For the first time all year- I am staring at the possibility of having a to-do list actually completed.
Clean office
Send final email re summer supervision
Put together activity sheets for Christmas and Boxing Day services.
Then I'm off.
Reflections on this year at work.
Really tough.
And yet really wonderful.
I wouldn't say it has been the easiest working year of my life. I've just been overwhelmed with the tasks I've had to do. It's funny- for various reasons- our whole staff team has designated this year as the year of "Just getting by". All the grand plans of things we hoped to achieve were dumped around May- and just surviving the year with the day to day jobs has been enough of a triumph.
And yet, God has continued to work.
Term 4- the craziest term in the year- has also been the most amazing. My Playgroup friend Maggie has become a Christian. The kids at Youth group seem to really be growing. I have three women to follow up in the New year who really want to know more about Jesus. My Mum's Bible study group is filled with the most enthuastic women. And after a slow year on the Sunday School front- at the end of the year we have been innondated with new families and crazy numbers of kids!. For the first term ever- I didn't have any stresses in organising Sunday School leaders and one of the leaders commented that this term of teaching- rather than being the overload she had felt previously- had been a huge delight and had really grown her in the faith. And our Carols service was the best attended ever with heaps of visitors. I am so thankful to God for this term, and humbled that I had so little to do with it :)
As I close the chapter on the best term of the year- I get excited about the holidays and try not to think too much about term 1- the worst term of the year. It's always so difficult!
But for now I'm relishing the fact that the for the first time all year- my to do list is about to become empty.
love Belinda
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
When life gets busy...
A few things happen when life gets busy.
Number One- fiction writing goes out the window. It's really sad, as I suspect my mental health would survive the busy-ness better if I could escape regularly from all the tasks spinning round in my head with a short trip to my fantasy world. Hoping that today will be the day to get back into it.
Number Two-Shopping goes out the window. By shopping I mean regular grocery shopping. Of course I still shop- otherwise Tim and i would be taking out every meal (that's just for the really, really busy times :). But it tends to me a quick duck to the shops after work to get something for that particular night. It is the breakfasts which suffer the most for this situation. Don't tell Tim, but I'm having Maggi noddles for breakfast this morning ;P
Number Three-The house. It is atrocious. Praise God busy time for me coincides with holidays for Tim- so it's not a total loss. If I can managed to put cloths in the washing machine and clear the dish rack, then generally speaking when I wake up/arrive home the washing is on the line and the dish rack is full again.
Number Four-Early nights and early mornings. Generally, when I'm busy when I wake up in the morning I can't get back to sleep, I'm thinking to much. It's a bizarre form of insomnia because for some reason those same thoughts didn't bother me when I originally went to sleep. So I get tired earlier so go to bed earlier, then wake up earlier again. Vicious cycle :)
Number Five-I can't wait, wait, wait for holidays!
love B
PS It's a totally stupid, particularly given that my family haven't even celebrated it for years and years themselves- but I always miss my Mum and Dad and Sister alot on Thanksgiving. We lived in the states for two years and I loved that holiday. For the first ten years or so back we used to have one ourselves. Poor Tim has had me groaning all week about Turkey and pumpkin pie. He tries to be sympathetic, but he just can't get passed the idea that pumpkin in a pie sounds disgusting. Oh sweet oblivion!
Number One- fiction writing goes out the window. It's really sad, as I suspect my mental health would survive the busy-ness better if I could escape regularly from all the tasks spinning round in my head with a short trip to my fantasy world. Hoping that today will be the day to get back into it.
Number Two-Shopping goes out the window. By shopping I mean regular grocery shopping. Of course I still shop- otherwise Tim and i would be taking out every meal (that's just for the really, really busy times :). But it tends to me a quick duck to the shops after work to get something for that particular night. It is the breakfasts which suffer the most for this situation. Don't tell Tim, but I'm having Maggi noddles for breakfast this morning ;P
Number Three-The house. It is atrocious. Praise God busy time for me coincides with holidays for Tim- so it's not a total loss. If I can managed to put cloths in the washing machine and clear the dish rack, then generally speaking when I wake up/arrive home the washing is on the line and the dish rack is full again.
Number Four-Early nights and early mornings. Generally, when I'm busy when I wake up in the morning I can't get back to sleep, I'm thinking to much. It's a bizarre form of insomnia because for some reason those same thoughts didn't bother me when I originally went to sleep. So I get tired earlier so go to bed earlier, then wake up earlier again. Vicious cycle :)
Number Five-I can't wait, wait, wait for holidays!
love B
PS It's a totally stupid, particularly given that my family haven't even celebrated it for years and years themselves- but I always miss my Mum and Dad and Sister alot on Thanksgiving. We lived in the states for two years and I loved that holiday. For the first ten years or so back we used to have one ourselves. Poor Tim has had me groaning all week about Turkey and pumpkin pie. He tries to be sympathetic, but he just can't get passed the idea that pumpkin in a pie sounds disgusting. Oh sweet oblivion!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Updates
November isn't a good day for blogs.
I don't know if December is going to be any better.
Life is hectic but kinda exciting too!
Exciting number one
Tim has finished exams! He is now a big bad fourth year- and only 12 months off finishing for good. Doesn't seem possible that these last three years have gone so fast.
Exciting number two
Christmas ministry! What do I mean? I mean playgroup parties and Scripture Christmas parties, and our Carols Outreach service. I am also giving an evangelistic talk at an outreach event for our playgroup Mum's. Please pray for me.
Exciting number three
One of the playgroup Mum's in my Bible study has become a Christian! She and I sat down today to talk about it because she wants to be baptised. She brought along another friend who has been thinking through Christianity and in the course of the conversation she realised she wanted to be a follower of Jesus too! I feel overwhelmed by God's incredible mercy in these women's lives, and the opportunity I have to see God work in so many amazing ways.
Exciting number four
Tim and I got to be God-Parents for our friends beautiful little girl Maggie. We were greatly honoured.
Exciting number four
I just had a lightening visit down to Melbourne for my cousin Kate's 10Th birthday. And. We. Saw. Mary. Poppins.
SO GOOD!
Please pray. Lots of excitement, but lots to do as well.
love Belinda
I don't know if December is going to be any better.
Life is hectic but kinda exciting too!
Exciting number one
Tim has finished exams! He is now a big bad fourth year- and only 12 months off finishing for good. Doesn't seem possible that these last three years have gone so fast.
Exciting number two
Christmas ministry! What do I mean? I mean playgroup parties and Scripture Christmas parties, and our Carols Outreach service. I am also giving an evangelistic talk at an outreach event for our playgroup Mum's. Please pray for me.
Exciting number three
One of the playgroup Mum's in my Bible study has become a Christian! She and I sat down today to talk about it because she wants to be baptised. She brought along another friend who has been thinking through Christianity and in the course of the conversation she realised she wanted to be a follower of Jesus too! I feel overwhelmed by God's incredible mercy in these women's lives, and the opportunity I have to see God work in so many amazing ways.
Exciting number four
Tim and I got to be God-Parents for our friends beautiful little girl Maggie. We were greatly honoured.
Exciting number four
I just had a lightening visit down to Melbourne for my cousin Kate's 10Th birthday. And. We. Saw. Mary. Poppins.
SO GOOD!
Please pray. Lots of excitement, but lots to do as well.
love Belinda
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sad and happy
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
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
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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