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Home Making and car maintenance

Last week I read Jonny's post on the book Home Making which was followed with a post titled The Wedded Life containing many quotes from the book. I noted that it included some thoughts for those considering whether or not to get married.

As a result of reading Jonny's posts I was reminded that I posess a copy of Home Making. I decided to take it with me when I visited Dave, as I wanted to see what he thought of it.

I decided to read it to him while he changed the oil in his car, which seemed apt considering one of Jonny's pearls of advice which was backed up by a quote from Home Making:

For those wives that have no interest in motorsport, or never come to the back shed when asked: "No marriage is complete which does not unite and blend the wedded lives at every point. This can be secured only by making every interest common to both. Let both hearts throb with the same joy and share each pang of sorrow."

It was a very funny experience, reading a book filled with flowery language while my boyfriend worked under his car. He periodically assured me that he was listening, as he walked back and forth to collect things he needed.

Dave lives in a flat at the house of our mutual friends the Downes family. The comedy of our evening was added too when the husband and two sons of this family arrived outside the flat bearing a couch. They were on the way to the shed, but paused for a few moments to place the couch down under a tree and listen to Home Making.

You probably had to be there to find this funny, but I still had to share the way blogging remined me of a book and then made my life much funnier last week!

It turned out that Home Making does not contain much that is directly addressed to those considering marriage. The central advice was to give it serious thought before committing to marriage. The author also advised that those who were not ready to die to self were not ready to marry.

I do recommend the book, and I hope to post more about it in future. It reinforces the fact that love is expressed in many actions, seemingly small, needs to be worked at in all relationships in the home.

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Loving the church

Today I enjoyed reading two posts that are an encouragement to love God's people more.

In last week's Thursday of Thankfulness post, Lydia wrote about being grateful for church leaders and praying for them often.

Susan wrote about putting on grace tinted spectacles as we look at other Christians.

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Greed and simplicity

Last week I read several blog posts related to money and lifestyle that I have been thinking about. Phil's wrote about those who will not inherit the kingdom. He shares a few thoughts on a passage that states that those who are guilty of various sins, including greed, will not inherit God's kingdom. I assume this is limited to those who continue in these sins unrepentantly.

Reading this made me think again about how I find greed difficult to define. Is it wanting more than we have or more than we need? Is it a willingnes to take money from the poor and oppress others in order to do so? Is it an excessive focus on money? If we are to discern who is part of the kingdom and who is not, we need to be able to accurately discern the habits and attitudes that indicate greed.

I am inclined to think that greed is an excessive focus on money and things, a constant emphasis on having more. It is fine to want things, even things we don't need. It is part of being human to love creativity and beauty. Things that are beautiful but not necessary for survival, like my nativity scene, are an expression of this God-given aspect of our humanity. However, all our desires for such things must be put in their proper place. I knew I wanted a nativity scene, but I did not make it the focus of my life and feel constantly grumpy because I didn't have one!

I enjoyed Beth's recent post on money too, Living Richly. Beth asks the questions: "Is it okay to be a Christian and be wealthy? Or is this just a modern American idea, where materialism has wrongly been infused into the Christian culture?" Beth presents a balanced approach to this issue, explaining the dangers of wealth as well as the fact that it is not wrong to be wealthy.

I also enjoyed following the links Ashley provided on her post on The Simple Life. When I have time to read more, I want to learn more about living simply. I especially enjoyed Sallie's article Simplifying Choices. Sallie begins her article with these thoughts: "When someone becomes convinced that they need to simplify their life, it can be overwhelming. There are usually a lot of areas out of whack whether they be financial, time commitments, relationships, work requirements, material possessions, etc. In each of these areas you have to do some serious evaluating. More of what? Less of what? What comes first? What can wait? How do I do this without driving myself and my family crazy? " Sallie encourages readers to consider what glorifies God, what fits with their family, and what will enable them to fulfill God's best for their lives.

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The desires of our hearts

This Thursday I'd like to express thankfulness that we serve a God who delights in giving us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37). Yesterday my friend Felicity came to visit, bearing a gift! When I opened it I was amazed at her generosity . . . and amazed that I had received just what I wanted. I have been thinking that it would be lovely to have a nativity scene, and had expressed this to several friends while Felicity was away for a few weeks in New Zealand. Little did I know that Felicity had bought me this lovely nativity scene while she was there!


I kept looking at it thinking "I can't believe she got me that! Wow!". I realise this heart's desire of mine was, in the larger picture, a small one! However, I also know that God is sovereign over even these small details of my life. This glimpse of his kindness, given to me through the kindness of a good friend, reminded me that he does give us the desires of our hearts . . . sometimes in the little things as well as the big ones!

I know that God does not always give us what we want, and I have written a lot about this in my posts about suffering. However, I also need to remember that he often does give us what we desire and even more than we asked for. No matter what is happening, we can take comfort in his sovereign care. All things, even the small ones, are under his control. Therefore it is to him we can cry out for assistance in our trials, small and large, because he can offer real help. It is also our Good Shepherd who deserves thanks when we receive the small desires of our hearts.

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Happy engagement

On Friday I was excited to be able to attend Mike and Christine's engagement BBQ. It felt surreal to meet Christine, much talked about on blogs and away from them, in person. I can tell you she is really real. Others were also interested in the Mike and Christine story . . .


I also saw another important blogger at the BBQ as well. There seemed to be lots of bloggers there. Christine told me that someone asked her seriously if non-bloggers were allowed to attend! Here is John . . .


I caught him just as he saw me and exclaimed "Sherrin!". I like this picture! I figured that since John never puts pictures of himself on his blog I'd better take it upon myself to let you know what he looks like! John told me that Jessie said "hello". This temporarily threw me. "What! Where did you see her!". I was brought down to earth when he told me she said this via a comment on a blog. "Oh, that is OK!" John is also coming for dinner tomorrow night, along with some of the unusual games he featured on his blog earlier this year. Our paths also crossed yesterday when we indulged our mutual interest in civil war history by watching a 1 and a half hour documentary, along with John's brother, at the house of an elder of one of the Presbyterian churches in Hobart. I felt that I must be a very odd girl to be sitting there watching war documentaries with three men, but moving back to the point of this post . . .

Since I thought some jealous people might dispute the fact that I have met Christine, I made sure I asked for a picture with her. I felt like a dwarf when I looked at myself next to her! Christine seems like a great lady, and I look forward to getting to know her more in future.

Dave kindly accompanied me to this very blogger-filled occasion, and stayed around for many blog-filled conversations, even though he is not quite so enthusiastic about blogs as I am! He is happy for Mike and Christine, even though they did meet through blogs.

Others have also written about this important occasion on their blogs: see Jonny and Mike.

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South Africa, here I come!

This time in three weeks I will be in South Africa. I am excited about being able to go and visit Dave's country, and his family and friends. We will be away for two weeks, leaving Australia on the 4th of January. I don't know how much blogging I'll be getting done during our time away, if any.

Africa is one of those places I have dreamed about visiting in the most-far-fetched dreams category! As a single woman, it would be very unwise for me to visit Africa on my own due to the many dangers there. I also never imagined, before I met Dave, that I'd do something like this with my "boyfriend". To my mind it would have bordered on inappropriate.

So it is with some surprise, and lots of excitement, that I find myself booked on a plane to Africa on the 4th. As I have mentioned in my post Officially unsingle, Dave and I see the object of our relationship as considering whether or not we will get married. It is now over ten weeks since we started out on this journey, and that is still the aim!

In considering marriage, we both feel that it is important for me to be able to see Dave's country and meet his family and friends. Dave does not plan to move back to South Africa, as the country has many problems related to unwise governance and crime. He also loves Australia, and Tasmania particularly. However, it is still his country and who knows what will happen in future! He may well end up back there. I need to consider whether it is a place I could live if that did come about.

We feel very blessed to be able to make this trip at this early stage of our relationship. We will be staying with Dave's friends for most of our time there. I am looking forward to experiencing Africa, and meeting those who supported and loved Dave long before I ever met him. It will be good for Dave to be able to introduce me to the people who are important in his life, as so far in our relationship it has almost entirely been a matter of me introducing Dave to my family and friends.

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Thankful for beginnings and endings

Yesterday was my last day teaching the ABCs class at the Christian school where I have worked this year. I have thankfully succeeded in teaching all four of my charges to read simple books, write every letter of the alphabet, and stand in lines. I will leave it up to the next teacher to help them perfect the art of leaving spaces between words and bringing in their posessions from the playground when the bell goes. I tried this year, but I am sorry to say that much improvement in some students' behaviour is still required.

The last day of school also happened to be my fortnightly day to take staff devotions. Here are some of the points I shared.

~

Christ is the one who "opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens" (Rev. 3:7). He is also the beginning and the end. He has existed since before the world came into being, and he will still be there when it is gone. It is a comfort to know that God controls all beginnings and endings. Sometimes things being wonderfully and end in ways we do not desire, and that hurt us deeply. At other times we begin something that seems hard and it turns out to be a huge blessing. We cannot tell what our beginnings and endings will be. We do not know what will come to us in the next year, but we do know the one who controls what will happen. It is comforting and confidence building to consider the unchanging character of God. He controls all for our good and His glory. As John 3:30 says, "He must increase, but I must decrease".

~

During staff devotions we also prayed, as we always do. This has been a constant point of encouragement to me this year, as we come before God together and place our confidence in him.

Yesterday morning we also had a party for all the primary school children. Before we ate each person in the room shared something they were thankful for about the year. It was nice that so many of them were thankful for their teachers :). I shared that I was thankful for my year at the school, for the blessing of knowing the children and staff, and for the memories I will carry away with me. I am thankful for many specific things I didn't mention: the hand of a child holding mine as we walk around the oval, seeing the children grow in their understanding of the gospel and of God, learning about how to teach, having my own classroom to put up displays in, making friends, and growing flowers in the courtyard outside. I see the job as an answered prayer. Even the courage to take the job came from God, I believe. I have not had much confidence in my ability to work since I had some very bad experiences with my back pain in previous jobs. It has been wonderful to realise that there are some jobs that are manageable for me. The staff have been extremely considerate of my difficulties as well.

However, as I complete this year I am also grateful that my time working at the school has come to an end. At times it has been difficult to keep on going with a lot of back and leg pain. It has also been challenging to board away from home in a place that is not really my "home". It is someone else's home, with someone else's things. While I am very grateful for the kindness of the lady who allowed me to live there, and I see her kindness as an answered prayer, I would not like to live in similar circumstances again. Due to the fact that my "home" was two and a half hours away from my work this year, I often made the two and a half hour bus ride back home to visit my family and friends. This was a constant strain of packing and unpacking and effectively living in two places. It will be lovely to be able to avoid that next year! I might even be able to put my suitcase away in the cupboard, rather than having it constantly reside on the floor of whichever room I am staying in at the time.

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Esther's birthday party

I have found that Lydia's Thursdays of Thankfulness initiative has helped me to focus more upon being thankful. This week I can think of lots and lots of things to share, but I will not have time for all of them. I am very thankful for a happy time at my niece Esther's birthday party on December 2. Esther turned three. It was fun to watch her enjoying herself. What more could any little girl want than a grandma and a mummy to sing, a daddy to pray, and two new brothers to cuddle, and a dog cake, . . .


What more could Aunty Sherrin want than two baby boys to cuddle at once, and a little girl to grab my knee, and . . .


a boyfriend who likes holding babies.

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Do not worry

This week I feel thankful for God's care. I have recently been thinking about this a lot. It is amazing that the God of the universe cares about our tiny worries and gives us the answers to them. God's care is one of the basic facts of the Christian faith, and yet often I fail to grasp the wonder and reality of it.

Matthew 12 was one of the passages in my Bible reading plan recently. I was blessed as I read these familiar verses. God tells us that we should not worry about anything, because God cares even for the lilies and the birds and he will also provide for us.

25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

God cares about our anxious minds, and he gives us the answer to them. Trust me, he reminds us! God has commanded us not to allow the heaviness of cares to oppress us, because he carries our cares for us. The burdens he gives us are light. If we are carrying heavy burdens they are not from him. They are usually a result of our sinful lack of trut in him.

Trusting in God and forsaking anxiety is part of being humble. C.J. Mahaney points out in Humility: True Greatness that in 1 Peter 5:6-7, God first tells us to be humble and then teaches us how: "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." C.J. argues that if we are truly humble we will be "genuinely care free" even in the midst of our responsibilities.

"Where there's worry, where there's anxiousness, pride is at the root of it. When I am experiencing anxiety, the root issue is that I'm trying to be self-sufficient."

I am deeply grateful to serve a God who cares. He cares to address the damage to our lives that worry brings. I am happy that he teaches us that while worry is both useless and sinful, there is something effective we can do instead. We can pray. The Bible repeats many times that God loves to answer prayer. When I worry instead of praying, I am expressing distrust in God through my actions. It is a blessing to be reminded through God's word that I can trust him.

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Mike and Christine forever

I am thrilled that my friend Mike's experiment in internet dating has worked out extremely successfully! Mike went to the USA in November to meet Christine, and they are now engaged! He was so sure about the relationship that he proposed three days after arriving in the USA. As I mentioned in this post, I had some misgivings about their relationship. However, I am now delighted that God is working in their lives to make them both so happy! Last week at church I plied Mike with nosy questions, and he obligingly answered all of them! How did you propose? Did you feel like you were going to fall over when you met her? . . .

Now Christine is coming to visit Tasmania, in just a few days! I am very excited about meeting her. She will be the first person I will meet in "real life" whom I have previously only known through blogging. Today I enjoyed reading Christine's story of her time with Mike in the USA. I appreciated the fact that both Christine and Mike sought her parent's approval to marry.

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Cake making


On the weekend I made a cake for my niece Esther's third birthday. I enjoyed the experience of doing something new, as I have never made child's birthday cake before. In this picture, the dog is in the process of being created. If I get my wish of being a Mum, I may someday be an expert at making such things! Esther found the dog cake very funny, and enjoyed it a lot. Dog cake, ha, ha, ha, ha. Her Daddy took the head to work to share with his workmates, and Esther was complaining that Daddy "took dog's nose to work".

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Blogging in 3D?

In last Monday's The Australian I was interested to read the article "Internet giants take on battle for Earth in 3D" (November 27, 2006, page 3). It explained how "Two internet giants have embarked on a race to become the first 3D cartographers of the world".

"As the rival schemes develop, buildings will become interactive, enabling users to virtually enter them, obtain information, buy goods inside and talk to other cyber visitors. Eventually, landscapes could be included."

"The move may bring about a transformation in how people use the internet. Instead of relying on traditional search engines, in which they enter words into boxes on screen, users would be able to navigate the world using a virtual replica."

This made me wonder about the future of blogging. Will we one day virtually enter one anothers houses and wander around having a chat?

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Submission and the Fall

Many issues related to the role of women were raised in the comments section of my Strong women post. My comments in response were not comprehensive, due to time constraints. I wrote that I would at some point write more extensively on these topics in blog posts. This could take me a long time, as time constraints on writing are still a reality! Right now I want to refer you to a good article on the fact that God's order in male and female relationships was instituted even before the fall. In the post
"Submission - Does It Precede The Fall?" Tim Challies explains this point: "the fact that women are to submit to their husbands is not merely the product of the Fall of the human race into sin, but is a product of God's creation. Even if sin had never entered the world, a wife would still be expected to submit to her husband." I think he demonstrates this point well, summarising the points from Wayne Grudem's book "Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth".

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