Category Archives: Faith

Gabe

Posted in Christmas, Faith, God by

Luke 2:9-14 (NIV)
9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

The Wise Fellas

Posted in Christmas, Faith, God by

 

Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11 (NIV)
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

 

The Shepherd Boys

Posted in Christmas, Faith, God by

I thought it might be nice to share some meaning behind my next few posts.

This year for the month of December, well the first 25 days at least, I thought I would spread some Christmas cheer by instagraming some of my Christmas decorations, which I must admit has been fun. But as the day gets closer, I thought rather than my tree decorations I would share some of my house decorations… mostly the nativity scene. The reason for this is mainly selfish, but hopefully you will find something in it to. I find it so easy at this time of year to get caught up in the Christmas drama and often, although I am ashamed to admit it, I forget to spend time thinking of the real meaning of Christmas.

So as a way of helping me focus, for the next couple of Days, 7 to be precise, I am going to post a picture of part of my nativity scene and some scripture explaining its significance. They won’t be long, and there may even be other posts in between, but I just thought it might be nice way of bringing it all back to where it belongs… So here is the first one…

 

 

Luke 2:8-12, 15 (NIV)
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 

Boundless Salvation

Posted in Faith, God, Life, The Salvation Army by

Commissioning is a massive Salvofest and being the salvo junkie I am, I love it… almost every minute of it.  Yesterday as part of this year’s commissioning service we sang my favourite army song.  It’s one that lots of people tolerate and often don’t enjoy, mainly because it has seven verses, seven long verses.  And the salvos that read this will probably already know what song I am talking about, but I really love it.  The song is called ‘O Boundless Salvation’ and is commonly referred to as the ‘founder’s song’ and I have loved it from the moment I first heard it a number of years ago… I think one of the reasons I love it so much is that the words reflect so much of my experience, in fact I would probably go so far as to say it’s my testimony written by someone else.

So I thought that today I would put up the verses that ring most true to me as an ongoing reminder of where I have come from and where I want to be going… so that perhaps when I look back at this in years to come I will be able to give myself either a pat on the back or a kick in the pants…  chances are though in years to come the words will still ring true…

Verse 4:
Now tossed with temptation,
then haunted with fears,
My life has been joyless and useless for years;
I feel something better most surely would be
If once thy pure waters,
if once thy pure waters,
If once thy pure waters would roll over me.

Verse 6:
The tide is now flowing,
I’m touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the Mighty to Save;
My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;
I plunge ’neath the waters, I plunge ’neath the waters,
I plunge ’neath the waters they roll over me.

Verse 7:
And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days
Shall gladly be spent in promoting His praise
Who opened His bosom to pour out this sea
Of boundless salvation, of boundless salvation,
Of boundless salvation for you and for me.

Um… I’m an Adult…

Posted in Exercise, Faith, Life, Top 10 by

I know I have mentioned this a few times now, but it turns out I am an adult, despite the fact that it’s been this way for longer than I would like I am still not sure when it happened, or what on earth I am supposed to be doing about it.  I have realised lately that I tend to have a ‘wait and then’ or an ‘after that’ idea about adult things, which probably isn’t helpful.  What I mean by that is I think I am in denial, so instead of just embracing life for what it is, I am waiting for things to happen or change until I start something or try something, you know, waiting for the perfect timing, perfect conditions or perfect situation.  I make plans like after I get married I will… or when I have a full time job I will, or once I am feeling a little more settled I will… and I am slowly learning that this perfect timing, is never going to be here.  Maybe I will never fully feel settled until I start doing some of this stuff, and the more I put things of the harder they seem to obtain.

I am beginning to think that maybe this is what being an adult is actually about… Learning to make do with some times less than perfect situations and embracing life whether it’s ready or not… taking the risk.  The thing is I have always been a procrastinator, especially in big decisions and I tend to panic about whether or not I am making the right choice, the perfect choice, the best choice… but so often I hear people say just take a risk, what’s the worst that could happen, well let me tell you I can come up with a lot of worst case scenarios, but perhaps there is room for both.  I don’t think I am supposed to be waiting my life away, only making decisions I am 100% sure about, but at the same time I don’t want to be making crazy irrational choices, I think there has to be a balance, but I also definitely think that I need to start just doing things, getting into it and turning my life into what I want it to be rather than just waiting till it all falls in place… which let’s face it is never going to happen.

I know in the future, perhaps not so distant any more, there will be lots of crazy situations and decisions to make… like where to buy a house, how we save to buy a house, when to start a family, what we teach our family, where I go with my career?  These are all questions that frighten the pants off me, but they are all things that eventually I will have to face.  But I think for now I will just start with a few things to make me and my marriage better… small, probably not that risky decisions that I just need to embrace and run with… just start doing, no questions and no excuses, before I miss my chance and regret it.

Luckily for me lots of people want to do this too… and recently with the help of wordpress’ ‘freshly pressed’ blogs I have come across a few handy hints to get me started in particular a blog by Tom Basson called “16 Tips to Simplify Your Life (and Increase Your Productivity)”and a blog by Palm Trees & Bare Feet called  “my listy list 5 ways to enhance night time and morning wake up” check them out… So below is a list of a few things that I am going to start with today to help me get organised, stop me wasting my time and helping me to a better version of me.  A better friend, a better wife, a better Christian and a better human.  I am listing them as statements, promises to myself and you I guess, that way they are no longer just suggestions… but hopefully reality…. Are you ready, I’m not but here it is anyway:

1.  I will turn off all technology 60minutes before I go to bed… this one is huge for me but I am addicted to my iphone, the television, my computer, music and all things technological, so I have to give myself some boundaries.  I am going back to the old school alarm clock because I actually don’t need my phone next to my bed all night…and just in case there is an emergency, please call our landline or Dave…  This leads me nicely to number 2…

2.  This one is straight from Palm Trees & Bare feet… I will get up in the morning like I’m ripping of a bandaid… I hate getting up in the morning, I love my bed and I love just lying there being cosy… but no longer… on Weekdays… when the alarm goes off I get up… no questions, no grumbling… just up.

3.  I will Plan my week top to toe so that I can be organised and get everything I need to done… including time to rest.  Over the years I have wasted a lot of money on tables and stationary designed to help me be organised so it’s time to dust it off and use it.

4.  I will exercise at least once a week, I know it doesn’t seem like a challenge, but I have 100 excuses as to why I can’t, I’m tired, the weathers bad, I’m busy… too bad so sad… I will do it anyway

5. I will eat one sit down meal with my husband each week… again it doesn’t seem like a challenge but it’s surprising how little we see of each other most weeks… so I am making it a priority.

6. I will do my devotions at least twice a week… seriously these last three seem like they should be easy, but they aren’t they are hard, because they are easy to push aside… so its time to make this a priority too… I would like to think that I would actually do this more often than twice, but I am constantly telling my clients to make SMART goals, specific, measurable, achievable,  realistic and timely, so its about time I started doing it myself, setting goals I can actually achieve, rather than pie in the sky dreams that I will just be disappointed I can’t reach.

So there you go, that’s my list for now…. I might even give them their own page so I can keep you updated about how I am going, but with or with out their extra page… I am doing adult things, making decisions and setting goals… look at me go… I am unstoppable.

Christmas is coming…

Posted in Christmas, Faith, Family, Life by

It’s been a while since my last post, and for that I am sorry, I find it not only disrupts, I guess, the flow of the blog, but it also disrupts my ideas and thoughts that I want to share, but I guess it doesn’t really matter because I am back now, and do you know what?  The countdown to Christmas is on… yes yes I know it’s still November, but I don’t care, if I could have Christmas all year round I would.

This week I have been reminded again how precious and fragile life is, and how important it is to spend time with those that you love and if you can’t spend time with them, telling them that you love them, because you just never know what is around the corner.  I guess one of the things, among many, that has made me think about this is that Christmas is just around the corner, and in my brain Christmas = love and family.

So Tuesday, which those of you fellow Australian’s would know was Melbourne Cup Day, Dave and I continued on a family tradition of mine, putting up the tree.  I guess being salvos the cup has little meaning for me, and don’t get me wrong I love having the public holiday, but when you take the drinking and gambling out of horse racing there isn’t that much left… I am sure others would disagree, but it just doesn’t do it for me.  Generally I still pick who I think will win, but other than bragging rights to anyone who will listen, it doesn’t go much further, and just for the record… yes in the past I have picked the winner… Anyway, I guess the point I am trying to make is that seeing as we get the day off to spend with family and friends, this day has often given my family and I the chance to stop spend time together and actually put the Christmas tree up.  I think we put it up so early for a few reasons:

  1. Mum loves decorating the house in all things Christmas, something which she has passed on to me.
  2. Putting the Christmas tree up is a whole family game, everyone needs to be there, well as many as can be, because that’s what makes it special
  3. The sooner the tree goes up, the better…

So this year, being the new Mrs George, I decided that this was something that I wanted to keep going with my new little family, so tonight after tea, Dave and I started the process of ‘Christmasfying’ our house… and I think we did a pretty good job, in fact you can check it out for yourselves below…

 

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year, I am not sure why, it can be chaotic, depressing and frustrating… there are some obviously good parts though I guess, maybe I am just hopeful it will be a peaceful and loving day, maybe I’ve just listened to Michael Buble’s amazing new Christmas CD once to many times already and have become deluded…  Who knows, but I guess the reason for the season brings hope and life to all… so maybe I will just keep holding on to that and wait and see…

Tough Questions

Posted in Faith, God, Life by

Last night at church we had our second panel type set up for the year or the as we spread across the twittersphere #bhsaforum, the night’s questions we’re all based on the idea of ‘taboo’, things the church doesn’t talk about and was designed to give people the opportunity to ask questions they have always been afraid to ask at church. From where I sat in the sound room, playing my hand at social media junkie, and following in my brothers (yes plural, and yes both my younger brothers are much better at it than me) foot steps of multimedia genius, the night was a success, in that questions were asked and wise honest opinions were shared and I left feeling like I had a lot to think about and a few more answers, not all the answers, but a least a few more.

But I guess the night got me thinking of why people are afraid to ask questions like this, I guess the world has this idea that the church is supposed to have black and white answers on these often very grey issues, that we as a body of Christ should be able to offer decisions and guidance in these messy parts of life and I think that perhaps it isn’t that easy. For sure there are things that the church does have a black and white opinion on, but there is lots of situations where it all gets a bit confusing and the answers aren’t as clear or as direct, but, I think
that’s ok.

To be honest, I don’t think we are supposed to have all the answers, because if were able to do everything without seeking and searching… why would we need God? And yes the bible is there as a guide, but I think that God chooses to leave somethings a little harder to decipher because he wants us to seek him, and ask what he would have us do. I think its ok to doubt and question, because out of the seeking of answers we grow. If we never challenge anything, we never need to grow.

I guess I also think that often there are clear answers, but they are often confronting and hard to teach and perhaps instead of embracing these we shy away from the complete separation that holiness calls us to.  We get torn between the challenging life of purity and holiness that God calls us to live and the message of love, grace and mercy, which is also true, because sometimes it can be hard to work out how the two fit together. I think we also forget the church is made up of sinners, so that while we may know the answers, lots of us struggle to live it out day to day and so, we are afraid to give the hard answer because when we do because we have fallen short so many times before, we get labelled hypocritical.

The thing is though, when it all comes down to it, God’s standards are high and hard, and we all have fallen short, but because He is love, life, hope, forgiveness, mercy and grace and because Jesus has already paid the price, if we are seeking Him first and above all other things, it’s ok. Oh and I think when we offer God’s answers and speak the truth, rather than ‘the churches’ answers and actually say that they are His, then, while we still remain accountable for our own actions, if/when we fall short, God is bigger than that, and there is no one better to use us in our weakness than Him.

The Circle of Life

Posted in Faith, Family, Friendship, Life, Love by

So firstly I just need to apologise for not blogging for a few days, I haven’t been very well, but I am back, so never fear.

Anyway, I guess today’s blog is a bit of a sad one, yesterday I attended the funeral of a friend of mine’s mum, it was a really sad day, as we said goodbye to a mum, a sister, a wife, and a friend that was most definitely gone too soon.  And while I don’t really want to dwell on the funeral all that much, I guess that’s where the blog has started, because it was because of the events of yesterday that I find myself sitting here writing.

Yesterday I was just reminded that we really do belong to a circle of life, and there is no denying it, and I was reminded this for two reasons.  The first thing that reminded me of this was the fact that the last time I had seen this particular friend and two of my other really good mates from school was at my wedding, celebrating a different kind of life milestone, one that is much happier, yet here we all were together again less than 6 months later, celebrating a life that was now gone.  It was just confronting I supposed to have these two significant events, so close together and with just the business of everyday life in between. The second thing that reminded me was another of my friends told me about a baby that had just been born, in fact, the baby was born at the same time as my other friend’s mum had died.  It just seemed so difficult to comprehend that one had gone and another arrived at the same time, but in a weird way it also made sense, as I guess as that’s what makes it the circle, its not’s complete until it restarts, I guess it just seems unfair that one must go so soon sometimes.

Today also made me realise how important time is, and that it really shouldn’t be taken for granted.   Sometimes I think I waste a lot of time, or think I will put things off, send that card later, make that call next week, but I guess it’s a risky game to play because we don’t always get next week, or tomorrow, and things need to be done straight away or they won’t be done at all.   I think that it was a good reminder to hold and cherish those I love, and to not to take the time, the laughs, the love for granted, but to savour it, always savour it.