Oh dear...

I dont have much in my fridge...

I discvovered my penchant for dairy today... i have milk, three different yoghurts and five different types of cheese....

Yes five!!! No onder I have odd dreams :) Mascerpone, blue, tasty, parmesian and feta...

And two lots of sundried tomatoes :)

Books

I have just finished reading Brakthrough, by Rudi lack (for the third time I think), and God's Smuggler, by Brother Andrew. Both of these books are SOOOO worthwhile... They make me want to pray and read my bible, and books that make me want to do that are top notch to me.

I went and visited my friends at a local missions agency today and got to swap my books. I had been reading the books "Help - My Haloes slipping", "Getting through customs", "It shouldn't happen to a Missionary" and "God that's not fair!"

I thoroughly enjoyed all of them, although I didn't finish "God that's not fair"

The new ones I got today were "Effective Evangelism", by J. Oswald Sanders - Another that encourages me to pray, "Fire within" by Wu Yung, "A Secret Hope" by Ria Zebua, "Let Justice Flow" by Margaret Kirk and "Once Bitten" by Anne J. Townsend.

I am very much looking forward to my reading of them.

A Video

A video on what was discussed below...

Kids Behind Bars

Today I foudn out abut something that shocked me. In the Philippines they inprison kids in the most horrific conditions, in adult jails. These children, some as young as nine or ten, are forced to share overcrowded cells wiht paedophiles. This can be for petty crimes such as stealing lollies or playing cards on street cards. One report I read estimated that 68000 kids are imprisoned in the Philippines.

My Birthday

It was my birthday on Saturday. I am 23. I am the owner of a Snorkel and Fraggle Rock season 3 and other cool stuff...

Only 2 years until I have a quarter life crisis... I wonder what I'll do

one week of school left for term 3 - yay -

Thinkings...

Recently, as always, I have been thinking, planning, dreaming, wondering, worrying, anticipating...considering my future.

I have plans, big plans, sensible plans, silly plans, dangerous plans, pland to make a difference in others, plans to make a idfference in me. These are MY plans.

This does not mean, however, that they are God's plans. At the end of the day, unless they match up with God's pland, then they are irrelevent.

This is something that has been challenging me. I like my plans. I feel safe with my plans. I fear that if I sacrifice my dreams and plans to God that I will lose happiness. I fear insignificance, a wasted life. I know that God gives us desires and I know that God has got plans. I know God wired me with my passions, my desires and my longings for a reason. I know God sets us apart. And I know that I am created "for such a time as this".

All of this knowing, however, does not make it any easier. I, once again, am at that place where I have to sacrifice. Its a hard word, its a hard action.

But I desire to be, first and foremost, a worshiper of Christ. I choose to surrender.

Getting healthy

I decided to start running today, and have returned to my old friend, the gym (after a 3 week 'break' where i only went once per week qand one week not at all!)

I feel so unfit.

I have an insane aim to get back to it with a vengeance, so will try to exercise daily this week

Insane..

I have had such an insanely crazy week... i have ahd a kajilion things at school to do, my parents visited and i am moving... Toda i have had 15 minutes break total between school teach8ing, double suty, meeting, driving and moving the last few things/ insane cleaning

laura

Phew!!!

I nearly hit a duck on the way home tonight, whist driving along the motorway, but it crossed in front of me just in time...

Water 2

It is interesting to look at water, and look at how it is being used and abused. I am learnign a lot from my new book:

It is expected that by 2025, because of Global warming, 2/3 of the World's population will not have ready access to clean drinking water. Currently there are a lot abuses happening around the world with the distribution of water, for example in poorer slum areas of Bangladesh people pay 250 times the price of municipal water...

Its not all bad news though. Many communities have banded together and are coming up with creative, innovative and sustainable ways to collect and preserve water, so that communities can survive. Examples include:

1. In some communities in South Africa children's merry-go-rounds have been installed. These are designed in such a way that children using them can play, and pump water form the ground at the same time, thus children's pla is providing water for the whole community.

2. In Kenya people are designing and using rooves to collect rain to provide water for communities.

3. In Chile mist nets have been set up, to catch mist, which is then condensed and rovides water for the communit.

4. In bangladesh women fold saris in such a way that they act as a filter for water. 99% of cholera germs can be filtered out this way.

I think that it is interesting how we look at things such as water, which are so pleantiful here in New Zealand...

Water...

I have recently been reading a book on Water, by Anita Roddick...


Some interesting facts about water

1. Nestle company produces 70% of the worlds bottled water

2. It is estimated that by the end of the decade 70% of Europe and North America's water will be privitized.; Privitisation of water generally leads to more expensive, lesser quality water.

3. People in third World countries often pay 50 X more for water than people in New York

4. Water is often used (illegally) as a 'weapon' of war, where water supplies are cut off or contaminated. This is a highly illegal practice, but many countries have been known to do this.

Really makes you think

Recent embarassing moments...

These are two of a vast selection of 'blonde moments' i have had recently...

Last week I made an aim to do only one blonde thing per week. By Monday night I had decided to try and only do one per day, as I had already used up two weeks... By Tuesday I had used up the week...

1.My computer hasn't been working for six months, so I finally got my friend Paul, a computer person, to try and fix it. It hadn't been turining on, so I have tried all sorts of re-wiring, but to no avail...

Paul was kind enough to ask if I had tried turining on the 'on' switch at the back. I hadn't. Amazingly enough my computer worked when I used the on switch... The wonders of modern technology..

2. I was in Borders and saw a book about why people should not have kids (I am kid mad and was wondering why anyone could be anti-kid!)... anyway I was halfway through reading and saw blood on the book... EEEW!!! I then realised that it was actually my own and I had cut myself on the book... I then had to confess to a Borders person, while being super embarassed... Thankfully she didn't make me buy the book, cause I wouldn't have been happy paying $40 for a book that was anti-kids...

My new book!!!!

Yesterday was a very special day in my life...

As anyone who know me well is aware, I am slightly obsessed with reading. Yoou are also probably aware that I spend far too much time finding out stuff on world issues, and other things that grab my fancy either temporarily or permanantly...
I LOVE books and I am madly, deeply, truly in head over heals love with Borders bookstore...

I usually refrain from buying myself a book at Borders, and allow that pleasure only for when I am buying gifts. As a result I am a member of three libraries, and also use the school library, the national library and the OMF library from time to time, as well as the wonderful internet... This means that I don't need to buy books, but can alwas be surrounded by them... I also buy and aquire them second hand, and find them as gifts, which all cement the reason I try not to succumb to the temptations of Borders...

On Friday however this became too much for me to bear.

I found out that Borders was having a sale especially for teachers (and students)....

I turned up there, armed and ready to buy my brother a 21st pressie, and *maybe* indulge in a book for myself. Unfortunately, I started to read. Then, out of no where, a nice lady told me over the intercome that Borders was closing in five minutes... So alas no book...

Until I found myself there on Saturday... And then I saw it!!! A book to call my own

So I am the owner of a brand new book, called "Troubled Water" by Anita Roddick... Its a book about how people (especially in third world countries) are effected by a lack or overabundance of water... It looks at the political evils surrounding water... it is super good and I have learned stuff...

I still haven't found Kevin a present yet

Moving

When I was little my mother LOVED Amy Grant, so you can imagine how many times I heard "you don't know what you got till its gone" growing up. It really resonated this week however, when I went back to Hamilton for a week. In Hamilton I have the most amazing friends, and there is a real community out of the church I attended. I am missing the community that I was blessed to live in in Hamilton, but I know I am where God wantes me.

I also believe that in the life God wants me to lead, I will not always have a tight community around me. I really feel that I am being prepared for future ministry, where I will be alone at times, and I will feel lonely at times. I know God is with me thoguh, and I know He helps me through.

If anyone is reading this THANK YOU for the small or large part you have played in my life. You are really valued.

I did it

I finally, actually started a blog of my very own. After watching Ellen for over a year from the comfort and privacy of m own home, I decided to take the plunge, jump on in and create a blog.

Anyway, I am coming to the end of my first term as a teacher. This has been one of the most exciting, scary, fun and challenging times of my life. Today I read a devotional on ww.crosswalk.com, for professional women, and part of it really resonated with me, so I figured I would share it with you. It is talking about promotions and new assignments, and I figured that, as someone first beginning my career, everything is a new assignment.

"If this is you, rest assured that you can with Jesus walking alongside you. God has raised you up for such a time as this. He has prepared you, and He has already provided everything you need to accomplish what He has set you out to do. Whatever you do not know, God will reveal to you in His creative ways. And He will bring others who have the knowledge or connections you need. He will give you revelations throughout the journey. And if you ever feel “stuck,” He’ll send someone to lovingly give you the shove you need."

Anyway, Thats all for now. I will be in Hamilton on Saturday/ Sunda so if anyone is actually reading this, I'll see you all then.