That's Life!! (So Far...)

It's interesting how, at certain points in our life, we tend to get a bit retrospective; perhaps even a tad whimsical.  In a few months time, I hit another milestone - half a century on God's earth.  So I invite you now to come with me on a brief trip through my lifetime - 49 years worth, at least.

Lets start with the fan-tastical year of 1965, when this little cutie made an appearance :-)

We lived in a small hydro-electric village in the country, where my father worked as a station operator; I had a teddy-bear named Boo-Boo, who came everywhere with me.  And I still have him (although he's packed away somewhere now).  Can't remember much else from back then, so...


Onwards and upwards to circa-1969: 
My mother insisted on doing my hair in ringlets, which I strongly disliked;
Neil Armstrong set foot on our lunar satellite;  from all accounts, Bryan Adams had a fantastic "Summer of '69"; black-and-white TV; 33's, 45's and 78's; and it was the year before this wee lass endured her traumatic start to school life.
It was also around this time I was discovering I reeeeaaaalllyyy liked to sing :-D
And I liked food.

Around about 4 years later, 1973-ish:
Lassie, The Banana Splits, My Three Sons on TV (my life was centered around the goggle box); The French were nuclear testing in French Polynesia;  NZ entertainment was boosted by Mr Gumboots himself, Fred Dagg; Norm Kirk was Prime Minister; and I had my favourite Beatle Boots (a whole lot better than the white knee high socks and black lace-up shoes I had to wear!) 
Taking my mug to school for a cup of cocoa in the winter; later on, fish-and-chip lunches - it was a big deal to order your lunch at school; films in the library.  My love of music and drama was relatively well established by now (much to my family's pain).  I think it was around this time that I also started going to Bible Class one day a week after school, as well as Bible-in-Schools.  My journey towards Christianity had begun!  
It was also during these formative years, that I was an easy target for bullies - something that would continue for years; but I could always buy a spot in the 4-square line by trading my play-lunch, that was usually my mother's home cooking.
And in a few years time, thanks to some kids in my class, it would be revealed that I simply CAN NOT ABIDE SNAKES!!!!
But I still liked food. 


 
In 1976: 
McD's opened it's first restaurant in NZ, five years after Kentucky Fried Chicken; protests against apartheid and nuclear power were regular occurences;
Dad applied for a transfer, and we moved to an even smaller village.  This photo shows the entire school population.  There was no Bible class or Bible-in-Schools here.
And yup - I still loved food (which was starting to really show by now).

Moving right along, to 1978-82:
High school!!
To say I wasn't the brightest student in school would be a understatement :-p  I was more interested in detective stories like Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and The Hardy Boys.  But I did make a few good friends, two or three of which I can still count among my small circle.  In fact, I just reconnected with one last week, and it was one of the greatest moments of my year.
My love of music continued, thanks to our school orchestra (I played violin, then viola - not greatly), and our school choir.  This book worm could also be found in the school library almost every lunch time.

Time marches on... After school, it was out into the big scary world;  I learnt to drive, had a few jobs, and joined the Scout movement as an Assistant Cub Leader.  This helped me get through some long periods of unemployment, and I learnt a lot of skills at the same time.  I was able to continue with leadership when I moved to the big city, and eventually back to my coastal home town. 

Eventually, I met a guy who would become my first husband, and father of my offspring.  An interesting and very enlightening period, which came to an end after about 7 years.

Life as a single mum was nothing if not challenging.  But I believe that for everything that happens, there is a lesson to be learnt:  it's what you do with that lesson that matters - you can let it make you, or break you.  And I chose to let it make me.  Not an easy choice, but it sure beats the alternative!!

Over the years between then and now, we moved to H-Town, where I got administration work in the local hospital.  Which is where I encountered an interesting individual known in this forum as WookieeMan.  A man with a passion for work, and heart for God.  And thankfully, he found room there for us.
And as you can see, I still reeeaaallly loved food.  And it loved me so much it didn't want to leave :-)

So, there it is - a very brief glimpse of my journey thus far.   Deliberately brief.  On purpose.  Oh, I do intend to expand on certain aspects... but that will be another story.

Till then...

y'all come back now, y'hear

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.  

"Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you.  

 Plans to give you hope and a future."

- Jeremiah 29:11

What To Do, What To Do?

When it comes to making decisions, I've yet to come across anyone who's a better ditherer than me.  Seriously.  It doesn't matter whether it's Do I Want A Snack With My Latte?; What Snack Shall I Have?; Do I Want This Brand, Or Shall I Try That Once 'Cos It's Cheaper?; these can be very big choices to make.

I'm sure I've frustrated (and amused) a fair few people over the years - not to mention, myself - with my wonderful indecisive skills:
"What fragrance do you like?"  That's easy - I'm a sucker for Jasmine and Vanilla - not the sickly cheap stuff, though.  Least fave?  Lavender.
"What's your favourite colour?" Now, that's NOT so easy.  It depends on the context; are we talking roses? That can get very complex - not fussed on plain red ones, but I am quite partial to pastel shades, or fiery sunsets, or deep blood red ones.
Anything else, like clothes, or just plain colours in general - nah, let's not go there just now.
A pearler of a question that gets thrown around at interviews:  "How would you react in this particular kind of situation?"  I know how I would LIKE to react.  In the past I have handled it in such-and-such a way, but I don't know for sure until I'm IN that particular kind of situation, because every time can be different.  

But in the grander scheme of things, there are other decisions to be made:  how will we choose to respond in different situations?  Such as, "I know Fred really won't be happy if I buy this little skull-and-crossbones jewellery box to go with the other 2,351 I've got at home, and we REALLY don't have the spare $350 for it... but it's just SOOO adorable!!"  So you buy it, and sure enough, Fred really isn't happy - for the stated reasons.

And then there's some biggies.  "I know my underage child's equally underage friends drink alcohol, and there's a high chance that could happen while he/she's there.  Do I let them go, or shall I be the proverbial stick-in-the-mud, and say No You're Not Going, I'm Going To Keep You Safe From The World"; "You only have your learner's licence, you are NOT going out driving with your friends at 11 o'clock on Friday night!" "But, Mum - everyone does it!!"

And there it is.  The good ol' "everyone does it" phrase that our kids love to throw at us.  But just because "everyone else" does it doesn't make it right.  That is one thing that DP (hopefully) took on board whilst growing up.

We shouldn't have to go along with the crowd, and with so-called societal values, just to make everyone around us happy, or to be cool.**  General rule of thumb:  if it doesn't feel right, and it goes against your morals and principles - don't do it.  The kids may gripe and moan, and maybe call you all the names under the sun (I have so been on the receiving end of that!),  but no matter how bad you may feel about it - it's so important that we stick to our guns - as long as the focus is to keep people safe.  "About the only thing a man can really call his own are his values" - Col. S Potter, MASH 4077.  We still need to let our kids grow, and experience life (within reason), so that they can learn to make their own good decisions; if we don't, they can tend to run riot a bit and end up in all sorts of situations. 

I have an interesting situation at the moment, where someone felt I was snubbing them - for 3 months.  It got to the stage where this person even spoke to a counsellor friend.  The thing is - I wasn't snubbing anyone!  It was a time where things were happening, and I may been distracted, or changing directions, or some such thing.  Around about the same time, a mutual aquaintance wanted to play a practical joke on this same person, but I cautioned them against it, because I knew they were not in a good place at the time.  That's all I said.  This person decided that I was blabbing about their personal business, and they'd been subjected to that too many times, and that's it - no more trusting people, thank you very much. The sad thing about it is that (a) I didn't blab - no details about anything were revealed - and (b) when they finally told me about both issues, the subject was not open for discussion. "It doesn't matter anymore, I'm over it now" was the response I got when trying to broach it.  A friendship down the tubes.

So now I'm in the awkward position of trying to figure out what to do.  From a Christian perspective, the Bible says to turn the other cheek; love your enemies; forgive and forget; and before trying to take the splinter from our brother's eye, to remove the log from your own eye.  From a human perspective, it's like "what the h-e-double-toothpick just happened here??  Did someone get the details of that tank that just ran over me??"

We're not responsible for other people's reactions.  Ultimately, I know that how this person chooses to respond is a matter of their perception, and their decision.  That doen't make it hurt any less, though. Dilemma, dilemma...

A friend of mine had a very good way of stopping me in my tracks when I was in the middle of a rant.  He'd calmly listen, and when I took a breather, he would say to me, "... where does it fit into the greater scheme of things?"  I can still hear him, and see his grin when he knew he'd taken the wind out of my sails.  But he's right.  I found it a useful yardstick many times.

But no matter what path or options we choose, there is always one thing we need to bear in mind:  we'd better be prepared for the outcomes that inevitably follow.  If I choose the piece of White Chocolate Oaty Caramel Slice to go with the Single Shot Latte with Trim Milk and 1 Stevia, then there's a good chance it will blow my healthy eating regime for the week and have an insidious weight gain (especially if I indulge in my weaknesses for PASTRY and CHOCOLATE).

When our friends/loved ones are going through trials, we can choose to get along side them and take their problems on in a personal way (been there, done that); we can distance ourselves and watch them struggle and/or sink (especially if it seems to be an on-going saga); or we can let them know we are there for them to help in anyway we can, BUT don't do everything for them - let them take the lead.


"If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got."  OR, we could dare to be different and check out what else life has to offer :-)

Y'all come back now, y'hear ?!    xoxo








(** Feel free to check out "Who Says Society Says" for more on this topic, if you haven't already)

That C-Word (Not the One You Think!!!)

You meet someone in the street.  Maybe it's a friend from days gone by.  Over a coffee and danish in a nearby cafe, you start a long catch-up session. 

"So what are you doing with yourself these days?" your friend enquires.  "Well, among other things, I'm a Christian," you reply.

And there it is.  The C-word.  One that can change the atmosphere quicker than you can blink.  A word that can evoke one of several possible responses:  either, "hey, that's really awesome!! Me too!!  Where and when?"; or perhaps, "oh okay.  I'm not, so just keep it to yourself, than-you-very-much-ta."  Or maybe even, "gosh, look at the time!!  Must dash, I'm late for my lobotomy! (ahem!) Lovely (ahem!) to see you again." 

"Another bible basher - here we go again!!"  Please just hear me out, okay? It may seem that way, but that's not what this is about.  

What is it about that particular word that can create such strong reactions like that?  What does it mean?  The Oxford dictionary defines it as "Relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings."  Well, that explains everything - not!  I can't speak for everyone who professes to follow Jesus, but I can give you my personal take on it.

You see, I believe that over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary.  He did this to pay the price for sinners like us, so that when we pass on from this world, we will live with Him for eternity in Heaven with other believers.  It means that from when I was baptised, I went into the water a sinner, and came out in a new life.  It means that my old way of life is gone, I now try and live according to the laws of God (Ten Commandments), and am guided by the Word of God (the Bible).

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, huh?  Not in this lifetime, it ain't!!

Now, IN PLAIN ENGLISH...  

If anyone tries to tell you that once you become a Christian, life will be a breeze, you'll have everything you want, yada-yada-yada... smile politely and walk in the opposite direction.  Because it isn't.  But it is... better.  I feel a lot more laid back and mellow than I used to be.  Sure, there are still the challenges - such as illnesses, challenges (oh yes!!), financial struggles, employment issues... you name it, they are still there.  But now we have a whole new guide to help us deal with them.  Personally, I found Jesus' Sermon On The Mount fantastic, and so enlightening.  Heaps of neat stuff, like the Beatitudes - you know, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth..." and other pearls like that.  You can read it for yourself in Mathew Chapters 5 to 7. See, even though He is the Son of God, Jesus knew what life was like.  That's why he lived among men for 33 years. 

There's a lot of people who say, "look, I'm sweet! I'm a good person, I help old ladies cross the street and give to charity.  God'll let ME into Heaven, that's for sure!  I don't need anything else!"
I wish it were that easy;  I've known about the Lord since I was a child, but didn't realise it takes more than that, and that I actually needed Him until well into adulthood.

Let me put it another way.  Every situation has pros and cons, yeah?  OK, let's look at those.  Hmmm, where to start...?  I'm a firm believer in "leave the best for last", so let's start with the "cons":

1.  Barriers go up with a lot of people, who for some reason, have embraced atheism in a huge way.  They're the ones running late for the lobotomy.
2.  Sometimes, you do tend to stand out from the crowd - when you don't feel comfortable with what your mates/colleagues are doing/saying, it can seem like there's a bright fluro-coloured neon arrow aimed right at you. 

Now for the "pros":

1. To quote Aladdin and Jasmine,  "It's a whole new wooorrrllld". If you're like me, and come from a really dysfunctional background, to know that you are finally you are loved for who you are - warts and all.   And not just by the Lord - a sign of the true family of God is unconditional love to the best of their ability (bearing in mind that we ARE human, and we're NOT perfect).
2. You get to claim all the awesome promises of God.  And there are so many scattered all through His Word.
3. You just don't feel right doing the old stuff (meaning drugs, promiscuity, !@#$%^ language, porn, any old prejudices, etc) anymore - it's called "dying to self". 
4. There are some ROCKIN' Christian music artists!!  If you get the chance, check out Casting Crowns, DC Talk, Michael W Smith, Morgan Cryer... heeeaaappps more. So many of the old hymns are awesome, too.  And movies:  Flywheel, Facing The Giants, Courageous, Fireproof - all movies about real-life situations that can happen, and the difference that faith can make.
5. You have access to some of the best teachings ever - including some that may challenge your way of thinking, and make you look outside the square.

So is it worth it?  You betcha!! Like I said before, it's not all a walk in the park.  I've had people say to me, "I know you won't want to do that, cos you're religious".  If I was "religious", I'd be following every little so-called ritual e.g. "You must jump up and down 6 times and turn clockwise 3 times around the building before you can take Communion". Nuh-uh.  If someone tells you you HAVE to do stuff like that, ask them to back up with Scripture.  From the Bible - Old and/or New Testament, not some book that some so-called prophet wrote to add to it.  The only Sacraments that are God-ordained (i.e. - what Jesus did) are baptism and communion.  And the signs of a godly church are biblical teachings, church discipline, and they follow the Sacrements.  Anything else is man-made.  Someone says you can be rich?  Ask them to prove it with Scripture, and then remind them what Jesus said in Matthew 19:16-30.  I'm not a big fan of healing crusades, either, to be honest; everything happens according to God's will, and I'd rather see what He has in mind, than have someone try and work against Him.

OK, I'll get off my soap-box - for now.  There is so much more I could say, but I kinda like knowing that you folks out there in Blogspot land take the time to read my little warbles.  So I'll finish off with a quote from a wonderful old hymn written by a lady named Fanny Crosby (1823-1915):

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son

Y'all come back now, y'hear?!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—

and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV