spring is here

I saw pumpkin head yesterday, and she was wearing a skirt, she reminded me that it was the first day of spring. The weather certainly reflects that. It has been glorious. I have slight feelings of trepidation for the coming summer and lack of rain.

I went around to the Ould's this morning to pick up my fruit and veg from them. I ended up going on an impromtue picnic with them to centenial park. It was a lovely day. The sun shone, we had a BBQ lunch, I played with Charis in the playground, we fed the ducks (and eels), and generally enjoyed a Saturday day off.

It was all good.

--
caffiene detox has gone by the wayside (i only lasted 2.5 days - oh well)

why is it

that it is always after midnight when i realise that i have mountains of washing that needs to be done?

C is satisfactory

It is what i must keep reminding myself.

Today we got our long awaited doctrine 3 essays back. They were our first essay to be returned this year. I cannot help but be dissapointed with my mark. I spend much time researching, but it seems that my skills are not up to scratch.

In first year, I was happy with C's. So why am I upset with this mark? I suppose that it is because my marks went up last year. I suppose that when my marks went up, I saw that I was capable of more than C's. I suppose it is because I put a many hours into the essay. I suppose it is because I felt that I grappled with the topic well. I suppose it could be that external factors have pulled me away from my studies in a way that I am frustrated about. I suppose many things.

It is not a marks-pride thing. It is more that I am putting pressure on myself so that I can keep my grade point average up so that I can do my project next year. My mark today has done nothing to help that.

I must remember, C is satisfactory.

headache?

day two, caffiene detox over

but just how much caffiene is there in one incey teeny square of lindt 70%?

random and not much else

it is hard to believe that wednesday is almost over and i haven't blogged. i have so many thoughts wrapped up in my head at the moment, but none complete enough to put down here in a coherant manner. i haven't even felt like blogging the non thoughts of life.

i am a bit scatty at the moment. not really wanting to sit for more than a few minutes, which kinda makes studying for the exam next week and prepping the essay for the week after a little hard.

i also have a coffee headache. i haven't had a cup all day. but i figure that detox is good for me so that next week and the one following, i can have minimum coffee for maximum outcome. at least the herbal teas have been getting a workout.

(the problem with eating dinner at 5:30pm is that i am starting to feel a little peckish but snacking now is not favourable)

sleep on the other hand is favourable. unfortunately i haven't finished my greek homework for my tute with RJG tomorrow. (surely one glass of diet coke won't hurt.... no..., must..., be..., strong)

hebrew with mamma swan today was a real encouragment. bubba swan was adorable. and when i got to doing some translation exercises, they seemed to come easier than they have done in the past.

current thoughts going around head that i have started writing on and one day (soon) hope to blog on (perhaps the second advent, or finishing college, or getting an essay back might come sooner, but the intention is there)

• complementarianism and 1 Tim 2
• is God in control? or is He like a school teacher on playground duty?
• the X factor

back

and it wasn't all that cold.
It was pretty.
I feel rested.
I had some laughs.
My assignment is done for tomorrow - bonus.
I got to visit my old church on the way home - double bonus.

hospitality

One of the great things about living close by to college this year is that English Lass and I are able to be hospitable (albeit not as much as we would like - I can't believe that I just used albeit in a sentence).
Last night A Kempis, The Ploughboy and Nix came down for dinner. I enjoyed myself. I was impressed with the boys turning up with flowers. The flowers now grace our hallway. It's amazing how they brighten up the place. I can feel another painting binge coming on. The paints and canvases are there waiting.

Today saw the first of the tri-college soccer series. I didn't get down to see the games as I had my regular greek tute session with RJG. We finally finished Romans 8 today.
We had a combine college BBQ after the games. Trinity and Jax came (and many others). We ate. (I ate my fill of meat - save me buying any meat for a while!)

Now what on earth am I going to wear to this wedding in Wagga? The Ploughboy told me it has been getting down to minus 3 at nights. I have pulled a dress (yes one of my three that I own) out to wear. I am still going to back my jeans and scarf and stuff.

the pin stripe effect

When I went to get in my car this arvo, I noticed with dismay that it had been defaced. (Thankfully I am not that precious about my car as when I was given it, it had plenty of character, I mean dents). Someone had drawn down the entire drivers side with a bright pink paint pen. (It came off with some elbow-grease).

The joys of living in the city.

More of Barth's wisdom

I just can't stop reading it.....

In speaking to me God has chosen me, as the man I am, to be the man I am. The new quality I acquire though the Word of God is my true and essential quality. Only God can judge me. I am wholly and altogether the man I am in virtue of the divine decision.

Barth, CD 1/i, 161-2

Gold.
--
Schnitz, you still interested in having a book club to read through the CD?

Romans is the goods

Sunday night I had the joy of listening to Dean Jensen preach on Romans 7. It was gold. (awesome revision for NT3 as well!)
I had heard him the previous week on Romans 6, but unfortunately was a little out of it. I'm hoping that I can dig it up on mp3 somewhere so that I can listen to it again. Also, I wouldn't mind listening to the firt sermons of the series that I missed. Another reason for hoping that the Cathedral records the sermons. I am heading to Wagga this weekend for a wedding so I'll miss church.
I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I'm gonna get to hang out with people from my old church for a sustained period of time. It's gonna rock. And, as well, we get to celebrate our friend getting married. How cool is that?!

I had the realisation whilst talking to a friend tonight that it is going to be cold in Wagga. I'm not really sure what to wear. I also realised that I won't be able to wear my normal foot attire either. hmmmm. Guess somethings must change.

English Lass isn't feeling too well at the moment. I feel bad for her.

finally

and so she finally gets her act into gear and updates some links....

check em out

running late - as usual

And so I couldn't sleep last night. Which meant that I ended up watching 3 episodes of Alias. As each one finished, I tried to sleep, but it didn't work. It was well past 3am by the time I nodded off. I even tried reading some of Calvin's Institutes but it didn't work.
The roll on effect...
Having set my alarm for 7am to make it to my 8am class, I woke up at 8:24am. Hmmmm - Not happy.
At least I made it to chapel. Begbie was great. Hi wife, Smeals, is having her wisdom teeth out next Monday. Please keep her in your prayers. As Trinity will tell you, it is no fun at all.
But then I bumped into KJC, who I needed to get some advice from. It ended up blowing out timewise and I missed Ethics.
Well I did make it to NT and to the youth ministry discussion.
The food fairy left me some food (yay). And I went to Miss Eliza's place for dinner and Catan with her and her hubby.
Now it is time for more Alias....

where did it go?

I was so tired earlier that I struggled to keep my eyes open. Now where did that sleepiness get to?
I've been laying in bed, but I can't sleep.
The General lent me his copy of season one of Alias, so maybe I will watch an episode of that.
hmmmm, it's going to be hard to get up in the morning.
OT first up, and then community chapel which I am so looking forward to. Begbie is doing some / all of the music. I went to his albumn launch a while back. I wrote about it here and here. Promises (his CD) rocks!

McCleod's and dinner parties

For a while now, I have been going to that other college on a Wednesday to catch up with Trinity and co for dinner followed by Mcleod's Daughters.
Confession to make:
I watched Mcleods this week, without visiting Trinity and Co.
Ummahh

This week's episode had a song in the closing credits about rules and following them even when it costs. Profound. Very profound. What can I say but that it spoke to me *wink wink nudge nudge giggle giggle*

Tonight Trinity, Squadron Leader and acf came over for dinner.
Fun times.
I love being able to invite people over.

lifted

I have said it before, and I will say it again... there is so much to say, but no way of saying it other than:

God is good, his steadfast love endures forever.

--

I cried out to you from the depths,
From the pit you heard,
You lifted me and retrieved me,
You sustain, protect and uplift.
I cried out to you from the mud,
From the pit you heard,
You lifted me and retrieved me,
You provide, save and cleanse.

I guess I'll follow the poll...

Well, although it was the one I was leaning toward, seeing as the poll has spoken, I will follow its instructions!!

The essay question I will be starting to research this week is:
According to Romans 5-8, what is Christian hope and in what sense does it encompass the individual believer as well as the church and even the whole creation?

I'm looking forward to it. Now to get the exegetical done for tomorrow...

Ich bin ein kleines bisschen enttäuscht, dass dieser Kurs während meiner Überprüfungen am Ende dieses Jahres laufen wird.
Ich kann nicht finden, dass Deutschkurse im Laufe des Sommers studieren.

Das Frustrieren!

some bed time reading

Earlier this year I splashed out and bought Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics. I wondered where on earth I would put them. Calvin sleeps on my pillow during summer, and who helps me to sleep! But it has been Barth who has been sleeping on my pillow of late (not that I can see my bed at the moment!). Whilst although I dip into him for the topical reading, it is my dream and hope to work through the Church Dogmatics. Averaging only 10 to 20 pages a week, this may take a while.
So some words from my reading today....

God's Word is not a thing to be described nor a term to be defined. It is neither a matter nor an idea. It is not "a truth," not even the very highest truth. It is the truth as it is God's speaking person, Dei loquentis persona. It is not an objective reality. It is the objective reality, in that it is also subjective, the subjective that is God. God's Word means the speaking God. Certainly God's Word is not just the formal possibility of divine speech. It is the fulfilled reality. It always has a very specific objective content. God always speaks a concretissimum. But this divine concretissimum cannot as such be either anticipated or repeated. What God speaks is never known or true anywhere in abstraction from God Himself. It is known and true in and through the fact that He Himself says it, that He is present in person in and with what is said by Him.
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, 1.1 Doctrine of God (London: T & T Clark, 2004), 136-7

the days roll by

so much to say, i don't know where or how to start

so instead i will take a poll as to what people should think i do my new testament essay on...





these are the ones that i am most interested in

so what is the fascination with my sunnies anyway?

note of relax

I spent the morning with my dad and brother whilst they fixed things in the house.

It was lovely.

I had coffee with a Melkite Catholic from Syria (whom I had never met before) who is thinking about becoming a priest and who is being encouraged by his bishop to find a wife.

It was interesting...

I had hot chocolate with the Ould's. (Which came with a side of cuddles from the kidlets!)

It was soothing.

Tonight brings cooking dinner for Lady Design, acf and Jacs as they come over for board games.

All of this amounts to:

a note of relax

just one more task for the week

OT essay - check
Hebrew test - check

just the youth group talk tonight, then time for a sleep in

--
for those of you out there, if ou ever become landlord/real estate agents, one top tip from me...
never, ever tell your tenants that they can walk up the road to the local hotel to use their toilet!!

our toilet broke on wednesday night so i rang the real estate agent who is looking after the place while our landlord is away (who is very good mind you). He told me that i could wait til morning and walk up the road (dark alleyway in inner city suburb) to the hotel to use their toilet at night if i needed to.
he felt the wrath of b to say the least.

thankfully i have a brother who is a plumber!

ahh to know sleep again

to know: to understand: to comprehend: to obey

sleep

6 glorious hours last night

--
i have been thinking a fiar bit about eschatology. i was discussing some of them with mamma swan last night.

here's a question for you....

word count: 2960

it is in the box. it went in at about 9:25, a whole 35mins early so you gotta be happy with that.

been over at mamma swan's for a heeby lesson this arvo. time for a nanna nap now, then back round there for some more.

--
looking forward to a saturday lie in.

word count: 2649

time to start tidying it up a little

word count: 2337

eyes won't stay open much longer

word count: 2018

--
downhill slide

word count: 1934

what do you get when you cross a crocodile with a sheep?

word count: 1641

--
is it time for sleep yet?

i can feel the purple zone

well i have hit the purple zone, the words are flowing, creative (or not so creative) juices are flowing....

word count: 1499

i have emailed what i have written to the Tooth Fairy for her to proof read.
i have started with a series of questions and then go about answering them. i have answered several, and have the final chunks, but still need to fill out the centre.

anyone out there know anything about english literary criticism. i am pulling apart plot and characterisation at the moment.


--
feeling very snoozey, but mustn't give in or else there is no chance it will be put in the box in the morning. thanks to SPAR i am stocked up on V, PMAX and rice crackers.

--
mum, if you're reading this, i know when i spoke to you today you freaked out that i haven't slept (other than nanna naps) since saturday night, please don't. i am ok, yes i am looking after myself, and yes I am eating properly (I went to Mikey & Lil's for stew tonight). I'll see you on friday.....

grrrr

thanks for the encouragement guys.
for the second time in two days i have completely scrapped my essay. long, long story

anyways, hopefully this will be a brilliant one, so it will be worth all the pain :)
word count: 404

and we got our half yearly academic transcripts back today. the only result on mine is philosophy as none of our other subjects are semesterised. i passed! thanks be and only because of God's grace, as i wasn't too confident.

sleep is not an option

this time instead of going home for a snooze, it is time for me to head home, shower, change of clothes and some brekky, then straight back to Nat Jones for me.

word count: 722

normally finding them are painful, but i don't think i've had one this slow

word count: 490

the horse is out the gate

word count: 193

2807 to go....

through the rose coloured glasses

Nat Jones welcomes me back for a second night in a row. I'm actually thankful that I didn't get it written last night as I had missed a pretty major point....

Supplies for the night ahead.
Target for the next 10 hours is 3000 words, definitely doable - or at least that is what I keep telling myself.





This is what life looks like when I wear my red sunnies....















When there are blue skies, they turn a wicked purple colour. I have been wearing them all day, my rose coloured glasses certainly change your perspective of the world

snooze time

it is light out now, so I feel ok to walk home down the alleyways.
time for a nap before class.
word count sits on 53 as it has done for last few hours.
stress levels rising (but that is good, I need the stress to get it done)
chatted to MPJ briefly about essay, feeling a little better about it.

words

they're gone
not a trace
not a remnant
not even a glimmer


--
my same old problem is arising
i can talk it
but i can't write it

i think i need to track someone down to talk through it with them. it will have to wait until lunchtime, which is well after when i wanted it finished. or at least to have a couple of thousand words.

It's time to start writing!

I just gotta bite the bullet and start or else this thing will never get done. (either that, of Jesus will come back first)

Discuss the characterisation of God in the Ezekiel 'narrative'.

.....
there is always more to be read, and I stand (sit) here in trepidation that what I have read will not be sufficient to answer the question.

to stir the pot

There was a small amount of procrastination yesterday...

Seeing as I lost the battle here, and then conceded the war effort here, I adopted 'goldingay'. You can feed him by clicking on the jar of food next to his tank. Hopefully goldingay will cope with the cold of my inner-city shack better than Moe and Joe.

Nathaniel Jones, oh how I've missed you

English Lass and her parents are back tonight. 4 people in a 2 bedroom terrace. Hmmmmmm. I don't think that will work well with my planned nocturnal habits tonight.

So, tonight I am going to see my mate Nat Jones. It has been a while since I have visited. I haven't been since exam time 2 years ago. I wonder if the vibe will have changed. No Whitey sitting on the steps with me. No Snitzal frantically doing the last chapters of his project. I think I will stay over tonight.

Ahh Nat Jones, how I have missed the gentle hum of stressed bodies. The comraderie. The joys, the dissapointments. The broken windows. The golf and bocce at 3am. The knowledge that you aren't alone in your current pain.

semi-production

sometimes I fear that I have become a coffee snob, then I relax knowing that that isn't a bad thing, and then I have another coffee.

Working at the cafe today was productive until Tweety and I were interrupted by Mr Gould. We spent over an hour in discussion/defending Christianity with him. He is a very well read and knowledgeable man. I hope he continues to engage with Christians, with Christian literature, but most of all, I hope and pray that he will engage with God's word, the Bible.

Needing a breather, I headed back to the shack.
Not up to the writing stage yet, but hope to be there by tomorrow arvo (the writing stage that is).

I am slightly concerned that my essay seems to have a simple answer. I can't find any complication, which I am thinking can't possibly be right. I must have missed something.

removal of distractions

Determined to face my readings, not to be sucked into the distractions of internet, cleaning or TV, Tweety and I are heading out to a cafe for the morning. We aren't doing the same topic and we aren't allowed to talk to oneanother.

pure reading time....

the rosebush man

I met a man the last week, hereafter known as 'Rosebush Man'. Most days as I walk to college, I have been praying for the people in the houses that I walk past. I have been praying that somehow, if they don't know of God's gift of grace in Jesus, that they would.
As I walk down our little laneway, there is one beautiful garden I admire each day. It has this amazing rosebush which reaches all the way up to the second story of the terrace. It isn't a rose climber, but it is a bush!

Anyways...
There is a lovely older gentleman who is often out tending his garden who I have often said hello to. Last week I stopped and had a chat with him. He is 75, lives alone, and his garden (imagine if you will, 4ft by 2ft area) is his passion. He planted the rosebush in 1962. It is amazing.
What is even more fantastic is that he asked me the question - 'so what do you do?'. Answering: 'I'm studying theology.' We launched into a great discussion on spirituality and life. He is talking with some Muslims, a Catholic priest and a hindu lady at present.
Please pray for rosebush man that God would open his heart.

--
God is good, God is faithful
He answers all our prayers
I despair in my unfaithfulness
I turn, I cry out to Him
He draws me near
My Provider
My Comforter

dinner at that other college

I always enjoy going and having dinner with Trinity at that other college. Good times, hugs, fluffy toys and silly times...

--
God is good.

routine can be good

classes have been back two days and although those two days have been punctuated with various meetings (of the unusual kind), it is good to be back. i am hoping that the rountine of class will spur me on!!

i dropped round to see the chileans this arvo for a quick coffee and catch up. it is suprising that although i have all these friends who live within a couple of minutes walk, i can go weeks without visiting.
this is a piccie of chilean bubba number 1's feet


on a geeky note - hebrew and greek continue to bring me joy. the pain is worth it.

currently working on my old testament essay...

einige Menschen wissen von den schwierigen Schäfersituationen, dass ich mich befasst habe.
es gibt denjenigen, der besonders gequält hat. leider hat es Entwicklungen gegeben. Gebet ist sehr erforderlich.
an diesem Nachmittag kann ich schieben müssen, um etwas tun zu lassen. es ist dabei, schwierig zu sein, aber es ist, was richtig ist.

beten

--
Die Eltern des englischen Mädels kommen vom Vereinigten Königreich heute Abend an. Sie bleiben in unserer winzigen Terrasse. Es sollte seit interessanten 3 Wochen machen.

goodbyes

Last Monday night we said farewell to CT who had been on exchange from a college in the UK for 6months. It will be a little bizarre to not see him around this coming semester.
PS generously opened her place up for us to use as a venue. The views were amazing from her balcony. It was on the 24th floor!!!


Does anyone else get the urge to throw themselves from great heights when they are atop of tall things?

tagtäglich tropfen der Regen und Leben dadurch. es ist eine gute Woche gewesen, Freunde einzuholen. in dieses freudige Wetter ist mit Angst von Finanzdruck eingestreut worden.mein Auto ist für Papiere erwartet. ich habe kein Geld. obwohl ich gestutzt habe und fast nichts für Lebensmittelgeschäfte oder lustige Dinge ausgebe, balanciert es noch nicht. ich bedanke mich bei Gott für meine Eltern, die tun, was sie können. aber sie haben viel nicht.
ich habe Angst über das nächste Jahr. mein Budget ist $7500 im Rot.

auf einem helleren Zeichen. ich habe jemanden anbieten gelassen, um für mich zu zahlen, um die Deutschkurse zu tun, die ich an Sydney uni. tun will sie sind dafür als ein Steuerabzug zahlungsfähig. ich denke nicht, dass es klug sein wird, es im letzten Teil dieses Jahres zu tun, so werde ich fragen, ob das während der Sommerurlaube auf sein wird.

Contentment

this was the topic I spoke on at youth church tonight.
It was a great reminder for me. God is good. God is in control.
I'm looking forward to youth group starting back up this week.

gotta go, inbound call on the mobes....

back to the shack

well it may have been a day or two later than planned, but i made it back from my parents place on the beaches to my humble abode in the inner west.

a cup of tea with jedi master, hebrew with mamma swan, followed by dinner with Miss Eliza, her hubby and child. i am rested from my hols, but oh how easily one can slip back into the pattern (all except for that thing called study of course).

walking home from the compendium, i bumped into the tooth fairy who gave me some money toward my recent dental expenses. words won't express my thanks. i am now almost 1/6th of the way into paying it off. i know i shouldn't worry about finances, as God has everything in hand, but giving that over to God has been tough lately. things are tight, i got a reminder to pay the electricity in the mail today. God has shown me time and time again that he provides. if you are of the praying sort, please pray for me that i will trust in His provision.

other than that, procrastination is still rampant. i still struggle to see parts of my bedroom floor, desk, filing system, bookcases.

some exciting news... our house has another bookcase. i know it may not seem like much, but it is in the hallway, which means that i can get rid of some of the stacks of books in my room!!

tomorrow:

• clean room
• write talk for youth church on sunday
• clean room
• clean room
• enjoy a friday night with no youth group
• clean room
• ummmm, and perhaps finish cleaning room?

es gibt Zeiten, wenn Langeweile zügellos ist
Zeiten wie heute Abendes gibt Momente in der Geschichte, wenn Sie darüber nicht lesen wollenes gibt Regentropfen auf dem Fenster
Licht vom fluro
Tränen vom Mixer
kein Geld in der Bank
Freunde, um anzurufen
Kuchen, um zu backen
Brot, um zu stehlen
wo ist das speziell?
wer ist diese Person?
wo sind meine Schlüssel?

german speculations

Manchmal will ich sterben
Manchmal denke ich an Leben
Manchmal weiß ich nicht, warum ich bin
Manchmal liebe ich
Und Manchmal weine ich

--
Bekommen Sie den falschen Eindruck von diesen Wörtern nicht. Ich spiele mit Tönen, Rhythmus und Reim von deutschen Wörtern einfach.

frisbee

i discovered a new sport whilst i was away. late in the week i was walking back from my thinking rock and some of the girls were throwing around a frisbee. i discovered i could actually throw a frisbee. i was promptly instructed as to how to do fore-hand throws, and i can even catch with one hand (well, most of the time anyway).
Thursday arvo frisbee at college, here i come!! (i may have to squidge my remiedial lessons in the afternoons somewhat)

the thinking rock

I'm back in the real world. I didn't want to come back. I think there were a few others on the trip who were thinking the same thing. Apparently Pumpkin Head told Jacks to turn right and head north instead of coming back to Sydney. Lady Design and I were debating the benefits of doing something similar whilst on the freeway.

But it is good to be back. Holidays are to be savoured like a fine wine, and good cheese!
I am at my parents for a couple of days. Spending time catching up on washing, and writing a talk for this weekend.

One of the most relaxing things about the week last week was that I found a 'thinking rock' nearby. I walked up most mornings, and/or afternoons and spent time thinking. Mainly thoughts about basking in God's creation, but also thoughts like 'what on earth am I doing at college?', 'what does it look like for the sun to rise inland and set over the ocean unlike in these eastern states?'.....

and lots of other random things

another day

still on holidays, soaking up the sunshine and relaxing.
last time i blogged, i had just emailed off my assignment for English Lass to hand in. Well, the dramas that occured when she text'd me around 10 mins after I had left the internet cafe to say she couldn't hand it in. What were we to do....? I had just been charged some ridiculous amount simply for using the power in the internet cafe (not even using the internet) for my laptop.
Thankful to the fast and calm thinking of Lady Design and acf, we worked out an alternative email arrangement.
Thankfully, it is in. I am now fully on holidays, feeling relaxed and enjoying the sunshine. We've seen plenty of dolphins and I have learnt a whole lot about the farming of oysters. I can't remember if I wrote about it in my last post, but we met an amazing man at the Christian Reformed Church on Sunday. He took us out on his oyster farm. It was amazing to meet a man who is so excited about God, his work, evangelism, and is ethical in what he does.
I am now sitting in the internet cafe at Port Stephens between Lady Design and JST. We took the ferry over to Tea Gardens for lunch.
Life is good.
God is good.
I thank Him for, good food, family, friends and holidays.

what a relief

only 2 mins left of internet connection in what i think is the only internet place in the whole of the port stephens area!!!
one min now
but just to let you know that my essay has just been emailed in, now time to crack open the champagne and relax for the next week

--
go well

I'm off

To sunny Port Stephens for a week. My essay is still not written, so I guess I will have to find an internet cafe to email it back to English Lass to print out and hand in for me.

Stay well

1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2 was what we studied on the candidate’s conference. It makes me wonder what is happening for that platform to be chosen to address the topic of women preaching.

I still have many thoughts swirling around in my head. Creation, women preaching, being a wife and mother, singleness and sin.

news flash

not many hours left until very overdue essay must be handed in. no words yet. not finished reading yet. planned events got blown out of the window this arvo when the pain in my mouth that has been bothering me for the last 6 weeks became unbearable. thankfully the dentist fitted me into an emergency spot. it was the option of root canal therapy or having the tooth pulled, money won out and i had the tooth pulled. i'll tell you what, i am feeling a kazillion times better.

now back to reading about this liberal, catholic, feminist ethicist!!

--
internet is finally getting sorted, and we are now working on getting some type of reimbursement.

--
another random thought.....
i went on cadidates retreat on monday/tuesday. i am reflecting on some things that have been said, and hopefully will journal them next week, and will try and write on them sometimesoon

friends, chapel, and sermons

I went to the Youthworks College Graduates day on monday. It made me realise how much of life is in the moment. Friends who I spent 2 years studying with, I have seen only once or twice in the last 2 years. I think my current college experience is slightly different as we live in, but it makes me wonder what type of contact I will have with my current college friends once I have finished studying. I can even feel myself at times pull away from certain friendships or groups of friendships here at college. Or at least try and convince myself in my own sinful way, that it really isn't my choice, that they were the ones who pulled away in things they did or said. As I said, that is my own sinfulness, and doesn't give any excuse. I need to continue to persist, and make an effort with those friends.

Anyways, after that tangent, back to the graduates day...
We had a chapel service to start the day. We sat in the outdoor chapel, with the sound of birds around us, and we sang facing one another, sharing in the delight of the knowledge of who and what our Creator has done and is for us.

Oh how I miss Deano's sermons. He preached from Rev 2:1-7 and reflections on the doctrine of the church.
We have a priviledge of being part of the church. We have Jesus with us now. He speaks, and we need, must and ought to listen.
As Christians we are priviledged because Jesus is with us, because of what is promised to us, and we are to love.

You know, I still remember part of the first sermon I ever heard him preach. "You are who you are in Christ". It is a truth that I continually come back to day after day.

--
My internet connection at home has only worked 5 minutes in the last 5 days. Not happy!

well the hoped for trip to Fraser is not going ahead, but that is ok. it simply means that i must plan another sort of holiday this break. there are some ppl from college going away, and i would like to go with them, i just need to work out if there is any budget for it. i think if i can scrape up $200 that will be enough for the week trip away.

in other news, i am pleased to report a 100% attendence record at college classes this week. and not only were there classes, but i also had 3 afternoon tutorials, and 3 meetings with my different chaplains!!!


last sunday night i prayed that i would be excited about what God has done for me. those prayers are still being answered. although there may be troubled times, the fact that Jesus loves me remains unchanged.

it is saturday arvo and i really really really need to clean my room as it has been needing a tidy for 2 weeks now, and i need to do some washing, but i am going to bed for a nanna nap. i have ppl coming over for rugby tonight.

3 days into the week, and still 100% of classes attended.

God is good. Today during my heeb lesson with Mama Swan, we got talking about Romans and the Spirit and lots of stuff (yeah not exactly hebrew i know, but hey, oh well), and I have been so excited about the fact that God has given us the Spirit. All day this excitement has been spurring me on.

God is good.

weekends, dinners and holidays

After a long weekend I am feeling refreshed. I spent loads of time just hanging out with college people. It was awesome.
Back at college yesterday. 2 days into the week and 100% of lectures attended. I am v stoked.

I went over and had dinner with Trinity tonight and we watched the Origen. Always fun to hang out with her and other compatriots that I am getting to know at 'that other college'.

The other day I was musing about the fact that I wanted to go to Fraser again. This may actually become a reality. There is a possibility that I may go there on a 'working holiday' for a week of the winter break. It is an exciting possibility.

Do I really want to do 4th year?

A few weeks ago I got an email from a minister asking whether I would be interested in a position for next year doing children's and youth ministry. I swiftly replied saying that I was planning on staying at college for my 4th and final year. Now I am not so sure. Do I really want to do 4th year?

I dropped in on the Chileans yesterday morning. They are working hard on me about a position in Chile doing youth and uni ministry. They need someone now. Do I really want to do 4th year?

There is so much need. Everywhere. I see the need here, in Sydney. In rural NSW. Interstate. Internationally.

Maybe I should finish up at the end of this year, go and serve, go and tell people about Jesus. I am committed to staying in Sydney for 1-2 years post-college, but even that is flexible.

Do I really want to do 4th year?

the CD

I sit
I listen
You gave
I like
Mellow and soothing
Just right
How did you know?

drops of notice

inadvertantly, one of my friends challenged me to look up. to look up and not down while i am walking.

my street:
as i walk along, 2 worlds collide. notting hill meets uniformity. a mandarin tree. a six foot high rose. university students. cafe culture. double income no kids. retirees. weeds. palm trees. cracked concrete. converted/renovated terraces. condemned terraces. half-way house. mod-con uni housing.
all on the 4 minute walk to and from college.

i love it

fraser trip

i visited eli creek 3 years ago and it looked like this when i visited 2 years ago, strong storms meant that it was no longer crystal clear.

i wonder what it looks like now...
i'd like to go back and visit

you take one friday night off youth group, combine it with college friends, some dark chocolate, popcorn and the Castle. Throw in a splash of red wine, and you have the makings of a very enjoyable night.

Darum sollen wir desto mehr achten auf das Wort, das wir hören, damit wir nicht am Ziel vorbeitreiben

I’ve been listening to Mike’s album ‘Promises’ almost non-stop since its launch on the weekend. When he played Offering at the launch, I cried. This album has already been a huge blessing to me. I hope and pray that Mike will continue to serve God in many wonderful ways.

If anyone out there is on the hunt for new church music, take a look at this CD, it is great. It is also enhanced so you can use it in accordance with CCLI etc.

Promises

Offering

Into Your hands
All that I am
Take it as my offering
Take my life and make it sing

A glorious song
Of praise to your name
A living melody
To a life set free
From shame

It’s in your death
That we will find life
Lived not for ourselves
But in the freedom of Christ
Freedom to serve
Freedom to die
Freedom to take up our
Cross and live
For the glory of Christ

© 2006 Mike Begbie ‘Promises’
Available here

becuase i can

sitting in the library with music blarking in my ears wondering if i should actually go and socialise with people at morning tea. almost made it it chapel this morning, just got a little delayed by dropping off 2 fresh canvases for the art show today.

(we are having huge problems with internet at home - i hope they give us a discount off the next bill as it hasn't been working properly since the weekend)

What a lovely day.
Although not exactly as planned.
Shopping this morning with Mum, no heeb lesson this arvo (tomorrow arvo instead), dinner tonight with Trinity (yes, at that ‘other college’), now home about to crack open a fresh canvas.
I feel amazingly refreshed. It was so nice to go out for a few hours and forget about the world.
I think I may even attempt to get to some classes tomorrow.

The events and discussions of the past 4 days are far from over, but things are moving.

Enough for now.

not a drop of colour in sight

i dropped off some of my canvases this arvo for the art exhibition on thursday. our lounge room looks bare without them which i think is a good sign as it means that i am liking them more and more each day. i may even get another one done before thursday. i spoke to the chick who is organising it today and she said that she had over 100 works which i think is fantastic seeing as it is only the second year that it is running.

therapy is needed tomorrow. wagging a day off class (with full permission from the principal-which takes the fun out of it), shopping with mum in the morning, heeb lesson in arvo, painting at night
what more could one ask for???

please keep praying...

my lecturers have been great. I spent an hour with my chaplain yesterday, and then an hour with the dean of students. They are fantastic. They have granted me an extension on this essay that is due tomorrow. Thankfully. Although even if they hadn't there would be no way that I would get it done as I haven't started reading/researching yet, and I have a major meeting on tonight.

Please pray that eyes will be opened, and ears will hear the grave concerns I have. Please pray that God will continue to give me strength to get through these times.

2 down, 2 to go (conversations that is)

in fun news, I went to Mike's albumn launch last night. I haven't been to Devotion in a while and it was awesome to go and spend an hour singing praises to our great God.

so much more to say, but the words can't be written.

til next time

if you are the praying type...

can i ask you to pray for me as i head out this arvo? I have a couple of sensitive / difficult / confronting pastoral situations to address this weekend. I am feeling anxious about them, which I am going now to pray, and cast those anxieties upon God.

the fog lifts

one foul swoop
just one lot of words
the truth
the fog lifts
i see you now
not the same
through fog i thought
i dreamed
we shared
i slept
we drank
i cried
we ate and i smiled
its not too late
i'm glad i know
to save my heart
to spare my soul

in recent news:

due to our delay in telecast, this news report is several days overdue. Late last year, this news source brought you this report. It is my sad and solemn duty this day to report the loss of Joe. For 3 days he lay terminally ill, but Sunday night saw his release from struggle. I miss him. Although he survived the move from my parents, it seems that this house was just too cold for him (and for me too!).

Farewell dear Joe

back from the edge...

with the exception of mission, this is prob the longest time i have not updated this blog. my apologies! life is a little hectic at the moment.

rather than give you a long winded rewind of the past 10 days, just know that i did some stuff, i saw some people, i did some talks, and there was some laughing and crying.

tonight saw my first formal function as an ordination candidate. i went to bishops court for dinner. it was nice to get out and hang out with friends.

friday 2 days away, i have my first proper hebrew test, following wednesday i have an ethics essay due.

anyone out there know of anywhere i can get a cheap, but safe heater? my house/room is freezing.

BTW - impressive moment of the week - i wore a dress and put makeup on tonight!

so i am still procrastination writing this exegetical paper

here are some pics from mission taken with my fone

pirates and their parties

i walked down the street this morning with knee high stipey socks on, jeans rolled up past my knees, and dodgey painted stripey t-shirt, and a yellow check bandanna on my head. what was amusing was the fact that no-one batted an eye at my attire. i think this says something about the suburb that i live in!
even more amusing was the fact that i saw Mintie as i was walking to the party and she didn't say a word about what i was wearing. i am thinking that should make me slightly concerned about what people think about my normal (or not so normal) attire. hmmmm

it all went well, and was fun. my voice has taken a battering what with mission last week, recovering from a cold, youth group last night and then helping out with games and talking this morning at the party. it has a 'janice joplin' edge to it.

new word for the day

berührungsberaubung

--
isn't it amazing what you can find when you are procrastinating!
:)

inspiration and pirates

all classes attended and accounted for... well sort of! I ditched out of ethics to go to hebrew, hmmmm maybe I should be thinking more about my ethics.

back to youth group tonight. How I have missed the kids. It has been 5 weeks since I have been (2 weeks of mission, 3 weeks of school holidays). We are going to Youth Surge next week which should be tops.

I have been trying to decide if I should enter anything into the college art exhibition. I had another idea for a canvas on the way home tonight. I think I will get cracking on it after my exegetical is done for monday. I have one half finished canvas, but I don't like it anymore. I may paint over it, or just get started on one of the other 5 blank ones I have sitting in my room.

Time for me to paint a white T-Shirt with red stripes for the pirate party I am going to in the morning. The 4 year old whose party it is, told me that pirates MUST wear stripey shirts, and as he is going as a blue pirate, I must go as a red one (apparently his lego has blue and red pirates).
I'm looking forward to the treasure hunt!

snapshots

Mission in some ways was a week of getting lost. Most days I was lost in some way shape or form. Even with the aid of driving in convoy, even with specifically drawn maps to aid me, I still managed to get lost. One 20-minute trip took six times that length!

I learnt how to do stumping, teabag folding and ribbon weaving. (All are craft activities, and my life will never be the same again! I’ll teach you if you like!!)

After going to numerous women's events (due to a severe shortage of women in our team) I learnt that youth ministry is still my passion.

I learnt that it is possible to talk to a four year old whilst having a power nap.

I learnt that nanna's in Shellharbour (as in all the world!) love to give hugs and kisses.

I was reminded that God is good.

I learnt that driving a car back up Mount Ousley doesn't work without a clutch.

I learnt that God uses all situations. I had a great chat with the towtruck driver about Jesus.

I struggled not seeing my mum on mothers day.

I was reminded that we have family all over the world, family we haven't met yet. It was a joy to meet them. It was a joy to share their lives for a week.

I was anxious to get home to my own bed and recover, but now reflecting on the week, I miss some of the young adults that I met. I may go away with them in the mid year break.

I do have some piccies taken with my phone, I'll try and upload them at some stage.

Over and Out.

flashbacks

questions of the day:
what is the difference between ontological and deontological again? and how does divine command theory fit into this? and what about consequentialism?
also, exciting... I almost asked a question in doctrine today with PFJ, but by the time he got back to me I had forgotten the question. I am such a ditz at times!!

yes I am alive, I haven't slipped off the face of the planet, although due to car probs it took me a little longer than expected to return from Shellharbour.
back to class today, attending almost all of them. it was good for me to get back into the swing, I haven't been in regular class attendance in over 5 weeks.

tonight I headed over to 'that other college' for dinner with Trinity. We hung out, watched some TV and headed down the pub to meet Kizzie-Dawg and watch the Mundine/Green fight. Croyden Park Hotel gave me flashbacks to my old lifestyle that sometimes fade into a dim memory. It was my first boxing match that I have watched, and suprisingly I think I enjoyed it.

I saw a nastly accident on the way home. A cyclist hit by a 4WD. Sleep defies me.

Mission updates to come.

almost ready - i think

tomorrow morning i leave to go on college mission for a week. i have pack, but i am sure that i will have forgotten something!
i don't know if i'll have internet access, so i prob won't blog til i get back (9 days).

other news, i got given a laptop today. one of the guys here at college got himself a new one, so gave me his old one. it is great, it means that i will be able to head to my parents some weekends and take work with me.
and, bonus, i get to take it on mission with me which means i can write my talks on it this week.

--
phooey, i just realised i can't find my usb stick. grrrrr

books books and more books

its a good dilemma to be in, but it is still a dilemma. i have run out of room for books.

not only did i spluge out last week and use some of the money in my books account to buy Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics (yes, all 14 volumes, and yes they look very pretty), but I also bought another 13 books. 9 theology, 4 christian living (mainly for my project)

arrgggghhhh, where do i put them????

just in case you were wondering

I decided that Jesus will return bodily and visible, I believe that is what the bible teaches, and doctrinally that is what we must insist.

Maybe one of these days I'll work out how to link my essay here and you can tell me what you think...

back to normal transmission

Back into life running...

It was nice to get some love from L'il Miss in my pigeon hole yesterday.

Tweety took me out shopping yesterday which was nice.

Survivor last night with the fellowship (I think that is the first time that I have gone this year - man where is my commitment!).

Hopefully my body will get back into routine soon.

I should really ring my friends that I am going to stay with for the week next week. I've only told them via text when I am coming, and I haven't seen them in about 18months!!

I should think about class work at some stage, apparently we have an exegetical due shortly after mission next week.

I should really clean my room....

word count: 3246

FINSHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ahhh how sweet sleep will be tonight!

word count: 2610

time for a break!

word count: 2383

almost there!

word count: 2197

staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagnating again

word count: 2113

I cracked the 2K mark!

word count: 1977

are we there yet?
how much longer?
when will we get there?

just count the telegraph poles

word count: 1808

back on the move!