Ponder Kindness Part Two

There is nothing I like more than meeting a person who surprises you with a character that is refreshing and far from mundane.

This interview with Fr. Rod has created a joyful series of conversations that spark the mind. The most refreshing facet of this man and his beautiful wife Kerry is that even though at times I am sure they fear the backlash that comes with being a messenger, they march on. They march on not because they revel in it. They march on because it is a calling. It is a calling that they cannot ignore.

It’s the stuff that your soul emits in unison with your heart so strongly, that to ignore it would be emotionally dishonest. This is why the congregation has grown, this is why many Australians are intrigued and captivated by the message Fr. Rod echoes, its quite simple: compassion and kindness for everyone. Not everybody agrees. Is it easy? No way. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

This boy from the Hunter Valley, the son of conservative country party graziers is now the voice of many.

In Part Two we chat about the lighter things in life; cubby houses, Lucifer, climate change, Netflix and so much more…

Kirsten: Ok, so now I am shifting the subject, but if there’s music that’ll get your foot tapping what would it be?

Fr. Rod: Can you believe I am not a huge music fan? (I audibly gasp) But, if there were one it would be Jazz. And improvised, very highly improvised Jazz. I think the biggest-selling Jazz album ever was Miles Davis and Arlo Guthrie, and they came together and basically just cut this thing like nothing in the day in these jams sessions.
I was actually out having drinks last Thursday night, and the guy at the piano was the guy who composed the music for the Compass documentary, and I asked him if he could play this because he’s a very clever musician. So he started playing it.

Kirsten: Okay, so I ask everyone this question as we always get the most interesting responses. As a child did you like tree houses or cubby houses? What would be your preference?

Rod: I’m a cubby house fan because I don’t like heights. I can remember, we must’ve bought a new refrigerator or something at one stage when I was little kid. So, I created this cubby house out of it, and I spent a good couple of years in this box.

Kirsten: (Laughs) There you go.

Rod: But I did climb trees from time to time. I’m not fond of heights, though.

Kirsten: If you could meet with your 25-year-old self and give him a piece of advice, what would it be?

Fr. Rod: Don’t drink so much. Don’t waste a lot of time, money, and brain cells and use that money to travel. I kind of regret I didn’t, I should have. I had an opportunity to go overseas when I was 20, and I never did, and I still regret that to this day. I wanted to travel in my late twenties and early thirties.

Kirsten: What made you decide, was there a moment, was it a series of events, which lead you to be in service to God?

Fr. Rod: Well, there was no Damascus road. In fact, it was a long journey of resistance to an insistent call and people sort of encouraged me to be a priest and me agreeing at each step along the process to engage in that. At the same time, I was totally expecting that I’d be rejected by the Church and so I found myself, you know, the day of my ordination, not really understanding how I had got there. And there’s a sense in which I’m still in that process. I’m daring the Church to throw me out.

Kirsten: So I take it you’d have to walk a pretty fine line.

Fr. Rod: Sometimes.

Fr. Rod: While I’m accused of being progressive, I am, I think fairly theologically orthodox and especially regarding patristics in the early Church years. I know I’m not seen as orthodox by contemporary Protestant conservatives, but they’re not really orthodox in terms of the Great Theologians.

Kirsten: But I think too, one of the reasons people find you progressive is because you guys have a real social presence. You are literally streaming online. You’re on Facebook for starters and churches don’t usually have a strong following on social media. This is not your usual stiff upper lip, cause no waves Anglican church!

Fr. Rod: 150 followers is the average for many churches.

Kirsten: Exactly! You’re up front and center, you do it very well, but it’s also the way you explain theology. It’s very friendly, it makes sense, it’s logical, and it’s not stale. People want to listen to you.

Could you tell me a little bit about your passion for climate change?

Fr Rod: Yeah I have to say we have been very focused on the last few years on refugees. It’s taken over a bit of the agenda for obvious reasons, and in more recent times focus has been on the marriage equality debate. I am hoping this will be resolved quickly and we can get on with other things. Note: this interview happened before the wonderful marriage equality results

I mean, the climate is the ultimate question for us, for our generation, my children and my grandchildren’s generation. It’s going to be the defining subject over the next 100 years. It’s the defining ethical subject; it’s the defining scientific and economic question. It’s the new paradigm. We are the economic paradigm in which we have been in for the last 70 years. It’s crumbling after the GFC. We’ve propped it back up again, but it’s crumbling, and the emerging paradigm has to be the environmental and ecological paradigm. It’ll be the new economy.

Kirsten: The new economy?

Fr. Rod: Yes it has to be. It’s farcical to watch the old right clinging to their coal philosophy when even AGL are saying, um no, that’s old, that’s the old we aren’t interested anymore. They know money is in renewables and clean energy! You know we are so close to this renewable technology being introduced, so why on earth would you invest in coal fired?

But there will be ethical and moral questions to ask in this process, and I think this is where theologians need to be.

KM: You are bringing back the cool. Reminding us of why we look to women and men that question everything and bring our ethics and what we stand for to the forefront. Which leads me to this part of my questioning: Why is it seemingly so uncool sometimes to be Christian? I said to someone at a dinner party that it seems to be very zen and modern for people to be Hindi, Buddhist, or even Zoroastrian, Muslim, anything other than Christian. But it seems to be very uncool to be Christian; this seems a bit unfair!

Fr. Rod: Yes they seem to be the flavor don’t they? (Hearty laughter injected from my interviewee)

Fr. Rod: I think the life and teachings of Jesus, has an enormous amount to offer society. The basic doctrines of Christianity are an anchor that we let go of at our peril in that sense because we float off into this sort of nothingness. But I think we can get a bit obsessed with that side of things and not so much on the social ethics.

Kirsten: Outside of all of this theology, as a regular bloke, what do you like to do?

Fr. Rod: I don’t get much time to relax, it’s quite foreign to me! I grew up in an environment where you didn’t take holidays, and so my brain isn’t programmed in that way. Which is not a very healthy. I am not very good at relaxing, I try and take time each day to walk. I am 55 Type 2 Diabetic with high cholesterol, a very typical 55-year-Old Australian male. (more laughter)

I enjoy getting home, after a long hard day and having some cheese and bikkies, a glass of pinot noir; occasionally I get to veg out I will binge watch something on Netflix. I just finished binge-watching Lucifer.

KM: NO WAY! Are you serious? Ok, if you are watching that, I am so watching that! What did you think? (I am shocked, gaping like a goldfish and laughing).

Fr. Rod: Well it was challenging for a while because Lucifer’s Dad- God is portrayed as a very capricious character, very punishing and I was resistant to this! I am like: God’s not like this! He’s not like this! But the more I watched it; I think he is portraying God in a way in which many people see God. And while it made me uncomfortable, and I don’t believe God is like that I had to acknowledge that this is how many view God.

And you know, Lucifer is the devil, and he does kind of challenge in the show this idea of “the devil made me do it” type stuff. He comments that humans make their own choices and actions, his only job is to punish them, he doesn’t make them do anything. Not that I believe in that either, but I have found it challenging, thought-provoking. Its the antithesis of what I believe but it reminded me of how endemic folky religion is in our culture. Because that is what a lot of people believe. I am a Game of Thrones fan.

Kirsten: Now I like you even more. (grinning) This is my all-time favorite series. We actually have a GOT night at our house with friends and eat special dessert. Seriously.

Fr. Rod: I like Tyrion Lannister, he is the archetypical human in that he is carnal, but also has a social ethic, that he actually doesn’t want people to be hurt.

Kirsten: His transformation in the show is pretty entertaining and so complex!

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Fr. Rod: Yes, because he is vested in good, even though he is a drunken fornicator and even a user and abuser of women which I hold to be highly immoral and terrible. But his complexity fascinates me. I enjoy the religious metaphors in the show, the use of faith metaphor because I think that’s quite challenging too. You know, we are in the process of electing a new bishop… (and there might be a few GOT’s comments, as well as Dutton…I am leaving the next 10 minutes out, what gets said off the record stays off the record) (grin inserted).

The conversation continues in Part Three… where we discuss some serious business like Homosexuality, Kingdoms and that Heaven thing people get so hung up about.

The Dynamic Scarce Sisters Serving Up Canine Health with a Side of Humour

by Kirsten Macdonald | Inspire, Latest Edition, Prosper

We ponder with Alana and Michele Scarce, sisters who infuse every endeavour with their infectious energy, spirited leadership, and sparkling humour.

These dynamic siblings excel in business, but their vibrant personalities set them apart. With a shared passion for health and wellness, they co-founded Raw Pawz, a trailblazer in canine nutrition.

Beyond their entrepreneurial success, they are captivating individuals who engage the world with wit, positivity, and a deep commitment to making a difference.

What inspired you to start a dog supplement company, and how did you come up with the name Raw Pawz? –

We have always been super passionate about food, clean eating, health, wellness, and the importance good gut health has on us living our best lives. This is not limited to us as humans but extends to our favourite furry friends.

We have been lucky enough to have grown up with excellent education about healthy food, cooking and eating everything in moderation. Well, maybe too much pasta, given our Italian heritage. We have our Mum to thank for being an incredible role model and showing us the way.

As we get older, we are increasingly grateful for that as we have adopted such clean eating habits in our adult lives.

We have applied these same rules to our dogs. Our business was born out of our love for fresh feeding our babies. We wouldn’t eat highly processed products on the shelves, so why would we provide them to our dogs?

We saw a gap in the market where we believe dogs shouldn’t be eating processed foods – they can’t tell us they don’t like it, so we wanted to create something that they liked and was good for them.

The StorytellersNook Accomodation Victoria

Who inspires you in business and why? –

Gosh, so many people…

Where to start:

Lisa Messenger – Her attitude, resilience, and mindset have motivated us throughout our journey.

Sacha Packer: She is really paving the way in this space and leading the charge in this movement and growth of the category.

Carla Oates – Her commitment to her family to cure eczema with natural remedies and share it with the world is inspiring.

And fundamentally, we truly inspire each other. Starting a business is not easy, and there are countless hurdles along the way. We continue to inspire each other with our strength, positive mindset, and ability to pivot and embrace all the challenges thrown at us.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of running a business with your sibling, and how do you handle conflict or ideas?

We understand each other so well. We have been best friends since we can remember, trust each other, and it is so special creating a business we are both insanely passionate about.

Resolving conflict has gotten much easier over time and with life experiences under our belt – aka, age 🙂 We both do a lot of work on ourselves and are on a similar self-discovery journey, so the ability to take responsibility and own our SH^T is pretty powerful.

Our skill sets complement each other, too, so we trust each other and are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. We are honest and open about ideas and every decision we make!

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What is one of the most powerful lessons you have learned since starting your business?

Stay in your lane, and don’t get caught comparing yourself to other brands or where you think you are in your business journey. This causes distraction and making decisions out of fear rather than your true values as to why you started in the first place.

Also, be your biggest cheerleader! There are so many happy dances and memorable moments when we achieve a milestone, fulfil orders, and see ourselves growing – it is a great way to stay grateful and appreciate the business growth process.

Don’t give up! You get smacked down so many times with production issues, operation costs increasing, and lack of responses, but if you keep focusing on the goal, you can overcome these and keep striving forward. It can be really hard sometimes.

We are lucky to have each other because we cheer each other on, support and fix any mistakes together, and learn so much from each other. We are a dynamic sister duo!

What is the most potent insight for other parents with young children starting their businesses?

The juggle is real! There is no sugarcoating that starting a business, especially in today’s market climate, is challenging, and there is much to do.

But if you are super passionate about the brand, service and/or cause you are launching, it will ignite a fire that will keep you going.

Balancing a household, kids, self-care, and a business can be tough but extremely rewarding when you find your happy pace.

It is great for our kids to see us building empires and getting them involved. It shows spirit and entrepreneurship from a young age. But I think there is a point when the business will be there even when your kids are older, so don’t miss out on the small stuff because even though you think you need to answer an email urgently – it can all wait.

Don’t let it consume you. Let it inspire you.

What is it you love about dogs so much?

As corny as it sounds….. The absolute unconditional love! And for me, honestly, it is having the best adventure buddy ever! Lenny comes on every adventure. Just last month, we were out swimming in the ocean when a pod of 4 dolphins came up and started playing right next to us. I mean, you can’t even buy experiences like that. He is my best friend and the best adventure buddy!

Where does the entrepreneurial spirit come from?

We always talk about this, as we are so different from our parents and wonder where our adventurous spirit, entrepreneurship and wild side come from. However our Mum has always taught us to be independent and encouraged our ideas early on. She even googles at night and comes back with research, other brands, or ideas to help with what we discussed the day before (she’s the best)!

She does love nature, has extremely high family values and has instilled a very strong work ethic in us from an early age. We have worked at our family Italian restaurant since we were 13. We saved our money to ride horses as a hobby (this wasn’t cheap – even back then :)), but we loved it, and it fed our adrenaline and passion as young kids.

As sisters, we encourage each other to achieve our goals and reach for the stars. We both believe that life is short and needs to be lived to its fullest potential, and that’s what we intend to do with it. We don’t want to die wondering.

Are there any personal hurdles or inspirations that have helped form the business’s success or spurred you on?

We have both always been very positive, energetic, life-loving humans. Over the last few years, we have found that delving deeper into our inner work has helped us thrive in business together and surrender to the process, allowing us to break through any limitations and beliefs we may carry.

It has helped us work together, understand, keep each other accountable, and bring out our best. This has allowed us the space to become more patient in business and really sit with the next steps and decisions from an intuitive level, which has helped us tremendously as the business grows.

You are both incredibly funny and energised; we love your social media pages! Can you share when your sense of humour helped you overcome a business challenge?

When we started Raw Pawz, our brief to our designer was – Bold, Sassy, and With lots of Character – this really does represent who we are, and we wanted that to shine through in our branding and packaging for the products – she nailed it (credit to Danka). We love that you love our social media pages. We just try and be authentically ourselves, so we hope that is shining through how we engage with our community. We love our dogs and what we do, so our positive energy and passion doesn’t waiver. Even if we are passionate about fresh feeders, it can be controversial. What we do energises us is how we get through ANY business challenges!

What’s the funniest customer feedback you’ve ever received about your supplements?

“Your Liver Powder is like crack!!”

Hahahahaha! We were told by a customer that their dog was the fussiest and wouldn’t ever eat their food. Until trying our liver powder! The fussy dog problem is solved!

If you could create a dog supplement that could solve any problem, what would it be?

It would be a supplement that enhances cognitive function in older dogs. The cognitive decline as a dog ages is so distressing for the dog and its owners. A supplement that could solve this problem and slow down the effects of aging on the brain would be amazing.

But watch this space as we have a secret obsession with Adaptogens and Nootropics.

What’s the biggest misconception about dog supplements, and how do you address it in your products? –

One of the biggest misconceptions about dog supplements is that they are unnecessary and only for sick or aging dogs.

However, supplements can provide numerous benefits for dogs of all ages, from boosting their immune system to improving their joint health, skin, coat, and digestion. Many commercial dog foods may not provide all the necessary nutrients and vitamins that dogs need.

Supplements can fill those nutritional gaps and support your dog’s overall health and well-being. And, like us humans, prevention is always better than a cure. Keeping our dogs happy and healthy from the inside means fewer visits to the vet and a longer lifespan – this is a win-win for the owners.

With our products, we only use the highest quality, human-grade ingredients. All our products have been specifically designed to improve gut health, skin and coat, mobility and overall wellness of our furry friends.

We are fully transparent and provide a complete nutritional panel on the back of our packs, allowing pet owners to make informed decisions about what supplements to give their dogs!

What’s next for Raw Pawz, and where do you see the future of the dog supplement industry heading?

We have some very exciting things on the cards. However, we are keeping them close to our chest for now!!

The dog supplement industry has been proliferating in recent years. More pet owners are demanding better quality and seeing the benefits of supplements for their pets. We envision more specialised supplements tailored to specific health issues and based on a dog’s needs! We also see a massive movement for people switching to feeding entirely new diets and pet owners sourcing more nutritional toppers that are high quality and natural!

Additionally, with the growing interest in natural and organic products, we may see a shift towards more plant-based and sustainably sourced ingredients in dog supplements.

We are pumped to be one of the brands pioneering in this space.

Treehouse or cubby house?

Alana – Cubby house!!! Terrified of heights!!!

Mish – Tree House – love being nestled in nature 🙂

Dog Fact: the composition of the gut microbiome in dogs is correlated with overall health according to extensive studies. Gut health matters when it comes to our pets!

Want to know more? Head over to: https://rawpawz.com.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawpawz_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RawPawz.Co/

Source: The Role of the Canine Gut Microbiome and Metabolome in Health and Gastrointestinal Disease

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6971114/

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Ponder Kindness Part Two

by Kirsten Macdonald | Dec 5, 2017 | Inspire

There is nothing I like more than meeting a person who surprises you with a character that is refreshing and far from mundane. This interview with Fr. Rod has created a joyful series of conversations that spark the mind. The most refreshing facet of this man...

There is nothing I like more than meeting a person who surprises you with a character that is refreshing and far from mundane.

This boy from the Hunter Valley, the son of conservative country party graziers is now the voice of many.

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We ponder with Alana and Michele Scarce, sisters who infuse every endeavour with their infectious energy, spirited leadership, and sparkling humour.

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