Words of Encouragement

Recently I had an article published in our youth magazine called the 'Contender'. It was based on one of my earlier blog posts titled New Shoes (I embelished it a little and added in some quotes and Bible texts but the idea was still there).
Last night I reccived a phone call from an older member of our church asking me if I was the person who had requested someone to go shoe shopping with them. Basically he just wanted to say how much he appreciated and enjoyed the article. He then told me to
He was not a member of our congregation but of one in the area, and to be honest I still do not know who he is exactly.  But he still took the time and effort to look up my name and phone number in the Church phone book and to contact me in order to pass on some words of encourgaement. Isn't it wonderful when someone much older and wiser than you, also someone who you don't actually know, goes through the effort to come and provide you with wonderful, inspiring words, encouraging you to keep motivating other 'youth' to come 'Shoe shopping' (that was a quote).

It was very inspiring and I definately want to get EVERYONE I know to come shoeshopping!

Rain

Rain. Wonderful, refreshing, rejuvinating, reviving, renewing, revitalising, regenerating, restoring, repairing, invigorating RAIN! So much rain has fallen this morning and it is continuing to bless the land around us.

I must admit that all the rain which has fallen in the last 12 hours has done something to my sanity and the adventures which I have had this morning don't really attribute to the amazing qualities of rain which I just desribed. Let me explain.

1. To begin with my alarm went off. Not a great start to the day (although it is usually the only start I get to the day), especially because I do not like mornings. This morning was not the best mornings because it was raining and the only thing you want to do when it's raining is snuggle up in bed.
2. I was locked out of the house. I had a sleep shift last night and then I went to the gym. When I got to the house I'm housesitting, my sister had left and she took the key with her. I was stuck there in my gym clothes, on the back verandah , without a proper means of showering, to get ready for uni. I didn't have breakfast or grab any food for uni.
3. I drove to uni. On the roads that had turned into rivers. In reality, I'm sure that it would have been much more effective if I had taken a boat, but that wasn't working. Fortunately I got to uni without my car breaking down.
4. I was late. I am regualrly late for class but not 25mins late for class.
5. I didn't have an umbrella. Due to the fact I was locked out of the house, I couldn't very well grab and umbrella to attmept to keep myself dry while walking in the rain.
6. My socks and shoes got wet. As well as the rest of me. But my cold, wet feet are the most uncomfortable.
7. The lecture theatre was flooded. Not that this was a problem for me but the soggy floor wasn't the nicest.
8. I'm still wet.
9. I'm also hungry.
10. I also should be doing some work.
11. I also cannot be bothered.

Still, I am very thankful to our heavenly father for blessing the lands with so much rain, even if it is falling in such a short amount of time.

Dare to stand Alone

One of my more recent ‘likes’ on facebook was the page, “standing up for what you believe, even if it means standing alone.” This can be hard. Standing up for what you believe is one thing, but when noone else is standing with you, it can be a big challenge. Being a christian, we often find ourselves in situations where we are the 'only one standing'. With the Bible as our standard for what we know as right and wrong and for what we believe we have an absolute standard. 

Sometimes it may seem that we are standing alone when we stand for what we believe, but if we are standing for what we believe in relation to the word of God and what he wants from us we are not alone. We have God on our side and "If our God is for us then who can be against us." Just think of Daniel, he was the only one in the whole kingdom who did not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar. He stood up for what he believed. His friends literally stood up for what they believed when they did not bow down to the statue. What happened to them when Daniel and his friends stood up for what they believed? The rulers tried to punish them, he threw Daniel into the Lion's den and he threw Daniel's friends into the fiery furnace, BUT God saved them. He sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions and he protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the furnace by sending an angel down with them and they came out of the furnace without even smelling of smoke. When we stand for what we believe God will be standing there with us, protecting us AND will also bless us for doing so. God blessed Daniel and his friends because they stood up and they all recieved promotions within the kingdom of Babylon. He can bless us also.

So dare to stand for what you believe and dare to stand alone.

As the words of the children's song go:

“Dare to be a Daniel,

Dare to stand alone,

Dare to have a purpose,

Dare to make it known”

Thoughts...

So, um... yeah. It's been a while since I've posted on here. So I thought I had better write something just for the sake of writing something. In the meantime I've been doing battle with the extensive amont of uni work which has flooded my existence; giving my immune system a workout as it fights numerous infections; sleeping (in order to boost my immune system); and thinking, just because you have to think.

I've been thinking about a lot of things. Like if what I'm studying really is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. And about all the other things which I enjoy so much more than uni - work (yes I do like my job), hanging out with my AMAZING friends, and the amazing mediums of music and art which are a great escape from the rest of the world. And lots of other thoughts, such as how we have so many blessings, which a lot of us take for granted.

Everyone has a Gift

As a family we have wonderful dinner time table discussions which often make the meal last 3 times longer. Tonight we were discussing people with special needs and dinner time went on about 1/2 an hour after we had finished our food (that way it didn't actually get cold). It was a really great discussion - and much more interesting than my counselling assignment that I should be doing right now - so I wanted to share it.

Even though people are different and they communicate differently, it does not mean that they are stupid. Some people with special needs may not be able to say much, but in the little they say they can communicate effectively. They are capable of not only communcating their needs and wants, but also initiating conversation, responding to those that give them the time of day, giving their opinion, and even humour. This may not be verbal and we should remember that even though someone isn't capable of expressing themselves in the same way as most people, they are still worth communcating with. They are still normal people so we don't need to patronise them with 'baby talk', they still understand a lot of what is being said so we shouldn't act as if they are not in the same room as us, and they have the same need to communicate in the way everyone does as a human being and we should not deprive them of this need in any such way.

Something that also came out in our conversation is that EVERYONE has a gift. Even if they are mentally challenged, they have something to share with the world. I know a girl who has difficulty learning and her cognition is not the same as children her age, but she has an amazing love for any animal which breathes. As well as that she has an amazing musical ear and can play pieces on the piano/organ after hearing them without seeing any music. Everyone is good at something and even if they need more help in some areas and they need more support - at whatever level. Some of them may have the gift of love, and are able to love everyone and express that love to others. Others have the gift of joy, they are able to express joy in the most simple things of life which makes other people appreciate everything so much more. The gift of others may be creativity in art, stitchery or music. Some have the amazing gift of laughter, a gift which can make all of those around laugh also. And possibly the greatest gift of all is the gift of life, and in all these people you can see how they love life and it makes you also realise what a great gift it is that God has given us.

Josh Wilson - I refuse

So yeah, I haven't really posted on here for a while...
Anyway, I discovered this song recently and fell in love with it. I sort of goes with the theme of My Own Little Word, by Matthew West, but really focuses on the fact that we have to seize the opportunities which God places before us and make the most of everything which is placed in our way. We shouldn't leave our calling for others to do but we should stand up and do it for our selves.

Anyway, as music is a very powerful medium I'll let the song speak for itself.

A complete and utter waste of time...

Facebook is such a complete and utter waste of time. I wholly acknowledge this for a fact. Yet I still spend my valuable time staking those of my friends whom I no longer have much contact with, procrastinating by playing pointless games, aimlessly looking at pictures of other friends because I really don't know what else to do and if I'm lucky I might find someone to talk to. I actually regret the day I got facebook. BUT there is absolutely no way that I actually going to deactivate my account. I wouldn't survive. I did a 40 day facebook famine once - and suffered from severe withdrawal symptoms. I'm pretty sure that I am not the only one with these problems.

My sister has a nice quote written on a sticky note above her desk saying: "If an activity doesn't bring you closer to God then don't do it." Everything which we do should be to the hounour and glory of God. We have to remember that in the way in which we spend our time. Is what I am doing to the honour of God? Is it something which is upbuilding and to his service? Is it an activity which draws me closer to Him? or does it do the opposite... (something which would be good to remember everytime I go on facebook or even on the computer :D )