Sunday 31 December 2006

Mary Kay

Recently I joined Mary Kay, and yesterday I started scheduling facials with some of my friends. I'm a bit nervous because it is all very new, but it should be fun. And hopefully I will make a nice sum of money from doing it (because money is a pleasant thing to have, and an even more pleasant thing to spend).

Aside from that, things are pretty slow here. I'm busy contacting builders to knock down my house and build units, and I'm clearing out some of my useless stuff before I move. I'm also busily reading, because I'm hundreds of books behind where I want to be. Now that I have had some time 'off' I've been able to make some progress.

Also, posting will be sporadic for the next week, as I'm going to my mum's house and their internet is very sick. So while I may be able to post once or twice, don't expect to hear much from me until next Saturday or Sunday!

Saturday 30 December 2006

Names I Like

Girls names are easy. I have lots of them. Mostly they are 'virtue' names, but one or two are not.
  • Rhiana Beth
  • Hope
  • Grace
  • Joy
  • Faith
  • Mercy
  • Honour
  • Epiphany
  • Serenity
  • Jubilee
  • Merry
  • Patience
  • Rose
  • Emily
  • Lydia
So I can have lots and lots of girls, because I have lots and lots of names to give out. Boys, on the other hand, are more tricky. I have:
  • Will(iam)
  • Christian
  • Samson (Sam's son - get it!)
  • And one will have to be named after his father
So I hope that said father has lots of boys names. Because if I'm going to have that many girls I probably will have more than 4 boys too.

Friday 29 December 2006

What I am Reading at the Moment

Here's my new reading list:

  • Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
  • A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky
  • Mary Kay by Mary Kay Ash
  • Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
And I'm still working through The Purpose-Driven Life and I haven't got any further with Rights of Man.

Yesterday I read:
  • The Rainbow by DH Lawrence. Very Lawrence-ey
  • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Absolutely brilliant.
  • Hot Air. Majorie Priceman. Dull.
  • Word Play ABC by Heather Coonoon. Stupid. She was trying to be funny and failed miserably.

Today I won't have the chance to read too much - I'm cleaning for a friend. But hopefully I'll finish Pope Joan and A Pizza the Size of the Sun and get a large chunk of the way through either Zel or Mary Kay. So far Pope Joan is absolutely stunning, and I highly recommend it.

Thursday 28 December 2006

So Cute!

I was just over at The Lilting House and watched the video of Beanie opening a present. Very cute and funny!

I want one.

Sales

It's after Christmas, and I've been to the sales. Here's a short list of the stuff I bought:

A back-pack - $10
Paintbrushes - $4
Dance Magazine - $6.95 (not on sale, but I get this every 2 months)

Books
Pirates! (new) - $7.95
2 Horrible Histories (2nd hand but in new condition) - $3.20 each
Swallowdale (2nd hand) - $2.40
The Love of Seven Dolls (2nd hand hardcover) - $1.60
The Shadow in the North and The Tin Princess (new) - $18.95 for both


I also bought a vanilla chai at Villa & Hut. The adds all say that they are famous for it. I have to say that it is the best chai I've ever had.

I wanted to buy more books at the exhibition centre but the were closed this year. I was very sad, but I managed to restrain myself and go and do more shopping. :P

Wednesday 27 December 2006


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!


Have a great time with family and friends!

I'll be blogging again soon!

Sunday 24 December 2006

New Years Resolutions

A few years ago I hit upon a fire fire way of keeping a New Years Resolution. That is to have at least 10 of them. It sounds crazy, doesn't it, but it works. Having so many more keeps off the pressure when you slip up. Have a binge eating session when your goal is to diet - doesn't matter, because there are still 9 other goals on your list. And that keeps you from throwing in the towel and giving up on your diet forever (or at least until next New Year) .

So here are my resolutions. I've even divided them into categories.

Physical:
  • Eat 5 serves of veg and 3 serves of fruit DAILY
  • Exercise DVD daily
  • Weights for 15mins daily
  • No artificial sugar
  • Improvement of posture

Spiritual:

  • To study the Bible EVERY MORNING
  • Pray at least twice a day
  • Stop swearing
  • Speak to others about Christianity
  • To accurately Tithe
  • To be a cheerful giver
  • To encourage at least 3 other people daily
  • To remember to say grace before meals

Academic:

  • To do 1 math set daily
  • To read 1 poem daily
  • To read one non-fiction book every week
  • To read one 'serious' fiction book every week
  • To begin learning Latin

Maternal / Housewifely

  • Cook 3 nights a week with at least one new recipe
  • Clean bathrooms once a week
  • Clean kitchen once a week]Some craft work (knitting, sewing, painting, etc) daily
  • Keep clutter at bay
  • To get one resource for homeschooling daily. I've already blogged about this.
  • To blog daily
  • To make $150 from Mary Kay a week.

So that's may goals. What are yours?

Saturday 23 December 2006

Sam No Like Technology

I spent the past 45 minutes trying to log on. It kept taking me to someone else's page. Sam got VERY ANGRY and VERY UPSET. The help page was little to no help. It was not with the goodness.

And now I've forgotten what I wanted to post about.

Stupid technology.

Friday 22 December 2006

Role-Playing

Yesterday (after cleaning for a friend) I had my first role playing game. Basically, there is a story, and you are characters within it. Whether or not you can do certain things it determined by your character's strengths and a roll of dice. It was quite fun.

I was playing Lady Edith Huntington (you get to make up your own characters, and some strengths are determined by dice or game plan, but others you get to work out yourself) a rich amateur archaeologist. I appear about 1/2 way through the story.

Hopefully I will be able to make it for the rest of this story, but once everything starts up in the new year I have the feeling I'm going to implode with busyness. But it was fun.

Thursday 21 December 2006

WFMW - Stopping Nail Biting

I'm a little late - but as it's still Wednesday in the US, I'm posting this anyway.

Do you bite your nails, or do you have a kid who endlessly bites theirs? It looks horrible and it isn't sanitary. If you're anything like my mum, you've tried everything to get nail biters to stop it. Nasty-tasting nail polish, tobasco sauce, contast reminders... nothing worked on either me or my brother JW.

Finally she found something that did work!

Get fake nails!

You have to go in to a nail shop and get full proper ones put on, because do-it-yourself ones are more brittle, and they come off more easily. Nails cost about $30 in Australia.

These nails are great - you can't bite them off. So when you put them into your mouth you don't get the satification of biting something off. No matter how hard you bite it won't bite off. So you gradually stop putting your hands even up to your mouth.

You should have the fake nails for at least a month - longer if you've been biting for more than 10 years. Beware of stressful days for the week or so after you take them off - these can trigger a relapse into nail biting behaviours.

This definitely Works for Me!

Wednesday 20 December 2006

Christmas Card From a Student

Here is a Christmas card from one of my students. All spelling and grammar mistakes are in the original.

it is great to have you as a teacher
you are good for lerning
I still think you should Have 38 kids
dear miss
you are a intelligent teacher and you pick the best stories
you are organised
I hope you have a good time in 2007

Tuesday 19 December 2006

Busy

Today has been very hectic.

Firstly, I overslept. I was rather rudely awoken by a bird crashing into my window. At 6:48. When I need to leave the house by 6:30 at the latest to get to school. So I swear, get dressed and head out the door immediately. Get off of the train and realise that I have no food. So I ask God to provide me with sustenance. I have no money to buy food. The Lord provides - kids brought in chocolate for me and there was a morning tea provided. God is good!

School was fun. I finished reading The Bird of the Golden Land to the kids. I gave them their Christmas presents.

I had made them all scarves. All 21 kids, and a scarf and a matching handbag for my mentor teacher. My old mentor teacher had a baby a month ago, and so I made her a toy elephant for the baby. I've been knitting for school since April.

I photocopied the last of a book I wanted to copy, then went to my Mum's to drop off some stuff and to pick up my eBay items. Then I headed back out to review the scripts for Born To Fly. (More about Born to Fly in a later post - I promise!) I got feed again, and food that is nutritious! Then I came home. It's a two hour trip home.

So I just got in. I've done my in dependant Bible study, but haven't read my chapter from A Purposeful Life. I feel exhausted. My hair is a complete mass of knots that may never come undone. And I still have no money and barely any time. Still, today was good. It has left me feeling satisfied. In spite of many things going wrong, many other things went right. God is good to me, even though I oversleep and don't deserve His goodness.

Monday 18 December 2006

Things I want to learn

Here is a list of things I would like to learn. Most of these I have some materials for, and some I have already started.
  • The Bible. I want to be able to really know Scripture, to be able to quote it in everyday life, and to really have it as a rock for me.
  • Mathematics. To (including) calculus
  • English grammar
  • Latin. Apparently the best way to learn English Grammar. Plus it'd be cool.
  • Military history. For taking over the world.
  • Geography
  • Persausive writing
  • Drawing and painting
  • How to make my own clothes
  • How to cook food that tastes really delicious. Nutritious I can do - tasty is somewhat more haphazard
  • Music theory
  • Ballet, flamenco, Scottish and Irish dancing. I've done all of these except flamenco in the past (and still do Scottish) but I'd like to actually be good
  • Shakespeare. I really like his works (those that I've read/seen), but I haven't read all of them, and I don't know any of them as well as I would like. Except Romeo and Juliet, which I know well, having studied it in both school and uni. (Award winning essy!)
That's about it for now. But I expect that in a month or two I'll have a whole lot more I want to add to my list.

Sunday 17 December 2006

Things I Would Like for Christmas or After

Here's my wish list. Some of these things I will end up buying in the after Christmas sales, but others I am likely to get a presents from my family or friends.

  • A digital camera. Just a basic one
  • Books and book vouchers. I have a list of about 100 books that I would like to buy some time soon. Hopefully after Christmas this list will be reduced slightly. Then I will read a whole lot more and put them all on my list.
  • A new back-pack. A big, strong one that will fit all of the books I've borrowed from the library in it. I used to have one, but after 6 years of library books it disintegrated. Think that's bad? I've had two more since - neither of which has lasted 3 months.
  • Some new summer tops. I lack summer tops because summer is the time when 'all is bared' and I'm not at all one of those types of girls. I would prefer a top that ensures that a guys eyes stay focused on my eyes, and not on my chest. Unless someone finds some at an op shop, I'm not holding my breath.
  • Money. I like to pay bills and eat, so this comes in useful.
  • A blender. I really want one. I've got a few other kitchen appliances that I'm eyeing, but I think a blender would be a good start.
Well, that's it for the stuff that I will get list. Here's my exuberant list of stuff I would like but they aren't readily available in stores.
  • A guy who loves God, loves me, and wants lots and LOTS of children. I'd appreciate it if he had a steady job too, but if he's got hose down I already think he's a pretty nifty catch.
  • 48 hours in my day, with an option to extend when needed.
  • Patience.
  • Energy.
  • My dream home. It's big, with two storeys, and the library is right above the kitchen. Both the library and the kitchen look out to the garden. Which of course will be filled with fruit trees and a vegetable garden that produces delicious, nutritious food all year round.
  • A gentle spirit. Gentle is not a word I would use to describe me.
  • Courage.
  • The ability to remember useful things - like what I am doing on different days of the week so that I don't double book.
  • Better sewing abilities.
  • Self-discipline. The kind that means that I do what I have to do when I have to do it - no procrastinating by.. oh, let's say... blogging and reading other people's blogs.
Well, I suppose I had better get to working on the last one. I have another scarf to knit by Tuesday! So it's time to stop procrastinating and start working!

What I am Reading at the Moment

The Purposeful Life by Rick Warren
Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
The Rainbow by DH Lawrence

Yesterday I finished:
Classroom Management
Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

A summary - The Purposeful Life is a bit bland. I've heard a few complaints about it, but I didn't really notice those things (liked lots of different translations being used, it encouraging over-emotion). It's interesting, but as I read through it I sometimes stop and think, "this could have been written so much better" (says Sam-Is-Mad, very inelegantly). Worth reading but not re-reading.

Rights of Man is a HARD SLOG and something that I only read whn I am feeling full of mental energy. That is why I am only up to page 64 (out of 273).

I'm listening to The Rainbow on cassette. So far I really like it.

Clssroom Management started well, but quickly go boring. All of the helpful information was buried under tons of edu-ese. Yuck!

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles was really very good. Occasional mentions of God being the cause of all life, and about the responsibility that we must take when we get involved in genetics. Yet this was completely woven into the story - unlike other books I've read where it seems like they stop the story for a moment to preach to you. Well written and funny. Worth reading (especially if you are between 8-12, though younger kids will really enjoy it too if they can read it or if they have it read aloud).

Saturday 16 December 2006

How many Children Should I have...?

On Wednesday I went to help out for my school's excursion. We went to see a movie (Open Season - I didn't like it, but all the kids did) and then we went to a park and they ran about. As its the end of the year they were all asking me what I'm going to do next year and "please can you come back to (the primary school I work at)" I told them that I was planning to substitute teach for 2-5 years until I had my own children. This of course sparked more curiosity.

"How many kids are you going to have Miss?"

"How many should I have?"

Here are some of the answers I got:
"None. You should stay and teach me forever."
"Two. One boy and one girl."
"You should try until you have four of each" "What if I have 10 boys? Should I keep trying until I get my four girls?" Eager nods.
After carefully counting the lines on my hand one boy told me that my hands said that I should have "at least 32. Probably 40." I replied that I thought 40 might be being a bit greedy. This is the boy with the rebellious nature. He's the oldest of two and really wants another brother or sister. "But Mum says "I'm Not Having Any More Children"" he says, mimicking his mother's voice. That's a real pity, because he is at his best when setting an example for his younger brother.

How many do I want?
A minimum of four, preferably six or more, and happily as many as God send me!
Smile! You're a child of God!

Friday 15 December 2006

Frugal Fridays: Three Questions


For my first Frugal Fridays I get to take a bit of a break. Crystal of Biblical Womanhood has askeed three questions. So here are my answers.


1. What is the best resource for frugality you've found (book, magazine, website, etc.)?

Sorry guys, this isn't one you can share. My mum is my best frugality resource. She says it's "the Backster blood". Those of us who inherited "the Backster blood" can make a meal out of thin air. Luckily for me I inherited "the Backster blood" - unlike my poor sister who in spite of endless budgets (I've never had a budget) never has any money.


2. What is the best deal you've gotten recently?

I went to the library today and got a bag of books for $5. I packed 28 books into my bag (getting it home was another story!) That means I paid under 18 cents a book!


3. What is your best idea for a creative and inexpensive gift (I was specifically thinking this might be helpful for those who still are looking for some last-minute Christmas ideas!)?

I bought a $9 wooden box from Lincraft and painted it. I used stencils to decorate the inside. They made beautiful memento boxes. Sorry I don't have any photos - I don't have a digital camera (hopefully I'll get one for Christmas). But they're lovely presents for anyone. So far this year I've made two. Oe of the people have alreay received it, and she loved it. The stencils mean that you seem artistic even when you are... well... not! Quick, easy, cheap and lovely! It is perfect!


Why I decided to Homeschool

I was a sick child. I remember being smaller than all the kids in my sisters class (2 years below me) . Not only that, but I was the oldest or second oldest in mine.

From when I was 8 I started missing a fair bit of school because I had very bad stomach pains. Gradually, as I missed more and more school, the rule became "If you can stand and not scream you're fit for school". So when I was at school I certainly wasn't in a position to concentrate on my school work.

After many hospital visits with horrible doctors (one doctor told my Mum that I was a wimp and that there was nothing wrong with me. I had been brought in three days in a row, each day screaming my lungs out) Mum changed from Monash hospital to the Royal Children's Hospital. They took one look at me and said that I was very sick. They didn't know what was wrong, but they would operate and find out.

I had "a malignant tumor that twisted the ovary and rendered it gangrenous" - in layman's terms, I had ovarian cancer. God was really watching out for me. Ovarian cancer is not something you look for in 10 year olds, and I had been suffering for 2 years. But the cancer developed in a way that was very painful (so we found out about it) and in a way that slowed its own progress. The cancer, in twisting and rotting my ovary, cut off its way to the rest of the body. This meant that I was fortunate enough to escape chemo.

So, I had missed out on effectively 2 years of school. I caught up in the 2 1/2 weeks after my operation. I entered school back at the top of my class.

I remember thinking how awful that was - much worse than cancer. If I had been well I would have wasted two years of my life. All of my classmates did. And I remember swearing that my children would never go through wasting two years of their life at school. I would teach them at home, and they would go through their work at their own speed. And if that meant they were ready for uni at age 12, then off to uni!

I can appreciate now my advantages. I'm gifted, I read when I couldn't sleep because of the pain, I went to a school with 7 children in my year level, and 13 children in my class. My parents could afford to buy me books and were academic enough to help me if I needed them to help. But 2 years! 2 YEARS!

Besides, my children will have the same advantages!


My children are going to go out and change the world. They don't have time to waste. They need to learn all they can so that they can be equipped for when God calls them. They need to know their Bible, know their maths and science, know how to write and argue persuasively, and (most importantly) know how to serve God.

The do NOT have time to waste.

Thursday 14 December 2006

Preparing to Homeschool

I don't have any children (yet) but I've been preparing to homeschool since I was 10 years old. In recent years I've really kicked it up a notch. I am to get at least one new resource EVERY DAY! For those of you who think this is expensive, you are very wrong. (Though I do buy a lot of books, both fiction and non-fiction, that I plan to use for homeschooling.)

Firstly, I check out my libraries. Any books I am interested in I read FIRST. I used to just buy the books, but I was spending about $50 a week, so I stopped doing that. Read first, buy later. Many books I bought were good, but not really worth buying, and certainly not worth buying new. Libraries also have large numbers of educational DVDs,and lots of CDs. Not including my uni library I am a member of 8 different library systems.

I buy cheaply. I get a lot of stuff from op shops, second hand book stores and eBay. When buying from a second hand book store or from eBay I make it a general rule not to pay more than 1/2 of what it costs new. I don't always stick to the rule, but its a good guideline.

I photocopy a lot of material from uni and the school I work at. Science experiments are a good one to photocopy because they are short and usually are already in A4 format. I have 2 lever-arch folders both 3/4 full of science experiments for my kids to do.

I check out Everyday News. Some of the activities that the kids there do are easy done. So I make a note of what to do. Voila! New resource.

I also make a use of my friends. Most of my school friends are musos, so they have an endless list of CDs - many of which they are on. They are also very willing to give me all of their old school books, often for free! And you can't get much cheaper than that!

I like to be prepared, and so this is something that I love to do. I may not use every single resource, but I'm always glad to know that I have them ready for at a moment's notice.

School Concerts

As most people are aware, boys are very energetic people. As I'm sure a lot people are aware, the school system takes a really dim view on this energy.

A short time ago the school I am doing my teaching rounds at had their school concert. Our class was dressing up as Africans and doing a dance to The Spirit of Togetherness. (I did not exactly approve, but as I wanted to pass my rounds, I kept my mouth shut.)

We all got to watch the other classes for part of the night, but of course the boys kept wriggling and giggling and talking. So I went over to each wiggling boy and calmly informed him: "I have the make-up. Everyone has to wear make-up on stage. I can make you look like a girl or a manly warrior. Which do you want?"

"Manly warrior! Manly warrior!" they all whispered back.

"Then sit still!"

I've never seen boys sit so still. A few needed reminding - "Do you want to be a manly warrior?"

My mentor teacher said afterwards that she was surprised at how well behaved all the boys were. I smiled, and told her.

Wednesday 13 December 2006

Idea!

Anyone from church or care group reading this, remind me about setting up a scripture text message exchange. Anyone from another church feel free to use/adapt this idea.

Basically, the idea is this. You pull someone's name out of a hat (etc) and that week you must message them at least once with scripture.

I know that when I was feeling low a friend messaged me scripture and it made me feel so much better. It was great to know she was thinking of me, and reading the Word while "on the go" was awesome. Plus it would be a great way for the sender and the receiver to memorize the Word of God.

I've got a memory like a sieve, so hopefully someone else will read this and remember. I have written it down, and will go through my papers eventually, but this seems like too much of a good idea to wait.

True Conversation

Recently I was talking with some people from uni. Nice enough people, but we aren't close enough to actually be friends. We were talking about our plans for the future.

Me: I'm going to substitute teach for two to five years.
Other: Why only that long?
Me: Because I'm going to leave to have babies.
Other: And what will you do after that?
Me: Probably have more babies.
Other: And then...?
Me: There's a pattern here that you're not getting.

Raspberries with White Chocolate Cream

One of my favourite desserts (again created by me) is raspberries with white chocolate cream. It is incredibly simple and takes just minutes.

  • Take your raspberries and put them into the bowls you will be serving them in.
  • Melt white chocolate. Use a very small amount of milk in with the chocolate to keep it from burning. This is the bit that takes the longest. Do NOT let your chocolate burn!
  • Mix double thick cream in with the white chocolate. I use a ratio of about 1:3 chocolate:cream.
  • Pour white chocolate cream over raspberries and eat.
It's glorious.

Tuesday 12 December 2006

Praying for Unsaved Kids

On Sunday after church I went to Rebeccas's/Kallie's/Elaine's house. Whilst there I read about half of Deliver Our Children From the Evil One by Noel and Phyl Gibson. (It's one of Elaine's books that I had been eyeing every time I went over.) It's a very enlightening book, and based on what I have read so far I highly recommend it.

Anyway, this book inspired me to go to school early and pray for all of the children in the school and specifically all of the children in my class. This is not an easy thing for me, as I have to leave between 6:15 and 6:30 anyway. (YUCK!) But I set my alarm half an hour earlier, and cut my shower short, all so that I could go in and pray for the children.

Well, things went wrong. I couldn't find anything in my entire house, and spent about 15 minutes just looking for my watch. I had intended to leave at 6:00, but made it out the door at 6:23. And as I walked to the station I prayed, saying "If You want me to go down and pray for the kids in my class please help me to get to school early. If that is not Your will then I pray that you will help me see what is Your will and help me to do it."

I got to school 45 minutes earlier than I usually do. I spent 15 minutes outside the school building (before it even opened!) praying for everyone in the school and asking that any malevolent spirits would flee before the name of Jesus. Then the building was opened and I was able to go to my classroom and pray for my students individually in the place where they spend most of their day.

This was a very interesting experience - I had some different expectations to where God led my prayers. I expected to pray a lot for certain students - some have BIG problems with authority. One in particular breaks my heart. He not only is rude, and really hates anyone being in position of authority over him, but he says at every single chance he gets how he hates God and hates Jesus and doesn't believe in them anyway. I spent a lot of time praying for him.

But I also spent a lot of time praying for two students I did not think I would spend much time praying for. Both are really sweet kids; they work well, they behave well, they are kind and considerate. It wasn't until school had started and we were doing our work on Christmas (their integrated topic is Celebrations, so it fits in well, and I don't have to be constantly on my guard for 'preaching' to the kids - it's a public school) that I remembered that the girl comes from a Muslim family. No wonder she needed so much prayer! I still don't know why I was called to spend so much extra time praying for the second boy, but God does, and that is what is important.

And because I'm insane I plan to do the same thing tomorrow. But I planned ahead and packed my bag tonight so there (hopefully) won't be that same rush. (Because I forgot a lot of useful stuff, and I had to leave my personal quiet for when I got home.)

So, while I won't ask you to pray for any of the kids (I'd perfer I had permission, and permission wouldn't be granted for those that most need it) please pray for my prayers!

WFMW - Keeping Your Bins Fresh


How do you keep your bins from not smelling? It's a problem that I've noticed in lots of different people's homes and offices. Some only smell slightly, others will, to put it bluntly, stink up the whole room. So what can you do about it?

To keep my bins smelling fresh, I do 4 things:
1. Empty the trash. Seems simple, but too often the bin smells because it is overflowing with rubbish.
2. Put foods in a separate (very small) container for tipping in the compost. Food stuffs are the items that really smell, so keep them away from the rest of your bin, especially if it is full of tissues or other items that absorb smell. Keeping this container small forces you to empty it more regularly.
3. Wash the bin about once a month. This takes about 2 minutes. Fill with warm soap water, swish around an old sponge. Tip out and leave in the sun (if possible) to dry.
4. Wipe your bin with tea-tree oil. To do this soak a clean tissue with tea-tree oil and wipe around the bin. You should aim to cover the entire bin. This may take more then one tissue. When you have done this, line your bin and throw the soaked tissues in the bin. This also keeps down the scent. I do this about once a week.

Keeping your bin smelling pleasant - that definately Works For Me

Check out the rest of the Works For Me Wednesday posts at Rocks In My Dryer.

Trusting In the Lord

Check out Biblical Womanhood for Crystal's post "He knows the end from the beginning". Very inspirational, and so true. Too often we want our own plans, when God's plans are infinitely better. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 says: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We all need to remember that.

Monday 11 December 2006

No Children! by Edgar Guest

No Children!
by Edgar Guest

No children in the house to play--
It must be hard to live that way!
I wonder what the people do
When night comes on and the work is through,
With no glad little folks to shout,
No eager feet to race about,
No youthful tongues to chatter on
About the joy that's been and gone?

The house might be a castle fine,
But what a lonely place to dine!
No children in the house at all,
No fingermarks upon the wall,
No corner where the toys are piled--
Sure indication of a child.
No little lips to breathe the prayer
That God shall keep you in His care,
No glad caress and welcome sweet
When night returns you to your street;
No little lips a kiss to give--
Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear
We could not stand it half a year.
What would we talk about at night,
Plan for and work with all our might,
Hold common dreams about and find
True union of heart and mind,
If we two had no greater care
Than what we both should eat and wear?
We never knew love's brightest flame
Until the day the baby came.
And now we could not get along
Without their laughter and their song.

Joy is not bottled on a shelf,
It cannot feed upon itself,
And even love, if it shall wear,
Must find its happiness in care;
Dull we'd become of mind and speech
Had we no little ones to teach.
No children in the house to play!
Oh, we could never live that way!

Prayer Requests

I've added a section on the side panel for prayer requests. These are things that I am praying for and would to encourage others to pray for on my behalf. All prayer requests are either for me, for my church and its activities, or have the permission of the person being prayed for.

Explanation of prayer requests

Courage for me to speak about being a Christian (copied from one of my comments)
I am often failing at what I aim to do. Speaking about being Christian is a big one for me. I find it really difficult to speak about being a Christian to my old friends. (When I make new friends I just let them know casually in conversation, and when they then ask questions I answer them.) But old friends are different. They don't know me as a Christian, and I am sometimes (often) afraid that they will then reject me because I have changed. Of course I know that if they do reject me they aren't really my friends, but still it would hurt. So I am a wuss. To make matters worse, its the one thing that God has actually spoken direct to me about (when I got baptised in the Holy Spirit). But I still get scared and don't.

The Frankston Alpha Course
I did an Alpha course recently and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. I was already a Christian, but it was on the Alpha course retreat that I got Baptised in the Holy Spirit. This was without a doubt the best experience of my life so far. Never before (or since) have I experienced such an overwhelming feeling of love for me - a worthless sinner.
Lots of people who come for Alpha courses are non-Christians, and this course is a great way of getting people to give their life to Jesus as it specifically goes over and answers many of the 'intellectual objections' that people have to being a Christian. Pray that those who are coming for the first time to this course really get to know Jesus, that they give or re-dedicate their life to Him. Pray for them to have soft, teachable hearts. Pray that the leaders and helpers will speak with the courage of God, led by the Holy Spirit, so that they become instruments of God and transform the lives of all those who take part.

Thanks everyone!

Sunday 10 December 2006

Chocoholics Rejoyce!

For all you chocoholics out there, rejoyce! If you haven't tried the "Heaven" brand of chocolate, I suggest you do so RIGHT NOW! It's by the same company that make the Heaven ice-creams, and boy is it ever good. My favourite is the raspberry creme. It even inspired a new recipe (another very simple one - but it tastes GOOD!)

I found out about this brand when I got some samples in the mail. Turns out I sent off a survey for Nestle and now they send me all sorts of yummy stuff - chocolate and a magazine. As I don't even remember doing the survey it must have been a painless enterprise. So if you get any surveys etc in the mail, fill them in and do not tick the box saying that you do not want to be contacted with samples and special offers. Yes, it puts you on their mailing list. So you get a few extra adds a year. Just throw them out and enjoy your yummy free chocolate.

And while you're waiting for your free chocolate, try the Heaven brand. It's well worth it.

Saturday 9 December 2006

The Marriage of Figarro


I went out with school friends last night and saw The Marriage of Figarro. It was a really good production - the casting was perfect (especially of the Count and of Susanna), the singing was good and the comic timing (which I have see done very badly) was brilliant. You kept on going 'eee! wait, don't look there' and then they either would or wouldn't, and you'd always laugh. Brilliant.

I love the opera.

Friday 8 December 2006

Sam's Amazing Rice

For everyone who has tried my amazing rice, here is the recipe.

Cook brown rice in vegetable stock. Vary the amount of rice depending on how many people are eating and how hungry they are. You will have to stir the rice frequently at the beginning of the cooking, but once you've added the onions you can ignore it and just give it a stir every 5 minutes or so. Keep the heat very low as it make the absorbsion better

Chop one onion for every 4 people eating and fry it in more vegetable stock. Keep frying until all of the stock has disappeared. Then add another cup of stock. The pan will sizzle and the onion and the stock will both go dark brown. Continue to fry for another two minutes, then stir into the rice (which will be less than half cooked).

Lightly boil broccoli chunks, baby corn and fresh spinach. When the rice is cooked (and it takes a while - about an hour) simple place vegetables on top.

It's good, trust me. It went really quickly at our care group party on Wednesday. It was the first thing to be all eaten. And while it does take a while, it is really very easy to make. And most of the time it is cooking you don't even have to be in the kitchen!

What I Look Like


This is a picture of me. (From 2001, but I still look the same.)

As you can see, I am pretty.

Not beautiful, but pretty.

Pretty is better (I think, and not just because I am pretty)

Because pretty gets you places beautiful doesn't.

People are scared of beautiful.

They like pretty.

So ya for me (for being pretty).


(Oh yeah, add vanity to a list of my sins).

Hi All

Hello everybody who is reading!

I'm Sam(antha), and this is a blog about whatever I decide it will be about.

Most likely it will be about things I am interested in, so I'll give you a quick list of what they might be:
-Me
-Homeschooling
-Books
-Education
-Christianity
-My church (Hope International)
-Movies
-Kids in general
-Quiverful
-Housekeeping
-Ballet
-Taking over the world


Actually, I was fibbing about the last one. You don't think I'd be silly enough to post my plans for taking over the world on the internet, do you?

I'm 22 years old, and have just finished studying Arts/Primary Ed. In arts I majored in English (i.e. literature) and minored in Classic (i.e. stuff from Ancient Greece and Rome).

I am a new Christian, and not a particularly good one. I am very selfish, self-centred and generally focussed on myself. This is NOT A GOOD THING, and I am working on it.

As this is my first blog, you are all going to have to be patient with me as I loose posts, promise posts aned then forget about them, and generally stuff up. I apologise in advance (it saves time later).

Hope you like it!

Sam-Is-Mad