Now some of you may be aware of my boast that my husband is the best preacher in the whole world.
But now friends, if you haven't heard him- you have a chance to find out for yourselves how completely right I am (despite my slight bias)!
The week before Easter Tim was on a Mission at St John's Anglican Church in Paramatta. The sermon he gave was recorded and this Sunday the 3rd of May his talk (along with the service he preached at) will be played on 103.1 Hope FM in Sydney at 7pm!
And for those of you would do not live in Sydney, you can listen to it at http://www.hope1032.com.au/ListenLive.asp
I haven't heard it, but I read the draft and it was excellent. So it should be a ripper!
Have a wonderful week friends (if there are any of you still out there)
:)
love B
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Still a Kid on the inside
Sometimes I struggle with real self-doubt when it comes to my job.
- I have never studied any form of childhood education (although I do have an unusually high understanding of early numeracy thanks to my parents line of work!)
- I've never had any formal training in children's ministry
- I supervise people who have taught more Sunday School than I have!
- I don't have children of my own, so I don't have that natural know how that a mother gets just from having to work out how to bring up a children from scratch
And yet, as I look back over this previous term, even though there are so many things that I could have done better- I can see that God in his wisdom and grace has guided me through it and used me.
I don't know everything there is to know about kids, but I think one of the secrets I have is that I am still a kid inside. I can play with kids, and I'm only just realising now that this isn't something that comes naturally to everyone. I can relate to kids, I can teach them. I love working with them. And when parents see this, they warm to me and open up to me more than I could have possibly imagined.
The reality of my "inner child" came back to me as I had this particular song stuck in my head for the last month:
The Easter Bunny came hopping along
Swinging his basket and singing a song
He delivered two eggs to the green front door
And he hopped a bit further and delivered some more
Now, having a song stuck in your head is not usually your fault. But I have to take some responsibility for singing it to my husband while I hoped around the room like a rabbit.
My inner-child loves my job almost as much as I do!
love B
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Do not worry
Hi Friends,
I've been thinking more and more lately about how thankful I am to my parents for the way they brought me up. I think this new found awareness relates to my job. As I think and pray about how best I can encourage the children in my church, I realise what a huge role parents have in this process, and particularly remember and appreciate things Mum and Dad did. The songs we used to sing, the little Bible studies we used to do, the prayers before bed every night. These are things that were just there for me and Sandy but now I think- praise God! How much easier is it for me to read my Bible every day when the habbit was impressed upon me before the age of ten!
This week has been a week of worries. Now that term has ended, I've found myself realing under the things I intended to get done "Once the term was over". And there are all these things that are happening this term. Good things, like coordinating a church wide effort to memorise verses of the Bible, and running a pre-evangelistic event to encourage Mum's to read with their kids. Not to mention starting up the Women's ministry side of my job! I feel tired just thinking about it. And that's on top of a whole lot of life stuff that's coming up that I have to process.
And over and over again I hear the Jenny Flack song "Do not worry" that my Mum used to sing to me when ever I got worried. At the time (and I've told Mum this) I used to get a little annoyed, feeling like "I want to worry, and singing a song isn't going to stop it anyway"! But I know that it did help, and now? Now it runs into my head and reminds me of a greater perspective.
I won't give you the whole song (though I know it word perfect :) but here is the start:
Do not worry over any old thing
The birds don't worry and hear how they sing
Leave all your worries to the King of Kings
and do your best and leave the rest to the Lord
I would appreciate your prayers this week. Just pray that I get done what needs to be done and that I trust God with tomorrow.
love B
I've been thinking more and more lately about how thankful I am to my parents for the way they brought me up. I think this new found awareness relates to my job. As I think and pray about how best I can encourage the children in my church, I realise what a huge role parents have in this process, and particularly remember and appreciate things Mum and Dad did. The songs we used to sing, the little Bible studies we used to do, the prayers before bed every night. These are things that were just there for me and Sandy but now I think- praise God! How much easier is it for me to read my Bible every day when the habbit was impressed upon me before the age of ten!
This week has been a week of worries. Now that term has ended, I've found myself realing under the things I intended to get done "Once the term was over". And there are all these things that are happening this term. Good things, like coordinating a church wide effort to memorise verses of the Bible, and running a pre-evangelistic event to encourage Mum's to read with their kids. Not to mention starting up the Women's ministry side of my job! I feel tired just thinking about it. And that's on top of a whole lot of life stuff that's coming up that I have to process.
And over and over again I hear the Jenny Flack song "Do not worry" that my Mum used to sing to me when ever I got worried. At the time (and I've told Mum this) I used to get a little annoyed, feeling like "I want to worry, and singing a song isn't going to stop it anyway"! But I know that it did help, and now? Now it runs into my head and reminds me of a greater perspective.
I won't give you the whole song (though I know it word perfect :) but here is the start:
Do not worry over any old thing
The birds don't worry and hear how they sing
Leave all your worries to the King of Kings
and do your best and leave the rest to the Lord
I would appreciate your prayers this week. Just pray that I get done what needs to be done and that I trust God with tomorrow.
love B
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Interesting Typo
Interesting Typo pointed out by my beautiful Sandy- in my last post I said that Uni students realistically only working 26 days a week! Actually, working 26 days a week is not something the ordinary Uni student does- though I wouldn't put it past my conscientious sister :)
And for a birthday Update- I am having a lovely day. I had the worlds BEST banana bread at Envy Cafe (a cafe which Tim doesn't like that much so it was a lovely Birthday concession), and then we had a picnic by the beach. I also had some nice phone chats with friends and family not to mention a very funky fruit hamper from Mum, Dad and Sandy. And my present from Tim? A T2 collection of sample teas. So exciting!
Now, back to my Nana nap!
love B
And for a birthday Update- I am having a lovely day. I had the worlds BEST banana bread at Envy Cafe (a cafe which Tim doesn't like that much so it was a lovely Birthday concession), and then we had a picnic by the beach. I also had some nice phone chats with friends and family not to mention a very funky fruit hamper from Mum, Dad and Sandy. And my present from Tim? A T2 collection of sample teas. So exciting!
Now, back to my Nana nap!
love B
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter
Happy Easter Folks!
I remember when I first started working- I finally got public holidays. When you are at Uni and you realistically worked 26 days a week (I know you have exams, but seriously, who works in the first few weeks of term anyway), and so public holidays (which you often didn't get anyway) just seemed like another day off to add to your billion other day offs. But when you work full-time and you somehow have to fit all the stuff you used to get up to into 4 tiny weeks, public holidays suddenly become very important, precious, and surprisingly long things.
Well, working in a church is a whole other kettle of fish!
This week has been the second craziest week I've had since I've started this job. There's been playgroup parties and puppet shows, working on my normal day off (which is doubly huge because it's my day off AND a public holiday), and lots and lots of tasks that needed to be sorted "Before the holidays".
But it's also been awesome. I love my job. But I'm very glad to have a more restful week.
As good as this weeks been, it's also been a bit sad, as I contemplate my first birthday away from my Melbourne families. Last year I had the best of both worlds, as we few down to Melbourne just in time to be shouted Indian dinner with Mum and Dad. But this year it will be just me and Tim.
Having said that- I'm very excited, Tim is making plans, secret plans, and I don't know what they are. I love surprises.
And I am also really looking forward to these next few weeks not just doing my job, but having time to actually think about what I'm doing. The what and the why and the how better questions.
Anyway, that is my rambling update on my life these last few weeks.
May this Easter be a great time for you to reflect of what it means that Jesus could say "I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies (John 11:25)
love B
I remember when I first started working- I finally got public holidays. When you are at Uni and you realistically worked 26 days a week (I know you have exams, but seriously, who works in the first few weeks of term anyway), and so public holidays (which you often didn't get anyway) just seemed like another day off to add to your billion other day offs. But when you work full-time and you somehow have to fit all the stuff you used to get up to into 4 tiny weeks, public holidays suddenly become very important, precious, and surprisingly long things.
Well, working in a church is a whole other kettle of fish!
This week has been the second craziest week I've had since I've started this job. There's been playgroup parties and puppet shows, working on my normal day off (which is doubly huge because it's my day off AND a public holiday), and lots and lots of tasks that needed to be sorted "Before the holidays".
But it's also been awesome. I love my job. But I'm very glad to have a more restful week.
As good as this weeks been, it's also been a bit sad, as I contemplate my first birthday away from my Melbourne families. Last year I had the best of both worlds, as we few down to Melbourne just in time to be shouted Indian dinner with Mum and Dad. But this year it will be just me and Tim.
Having said that- I'm very excited, Tim is making plans, secret plans, and I don't know what they are. I love surprises.
And I am also really looking forward to these next few weeks not just doing my job, but having time to actually think about what I'm doing. The what and the why and the how better questions.
Anyway, that is my rambling update on my life these last few weeks.
May this Easter be a great time for you to reflect of what it means that Jesus could say "I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies (John 11:25)
love B
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