Before the commencement of session one, there was a brief welcome to all attendees and the conference was opened in prayer by Lethy  from Black Sheep HDFC, Brisbane:
Mark 1:35 reads: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Having a relationship with Jesus, or with anyone else, takes a commitment of Time and Work. Make a commitment to start off with just 15 minutes per day sitting apart in a chair. Jesus told us to love one another. One who loves listens. We must seek to listen to God during that set-apart time. You ought to have a life verse, or a few life verses, to which you always return to remind you of your ministry.

Copyright notice: As I memorised scriptures from the NIV for more than thirty years, the majority of scriptures quoted will be from that version, therefore I include here the copyright notice for the NIV:  “Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.” Some that I wasn’t certain about have been copied in NIV form from www.biblegateway.com and others will be either KJV or my head-modified version of KJV, which was the version from which I memorised all scriptures until about 1978.

I must add that the above report is very far from verbatim report of what was said by the speaker. I took very abbreviated notes during the sessions.  I have filled out those very brief notes with what I think I heard the speakers say, not necessarily what they actually said.  It is more of a report on how what they said made an impact on me.

Session 1 focussed on the question: “What are the important elements in keeping our relationship with God through Jesus Christ while active in the Australian biker culture?”

Mac Hayes – Long Riders, Murray Bridge:

Keeping faith active: three main points:

1. 1. develop, strengthen, look after your prayer life.
2. 2. read the word (if you can’t read, use audio tapes or listen as others preach it.)
3. 3. maintain regular fellowship.

The church culture uses religious jargon – language which makes no sense at all to any unchurched people – but especially to those in the biker culture. Romans 12:1-3 says: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your good and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” The Christian bikers have elements of both church culture and biker culture within them. Romans 7 is very relevant. We must be accountable to each other.

Steve Chance – Christian Sports Bike Association, Sydney:

He introduced his ministry which works with those who ride and race sports bikes. His racing number is 316 which often opens up conversations with the guys with whom he competes in races.

Be active in the bike culture: seven points:

1. Embrace your identity: you are redeemed, set free, of royal blood, sent, ambassador, etc. understand where you are called, that is, specifically to which group of bikers. [at this moment, the Lord spoke by his Holy Spirit very clearly to me about my specific calling, answering a prayer of mine that has gone on for very many years – more about that in a different post – but it caused me to find it hard to concentrate on my note taking!]
2. Have Kingdom thinking: your ministry is really all about Him – only when you succeed in making it all about Him, an He make it about you and use you.
3. Pray and listen: pray for protection as Solomon did. Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
   Be in God’s power, not your own power.
   Pray for each other. Uphold your mates when you know they are heading out to minister; pray for wisdom and discernment.
   Pray for your ministry, Listen to God by reading his word and praying for him to speak to you through it.
4. Know your weaknesses: understand that you are vulnerable. Be supported by those around you.
5. Stay connected: with God and with each other – abide in the vine – fellowship.
6. “Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.” God likes to develop your character: think of the potter and clay image.
7. Remember that you have a Helper: Luke 3:16 says: “John [the Baptist] answered them all, “I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.””

To use racing terminology: reference points are like your prayer life, braking points are like the wisdom received from God, countersteering illustrates the forces that are against each other. You have to run your own race, to walk your own walk.

Lisa Clarke – CMA NSW and Righteous CMC, Sydney: [apologies for my extremely sketchy notes which leave out most of what was a great talk – I was still reeling from the revelation received during the previous speech]

It’s a battle. The battle is on three fronts; our fight is against the World, the Flesh and the Devil.
We must be in the world but not of it.
Subdue the flesh – this often means fasting and praying. Fasting is not popular with most of us, but if Jesus said we ought to do it, then we ought to do it. Remember Ephesians 6:10-13: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” This is followed by Ephesians 6:14-18: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the belt of righteousness in place, and your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Re the shield of faith: talk to him each and every day.

This first session was already a life-changing experience.

I shall attempt to post the Second Session notes tomorrow.

I have just spent the last weekend, from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th March 2015 at the Triennial National Motorcycle Clubs and Associations Conference which was held this year in Brisbane.

Previous iterations of this conference have been 2006: Sydney, 2009: Adelaide, and 2012: Melbourne. The 2018 conference is planned for Sydney.

The weekend started on Friday with a barbecue dinner and get-together which was held at the God’s Squad CMC (Christian Motorcycle Club) headquarters at Park Ridge, South of Brisbane.
It was great to be able to renew links with people that I hadn’t met face-to-face for years; actually physically hugging someone you know does something for both of you that thousands of Facebook communications do not.

On the Saturday, the conference proper was held at Calvary Chapel, a church in a shopping centre at Shailer Park, about 26 kilometres South of Brisbane.
There were four principal sessions each of which consisted of an opening by the MC, a devotional, and three speeches focussed on the question for that session, followed by a panel discussion.  I shall look at the questions and the details in upcoming posts.  The sessions were followed by the Conference Dinner after which a letter to the government pertaining to Queensland’s anti-association laws was agreed upon by those who were present.

On the Sunday there was a breakfast followed by a bikers’ worship service in a Uniting church at Zillmere on the North side of Brisbane.  The service was led by the Saints CMC who are based at that church.
After the service there was a ride into the city where we gathered at Emma Miller Place in Roma Street for a media event where the letter which had been formulated the previous day was presented.

 

The last time I had seen Lyn was when we dropped in to her place at Nhill when my daughter Nina and I were driving from Adelaide to Melbourne in May 2010, so almost five years ago.  It was so great to

catch up again in person, and to hear her deliver her address at the second session on the Saturday.

 

When I was holidaying in Geelong last week, I visited my youngest sister Trudi and we looked over some of the treasures in her shed.

She carefully unwrapped one of the earliest books I can remember reading and enjoying.

I shall place the scanned photos of the book below.

 

Facing sixth page picture

The remaining pages of the book were blank but just as aged-looking as the pages shown here. The back cover was blank and of the same background colour as the front cover.

According to my mother who, at the time of writing this blog, is now 92 years of age, this book originally belonged to my Mormor (Norwegian for grandmother, literally “Mother’s mother”) who was born in 1896, when she was a little girl, so the book is probably well over 100 years old by now.

I am very thankful to my sister Trudi who scanned it and e-mailed the pages to me.

Now although I had no trouble reading and understanding Norwegian when I was a young child, it is now 65 years since I last used the language, so I seem to have lost it somewhere in the meantime.

So I have decided to type out the Norwegian version as accurately as I can, then use Google Translate to give me an English version of the story, and finally to have a go at translating it myself into present day Australian English.

Here is the story in the original Norwegian as transcribed from the book:

H. C. Andersen
Prinsessen På Erten.
Illustreret av Hedvig Collin
Nr. 560.

Prinsessen På Erten.
Hedvig Collins
Utgave for barn av
H. C. Andersens
Eventyr.

Det var en gang en prins. Han vilde så gjerne gifte sig, men det måtte være med en virkelig prinsesse. Så reiste han rundt i hele verden for å finne sig en. Det var sannelig ikke så lett. Ja, prinsesser var det nok av; men en virkelig prinsesse kunne han ikke finne, hvor meget han enn lette. Til slutt reiste han likeså godt hjem igjen. Men han var forferdelig bedrøvet, for han vilde så gjerne ha sig en ordentlig prinsesse.

Så en kveld rök det op et skrekkelig uvær. Det lynte, og det tordnet, og det regnet. Aldeles fryktelig var det. Da banket – bank, bank, – på byens port.

Den gamle kongen måtte ta på sig frakken sin og gå ned og lukke op. Tenk, det var en prinsesse som stod utenfor. Men du store verden, slik hun så ut! Hun var blitt så våt av regnet, at vannet rant fra håret og ned på kjolen og ned i skoene. Og skoene laget store dammer, hvor hun stod og gikk. Men enda sa hun at hun var en virkelig prinsesse.

“Det skal vi snart få greie pa!” tenkte den gamle dronningen. Hun sa ingen ting, men gikk inn i et av gjestevaerelsene og gjorde en seng i stand.  I bunnen av sengen la hun en bitte liten ert. Ovenpå den la hun tyve madrasser. Ovenpå madrassene la hun, først en dyne, så en dyne, så en dyne til, så enda en dyne, og slik holdt hun på til det blev tyve dyner også.

Øverst oppe på de tyve madrassene og de tyve dynene skulde princessen ligge om natten.

Den næste dag spurte de henne hvorledes hun hadde sovet.

“Å, aldeles forferdelig!” sa princessen, “Jeg har næsten ikke sovet et øieblikk i hele natt! Hvad i all verden kan det være som ligger nede i sengen? Det må være noget hårdt, for jeg er både gul og blå over hele kroppen. Det er aldeles skrekkelig!”

Men da skjønte de jo at det var en ordentlig princesse, for så fin hud kunde bare en virkelig princesse ha. “Tenk, føle en ert gjennem tyve dyner og tyve madrasser! Det må være en princesse! Hun tror jeg nok passer!” sa prinsen. Og så holdt de bryllup.

Men erten blev lagt på en silkepute og satt inn i et glass-skap. Og hvis ingen har tatt den, ligger den der den dag idag.

 

And here is Google Translate‘s attempt at rendering the words into English:

H. C. Andersen
Princess and the Pea.
Illustrated by Hedvig Collin
No.. 560.

Princess and the Pea.
Hedvig Collins
Issue for children of
H. C. Andersen
Adventure.

There was once a prince. He wanted so much to marry, but it had to be a real princess. So he travelled around the world to find himself one. It was no easy matter. Yes, princesses were plentiful; but a real princess he could not find, how much he than light. Finally he travelled likewise well back home. But he was awful sad, for he would then like to have themselves a real princess.

So one night rök forth a frightful storm. It lightened and it thundered, and it rained. Perfectly horrible it was. When beaten – bank, banking, – at the city gate.

The old king had to take upon himself his coat and go down and close up. Imagine, there was a princess who stood outside. But you big world, so she looked! She was so wet from the rain, and the water flowed from the hair and down her dress and down in your shoes. And shoes made large ponds, where she stood and walked. But even she said that she was a real princess.

“That we soon become clear pa!” thought the old queen. She said nothing, but went into one of guestrooms and made a bed ready.  In the bottom of the bed she a tiny pea. Upstairs the she twenty mattresses. Upstairs mattresses she, at first a duvet, so a duvet, so a duvet, so even a quilt, and so she kept on till it was twenty quilts too.

At the top of the twenty mattresses and twenty quilts might Princess is at night.

The next day, they asked her how she had slept.

“Oh, absolutely terrible!” said Princess, “I have scarcely slept a moment all night! What in the world can it be lying down in bed? There must be something hard, because I’m black and blue all over my body. It is utterly appalling! ”

But when they saw that there was a proper princesse, then nice skin customer just a really princesse have. “Think, feel a pea through twenty quilts and twenty mattresses! There must be a princesse! She think I fit enough!” said the prince. And so they were married.

But the pea was put on a silk pillow and put into a glass cabinet. And if no one has taken it, it lies to this day.

Here is my own English translation of the story:

H. C. Andersen
The Princess and the Pea
Illustrated by Hedvig Collins
No 560

The Princess and the Pea
Hedvig Collins
Children’s Version of the
H. C. Andersen
Adventure

Once there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but only a real princess would do. So he travelled throughout the world trying to find her, but it was no easy matter. Yes, there were plenty of princesses, but it was impossible to find a real one, no matter how hard he tried. So he returned home where he was very unhappy, as he wanted so much to marry a real princess.

One night a terrible storm blew up. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared and it rained incessantly.  It was a really horrible night.  In the midst of the tempest there was heard a continual knocking at the palace door, so the old king went down to open it.

Amazingly, a princess stood at the door, but what a bedraggled sight she looked from all that wind and rain! Water streamed from her hair, down through her clothing and into her shoes.  Puddles formed around her feet where she stood. But she claimed to be a real princess.

“We’ll soon see about that!” thought the old queen to herself.  Without a word to anyone, she went to one of the guest rooms and stripped all the bedding off the bed.  On the bed base she placed one solitary pea.  On top of the pea she placed twenty soft mattresses and on top of the mattresses she placed twenty eiderdown doonas. Up on top of all these, the princess was to spend the night.

In the morning they asked her, “How well did you sleep?”

“Oh! Terribly!” said the princess.  “I scarcely slept a wink all night!  What on earth could be in that bed? It must be something hard, because I am black and blue all over. It was a terrible night!”

Now they could see that, without doubt, she was a real princess.  “Imagine! To be able to feel a pea through twenty mattresses and twenty doonas, she has to be a real princess!” said the prince.  So the prince lost no time in marrying her since he knew he had found a real princess.

As for the pea, it was displayed in the museum on a silk cushion in a glass case. And if no-one has stolen it, it is still there today.

Notes:

Hans Christian Andersen was Danish so the above story had been translated by a person unknown from Danish to Norwegian. It would therefore have originally been titled: Prindsessen paa Ærten.

For some unknown reason, Google Translate chose to spell ‘princess’ as ‘princesse’ on several occasions so I have left those renderings as they are.

When I was small and either my Mormor or my mother would tell this story to me, they always finished it with an additional sentence: “There! That is a true story!”