family – No Guarantees

Overland Track Family Adventure Confirmed

July 1, 2009 by Vawz, posted in family, hiking

__ The Overland Track __ Well, I have been hanging out for the 1st of July for a few weeks. Today bookings open for the Overland Track hike in Tasmania. It is a popular track with people from all over the world so they have a limited number of spots available each season for walkers to protect the environment/track/huts/tent sites etc. Bookings opened today, by the time I got online at lunch time already the 28th Dec was booked out, the next day had 15 spots left so we grabbed 5 of them for Christine myself and the 3 girls.

It is a 6 – 7 day walk depending on how many side tracks you take. It has some nice huts along the way, but you have to carry a tent by law in case the hut is full. They let a limited number of people onto the walk each day and you can only walk north – south. It sounds all regimented and I guess it is, but I think it is better than being crowded out on a walk that feels like St Georges Tce…Pitt Street? (depending on what your main street is!) There are many spots to camp and the camaraderie at night with other walkers is all part of the experience. It’s certainly is not a walk you do to be away from people, but away from everything else – it is! The country is amazing. I did this walk under cloud and rain in about ’87, then again in good weather in ’93 on my honeymoon. Christine and I can’t wait to share the experience with our kids!

Parks & Wildlife Service - Introduction

Grandpa Died A few Minutes Ago

November 21, 2008 by Vawz, posted in faith, family, Life

You may remember a post I made a few weeks ago, it went something like this –

My Grandpa Harold Vawser (95) is in his final stages of life, could be hours, maybe days, weeks if his body holds out that long.
He has recently been moved from his nursing home to Royal Perth Hospital with septicemia, pneumonia and urinary tract infection, that, added to his chronic diabetes, is making life a little uncomfortable for him to say the least.
He has been up and down for a few weeks in there at RPH, but when I visited before Halls Creek he was on an ‘up’ and it was good to be there and chat and pray with him with Mum and Dad for a while… read the rest

Well, it took him a while, he hung on with all he could! But finally today he passed away, just a few minutes ago! It was what we all wanted, he was keen to be out of pain and with his maker! – VERY keen!

I loved him a lot, he was a great man, a man who loved Jesus and loved people, enough said I reckon – that would be enough for me I think.

Goodbye Harold Vawser, you were an inspiration, thanks for loving me!

Harold Vawser

October 16, 2008 by Vawz, posted in faith, family

My Grandpa Harold Vawser (95) is in his final stages of life, could be hours, maybe days, weeks if his body holds out that long.
He has recently been moved from his nursing home to Royal Perth Hospital with septicemia, pneumonia and urinary tract infection, that, added to his chronic diabetes, is making life a little uncomfortable for him to say the least.
He has been up and down for a few weeks in there at RPH, but when I visited before Halls Creek he was on an ‘up’ and it was good to be there and chat and pray with him with Mum and Dad for a while.
Yesterday I got the low down from Mum and Dad (Grandpa’s son) on how he is. Before I tell you this, you need to know my Pop has a deep faith in God and is strongly evangelistic, nothing moves around Pop without hearing something of the good news of the Kingdom of God.
He is very sick, almost delierious with his body fighting all these infections and doing its best to stay alive, in this state it seems like he is making his final stand for his God.
He is endlessly preaching evangelistic sermons and quoting scriptures and calling out the Lord’s Prayer … “OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN HALLOWED BE THY NAME…”
The lady opposite asked my Mum, “Was he a preacher, coz he is sure doing a lot of it!”

I guess with his diminishing health and the loss of Grandma some years ago Grandpa was keen to go a long time ago, he has said as much – often.
But now it would seem (from his body at least) that his time has come, and he knows it!

I guessGranpa, like you and I was not perfect. But what I could say was that he loved Jesus with a passion that I have never seen in anyone, he would have given his life for his family, his whole family, son, daughters, their partners and their kids and now their kids too. He has prayed for us, been interested in everything we are doing, helped us in financial ways and with words of encouragement and words of scripture (in EVERY birthday and Christmas card he has ever given!!).

I think when I look at Pop, I see very real life, a very rich life. Not one that has ended with a big bank account (Nope no big cheques heading my way!) but one that seems to be ending with a family that loves him around his bedside, and the words of his deeply beloved God resounding in his mouth (and the ears of everyone on that floor of the hospital!)

On Ya Grandpa – Well done good and faithful servant – enter into your rest now.