I have a friend who I trust, and I have a friend who I don't think trusts me. They are the same person, but the one who doesn't trust took over from the one I trusted, and I miss my friend.
No particular reason for it tonight, but they are my friend and I miss their presence and voice in my life.
Hopefully my friend will turn up again soon:)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Story of the Bamboo
A great friend would often remind us that 'blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break!"
Madly reading text books for college, I came acros this Chinese folk tale that reminded me of her...
The Story of the Bamboo
During a fierce storm, the bambo bends every which way the wond blows, while the other trees (eg, Oak) stand straight and resist the wind. But after the storm the bamboo tree stands proudly, looking into the heavens and reaching for life, dreams and hopes. The other trees lie on the ground lifeless and without hope because they resisted the wind; they were not flexible and did not move with the wind.
Madly reading text books for college, I came acros this Chinese folk tale that reminded me of her...
The Story of the Bamboo
During a fierce storm, the bambo bends every which way the wond blows, while the other trees (eg, Oak) stand straight and resist the wind. But after the storm the bamboo tree stands proudly, looking into the heavens and reaching for life, dreams and hopes. The other trees lie on the ground lifeless and without hope because they resisted the wind; they were not flexible and did not move with the wind.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Merge
A couple of weeks ago, we had a guest lecturer at college. She was great, and shared about a bredth of topics in quite a fast span of time. Topics covered included politics, aboriginal affairs, children, travel, poverty, Christianity... the list went on. It was a greatfew hours, and in the end was one of the most challenging lectures I have ever heard!!
In amongst it all, she managed to encompass my past, present and future... of what I thought I was leaving behind, am currently living, and would like to be living. It was only in the days that followed that I came to realise some things I really value- like being able to help people in need, faith and values I have comed to see as special in a whole new light.
I came out of that lecture absolutely wrecked all the way through. Much of that related to being in a very wealthy country, yet wanting to walk that balance of where I have been overseas, wanting to go further afield, and here too, but in the end was the crashing together of areas that I have kept very defined and seperate.
So, in amongst all the other things that goes on, is the slow piecing together of each area of life, and finding a new way to fit all the puzzles together into one, rather than leaving them as 3 distinct puzzles!
In amongst it all, she managed to encompass my past, present and future... of what I thought I was leaving behind, am currently living, and would like to be living. It was only in the days that followed that I came to realise some things I really value- like being able to help people in need, faith and values I have comed to see as special in a whole new light.
I came out of that lecture absolutely wrecked all the way through. Much of that related to being in a very wealthy country, yet wanting to walk that balance of where I have been overseas, wanting to go further afield, and here too, but in the end was the crashing together of areas that I have kept very defined and seperate.
So, in amongst all the other things that goes on, is the slow piecing together of each area of life, and finding a new way to fit all the puzzles together into one, rather than leaving them as 3 distinct puzzles!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Shine on
I am reading a weekly devotion book at the moment, called Simple Compassion, byKeri Wyatt Kent. It's a great book, and I am really appreciating the simplicity, and simutaneous complexity of the topics she covers.
At one stage she quotes Marian Williamson, from her book, Return to Love saying....
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that mos frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
I love that quote, but would love to understand how the whole of it works out in action! We can all shine, and live in confidence of who we have been created to be in Christ, but I don't know how our actions liberate others unless they have first received the awareness and confidence of seeing that they can shine to manifest the glory of God that is within each of us! One day, hopefully I will work it out!
I did buy a card this afternoon for a friend though, saying...
"the world needs your kind of strength, your passion, your humour, your creativity, your heart, your mind, your brilliance. Shine On."
Go Dayspring:)
At one stage she quotes Marian Williamson, from her book, Return to Love saying....
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that mos frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
I love that quote, but would love to understand how the whole of it works out in action! We can all shine, and live in confidence of who we have been created to be in Christ, but I don't know how our actions liberate others unless they have first received the awareness and confidence of seeing that they can shine to manifest the glory of God that is within each of us! One day, hopefully I will work it out!
I did buy a card this afternoon for a friend though, saying...
"the world needs your kind of strength, your passion, your humour, your creativity, your heart, your mind, your brilliance. Shine On."
Go Dayspring:)
Tuesdays
Tuesdays is currently my favorite day (weekday) of the week, though they all have good highlights. Tuesday though, there is a wonderful group who meets at work during lunch to do devotions together, and now, on Tuesday nights, I head north, for about an hour or more's drive, find a place to do uni work and eat, then head over to my new bible study!
I have been going to my new church for about 5 months now, and well... with any new thing, really don't like the who new routine, people, structure, getting to know you conversations and the like. But I recently decided that I was just going to go to a home group and be done with it, and it's fabulous! I am loving it, the people, the flow, starting to get to know a small group properly, and it's great! I am starting to get involved in different things that are happening too, and while it feels like it's a super slow process, it's happening. Things and involvement are slowly taking form and shape, and God has been showing me some amazing things for which I am truly grateful!:)
I have been going to my new church for about 5 months now, and well... with any new thing, really don't like the who new routine, people, structure, getting to know you conversations and the like. But I recently decided that I was just going to go to a home group and be done with it, and it's fabulous! I am loving it, the people, the flow, starting to get to know a small group properly, and it's great! I am starting to get involved in different things that are happening too, and while it feels like it's a super slow process, it's happening. Things and involvement are slowly taking form and shape, and God has been showing me some amazing things for which I am truly grateful!:)
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