Greetings PPN Family! 

We’re close to concluding Week 7 already! I’m not sure where the times gone, but it feels like only yesterday I was walking into this school for the first time ready for my new adventure at PPN.  

Last week was the week. Finally, me and some friends had scheduled in a time to go for a leisurely motorcycle ride to enjoy Hahndorf for the day. This trip had been months in the making. Constant communicating back and forth between us, seemingly getting nowhere with our busy lives trumping all our best efforts to get together. But finally, our schedules aligned, and we pencilled in that Sunday.

For this ride to take place, there was much preparation to be done. I personally had to re-register my motorcycle which turns out to be a very straight forward process here in South Australia, for which I was very grateful. I also had to buy some protective gear for my fiancé so she could join us on this joyride. Helmet, jacket, pants, gloves, all the gear necessary to remain safe. This trip had already become a lot more effort than anticipated, but I was determined to be fully prepared. We coordinated with our friends to purchase some head units for our helmets, that through Bluetooth, allow us to talk to each other whilst riding with our helmets on. Purchasing, installing, and testing these took a few hours but it was worth it to be fully prepared. The night before the big ride, I contacted everyone to remind them “make sure your Bluetooth head unit is fully charged, don’t want anyone to miss out” and as I walked past the window facing into my garage before heading to bed, I peaked out to make sure that the motorcycle battery was being properly charged by the trickle charger attached to the wall’s power socket. I could see the cable stretching from the bike towards the wall where the socket was. Satisfied I went to bed.

Early the next morning I woke up. I prepared all my gear and as I walked into my garage to prepare my motorcycle, my stomach dropped. My eyes fixated on the plug for the trickle charger sitting on top of the wall power socket instead of being plugged into it. Sure enough, I place my key into the ignition and turn it. Nothing. No lights, not sounds, just a completely dead motorcycle with an uncharged battery. Needless to say, this ruined my day. Nowhere stocked the battery that my motorcycle required. All that time and effort spent preparing and getting ready wasted. Countless hours and dollars preparing for this one trip.  

Being prepared means nothing if you’re not plugged in, connected.  I’m not sure what you’re preparing for in your life at the moment. But Jesus shares in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” or the Toby translation reads “I am the wall power socket; you are the battery. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much power; apart from me you can do nothing.” I encourage you all to plug in, to connect with God, because without being connected, what use is our preparation?  

In faith and gratitude,

Toby Ackland

School Chaplain