family Archives - Brian Harris https://brianharrisauthor.com/tag/family/ Tue, 05 Aug 2025 02:18:34 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/brianharrisauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cropped-brianharrisauthor-favicon-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 family Archives - Brian Harris https://brianharrisauthor.com/tag/family/ 32 32 93416650 Reflections from a cruise… https://brianharrisauthor.com/reflections-from-a-cruise/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/reflections-from-a-cruise/#comments Sat, 10 Aug 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=4982 I’m writing this as I sit on my cabin balcony gazing out at the open ocean. Rosemary and I are in the middle of 25 days of unaccustomed ease and luxury as we celebrate her retirement some 20 months ago. We have cruised around Iceland and Norway and will soon be exploring Amsterdam and Belgium […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/reflections-from-a-cruise/feed/ 9 4982 A Christmas Letter… https://brianharrisauthor.com/a-christmas-letter/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/a-christmas-letter/#respond Mon, 24 Dec 2018 22:00:15 +0000 https://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=3098 After not having written a Christmas letter for a few years, Rosemary and I thought we’d make amends this year. Some of you will have already received it via email, but over the years we have lost the addresses of so many good friends that we thought we’d post it on the blog as well, […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/a-christmas-letter/feed/ 0 3098 On the death of a brother-in-law https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-the-death-of-a-brother-in-law/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-the-death-of-a-brother-in-law/#comments Sat, 22 Apr 2017 11:41:10 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=2518 My brother-in-law, Milner McPherson, died last night, the 21 April 2017. He had been in a deep coma for a few weeks, so was unable to anticipate what was about to occur, but if that had not been the case, he would have approached his departure cheerfully and indeed, enthusiastically. For some death comes as the enemy – for […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-the-death-of-a-brother-in-law/feed/ 6 2518 About a holiday… https://brianharrisauthor.com/about-a-holiday/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/about-a-holiday/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2017 22:00:43 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=2438 I recently returned from a wonderful family holiday in Japan. The selection of Japan was based largely on its amazing ski fields (a really important factor for my oldest son Nic) and that it would be culturally enriching while still being a country where you can get by with English – albeit that the occasional […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/about-a-holiday/feed/ 3 2438 When family fails… https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-family-fails/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-family-fails/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2016 22:00:57 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=2381 At Carey we recently finished a preaching series on the life of David – author of so many of the Psalms, and Israel’s most successful king. One of my topics was the family life of David – notable largely for its failure. As a fair few people found my reflections on the topic helpful, I […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-family-fails/feed/ 1 2381 Practicing the presence of people… https://brianharrisauthor.com/practicing-the-presence-of-people/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/practicing-the-presence-of-people/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2016 22:00:04 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=2181 You might well be familiar with Brother Lawrence’s classic The Practice of the Presence of God – a wonderful text on becoming aware of God in the everyday. But what do you think about practicing the presence of people.  At my home church (Carey Baptist) we are currently working through Peter Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and on Sunday it […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/practicing-the-presence-of-people/feed/ 4 2181 On turning 59… https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-turning-59/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-turning-59/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2016 22:00:34 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=2006 I turned 59 on Wednesday. It’s an awkward kind of a birthday 59 – it feels like an unspecified space. When you turn 39 or 49 people joke, ‘almost 40’ or ‘almost 50’. But 59 is different. People politely say, ‘I would never have guessed it’ – as though you are about to enter territory […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/on-turning-59/feed/ 8 2006 When singleness is a gift… https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-singleness-is-a-gift/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-singleness-is-a-gift/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:00:17 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=1528 With Valentine’s day falling on a Sunday this year, many churches will use it as an opportunity to celebrate love, marriage and relationships. And fair enough. But in this post I would like to be a little counter intuitive and invite us to think about the singles in our midst. For some, Valentines day can […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/when-singleness-is-a-gift/feed/ 7 1528 Adam raised a Cain: When our children break our heart… https://brianharrisauthor.com/adam-raised-a-cain-when-children-break-our-heart/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/adam-raised-a-cain-when-children-break-our-heart/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2016 22:00:46 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=1506 Don’t know if you are familiar with the Bruce Springsteen classic, Adam Raised a Cain, with its haunting closing lines, ‘Lost but not forgotten, from the dark heart of a dream, Adam raised a Cain.’ For those less familiar with the biblical story behind these lyrics, the song explains it in these words, In the […]

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]]> https://brianharrisauthor.com/adam-raised-a-cain-when-children-break-our-heart/feed/ 8 1506 Another day, another Prime Minister… https://brianharrisauthor.com/another-day-another-prime-minister/ https://brianharrisauthor.com/another-day-another-prime-minister/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2015 07:50:54 +0000 http://brianharrisauthor.com/?p=1040 I was born in South Africa, am a New Zealand citizen, and live in Australia. Though living in the latter country for 12 years, its politics remain a mystery to me. On a day by day basis, life here is a little like paradise. Australia truly is a glorious country, with an indulgently comfortable standard […]

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