Show Time

This long weekend I've been keeping myself busy, both out of necessity and desire... necessity because on Saturday we've got our first show - the weanling fillies are being shown at the Marburg show - we're in with a good shot to at least get a place... desire because when I stop, I have too many unanswered questions.

Think on These Things

It's so true that God, through the Bible, instructs us to do things not because he wants us to follow all these rules, but because they're actually good for us. One of these instructions that was highlighted to me today was the passage in Philippians 4:8, encouraging us to think on good things.

Two friends and I were discussing depression this afternoon and why it is that when we have so much going for us, such great families, such good jobs, such prospects and such a wonderful lifestyle we still get down, me more than either of them, but all of us facing the same affliction of getting overcome and "down".

One of my friends said it could be because we're so quick to focus on what's going bad, when really, we have so much great stuff - we have our health - yes, sometimes it is dodgy, but we can still walk on both legs - we have our family - we have our friends - we have our hobbies and jobs and all manner of things to be thankful for, and yet, we so often ponder on the bad instead of the good.

I'm so guilty of doing this. Someone asks me how I'm going, and immediately all the wrongs in my life jump to mind instead of all the rights. Moreso, within my own mind, I face a constant battle to keep on top of the anxieties that edge their way into my mind.

How good our God is to us, and how right he is in encouraging us to think on the good things and let our cares rest in the arms and heart of our Saviour.

(I was reminded of God's place in all this discussion when I glanced up as I was getting in my car this evening - a myriad of stars shone in the sky, and I remembered who it is that knows my name and all that troubles my heart)

Blogging from my car...

Yes - you read that correctly, I'm blogging from my car... I'm blogging from my car while I wait for RACQ to turn up because my car won't start. I'm blogging from my car as I get later and later for an afternoon tea appointment with the Harrison's... I'm blogging from my car as it pelts down rain outside... I'm blogging from my car as one by one my work colleagues leave to go home... I'm blogging from my car - ok I'll stop here!

A great night out

I've just returned home from an evening at Ev's place and I must admit that I haven't had such a good, relaxed conversation for quite some time. Evan and I graduated together at Toowoomba Christian College, and have stayed in contact through the years. It was a really cool night where we discussed everything from wine to school mates to love to religion to God to who would have ever thought 10 years ago that we'd be sitting here doing what we now are discussing it all over a bottle of merlot

It has been decided though, that as two of the remaining 4 unmarried graduates from our class we shall enjoy a bottle of wine at each subsequent wedding... and when we're the last two left, perhaps two bottles...

It's really good to have people in our lives that we can pick up after years of not speaking or staying in good contact, and really being just "acquaintances", to have a night like tonight. Yes, the wine was good - and as a good friend has taught me I'm drinking lots of water so I'll be fine for work in the morning, but more than that - it was good just to shoot the breeze and have a night out.

A small achievement

Aside from learning a great deal of new things at work (update: now including the Adobe Creative Suite 3 package including Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Photoshop…) I also feel lost in quite a few other areas.

While I won’t go into them here, I was encouraged when I came home this evening to do something proactive (no dinner to cook tonight as Mom and Dad are at a meeting – yeah!! I feel like a housewife coming home from work each night and starting to cook dinner straight away). I've cleaned my jewelry stands and vanity area which had worked itself into an abysmal mess… Don’t you think it looks pretty???

In other news, I just got an email from a friend I knew back in 2002 and after a heap of emails back and forwards discussing philosophy we got busy with reality and dropped out of contact – he’s been in Brisbane for the past 3 years working as a software engineer! How small the world is…

Out of Bounds

I'm fairly confident on computers... in fact... in most office environments I've been in, I'm the "go to person" for "HELP! How do I do this" type questions.

At the moment though, I feel like a school kid who's wondered into the "out of bounds" are of the play ground and suddenly realised there was a reason for it being restricted. For instance, my reading at the moment consists of the Joomla! User Manual, OneNote training docs, and the Inspiration User Manual... I'm learning a Content Management System and how to manage a website all in the name of being a P.A... that in addition to research and further learning of more programs... By the way - can anyone recommend to me a program that enables you to have multiple desktops on one monitor? (apparently the new mode of education is 8 display screens all running simultaneously).

It's just a big learning curve..

This week will be a busy one, aside from my job (which I really do enjoy!) I have dinner invitation on Wednesday (Evan's cooking!) heaps of cooking and housework, and a great weekend with the possibility of a surprise visit by Phil Phil :) Seems like weekend visits are the thing of the future - Nev and Viv are also here on Thursday (YEAH!!) - which reminds me, Thursday night is the launch of Emily's Voice in Toowoomba - if you're in town it would be great to see you there

Surprise!

Kimba's brought Liam and Maigen up today for a surprise visit from Canberra, and we went out tonight to Amigo's for Liam's Birthday.

John, Carly and Elena came, thus the photo displayed of Elena! Twas a great night and will be a wonderful surprise weekend... although, after a huge week for various reasons and very busy work days I'm praying for the energy to keep up.

Getting it Right

I was in a lingerie store this evening and overheard a conversation between a very ticked off girlfriend and a not so interested boyfriend... she was complaining that he didn't help her, and he was asking what she wanted his opinion for...

It made me think how often we miss the point. We do something for someone (or so we think) like this girl buying sexy underwear for her partner's pleasure, and yet the someone that we're trying to please just isn't that interested in what we're doing. (There may be a guy's perspective on this - it's just my feminine take on the situation.)

There's so many possible applications to this issue, but tonight, I'm too tired to put energy into the typing of them - but it is worth thinking on. Do we do what we do because that's how we feel loved, do we do what we do because that's what we think another wants, do we do what we do because that's what someone really appreciates, or, do we just do whatever the hell we want to do?

Copying Beethoven

I write this while lying in my bed, listening to the majestic orchestration of the Classic Composers. Beethoven, Brahms, Handle, Strauss, and Vivaldi echoing through the house as I close my eyes and listen to the wonder that their music evokes.

Beethoven believed that music was/is the language of God and it is nights like tonight which I agree with him (and Brahms who also believed that). To be carried away on the streams and currents contained in these pieces is one of the joys in life for me. I tend not to listen to CD's though because the quality is so substandard to hearing it live that I just don't enjoy it as much...

Tonight though is different. Mom and I watched Copying Beethoven, a movie staring Ed Harris, based very loosely on Beethoven's last years and ninth symphony... very little historically accurate from what I can gather, but simply outstanding musically. So tonight, I throw away my snobbish dislike for CD quality orchestral work and go to sleep listening to the language of God speaking to my soul.

(This blog was also of interest - Finding God through Billy Joel & Bud Light)

Absolute or Circumstantial?

I went to communion this evening at St Luke's for a refreshing change (and to be honest because I listened to an on-line sermon, watched 3 disks of Season 6 Gilmour Girls and hung out with mom instead of going to church this morning). Aside from the liturgy and readings, the sermon was not one I'd usually hear... in fact, I don't think I've ever heard a pastor say what the priest said tonight...

He said that there was no such thing as absolute sin. No black and white. Instead, sin is circumstantial. Yes, slightly more liberal teaching then my usual digs, in fact, slightly more liberal then my usual Communion Priest! Usually I get very solid teaching, tonight, I leave wondering what is going on???

He based the homily on the passage "Christ came that you might have life and live it abundantly" in comparison that "the devil comes to kill steal and destroy", so if you're living in life and having abundant fun it's all good - but if you're living in death (i.e. not fun) then you're living in sin. Part of it I agree with - yes, Christ does bring life, we are supposed to walk in harmony with people, and it is when relationships are living in lies, when there's not honesty in relationships (another of his points) that we're living in sin. But to go so far as to say there's no absolutes I completely disagree with.

Yes, circumstance does have a part to play in our society and justice system. Someone killing a rapist in self defense is one of them - the jury looks at the evidence and states the murder wasn't murder, although a life was taken. However, what about the rape? Is it ever right to rape someone? What circumstance would make that right?

Yes, Sin is Sin, my sin of lying in God's eyes is just as bad as adultery - we all have fallen short, and that's what Grace is about - he HAS forgiven us and we rejoice and live freely in that... but to say that there are no absolutes??

Yes, a bit of a rant tonight. Good news though - Jonno and Carly are back from the UK and brought back wonderful gifties - tins of tea and greek almond biscuits :)

*** oh - I must also add, the priest sounded like Mr Smith from the Matrix - how ironic is that!

What a Weekend!

And it's only just begun :)

On Thursday Barb and I shanghaied mom into coming down with us to BrisVegas to see Craig and Debbie on Friday. We decided to go down the night before so we didn't have to wake at a shockingly early hour to meet them at the airport.

I never thought I'd be asking the question "Barb, what side of the bed do you want?" but yes, it happened! The hotel mixed up our order and instead of giving us a King which could be split we got a Queen which couldn't be. Oh well, pillows down the middle make life possible :)

Seeing Debbie and Craig was great (photos will be up soon) and for those who haven't heard there's some great news about an engagement! Deb (my long time Beer Buddie) introduced me to another beer - Kilkenny.

After driving in the city and back I crashed last night, to have a long lie in this morning with the Gilmour Girls and I'm about to head off to the farm for a ride and some handling of the weanlings...

Photos will be up soon. By the way - if anyone in Toowoomba reads this, please remind me to keep trusting in God, that and praying, I'm busily being busy but blatantly belated in many tasks...

Oh - and where is my head? I was supposed to have a photo shoot this afternoon which I completely forgot about - I won it by entering in a competition at the Bindi Spot (a local Indian restaurant) and am annoyed I missed it - I feel like I never take nice photos and this was going to be a nice one! How vain I am...

oh and oh again, I'm so proud of myself, I didn't buy this amazing Bora dress in Brisbane, soft autumn pink silk, completely backless with a soft train - the perfect red carpet dress... I loved it and it loved me, but alas - no occasion and my budget said no. How good am I???

A new season?

I love Autumn.

I wake with a fresh sense of excitement about the day (well… I do if I’m not having a down day!), I sit on the porch and have breakfast with mom, then travel to work listening to my country music (I know a few people are cringing now!) and sit at my desk with the flowers outside and wish now and then that I could play hookie to go for a horse ride in the perfect weather.

Yesterday I got an email that was an answer to prayer. I have no idea if anything will happen, but just knowing what I now do has given me a sense of peace after a weekend of making myself crazily busy so I wouldn’t stay at home waiting for the phone to ring.
More than anything though, I don’t want to run ahead with my thoughts, daydream and live in fantasy. Instead, and this is my prayer, that I would glorify God with my whole being now and always… and continue to place my trust in him and not myself or other people. If my life is his, then I can trust him to guide me and guide others whose actions affect my life.

KFC, Baskin and Robin, and one great chick flick... the order for the evening

I like my job. In fact, there's a lot about my job I love. Today however was not such a great day. I felt pressured and stressed and just like slamming the door on everyone after telling them in awfully polite terms to do nothing other than "piss off if you please".

So, after going to the farm to feed the horses for my friend who's horribly sick, I've come home via some very unhealthy stops to watch The Wedding Date. I know I'll probably feel worse at the end of the evening, but for now I feel a whole heap better.

Few things beat comfy jamies when you want to curl up and forget about your day!

DOH! Dad has just come home.. change of plans with the movie but I'll survive - by the way - Have I posted yet that I have the best living arrangement? Mom and I decided this morning that I'd do the cooking and household shopping and she'll do all the laundry etc. and bathrooms! Oh I love a flexible lifestyle and amazing parents :)