On Hold

I know those of you who have mysteriously lost brain cells somewhere in the process of having children will sympathise with me. Today I forgot my best friend. She doesn’t mind, though. That’s one of the great things about BFF’s. But no matter which one of the myriad of excuses I tried, nothing made it OK. To make me feel better however, let me run you through the scenario.

Rinna rang while I was typing up an online form for mystery shopping. In this scenario, I order pizzas to be home delivered, answer questions online about the timing, service, product etc, and they pay me for my trouble and my takeout. Well, we chatted for a while but were interrupted when the pizza delivery man arrived 20 minutes early. Top marks for that by the way, but it caught me off guard and I asked if my friend would mind if I popped the phone down to get the pizza. I paid the driver and mentally took note of his name, car, greeting, change, farewell etc and as I stepped inside I realized I had forgotten to ask for the receipt so I ran back out, got the receipt and returned inside. By then my hungry family had opened the pizza boxes so I whipped out my camera to take photos of the pizzas before they were devoured. Then of course I sat down to enter those things I just noted before they too were gone forever.

I’m not sure what happened next, but somewhere between grace and eating pizza an interesting email caught my eye which I shared with everyone around, ate some more pizza, filled in some more of my mystery shopping form and chatted over the rest of the pizza. I missed the next email that came through which said “I’m still on the phone hon, should I call back later?” and didn’t realize until I had that strange feeling like I was meant to be doing something, that I had forgotten my friend and she was STILL waiting on the other end of the phone!

My friend sent a little reminder, which I was too busy to read, and so she waited patiently, listened to our conversation and laughed at our banter until I got around to noticing something wasn’t quite complete. Laugh if you will, but there is always a sting in the tail (or a silver lining depending on how you look at it ;)…

This morning my conversation with God was interrupted. I don’t even remember what it was that pulled my attention away, but I did feel all day like I had unfinished business. Interruptions occasionally come in the form of the voice of an early riser, sometimes a phonecall, sometimes a thought that ‘needs’ seeing to right away, sometimes my own mind wandering, but it happens way too often to laugh at.

God understands my fickle devotion and waits patiently for me to finish our conversation. He sends many reminders throughout the day, and occasionally we pick up where we left off, but many times all He hears is background noise.

My friendship with Corinne is far too important to let something like that happen again, and my relationship with God is far too important to keep allowing that to happen day by day. So next time I set aside time with my Friend I am going to do it more intentionally. If I am praying, I will write it down to keep my mind on track, I will read His word so I can concentrate and hear more clearly, and I will hold off on seeing to life’s distractions till we have finished our conversation.

Corinne and I found a way to chat while we did our housework… see picture above - and can I patent a handset sticky-taped to an elf hat??

But chatting to God is much easier (and looks way less weird). We can do it any time: while we are working, playing, sitting, driving, singing, laughing. Some times of deep conversation are essential, but chatting throughout the day and throughout the week is what doing life with God is all about.

Let me leave you with a song that you can carry into your day. Click here to listen on You Tube.

Gotta go now, have some unfinished business to attend to…

A New Flavour

I got a little bit excited when I saw the new slurpee flavour while on holidays.

But I had to smile when I read the words at the bottom of the poster -

"Fruit images shown are illustrative of flavour only and are not ingredients of the product."

So Lemon Lime Bitters Slurpee has no lemon, lime or bitters and Wild Berries Slurpee has no berries. I'm guessing the same goes for other flavours on offer: Raspberry, Citrus Kick, Berry Ice, Orange, Strawberry Citron, Orange Mango, Sour Apple, Apple Blackcurrant, Blackcurrant, Lemon Squash, Grape, Kiwi Lime and Lime!


Why advertise the real thing, yet only provide substitutes? Maybe because of the cost. Maybe the real thing wouldn't easily combine with the rest of the ingredients. Obviously the artificial stuff is easier to source, store, transport and package.

Unfortunately the same is true in our everyday lives, and sadly, even for Christians. Jesus said in John 14:4 that He came to give us life, and life to the full, but so many of us settle for artificial pursuits that look good from a distance but aren't the real thing. Many of our churches experience the same problem, even if we can do a schmick poster presentation of what people can expect when they come along on a Sunday morning.

Church is more than turning up on Sunday mornings, and being a Christian is more than believing in God. Being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, is about receiving the real life that He offers, and then living that life every day. And 'church' can happen when anywhere from 2 or 3, to 200, 2000 or 2 million, followers of Jesus gather together, share life, share a meal, share in worship, share in prayer, share in service and share in teaching from the Bible.

Why do we so easily settle for something less than this then? Something that appears to be the real thing but lacks life? Maybe the cost is too great. Maybe the artificial things are easier to manufacture, easier to store, make looking good easier. Maybe we don't really want to give up those artificial things which give us the sense of security and predictability we are used to.

Maybe ...

real joy through thankfulness rather than wealth,

real peace through trusting rather than control,

real belonging through submission rather than membership ...
...wouldn't gel with the other things we hold as important like providing for ourselves, having things our own way, and experiencing church the way we like it.

Examine your own life. Could there be an area in your life which is all appearance and no reality? Which is just a thin veneer of spiritual reality but isn’t the real thing? Which gives the appearance of certain ingredients, of spiritual life, of having a devoted love for Jesus, but isn’t there?

Jesus had this message to the church at Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2. "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance...Yet this I hold against you: You have forsaken your first love." I know you are doing all these great things, but you have forsaken me. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do those things you did at first. Reality is the most important thing, not the appearance.

I don't want to go into another year being a Christian but not walking closely with Christ. I am going to put a stop to the production lines, examine each ingredient and start from scratch. What others see might look a bit different. It wont always be the same. They might not even like it! But it will be real. Real Life.

This is where I'm going to start. Here is a song by Sidewalk Prophets called "You Can Have Me" (photos by someone else on you tube). It starts like this...

"If I saw you on the street

And you said "Come and follow me"

But I had to give up everything

All I once held dear and all of my dreams

Would I love you enough to let go?

Or would my love run dry

When you asked for my life?"

When I heard that for the first time, I didn't know what my response would be.

Today, I do. I pray that you will too.

Health & Beauty - 10. Burn It

How are you all feeling? Are you ready for the New Year? I hope after all the reading (and exercising and good eating) you’ve been doing that you are healthier than you were last year. And I pray that your relationship with God is healthier too. Have you put any of the tips into practice?

I have one last tip to share with you and some good news to leave you with. (You’re welcome :).

10. The Burn:

Did you know that exercise goes on burning fat, even when you sleep? That’s right! So put your feet up and let your hard work pay off. Now if you haven’t been working overly hard, let me give you some encouragement.

Even when you don’t feel like getting up for a walk, you’ll always be glad you did. You get to start the day with energy and purpose. You enjoy creation and cool morning air and get home with plenty of time and patience for the morning routine.

And when you don’t feel like getting up to read the bible, go to church, or go to bible study, you’ll always be glad you did. You’ll have extra energy, more purpose, learn and enjoy more about God’s Word and His character, and have more time and patience to get through your day!

And the best part of putting that effort in? The effects keep multiplying even when you aren’t aware of it.

Your body, mind and spirit are off to the best start. They are in gear, ready to keep you healthy, happy and honed for your daily tasks. You are training your body to continue in the way you want it to go, and starting your mind down the path you want it to follow for the rest of the day.

Keep it up! You’ll love the ‘new you’! Put your alarm on for the morning and start the day right. And 2011 is upon us, get in training now so you can start the new year with a new resolve, new passion, and maybe even a new dress size ;)

I hope that throughout the year you have received some inspiration and some tips to living well. I hope your clothes are a better fit after you put some of that into practice and you find that life is a better fit too.

Here’s what we covered in 2010…

1. Get A Diary
2. Weigh In
3. Get Ready
4. Metabolise
5. Resist
6. Watch Out!
7. Don’t Skip
8. Happy Meals
9. Get Out
10. Burn It

Let me know if it worked!

Donna

ps I won!

Just a little update in the Telstra saga - I was right! The contract was filled in incorrectly and the charge should not be an extra charge on my bill. It will however, still show up as $11/month but that should be a part of the overall agreed cost.

Moral of the story - dont sign anything until you read it thoroughly. Hopefully it might save you more than $11 one day!

Health & Beauty - 9. Get Out

Lets have a little re-cap of what we have covered this year so far in our quest for a healthier body and soul. If you’ve missed any, or you want a refresher, you can find them all by scrolling down.

1. Get A Diary
2. Weigh In
3. Get Ready
4. Metabolise
5. Resist
6. Watch Out!
7. Don’t Skip
8. Happy Meals
And this month’s tip –
9. Get Out.

If you’ve been following along this year I trust you have already noticed that you will not notice any difference unless you put what you have learnt into practice. Maybe you are waiting to find out exactly what is required before making the decision to embarking on a lifestyle which promotes physical and spiritual health – good! Jesus encouraged his listeners in Luke 14 to count the cost, just as someone would when they were building a tower or going to war.

If you aren’t prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to see change, then accept that is where you are at the moment. Don’t keep talking about it if you are unprepared to count the cost, saying things like “Oh I try but it doesn’t work for me”. Be honest. I don’t mind hearing “I’m not doing to well with that at the moment” because that is the perfect place to start when you do decide to change.

Physical and spiritual health requires discipline. It is extremely rewarding, has great results, and isn’t really that hard if you get organized, get honest and get out, but you’ve got to be committed. So are you ready? Are you already on track? Well Get Out.

By far the most important factor in losing weight is going for a walk almost every morning or doing an equal amount of regular exercise. And the spiritual discipline I have found most helpful in keeping me healthy is getting up a little earlier each morning to pray and read the Bible. And once you are out of bed, it isn’t a trial at all!

I enjoy the fresh air and warm sunshine (alright – I am having a bit of trouble with that at the moment, cooler mornings under the doonah won over getting up for a walk), and I enjoy the freshness of starting the day with my Saviour. The rewards are well worth the cost!

So tomorrow morning, or even right now: get out, it only takes one step to be back on track!

See you out there!

The Cost

I am usually pretty switched on. I can pick an email hoax, a possible scam, and find out the 'hidden' costs behind things that are too good to be true almost every time. So I am kicking myself for signing a contract without reading the final clause and clarifying the salesperson's mistake filling it out. I even rang Bryce to check it was ok, so definitely was lead to believe that $35 was all a new T-Box from Telstra was going to cost me with my new home phone and internet bundle. I had a few concerns when I picked up the contract a few days after taking the T-Box home, but when I received the bill my fears were confirmed. I had inadvertently signed up for the $11 per month repayment option. (I didnt even NEED a T-box!)

I am just going to have to wear the cost unfortunately. I really really hate it when I undertake to do something and the cost is far more than I accounted for. Like when going to the movies costs $50, or helping someone takes all day, or a simple glitch takes a lot to fix.

I know some people who may have the same problem with Christianity when they start to understand, or hear for the first time that there may be more involved than they were aware when they 'signed up'. I am extremely glad to say that there are is no small print in being a disciple of Jesus, no hidden clauses, no monthly repayment options, but it is important to know what is involved.

Some think that being a Christian means going to church occasionally and acting a certain way (when other Christians are looking). And when they are challenged to submit their whole life to Jesus they are a bit concerned that their way of life might be compromised and that this is 'more than they bargained for'.

Although the terms are interchangable to some degree, being a disciple (a follower) of Jesus is different to merely believing in Him. The word 'Christian' is only used 3 times in the NIV text, whereas the word disciple is used almost 300 times. Disciples in Biblical times literally follwed Jesus. They gave up what they were doing and went with Jesus wherever He was.

Many people today don't give up anything to be called a Christian but this is vastly different to what Jesus taught, and indeed different to what Christians have experienced throughout the centruries.

Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). He also likened the decision to someone counting the cost before building a tower, or going to war and said again in the same passage "Any of you who does not give up everything cannot be my disciple". (Luke 14:25-33)

Jesus does not ask us to give away everything that we have and do, but to be prepared to give it up for Him. And he advises us to count the cost before we decide.

There was one instance that Jesus asked a man to give it all away, because He knew the man would not be prepared to give it up. You can read that story in Luke 18 and apart from this man and the 12 disciples, there is only 1 other recorded instance of Jesus asking someone to follow Him. The rich young ruler in this passage declined the greatest invitation in history because he thought the cost was too great.

No cost is too great to follow the Saviour. Yes, there is a cost, but the reward is eternal life with God and abundant life here on earth! It is well worth it.

Have you decided to follow Jesus? If not, I'd love to talk to you more about it! Even if you are already a believer, yet so far have declined the invitation to be a disciple, its not too late! When you read the Bible you hold in your hand (or on your screen) the greatest invitation of all history. Never will there be a greater command for you to follow or offer for you to accept.

And as soon as you do, you will experience life to the full! Count the cost. Give it up. Follow Jesus and experience life like you have never known before!

Health & Beauty - 8. Happy Meals

This was the 8th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

How did your skipping ban go last month? Well, I hope! For those of you following along, we are now up to our 8th tip on the way to a healthy body and soul – Happy Meals.

At first glance you might think I am advocating a weekly trip to MacDonalds (which my kids would love!) but I hope you know me well enough by now to simply raise an eyebrow and continue reading.

If I let my kids order at Maccas their request would include large sized frozen drinks, burgers, nuggets, fries and dessert, but I know they only need a small meal to fill them. The point of a ‘happy meal’ is to have a small portion size – or in other words: Don’t have too much on your plate.

So often we put too much on our plate either because we lack something else in our diet or what we are considering looks too good to pass up. Learn to listen to your body and know what it feels like to have had enough. Take some time between serves, don’t say yes to a second helping straight away.

Start with a smaller plate – decide beforehand how much you need or can handle, and stick to it. I find, if I am honest with myself, a kid sized plate really is enough for me. Especially if I have been filling myself with good food the rest of the day. And actually, I have found myself saying, “No thanks, I don’t need that right now”, because I know I am full and not craving the sweet stuff which only makes me feel good temporarily.

The same occurs in life, I need to decide how much energy or time I am going to give and stick to it! There are so many ‘good’ things to do but only a few things will be truly what I need. And if I fill myself daily and am nourished by the Word, I won’t be trying to overdo it with things that make me feel good only for a moment.

It might be time to have a look at your weekly menu and see if you need to include some more nourishing items or cut back on the excess. If you put too much on your plate you will be overloaded by calories or stress, which may very well have been your problem in the first place. It requires a lot of self control not heaping up an extra serving of roast lamb and gravy, and extra big piece of cheesecake or saying yes to that newly offered position, but if you say no at first and sit back, almost every time you will find that it was necessary anyway. And if you change your mind, it is even more satisfying!