You haven't changed!

I dislike it when close (and not so close) friends/ family try to tell me that I haven't changed

"You haven't changed since high school" says one of my friends. I tolerate this statement, as it is meant to be a compliment, but I certainly don't like it!

It ticks me off, because I HAVE changed since high school. I am more mature, smarter, wiser, a better decision maker and I'm married. My changes aren't all positive either; I've put on weight, my health is declining, and I'm more self concious. 

Without change, we would be so boring. Maybe on the outside I seem mostly the same, but I'm not, and neither are you. I would hope that every day we are learning and changing, hopefully for the better. 

I much prefer it when my parents friends or distant relatives, (whom I don't remember because I was too young) pinch my cheeks and say "My how you've grown". It may sound weird, but it feels good that someone can see change in me. My grade two teacher was one of my favourites; she gets sentimental every time I see her at school fetes, or out and about. She always reminds me how far I've come since grade two, and it feels great. 

In five years time, I would like to have achieved my goal of becoming a counsellor. I want to have a home, and a child. I want to make a difference in the world. Most of all, I want a stronger, deeper, relationship with Jesus.

Change is good.

What should we do about it?

The world is deadly. It brings you down from highs, and down lower from lows. Wars have existed almost from the beginning of time. Innocent people are suffering because of war. Mental illnesses exist, disabilities exist. Cancer seems more real now than ever. The list of horrors seem to be eternal.

Right now, I feel like unless I do something drastic, I may as well curl up into a ball and sit in a corner, rocking back and forth, watching people go about their messy lives. My existence seems so unimportant when I'm doing nothing, but how can I do anything? Why would I be able to do anything? I want to help but how? 

In 2012 I was handed my first prescription for anti depressants. I was both terrified and relieved. I felt like I was admitting defeat, by taking this medicine. I was relieved, however, because I knew that now I would be better. My anxiety could no longer haunt me, and I could have a fresh start. It took about a week (after beginning the trial of anti-depressants) for my brain to start functioning better. I was thinking more clearly, and my frightening thoughts were fading. After 6 months or so, I went on full dose, to ensure my security.

I prayed for an answer to anxiety, and I got it.... tiny little tablets that take no effort to swallow. Anti-depressants. Hope. 

I look back on times where I was at my lowest, and see now that God brought me through it. He lifted me from the miry clay. The greatest hope I have is in Jesus, because of his ultimate sacrifice. He wants to use us, and we should want to be used by him. 

How could I ever repay him? I guess the answer to that is, I can't. I can't repay him fully, but I have been called (as have you), to do the best I can do to spread his love. 

It would be pitiful of me, knowing of his unconditional love, not to spread it. Lazy. 

But how? Pray that instead of being ankle deep, knee deep, or waist deep, that you will be emerged in Jesus. Be what he called you to be! Ask him for help. Listen. 

We can't just sit here and do nothing. 

"IT IS FINISHED" -Jesus 

Are you for real?

This is a photo that has been going around for months on Facebook, and I feel sorry for those who agree with it. Do we really want to go back to the dark ages? Would you really get pleasure out of watching a man die right in front of you? 

I have this scenario in my mind:

 Public hangings have been brought back. Daniel Morcombe's killer has been caught, the court trial is over, the jury has spoken, and he has been sentenced to public hanging. It is the day of the hanging, and the story has been all over the news. Everyone is angry at this man, and the media have turned his story into a drama. The news cameras get the best spot at the hanging, so that they can film it. Everyone in the crowd has their iPhone out, ready to take pictures and upload them to Facebook. The hanging is now over, and the crowd cheers. Everyone leaves and goes home to check out all the photos and comments on Facebook. The news plays the story over and over again, and probably holds a two hour edition, dedicated to Daniel. Children are watching the news, watching the public hanging, with confusement on their faces. Photos of a dead man, are all over the internet, these photos are all you will see until the story does down and gets boring.

The results of all this taking place....

Confused, and scared vulnerable children. Children believing that bad people always deserve death. 

Imaginations wondering, and nightmares brewing. 

People who have lost loved ones recently, seeing images of this dead man, reminding them of their own pain. 

If I haven't made my point clear enough, I'm sorry, I'm no creative writer. I will try my best to help you understand where I am coming from.....

Are children not exposed to enough on the media and internet already? Their innocence is painfully being corrupted. Until 9/11 I didn't know what the world was like (I was 10 years old),  and it scared me to the point of nightmares and fears of aeroplanes. I'm not saying that all children would react in fear to public hangings, just that there are children who definately would. I envision mental issues rising, from young and old. 

I believe public hangings would bring up way too many problems. The thought of it makes me shiver. 

If you disagree, please argue.... I want to know your thoughts. 

Ok, I get it...

Ok, I get it. Atheists hate things being shoved in their faces. Yup. 

However I find the image below rather hypocritical, and I would like to explain why.....

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the people who call themselves Christians, when they really don't have a clue. The type of Christians with an immature faith, who try to force theology on you, without knowing what they are talking about. I'm sorry. When I was a teenager, I was just like that. I now have a more mature faith, and understand how many people I mislead. Please understand though, that we Christians are sinners, just like everyone else, we need to be forgiven too. 

Secondly I feel like I need to explain that Mormans, and JW's are usually the ones knocking on doors, and giving you pamphlets. Too be honest, although their faith is mixed up, I'm jealous that they have the guts to knock on your door. It isn't easy you know, professing your faith to a complete stranger, not knowing how they will react. So hats up to them for trying. 

Having said this, I still find this image hypocritical. " Athiests, shoving nothing in your face". That is a lie. Athiests are always shoving things in peoples faces. Sure, they don't go knocking on doors, but that is because they don't need to. They teach evolution at school, at universities and collages. These teachers, I believe, are shoving their theory in your face. That, my atheist friends, is your faith. Simply because it is a theory. You have to have faith in this theory to believe it, just as Christians have faith in God. 

Another example: some Athiests like to get into a fight with Christians, before the christian has said anything. Sometimes, all they have to know is that someone is a christian, and they start asking questions, and "proving" that christian wrong. Tell me, how is that not shoving information into faces?

Rant over.

No arguments

Rob and I have been together for 5 years and 9 months. We were engaged for two and a half years before we tied the knot. We have been married for a month and a half now. 

Both Rob and I started out as two very different people. The more we got to know eachother, the more we realised the differences. He is into video games, which is his way of venting and spending time alone. When we first got together, I found myself angry that he liked video games, simply because I didn't like them. I was (actually still am) into Disney, Cookie Monster, and wombats. I was trying my hardest to be unique and lovable. I was obsessed with boys, and Rob was available to "claim" as mine. I didn't realise until later that for him to be mine, I had to also be his. As the months flew by, I was growing up, and he was relaxing more, and understanding that a 17 year old was entitled to obsess over Cookie Monster. He was more willing to spend time with me, and invest himself in my likes. I eventually took time to invest in his likes. The people we were back then, would be in shock of the people we are now. 

It wasn't just differences in hobbies and obsessions that we had to get used to. Very early into the relationship, I opened up to him. It was almost easy once I got started. Very soon he knew regrets of my past, and problems that had arisen in the present. I loved to tell him things that no one else knew. I loved that we shared secrets. We got quite deep at times, and I can tell you for sure that Rob knows more about me than anyone else (besides God). It naturally took him longer to share, but it didn't bother me too much.

Both of have made mistakes. I admit that I have definately made more mistakes than he has, and I think I will still always feel guilty about my horrible decision making skills (or lack there of). 

Let's just say that we have been through a lot together, and apart, but one thing that has always remained is our ability to forgive eachother, and learn from our mistakes. I give the credit to God for placing us together. Rob and I were meant to be, and everything has been and will continue to be in God's perfect timing. 

So, we are married now, and very happy. We live in the downstairs of my Grandma and Aunty's house. They have been generous in letting us stay here, and it is definately teaching us to be greatfull. We have a bedroom with enough room for a TV. We have a make shift (very small) kitchen, without a sink, which means we have to fill a tub with shower water and do the washing up that way, or we take all of the dishes upstairs to wash up in the proper sink. Both ways require effort, but work. We have a small bathroom with a shower and toilet, but again, we are managing. It is squishy and uncomfortable at times but rob and I are settled. We trust that God will provide Rob with a decent paying job and a larger house to live in, but for now we have been provided with more than enough. 

One thing that has surprised me about being married is our lack of arguing. I have snapped at him a few times, but only when I have been frustrated at something else. I take my frustration out on him occasionally but I quickly say sorry. Rob has rarely needed to say sorry. We don't argue, or let anything become too much. I know very well that there will be larger arguments down the track, but for now, we are very happy, and even when we argue I suspect we will grow stronger and deeper in love. The point is, God has blessed our relationship. I feel so comfortable around Rob, not awkward at all. We laugh with eachother, play, cry and vent with eachother. We share the load. 

To those of you in relationships, I suggest you trust Jesus. Commit your relationships to Him. Let him journey with you. Most of all don't worry. Don't let your expectations run your relationship. Jesus is your cornerstone and solid rock. Expect surprises. 

Xo 

Without grumbling

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:14-16 (niv) 

Monday is usually grummbling day, and every other day except the weekends... Actually I probably grumble on the weekends too. I think grumbling is something we all do in our day to day lives. It is so much easier to say "I don't want to go to work" than "Wooohoo, I'm going to work today!". It seems to be a trend, not wanting to work. No one really wants to be told what to do I guess. The more I think about this bible verse, the more guilty I feel. Then you get up to the bit about "shining like stars" and I wish it were easy to work. I want that, I want to shine like stars! 

Life isn't easy, it was meant to be easy... Until we kinda decided that it was much easier to disobey God, than to obey him. We got what was coming to us, a hard life, and it is up to us to make it easier I suppose. God has already done so much for us by giving us our second chance, Jesus. So why should we grumble and argue? I need to remind myself to toughen up. I'm working for God, because he has done more than enough for me. 

I hope this encourages you.

Xo

Evolve? Really?

 So I was scrolling down my timeline in Facebook, and one of my family members posted this...

 

There were several likes on this picture. I giggled at the image whilst rolling my eyes. I guess this  image would make an evolutionist think, but as a christian, I find this very silly.

This article has some theories as to why whales beach themselves, and they make sence.... 

www.whalefacts.org/why-do-whales-beach-themselves/

To say that whales beach themselves in order to evolve is crazy. See the little fish in the bottom right of the cartoon image? It looks wrong. For starters fish are cold blooded, they breathe through gills (meaning they can only breathe in water), and their food is in the sea. Where can you find seaweed on land, other in an Asian resteraunt or in the supermarket? I know "evolving" is a very in depth topic, and there are several arguments that you can make against my opinions. You might take the axolotl fish. It walks on its legs, it is an odd fish, that might look "evolved", but I still can't see it out of the water. Ask a child where fish live, and they will say "in the sea". Children are smarter than you think. If fish or sea life creatures were meant to be on land, who would clean up the sea? Who would eat off the deep sea floor, maintain the seaweed and coral? What about the circle of life? God put fish in the sea, because they were meant to be in the sea. Whales are meant to be in the ocean, and I don't know why. I'm no scientist, but God has the greatest knowledge of science than anyone else. I think he would have made whales land animals, if they were meant to be.