time of trouble
A comforter to me.

Tell me the same old story
When you have cause to fear
That this world's empty glory
Is costing me too dear.
Yes, and when that world's glory
Is dawning on my soul,
Tell me the old, old story:
Christ Jesus makes thee whole.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 98
Author: Arabella Catherine Hankey (1834-1911)

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