Wandern in einem Olivenhain ist nett!

quote of the evening

Let us seek the grace of a cheerful heart, an even temper, sweetness, gentleness, and brightness of mind, as walking in His light, and by His grace. Let us pray to Him to give us the spirit of ever-abundant, everspringing love, which overpowers and sweeps away the vexations of life by its own richness and strength, and which, above all things, unites us to Him who is the fountain and the centre of all mercy, loving-kindness, and joy.
- John Henry Newman

narnia

no matter how I look at it, there will always be more to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe than a childs story.

I especially loved the weary Aslan scene.

I went with Lady Design and acf. He then bailed home to pack for mission (poor guy, feelin a little sorry for him leaving at 4am tomorrow), and Lady Design and I went to Otto's for a delish meal. There is something to be said for getting to know people over a meal. I think that is one of the awesome things about my old church. They share a meal together every week.
Anyways...

Then hopped in the car and headed to Why Pastor and Praise the Lord's place. They are good value, and a huge encouragement to me.

I think that I have refined the art of procrastination quite well. When you are studying, organising is always very important, and when you are meant to be cleaning, summer study (or sleep) really should be done.
I can no longer see the floor in my study, but I can almost see my desk, AND, most importantly I have started doing my summer reading of calvin! (but I do need to find my hard copy of it as there are way too many distractions whilst reading it on the computer!)

*raises imaginary glass*
- a toast... to procrastination

2 more sleeps

For the last 2 weeks my body clock has been set to 6am wake up. I am not sure, but I think this may be a hang over from sailing camp and getting up early for leaders meeting. Maybe my body is telling me that I really really am a morning person??! - Yeah right
Seeing as I normally can't get to sleep before 1am, last night was a little out of the ordinary. It saw me fast asleep before 11pm.

2 more sleeps until my camping/road trip begins!

feliz navidad

Lk 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Lk 2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
Lk 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Lk 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Lk 2:12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Lk 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Lk 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

another day, another social event

Went to a relo bash last night. But not for Christmas! My cousins threw a suprise birthday party for my aunt. It was a lovely night.
It was also a night tinged with sadness. It has been a hard year for my aunt and cousins. My uncle died several months ago, and it was sad to go to a relo bash and him not be there.
I must make time to travel up the coast next year and spend some time with her.
Mum gave her a book about Christianity. I hope and pray that she will read it.

Today is Christmas Eve, and in my usual procrastinating style, I woke this morning to the knowledge that I still had gifts to buy.
I hit the shops early, and man was it manic by the time I left. Now it is time to wrap them all.

Tonight brings another social event. A friend is back from New Zealand and throwing her traditional Christmas Eve party. It is probably going to be the last one, as her parents are probably selling the house. It is also the first time that I can go and not have to rush off. Normally I have a church service or 2 to go to on Christmas Eve. Not tonight. I'm churchless!
I'm fully looking forward to seeing old friends.

When I think about it, it has been an interesting year. Two of my closest friends have been living overseas. I am so thankful for international calling cards which make it so cheap to call them.

But for now, I am starting to melt in this heat. I think I am going to head down the beach and cool off. Or maybe I should wrap those presents first. hmmmm

narnia

just booked the tickets for narnia on boxing day.
I've heard mixed reviews, but I am looking forward to it!

sometimes i think i have an inner adult, and an outer child!

Your Inner Child Is Happy

You see life as simple, and simple is a very good thing. You're cheerful and upbeat, taking everything as it comes. And you decide not to worry, even when things look bad. You figure there's just so many great things to look forward to.

How Is Your Inner Child?

german poetry? - well not really sure about that!

eines Tages traf ich eine Luftblase
das war zuerst freundlich
til drang ich tiefer forschend ein
das war dann ich begriff
es gab etwas ernstlich gebrochen
diese Luftblase war keine Luftblase
tiefes Inneres war dieses Bedürfnis
ein Bedürfnis zu kontrollieren
jeder und alles
jede Bewegung machte es
es war einem Schachspieler ähnlich
til eines Tages
der Tag wird kommen
dann wird diese Luftblase platzen

dinner, dinner, dinner - in no particular order

It has been a week of social engagements.

I love my friends. It has been awesome this week to see some of them and hang out.

I finally got around to watching the last 4 hours of Survivor Guatemala. I went around to acf's house and he cooked me dinner while we caught up and watched the finale. It was nice. He drew me a very clear map to find my way home, but to no avail, I still didn't manage to follow the directions and got, well I can't really say lost, cos I found a main road I knew, but lets just say it wasn't the most direct trip home!

Had my brothers birthday dinner.
Upside to dinner outside - cooler than inside.
Downside to dinner outside - mozzie bites galore!

And went out for dinner with Why Pastor and Praise the Lord. Delish mexican teamed up with south american beer. Caught up on the yarns, had some laughs, and later we sat on their driveway and had a pray. We were looking for stars, but there wasn't one in sight. Too much cloud cover.

endings...

I finished up at church today. It's all a little surreal.

exam results

I got an sms from Jedi Master on whilst driving home from camp, to say that exam results were in. Started to feel a little anxious...
I got home, searching the house high and low, I could not find them. They mustn't have arrived.
I eventually found them tucked in with some of Dad's work stuff. I held the envelope for a few moments, and as I tore it open, I fully expected to read that I needed to do some supplementary examinations in January. It was with disbelief that I read, and re-read my transcipt which showed that I had passed everything. I actually thought that they had made a mistake, or that i wasn't reading it properly.
But as things stands, I have made it through my second year of college. I guess this means that I am going to pick up Hebrew next year. Well that was the deal with myself.

My GPA is up, not as high as I had hoped, but it is still up on last year. I need to get it to a certain point to be allowed to do my project in 4th year. I haven't quite reached that, so I will have to keep working on it next year.

My best subject was greek, and suprisingly, next up was doctrine.
I also did quite well in OT exegesis (english strand). Church History was a suprise, I walked out of that exam early, thinking that I had failed it, I didn't do brilliantly in the exam, but enough, so that with my essay mark, I got a good overall mark.
Philosophy... I had hoped for a better result.
NT was the one subject that I was a bit bummed about. I mean, it isn't as though I did poorly, but I had thought that I had nailed both the theology paper and the exegesis paper.
I think that I may get RJG to go through the paper with me at some stage early next year, to see where it is that I am having problems.

Now time for a snooze, and then off to carols tonight.

camp...

ok, so the more about camp...

I had a great week. I am really glad I went. I was feeling a little anxious about it beforehand, as I didn't really know anyone else on the leadership team. But over the course of the last week, I feel as though I have met some awesome and encouraging people.
Much of my time was spent driving the rescue boat. My main job, was the get boats ready and in the water, and make sure that the sail boats stayed in the safe zones.
We did pretty well, with only a few minor breakages of equipment, and only a few scrapes and bruises to campers.

All in all, I had a great week. One of the things that I really enjoyed was being involved in ministry to the campers, but not being in an upfront type roll. It was a really refreshing.

The most exciting thing about the week was the the gospel was proclaimed clearly, and kids responded! It puts everything in perspective.

results

just walked in from camp.
exam results are in...

I passed everything! YAY! way cool. looks like I will be doing hebrew next year.

more about camp in a little while...

packing & cleaning

I am meant to have my rooms cleaned and almost packed by the time I leave for camp this arvo. Don't think that is going to happen.

I went into town yesterday and signed the lease for my new flat. Whilst in there I picked up Schwepps, she tailed me home. I watched her play in her squash grandfinal last night. She played v well. Unfortunately her team lost, but hey, they got a towel. I then drove her home (my home), and we stayed up talking for a while.

After she headed to bed, I kept packing and cleaning. I had to be up early to fix up my flat tyre this morning, so am feeling a little wasted (kicked Schwepps out at some unearthly hour - sorry chick). At least I should sleep well tonight, which will be a unique experience, as I never sleep well on the fist night of camp.

Right now, it is time for more coffee, and back to the packing and cleaning.

P & P

I went and saw Pride and Prejudice last night.
After having a conversation with a friend about it, I feel that I have been left in a paradoxical quandary.

He was telling me how much he loves Lizzie Bennet. That he desires a woman who will challenge him, stir his wit and intellect. But less than 5 minutes later, he was telling me that feminism is the problem with relationships today. That it isn’t possible to find a submissive Christian woman these days. A woman who will not question his authority.

Now I am sure that people will tell me that the two can go together. But I don’t really see how. How can you have an Eliza Bennet who is also a Charlotte Lucas?

One minute we girls hear from men, that they want us to be spirited, have our own life, and be independent, then the next we are told that they want a submissive and quiet woman, the way that the Scriptures describe.
Arrrgghhhh – and men say that women are hard to understand!

ouch

it was a great day. Am totally exhausted though.
The new boat that I was going to be driving today got flipped and wasn't back from repairs. So I got to drive the old boat. It was an outboard, with tiller steering. I haven't driven tiller steering for a couple of years. So I have come back a little sore and bruised.

Am totally glad I went. I have had a little trepidation about going on camp where I only know one other person. Today meant that I got to meet some of the other leaders. Also I got a lift up there, which meant that there was totally heaps of chat time in the car. I know feel as though I know 2 people on camp!!
Suprise, suprise, we were chatting so much that we missed the turn off and ended up almost at Newcastle (>45km too far north on the freeway). But we made it :)

well I never got that washing done! But hopefully it can hold off a couple of days.

spent a couple of hours this morning editing Schwepps' sermon for tonight. I hope what I had to say was helpful and didn't stress her out. I enjoy going pulling sermons apart as I find that it helps my writing skills all the more.

acf popped over and we had a BBQ lunch. Yummy garlic prawns and stuff. It was nice to hang out. Bailed off to church this arvo, learnt a few new Christmas songs, and spent a lot of time trying not to cry.
I am sad about leaving my family there. It is hard to believe that two years have passed and it is now time to move on. I don't want to cry on my last day there, as when I cry, I turn into a blubbering mess.

Tomorrow holds what I hope to be a fun filled day in the sun. For those that know my aversion to sunscreen, you will be pleased to know that it is packed (and a hat).
I am heading off early in the morning for a 'training day'. It will be excellent to get in and drive a speedboat again. Then it will truely feel like summer!

fun, food, film and a flat

Met up with Snitzal for dinner. It was yummy japanese/korean style food. Lots of fun and laughter, esp seeing as I was a total grot and managed to splater food all over my top. It was the cause of much hysteria. It was good to catch up.

We then met up with acf, Dani, Camilla, and Musician and went to see Harry. Loved it. I jumped in a few parts, and was giggling in much of the other parts. I totally agree with the M rating, and certainly wouldn't be taking young kids to see it. I won't say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for those out there who by some chance have not read the book and are planing on going to see the movie!

I then trapsed back to my car which was on the rooftop, only to discover that I had a flat tyre. Quickly turned my phone on to try and catch Snitzal in time before he drove away. He drove up to meet me and changed my tyre for me. Thanks mate. I was glad to have someone with me as I didn't really relish the prospect of being on a rooftop carpark by myself changing a tyre.

I really should try and get some sleep now as tomorrow I must awake early and do some washing and cleaning as acf said he might pop over. And no Li'l Miss, my washing is not in a desperate state, it is only in a near desperate state!! :)

married to Christ

I was asked what some of the implications of our marriage to Christ are. Here are some random thoughts. I would like to synthesize them a little more and think some more about putting it together, so feeback and input is appreciate.
This stemmed from a discussion on singleness, which yes, NanoC I do remember that you asked me to post something on singleness, and I will get around to it.

--

Some musings.

It is the best situation for married people to live together, in the same way, as we are married to Christ Eph 2:17 tells us that Christ dwells in our hearts. We can’t simply pay visits occasionally, Christ must be at the centre of our thoughts, we must dwell with him. This union of marriage with Christ is closer than any other relationship, yes, including marriage between a man and a woman. A man and woman become one flesh when they are married. Christ and the believer becomes one spirit (1 Cor 6:17).
This marriage fills the believer with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Pet 1:8). This idea is also spoken about in John 15 where we are instructed to dwell in Christ, and he will dwell in us.

This marriage also differs from the marriage between a man and a woman in that it is eternal (Hos 2:19). All other marriages cease at death, and will not be restored in the resurrection of the dead, but the bride of Christ shall never be a widow.

Some practical outworkings of this…
Have we given ourselves totally over to Christ?
Do we see the value in other believers? They too are joined to Christ. It is not assimilation, but union. All believers are not only joined to Christ, but one with Christ. Can you see the seriousness then of sinning against our brothers and sisters? It makes me understand all the more Acts 9:4. Persecution of the saints, is persecution of the bride, of the body, of ourselves, of Christ as we are one spirit.
This is also a huge assurance. Christ, our husband, is our judge.
We need to rejoice in the relationship.
It impacts not only our views and the way in which we treat others, but also in relation to our sanctify and purity. Is it fitting for Christ to be married to one who cheats on him? One who cheats in their actions by doing things that displease him, by sinning, by placing our wants and desires above his.

whoo hooo

just shook hands on house for English Lass and myself! Way stoked!!

mood: ..... vereitelt und geärgert

es ist harte zwei/drei Tage gewesen. Ich habe nicht blogged, wie ich etwas nicht sagen wollte, dass ich später bedauern könnte.

Es hat einige nette Momente gegeben. Ich traf mich mit dem Jedi Master für 'Kaffee' auf Wed, Thurs ich sah Schwepps-Spiel-Squash und Freitag, den ich bekam, um Surivivor zu beobachten.

Heute bin ich dabei, eine Mietmiete (hoffentlich) zu unterzeichnen, und dann später heute Abend bin ich dabei zuzusehen Harry Potter.

Am Montag, am besten aller, komme ich, um den Tag treibend ein Geschwindigkeitsboot ringsherum auszugeben. Ich kann nicht warten!

Dinge sehen heller aus! Ich werde fortsetzen mich zu freuen:)