Will Jr meets the Hon Kevin Rudd

So pumped for little Will. Last night he received his award for excellence in Art, Ernie Adsett Award, by the Hon Kevin Rudd.
The initiative's aim is to encourage children to remember those who laid down their lives in war for the freedom we enjoy in Australia. Well done Will!

Fergus defeats the CLAW

It was great to spend a few hours with the boys at DREAMWORLD on Saturday.
The boys wanted to ride the CLAW, and how could I chicken out if they wanted to ride the feakingly scary mind bruising stomach churning ride of pain. So we rode it. I had my eyes open for the first half but then squeezed them firmly shut only to open them at the end. I looked over to Will who was smiling. Turned to Fergus and his head was hanging down, eyes closed and spit dribbling out of his mouth. I said "You okay mate?" To which he slowly lifted his head, opened his eyes and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah Dad" he mumbled. We got off the ride and started shuffling around to meet Nerida and Arch.
Now this is the crazy part. As we turned the corner Fergus ran ahead and started punching the air whooping, "Yeah, that was awesome! That was awesome MUM!" Will and I looked at each other, we weren't one bit convinced, he is his mothers boy though.

Archie loves the Sand Pit

Archie in the Sandpit from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

My little Sisters Blog

Great to see my sister Mary has started blogging. It's a great and simple way we Aussies can keep in touch with their amazing adventures in the U-S of A.
Tay-Bee in his new time machine.

Who's the boss & passing the buck

On Monday my Mum and Dad arrived to stay overnight. We always thoroughly enjoy having our family come to visit, there are inevitably some hilarious moments. Here are a couple from the last visit:
Who's the boss
The boys were arguing who was the boss. After a heated discussion it was concluded that when Pa and Nannie are here they are the 'boss'. When they're gone Dad is the boss. When Dad's gone Mum's the boss. When Mum's gone little Will is the boss. If Will is gone Fergus is the boss... but if it's just Archie home alone no one's the boss. Archie was disgusted. Needless to say the youngest gets away with murder and actually bosses everyone mercilessly.
Passing the buck
Nerida was cleaning the house and was furious when she found that 'someone' had forgot to lift the toilet lid and sprayed everywhere. She interrogated the three boys, "Who made this mess." After a group discussion the three amigo's agreed, "It must have been Pa Mum." Poor Pa. Needless to say he and Nannie use their own bathroom downstairs. The boys got bail.

Fathers Day Australia, 2009

This morning I actually celebrated my second Fathers Day for 2009!
It is a privilege to be Dad, and every year I have watching my boys grow up I guess I get a little more of a glimpse of the Father Heart of God. I'm still staggered by the fact that I get to live this amazing life with such a beautiful wife and three amazing boys.
I love the fact that it all started with hand made cards, a new pair of super cool shorts and a big kiss from my gorgeous wife. Then after church we hung out in a park by the City and the boys rode their bikes down a steep hill! Those boys have a daredevil streak that has skipped a generation. Then we got to finish up the afternoon playing "Starwars - Revenge of the Sith!" It was great to hang with my family today. I love you all so much.

Vail Colorado Acts 29 Retreat 2009

This past week Nerida and I had an amazing time in Vail Colorado with the Acts 29 Leadership Retreat. We truly thank God for this amazing few days, relaxing, being refreshed, encouraged and meeting so many men and women who are passionate about following Jesus and seeing His name being made famous throughout the nations.

Thankful

We can't believe it. It is only literally weeks before we
arrive back home to begin a new church in Brisbane!

As I look back over the last year there is one word that best describes my feelings: THANKFULNESS. I am moved with thankfulness to God for this time of growth as a person, leader and as a family. I am thankful to Pastors' David Putman and Shawn Lovejoy for investing in me and this new church. I am thankful for the people who are Mountain Lake Church, for their love and generosity to my family. I'm thankful for the vision and generosity of the Presbyterian Church of Qld, Australia and the relationships forged with various other churches and organisations who are encouraging this new church. I am also deeply thankful to God for the grace and generosity that YOU our friends and family have shown by supporting us during this time of training. Your prayers, letters, cards and support have been so encouraging to my family and I. They have been God's grace at work in our lives. Thank you.

Archie proposes after 68 years

And I reckon he's made the wrong choice. Archie is all set to propose to his girlfriend Veronica and Betty ends up crying. Wrong choice Arch. Who's the girl who you can depend on? Who's the girl who's there to help you fix your car, encourage you and bail you out when you mess up? It's not Veronica!!
YEEEESH.
How dumb are some guys?
You can read the whole dumb mess here.

Potential

I love the new series at Mountain Lake Church - 'Potential'. Looking at the book of Genesis and specifically the life and calling of Abraham. God promised Abe that his descendants would be uncountable like the 'stars in the sky.' A promise ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. Through His life, death and resurrection Jesus has and is continuing to gather an amazing family from every nation called to be blessed by God's grace and to be a blessing to the earth.

People who Jesus has blessed me through:
My wife Nerida.
My three boys; Will, Fergus and Archie.
My Dad and Mum.
My four sisters, their husbands and their amazing kids.
My Pastors and Coaches - David and Shawn.
My Aussie Pastors - Mike, Wayne, Roly, Bob, Mark, Steve and their wives.
My Aussie mates - Dan, Jens, Phil, Ben, Tim, Sam, Chocko, Michael... Hang on I'll be blogging all day. I've been blessed by more than I can count let alone write down here!

Bottom line - Mountain Laker? Get to church this Sunday we're going to celebrate the Collective Potential that as followers of Jesus we have to change the world for good.

Nerida V's Vanessa Branch

Gotta love this clip James Rodder pulled together for Mountain Lake Church's Easter Saturday/Sunday Services. For me Ned beats Vanessa hands down... FABULOUS! What do you think?

Good Friday 2009

Woke up to 6 boys running riot.
Cuppa with Mum and Dad and then Cracker Barrel for Breakfast.
Then back home to enjoy the Tornado warnings, rain, hail and lightning with the family.

Scratchin' my way through

Hey though I dearly love Georgia for it's Southern BBQ, fried chicken biscuits, trucks, bikes, ballparks and genuine people... one thing I can't stand about Georgia is the freakin allergies I get from time to time here! I wake up at night my eyes itchy, throat itchy, skin itchy, nose is either clogged up or running. Headaches. Man it can make for a tough existence. By the way the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America lists Atlanta Georgia "the worst US city to live in." Dang it.

Testosterone City

Shaping young men

I have the privilege and responsibility before and under God to raise three young men. It daily brings me to my knees. One of the things my friend Ps David Putman and I often talk about is the fact that when it comes to the bottom line of discipleship - you reproduce who you are. We can not escape this reality. We all have an impact on the people around about us. And we all pass on whatever is going on inside us. What's going on your life? What are you building into the people God has placed around about you? Is it negativity, religiousness, isolation? Or the life, freedom and love of God you have found in Jesus Christ?
"There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go, and that is to travel that way yourself." Abraham Lincoln.

Seattle Acts 29 Personal reflection

There is nothing like getting away for six days and waking up at 3.30am every morning to hear God. As I've reflected on the bible passages I've read, the prayers I've prayed, the messages spoken and the words various men spoke into my life I have three things that I do not want to loose:
1. The gospel is Jesus. He is the good news. Life, death, resurrection, forgiving, spiritually living in me, changing me, working in and through me. Never leaving me. Thank You Jesus, I live for you. Isaiah 7:14 - God with us forever, that is the good news!
2. I must daily die to all my insecurities. They are idols and I need to repent of them and embrace who God has made me in Jesus. I am His. I am not anyone else. God loves me perfectly and eternally in His Son.
3. I love the gospel of Jesus. He calls me to come follow Him and use all I am to see others know His love and follow Him. Lord give me a spine of iron and a heart overflowing with hope, passionate, unfliching in my watch over the good news.

Nerida's Birthday 2009

Hey just celebrated Nerida's Birthday with the three amigos. It was great. Presents from Australia. Presents from Georgia, Tennessee and a much deserved present from us boys. Love you heaps and heaps Honey.

Henderson Circus

Today we went to the Circus in downtown Atlanta. The boys absolutely loved it. There were clowns, elephants, flying girls, singing, jokes, tigers, motorbikes, horses, explosions, crazy jumping dogs - you name it it was there. Nurtured their vitality... man I'm exhausted.

What more could a Southern Girl want?

Valentines Day 2009. Ten years Nerida has been my girlfriend. Wow. So apart from the choccies and lovely card etc I took Ps Shawn's advice and treated my beautiful lady to an extra special lunch out - Southern Style. Where? Roosters of course. She loves me ;)

Biscuits for Dinner

You've gotta love it when you get to eat biscuits for dinner, add to that some fried chicken and it's snowing outside and you have a whole nother world for us Aussies.