The Hunt cont.

This is a Kite, not an Eagle, but I'm nearly there!
(If you'd like to see a larger version - scroll way down to the bottom of the page!)

Start with Mark - Works For Me!

How long has it been since you have read your Bible? If it was just today, then I take my hat off to you, and you may go browse my other posts :). If it's been a while however, then I have just the tip for you!

Sometimes the reason we dont read the Bible is we are not sure where to start. Whether it's because you dont have much time, have never opened your Bible before, are having trouble understanding, or you are seeking inspiration and dont know where to look, this might be just what you need . Id like you to do something for me. Go and grab your Bible.

Seriously. I'll wait here. Off you go.

Open it up to the book of Mark. (New Testament - use your contents page if you like!)

Mark is the simplest of the four Gospels – it is the shortest, it contains the least amount of teaching, and it includes many stories from the life and ministry of Jesus. Yet it has everything that a person needs to know in order to become a Christian, and to live a life which pleases God!

I love how Jesus is portrayed there – not merely as a normal man, but rather as a man who maintains that he is the Christ, who is in total control of every situation, has complete authority over evil, power to heal and restore, and amazing wisdom that confounds his enemies. At every turn, the reader is prompted to make a response about whether Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God: “Who do you say that I am?”

The entire Bible is God’s inerrant, infallible, inspired revelation to humankind. And it is very important that we are familiar with the message of the Gospel, as revealed to us in the life of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark is a great place for you to rediscover afresh your love for Jesus, and maybe even to be surprised once again by the manner in which he lived, died, and rose again.

Here is where I suggest you read. Start at chapter 1, verse 1.

Why not read it right now? Blog surf later on! It'll be the best thing you do all day!

Leslie has done an absolutely awesome job of running you through how to have a quiet time - pop over to Sunday School Blog to learn more!

Pulling Weeds

This week I went for a bushwalk with a very special friend of mine. It was about an hour of strolling in our gumboots over the 40 acres looking at the scenery, checking the water levels, catching glimpses of wildlife, removing fallen branches from the horse trails and ... pulling weeds. In the middle of the bush.

I didn't realise this was a necessary part of living in the bush, but apparently the best way to keep the land healthy and free from being overgrown, is to keep on top of the weeds as they sprout up.

My 3yr old son has a knack for gardening and tried his hand at weed pulling while I was talking in the carpark at church. Yep, you guessed it. He and a little friend were pulling all the newly planted seedlings out of the garden. That is NOT the kind of weed pulling I am referring to!

My bushwalking friend had a keen eye for plants and knew that those pretty little flowers would grow up and end up killing all the native vegetation that we were currently enjoying, making it uninhabitable. She knew that a little effort at each walk through the bush would save a lot of chainsaw time later on.

I took a walk with God today. I had to put on my gumboots because he had sent the rain, preparing the ground of my heart for a little weed pulling of his own. Sometimes he and I walk and admire the scenery and stop to look at new things which have blossomed or grown. Sometimes he surprises me with wildlife experiences. Sometimes he shows me some dry patches in need of living water. Sometimes he helps clear obstacles to make my path easier and other times, we pull weeds. Weeds of pride, self sufficiency, anger, intolerance, jealousy, envy, discontentment or worry. An insurmountable task if you consider all the areas that need work, but tackling one spot at a time as he points out the rogue plants and pulling them out together isn't so bad.

And the result is a well watered sanctuary where I can sit with him and enjoy his company. And when someone else sees it, they might even say "How do you keep this place so nice?" and I'll look at him, and he'll smile and say "Tell her!"

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

Time to take a walk?

Faith Lifts - Works For Me!

Greetings! Today over at Rocks In My Dryer Shannon is hosting links to stop parents going crazy keep the kids occupied during summer holidays. Well, I am an Australian, and it is winter, but I am posting something that will help more than you will ever know...

I dont like to admit this, but the level of holiday enjoyment usually comes down to two things:
1. Whether I'm looking forward to my day with the kids and
2. Whether I join in the holiday fun

So before you go getting all those games and activity tips from the other cool ladies, might I suggest you try this one.

Faith Lifts is an awesome website which will send morning devotions straight to your inbox, and their parent site - 5 Minutes For Mom, has some great stuff to bless and encourage you before you spend the rest of your day seeing to others needs.

Go ahead and sign up, I guarantee your holidays will be drastically different if you start each day right!

And if you'd also like some uplifting easy listening music - you really need to check out WOW online! Or....go back to Rocks In My Dryer and enter the competition to win 20 CDs!

Score!

I have some exciting news ... I scored 200 in Ten Pin Bowling!!! Woohoo. That was one of the goals I set this year! Along with taking a photo of that soaring eagle and writing a book.

Do you know what your goals are in life? I am turning 30 very soon, and as I look back over my little bit of living what stands out to me most are not the times I was involved in the most ministries, or successful at work, or excelling at study, but the times that I took time out from the busyness of life and decided to do something different...

Deciding to quit uni and go to Bible College
Marrying my Knight in Shiny Armour
Not working so I could stay home with my kids
Running a women's conference
Moving to Bundaberg
Starting to write

Ooh, I really would love to tell you all those stories now but that will have to wait till another day (or we could do coffee if you like :)

When you take time out to consider what's really important, things change.

When we moved to Bundy, I had extra opportunities for taking time out because there's not really much to do here :). I had time to think about my goals in life, and I was able to make them a priority and spend time on them. And I'd just like to say, spending time on things you enjoy is awesome! I could blog, bowl and chase eagles forever!

Now bowling and photography might be fun and refreshing things for me to do, but they don't provide life with much purpose. But speaking and writing, now that's my passion! My life verse, what I think God wants me to do, is this:
"To prepare God's people for works of service until the body of Christ is built up and we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Eph 4:12-13

God is the one who provides our passion and our purpose in life. God wants us to be 'doing life' in a way that honours him and fulfils his purpose for our lives.

Are you faced with a hard decision or want to discover your purpose? Try this:

• Take time out, set aside time away from the busyness of your life.
• Pray, read the Bible and listen to what God might be saying
• When you have a peace about it, make your decision.
• Then hold on!

"Now choose life...that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..." Deut 30: 19-20

Telemarketer Training - Works For Me!

No.

I'm so bad at saying "no", but I was shocked to hear a very best friend of mine sign up to give money to save some endangered african bush rat (or marsupial of some description) because she couldnt say no to the pushy salesman at the door. She needs some telemarketer training!

If we can learn to say no to telemarketers and door to door salespeople, then our No and our Yes in the rest of our life will mean so much more.

How awesome would it be if we all answered telemarketers this week with "No thankyou, we are not interested" or "Not today thankyou" or "Nenhum obrigado. O rato em perigo não é o meu interesse" (in portuguese that means "No thankyou, the endangered rat is not my interest").

Of course all of these would have to be followed by a prompt but polite click as you hang up.

You might need some "No" training, and I encourage you to take up the telemarketer challenge and let me know how you go! And once you have your No sorted, you can work on your Yes.

For me, It's time to say Yes. I'll let you have a sneak peek at my conversation with God today.

Me: I don’t want to do it.
God: Oh, really? Why is that?
Me: Well, It's not something that is easy for me or that I like doing.
God: Do you think leading the people out of Israel came easy for Moses? Do you think he liked it?
Me: Ouch. No.
God: I didn’t bring you all this way just for you to enjoy yourself, but I did bring you here to use you in other peoples lives. You were so busy saying No to the requests of people, that you started saying No to Me!
Me: Sorry. But I don’t think I can do it by myself
God: Little One, I am with you! Remember what I said to my people through Isaiah – “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9)
Me: Wow, thanks.
God: No worries.

That's just an excerpt. And a paraphrase (Im not sure God actually says "No worries").

Notice how little I spoke (there arent many other times in life when Im short on words!).

Sometimes we have to say No, Sometimes we have to say Yes. And most of the time, we have to say No to good things so we can say Yes to the best thing.

I think I hear your phone ringing :)

G'Day!

Just thought I'd pop in and give you a smile

Special thanks to Nana Connie and Granddad Jim for this photo!