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WFMW - Prayer Book

I should spend more time in prayer than I do. But I used to spend far less. For a while I had the "And God bless Mummy and Daddy and XYZ" prayers, where you name everyone you can think of just before you go to sleep, but don't actually pray for anything in particular. These prayers were short but rambling, and certainly were not helping my spiritual growth.

Well, on quite a few blogs I read about people making prayer walls or cork boards, where they had prayer points and reminders of different people that they wanted to pray for. So I did that. It worked all right... sort of.

You see, my wall is not often where I am. I spend between 2 adn 5 nights a week at people's houses other than my own. When you consider that I then have work, church, and various other activities, there are times when I'm barely home. And that is where my wall is (you know, holding up my house).

So I needed a new solution. In the end I decided to make a book of all of my prayer points, with a page for each major prayer point, and post-its signifying each major area.

My areas include:
1. Me
2. My future husband and family
3. Non-Christian family and friends
4. The church and Christian friends
5. Other

Each section has a variety of sub-headings (one per page), with specific prayer points and scriptural references in dot points. For example:

In the "Me" section, the pages are headed as follows:
- Spiritual growth
- Work
- Finances
- Health

My future husband and family section has the following subheadings:
- Husband
- Future sons
- Future daughters
- All future decendants

This book has been hugely helpful in my prayer life. Firstly, it goes where I go. Secondally, I can fit way more in it than I could on my wall. Third, because it is broken into sections I can pray for one section one day, the next the next, etc. I know where I am up to. Fourth, I know I am not missing anyone or anything. And finally, and most importantly, it means that I pray more regularly.

And that definitely Works For Me!

Things I Have Learnt Recently At Church

- When I am weak, God is strong. The Apostle Paul, as quoted by Kien.
- When I am weak, Joab makes the girls in the youth group give me chocolate.
- I weigh more than Ian Song.
- The Young Professionals Care Group talks a lot about people getting married. I like the Young Professionals Care Group.
- My hand sewing is stronger than machine sewing.
- I can keep an eye on 7 angels, 4 shephards, 1 narrator, 5 nursery kids (one of whom is an angel), manage costume changes, follow a script, and sing... all at once. But I mucked up when it came to returning a music stand (borrowed for the narrator) in time for the violinist.
- When I forget things (like violin stands) other people remember them. Then, when I am watching in the audience, I see these things (like violin stands) and remember. And then I feel guilty.

50% off Borders Voucher

It's nearly Christmas, and you should all be thinking about what Christmas presents you are going to buy everyone. If you have a few kids to buy presents for, then this voucher may be very useful for you!

50% off any full priced kids book at Borders.

It expires this Thursday.

What Doesn't Kill You...

Can put you in hospital.

So, I'm sure a few of you have been wondering where I've gotten to - specifically those of you who are overseas (hi Caro and Yi Peng!) or who don't see me often (hi Beau!). The rest of you know.

I've been visiting the Alfred hospital. Hadn't been there, so I thought I really should visit. Can't have a hospital that I haven't been to!

I'd been coughing for a few weeks. It was annoying, but I wan't so worried about it. Until Saturday (the 3rd). I was exhausted, so I didn't go to church but slept. Keith pciked me up and drove me to the girl's house so I could go to church on Sunday. But I was feeling sick, so I didn't end up going on Sunday either. Rebecca drove me home, and I pottered about the house, feeling like I should be in bed but wanting to get a few things done.

When I did go to bed, I woke up 2:30AM, with severe neck and shoulder pain. I got out my heat pack and dozed. Only to wake up in worse pain. I couldn't move without being in lots of pain. I spent Monday like that, and most of Tuesday like that. Then Steph came over and saw that I was very sick. I also had a fever (though of course I didn't know it). After phoning Nurse on Call (due to it being cup weekend), Steph and Tennesse took me home with them.

Then I threw up.

So they phoned back up Nurse on Call, and she said to take me into hospital, as there was a possiblity of it being Menigitus.

Well, it wasn't. But I did have pneumonia. It took them a while to work out that was what I had (as my cough was not in any of our minds the problem - they only took the chest X-ray to cover all bases), so I got to stay overnight. And I got a drip. I do not like drips.

Then I stayed with Claire for a few days, as I was instructed to have bedrest and absolute QUIET. My parents also said they could have me, but while I might get the bedrest, there is simply no way that my family has ever been, or ever will be, quiet. So I stayed at Claire's.

Understandably, I haven't been posting.

I'm much better now, though still easily tired. Apparently pneumonia does that to you.