Day 14: the gift in a normal day

I have to laugh at the irony of that title. A normal day. Well to be honest I don't know if I ever have a normal day. The life of a uni student doesn't really have that much routine or normality in it. Some days I wake up at the break of dawn in order to get to uni on time, other days I sleep in and then stay home all day doing whatever as I have the day off and other days I work, which is usually a sleep shift. Yep, I don't really have much routine or normality in my life. Because on top of that I have a tendency to forget things, loose other things, and just make things go wrong. For example, on a road trip I pack a thermos but when we get to opening it is jammed shut because I didn't think of the fact that the warm air will cool and create a suction, so  instead we spent 15mins or more, trying to open the thermos.
Nevertheless, there is still something about the normality of a day in which everything goes according to plan.

For those that do have some more routine in their lives than me, a normal day will consist of waking up, driving (or travelling in some other way) to work, working for the hours that you do work, coming home, having some dinner and then doing some thing relaxing like watching TV afterwards. Well that's my guess anyway. That doesn't sound to exciting or amazing. But look at it from the other perspective and it is a blessing. Nothing bad happened. There were no car accidents driving to or from work. No one was fired or laid off at work. Dinner tasted good. The power didn't go out. There were no unexpected delays with flay tyres or cars that didn't start. Nothing was forgotten in the rush to get out of the house early in the morning. There was no sudden illness or unlikely deaths in the family. So much can go wrong and yet everything happened to plan. That is such a blessing.

For me, today was like that.  I even made a dinner which tasted amazing and nothing went wrong (being somebody who seems to make LOTS of mistakes with things like that, that is really amazing). When so much can happen in a day to make it turn from good (or average) to bad it really is a blessing when none of that happens.

I am so blessed.

Day 13: The gift of warmth

It's cold outside. Even though it is September and there is evidence all around us that spring has sprung (you can smell it in the air, the flowers are in full bloom. flies are flying in squares...) the last few days have been rather cold and rainy. It's wonderful when outside the rain is pelting down and the temperature is dropping (not that dramatically but it still is going to be cold tonight) and you can curl up in front of a wood fire with a nice drink and a book.

So many people in the world do not have the luxury of staying warm and dry during the wet winter months. Some may not have the money to keep the gas connected to run their heater, or they want to save money so that is one of their first cut. Others may not even have a roof over their heads, let alone a heater or a nice thick blanket to keep them warm. Tonight, when you snuggle under your covers, think about those who aren't as warm and dry as you, pray for them, and be thankful for the warmth and protection that you have. For it is indeed a wonderful blessing, which we don't deserve.

Day 12: the blessing of inspiration

And ....I missed another day in this 30 day challenge... here I am to make it up

On the 27th - 30th of October our Church is hosting a youth weekend (we call it a Congress). The idea is that it is going to be lots of fun but right now the amount of work isn't that fun at all. Especially when you are one of the main organisers. Last night I met with two of the other organisers (there are 6 of us all together) and we got lots done! It was great that we could just sit down and let the creative juices flow and be inspired. In fact, we replanned a whole 3hr activity last night. That's how inspired we were.

Inspiration is usually the thing that hits me late at night when I'm supposed to be sleeping or when I'm out in the middle of nowhere with a few good friends and my camera. That's when I plan my next painting in my head or have this incredible desire to pick up my sketch pad or guitar. Part of success is inspiration. As Thomas Alva Edison once said: "Success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration". Although success involves a lot of work, that 1% of inspiration is very important. Without that inspiration, a lot of the perspiration wont follow. That is why inspiration is such a blessing.

Day 11: The gift of music

I may or may not have written about music earlier. I do know that I have thought about it.

For me, today was a day filled with music (not to say that my days are not normally full of music). I went to church twice and of course there was the singing in Church, I played my guitar and sang at Graceford, the aged care facility when I accompany devotions every second week, and then I went to a singalong after church this afternoon hosted for the residents of the place I work at. All in all a day full of music and enjoyment.

For me music is a wonderful gift. A gift which I and my family have been blessed with. We all play an instrument and some of us more than one. In fact, the count of instruments in the house at the moment include; two clarinets, two trumpets, a euphonium, a flute, a piano, two guitars, an accordion, a harmonica, oh and a recorder :). Yes, we are quite musical. At times the house is filled with music, not always the same piece and not always from the same room. But the house is filled with music nevertheless. It is so wonderful to just be able to escape in a world full of music, a world in which nothing but the sound, expression and feeling of music exists. For me, music is a way in which I can express my joy, vent my anger, channel my frustration, and just forget about everything else for a little while.

Indeed, music is a wonderful gift.

Day 10: The gift of good health

Today we had the grand final for our soccer team. No, we didn't win. And yes, I am tried, but it's a good kind of tired. Running around on that soccer field (and being centre mid, I do do a lot of running) is tiring but it really is a blessing that I have the health and fitness to be able to play a whole 90min game of soccer.

It was lots of fun. But the real blessing is that I and all the other persons who played today, had the health and fitness to play a game of soccer without injury. So often we play a game of soccer and don't really think about how much energy we are expending and how difficult it may be for some people. So many people cannot do that because they are not healthy or because they are not fit. In that way we really are blessed.

Day 9: The blessing of others who share your faith...

Friday night is youth club night. For two hours each Friday, I, with a group of other youth from my church get together to discuss a section of the Bible. Instead of partying all night we spend nearly 2 hours discussing the wonderful word of God. It is wonderful to spend this time talking about what the Bible is teaching us, encouraging one another and building each other up in our faith. Being able to support and share ideas with other youth in the congregation is wonderful, they are there to encourage you in your walk with God and in turn, you can help them also.

Tonight's 'blessing' is named "The blessing of others who share your faith..." Imagine if you were the only person you knew who is a Christian, the only person who believes that Jesus is their saviour and who lives a life of thankfulness to Him. Imagine how hard that would be. There would be so much temptation around us. There would be noone who can support us when we have doubts or problems, noone to turn to who can mentor and guide us and help us to understand the Bible. Being a member of a congregation, having others around you who have the same faith as you is a wonderful blessing. One which I am reminded again to be thankful for.

Day 8: The gift of laughter

I don't think that I have ever spent a day without laughter. This may have something to do with the fact that I have three brothers who all enjoy being in the centre of attention and usually get there by the use of wit and humour (and then they just stir each other up). Or possibly the fact that I constantly find myself in awkward, silly and crazy situations in which I just have to laugh at myself.

I cant see myself going through a day without laughter in some shape or form. To be honest I think a day like that will be slightly sad. They do say that laughter is the best medicine...

We can see laughter as a a gift. The ability to laugh at those things in life which are either hilariously funny or sad is a gift. After the fall into sin, sadness and misery became a part of life. With laughter, the sad parts of life aren't so oppressive, and we can still face the next day.

(P.s. I apologise for not posting this yesterday, I was working a sleep shift and didn't have time to do this.)

Day 7: the blessing in the beauty around us.

"The heavens declare the glory of God" Psalm 19:1.  We can see the glory of God in the beauty and marvels of creation all around us. I see that as a blessing. There are so many marvels in creation. We can look at the awesomeness of the universe and the numerous galaxies or the awe-inspiring majesty of mountains and gorges and they are a reflection of the glory and majesty of our God. We can look at the intricacy of the human eye or the precise way in which the human body functions, down to the function of the tiniest platelet in the blood stream and we can see them as a reflection of the greatness of God.

Isn't it such a blessing that we can look at those things around us and be assured that they are all a result of intelligent design? Isn't it such a blessing that God is reflected in His creation so that we can see him? We can be comforted by the knowledge that God is there when we see how his glory is shown in the creation around us. We can be reassured that there is a God when we see the awesomeness of creation which surrounds us, (because really, it is not at all possible that it could have evolved to be that way).

I pray that I will continue to have the eye to see the beauty that surrounds me so that I can continue to see the glory of God which is always with me.

Day 6: the blessing in a hobby

Today I was reunited with my paints, easel and canvas. It was a wonderful reunion and I spent the whole day immersed  in a world of creativity and paint. I had a day 'off' from my usual business of study, work, planning for the upcoming youth congress our church is hosting and all the other little things that I seem to be doing and absorbed myself in my painting. I love painting, well I love anything creative really, but painting is one hobby that I can loose myself in and forget about everything else.

Not the picture I painted today - but one of my paintings which now graces the walls of Dad's office.

Do you have a hobby? Hobbies are a wonderful gift which we can use to escape from all the other requirements of our life. Dictionary.com defines a hobby as an "activity or interest pursued for pleasure and relaxation and not as a main occupation." I also feel that a hobby is more than that. We are called to honour God in everything that we do, and that includes our hobbies. Especially because hobbies also are blessings from God. The fact that we have the time and resources to pursue a hobby is a blessing from God.

Day 5: the gift of educational opportunities

Today I slaved hard all day and managed to hand in two assingments. Both of which were about 10 pages long. Honestly, I did not enjoy this one little bit. In fact I hated it. The assignments were long, they took ages and there was so much more interesting things that I could be doing instead of writing assignments. Yes, I admit it. I procrastinated. A lot. I always procrastinate. It's just something I happen to be good at (and something that I probably shouldn't be good at). I will spend time on facebook, write a blog post, draw a picture, read a book, watch some pointless clips on youtube, listen to some new music, download some more music, make dinner, help my sister finish her art project, maybe even dig out my own paints, all before I will actually sit down and write my assignments. If that's not procrastination I don't know what is.

As a uni student I have such a wonderful opportunity to advance my education. Not every person is able to spend that much time learning. In some countries children don't even finish their primary schooling because they are needed at home. Other families don't have the money to send their children to a university (or even a secondary school). And others don't see the reason or purpose in further study. I have such a wonderful opportunity to advance my knowledge. Such a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the world in which we live in. And how do I use that opportunity? By procrastinating. Something I really shouldn't be doing.

I have such a blessing to be able to advance our learning in a University. If your reading this and you have the same blessing as I do, use it well.

Day 4: The blessing of Being a Church Kid

Today is Sunday. For my whole life Sundays have been a different day from the rest of the week. Every Sunday, for as long as I can remember our whole family has gone to Church. Twice. (Unless of course somebody is sick, we are somewhere on holidays or for some other unexplained reason). To put it simply, I'm a church kid. I grew up going to church each week, the same way my parents and even grandparents grew up.
I was taught the Bible from a very young age and then by the time I was in High School, I went to Bible Study, or youth group, each week, had catechism classes up until the age where I made a 'public profession' of my faith, went to a Christian school for the all of my schooling life where each day began with devotional Bible reading and prayer.

As a church kid, I don't have any amazing conversion experience which I can share with everyone, I don't have a particular point of time in my life where I can say that, that is where I decided to live my life for God. BUT, I do have a wonderful knowledge of the Bible which comes from the instruction I have received throughout my life. I do have parents and grandparents with an even deeper knowledge of the Bible, just because they have been studying it longer than me.

Looking at this, I realise how often I am not thankful for what I have been given as a Church kid. So often I take for granted that I have learnt so much about the Bible. So often I take for granted that for 7 years I had catechism instruction every Tuesday/Wednesday night and that I still have the opportunity to meet with other like-minded youth to discuss the wonders found in the Bible. So often I take for granted that I have parents and grandparents that have so much wisdom and knowledge about the Bible and that they have been imparting this wisdom to me my whole life.

In being a 'Church Kid' there is SO much that we can be thankful for.

Day 3: the blessing of family

Tonight's post is going to be a short one. It's late, I'm kinda tired and my computer has limited battery remaining.

I love my family. But so often I forget to appreciate how much they mean to me. Those long talks we all have at the dinner table. Those deep and meaningful discussions I have with my parents late on a Friday night after youth group, when the decent time to be in be is long past. The heart to heart talks I have with my sister. The friendly and happy teasing that my brothers are so good at. It is all a part of my life and so often I don't see how much of a blessing it really is. So often I take it all for granted.

I am so thankful for how much my family means to me. I pray that I will continue to recognise it as the blessing that it is.

Day 2: Taking technology for granted

Only day two of this 30 day challenge and I am sitting up late at night trying to meet the deadline. I'm going to blame it on my assignment. 2500 words, 12 journal articles and 2 more days (well technically less because tomorrow is my b'day and Sunday is a day of rest so I don't do any uni work then anyway). As I was pecking at my laptop, flicking through the very large stack of papers I printed off from a data base last week, headphones in my ears, listening to some new music I had just downloaded, it struck me how much we rely on technology. If it weren't for technology I would most definitely not be writing a lit review the way I was doing it today. It would have been much much harder. I would have to go to the library, manually search through different journals, copy/take notes on the articles I need and then hand write the whole 2500 words (believe me, my handwriting is not neat, especially when I'm writing lots or in a hurry).

Technology is all around us. We use it all the time. If it wasn't for technology, I wouldn't be able to be writing this and you wouldn't be able to read it. If it wasn't for technology, I wouldn't have any contact with a number of those friends who I went to school with and am still friends with on Facebook. If it wasn't for technology, I wouldn't be able to let my friend know that I will be late for whatever it is we are doing (although I have given up on that because I am often late). We use technology all the time. Take a look around you. There is probably a lot of technology right before your eyes. Most definitely the computer, your phone, perhaps your iPod, some ear phones, maybe a camera...

Can you imagine life without technology? We rely on it all the time. Yet there was a time when people didn't walk around with mobile phones in their pockets. There was a time when it took a week to send a letter to a friend on the other side of the world. There was a time when everything was written by hand. Technology really is a blessing which we can so easily take for granted because it is all around us.

Day 1: The blessings found in words of encouragement

How often do those around us provide us with encouragement to continue with what we are doing? How often do we receive support from our good friends or family? We probably receive it everyday, be it in a compliment from a friend or colleague about our clothing choice for the day, or a compliment on the effort we put into our work. And then there are the bigger more notable words of encouragement from our close friends and family who say what a good job we are doing and encourage us to continue with it, or who provide the support needed to keep going when we are finding it hard to continue.

How often do we truly thank them for this support? How often do we really appreciate what it is that they are giving us?

I was struck by this yesterday when I read a message received from an old friend that I used to go on the school bus with. I came back from an amazing 3 days away in the beautiful south-west of Australia, and when I logged onto Facebook I was greeted by a wonderfully inspiring message. Once again: thank-you Suzanne.

Throughout this year I have struggled to continue with my studies or to even just keep going with anything of what I was doing. Earlier this year I was sick for an extended period of time and the doctors did not have any idea what was wrong. There was a stage when became so discouraged that I was willing to throw away 2 1/2 years of study and just wanted to curl up in a corner and forget about anything related to my studies and focus on my art and music. But my parents especially were extremely supportive and encouraged me to continue. They helped me to refocus on my studies, made me go to a natropath who was actually able to help me get better, helped me look at everything that was happening in my life and prioritise, and made me realise that throwing away 2 1/2 years of study is not the best option.

At the time I took these words of encouragement for granted. Thinking back, I am really thankful for the support and words of encouragement I received from those around me. And I think I better finish this before I burst into tears and can't concentrate on the lit review I'm supposed to be writing. I never said it at the time but looking back I am extremely thankful for those who supported me then and continue to support me. I would like to thank you, and I thank God for placing you in my life. xxx

"Seeing through" the world around us...

C.S. Lewis once wrote:
"You cant go on "seeing through" things forever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to "see through" first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent.  But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To "see through" all things is the same as not to see.

While I have not read C.S. Lewis's book Mere Christianity, the author of a book I'm reading has. In reading this book I became aware of the fact that there are so many things around us which we take for granted. So many things which God has blessed us with, yet we are not truly thankful for everything we have.

I hereby declare that for the next 30 days I will be spending a little time thinking about one thing that I easily take for granted and sharing these thoughts here...

The motions...

There are times when we worhship without putting our whole heart in what we are doing. We might go to church, read the bible, pray, and sing the psalms and hymns,  but our minds are elsewhere. Our heart isn't in our worship. There may be times when we really don't want to be going to church early on a Sunday morning but we go just because it's expected of us. And then we doze through the service, not really processing a word of what has been said because Saturday night was kind of late. 


Is that truely worshipping God in the way that he wants us to?


We are commanded to do everything to the honour and glory of God (1 Cor 10::31 - Whatever you do do it all to the glory of God). As John Piper says in his book Don't waste your life:  “God created me – and you – to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion – namely a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life” and we have to have this passion throughout our whole life. 


When our late Saturday nights make us doze through the Church on Sunday morning are we living with the passion God has created us for? When we have the Bible open in front of us and are looking at the words but not really processing them or applying them to our lives are we really being transformed by the passion of glorifying God? When the word of the psalms and hymns fall from our lips but we do not really feel the power and meaning of them are we really embracing the zeal we are commanded to show in all aspects of life? When we bow our heads in prayer and our minds start to wander are we consumed by the desire to glorify God in all that we do? When we worship God are we embracing and allowing ourselves to be transformed by the passion that he has created us for?


Think about it.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance Jesus is mine,
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

We live in a world full of uncertainty. So many people around us live in the certainty of only two things. Death and taxes. They spend a life time giving money to insurance company just in case something happens to their house or their car that they won't be able to afford. However, as Christians, we have certainty. As the song says, we have the assurance that Jesus is with us. We have the certainty of Spirit living in our hearts. We have the certainty of everlasting life. We have the certainty that when we approach him in prayer he will hear us. We have the reassurance that God will hold onto all of his Children. We have the confidence that everything that happens to us has come through the hands of God first. We have to assurance of all the blessings and promises of God and can rest in these certainties.

A believer who places their trust in the Lord can have the certainty that He is with us, He hears our prayers and will continue to be with us. With this in mind we can continue singing the song:

"This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long."