It's not Wednesday but... I still sing!

Sorry for not posting sooner folks... I've been a little out of sorts this week (All that goes up, must come down.... sort of thing)  Added to that, the fact that I haven't had all that much time to spend online.  

It was my wonderful Mum's birthday on Monday, and the first we've been able to celebrate in her presence for three years!  It actually made it almost more difficult... no dispatching "interflora" this year... I had to choose a card.  I chose the one that made me smile the widest.  I think it went down well enough.  I was the only child who managed to give Mum a wrapped present too; so I think that earn't at least one brownie point!!  The card... and my "two bobs" about Mum in today's post will just be "I love you!"  Hopefully some new photos to come in the not too distant future....  Here's an "old" one:

Now, back to "song of the week"... The other reason I haven't been spending time online this week is because we "opened" up the storage that Mum & Dad (and then me) put away in 2006.  It was actually delivered to my sister's house on Mum's birthday... so I guess that could also be counted as a present??  I was a little disappointed to discover that I didn't put any boxes into storage... but then again, if I haven't needed it for the last 3 years... I can continue living without it, can't I?  (Most times my head says, rather resignedly I admit, yes - I can!  The heart is catching up....)

And so to the song I sang most heartily as we unpacked... (we were at my sister's place and she has an ipod deck... and mutiple ipod's as Mum & Dad each have one)  Mum requested The Seeker's (a huge Aussie band from the 60s) and I followed that up by requesting Michael Card's album Poiema.  I love most of the tracks on this album, it has a real celtic feel to it with the music as well.  Still, in thinking about the stuff we don't need... the following song spoke to me most clearly

"Things We Leave Behind"

There sits Simon, so foolishly wise
proudly he's tending his nets
Then Jesus calls, the boats drift away
and all that he owns he forgets
But more than the nets he abandoned that day,
he found that his pride was soon drifting away, and
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful of taking the tax,
and pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call, he responded in faith
and followed the Light and The Way
Leaving the people so puzzled he found,
the greed in his heart was no longer around and
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free,
from posessions that hold it so tight
'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own,
It's the power to do what is right
With Jesus, our only posession,
then giving becomes our delight, and
We can't imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives
by worshipping goods we posess
Jesus said "lay all your treasures aside, and
love God above all the rest
'Cause when we say 'no' to the things of the world
we open our hearts to the love of the Lord and
its hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind 

Oh, and it's hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

(If you want to hear this song... look it up on YouTube... there's a live version of Michael doing it for his "Scribbling in the Sand" project a few years back... enjoy!)

And just imagine the freedom you'd find... from the the things you leave behind...?

P.S. I'm off on family holidays from the 14th to the 31st... so I'm not sure if I'll get to post much in that time... if I don't, rest assured I'll make it up to you all after the 1st!

....on Job... or why "ignorance is bliss"

I'm not asleep... I'm watching the "Hottest 100 of all time 2009 top 50 video clips" on RAGE... keeping an eye on the Cricket, doing housework, chatting to friends on skype, texting, calling, leaving messages... 

all I really need is to talk to someone... so I've been avoiding talking to the only one who really hears all day!

Why?

So that gets me to thinking about Job, and suffering... again.  I do not like bad news, and along with much good stuff of late... there's definately been some bad stuff.  It's not that I can't get through it.. I even chose not to strangle the woman who (upon giving me bad news) remarked... "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" (If I could only tell you what HASN'T KILLED ME in the last 12 years, or so....) NOT HELPFUL, but thank you. :P

I want to be a child... angry, wingeing, crying, worrying, moping, wishing, dreaming, playing...

As an adult I know that most of the first things are conterproductive... but do I care? Not in the slightest.  I feel pain, and God is strong enough to handle this initial response of mine.  It's not new, we've been here before and I'm sure we'll come right back here again, and again...

Until I really learn the truth of 1 Peter 5:7 

I only know this verse because we sing it regularly in church!

Cast your burdens upon Jesus for he cares for you.

Still... when you think about it... Ignorance is bliss.... if I didn't know what I do... it wouldn't hurt nearly as much as it will!!!  And I come full circle again.... must be time for bed.

Please pray for my Dad, Mum, me and my family.  I want us to treasure these few weeks together for all they're worth... not worrying about what we cannot change... preparing ourselves well for what may come... but leaving the rest to our Father.  He's never failed me yet! (after all) <><

things don't always go to plan...

Why is it that when something is so eagerly anticipated, it doesn't quite meet your expectations?

Of course... in the world of Aussie Rules football, that shouldn't come as a surprise... but it was my first visit to see Geelong playing this week (and my parent's first in over 3 years!)... plus we hadn't lost to Carlton since 2004... well this week proved the exception!  Ah well, it was still great to be at the footy with my family, and  it was the first time I'd ever been into the "members' area" of the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)... but still, would have been better if the boys had played a decent match!

I also have a little apology... only three week's in and I've missed the song of the week...! Not to worry I've been sitting on this one for a few weeks, but decided to spread out the Christian and more secular music.  

A very good friend of mine allowed me to borrow a CD (in exchange for the tape that had been in high rotation in my car!).  It's an album by a little band called Paul Coleman Trio.  Many of the tracks spoke to me when I first heard the CD back in the early 2000s... so naturally I wanted to become reaquainted with them.  I'm fairly certain I've referred to this track in previous posts, and its just one of several good tunes on the album, but this is the one I always find myself coming back to... It's called "The Sun, the Stars, & the Moon"

Do you believe it’s true
It all depends on you?
If you were to fall down
We wouldn’t know what to do?

I’m a lonely soul
I’m a lonely soul
When I think I’m alone

I want to be the moon
‘Cause it reflects the sun
Don’t want to be the star
That shines on everyone
I want to be with you
‘Cause you’re the only one
Who heals my lonely soul

Have you ever got
Everything you want?
Well did you fake a grin
And feel you lost when you win?

I’m a lonely soul
I’m a lonely soul
When I think I’m alone

I want to be the moon
‘Cause it reflects the sun
Don’t want to be the star
That shines on everyone
I want to be with you
‘Cause you’re the only one
Who heals my lonely soul (repeat)

That bridge often returns to me on days when I'm feeling "lonely", and I remind myself that its probably my own fault that the phone hasn't rung... or I haven't received an e-mail....  I also have to remember that the ONLY one who has been, and will be available 24-7, anywhere, anytime, anyhow... is Jesus.  I've been blessed on many different occassions with a verse and/or story from the bible to remind and reassure, often to challenge my wrong thinking too!  More than once I've received a feeling, or a vision of my LORD with me... be that the Spirit, God my Father, or even Jesus.  Not quite as tangible as a hug, but the depth of the peace I've felt should be reminder enough that I only have to reach out to Him and he is there.

Ah.... but I'm a weak, and self-centered, creature... I long to touch, and feel the comfort that human contact brings.  It's so easy when meaningful human contact isn't around to feel that I'm alone, but that's a lie, and this song helps me to remember that.

SO.... even when things don't always go to plan... I remind myself that the week has sure ended well... 

• Special times with my family apleanty
• Yummy strawberries from Queensland that take me back to the Sunshine Coast
• Walking into a house that smells of my Mum's baking!
• Enjoying a live footy match (even when your team doesn't win)
• Finding discount new shoes to replace my really, really worn-out ones
• the fact that I'm not going to be woken up by piano lessons in the morning!

.... still, regardless of the last point, it is past my bed time... catch up again soon <><

P.S... please excuse excessive exclamations! :P

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Monday's musing...

I've had such a wonderful weekend...  but unfortunately that makes it difficult for me to settle down and rest on a Sunday night... in order to start the new week well.  I have a long history of Monday-itis!  It's not so bad at the moment as I don't have to go to work or school currently, so I can ease into my week rather than facing it head on... but I know this won't last!

Still it means that I have time this Monday to muse a little before getting on with my to-do list, so here we are :)

Why was my weekend wonderful?

The above picture was taken at my older brother's engagement party back in late 2004... and the only photo I could find of the seven of us in my collection!  This weekend we were all together again in Melbourne.  The first time since February 2006!

My sister and I picked Mum & Dad up from the airport on Saturday night... now I remember why I don't like airport greetings & farewells (the waiting and parking fees!), but they arrived safe and tired, but very, very happy... just as you'd expect.

The weekend continued with lots of smiles, hugs, a few tears, stories, good food, tours (of my sister's house... my new place tomorrow, and my brother's on Thursday night), walking, going to church... ah... so good to have all my family around me again!  I was even told off (by my little sister, not my parents), but I don't mind ;)

So, as usual my musing began with thankfulness.  Actually, only my bad days are absent of thankfulness... I would posit that's why they're bad!

But that's not why I'm posting today....

Before I went to sleep I started writing a short story, and when I woke up I wrote down a series of questions... mostly beginning with how and why (the two most interesting ones in my opinion).  Both the story and the questions could reasonably be bundled under one theme... and isn't God amazing?  My bible reading from Hebrews this morning also touched near the edge of the subject.

I've been thinking a lot... that's not unusual for me, but my thinking and dreaming has taken on an exciting edge for me this year.  You see... three years ago I lost hope for a while.  I don't know if you've ever had the experience of losing hope, but it is truly devastating.  Especially for a child such as myself who grew up knowing and loving God and the hope he gives us.  Because during this time I didn't lose faith, or love... just hope.

Now if you're familiar with Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, you will be familiar, as I am that three remain... faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.

So losing one's hope I would suggest is not as devastating as losing love... but any of the chord of three is sure to make life difficult.  There is also much documented about hope.. what it is, how you maintain it against all odds, how it can be taken away, why you can't lose it... etc, etc... I googled "lose hope" illuminating!  Perhaps I also didn't lose hope completely... though I would strongly suggest I came dangerously close... and the reason I'm writing about this now is because this year I've experienced the opposite.  Regaining my hope.  I guess I'm speaking of hope not just in my LORD, but the ability to see a situation as better than it actually is... or has the potential to be.  We all need to be able to remember the sunshine when it's gloomy... or we cannot stand the gloom.  Just as we know the sun will rise after a long, dark night.  

A storm briefly ripped through my suburb last night.  I remembered that my quilt cover is still on the washing line!  But I love listening to and watching storms when you're tucked safe inside your warm, safe home.... (the news just told me my suburb wasn't the worst hit!)

The picture to the right shows a little what it looked like... of course it was dark outside so I couldn't see all that much... but I could see the trees shaking and twisting and see and hear the rain whipping windows and ground... I could also smell it... bliss! 

Anyway... I've gone a little off topic again... I guess I just wanted to encourage us all... that these seasons come and go (I'm finishing off my 20s with gladness) but three remain... Faith, Hope and Love.  I'm so thankful and excited to have regained my full ability to hope.... stay tuned for what that will result in... (only God knows precisely at present!) :D