Approved

Well it's official... after months of looking and applying, WE HAVE A HOUSE! It's a 4 bedroom place with two living areas, dogs are fine, there's a vegie garden in the backyard, and it even backs onto a nature reserve - where Glen and I happened to have our first date. ;) It's so amazing!!!

We're signing the lease tomorrow, and can start moving in any time from then, so I'll grab some shots of it to upload soon. :)

"God is faithful to you
in little things
in big things
in all things."
-Ray Lessin

Simply Beautiful

As a teenage woman in today's society, I, like anyone, find the pull to the world rather strong. Makeup, jewelry, fashion - it's like a magnet. And often times it makes me feel so left out, so different, so strange to be different. Sometimes it even makes me feel unattractive. But I'm reminded again and again that our adornment isn't to be outward, but inward. If our inward adornment comes first, then everyone will see something different about us. I hope for any of my sisters that struggle with these same problems this song will be an inspiration.

~Simply Beautiful~

Sittin’ in a crowd, the silence is so loud
The difference can’t be explained
The girls in their array keep on staring my way
And silently I sit in pain
But then I hear a voice calling me and say
You’re beautiful in every way

Chorus
You’re beautiful, simply beautiful
The twinkle in your eyes lights a million hearts each night
You’re beautiful, simply beautiful
Without the world’s array you live pure in God’s way
And that makes you beautiful

Sitting in a church the heart inside me hurts
With everything I’ve got I kneel and pray
“Lord You see in me, the sins that no one sees
How do I get through each day?”
But then I hear His voice calling me and say
I will strengthen you in every way

(Repeat Chorus)

And finally comes the day I’m dressed in my array
I’m waiting inside my room
Anticipation builds, the nervousness I feel
As I’m waiting for my groom
And as I walk down the aisle I hear him say
“You’re beautiful to me in every way”

(Repeat Chorus)

My lifesaver

I have to share this story... It happened to me yesterday while camping, and I'm not sure if I'll ever forget it... I hope you receive the same spiritual lesson from it as I did.

For anyone not familiar with recent weather patterns, it's been raining a rather large amount in our area lately, more than enough for the creek water to be up when we went camping this weekend. It was beauty to our eyes, and only one thing on our minds - white water rafting! The boys tested the smaller rapids on Thursday as I cooked up dinner - it was a little too cold for me this afternoon, and probably good, as the water was a little dangerous. But with the following morning came a foot or two less water. So, being a bit safer but still fun, I gladly followed the boys in the truck to our destination. Loads of fun, and well worth the chillingly cold water that made it impossible to feel any limbs upon return to land.

So, after so much fun two days previous, we decided to try again, and still further upstream - say a good two hours "float" from camp. As we make our decent from the bridge into water, we realise that just up ahead is a huge log across the water leaving little gap to float underneath. Wayne and Joe take the lead, with Ashlyn close behind, and Glen and myself taking the rear. Everyone gets under fine, then I reach the log. With a split second, I crash into it, flip backwards, struggle for a quick breath, and am pushed under. I emerge the other side of the log, a little shaken up, but nothing much to worry about. I jump back on, and we're off and racing again.

We continue on for another 20 minutes or so, until we reach another rapids - seemingly the same as the last few we've gone through. But as we enter it, Ashlyn is pushed to the right, slammed into a large branch, and flipped off her tube - still managing to continue down safely without it. However, without any time to stop, I too am slammed into the branch, flipped over, and pushed under water. Sadly, I'm not as lucky to continue without my tube safely. Having been pushed backwards and flipped over, I continue to do summersaults through the waist deep water, hitting each rock and branch as I go. Barely able to catch some breath, I scream for help, but what can they do? Even I can't get myself upright...

I honestly can't remember how I stopped myself - perhaps I didn't. After tumbling a few times, the next thing I remember is standing up and holding onto a huge log, Glen floating passed me. Thinking my help is gone, I start feeling terrified. But, with determination, he stands, turns, and _walks through the rapids back to me_. I can barely stand, and wonder how he can walk. He walks behind me, breaking the current for me to be able to slowly get to the bank. There I sit, shake, and cry. I'd never been so terrified. The feeling of being pushed through rushing water, with absolutely no control, and struggling to grab some breath - I just can't write it.

Wayne and Joe make their way back through the bush to find us still sitting on the bank. Convincing me that the quickest way back to camp is through the water, I slowly climb back in the tube, trusting that Glen has control of it. With Wayne leading the safe way down, I kick off and follow, hardly daring to look where I go. Glen follows close behind, while losing air from his own tube. It's not long before he has to share mine, as we hobble home through the water.

With fear of being pulled backwards, I nearly screamed as Glen tried to jump on the back of it. So for my safety, he simply held on to the back, which meant he exposed the lower half of his body to the dangerous rocks as we travelled through the rapids. It seemed he came out with more bruises and bumps than I did.

What seemed an eternity later, we came to another spot with a huge log, but no room to go under it. To get through, you would have to stop at the log, climb over, and keep going, all through terribly fast moving water. Too terrified to face it, I begged Glen to walk me around the bank through this spot, which he agreed to. However, we stopped and waited to watch the others go down. Wayne went down first, slammed into the log, and went under. I literally started crying as I saw him finally emerge, bleeding from his head. I felt like I was in a nightmare - though, I'm sure my fear made things feel a million times worse than it truly was. We made our way to the bank, and to what felt like peaceful safety.

Fastforwarding through more water, we eventually got off near camp, and walked home. I asked Glen to finish the trip with the guys, and I would walk home. Still he wouldn't leave my side, always walking in front of me to make sure of my safety. I'd never felt so terrified in my life as when I was in that water, but never so safe as when Glen was leading me. Walking back, I started thinking of the events that had happened, and the Spiritual significance...

Life can be likened to the water. It has its calms and its rapids, its deeps and its shallows, its wides and its narrows. At some point in our lives, we come to a "rapid". This can hold temptation, trial, sorrow, or anything that tears us from God. We fight against it, but it's useless, the pull is too strong, and eventually it takes us with it in whatever direction it chooses. We fall off our raft of safety and into the cold dark waters. We stumble and tumble, we trip and we fall, and often will hit against the many rocks life throws on our path. These are our mistakes, our shortcomings. Somehow, we manage to stand for just enough time to call for help. Thinking our last hope has just floated away, we despair and think all is lost. But, Christ leaves His comfortable place in heaven, His safety, and comes to where we are. He walks the distance we can't, and breaks the tide for us so we can walk to safety. He walks the path before us, and bears the pain to lessen ours. We make it to the bank, and realise our weakness, and cry. We see the bruises in our flesh, and the pain in our hearts, and fear going any further. But He whispers "it's the only way to safety." Pulling together our broken pieces, and trying once again, we make it down slowly, limping home, back to where we should never have left. But this time, we're not alone. Every step of the way He's right there leading us. He's the One behind and before, taking all the bangs, all the pain, all the bruises. He bore the pain so we don't have to. He never leaves our side, not even for a moment, cause His first priority is our safety, no matter the cost. He doesn't let go until we're home safely, and even then, He still bears the marks that remind us both of what we've gone through together.

It seems like our hearts are broken, just as, right now, my body is bruised and sore. But what we never realise is how much Christ took for us, and the pain He bore to keep us safe and afloat. If only I realised more what both my earthly, and heavenly guardians bear for me - I'd probably complain much less.

It mightn't seem like much, but to me it felt like life and death - and a lesson I'll never forget.

Rope

Glen was watching a doco last night while I was on the computer... I wasn't paying much attention to it, but suddenly got a little interested when they tested different "ropes".

One girl made a rope purely from hair, braided together. She would interlock the next lot of hair with the previous, and thus made it long enough to climb down a building.

Another guy made a rope purely of toilet paper! Toilet paper, the weakest possible thing to create a "rope" from. He did the same process of braiding and interlocking.

Would this ever work? Well, they tested both ropes by climbing down this building with them, and both worked! They supported the weight of the person relying on them, and didn't break under the strain, even though all odds seemed against them.

I was thinking about the Spiritual lesson in this. Always thinking of a rope as our faith, I got to thinking how some of us have the least faith, the smallest hope, the weakest rope.. but as long as that rope is anchored in Christ, it doesn't matter how weak it appears to be, it won't break under the pressure. Some of us have true ropes, made from the strongest of materials - perhaps these of us are the ones who have faced trials and tribulations and come through the better. Others are made of 'hair', a fairly strong substance, but never imagined for such a task. These are those of us who have silent faith, never seen to anyone - a silent strength built for the task. And some of us have 'paper' ropes - the ones who have faced trial, and fallen. The ones who have backsliden, who seem to have nothing left. But yet, when faced with the challenge, meet it with every strength they have, and come through the victor.

Never judge a person by their faith. They may seem hopeless, lost, and wavering in their beliefs. They may be ready to throw everything in, and feel they've lost it all. But if they give it one last try, you might just be surprised. Perhaps, even, that person is you?

These walls won't hold much longer

Ok, so I'm feeling pretty low tonight ... so, here's a really positive poem - might make me feel a bit more confident? ^_^

These walls won't hold much longer

These walls won't hold much longer
For soon I will break free
No longer will you see my image
But you'll see Christ through me

These prison bars contain no threat
I have full con-fi-dence
For there is living fire inside
God's given another chance

The roof, its just not high enough
To contain me when I soar
For I have set my goal at heaven
And nothing less or more

The world, its just not big enough
To contain my joy inside
I've finally found a friend at last
A Rock in which to hide

The ocean's just not deep enough
To express the greatest worth
Of treasures God has given me
Far greater than that of earth

For now I wait in patience
Until my lesson's learnt
Until God says I'm ready
And my reward I've earnt

But soon I'll show the world
Of all He's given me
These walls won't hold much longer
For soon I will break free

Thai Vegie Stir-fry

Due to popular request, here's my recipe for Thai stir-fry ... if you do it right, it tastes quite authentic.

Serves 4-5

Vegies:
1-2 broccoli heads, cut into small flowerets
2-3 carrots, julienned
½ bunch shallots cut into 2 inch strips
Dozen beans, headed + tailed, cut into 2 inch strips
Dozen snow peas, headed, tailed + stringed
2 medium onions, halved and sliced into ½ cm thickness
1 large red capsicum, julienned
4-5 mushrooms, quartered
¼ sugarloaf cabbage, cut into large chunks
400-500gms hard stir-fry tofu, cubed, fried

Flavourings:
Dark soy sauce
Chilli relish (Asian section of supermarket)
Sesame oil
“Thai Basil and Garlic stir fry sauce”
Water
Granulated garlic
Fresh basil leaves
Cashew nuts
Fresh chopped chilli (optional)

In a large wok or frying pan, heat a little oil on highest temp. setting until nearly smoking. Take ¼ of all vegies and add to fry pan, except for mushrooms and tofu. Keep stirring vegies while adding a small amount of dark soy, a few drops of sesame oil, 1 t chilli relish, 1 t basil stir-fry paste, granulated garlic to taste, and a small amount of water. Cook and stir until vegies look fairly cooked, and add tofu, mushrooms, cashew nuts, basil leaves, and fresh chilli. Stir through, and serve immediately.

Top with fresh bean sprouts, and serve with jasmine rice or rice noodles.

Repeat process for remaining ¾ of ingredients.

"Stand your ground, you're being tried"

Are problems closing all around
And heartache heard in every sound?
Do you wish for peace but all breaks loose?
Is the world closing in, around on you?

There's no escape, you think thats it
Your entire world just falls to bits
But from the distance you hear a cry
“Stand your ground, you're being tried”

Are battle scars now deeply set?
Your rivers of tears make all things wet?
The sun is setting on the battle field
You feel you've lost and ready to yield

Commander not found, but He is there
You offer up one final prayer
And from the distance you hear the reply
“Stand your ground, you're being tried”

Your family is all but fallen apart
And with each fight it tears your heart
There seems no reconciliation here
As you shed another silent tear

The very last friend you seem to own
Has now left you to suffer a broken home
But from the distance you hear the cry
“Stand your ground, you're being tried”

With childhood gone you face the teens
And life is closing in it seems
Confusion is beginning to set on in
What's happened to where your life begins?

But growing, you're learning the lesson here
It won't be long, so have no fear
You're only young and facing life
So “stand your ground, you're being tried”

Ill health has come to ail you
The sky is gray, no longer blue
Why would God have permitted this?
Its just unfair, thats all it is

You wish to die, as it seems the way
To end your suffering of present day
But death is only what fools would try
You must “stand your ground, you're being tried”

This life is trying, and full of pain
There comes a new trial with each new day
But tears of joy will flow as much
As tears of pain, sorrow, and such

There's beauty in flowers, and not just thorns
Your heart may be healed, where once it was torn
Life's burden is heavy, I can't deny
But “stand your ground, you're being tried”

When life is nearing its final end
Don't be sad and gloomy friend
There's much more left after setting sun
Your life in God has just begun

Stay firm and true until the day
The saints are raised from earthly graves
See the present as temporary life
“Stand your ground, you're being tried”

Whenever you feel like giving in
To sorrow, temptation, or some loved sin
Don't give up, there's another day
Fall to your knees, my friend, and pray

“Lord, I'm sick of all my woes
Trial follows where ever I go
But all my needs You have supplied,
So I'll stand my ground, I'm being tried

-Lucinda Ramsay