My Friends

I thought today I would share about my friends. I have some amazingly talented friends, at times they make me feel quite inadequate, and I wonder if I actually deserve to be amongst this group of amazing people.

Amoung my friends I count four teachers. I always wanted to be a teacher and it's taken me quite some time to be over the envy of them and their jobs. Instead of being jealous of them, I've now come to admire them all. They are all different, teach different things and approach teaching completely differently. They have all at some stage taught one of my children, and we are still friends!

One of my dearest and longest held friends is a physio. I competed against her for the top marks at school (she won), I competed against her on the netball court (she won again), she plays the piano magnificently, she sews beautifully, she is an avid scrapbooker, she sings. If I didn't love her so much I would have to hate her. She is a beautiful person inside and out, wise, empathetic, smart, tolerant and patient. But then you have to be all those things to put up with me for as long as she has! She is also Pink's Godmother.

Another of my friends isn't a teacher, but she has the gift. She has worked with disabled children, and she is also empathetic, kind, wise and generous with her time. Her childrens stories at church are natural, interesting and she has no trouble holding the interest of the squirming little bodies before her. Because she is the real deal, she loves them and she loves to tell them how much the Lord loves them. Kids know when someone is for real, and thats why they love her. She is also inciteful, witty, smart and kind. I haven't known this friend as long as the others, but already I count her as one of my nearest and dearest.

One friend lives over 2000 kilometres from me but we still maintain a very close relationship. She has been through so much, and still struggles in her daily life. She is intelligent and honest and I enjoy lively conversation and debates with her. She is someone who I know will always be in my corner, one of the few that knows everything there is to know about me, and still loves me.

Of course there are my new blogging friends. I've met such an array of wonderful, like minded Christian women. I love reading about Jenny's life and her girls, she is so witty and always makes me smile. Joanie is an inspiration to everyone. Her heart for the Lord is transparent and her attitude in the face of trial is an example to all. When I grow up Joanie, I want to be just like you! Leah is another wonderful encouraging blogging friend. I love her blog, and never come away from reading it without having food for thought. Everyone needs that kind of food. Lelia has an amazing testimony, and her honesty is so refreshing. She has helped me come to terms with some difficult parts of my past, thankyou for that Lelia. Lauren is new to my blogging family and she is amazing. She works with orphans in Mozambique and has a true heart for carrying out the Lord's work. Her blog is delightful, entertaining and heartbreaking all at once, and she is a cat person like me! And of course Lightening. I've already chatted about her above as she is not only a blogging friend but a face to face friend.

And then there is my best friend. I've been married to him for 18 years. He is my protector, the one I know who loves me completely, with all my faults. He is a wonderful father, husband and friend. And he's pretty cute too!

Lord thank you for all the wonderful people in my life. They all help me with different aspects of my life, and I thank you for bringing every one of them to me. I pray for all my friends tonight, those who are hurting I pray they will find peace and healing, those who are sad I pray for comfort. They all know you as their saviour and creator and I pray that they can look to you whenever they need comfort and guidance.

Rain on me

This weekend we had some rain. Proper rain, the steady soaking kind. We had enough to begin our sowing program but this is only the beginning. We need regular instalments for the next 6 months to guarantee a worthwhile crop.

But it's a start. And it's brought us some hope. It will also help with the sheep feeding. At the moment we are feeding them grain and hay every day and we have about three weeks supply left, so this rain has been very timely and very welcome. Hopefully in three weeks we will have enough feed growing in the paddock so we don't have to buy more hay, which not surprisingly is in pretty short supply and very expensive. Robbie will be very pleased to be relieved of sheep feeding duties! They are so hungry at the moment when they hear a vehicle they come running, usually they run in the opposite direction! It hasn't taken them long to associate the vehicle with getting fed.

So, after the past months of unseasonally warm weather we are all getting around in our winter woollies now. The weather is still quite mild, not freezing cold by any means, but we just aren't used to it anymore. You should have seen the kids huddling around the heater at church, anyone would have thought it was snowing outside!

Speaking of church. The service this week was great. I felt really connected while I was leading which was lovely. Usually when I worship lead I struggle to actually worship myself because my head is busy thinking and planning for what comes next. This week I just relaxed and let it wash over me, to a point. There was one particular song which I love and generally brings tears to my eyes but I managed to remain in control while leading it. Only just. My voice still wasn't up to scratch but it held up for my part in the service. I had to leave during the sermon twice to have a coughing fit and I'm so glad that didn't happen while I had a microphone in my hand!

Lord, thank you for the beautiful rain. I pray now as we head into the busiest time of year for us that my husband can get his work done without accident or injury, and that he can find time to rest. He gets so caught up in getting the crop in as quickly as possible that he forgets to take time to rest which worries me when they are working with such big machinery. I pray that you will watch over him Lord. I also pray for myself and the kids during this time. Its at the busy times that I realise just how much my husband supports and helps us out on a daily basis, I pray that we can all do that little bit extra to fill the void, so that when he is home he can rest and not feel he has to help around the house.
I pray for continuing rain now Lord, I pray that it refreshes our land and our spirits and it continues throughout the year.

No Pain No Gain

On Thursday night I decided to stop spectating at netball training (I'm a coach) and join in with the fitness part of our sessions. We have four grades of senior netball at our club and the first half hour of training each week we all train together to work on fitness. We are very lucky (?) to have a personal trainer as one of our players so our fitness sessions are very well planned, and from the sideline over the past few weeks haven't looked too difficult.

Well. I think I should have stayed on the sideline! I thought I was going to die! Twice! And now, two days later every muscle in my body aches. But the important thing is that I did it, the whole session without stopping (well, I slowed down to a walk a couple of times but I didn't completely stop!) and that is more than can be said for some of the players. It was interesting being part of the training, I got a different perspective of my team and now know who is slacking off and who is putting in an effort.

Next week my dear friend Lightening has "encouraged" me to join her at the gym on Wednesday during my lunch hour. She is having a private session once per week with a personal trainer and wants to step it up, but needs a gym buddy. So with the gym on Wednesday, netball training on Thursday and umpiring on Saturday I'm hoping to improve my fitness. Losing a few kilo's would also be lovely but at the moment I just don't have the energy or motivation to focus on eating healthily. It's such hard work and you have to constantly think about it, it cosumes your whole life.

If you don't hear from me in the next week, it's safe to assume I haven't survived my new fitness regime!

Lead Me On

That's the title to one of my many favourite songs by Amy Grant. I've been listening to her since I was a teenager and she just gets better and better.


I feel I'm being led to do something at the moment. I'm really not sure what, or if it is connected to my worship leading. I feel a bit in limbo as I'm not sure what happens next. I'm thinking to myself that instead of blogging about it I should be reading my bible and praying about it. Pretty good advice, perhaps I should listen to myself!


We had a very powerful prayer time before I led worship on Sunday. One friend gave me a hug afterward and said "it's going to happen through you". I didn't really take that on board at the time, I was thinking ahead to the service and worrying about my mascara running. But now I would like to know what is going to happen through me? I would love to think that it's my husband returning to the Lord and to church, but I often get trapped into thinking about what I want, and not what the Lord wants from me. Another friend (how blessed am I to have more than one amazing friend such as this?) gave me a card yesterday, which encouraged me to stop and listen to the Lord. I really do have the feeling that something is afoot. It's exciting, unnerving and a little frustrating. And my overwhelming thought is that why would anything happen through me? I am so undeserving, unqualified, nowhere near good enough to do the Lord's work, and yet so honoured and in awe.

I would appreciate your prayers as I wait on the Lord and find out what he has in store for me.

Just for your interest here is a photo of me in action, it was taken a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't really using the microphone because my voice was very unreliable at the time and I didn't want that amplified! This is at the front of our church, the band is in the corner behind me on my left. I knelt on those steps 18 years ago to take my first communion as a married woman during my wedding service.

Seven Random Facts about me!

I've been tagged by Jenny at Water's Edge.

I'm supposed to post seven random facts about me which I thought might be fun, so here goes.....

1. I married my childhood sweetheart and my brother's best friend, which annoyed my brother at first because it meant that I tagged along!

2. I have a bit of a "thing" for the way I hang washing out on the clothesline. The clothesline has four sides, there are four members of my family so I hang each persons clothes out on a seperate side. Then when I bring the washing in I fold as I go into the washing basket and it's brought inside all folded and sorted. I get really cross when someone "helps" me with the washing and gets it wrong. I probably need to get over it!

3. At the moment I am the fattest I have ever been in my life (non pregnant) :(

4. It took three knee operations to convince me to retire from netball. And I miss it terribly.

5. I'm a cat person.

6. My bedroom is almost as messy as my teenage daughters!

7. I feel closest to the Lord and completely joyful when I sing for His glory.

Ok, now I have to tag seven people and then stop by their blogs and let them know, so

Lelia , Madison , Lightening, Kath , Jubilee , Joanie and Clearly Living consider yourselves tagged!

Sharon learns a lesson :)

Hi all. You may have seen my post from last week where I had a little rant about grace and forgiveness after attending bible study.

Weeeellllll. I have just arrived home from our second study on the topic of grace. And, would you believe, that I've discovered this is all a bit of a lesson for me, yes I know it's amazing isn't it. You go to bible study to learn stuff. Who would have thought?

Anyway, as I sat listening to the same person dispute something that Philip Yancey said I remained open to what he was saying and really listened. I then discovered that he wasn't disputing at all, just trying to clarify and understand for himself. To "unlearn" as he put it. Well, that knocked me right off my little soap box. Reality check. Wasn't my little rant of last week a tad judgemental? Maybe. Was I extending the same love and grace toward him that I demand he extend to the wider community? I think not. Did I really listen to him, and try to understand his point of view. Not at all.

So, grace is the point here isn't it. I need to stop blaming others for what has gone wrong in my life. Stop demanding a fair go (even though it's positively unAustralian to not demand a "fair go") and extend love, forgiveness and grace to everyone. Because all the while I was getting hot under the collar, spitting the dummy and getting all self righteous what I was really doing was withholding grace. Loving conditionally.

That is what is so amazing about grace isn't it. It's unconditional. All we have to do is ask. That's it. No catch, it's that simple.

Lord, help me to be more gracious in my life. I know I'm not capable of showing grace and compassion on my own but I also know that you can do it through me. I pray that I can let this happen Lord, that I can feel your love flow through me and let it reach those who need it.

I FORGOT THE CAMERA!!!!!

I can't believe I did that!

Yesterday was the end of a very very busy weekend for me and I didn't get a single photo of ANYTHING!

We started on Friday night with my 16 year old neices debutante ball. She looked stunning and it was so lovely to see her dancing with her Dad (my brother). It was such a wonderful moment, my sister in law caught it on camera but I forgot!

Then Saturday Pink played netball against her cousin (the same one who made her debut the night before, she was pretty tired!) and it would have been great to get that on camera. But guess what? Someone FORGOT the camera!!!

Sunday I worship lead for the baptism for another of my neices. It was a beautiful service. One that I will post in more detail about later, because it deserves much more attention. We had the whole family at church for the first time in about 20 years. Great opportunity for a family photo wouldn't you think? Pink also sang a song at the baptism. She did really well considering when she woke up she had no voice. Her voice had partially returned by the time we got to church and luckily we have a very talented guitarist who took it down a key so that she could reach the high notes in her new low voice! Yes, more photo opportunities. Luckily my mother in law didn't forget, and I will get those emailed to me so I will be able to share those eventually.

Then yesterday was Robbies birthday. I took 5 kids to Whyalla to go ten pin bowling. They had a huge time. But.....you guessed it. I have to say I was pretty relieved when the day was over. And extremely relieved to be rid of one of the boys. He was a certifiable pain in the you know what for the whole day. And I know his parents from church really well and I'm SURE he doesn't behave like that for them. I seriously couldn't turn my back on him for a second. He got told off by staff in almost every shop we went into. I turned my back on him at the bowling alley and he ran (well, slipped and slid mostly) all the way down the lane to the pins. I was not amused. I was more than a little surprised. I thought he was a nice boy, his mother certainly thinks he's a nice boy. I sure hope MY son doesn't misbehave like that when he's out with other people. Might have a chat with him about that incidentaly. Even the other kids had had enough by the end of the day and were glad to be rid of him.

Anyway. I'm off to the beach today to visit with my brother and sister in law before they fly back to Perth. I love catching up with them. And it's a beautiful day today so I'm looking forward to spending at the beach. Perhaps I should try to remember my camera and take a photo!!!!

Hope everyone has had a great weekend.

I'm a bit cross.....

I'm trying not to be cross, but I'm not succeeding at this point.

Last night we had the first of a course of bible studies on grace. We discussed how the church is perceived as judgmental and hypocritical and how we can show more grace to the world.

There was one person there with a real "us and them" thing happening. He was saying that we can show grace to "the sinners" by being tolerant and correcting them. Excuse me? I held my tongue for a little while but then pointed out that "the sinners" are us. We are all sinners. The reason we need to go out into the world and share the message of grace is so that other people can be saved by grace. Not so they can stop sinning, no one can stop sinning. The point of grace is that God loves us in spite of our sins. Of course he didn't hear a word I said. Just sat there smiling inanely while I clenched my jaw and ground my teeth.

It's self righteous people like that that give the church its judgmental tag. Can't they see that? So many people have been hurt by the people in the church and they never come back! We need to correct ourselves not them! We need to show grace and love and forgiveness to everyone, not just the ones who "deserve" it. No one deserves it!

Ok, time for a deep breath. I apologise for my little rant. As you may have noticed this is something very close to my heart. My husband has been hurt by the very church that I attend, and I'm afraid that he will never come back.

Lord, I pray that you can use me to show your grace and love to everyone. I know I can't do this on my own, it's not in my nature but I do know that I can let you do it through me. I pray that I can lead by example and show what's good about the church, that people will see you working in me, and come to love you as I do.

Peace is restored.

After all the drama of the weekend Peace has once again been restored in our household.

I noticed last night that something amazing has come from this. Pink now has a much closer relationship with her father, they sat and chatted about dating, room tidying (?), and the big stuff like what you want to do with your life last night.

Pink has always been annoyed by her Dad. She sees him as a bit of a killjoy. He's the one who comes along and messes up her plans, or tells her off too much (usually about that room), or just isn't very cool. It was lovely to see them just chatting last night. Nobody was lecturing or sulking, they were just having an adult conversation with both of them giving time to hear the other's views. I have to admit Iam a tiny bit jealous. This has come as a bit of a surprise. They have spent the past five years completely rubbing each other the wrong way, with me as the peacemaker in the middle. And while that was draining in itself, it was my role.

We also had a chat with the boyfriend. He's a lovely lad but hasn't had an ideal upbringing. The fact that he is so reasonable and responsible is a testimony to his strength character. His parents are divorced, and are still arguing over the settlement, sometimes expecting him to take sides. His Mum lives interstate and his Dad has taken off on a trip around Australia this year. While he stays at home, looks after himself and studies year 12. That means on the weekend he does what he pleases, and Pink seemed to think she could do the same. I feel like I've taken on an extra child at times. He is very mature, but still needs help with some things, still needs to be reminded to study, and definately needs a decent meal every now and then! In my opinion his parents have an awful lot to answer for, but I won't get started on that.

The point is that we have it all out in the open now, and they both know what is expected of them. Luckily they are both good kids.

Lord, I pray for Pink and her boyfriend. I pray that they can grow into adulthood and realise their dreams and learn to love you in the process. I pray that they can reach their full potential in life, and use their gifts and talents for your glory.

It's time to sell the teenager!

Or perhaps I could pay someone to take her away! Just kidding. I think.

On Saturday night we had our very first teenage drama. And what a drama it was. I'm thinking miss Pink has missed her calling. I think I will call her Her Majesty because she showed what a true drama queen she really is.

I am the WORST parent in the world. It's official. I didn't think it was acceptable for my teenage daughter to go out to a party at 11pm on Saturday night, sleep "somewhere, I dunno", and then come home in the morning. Highly unreasonable of me don't you think? Especially since everyone else was doing it. Right. That makes a huge difference. I didn't use the jumping off a cliff analogy, didn't think of it at the time, I was too busy losing my cool and having a good old rant. Sigh. We were having such a good run. She was pleasant, reasonable, brought home two A's this term (she did bring that up, thought that getting two A's gave her license to do whatever she likes).

Of course this all comes along at a time when I was just starting to relax. Thinking the worst is over, I've raised a reasonable, responsible and even likeable daughter. My bubble is officially burst.

Lord, please help me to communicate with my daughter, help her to understand that I do this out of love, help me find the right words to tell her that. I pray that she can navigate the teenage years with her self esteem and integrity in tact. I pray that we can both learn to communicate with each other, and understand where each one is coming from. Help me stay calm and find the right words when I speak to her Lord.

Netball and Football Season

Yes, it's upon us again.

Last week we had our first game of netball and football for the winter season. We had this week off but from next week onwards my Saturdays will be filled with the sights and sounds of sport.

I'm learning to enjoy going along to netball again. I've had a pretty bad attitude toward it in recent years. I was a fiercly competitive netballer, but after my second knee operation my knee just never felt the same. I tried going back to the game I love by going down a grade, the idea being to not have to push so hard on my injured knee. This didn't work. I was too competitive and couldn't take it easy, and quickly became frustrated with my team members and I'm ashamed to admit it didn't bring out the best in me.

So, I've given myself a very firm talking to. It's time to get over it and accept that I can no longer play. I can however still be involved. I coach, umpire, time keep, score and spectate. I have deliberately kept my Saturdays at netball very busy because I've found if I just sit around socialising and spectating I snack all day. And when you can no longer exercise at the intensity that you used to snacking all day is not a great idea!

Anyway. Here are some photo's of Pink's and Robbie's netball and football games. Robbie was a little tentative because it was his first game in a higher grade. He has moved up from under 13's to under 16's. There are some really big boys in this grade! A bit scary to watch from a Mum's point of view. Escpecially since he informed me after the game that he forgot to wear his mouthguard. I'm glad I didn't know that at the time!

:)

Here is Robbie (he's the short one in the background!). He didn't want me to post this photo because he says he looks really short. I kindly reminded him that in this team he is short! To which he replied that he is taller than me, which we discovered today he is!

And here is miss Pink in action (she is wearing the red/yellow/blue uniform). WD stands for wing defence. Pink is a natural defender, although I've been told not quite as aggresive as her mother! I wouldn't say I was aggresive.....just determined!

This is a photo of the skirt of our uniforms. I've included it just because I like it. In my totally unbiased opinion I would say our uniforms are much nicer than anyone elses!

So that is what we will be doing with our Saturdays for the next 14 weeks. I am Pink's coach this year so I'm sure that will yield some interesting blogging material! The highs and lows of coaching your daughter!

Worship Leading

April is my rostered month to be the worship leader at church. I look forward to my worship leading months. It's not just the leading that I love, but the preparation. I have a lovely time with preparing the power point presentations, the verses and readings and planning what I am going to say.

I have a bit of a dilemma though. As a worship leader I don't say much. I'm just not confident that what I've got to say is good enough, or meaningful enough to bring to the table. So, I tend to just introduce the songs, and every now and then if the song means something to me I might share that but that's about it. I want to be a great worship leader, I want people to be able to see the Lord working through me, I want to feel the Lord working in me.

Hmmm. I think I may have a problem here. I just said I want three times. It's not about what I want is it. Perhaps I need to shift my focus here.

Lord, help me to lead the congregation in worship this month. I pray that my leading can be all about you Lord, and that I will have the confidence and faith to be transparent about how I feel about You. Help me to remember that I am your instrument, help me to allow myself to be used for your glory.

Incoherrant ramblings

Hi all,

I haven't been able to sit at a computer long enough to download photo's of netball and football, but I will get to it eventually.

Today we went to Port Lincoln for Robbie's first orthodontic check up since he had his braces fitted. The orthodontist was happy with the results so far, and due to Robbie's rapid growth at the moment there has already been quite a bit of movement.

I took Pink down to meet up with a Naturopath who she has been in contact with about work experience. Next term she gets to spend a week working in an area that interests her, and she has chosen Naturopathy. The lady was lovely and extremely helpful. She put Pink at ease right away and gave her some great advice on career paths and study. She went on to say that if we are ever in Port Lincoln (and we are there pretty regularly) then Pink would be most welcome to spend the day with her anytime. Pink was really excited about the prospect so I think I may try and arrange a day for her in the school holidays.

I got some bargains for myself, and we had a pleasant day out as a family, so all in all it was a successful trip. I managed to pick up a couple of bargains, and stick to the grocery budget so I'm pretty pleased with myself.

I'm suffering from laryngitis (no idea how to spell that) at present which is quite annoying. April is my month to worship lead and I will be pretty disappointed if I can't sing. I can still do the leading part and ask someone else to sing for me I guess. Hopefully it won't come to that, but I will need significantly less croak in my voice before I am able to sing!

Anyway. This was just a touch base, hello post. Hopefully when I'm not so tired I will manage to come up with something more enlightening and interesting!

Family Fun Night

A few times a year our church community get together for a family fun night. Each family brings along an idea for a game and some supper and we all enjoy watching the kids have a good time while catching up for a cuppa and a chat. Here are some photo's from last night's fun night.
Here we are playing a game where the ball (which is a giant balloon made of really thick rubber) is kicked up into the air by the kids laying down in the centre of the circle, and kept in the circle by the kids on the outside. Every one gets a turn at laying down and sitting up. There are no winners or losers in this game, just good fun.
Here we have the older group of kids playing a game where every one had to cross their arms in front of themselves and join hands with someone else. Then they had to untangle the group without letting go of anyone's hand. There was a great deal of twisting and turning and falling over, but they managed it eventually when the boys stopped trying to use brute force and listened to the direction of the girls. Life lessons!

And here we have Robbie playing the run with a balloon between your legs while carrying an icecream bucket on your head relay. He was supposed to be walking like an old man with a walking stick but as you can see he is cheating, his stick is nowhere near the ground!

The kids absolutely love these nights and it's a great time where the teenagers play along side the toddlers and everyone gets involved. We also took along our torches and formed teams for a night hike/scavenger hunt. Our team won! And we didn't cheat. Much!

Today it's off to netball and football for the first time this year. Both Pink and Robbie are playing in new teams and are apprehensive but excited. Pink has grown too tall for her uniform, Robbie too big for his footy boots! I will take some snaps to share.

Grumpy Farmers

I'm allowed to call them grumpy. I'm one of them, so it's my perrogative!

Yesterday on the ABC radio show "The Country Hour", which Fisherman listens to religiously they said it would rain overnight. And did it rain? No. It blew a gale. We now have a great deal of the top soil from our paddocks on the kitchen floor (because someone forgot to shut the window, oops). So, not only did it not rain, but it blew and blew and blew. If there is one thing that upsets farmers more than no rain, it's no rain AND a gale force wind to erode your dry paddocks.

But there is an up side. As there always is if you look hard enough. This morning it has been raining. At least it is raining here in town. I've thought about ringing home to see if it is raining there, but I dare not, just in case it isn't.

We are really starting to see the ramifications of this drought on the farming families in our district now. I had coffee with a dear friend yesterday who has just started taking anti depressants. She is more worried for the wellbeing of her husband than herself, but I pointed out that she needs to get herself right first, before she is able to help anyone else. They are a wonderful God loving family, they were in our wedding, we were in theirs. It breaks my heart to see them suffering. It's not fair. Sulk. Pout. Whinge. Complain.

Ok, that's enough of the "why us" complaining. We are all allowed to indulge in a little self pity every now and then.

Lord, I pray for an emphatic break in this drought. I pray for the wellbeing of this community, and for all other communities around Australia who are suffering. Our towns are dying, our resolve is weakening. Please help us to keep our eyes, and our minds and our hearts on you, because that is the only place we will find healing and peace.

The dentist post mortem

No the dentist doesn't need a post mortem, I didn't kill him! Its a post mortem of the procedure! He was very gentle, only hurt a couple of times when he got really close to the nerve. They had a tv for me to watch which was a great idea, took my mind off what was going on in my mouth a little. Although it's pretty hard to watch tv when there are two hands and various sharp instruments poking around in your mouth.

The main thing is that I have survived! I've decided that it's not such a bad thing to let your dentist know that you are chicken. Because I was honest about how I felt about the procedure (terrified) and not acting all stoic (like I normally do) he took great care to make sure he gave me LOTS of anesthetic, and he was very gentle, and stopped every now and then to check that I was ok. He was keeping a close eye on my hands to see how tense I was and every time I tensed up he would stop and check with me.

I have another appointment in June (very busy dentist, only one in the whole district) for a similar procedure, and I feel a little better about the whole thing now. So thank you anyone who prayed for me, I feel it really helped.