Friday Friends & Faves #12

A Favourite...
Check out A Social Network Christmas for a more modern take on an old Christmas story. Imagine if Mary & Joseph were your friends on Facebook?! In an age where many people broadcast their good news far and wide via FB and Twitter and the like, perhaps we could use those social networks as a forum for broadcasting God's good news this Christmas.....He loves us and made us; We destroyed that precious relationship by rejecting Him; He gave His Son for us - to rescue us; We can respond with our hearts and minds and lives....And in process, reignite that precious relationship with Him. That's what makes our Christmas MERRY!

A Friend....or 2 or 3 or.....
To all readers of this blog....thanks for reading! And for encouraging me. Your words and comments mean a great deal and keep me keeping on. Merry Christmas friends! Hope tomorrow is a special day for you and yours. Praying for you all! And we'll talk again, sometime soon:)

Psalms Fun

I just finished reading Psalms this morning. It's taken me a few months with 2-3 Psalms read every Wednesday and today...I finished the last of all 150. I'm a bit sad about that really cause David and friends sure know how to write.

But is was great timing as I received an email slide show from my aunt...something I have seen before, but nevertheless, a great reminder of how amazing God and His word are.

The shortest chapter of the Bible is Psalm 117.
The longest chapter is Psalm 119.
And the centre chapter is Psalm 118.
There are 594 chapters before Ps 118 and 594 chapters after Ps 118.
Add 594 and 594 and you get 1188.
The central verse in the whole Bible is Ps 118:8.
What does the central verse have to tell us about God and life????
Check it out for yourself: Psalm 118:8
Clever!

Last Words

They are not just idle words for you--they are your life. (Deut. 32:47)

In Deuteronomy 32, Moses presents his final thoughts to the people of Israel before he goes up the mountain to die. Final words....if I knew I was about to die, what would I want to say? I am sure I wouldn't be telling a 'knock knock' joke.....or singing a Top 20 hit.....or running through a list of all that I don't like about myself.


I hope I would be surrounded by those I love and have words of encouragement and thankfulness pouring from my mouth. I hope words of anticipation of eternity in heaven would be spoken as well.


Needless to say, we'd all - if we knew it was to be our last conversation - make those words count. We'd say what was true and real and important.


As Deuteronomy 32 draws to a close, Moses has just finished a long song about the story of God and His people. He has reminded the Israelites of God's greatness and His goodness to them. He has reminded Israel that their response to God's faithfulness has not been good enough. And he has reminded them of what is the most important....


God's word(s). Not a work of fiction or a fairytale. Not idle words said for the sake of Him hearing His own voice. Not words to be ignored. Or forgotten. 


No! God's words are words of life. And if we are a follower of Jesus, God's words ARE our life. They are what we must know and live. What we must meditate on and follow. They are the foundation of our beliefs and values and they drive our thoughts, behaviours, attitudes. They are what challenge us and bring us hope. They guide and direct and they bring wisdom. They comfort and inspire. They strengthen and fill us with joy and peace.


Please, after reading this post....open your Bible (or use an online version @ BibleGateway or Blue Letter Bible) and read His word for yourself. Perhaps you'd like to read Deuteronomy 32 and see for yourself why Moses called his song 'your life'.

Rocks and God...or God Rocks!

 

We had a little bit of fun on our block yesterday...slip sliding in the mud and light showers as we picked up rocks! (Yes truly! I consider that fun!)

But it was about more than actually DOING that. For me, there was a lot of symbolism in the rocks, the land and the process of working with both.

Joshua 4 tells the story of what the Israelites were to do when they finally crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, after 40 years of desert-wandering. Pick up rocks and then put them down again! But wait, there's more! The rocks were to be set up as a marker, a memorial that the children would see and ask about. And when they did, the answer they were to give was to tell them about what God had done so that they would know God is powerful and fear Him.

We now have 4 piles of rocks on our property, but sometime soon, we are going to make a small pile a feature on one of our boundaries. We want to make a marker that says to our children...This is a God-given blessing. Our God is powerful and faithful. He is our protector and provider. He has done a great thing in giving us this land and He did it in an amazing way. The home we will establish here will be one that fears God and our family will follow Him. He is awesome and good and worthy of our praise.


I am reminded too, that as we head through the week before Christmas, we should have our eyes open to see the markers that show us what this special season is all about. And we should have our mouths open to tell our children about God...who He is and what He has done.

What markers/memorials are most special to you and remind you often that God is great and good and gracious?

My story

 

What can I say about being a Christian?
I can only tell my story...just like Paul did. Check his out in Acts 26.
Unlike Paul, my story doesn't involve a miraculous encounter with Jesus or an incredible transformation from what I was to what I am becoming. But that doesn't mean it is any less real.
Here's my story in 100 words or less....
I grew up in a Christian home with all the joys and trials that brought! We were a blessed family...fun times together, comfortable standard of living, both Mum and Dad on the scene, always a playmate considering there were 4 kids in my family. We were brought up in the church and I asked Jesus to be boss of my life when I was 8. Since then, I have known great peace and direction in my life, thanks to the belief and reality that God is with me....all day, every day. I can talk to Him about anything and everything and through His word and Spirit He offers me the best advice when I am searching for it and gives me all that I need to live each day.....breath! salvation! goodness! contentment! love! security! purpose! forgiveness! daily bread! wisdom! I wouldn't consider doing life without Him...the alternative is to be without His presence and guidance, His insight and provision. That's not the life I want to live...so I continue each day to make the choice to believe and to trust God...to walk by faith not by sight and as a result, to know hope and love, peace and joy.
What's your story?

Friday Friends & Faves #11

In the theme of the website I am linking to today, I am going to KIS this post.

Faves:
What are you getting your kids this Christmas? Is the shopping list l-o-n-g? Take a moment to click over to check out this list. It might just give you pause....food for thought....and help chart you a sensible course through the 'silly season'. (Thanks for the link T.) I'd love to hear back from any of you with your thoughts about these 35 gifts. As I read them, I can't help but be ever-so grateful to my parents who, while they weren't perfect parents (there's no such thing!) they did a fabulous job of gifting us in all of these areas. Thanks Mum and Dad...hope we do as good a job as you:)

Friends:
Where are you? Would love to hear from some of you so we can add a realness to Friday's posts. You telling us a bit about your life...journey...challenges.....adventures....God-moments......lessons learned.....questions you're asking....WHATEVER!!!! Please be in touch...soon!

Meanwhile, a tribute to my friends:
“We are friends and I do like to pass the day with you in serious and inconsequential chatter. I wouldn't mind washing up beside you, dusting beside you, reading the back half of the paper while you read the front. We are friends and I would miss you, do miss you and think of you very often.” (Jeanette Winterson)


And: 
“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." (Christopher Robin to Pooh - AA Milne)

Thoughts from Psalm 147

Questions: What one word connects the following....Bakers, rapper's, afternoon, Turkish?

The answer may not spring to mind readily, but 'google it' and you'll find the connecting word soon enough....DELIGHT.

While I do like the occasional Bakers Delight treat or a yummy Turkish Delight or even an afternoon delight with J (TMI!!), I can't say 'Rapper's Delight' is a song that is on my Ipod playlist.

But I do love that word....DELIGHT. It's a word to savour....to roll on your tongue....to see and feel as you say it....to say joyfully and with a smile. It's a word that sounds almost as good as what it means...a high degree of pleasure and enjoyment; joy; rapture; to bring pleasure and enjoyment (it's a clever word coz it can be a noun or a verb:)

What brings you DELIGHT? For me, it's so many things. From my husband's kisses and cuddles to little j's  face-splitting smiles. Letters and parcels in the mail, music, ice cream and mangoes, my toes in the sand at the beach and body surfing, cool weather, sunny skies, a long chat with a sister or friend, holidays, dreaming and planning, when the ironing pile is empty, a good night's sleep, reading Psalms (not palms!), living in Australia....and I could go on and on and on.

As I read Psalm 147 this morning the word DELIGHT caught my eye, as did the one mentioned in connection with delight. God DELIGHTS, He finds pleasure in.....which I guess is logical because I do, and I am created in His image.

But verse 10 tells us what His pleasure is not in....the strength of the horse, ....the legs of man. Hmmmm...not things I think about too often. But read in context with the next verse, it makes a bit more sense. God doesn't find delight in those who are ready for battle and equipped and with great strength. That's good news for me!

His delight, shown through His loving and faithful provision (read about that earlier in Psalm 147), is in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. It is the man, woman or child who holds God in great esteem, in awe, who brings God delight. He takes pleasure in you and I if our hearts and minds are right with Him and if we have an attitude of reverence for God. He is pleased when we hope in Him, not allowing the cares of the world to sway us from a steadfast and confident trust in our Heavenly Father. He experiences enjoyment when my life shows that my hope is in Him, my heart is full of Him and I am living for Him.

To me, that's a HUGE thought. I can bring pleasure to God. The same God who, as Psalm 146 says: is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them...the One who remains faithful forever....sets prisoners free, feeds the hungry, makes the blind see, sustains the orphan and widow, upholds the cause of the oppressed and loves the righteous and humble. The God who is the greatest being in existence, delights in me when my heart and soul are right with Him.

I have a new goal for today. It's not to experience as much pleasure as I can, but it's to bring as much pleasure to my gracious and wonderful God as I can. Today, I am going to DELIGHT God.

Surviving Singleness #8

Our Story
Is it too egotistical to quote yourself? Sorry if you think it is, coz I am about to....
I ended the last Surviving Singleness post with: Next time…I’ll tell you about the success story. Yes….after all those embarrassing failures, there has been a happy ending. And I pray there will be for you too.

So here it is....the success story.

In 2006 I was turning 33. Sometime during that year I thought about the fact that Jesus died when he was 33 and I asked the question, "Would I die happy if I died at 33?" I came quickly to this conclusion...a resounding NO! So with a sense that there was more for me than just work, I quit my job and moved back 'home' to live closer to my then-pregnant sister. I gave myself permission to have a year off teaching and see what God would do if I made room in my life for 'possibilities' - whatever they may be but hoping all along that they might resemble Mr Right.

As the year progressed I had my embarrassing failures as I tried to navigate the world of dating and relationships. For the gory details see: Surviving Singleness #7. Then in October I received a phone call that would set in motion an unexpected and exciting chain of events.

My sister and her husband, who had been praying for a husband for me for ages, rang to tell me they had signed me up to an internet dating website. "It's a Christian one" they reassured me. I spent a couple of days looking at the prospects on the website and became more and more overwhelmed by the number of faces to choose from. How was I supposed to find my Mr Right when there were just soooo many options out there, including men from all over the world? A week or so later my sister and brother-in-law told me, "We've narrowed down the field and reckon you should email these 3 guys."

So I did. I sent the same simple introductory email to all 3 Queensland-based guys. One guy never replied - his loss. One was really negative about life in general - so I sent an educational response suggesting ways he could get a warmer response in his next attempt. And the final guy responded with an obvious sense of humour....seems I had sent the email 8 times, filling his inbox! Oooppppss!

But as God would have it, #3 guy turned out to be the man who would become my wonderful husband and now the fantastic father of my darling little son.

In all honesty, I was smitten at email number 1. J came across as very down-to-earth, clever and funny. Tick, tick, tick. And considering some of the other offers I was getting in my inbox...including the one from the 50-something year old who was suggesting I come to dinner to meet his grown up children and eat his special pasta dish....this guy just sounded so normal.

He also got 'ticks' coz he had a ute! 

So email after email went back and forth as we got to know each other in cyberspace. I asked all sorts of big questions and J was gracious enough to respond in quite a bit of detail. I had my 'team' - ie. my family - help me in the process. They even read some emails to help me keep perspective...I certainly didn't want to fall in love with a guy just because he could write witty words.

In late November we started to talk about Christmas plans and J told me he was going to a family get together not far from where I would be. So we planned to meet, still not having talked to each other, except through the written word.

A week out from Christmas, as I was writing him yet another email, J called. I tripped over the cord as Mum passed me the phone...great start! I had to get him to repeat his last name 3 times coz I just couldn't get the pronunciation right. Great middle! And we planned that he would come for a day visit just after Christmas..now that was a GREAT end!

Actually, J's arrival at my parents' home and all that transpired over that initial 'day' visit, which turned into a delightful 5 (yes, that's right FIVE) day visit was the beginning of another very special chapter in our story. But I'll save that for a future post.

It's great to think back on that fun, exciting, nerve-wracking time 4 years ago. Especially as we head  up to our anniversary of the day we met...ahhhh! It's also great to reflect on God's goodness in bringing us together. He has certainly written a fairytale in our story....and I so appreciate that.

If you'll allow me, here's a few tips for my lovely single readers...

• Pray...continue to put your desires for a husband and family before God and ask for His provision of the right man for you. And if you are headed into or are in a relationship, continue to pray for guidance and wisdom. 
• Get a 'team' together who will pray for you and help in practical ways, like introducing you to people and helping you live in reality land, not fantasy land.
• If you venture into internet dating territory, do so cautiously. I would suggest recruiting a trusted friend to help you and provide some accountability. 
• Do let the guy lead. As much as I wanted to find out from J early on if he thought this email thing might become more and as much as I wanted to talk to him and meet him, I let him be the one to initiate contact. And he told me later that was really important to him.
• If you are writing emails, don't go in the deep end too quickly. It is very easy to write lots and write about deep, important things because there's a sense of safety and anonymity when you aren't talking face to face.
• If and when you decide to meet, make sure it's done in the presence of others...either a public place or better yet, get him to meet your family and/or friends straight up. J tells me that was great because he got to see me interact with them and he could also evaluate what quality of 'stock' I came from.

So I'll leave you there...with J and I as email buddies, who have had 1 phone conversation and stand on the eve of our first meeting......

Listen to the Lyrics #10

No Matter What - Kerrie Roberts

I’m running back to Your promises, one more time
Lord that’s all I can hold on to
I gotta say this has taken me by surprise, but nothing surprises You
Before a heartache can ever touch my life
It has to go through Your hands
And even though I keep asking why, I keep asking why

No matter what, I’m gonna love You
No matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You no matter what, no matter what

When I’m stuck in this nothingness by myself
I’m just sitting in silence
There’s no way I can make it without Your help, I won’t even try it
I know You have Your reasons for everything so I will keep believing
Whatever I might be feeling, God You are my hope
And You will be my strength

Anything I don’t have You can give it to me, but it’s OK if You don’t
I’m not here for those things
The touch of Your love is enough on its own
No matter what I still love You and I’m gonna need You

No matter what I’m gonna love You, no matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, but if not, I’ll trust You

No matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what

Songwriter: Chuck Butler, Kerrie Roberts, Tony Wood

I love the sound of this song...and the lyrics too of course. Have a listen on youtube.


Let's start the week by looking at a couple of those amazing promises God Himself has made us. Promises I hope will make you joyful and thankful this whole week. Promises to sustain you and bring you a real sense of joy and hope and peace.


Promise 1 (my personal favourite) - "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b) That's God speaking, telling us that He is with us ALWAYS...no matter what we are facing...in good times and tough ones....whether we think it or feel it or not. The GOD of ALL CREATION....including His prized treasures - us!.... sees everything we see and more than that, walks with us through it.


Promise 2 (a close 2nd to my favourite) - "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) A promise made by Jesus and no other 'great teacher' in any other religion. And that life is found through knowing Him personally, because He is 'the way, truth and life.' A life that is abundant and to the full, till it overflows. A life for NOW and one for the future...ETERNAL life with God in His new heaven and earth. One where there is no more tears, pain or suffering.


Promise 3 (which has to be true for me to have 1 & 2) - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) God can't look on us and call us His children if we have sin in our lives, yet He is the one who made the way for us to be rid of that sin. We only have to confess, turn from our sin and believe Jesus. And we get forgiveness, salvation, a hope and a future, a clean heart and a life and eternity with God Himself. Not a bad trade!


Promise 4 (the one that gives me hope in times of trouble) - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) I may never see the truth of this one, but because God is faithful and can't ever lie, I KNOW this one is true. 


Promise 5 (this one takes the worry from my life) - And my God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) Again, perhaps He'll do this in an unexpected way, but I KNOW He will do it...because I have seen Him do it throughout all the days of my life so far. Provision of material things yes...but so much more than that....family, friends, forgiveness, comfort, healing, opportunity, joy, peace, confidence, direction, strength, wisdom, emotional stability....and I could go on.


In fact there are many more exciting promises God has given, so how about I continue this post sometime soon? Meanwhile, like the lyrics say....there will be times in our lives when things happen and we don't understand how a loving God could allow them. But even though we may ask 'why?' and not receive an answer, we can know His promises are true and 'no matter what' choose to believe them and Him.

Dream or Nightmare?

 The last book of the Bible, Revelation, can be a bit scary.

Sure it's full of action and adventure, but there's lots of nasty stuff too.....plagues, diseases, battles, demons, death, destruction, rain and hail mixed with blood and plenty more nail biting bits. 
The stuff of nightmares really.


But in amongst it all there are these beautiful verses in Revelation 7:17 - "...For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."


Ahhhhh! Jesus.
The Lamb - He is the sacrifice who took my place and paid the price of my salvation.
Centre of the throne - the most holy One deserving of praise and honour, the one born to rule an eternal, everlasting Kingdom; the One born to rule in my life now.
Shepherd - caring for us, providing all we need, protecting us
Lead them - He knows the way
Springs of living water - no other can provide the refreshment and the strength we need to keep on keeping on.

Ahhhhhh! Father.
"(He) will wipe away every tear from their eyes." What a day that will be.....no more tears, sickness or pain. In His presence there will only be joy and wonder. 


The stuff of dreams really.

Friday Friends & Faves #10

Friends....
I made a new Facebook friend this week, thanks to my sister. Hello Kate! (Her name is Katelyn but she prefers Kate:) Here's a few things about Kate before I tell you about the GREAT thing she is doing. She turns 21 in January.  Her Dad is a pastor and her Mum is a midwife and has recently been through a battle with cancer. Kate is currently deferring her uni studies and is a huge sports lover, keen hockey and soccer player. She took up photography as a hobby and stress relief in high school. Her dog Nala just had 9 puppies. (Thanks T for the details:)

Now, the reason Kate makes it onto Friday's Friends & Faves is because she is doing something terrific with her photos.....31 Days of Gratitude. I hope that if you click the link, you'll find and enjoy the photos and comments that she has creatively put together. Thanks Kate for reminding us to walk through life with our eyes wide open to see the blessings God has placed in our life and to be thankful for them...even the rain!


Faves...
I guess Kate's 31 Days of Gratitude is a favourite. But I also wanted to post a couple of links to Christmas ideas that I really like. This is a great time of year for celebrating with friends and families and we can make it even more special with some of these clever, inexpensive ideas.
Question Jar....although we would probably NOT do this cozying up with a hot chocolate on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"May your Christmas be Merry & Sprite"...a little bit of festive fizzy:)
Christmas Decorations recipes...from one of my favourite on-line recipe websites.

Have fun being festive my friends!

Proclamation Day

Psalm 145: 4 - One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
That's not really an original thought...it's a theme mentioned often in God's Word. I guess that means it's important!
And I can see why.


We live in a world that seems to be moving further and further away from the things of God. Look at the constant promotion of external beauty, the call for abortion to be legal, the push for gay marriage, the view that all religions lead to God, the teachings that there is no right and wrong...it's all relative, etc.....


So if the next generation is going to hear about and get to know the One true God, we had better talk to them...tell them...teach them. No-one else is going to do it:) 
And who better to, than people who have experienced God's amazingness. First hand accounts and personal testimonies are so powerful.


Here's a little story from my life which ends today...or perhaps the journey really just starts today!


In mid-August, as our baby's due date was approaching, my husband decided that the best way to provide for an expanding family was to look for land. Space and country living were two criteria as we began a search of properties outside of our own industrial hometown. We looked at a couple of houses and one was even on 2.5 acres on the edge of the next little town and already had established gardens. Nice! But no, J didn't like the house.


So we continued to look, but started to lean towards purchasing land and building ourselves a house that J would like. We prayed about this adventure, asking God to direct our paths and provide a great place for us, if that was His will. On a ridge, in town, we found some newly subdivided acre blocks. Just a 10 minute walk from all that's important in life...the pool, library, school and grocery store. Perfect!


We looked at the land 3 different times and walked a few of the blocks, admiring the views and the breeze. The flyers available on site told us which blocks were 'on hold' and which were still available. There were a couple we liked but most had 'on hold' beside them. But there was one, Lot 18, that no-one else had put a deposit down on.


One Sunday afternoon, 2 weeks out from baby's arrival, J asked me if I wanted to go look at the land one more time. He thought we should put a deposit down on Lot 18. So out we went and picked up another flyer as we headed towards our dream block and low and behold, someone had secured the 'on hold' status on Lot 18. The look on J's face said it all, but his words were simply, "Well, that's the end of a dream."


The next day, J woke with a bad cold and decided to take the day off...which he rarely does. He stayed in bed most of the morning and when he emerged, I suggested he call the real estate agents and see what other land might be available in the same town as the block we'd just missed out on.


The first phone call actually revealed something quite delightful, and unexpected. Despite what the paperwork said....Lot 18 WAS available! We jumped in the car, drove out to the real estate and put down our deposit.


So today, Wednesday, December 8th at 2.30PM we have settlement on our block. What a wonderful and exciting story of God's provision for us. I would like to rename the day...not 'Settlement Day' but 'Proclamation Day.' J and I would like to proclaim God's goodness and echo David's words from Psalm 145:
³ Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 
⁴ One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. 
⁵ They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 
⁶ They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds. 
⁷ They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
⁸ The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.⁹ The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 
¹⁹ He fulfils the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. ²¹ My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

My Name

I have a confession to make.

Today's reading was Nehemiah 10-12...and I have to admit that I skim read lots of it. Have a quick glance at those chapters and you might be able to work out why I didn't do a thorough read.

Lists and lists of names....half of them I can't even pronounce. Boring!

Well actually, not boring if you think about it like this.....

What if it were MY name listed there....right in the middle of God's Word? What if I was being recognised for all of humankind to read and see that I was a person who loved and served God? What if I was counted amongst the ones who were worthy of special mention because they obeyed the Lord?

I got to wondering how God looks at my life, my heart and my actions. When He looks at me, does it make Him smile? Do I make Him proud? Am I a 'chip off the old block?'

So today...even though I woke up grumpy and a little bit sad....I am determined to move on. I don't want to waste this day. I don't want to give God cause to shake His head or be disappointed. I want to get to the end of the day and as I lay my head on my pillow, be able to look back and know that I had a day 'well spent' and even though it may not be full of actions and thoughts that would get my name in the Bible, it was still a day that I lived for the One who gave it to me.

Eyes to See

"The simple things in life are often the best."

Today's challenge for you readers is.....look for simple, little things to enjoy today.


The idea comes from my dripping wet paper delivery experience last Friday morning. Yes my shoes and socks were squelching...yes I was steamy hot under the raincoat....yes the mozzies were buzzing. But with eyes to see, there was still plenty to enjoy and be thankful for....tipping the scales towards the whole experience being fun and memorable - for all the right reasons.


A tiny lady beetle sitting on a dew-ladened blade of grass. A five cent piece on the footpath took my mind back to diving into the public pool when I was 11 and finding $1.34 in change. A quick chat with the friendly old man at his letterbox. Admiring the hard work of so many in keeping their gardens thriving. The little pink bike with handlebar tassles parked in the driveway of No. 21. Glimpses of the harbour. The elation of putting the last paper in the last letter box. My smiling husband and the steaming cup of coffee awaiting me at home.


Don't be too busy and too task-focussed to notice the little things today. Don't be blind to all the simple delights God has placed in your space. 


Do....look, appreciate and enjoy with eyes to see.

A Little Bit of Hardship...YES PLEASE!

How could I ever have thought the New Testamant book of Acts was boring?

It's full of the daring adventures....life-changing moments.....dramatic God-encounters....courtroom debates...near-death experiences and exciting Holy Spirit encounters of the first Christian missionaries and the people they spent time with.

As I have been reading Acts, I have also been ankle-deep in rain puddles as I deliver the local paper to a side of town where mozzies reign supreme, dogs are NOT 'man's best friend' and the weather can't decide if it wants to be scorching, sunshiney hot or bucketing rain!

How incredibly timely that I would be journeying with the great Paul through Acts at the same time that I am folding and delivering 550+ papers. Timely, because I am actually making those deliveries to make a bit of money to give to missions. And Paul was the father of missions!

And my thought this week was to give up and tell my boss...'No more! This is NOT for me. It's too hot...too hard...too inconvenient...too ...... !!!!!!!!!' 

But then, as I read Acts this morning at 6.20am and hit the soggy footpaths at 7, I realised that a tiny bit of hardship in my life is a must. 

I need to keep this little job. Here's why: I have become too comfortable and too soft. I like my life to be convenient, easy and cool. But the whole point of making the deliveries is to receive a paycheck that will help support people working with other people where life is NOT so convenient, comfortable and easy.

Surely, I can endure the smallest amount of challenge in order to better empathise with others less fortunate than me and have a little bit of $$ to give and hopefully both ease their burden and share the love of Jesus.

Unlike Paul, I will NOT be beaten, shipwrecked or imprisoned for the pleasure of serving Jesus and others. Unlike thousands of Christian missionaries, I will NOT have to leave family and friends, learn another language and go without electricity and McDonalds. Unlike millions of people in the world today, I will NOT risk losing my life to natural disasters, a strict government regime, famine, war, preventable diseases or the long list of other life-threatening challenges people in developing countries face every day.

So yes please! Give me a little bit of paper-delivery-hardship.

(PS. If you are a Gladstone local reading this and you'd like to join me in this 'adventure' please be in touch. I am willing to share the journey:))

Friday Friends & Faves #9

Friends:
My friends Heather and Cam work for Student Life - a Christian group at work on a number of university campuses throughout Australia. God used time in Student Life small groups and one-on-one with SL staff, way back in the mid-90s, to change my life forever. And Heather and Cam were at uni with me and involved as students with SL.

Now, years later, they continue to share the love of God, the salvation gift of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit with new generations of uni students. They do it on campus...and off (as you'll read below). And it is their heart to share the life-giving and changing message of Christianity that has challenged me in the past couple of weeks since I read the email below.

I hope that as we head into December...a time for remembering Jesus' birth and all that event sparked....we might take to heart Cam's example and have a real boldness and passion for sharing the faith we have.

A recent trip to Victoria by Heather and Cam was marked by this little gem in their journey. They shared it in a recent email:

Well, we’re not even in Victoria yet (still staying with friends in Sydney) but Cam has shared his faith multiple times – with servo dudes and a guy we met on the bus on the way to see the sights of Darling Harbour. Cam’s still dripping from the apartment complex pool where he shared his faith with residents Athol and Zumi. I’ve learned to substitute prayer for panic whenever Cam is taking longer than I thought in the shops, or down town or even in the toilet. He’s just sharing his faith (or in the case of the toilet, reading apologetics books). But Cam would be quick to remind you not to be in awe of his gift of evangelism (or ablutionary reading), but to ask God to give you courage to step up to bat. He would say that remembering to ask the Golden Question – have you had much to do with Christian things? – is a matter of practice and courage. So fresh from the pool, here’s how the conversation went 5 minutes ago...

Cam: Hi I’m Cam. Do you guys live here?

A&Z: yes. What about you?

Cam: I’m from Toowoomba and I’m on my way to Victoria to help Christian uni students reach out to schoolies and see if any of them want help connecting to God. What about you? Have you had much to do with Christian things?

A&Z (positively): we’re Hindus, but we’ve just been to Hillsong Church, our first experience of Christian things.

Cam: was that a positive experience for you?

A&Z: it was great!

Cam: what did you like about it?

A&Z: people were so alive and enthusiastic and loving. And we’ve got Christian friends now.

Cam: how does that affect what you think about Christianity?

A&Z: we like it, but we don’t think it’s right to just follow a religion.

Cam: you mean a religion where it’s all about following rules?

A&Z: yes. It doesn’t seem right to have to follow a lot of rules to get something.

Cam: I’ve got good news for you: the essence of Christianity is actually relationship, not rules. It’s all about having a friendship with God. Following rules can lead to problems like pride and thinking you’re better than others because you’re following rules well. But Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So I had a close look at Jesus to see if what he was saying was true, and I learned that the way we go through Jesus to God the Father is through Jesus’ forgiveness for things we do wrong. This leads to us being humble, which puts us in a better position to extend friendship to others.

A&Z: wow! That makes sense. It would stop a lot of wars and things.

Cam: now, because I’m grateful for forgiveness, I make choices to do what God wants, not because it’s a rule, but because of my friendship with God. So are you interested in finding out more about a friendship with God through Jesus?

A&Z: yes!

Cam: do you have an iPhone?

A&Z: yes!

Cam: go to the Apps Store and get a free application called Knowing God Personally (gospel presentation developed by Campus Crusade for Christ)

A&Z: Great! I’ll do that!

Favourites:
My sister Megan has put her talents to work this year and been very creative....with material. I really admire her efforts, particularly as Home Ec was not my strong suit in school and I spend way more time unpicking than sewing if I ever do it. Megan's on-line store has lots of cute items for kids and if you're looking for a special Christmas gift, check out Tail Endz Even if you're not in the market for kids' clothes and bags, have a look anyway, just for the "Awwwww....cute" buzz:)

Where's David?

The Psalms...you gotta love 'em.
150 chapters of David pouring out his heart to God.
Every human emotion expressed - joy, gratitude, despair, desperation, devotion, anger, sorrow, love, adoration, fear, anxiety................
It's almost like Psalms is in the Bible as a permission letter for us to do the same in our own relationship with God.
So....how are you going with that?
Are you:
spending time talking to God each day?
walking moment by moment with Him?
expecting to hear from Him?
taking the time to stop! and listen?
being honest with God?
praising? worshipping? thanking Him?
asking? pleading? presenting each situation to Him?

David did all those things...and more. And he was considered by God Himself to be 'a man after my own heart.' Wouldn't you like that said of you? Imagine God looking at you, turning to the angels and with a wide, joyful grin declaring: "See (insert your name here!) down there? S/he's a wo/man after my own heart." It's my desire that God would think and say such things about me, but I need to give Him reason too.

I read Psalm 142 as part of my Year Thru the Bible readings today. It reminded me of a number of things, lessons that I have learned already but needed to recall....

• I have a great life! David wrote this Psalm when he was hiding out in a cave because his best friend's Dad - the king (and the one he had faithfully served for years!) was out to kill him. No such worries for me.
• I need to be so thankful and express gratitude to all those who help make my life great. David cried out to God in pain, desperation, fear and need. There will be times when I do the same, but so often I am ever-so quick to acknowledge God and ask for help when times are tough, but when they are good, I forget to say 'thank-you' to Him. I also need to express deep and frequent gratitude and appreciation to my husband, son, family, friends and others who bless me. I know the blessing of a timely and sincere word of thanks...so how about I return the favour....often?
• There is nothing I will ever face that can separate me from God's love and presence. Here's David, in a smelly, dark cave and far from those he loves. He is being pursued by evil men and feels threatened, imprisoned, troubled. Yet he knows God is there and has the answers to his dilemma. 
• Even in the darkest times or most dreadful moments of life, there is hope. For David, the cave was not the end of the story. He ends up in a palace. David acknowledged God could and would rescue and free him...protect and provide.....strengthen and guide.....save and restore. God is still about the same business today.....only this time, He's working on behalf of you and I.

There you go....a few thoughts triggered from writing that is thousands of years old, yet still so relevant to us today.

The Psalms....you gotta love 'em.