I was reflecting today on my first six months of working in my job and thinking about all the wonderful things i want to do in the next six months but don't have time for. It got me thinking.
Ministry involves having big dreams of doing wonderful, organised, professional programs and having deep, relevant and meaningful relationships with people that are peppered with good deeds and wonderful God-saturated conversations. Ministry involves watching those dreams be replaced with a crazy hard slog. You end up producing something that is no where near what you originally dreamed. And ministry involves watching a magnificent, powerful God in his grace and mercy using your disorganised, unprofessional programs and your not quite perfect relationships to do things that are greater than you ever imagined.
What a great reminder that the Christian life starts and continues and ends with grace!
love B
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Dishes I like...
My holidays have taken on a food theme. I think- scary though this is (I'm actually turning into my very productive Mum, Dad and Sister)- I think I've grown out of my love of bulgy stay at home only watching TV holidays. I need something to do to structure my day. This holidays at least it's been cooking, reading cook books, planning meals. Yesterday the theme was healthy. Today I'm going for a Chinese menu- though I'm still planning on doing healthy dessert!
Anyway- I just opening up a file on my computer- and I was reminded of a funny Tim moment I thought I'd share. Sometimes I find it hard to know what to cook- and particularly to remember what things I've made that Tim has particularly enjoyed. So one day I started a word document which I titled "Dishes Tim likes"- and wrote down a few from the top of my head.
That evening- I opened word and was surprised to find in the "recently used documents"-above "Dishes Tim likes" was a document called "Dishes Bindy likes". I opened it and this was what I found:
· Plates
· Bowels
· Cutlery
· Pots
· Pans
· Glasses
· Mugs
I particularly like the mis-spelling of bowls
love B
Anyway- I just opening up a file on my computer- and I was reminded of a funny Tim moment I thought I'd share. Sometimes I find it hard to know what to cook- and particularly to remember what things I've made that Tim has particularly enjoyed. So one day I started a word document which I titled "Dishes Tim likes"- and wrote down a few from the top of my head.
That evening- I opened word and was surprised to find in the "recently used documents"-above "Dishes Tim likes" was a document called "Dishes Bindy likes". I opened it and this was what I found:
· Plates
· Bowels
· Cutlery
· Pots
· Pans
· Glasses
· Mugs
I particularly like the mis-spelling of bowls
love B
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Holidays
I'm on holidays.
It is the weirdest feeling.
I haven't actually been looking forward to these holidays that much. I was looking forward to kids club being over and theoretically having a break- but as Tim is today back at college it just seemed a waste of all the time in Lu I earned during the last crazy month. I'm not generally a hang at home by myself kind of person. I am a people person- and particularly a Tim person and it seemed such a frustrating shame that our only corresponding holiday was Monday!
But...despite that I think I will have a great week.
Kids club was just incredible. I don't know if I totally enjoyed it while I was there, I enjoyed part of it, but there is something about being the one keeping an eye on the time and making sure every things happening that means that you can't relax and enjoy the fun and excitement. One of the leaders (bless her!) who actually was really involved and helpful apologised to me because she didn't think she did much, she had too much fun to be working hard. That is definitely NOT how I feel, but I pray its how most of the leaders felt. But it was fun, it was a buzz, and it was a good reminder that God, despite my sometimes grumpy feeling that he doesn't, really does listen and answer my prayers
But I'm glad its over. This last term has just been huge. I think part of it has been realising that I have to stop thinking about myself as someone who works 4 days and therefore has lots of time. I don't. I don't have lots of time. Life is very full. Some of that fullness is due to the nature of my work. Some is due to wanting to be involved in College. Some is due to certain tasks (such as babysitting and cooking for people who need it) which I love and aren't technically work, but do take up my free time. Some is due to the fact that for health reason I need to keep up exercising- and as much as I enjoy that it does again take up time. And some is due to the simple act of keeping a house clean- even with Tim's assistance- it takes a while. And then there are just the life things that mean that sometimes even days off a written off with work, stress or just general sadness.
But now I can rest. Now i can sleep in and get up when I want to not when its time to do the next task. And now I can see how much of how I've been feeling is due to needing just this time.
It's a great feeling!!!!!
love B
It is the weirdest feeling.
I haven't actually been looking forward to these holidays that much. I was looking forward to kids club being over and theoretically having a break- but as Tim is today back at college it just seemed a waste of all the time in Lu I earned during the last crazy month. I'm not generally a hang at home by myself kind of person. I am a people person- and particularly a Tim person and it seemed such a frustrating shame that our only corresponding holiday was Monday!
But...despite that I think I will have a great week.
Kids club was just incredible. I don't know if I totally enjoyed it while I was there, I enjoyed part of it, but there is something about being the one keeping an eye on the time and making sure every things happening that means that you can't relax and enjoy the fun and excitement. One of the leaders (bless her!) who actually was really involved and helpful apologised to me because she didn't think she did much, she had too much fun to be working hard. That is definitely NOT how I feel, but I pray its how most of the leaders felt. But it was fun, it was a buzz, and it was a good reminder that God, despite my sometimes grumpy feeling that he doesn't, really does listen and answer my prayers
But I'm glad its over. This last term has just been huge. I think part of it has been realising that I have to stop thinking about myself as someone who works 4 days and therefore has lots of time. I don't. I don't have lots of time. Life is very full. Some of that fullness is due to the nature of my work. Some is due to wanting to be involved in College. Some is due to certain tasks (such as babysitting and cooking for people who need it) which I love and aren't technically work, but do take up my free time. Some is due to the fact that for health reason I need to keep up exercising- and as much as I enjoy that it does again take up time. And some is due to the simple act of keeping a house clean- even with Tim's assistance- it takes a while. And then there are just the life things that mean that sometimes even days off a written off with work, stress or just general sadness.
But now I can rest. Now i can sleep in and get up when I want to not when its time to do the next task. And now I can see how much of how I've been feeling is due to needing just this time.
It's a great feeling!!!!!
love B
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Ready for a Holiday
I thought it was about time to do an update on my life.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
That's pretty much how I'm feeling at the moment. This time next week I will be well into the throngs of our Church's Kids Club- which I am coordinating- and during which i know I will have a fantastic time. Why do I feel so frazled? Not because I don't think it will be good. It's going to be wonderful. But because there is so much to get done this week when it comes to just my normal end of term week- that holiday club on top of that makes me want to bang my head against the table!
It's been a hard term.
I still love my job, and I still have many things happening that bring me great joy. But I'm so busy and so weary. And when I'm weary I am easily discouraged. And Melbourne just seems so far away at the moment! There is no trip down planned until September and no current prospect of visitors before then :(
Basically what it comes down to is I hit the point of needing a holiday about three or four weeks ago. And that said holiday is still not for another week and a bit.
And until then?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
love B
PS Prayer would be appreciated
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
That's pretty much how I'm feeling at the moment. This time next week I will be well into the throngs of our Church's Kids Club- which I am coordinating- and during which i know I will have a fantastic time. Why do I feel so frazled? Not because I don't think it will be good. It's going to be wonderful. But because there is so much to get done this week when it comes to just my normal end of term week- that holiday club on top of that makes me want to bang my head against the table!
It's been a hard term.
I still love my job, and I still have many things happening that bring me great joy. But I'm so busy and so weary. And when I'm weary I am easily discouraged. And Melbourne just seems so far away at the moment! There is no trip down planned until September and no current prospect of visitors before then :(
Basically what it comes down to is I hit the point of needing a holiday about three or four weeks ago. And that said holiday is still not for another week and a bit.
And until then?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
love B
PS Prayer would be appreciated
Friday, June 26, 2009
When all the cows are sleeping...
I sometimes think about Uni ministry verses what I'm doing now:
There are lots of serious pros and cons to both.
But really- when it all comes down to it- the Big question that seems to dominate my thinking on this issue is:
What Kind of Dancing do I like more?
21st/Wedding/Party dancing along to the latest hits/old dance classics.
OR
Dancing to songs that involve lots of clapping, nodding, stamping, rolling out of beds, ducks going quack, and pointing to different parts of the body.
I think- at least on the dancing front- Uni Ministry wins. But on the weeks where I get to do Dingle Dangle Scarecrow...it gets a bit closer.
love B
There are lots of serious pros and cons to both.
But really- when it all comes down to it- the Big question that seems to dominate my thinking on this issue is:
What Kind of Dancing do I like more?
21st/Wedding/Party dancing along to the latest hits/old dance classics.
OR
Dancing to songs that involve lots of clapping, nodding, stamping, rolling out of beds, ducks going quack, and pointing to different parts of the body.
I think- at least on the dancing front- Uni Ministry wins. But on the weeks where I get to do Dingle Dangle Scarecrow...it gets a bit closer.
love B
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sandy's "Twenty-Seven today, Twenty Seven today"
Today is a special day, and a sad day- because it's my sister Sandy's birthday and I can't be there.
But sending lots of purple love your way Sandy!
love B
But sending lots of purple love your way Sandy!
love B
Monday, June 15, 2009
Memorising Scripture
When I first started my job one of the first thing that was talked about was memorising Scripture.
My boss (who in the tradition of "The Castle" is an idea's man) was really keen that as a church family we all get into the habit of learning Memory verses, and that we be really deliberate in the choices that we make- so that these verses will be helpful throughout the whole lives of those who learn them. And he suggested that this might be a task that I could undertake.
We set the starting date for just after the school holidays (one of the many reasons why my last school holidays wasn't really a holiday!) I had to think about memorising scripture, why it was important, to work out how to sell it to the church, pick the verses and particularly the categories we might use in choosing what kinds of verses to have, and work out how we would teach and encourage people to prioritise learning.
It was a pretty mammoth task- but it has been one of the most rewarding things I've done so far. There are two reasons for this.
The first is the personal impact. The task of going to the Bible to pick memory verses is just amazing. You are constantly poring over the Bible and looking over verses that inspire you, challenge you and point you to the cross and the great God who made it happen. I remember one afternoon just reading through the "Fighter Verses" that Bethlehem Baptist (John Pipers church) use and just being so spurred on and encouraged. It made me realise how much more effort I should put into memorising scripture. How many instances I could think of where having certain verses would have been just a blessing in the fight against sin and discouragement- if only I had known them off by heart!
The second is seeing it actually happen in the congregation. The end of the first month I was a little bit nervous that hardly anyone would have learnt it. It had been plugged every week. Where relevant it had been mentioned in sermons. It had been taught in Sunday School. But would anyone know it?
The verse was Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us".
I asked everyone to say it together (without the words displayed) on the last Sunday of the month. The church resounded with an enthusiastic rendition; over-powered somewhat by a young grade three girl who screamed it at the top of her lungs ;)
But the big test was TNT.
TNT is the junior youth Bible study that Tim and I lead. They had seemed at first a bit non committal about learning it; there was a real "can't be bothered" vibe in the air when we talked about it. And yet, on that last day- most of them knew it and were excited about knowing it.
And they understood it. During the study Tim asked them: "How do we know that God loves us?" Someone answered: "Because Jesus died for us when we were sinners". GOLD!
This Sunday I had the pleasure of teaching actions to the whole church- and seeing everyone jumping enthusiastically into the air as they cried out "ABOUNDING in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).
Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?
love B
My boss (who in the tradition of "The Castle" is an idea's man) was really keen that as a church family we all get into the habit of learning Memory verses, and that we be really deliberate in the choices that we make- so that these verses will be helpful throughout the whole lives of those who learn them. And he suggested that this might be a task that I could undertake.
We set the starting date for just after the school holidays (one of the many reasons why my last school holidays wasn't really a holiday!) I had to think about memorising scripture, why it was important, to work out how to sell it to the church, pick the verses and particularly the categories we might use in choosing what kinds of verses to have, and work out how we would teach and encourage people to prioritise learning.
It was a pretty mammoth task- but it has been one of the most rewarding things I've done so far. There are two reasons for this.
The first is the personal impact. The task of going to the Bible to pick memory verses is just amazing. You are constantly poring over the Bible and looking over verses that inspire you, challenge you and point you to the cross and the great God who made it happen. I remember one afternoon just reading through the "Fighter Verses" that Bethlehem Baptist (John Pipers church) use and just being so spurred on and encouraged. It made me realise how much more effort I should put into memorising scripture. How many instances I could think of where having certain verses would have been just a blessing in the fight against sin and discouragement- if only I had known them off by heart!
The second is seeing it actually happen in the congregation. The end of the first month I was a little bit nervous that hardly anyone would have learnt it. It had been plugged every week. Where relevant it had been mentioned in sermons. It had been taught in Sunday School. But would anyone know it?
The verse was Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us".
I asked everyone to say it together (without the words displayed) on the last Sunday of the month. The church resounded with an enthusiastic rendition; over-powered somewhat by a young grade three girl who screamed it at the top of her lungs ;)
But the big test was TNT.
TNT is the junior youth Bible study that Tim and I lead. They had seemed at first a bit non committal about learning it; there was a real "can't be bothered" vibe in the air when we talked about it. And yet, on that last day- most of them knew it and were excited about knowing it.
And they understood it. During the study Tim asked them: "How do we know that God loves us?" Someone answered: "Because Jesus died for us when we were sinners". GOLD!
This Sunday I had the pleasure of teaching actions to the whole church- and seeing everyone jumping enthusiastically into the air as they cried out "ABOUNDING in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).
Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?
love B
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