What the Media Didn't Tell You About the Troy Newman Controversy

Unless you've been hiding under a media-proof rock for the last two weeks, you will have seen something that is becoming increasingly prevalent within Australia media.  I really struggle to call it as anything other than large scale censorship, or media-sponsored bullying.  In a society that theoretically champions 'freedom of speech' and 'tolerance', those holding any position that dissents from the leftist leanings of the media are shamed and silenced.  This in a country that previously applauded citizens who were willing to defend the defenceless and act upon the 'courage of their convictions', who used to give people a 'fair go' and when it comes to the recent Troy Newman controversy, it's easy to see just how very far from unbiased the Australian media has become.  

I'd really like to have a recap of a lot of the things that the Australian media didn't make clear.

Despite MP Terri Butler's apparent concerns, Mr Newman was not coming to Australia to incite "harassment and intimidation" or "vilification" of "women accessing reproductive services and professionals offering those services at medical clinics", but rather to partake in a nine day, five city speaking tour, during which he would talk about the "exposure of the sale of body parts from aborted babies at Planned Parenthood clinics in USA", as explained in all of the promotional material produced by Right To Life Australia, the organisation that sponsored and organised this same tour.  Right to Life Australia has a history of peaceful demonstrations, in which they seek to raise awareness of the implications of abortions for both mothers and babies, and to offer women the support that they need, if they decide to continue with their pregnancies.  Right To Life Australia said that they were hoping that Newman would "stir up debate", an assertion that was treated by Minister Butler as though the very act of discussing the greater implications of abortion was injurious to women, in and of itself.  

Minister Butler's allegations of "Mr Newman’s call for “abortionists” to be “executed”" was found to be unproven by Justice Nettle, the judge who heard Newman's case to have his visa reinstated, and that there was no evidence that his previous anti-abortion protests in the United States had been violent.  But let's not let the truth get in the way of a boots-and-all smear campaign.  It's surprisingly how easy these details are to bury within the censorial flourishes of a triumphalist article.  In a rare even-handed article about the whole situation in The Australian, Angela Shanahan reported, in perhaps the sole article that gave a right of reply to Newman, that Newman's comments had been taken out of context, “This was part of a semi-theological discussion on Old Testament view of punishment, which I do not support. In fact, I am against the death penalty.”

Regarding Mr Newman's premature return to the United States, this was not due to any of the claims made by Minister Butler being upheld, but rather, as Justice Nettle stated, "His detention and removal is entirely related to his decision to openly flout Australian law and travel to Australia without a valid visa."  This did not stop Minister Butler stating that the immigration department was right to cancel his visa, and that they welcomed this decision.  So, just in case you missed that, despite his visa being cancelled due to unfounded allegations, Minister Butler claims that this was a right and just thing to do.  I'm not sure that I share the Minister's sense of what is 'right'. Regarding Mr Newman's entry into Australia without a visa, Angela Shanahan again reported that, 

“ My wife and I [Newman] had been ­granted a visa over two months ago. I did not see the letter cancelling my visa, which is dated the September 30, which is the day after I left, until I arrived back home,” he said. His visa was cancelled electronically on September 29, the day he set out for his speaking tour.“The first I knew about it, I was already en route from home in Kansas. At the airline gate in Denver, I was told I had been put on the no-fly list. I assumed this was a mistake. I have no criminal record, and I saw no official notice. In fact, I saw nothing in writing until I ­arrived in Melbourne.”The Department of Immigration offered Mr Newman a limited visa if he signed a pledge not to cause violent disturbance. “I was happy to do this, but at the last minute the minister decided the technicality of arrival without visa prevented the ­arrangement.”

To be fair, Channel Ten's 'The Project' did briefly discuss the ethics of the possible censorship of Troy Newman, given that he has no criminal record.  However, this was almost lost among the predictable victory statement regarding his return to the United States.

Once again, let's not let telling the truth get in the way of a heavily biased story.  As for the original (and seemingly baseless, given the comments of Justice Nettle) cancelling of Mr Newman's visa, that decision was postponed, to be decided at the end of October.  Approximately 3 weeks after his planned speaking tour was scheduled to be held.  It is yet to be decided whether or not it was justly done.

Finally, what about the speaking tour?  Surely Right To Life Australia have been left shame-faced and in the lurch, given the apparent deportation of their key-note speaker?  I am very happy to say that the tour has, and even now, still is going ahead.  Mr Newman's message regarding Planned Parenthood's illegal selling of aborted body parts has been delivered at each of the scheduled meeting, across the five cities, and nine days.  And, given the vitriol with which Mr Newman was met, it is perhaps for the greater safety of the speaking tour's attendees.  So, despite hand-dusting and assumptive claims that the tour has been "scuppered", it has continued on as planned; a fact of which I would have no clue, except that my very dedicated and lovely mother-in-law works for Right To Life Australia.

As I said at the beginning, silencing and shaming seems  to be very much an increasing trend within the Australian media.  Any voice that speaks out against a controversial issue is summarily declared to be bigoted and hateful.  I look forward to hearing the outcome of the hearing into whether the initial cancelling of Mr Newman's visa was in fact lawful, and how widely it is reported.  Particularly if it is found to be unlawful.

Photo courtesy of Facebook

I'm a Discriminatory Bigot: How the Media's Take on "Tolerance" Leads to Censorship and Name Calling

I have to level with you.  I've been in a state of semi-shock and disappointment for the last two days.  What happened two days ago, you ask?  I watched an episode of Network Ten's "The Project", and more specifically, a story by Gorgi Choghlan on Ireland voting to accept same-sex marriage.  Leaving the palpably biased reporting behind (60% of eligible voters voting, with a result of 62% isn't exactly an "overwhelming majority"), what really troubled me is Tony Abbott being labelled as "spineless" for standing up for what he believes to be in the best interest of the country (and I'm not a massive fan of Tony Abbott generally), and Steve Price (who I'm also not completely enamoured with generally) being shouted down for very gently suggesting that Gorgi should be careful not to demonise those who disagree with her position on same-sex marriage; or marriage equality, as the new and very loaded term is.  Steve went on to suggest that it should be put to a national referendum, if it is to go ahead, and I am very inclined to believe him, because despite all the noise in the media about the community having spoken in it's favour towards same-sex marriage, I've definitely never been asked.  Have you?

Anyway, with my frustration levels rising rapidly, I decided to make my feelings known on The Project's facebook page (see the comments posted in response to the video that was posted on May 25 at 18:18 and also under the video posted under the title "Is Australia being left behind on marriage equality", earlier the same day). This is where things really got interesting.  Poor Steve copped plenty of vilification from those who disagreed with him, while there was also a fair bit of outcry against Georgi for her choice of language in the story.  Besides several people being called "narrow-minded bigots", and I was told by several people that I "cannot" hold the view that marriage should be between men and women, because it's discriminatory, because it's "extremist religious propaganda", because it's ancient history and the list goes on.  I'm more than happy for people to disagree with me, and given the amount of media beat-up regarding the apparent wholesale sentiment of the Australian public being in favour of same-sex marriage, indeed I expect people to disagree with me.  What I am shocked about, is being told that I am not allowed to hold to a traditional view of marriage, and dare I venture to express that publicly, then I'd better get ready for a public shaming of my discriminatory, bigoted ways.

In the name of "anti-discrimination", it would appear that we are no longer permitted to hold an opinion that is contrary to the accepted majority position, and definitely not permitted to express it publicly.  I'm not sure about you, but that sounds a lot like censorship to me.  Possibly even bordering on dictatorship.  And this position is at the selfsame time, held by people who would also espouse the apparent benefits of "tolerance", which according to Don Carson no longer means "accepting the existence of different views", but the "acceptance of other views", as in "actually accepting another's position means believing that position to be true, or at least as true as your own." And I guess that also answers the question of why someone who considers themselves to be extremely tolerant (given the new definition) finds the need to shout down those with a differing opinion; because they can, in no way, accept the position of those who are against same-sex marriage to be equally valid.

Is there any forum left in which those against same-sex marriage can be heard?  Certainly not on The Project, which, in no uncertain terms, labels those who hold my view as being discriminatory and intolerant without taking a moment to hear our position, let alone give it equal air time, because the LGBT voices are shouting the loudest.  We are being censored and demonised, without being heard, and yet we are the ones called discriminatory.  I am not afraid of people who hold to an LGBT persuasion (although I am labelled homophobic) and I have no desire to oppress them, but in fact am very strongly encouraged to love and care for them, by the scriptures that I hold to (that extremist, religious propaganda).  I do, however, have a different view on what constitutes a marriage.

Getting back to figuring out the whole same-sex marriage issue, I will be teaching my children that God made men and women for heterosexual relationships.  Just like I will be teaching them that sex is for within marriage.  I will also be teaching them that they have absolutely no right to judge LGBT people, or in fact anyone, because they too are far from perfect, and in need of a saviour, as am I.  Call me old fashioned, but I will also be seeking to teach them that they can disagree with someone whilst continuing to love and care for them, and without needing to call them names or shout them down.  If that makes me a discriminatory bigot, then so be it.

Photo by Crash:candy

Emerging From the Mists, and Other Undertakings...

Well, it's been quite some time since my last post - 8 months to be exact, and hopefully I won't have to begin every post with the start of this sentence!  Once again, so very much has happened in our family.

We have a new member!  Little Esther was born back in January (she's nearly 4 months old!) and after a fairly wild ride, I think things are starting to feel a bit more normal.  Well, as normal as they can be with a small baby who only ever wants to be awake for no longer than an hour at a time!  Despite feeling like a bit of a shut-in, we're evolving as a family, and we all love her bright chubby smiles and the giggles that are beginning to come.

Another big change has been Hannah beginning school, and Davey heading off to day care 2 days a week (it worked out to be just a bit more expensive than 2x 2 hour blocks of 3 year old kinder a week!).  Life feels a lot busier, when the kids are home, trying to make sure that I still have some quality and a decent quantity of time with each of them.  It's tough trying to figure out when to get housework done, in order to still be able to spend time with the kids!  It feels like there are a lot of competing priorities and methods of procrastination, and I know I don't always make the right choices, but I feel like I am finally starting to head into a brain space where I can consider things more clearly.

It's so sad how quickly spending time in God's word can be pushed aside.  I finally began meeting one-to-one with a friend from church this week, and I can actually remember feeling a bit grumpy about it, in the hours leading up to our meeting, because this was going to eat into my relaxing/tv watching/weaving (yes, stress apparently also leads to impulse purchases, as well as comfort eating, and I bought a vintage loom!) time!  How rude!  I'm so glad that we got to meet though!  What a relief to spend some time immersed in Ezra, and realising how quickly and disappointingly the Israelites slipped back into intermarrying with the nations around them, and disobedience, after God had intervened so obviously to bring them back to their land, and rebuild the temple!  What a reminder to me, not to tune God out with the soundtrack of the world!

I'm also trying to work my way through the "I Quit Sugar" program at the moment.  I'm 4 days into cutting out pretty much all fructose, and I have to say, it hasn't been as bad as I thought it might be!  I really miss fruit though, and am toying with the idea of adding it back in a bit earlier, but I guess I'll just stick to the plan for the moment.  Despite finding some of the recipes in the book pretty foul (you can add some egg to some quinoa and call it a macaroon, but it just isn't!!!), I'm quite interested in the research presented, and plan on looking into some other books on the sugar/fat issue too.  If what they're presenting is true, it's got some pretty scary implications for family health!  Bring on the whole foods.

Anyway, sadly this isn't particularly insight or inspiring, but more of a catch-up, and hopefully some motivation for myself to start putting together some of the posts that I've been thinking about for such a long time.  I hope that you're having a great year so far, and that we can spend some more time together!!

Just Talking

Well, it's been a long time.  We've been on a crazy, emotional ride. But enough of that for now. Today I'd rather talk to you about something that I've been thinking about for a little while now, and just not found made the time to share yet.  Evangelism.

That dreaded 'E' word that seems to strike fear into the hearts of so many - quite sadly, I might add! So what new thoughts can I possibly have to add to this subject? Some new tool or method for making it easier or less daunting?  Not at all.  Quite the opposite actually.

Now, please don't misunderstand me.  I'm not saying that different evangelistic tools don't have their place, because they certainly do!  Two Ways to Live, for example, is brilliant, especially for new Christians (and some long term!) to learn and make sure that they have really understood the gospel - and certainly to share with other people too!  What I am saying, however, is that I think we can tend to over formalise the idea of "Evangelism".  We can take it out of the realms of being prepared to share the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15), and elevate it to something akin to a magical unicorn hunt, where we feel as though only those who have been trained in this very specific art have the skills or the courage to capture the elusive unicorn.  

We can get so worked up about it, and so formulaic in the way that we try to talk to people about Jesus, that we just plain make it weird.  I mean, most people are happy to talk about the things that they are interested in, but I think both with over course-ising it (ooooh, now there's a terrible word that will never take off!), and often with us just expecting people to react badly to the news that we're Christian, that we can come across incredibly unnaturally.  Now I am more than happy to acknowledge that not everybody has the spiritual gift of evangelism (1 Corinthians 12), but just because I may not be blessed with a specific gift of helping, for example, that doesn't mean that I can't help pack the chairs away after our weekly church family gathering.  And more so for evangelism, because of verses like 1 Peter 3:15, where we are all called to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."  And I'm relatively confident that for the vast majority of us, who have been through an AFES group, or go to a decent church, we ought to be incredibly well equipped to give a very clear answer to anyone who asks us about our faith in Jesus!

So how can we do this?  I think we need to just be normal, and talk to people about God, as we would also talk to them about other things/people that we love.  To paraphrase the advice of my friend Ben Pfahlert, it's best to try to let people know that we're Christian as early in the relationship as possible - even just mentioning that we went to church on the weekend if someone asks how your weekend was.  Getting it out there early makes it less awkward later on (I remember the amusing reaction of a work mate that I'd been having coffee with for quite a few weeks when I mentioned I was a Christian - she immediately tried to do a mental catalogue of all the things she'd ever said to me, in case I might have been offended!), and also sets you in their minds as someone they can possibly go to if they have questions about God etc (I got a sterling opportunity with the same work mate, some months later, to give a full explanation of exactly why I am a Christian).  

If we can work on not seeing evangelism as an added extra to the other things that we do, or to church life, but can talk to people about God normally and naturally, as the opportunity arises, I think we will make much greater inroads into sharing the gospel with our friends.  There's even an Ed Stetzer statistic that 61% of non-Christian people in their 20's would say yes if a friend offered to study the Bible with them!  Conversations may not always go super well, and we may not always see people turning to God, but it's got to be worth the effort.  And if we Jesus has given his very life for us, I think we can weather some potentially awkward conversations.  What do we really have to lose, when our friends potentially have everything to gain?  Let's just start talking!!!

Photo by Moyan Brenn on Flickr.

Location, Location, Location: Part Two

Our possible home buying saga continues.  Hopefully we will find out this Monday if we can get a loan or not.  Our new mortgage broker seems confident.  Oh, it almost seems like too much.  Part of me hopes that they say no, so that we can finally just settle in here and not be looking around anymore.  You would think that I could just wait and see if we get the loan or not, but it turns out that I am both an obsessive and a  compulsive researcher - it's true, I looked it up.  It's quite tiring, being driven by that feeling of needing to know what our potential options are, in case we do get the loan.  And the speed with which the property market is rising is quite frightening.  It really feels like we could get priced out of the market before we even have a chance to get into it, or we could buy a lemon with massive issues, or someone else might get it first, or we could hate the area, or we could...

I am so thankful that I know that God is looking after us, no matter which way it goes.  He's already given us better landlords that we could have imagined, let alone asked for!  More and more I am realising that if I didn't have hope in God to rest upon, and to know that I can bring all my anxieties to him because he wants me to (he doesn't just deign to listen to them!), I would be one very stressed out little black duck.  Thank you God for listening and taking up my burdens!  More about my epiphany regarding what to do with complaining next (it's not really very ground-breaking, but it was to me at the time!).

Location, location, location

We've been looking at houses for sale lately.  (Theoretically, at least) we would like to buy one.  Have you ever bought a house?  What a storm of conflicting priorities!  How many bedrooms?  How many living areas? What suburb? Brick or weatherboard? New or existing?  Close to schools?  Which schools? And it's not just a matter of choosing which of these things, but weighing how important each of them are as well!  Not to mention, what is actually available for what we can afford?  And all of this before we've even confirmed that a bank will lend to us (hopefully we'll find that out tomorrow - eeek!)!

*Sigh!* We've found a house that we do quite like, and apart from putting in a bathtub and a dishwasher, it seems pretty much ready to just move straight in to.  I find I am so torn though - do we need another bedroom and a second living area to make doing ministry at home easier, or am I just being swayed by what the world (or what some denominational guidelines) says I ought to have for a family our size?  I'm pretty sure that the early church didn't have at least 4 bedrooms, a study, 2 living areas and a walk-in pantry!  Oh ho, it's an interesting, and over-researching ride!  I am a little bit on tenterhooks to hear what our mortgage broker says, hopefully tomorrow, and then who knows what will happen by the end of the week!

If you've bought a house, how have you gone about weighing up all of these different considerations?

Photo by I see Modern Britain on Flickr

The Big Push South

It’s been some time.  An awful lot has happened since my last post.  Let me fill you in.  College is done.  What sounds on the face of it, like it should be a great cause for celebration, is filled with some very mixed feelings.  John finished up in mid-November, and on the 6th of December, a truck came and loaded up all our worldly possessions and drove off.   Destination: Melbourne.

So on the 7th of March, it will have been 3 months, and I still quite keenly feel the loss of our college and Sydney church communities.  Even though we’ve moved closer to our biological families, it really does feel like we’ve left family behind.  I’m definitely struggling with discontentment at the moment, and I think perhaps this will be a pattern for me, moving into different places/situations, until I feel more established in the community and figure out more fully, what my role is. 

The same thing happened when we moved to college.  Poor John bore the brunt of my feelings of resentment that he got to go off and have a fabulous time studying theology with his new friends, while I had to stay home and “do the housework, and look after the baby”.  By the time we had Davey in second year, I was more than glad that I didn’t have to go out and work or study, but got to stay home and raise our lovely babies.  Oh how fickle my feelings are!!

Now, this is definitely not to say that our time in Melbourne hasn’t been without blessings!  John has taken over as the lead pastor of City Unichurch (name currently in negotiations), and we’ve largely felt extremely well welcomed and been so excited to see the amazing ways that our new church family serve the Lord and each other, as well as having a few visitors too!  We’ve had heaps of family support, are enjoying the extra space of a 3 bedroom house with a big yard and a supply of apricots, figs, lemons, walnuts and gorgeous roses.  Hannah is loving Kindergarten and Kinderballet.  All of the kids are pretty excited about our new playgroup too (which meant a serious meltdown when we had to leave, because they loved it so much!).

We all miss our college and Sydney church family and poor little Davey still cries about it sometimes.  It’s a little bit hard to cheer him up sometimes, when I’m feeling pretty sad about it myself.  I think I have a really big cry overdue (I’m such a girl!).  But last week was quite a good week, going away to Apollo Bay and having a chance to regroup and enjoy each other before John’s RMIT FOCUS work started in earnest this week.

I’m praying that the God who has already given me more than I could ever hope or imagine will help me to remember this truth, and move past these feelings of discontentment.  I’m praying that I can soon understand my role in this new stage of life, and support my family well, as we continue to change and grow.   I’m praying for new friends in our local community and that God can use us powerfully to build his kingdom here in Melbourne.

Image by alexbuitlr on flickr.

The Final Countdown - 11 Days to Go

Well, it's been about 5 months since my last post... Oops...  Certainly not because I haven't had anything that I've wanted to share, but you know life.  It's busy.  And messy.  And such a blessing from God!

So, I've decided to snatch up these 10 minutes, while our nearly 4 year old is at preschool, and our 2 year old and 7 month old are sleeping, and before I take my nap too.

11 days.  That's all we have left now in Sydney.  We've been here for nearly 4 years, a Bible college degree and 2 babies, and now we have 11 days left.  I can't believe it.  There is just so much to process and so many mixed feelings about leaving, and soooooo much packing to do.

I'm so thankful for our time here.  For all that we've learnt and our personal growth through college and church and Christian community, for our wonderful and amazing church and college friends.  For the two beautiful children who were born while we were here, and for the one who has essential done all of her growing here.  For not having to move for 4 lovely, settled years.  For the, at times, rough ride that college has been and for all that has taught us about God's care and love, and about ourselves and our marriage.  For the deep and wonderful friends that God has brought my way - I will miss you dearly!

I'm also thankful for a new church family ready and waiting for us, who trust John to take over leading them!  For being so much closer to pretty much all of our extended family (sorry Mum and Dad, you really should consider moving south!!).  For a lovely house to move in to where not everything will take place in the lounge room.  For a backyard (although I will miss hanging out with the other mums under the clotheslines!).

So many mixed feelings.  As I said to John yesterday, it's not that I don't want to move to Melbourne - in fact, I'm quite excited about it!  I just don't want to leave here.

Image by Robert S. Donovan on Flickr

Don't Be Afraid of the Ball

I used to play soccer B.C. (before children). Well, before marriage really. Somewhat embarrassingly, it was 'Bend It Like Beckham' that finally got me out the door and joining up with the local team (I don't think I've ever been described as 'sporty'). I was a back row defender, the main reason being that while I was more than happy to mark people like a champ (well, as much as I could manage to keep up with them *wheeze, wheeze, puff, puff!*) and use my body to physically block girls charging towards the goals (soccer really isn't a non-contact sport), I wasn't really expected to "do" anything with the ball apart from keep it away from our goal. Yep. I was afraid to have a go at scoring. I didn't think I, and honestly I probably didn't, have the ball skills necessary to get past the other teams defenders.

I was afraid of the ball.

Why am I telling you this? Is it a limping attempt to relive my sporting "glory days"?  Actually, no. It all started with a conversation that my lovely husband and I had a couple of weeks ago about evangelism. He was saying that the church is like an AFL team, with "Your evangelists out the front, looking to score goals..."  At which point I was lost. Sorry. I only lived in Victoria until I was 6. How on earth does that strange game work?  I started thinking about soccer. 

I'm afraid most of the time I've rated my evangelism skills as being roughly on par with my soccer ball skills. I'm more than happy to support the "evangelists", cheer them on, defend in the back line, but please don't think I can make any opportunities to "score", because I just don't have the skills!  

I've come to realise that the final sentence above should finish with the word 'confidence'. A thought that I have to admit, troubles me. But it's an issue i think, however stitlingly, I think I've slowly been getting better at.

I love the realisation that I know the gospel, and that's all that I need to know to tell people about Jesus. While evangelistic tools can be helpful, the most important thing to do is to just start talking. I can talk as openly about God as I do the other things I love, and God can use that to lead to an opportunity for me to share more of his Word with people. And as God said to Isaiah in Isaiah 55:11, "So it is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  Every conversation that I have with someone about God may not lead them straight to trust in him immediately, or even at all, but it may lead to another conversation sometime, with someone. And the person I've spoken to will know that I am a Christian, so if they do have questions later, they'll know I'm more than happy to talk about it. I don't need special words, or a special formula, but I can just talk.  That's not to say that I don't get ridiculously excited when I do get the opportunity to talk to someone about God, and don't have the voice in my head screaming, "Oh my goodness!  An opportunity!  Don't stuff it up!!!!"

Even if I may not feel like I'm a 'striker', or have particular skills in evangelism, it's great to know that I can be ready to make the most of the opportunities that I do have (Ephesians 5:15-16), and sometimes to even make some.  As it says in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Photo by anekphoto on Flickr

A Proper Grown Up

How do you feel about your age?  Do you feel your age?  I remember thinking, when I was a child, that the grown ups had it all together.  They were in control, knew what had to be done, and were so confident in moving about in their lives.  I just turned 33 (eeep!) and most of the time I don't think I feel terribly much different than when I was about 14.  I know that I have grown and changed immensely since then, but on the average day, that's pretty much my perception of the view from the inside.  And that is why what I am about to share gives me a right ol' slap in the face, shaking me back into reality.

My lovely husband has recently been voted in to be the next senior minister (well, they only have one so there's not much choice!) of a fairly recent church plant in Melbourne.  What a flood of conflicting emotions!  We're so excited to be stepping into this position next year - what an amazing opportunity and a wonderful privilege!  ...  And what an immense responsibility!  He's going to be the church minister.  I'm going to be the minister's wife.  Our family will be on show, for all to see (a confronting prospect when you're a bit sleep deprived, low on patience and trying to teach small people how to control their tempers...).  It is all a bit daunting when you still like doing things like swishing your feet through crunchy autumn leaves, jumping on trampolines, eating Cheezles off your fingers, clapping like a maniac when you get excited and still finding toilet humour quite hilarious (that one I also blame on a background in nursing - you've got to laugh, otherwise you'd cry).  It's nearly time to step up and be a proper grown up.

Recently though, I started thinking about other things that people have done by the time that they were my age; responsibilities that other people have taken on.  Calvin had already churned out his first version of the "Institutes" by the time he was 27.  I'm pretty sure that Andrew Reid was the national director of AFES well before 33.  Albeit he was God the Son, but Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all humanity when he was 33, and that we following a 3 year public teaching ministry.  I by no means assume that my influence will ever be anywhere near such people, but it did encourage me that it is possible, and no doubt time, to not be afraid to be a "proper grown up", with proper grown up sized responsibilities.  After all, that is why we came to Bible college.  And even though I know I am going to do and say things that I will regret, I can hold fast to my God, who says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9  And I pray that I can emulate Paul when he says, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Definitely time to take some deep breathes, get a solid diet of God's Word happening again (toll of a new baby) and keep praying!

Image is by bulldog1 of flickr

Book Spine Poetry Meme

A couple of weeks ago (eek! I am slow!) Jean tagged me and challenged me to create a poem using only the spines of books.  I eagerly set out that day and photographed it, but sadly I am only now sharing it with you. It's been a busy couple of weeks...

Here are the rules:

• Create a book spine poem (see some more examples here).
• Take a photograph of it.
• Post it on your blog.
• Link back to this post.
• Tag another blogger, or two, or ten!

So here is my poem (apologies for the quality of the photograph) - bear in mind that we'd just finished watching through season 9 of Spooks.

Here I stand
No name
The Secret Agent
Where angels fear to tread
No guts no glory
To kill a mockingbird

I tag Emily, Sharon, John, Dan and Farrah. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

It's Not Easy Being Green

Envy.  What do you think about envy?  Until recently I thought it sounded like a less offensive term than jealousy.  I felt better saying that I was 'envious' of someone or something, rather than saying I was 'jealous'.  I thought that they were a pretty much synonymous. Then I went on our third year college weekend away.

Did you know that envy is more than just jealousy?  Envy adds a whole new level of maliciousness.  According to my ancient and pre-political correctness Chambers's Dictionary, envy is "grief at the sight of another's success: to hate on account of prosperity".  Now that sounds pretty darn serious, but as Bill Salier pointed out, it can be seen on all kinds of levels in our society.  At a seeminlgy harmless level, you see it in the gossip magazine's "Celebrities without makeup" photo shoots.  We get that little surge of pleasure at seeing seemingly flawless beauties with bad hair and pimples.  You also get a sense of it on Funniest Home Videos.  At an extreme, you see it when parents hurt their children so that their estranged partners "can't have them".  Societally, you see it played out in our 'tall poppy syndrome'.  We Aussies love to cut those who rise above us back down to size.  Envy is rife.

I don't like to admit it, but envy is resident in my heart too.  Honestly, sometimes when I hear about good things being given to other people there is a little part of me that wishes that I could have it instead of them.  The little voice that whispers, "Why them?  I work so much harder. I am so much more deserving!"  Or that thought that if only Jane had a little bit of a taste of how hard things are for me, then she'd really know what this job/parenting/running a household is all about.

How quickly I forget everything that God has given me that I have not, can not and will never deserve.  I have forgiveness and every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), and yet I stew over and begrudge these tiny fleeting things that appear so very big at the time.  Envy is evidently something that we are seriously warned to put off (1 Corinthians 13:4, Galatians 5:21, Galatians 5:26,  Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 2:1), but how do we do this?  To scratch the surface, Galatians 5 implores us to keep in step with the Spirit and it's desires, and to put off the desires of our sinful natures.  I think regular Bible reading can be a big help here, reminding ourselves of God's big plan and everything he's done for us and keeping our priorities in line with his.  Prayer is another huge one - asking for God's help to overcome envy and praying for those that we feel envious of, perhaps even thanking God for the way that he was blessed them.  Steering clear of people or situations that provoke us to envy might also be helpful.  Be encouraged that in imploring us to put off envy, with the Spirit's help, it is possible.

How wonderful that it is not only our actions, but also our thoughts that are important to God.  He loves us in our entirety and changes us entirely through his Spirit. Thank you Lord for a new hearts. Please help us not to return to our old ones.

Image is by lamazone of flickr

Sugar-Free Since 18/03 ... and then not..

As a follow-up to my No Added Sugar post, I thought I should probably tell you how that actually went.  My goal was to go for one week without eating anything with added sugar.

It all started fairly well - will power was high, to the point of even turning down freshly baked blueberry crumble muffins that everybody was raving about in Bible study.  The first couple of days weren't too bad, although getting used to tea and coffee sans sugar was interesting (it added a tinge of sadness to my morning tea coffee ).  About two days in I started feeling quite awful.  I'm still not 100% convinced it was the lack of sugar, but perhaps it was.  After a day or two, I was feeling better again, but nothing significantly better than normal.

It was all going so well, I was six days in with one more to go, when we went out for our Friday night take away.  There we were, sitting in McDonalds (we're very classy) watching Hannah drinking water from her little happy meal bottle.  I raised my cup and took a long draught through my straw, and thought to myselfm "Hmm, Hannah's drinking water.  My water tastes quite sweet ... Hang on a minute!"  It was lemonade.  I was 24 hours from reaching my goal when I found myself accidentally quaffing down a medium sized cup of sprite.  Oh well, close enough.  It turns out that I would have had to break it the next day anyway, because the only morning tea that was served at the Equip conference were little 'sweetie treaties', as we have come to call them in our house.

So, at the end of all that I have nothing particularly remarkable to report.  I went without sugar for a while. Now I'm eating it again.  I have noticed though, I do tend to feel a mild sense of rising panic when I watch my child each chocolate or lollies, while I'm happy enough to eat them myself.  I'm not quite sure what is with that.

Photograph by Uwe Hermann on Flickr

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.