Fun Around the House

I realised a few weeks ago that I'd stopped taking photos of the kids for a while.  This is something that I've tried to rectify, especially as I feel like they're growing up at warp speed.  I'd like to learn how to use our camera better.  Here are some recent photos from our place.  And yes, this is David's most common facial expression.

Our small life at home.

Here's a happy Davey - sometimes I call him Mr Funshine

Hannah's choice of pose - Hmmm...

Here we go, cooking in the kitchen! Small people call for interesting measures.

Yes, we like our food!

We really like our food!  It's a whole sensory experience.

Of Hearth and Home - Natural Mould Killer Spray

I was excited to feel a bit of a nip of cold in the air last night and again today. Ah, hopefully Autumn is finally beginning and we can return to tights with skirts and boots, long sleeves and the skin colour that God originally blessed us with (which for me is just about glow in the dark white).  I wanted to share this most excellent mould killer spray recipe with you, although hopefully with the turn in the weather, it won't be quite so necessary.  Although, having said that there was one share house I lived in that had such bad bathroom ventilation that your towel would never fully dry during the winter months...

This great concoction is brought to you by the wonderful people at the Western Australia Office of Public Health and I found it particularly good when I was pregnant and didn't want to be sucking great wafts of bleachy nastiness.  It's even better in regard to bleach because the WA Public Health people say that bleach doesn't actually kill mould due to its high pH, it just bleaches it.  So much for my bottle of Exit Mould's claims!

Anyway, here it is:

Tea Tree Oil Mould Killer

Put 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle, shake and use.

That's it!  So simple and it's great for getting rid of relatively new mould.  The best tip for getting rid of mould in the long term, however, is to reduce the humidity, so maybe think of installing an exhaust fan in your bathroom, or hitting your real estate agent up for one, if necessary.  May your bathrooms look like the one below (in terms of cleanliness)!

Image by NickNguyen of flikr.com

Comparisons and Why They Just Don't Measure Up

What do you think about comparisons?  Do you think it's good or bad to compare ourselves with others?  Do you do it?  Does it bother you, or make you feel better?  I think comparisons do have a good and appropriate place in our society, in health care for example.  How else would I have know that my son David is (a little ironically) gargantuan for his age, or that my Dad should cut salt out of his diet because his blood pressure was out of normal limits?  Yes, comparisons can save lives.  But in the wrong context they can also cripple us.

Let me be the first to step forward and be honest.  My name is Bek and I compare myself a lot with other people.  Sometimes it makes me feel better, to the detriment of other people in my thinking, and sometimes it makes me feel horribly inadequate.  I've been challenged in my comparing tendencies on two different fronts lately.  The first was at the recent Equip Ministry Wives conference.

This year's conference was called 'The Fear Factor' and was all about the fears that we face when we're involved in ministry.  This issue of comparing ourselves to other people was a recurring theme of the day.  Phillip Jensen mentioned in one of his talks, that in Australia and I suspect most of the western world, our very society  is built on comparisons. In removing the concept of absolute truth from our frame of reference, all we have left is comparisons.  We are encouraged to judge everything on a bell curve; so long as I'm better than someone else, I'm okay.  This is definitely not a biblical perspective.  God most definitely does not encourage us to seek the world's approval, or even their measuring system.  We are to look to please God only - to play to an audience of one.  In the context of the conference, if there are other women that you find intimidating because of how capable and gifted they seem in ministry, then praise God! We're on the same team after all!

All of this was a great reminder and encouragement not to compare myself with others, but I still found myself leaving with the nagging question of just how do I do that practically.  Enter college Bible study.

Last week I was leading our college Bible study on Galatians 6.  It was the first time that I've led this year, and is so obviously providential in both the timing of the study and also the content.  I sat down on Monday night to prepare and found myself reading,

"¹ Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load."


How should I stop comparing myself with others?  I should look to God and see how I appear before him.  There is no bell curve.  In the words of Isaiah, "⁶ All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."  There is no point in looking around and comparing to those around us, because we all fall equally short, if not for the amazing saving work of Christ.  Safe in his arms we can find a true and lasting comfort.

In Addition: 
This seems to be a really big lesson that God is teaching me currently.  This morning I went to Community Chapel at Moore and the sermon was on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 and not judging others, not worrying about what they say or think about us, or making judgements on them.  Now to put it all into action, internally and externally!

Photograph by bionicteaching from Flickr.

In Review -The Hunger Games

If you're an Aussie television watcher, no doubt you've seen, or are possibly even getting sick of seeing, advertisements for "The Hunger Games" movie, which is released here on Thursday.  For the last week or so, however, I've been immersed in the book-world of The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

I hate using clichéd terms.  I very much want to find something more imaginative sounding than "gripping" or "thrilling" or even "compelling", but either my brain isn't working properly (highly likely) or those words genuinely do it justice.  I've had trouble putting this book down, and in fact, am probably at least 1/3 of the way through the second book of the trilogy.  This book was also my first ebook experience, having read it on my kindle.  But lets get back to the book.

The Hunger Games takes place in what remains of North America, now called Panem.  Panem is divided up into the Capitol and 13 Districts.  There was an uprising in the Districts about 74 years earlier that was put down by the Capitol.  In the process of this, District 13 was completely annihilated and the rest of the Districts left to eke out their lives in service to the Capitol, whilst annually supplying a lottery-chosen boy and girl between 12 and 18 years of age to take part in the Hunger Games. These Games are required viewing by all and are designed to remind the greater population that they are subject to the Capitol, with the victor being the last "tribute" left alive.  It's a fight to the death.  The main character Katniss finds herself thrust into the Games after she volunteers to take the place of her 12 year old sister Primrose as the District 12 tribute.  And so the Games begin.

The Hunger Games presents such a bleak picture of life in Panem.  I found myself hoping from the start that they would rise up and overthrow the Capitol.  So many people in the Districts are left to starve to death under the horribly sadistic government, that just surviving ordinary life is no mean feat.  The story is told in first person present tense, which took me a little getting used to, having never read a book in this tense before.  I think it adds to the pacing of the book though.

Collins apparently came up with the premise of the book while watching the television one night and channel surfing between reality shows where young people were competing for money and stories of actual war, where young people were fighting each other to the death.  Whilst it is set in a very bleak world, I really enjoyed this book.  In fact, I found myself getting quite emotionally invested in it and feeling a genuinely concerned about whether I could handle the stress of the story when reading the second book. That's got to be saying something about the skill of the writer, if you find yourself that involved in their literary world!  I  give it an 8 out of 10.

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie and I hope it will do justice to the book.  Having seen some of the previews, it looks like they may have greatly sanitised at least some of the characters.  If it's as action-packed and well paced it should still be well worth it.


First image from http://www.firstnovelsclub.com/2011/04/judge-y-mcjudgerson-which-books-helped.html. Second image from http://screenrant.com/hunger-games-images-katniss-peeta-fire-costumes-kofi-147705/the-hunger-games-movie-poster-katniss/

No Added Sugar

Today I am beginning a little experiment.  I'm not sure how it will go or even why I'm really doing it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Deep breath and here goes: I am going to try to cut out all (or as much as I can) sugar for one week.  Phew. I think that still scares me a little...

I would be more scared, but since John and I started doing the 1 Million Kilo Challenge I've cut back to 1 teaspoon of sugar in my coffee (oh, how I love our espresso machine... But that's a story for another day) and half sugars in tea and Ecco (it's a weird drink, I know, but I like it).  I think the hardest thing will be resisting Bible study morning teas and collecting a sweetie treatie from our weekly Baker's Delight leftover's collection.  I'm not sure if I will get withdrawals, but I've recently been reassured from another friend that whenever she goes off sugar for a while she feels "heaps better".  Plus it surely it can only help with weight loss. We shall see how it goes.

I'm glad that Easter isn't in the next week.  Now I just wish I hadn't had a pre-experiment top-up to make up for all the sugar I won't be eating...

Photo from Flickr by Sidereal.

Of Hearth and Home - Super Easy and Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

I grew up reading a lot of classic fiction, especially Charles Dickens, so I love the idea of the hearth - coming in from the snow, sitting nice and close while you heat a bowl of soup or roast a chicken...  I thought I might try a regular feature with some homey-type things that I enjoy and would love to share with you.  I couldn't wait to share my first - a super easy, low fat banana bread.

I found this recipe back in 2008 from a www.weightloss.com.au forum.  All I can say is thank you Ing86, you've revolutionised our banana bread consumption.  The things that I like most about this recipe are it's variability (don't worry, of ingredients, not how it turns out), how quickly you can make it with a stick mixer and that it still works when I've made it with gluten-free flower and rice milk (although not being used to consuming these alternatives, I did find the finished product a little troubling...  Not as bad a soy milk Boost Juice I tried once though...).

This will be my stick mixer version - if you don't own one, just lightly beat the eggs and mash the banana first.

Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarb soda

Pinch of salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup sultanas (or pitted dates for less sugar)

2 eggs

1 cup reduced fat milk

2 large bananas

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line the base and sides of a largeish loaf pan with baking paper, or if you're a little lazy like me, spray oil lightly over a silicone loaf pan.

Sift the flour, bicarb soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Stir in the sugar and sultanas.

Whack the eggs, milk and bananas into your stick mixer cup and whizz them all up together.  Using a large metal spoon (not 100% sure that it really has to be metal) stir the egg/milk/banana mixture into the dry ingredients, until well combined.

Pour the batter into your loaf pan.  Bake it for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Slice and serve.  It's nice toasted and if you're not worried about the health aspect, smear it generously with peanut butter or nutella.  Mmm...  It also freezes well.

If you're going through a great banana famine, you can replace the banana with pie apples, a can of dessert pears in chocolate sauce (replacing some of the milk with the chocolate sauce), replace the sultanas with blueberries.  I even tried it with fresh mango instead of banana once, although I'm not too keen on replicating that one again.

Eat and enjoy!

Photo from Flickr by Francesg29

(I'll admit it, I didn't make this particular loaf of banana bread, and I'm no food stylist, but this looks a lot like my bread)

Yes.  I may have just lost all credibility.

Hanging in the Balance

It's been a while since I've posted.  Sorry about that. Doesn't life get busy?!  I felt quite busy last year with having a second baby and trying to run an online shop. This year I think I got a bit over excited.  I've tried to add in starting up and co-ordinating  a Junior Jivers group, starting a one-to-one with a lovely lady from church and doing a proper Moore College subject one evening a week.  That should be a walk in the park, right?  I'm not sure I've thought this all through properly...

Let me give you an idea of my week:
Sunday - John leaves for church early and I get the kids and myself there by 10:30am.
Monday - We were going to try and go to playgroup, but so far we haven't made it this year. I think I'm going to have to let that one go.
Tuesday - College Bible study and Moorewest Community Dinner
Wednesday - Running Junior Jivers
Thursday - College subject in the evening.  John puts the kids to bed while I head into the city at 5:30 for a 3 hour class.
Friday - Meet my one-to-one fortnightly
Saturday - Family day/whatever else is on

All of this is while I still breastfeeding and introducing David to solids and really feeling the need to nanna-nap each afternoon. This really takes up a fair chunk of time (much to Hannah's disappointment at being put down for a sleep).

What I've discovered so far:
1. My house is an embarrassing mess and I really struggle to have time to clean it properly, let alone de-clutter the mounting piles of "stuff" everywhere.
2. I'm in constant risk of going off at the kids for minor things, because I'm feeling so tired and like a failure because I'm not doing everything as well as I expect of myself.
3. I'm not doing very much very well, because I'm not preparing for things properly.
4. I have a rising sense of guilt about all these things.
5. I need to de-stress by making things, but I don't end up having time when I still need to finish chores in the evenings (hence my online shop is currently on "vacation mode").
6. Caring for small children can really leave me feeling peopled-out, but then I still need to spend time with adults or I get way too introspective.

Do you find it hard to decide what things you should fill your week with?  How do you decide between what's good and what's best?  How do you let go of the expectations upon yourself that there's always more you can fit in because you're not "working"?  I think that this is a lesson that I'm going to have to learn many many times before it sinks in.

Photo from Flickr by NCinDC.