The Excitement Begins...!

It's 22h30 and I am sitting in a suite fit for a queen. I thought maybe they had given me the wrong room! I wish My Man was with me - he would love it!

It's been a whirlwind of a week of preparation. Getting my presentation ready, packing, making sure the presentation is saved in various places, timing my talk - I have not fallen asleep before 02h00 in the last couple of days for thinking about this week. I wasn't anxious, and am still not, but all night I kept thinking, what do I say, what do I leave out, should I have done anything differently?  I am sure you have experienced times when your mind is just overly pre-occupied and over active. I never battle to sleep, but after this week I have renewed sympathy for those that do struggle to.

I have just finished dinner at a table of 5 (and there are 20 of us) and have come away feeling completely inspired - and that's just listening to them talking about how they teach. Is my brain going to cope with all the great ideas this week?

This conference is all about understanding that the way that people learn, is changing. The 'old way' that children used to learn doesn't work anymore. It's boring and doesn't engage them. We, as teachers, need to find a new way to teach.  It's about understanding that this age is a technological one - and how can we incorporate technology into our classrooms to capture our kids and still teach them what they need to know.

It was rather funny when I realised that this mirrors my spiritual journey. The 'old way' of living out my faith, doesn't work for me anymore ~ it doesn't for a lot of people. Just like the teachers have realised there is a whole 'other way' of teaching, so there are those that are realising there is a whole 'other way' of living out our faith.

I am so excited about this week. I feel so honoured to be amongst these people to learn from them, to pick their brains and to go back to school and hopefully inspire others too.

There are times that I am overwhelmed by the grace of God. Today is one of those days.

HD Ready?

My folks just got HD TV. 

You know how when you have always had a 'normal' TV picture, you don't know what you are missing until you see the HD picture of the TV next to it?

I feel like that about my spiritual life. For years I have been very happy and very comfortable, with my 'normal Christian life', and suddenly, alongside mine, I have seen a spirituality that is being lived in HD. It's high definition. It's bright!  It makes my spiritual walk feel dull.  This doesn't mean my walk has been / or is dull, in fact, I think my walk has been making me HD Ready!!  Recently I began browsing through blogs and sites of mind-blowing accounts of what people are doing 'out there' in real life, with people who are not yet believers, but who are seeking truth.

I recognised what I always felt I was looking for, but didn't know it was there.

I was offered an alternative to my nagging heart today. Perhaps it's not about wishing I could be part of it elsewhere, maybe its about experimenting with our faith with others who may feel like I do, right here.

Just get together... and see what God does. I'm not saying don't go to your Sunday meetings, of course go!

But rather as an extra dimension to our faith, in our desire to draw nearer to God in creative ways and draw other seekers along with us....why not try? 

I don't know why not.
I'm "HD Ready".

Are you?

Puppy Control

Remember the Puppy?  And when she was growing up?

Here is a little update.  Puppy is now about 6 months old and may not eat the Old Man's Food. (Daschund 15 yrs old) 

Have a look at Puppy's remarkable self control!

Jack reminding Puppy not to eat whats left of the Old Mans food.

If I look at it hard enough...maybe it will jump out at me?

Maybe from this angle?

Hmmm...what to do?

I'll just keep waiting...

and waiting...

The Old Man comes for a nibble...

leaving a little leftover to tantilise the pup

Seriously... I can't eat that???

*sigh*

They sleep... and still... she waits.

 Love this puppy! 
:)

A Moment Frozen

After writing my previous post - "Mission Shaped Cathedrals" - I wanted to share this experience I had on our first family trip to Europe in 2005. Great excitement. People who had been before load you with useful information and tips of what to do and what not to do.

One thing a friend suggested to me is to "not waste time going into these old churches with all the statues of dead people," "It's just like idolatry", they said.

Paris was our first stop and how does one NOT visit Notre Dame? Tsk. Silly. Of course we did. And all the others everywhere.

But this post is not about that. 
                                                      Not at all.
                                                                    This post is about what happened at St Pauls Basilica in Rome.

We had been walking around Rome for hours - it's what we love to do. We decided though to board the train to visit St Pauls since it is a fair distance to walk from the centre of Rome. It was later on in the day, and although we were happy, we were a little weary.

We got off the train and made our way toward the basilica. You would think that it would stick out being a large building. We walked and shopped and walked....forever looking at our almost-shredded-with-use map. Eventually, standing beside a huge grey wall, I said to My Man, "Let's just forget it and go back". But he kept saying, "the map says it's right here!"  To which I probably snapped back something like "Well, do you seeeeeee it?" ....?? 

We saw a little door in the grey wall and he said, "It must be in there? "No way!" I said, "this looks way too boring."  But we have come all this way!" he said "let's just slip in quickly."  -  Fine.

                 He went in first, followed by My Girl, then... rather begrudgingly, me.

I will never ever be able to put into words what happend once I had entered. I promise you, I could not walk, I just stood there, it was all I could do to stand up straight, and then, very embarressingly, I burst into tears. (Not like me!)

I don't know if I have ever felt the presence of God as strongly as I felt it in that moment.  I don't know how long I stood there for, but as I did, I heard God whisper to me...

"People can look dull and boring too, not worth your time, but if you take the time to step into their lives, you will find yourself enriched by them."

I will never forget that moment.

Much later, as we walked out of what was the correct entrance... I looked back at the most beautiful outside facade. However, had I gone in that way ..... would I have missed the whole experience?

Mission Shaped Cathedrals

Yesterday I watched a clip on a blog that I follow. By the end of it everything in me was... "I want to be part of something like this!"

Forging fresh new paths, exploring old traditons, meeting God in forgotten ways and unexpected places, meeting diverse people and discussing faith in a way that is open and exciting.

So much of what I have read in the last 6+ years has whispered this to me.... promising me that there is more than just what we have 'always done'  to following Jesus.

If this echoes with you at all.... watch this.

Be keen to hear your thoughts....  :)

about that bird getting the worm thing.

I was wondering,
                perhaps you could help me here?

I have googled, referenced and cross-googled to find out if there is a law against not getting out of bed till midday, in winter, on a long-weekend while eating chocolate for breakfast...

It seems perfectly legal - but felt too good to be so.

This is prettty much what we did this last long weekend ~ I guess we don't get a 4-day Fathers Day long weekend often.

May as well celebrate it!

:)

Bulleted Two Weeks

Only because this has been a kind of random two weeks - nothing that is deserving of a whole post.
So it will be bulleted - in no particular order.

• Overslept (more than once) and had to s.c.r.e.a.m to work.
• Been very warm and not needing a jersey
• Been very cold and unable to wear enough jerseys
• Enjoyed Wacky Wine Weekend away with great family and friends
• Stood on a drawing pin (NO! Not at the wine weekend... much later in the week!)
• Went for Anti-Tetanus injection *faint* - no, I didn't faint. Its just the thought.
• Didn't go to gym (again).....(surprise, surprise!)
• Locked myself out of my house and had to phone offspring at sparrow fart for help.
• Had coffee and crunchies with my mom
• Had My Girl here for supper
• Long weekend and school holidays coming up - big plans.
• Cut my hair - again!
• Started watching Big Bang Theory from the beginning.
• Missed cricket everyday. (Except for one ODI:WI & India, stopped by rain and I missed the end...)
• My hot water bottle sprung a leak and I mourned 
• I made a mean cottage pie. Those of you that know me....applaud now.
• Witnessed "Allie-Chilling's" Blog being reborn as Earth Stroller - pop over and say Hi!
• Booked our flights & tour to Norway in Feb - OH!~ Now thats exciting. Not thinking about the cold.
• Played 30 seconds with a bunch of fun people and drank great red wine.
• Laughed alot.

Yes, it was a week and a bit
                                 with some of everything in it.  (Hey - that rhymes!)

Just thinking that I am writing as though its Friday - it feels like Friday - but its Wednesday....start of LONGGG weekend baby!!!

Enjoy yours too!

And I am going out for supper! :)