This morning we heard the news that Tim's Nanna passed away earlier today.
We are very sad for Pa, for ourselves, and particularly for Tim's Mum and her sister. We will all miss her terribly- Pa especially.
But in Bible study today we were talking about death- and I was reminded that I don't have to be sad for her.
We were reading the story of the Paralytic in Mark 2. We were reminded that while sickness and disease are bad- we all have a bigger problem- sin.
But we learnt that Jesus is the one who can deal with that sin.
Nanna trusted in Jesus. And so praise God- her biggest problem is solved. Her sin has been dealt with. She has gone from being God's enemy to God's beloved Daughter. And now she is with him forever- all the tears and pain and sadness is gone. Face to face.
Sad for us. Happy for her.
love B
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Verbs
I'm writing again.
Actually, I've been writing again for over a month but I think it probably takes a month of writing before I can really say that I really am writing again.
I gave myself a rule that for two weeks I wasn't allowed to read any fiction (gasp!!!!) and my reading would be for work or would be ON the topic of writing. Reading about writing is almost as much fun as writing itself (if its a good book on writing) but it actually sends me to my story as oposed to fiction reading which usually keeps me from it.
I'm back reading fiction again now, but even it has been inspiring me. I'm reading as a writer, and as I get caught up in the little world there is still a part of my brain facinated by what they say and how they say it and how it makes me feel.
One of the big things I've been observing is verbs.
One of the writing books I am reading is Mark Treswick???s "The little Red Writing book" (and yes- it was only last week, after owning the book for two years that I realised why he called it that and how the words sound. So slow :) It's fantastic because its a book on writing which is actually well written! Kind of logical but strangely refreshing. The last chapter was on verbs, and it was the verbs chapter that sent me sailing back into fiction reading again. Mark said that verbs are often the difference between good writing and bad writing and that you need to collect verbs.
And so I read, and I realised the truth. Good verbs really do make good writing. And so I am on a mission to collect verbs. To see what I always use and to add to them.
The verbs (or other words acting as verbs) in this post so far are: writing, think, say, gave, allowed, gasp, sends, keeps, "has been inspiring", get caught, facinated, feel, observing, reading, owning, realised, sound, was on, sailing back, said, need, read, realised, make, collect, use, add.
I love writing.
love B
PS 168 pages
Actually, I've been writing again for over a month but I think it probably takes a month of writing before I can really say that I really am writing again.
I gave myself a rule that for two weeks I wasn't allowed to read any fiction (gasp!!!!) and my reading would be for work or would be ON the topic of writing. Reading about writing is almost as much fun as writing itself (if its a good book on writing) but it actually sends me to my story as oposed to fiction reading which usually keeps me from it.
I'm back reading fiction again now, but even it has been inspiring me. I'm reading as a writer, and as I get caught up in the little world there is still a part of my brain facinated by what they say and how they say it and how it makes me feel.
One of the big things I've been observing is verbs.
One of the writing books I am reading is Mark Treswick???s "The little Red Writing book" (and yes- it was only last week, after owning the book for two years that I realised why he called it that and how the words sound. So slow :) It's fantastic because its a book on writing which is actually well written! Kind of logical but strangely refreshing. The last chapter was on verbs, and it was the verbs chapter that sent me sailing back into fiction reading again. Mark said that verbs are often the difference between good writing and bad writing and that you need to collect verbs.
And so I read, and I realised the truth. Good verbs really do make good writing. And so I am on a mission to collect verbs. To see what I always use and to add to them.
The verbs (or other words acting as verbs) in this post so far are: writing, think, say, gave, allowed, gasp, sends, keeps, "has been inspiring", get caught, facinated, feel, observing, reading, owning, realised, sound, was on, sailing back, said, need, read, realised, make, collect, use, add.
I love writing.
love B
PS 168 pages
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The packet of Tim-tams that never runs out...
"Wait- did that really happen?" said R in my scripture class today.
"Yes, it really did" I answered, "The Bible said so".
"Really?" R said, still looking sceptical
"that" was the widow that Elijah stayed with having her bowl of flour never run out, and her bottle of olive oil continuing to fill.
"Maybe Elijah snuck in at night and filled it" said K, one of the more disruptive boys in my class, who today was hanging off every word.
"That's not what the Bible says" I said smiling, "And besides, the whole point was that there was no food, for the widow or for Elijah. God provided".
It's funny what the kids can cope with. They can cope with Goliath being defeated by David. They can cope with Jesus stopping the storm. They could cope with Jesus rising from the dead. But a BC version of the packet of Tim-tams that never runs out- was just a bit too much.
"God made the world. He controls everything. He made the rules of how things work- he made Physics. So he can do anything he wants. Nothing is too hard for him" This was my attempt at answering.
I don't know if they got it. But when God sent fire down from Heaven- and burnt up Elijah's sacrifice- they loved it. And I think they even believed it.
love B
"Yes, it really did" I answered, "The Bible said so".
"Really?" R said, still looking sceptical
"that" was the widow that Elijah stayed with having her bowl of flour never run out, and her bottle of olive oil continuing to fill.
"Maybe Elijah snuck in at night and filled it" said K, one of the more disruptive boys in my class, who today was hanging off every word.
"That's not what the Bible says" I said smiling, "And besides, the whole point was that there was no food, for the widow or for Elijah. God provided".
It's funny what the kids can cope with. They can cope with Goliath being defeated by David. They can cope with Jesus stopping the storm. They could cope with Jesus rising from the dead. But a BC version of the packet of Tim-tams that never runs out- was just a bit too much.
"God made the world. He controls everything. He made the rules of how things work- he made Physics. So he can do anything he wants. Nothing is too hard for him" This was my attempt at answering.
I don't know if they got it. But when God sent fire down from Heaven- and burnt up Elijah's sacrifice- they loved it. And I think they even believed it.
love B
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
BFFs?
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the whole concept of BFFs.
If you are not familiar with the term, it starts for "Best friends forever". It is a term which i hear quite alot, due to my facebook friendship with numerous teens.
Don't get me started on people who use the term "BFFs forever", just like PIN number and ATM machine.
But my big issues are first the use of the world best, and second the use of the world forever.
Firstly- when I was in primary school I learnt you would rate things like this: good, better, best. And Best was the absolute cream of the crop. You couldn't have two bests (although you could have a collective group that was the best I suppose, but that's another story).
Hence the use of the Kath and Kim phrase "Second-best friend". I realise sometimes people don't like making distinctions and can't choose between friends who is "the best". Then I argue it makes sense to use a different term.
But BFFs? Well, most people have several BFFs, or they regularly change BFFs depending on their mood. I don't think that should be possible.
And the second F? When I was in my teens I may have had people I could call my "best friend" but I had no illusions that they would be my best friend forever? I mean, you can't tell the future! I was hoping at that time to get married, and I presumed that whoever I married would become my best friend. So any "Best friends" I had were highly likely to be temporary.
So, my new suggestion is "CFF?"
Close friends forever?
You are committing to prioritise that relationship long term. The question mark is that you don't know what will happen in the future, but you will work hard to stay close through lives changes. Because its more realistic, I actually think its more powerful. BFF is just a throw away term. "CFF?" is a commitment!
Do you think it will take off?
love B
If you are not familiar with the term, it starts for "Best friends forever". It is a term which i hear quite alot, due to my facebook friendship with numerous teens.
Don't get me started on people who use the term "BFFs forever", just like PIN number and ATM machine.
But my big issues are first the use of the world best, and second the use of the world forever.
Firstly- when I was in primary school I learnt you would rate things like this: good, better, best. And Best was the absolute cream of the crop. You couldn't have two bests (although you could have a collective group that was the best I suppose, but that's another story).
Hence the use of the Kath and Kim phrase "Second-best friend". I realise sometimes people don't like making distinctions and can't choose between friends who is "the best". Then I argue it makes sense to use a different term.
But BFFs? Well, most people have several BFFs, or they regularly change BFFs depending on their mood. I don't think that should be possible.
And the second F? When I was in my teens I may have had people I could call my "best friend" but I had no illusions that they would be my best friend forever? I mean, you can't tell the future! I was hoping at that time to get married, and I presumed that whoever I married would become my best friend. So any "Best friends" I had were highly likely to be temporary.
So, my new suggestion is "CFF?"
Close friends forever?
You are committing to prioritise that relationship long term. The question mark is that you don't know what will happen in the future, but you will work hard to stay close through lives changes. Because its more realistic, I actually think its more powerful. BFF is just a throw away term. "CFF?" is a commitment!
Do you think it will take off?
love B
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