Don't shop while you're hungry??

'They' say never go shopping when you're hungry.

Well I was shopping today when I was hungry - Not because I was hungry - and the collective 'they' were in my head!
"You'll end up buying something bad for you, spend more money than necessary/buy more than you need "

As I headed to the fresh bakery section of woolies with the sole intention of grabbing the healthiest snack there I was determined not to splurge just because I was hungry. Upon approaching the magic clear doors and glanced across the array of 'delicious' it was the blueberry muffin that caught my eye... But wait... Despite its healthier status to chocolate it really isn't a good lunch option. Hmm so my eyes searched across the display and there they were... 3 of the best looking cream finger buns you've ever seen! You know the ones with sweet cream carefully laid in the long finger bun for you to see, decorated with the squiggly line of rich red jam!! I used to eat these at school. As I stood there consciously reminding myself that the health risks outway the temporary satisfaction with this choice, I was seriously tempted, so much so that I stood there perhaps a little long. I couldn't tell if I just wanted to eat it because it reminded me of my 'yesterdays' or because they are so sweet and I haven't eaten one in long time (which would make it alright to treat myself right?). And what if I was only remembering how much I liked them then, only to eat one now and be disappointed?! Well suffice to say I held my ground, grabbed the Hawaiian pizza looking thing and paced quickly away from those magic doors...

food can be such a distraction!

Ps. Happy with my choice:)
Pss. Despite the wisdom of the 'They' of you have run out of food or are starving then you should forget the 'They' and go shopping

'R U OK?' Day

  

Just in case you haven't heard, today is 'R U OK?' Day here is Australia. I say 'is' because you still have time to ask someone if they are ok. Of course you can ask them tomorrow as well - but the aim of today is partly to remind us not to leave it too long to ask this question of people, rather feel free to ask more regularly.

It's kinda sad that we have to have a day to remind us to ask each other how were are going... but I am glad we do. It does some helpful things like:

• highlights the importance of talking to each other 
• gives people permission to ask in situations they normally wouldn't feel like they could
• reminds us to open our eyes and ears, and even mouths, more to the many people who are struggling - often silently [hence the need to open our eyes... as well as our mouths to ask the question and speak words of hope, support and encouragement]

If you haven't checked out the official website it is worth doing so. It has some good information and resources to help us help each other through the tougher times of life. Check it out here

This particular resource page from the website is really helpful if you want some quick practical tips on how to say 'R U OK?' Yep, I know that sounds a little silly. But there are lots of ways to find out if someone is OK and to really Listen. Sometimes the question 'are you OK?' doesn't help someone open up. Sometimes it's how we are portraying ourselves that may prevent someone from opening up. That's why this is a useful fact sheet to look at.    

I've recently asked 2 questions related to 'R U OK?' day via twitter and facebook. So I'll blog some more about this later.

In the mean time...

• If there is something weighing you down today find someone you trust and tell them, even if they haven't asked 'are you ok?'. 
• If you have noone to share your struggle with right now, LifeLine hotline has great people who listen and care. Call 13 11 14
• If you haven't tried to genuinely find out how someone is going today here are a few questions you could ask besides 'are you ok?' that may help start a good conversation
• what's been worrying you lately, if anything?
• what's been the high point and the low point of your day?
• If you could change anything about your life now, what would it be?
• what's 1 thing that has been weighing you down lately?

 "Connection and open, honest conversations are good for our wellbeing – whether or not we’re struggling with a problem. It helps us to feel valued and supported by the people around us. There's also an emerging body of research which links supportive social relationships and a sense of social connection with protective factors in suicide prevention." ['R U OK? Day' Website FAG page]

1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back... Recalculating...

It just struck me that this old cliche may just need some recalculating. I have often felt like I take a step forward then find myself back further than when I started, as if trying to go up an escalator only to find it carrying me back to the bottom and dumped me on
my butt! But it has just occurred to me that it actually works out to be 2 steps forward and 1 step back, because even when I have taken 1 step forward then fallen back 2 I get back up and start the walking from the first step I got to before I went backwards. I call that Moving forward. If you usually find the above cliche describes you, perhaps as you reflect on where you are now - and how you've grown anyway - it's your turn to recalculate the cliche:)

I'm sooo thankful when God opens my eyes a little more so I can see things more how they actually are. Feeling joyful right now and thankful for the backwards steps, especially that God lets me go backwards so that he can help me move forward properly. Growth, whilst painful, is ultimately invigorating. After all, it's a sign we are ALIVE, not just breathing :)

Silly Sayings

A sweet young Japanese woman has been staying with me for the past 2 weeks. In that time I have, so far, managed to teach her 2 silly Australian sayings... funny thing is that it wasn't until I had to explain what I was talking about when I said them that I realised how silly they are.

First one was: "feeling under the weather". She asked me why "under" the weather? Um... good questions?! What is it... being under the spell of crappy weather?? [cause we always seem to use it in the negative]

Second one: "my brain is fried". That one was funnier to her:) I think she thought I meant 'deep fried' hehe!

Someone at school today taught her "stick like glue" as in "stick like glue to the other teachers so you don't get lost".

I like our silly sayings cause even when they don't really make sense somehow they just do:)

Hmm I wonder what else I can teach her before she goes back to Japan...

Re-Activating Life

Life has been very interesting this year, and not all in an exciting way... mostly in a confusing: "I don't really know what's going on" kind of way. I've grappled; wrestled; questioned; listened; 'tested the waters'; paused decisions; given up and let the tide take me wherever' taken steps of faith; adapted; grown; as well as done the whole 'flop on the floor in a state of stubborn unhappy obedience' like a grumpy kid kind of thing... not all in that order, but definitely a few rounds of each. This is why you haven't heard much from me here for a while. 

This morning I decided to focus on the smaller things in my life, rather than the bigger things. I've already made the most important decision in my life, the biggest one of all: To follow Jesus, the King of the Universe and whatever is beyond. Being faithful to that decision is not and easy road.

Life is purposeful, thus it requires us to live it intentionally, not passively. My life has been given purpose, meaning, joy, love and hope that runs deep and flows into eternity. Yet I find myself making everyday choices, even defaulting to 'old self' habits [as if I don't have to choose - which in itself is a choice!], that aren't in the spirit of 'Living the Change".  They don't lead me to more fulfilling life, rather they slowly and subtly lead me in the way of 'death'.

I've been thinking about about Romans 12v1-2 

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

On Tuesday night I heard v2 again, and I honestly thought: "I am tired of having to do all the changing, can't something else change so that good comes from it and I can have a break". But the next day I was preparing for a school chapel service where I was starting to wrap up the series on Jesus' "I AM" statements. God helped me to see that when Jesus says he is "the way, the truth and the life", he is basically saying that the answer to ANY and ALL our questions, confusion, uncertainty, despair... well everything is JESUS HIMSELF. It's not about me finding the right way through this time in my life or the path that I meant to walk on into the next season of my life. It's about me being with Jesus, going to Him. 

So this has led to my decision to persevere with Rom 12v1-2. This morning God reminded me - in fact I think he woke me up at 3am to get me to listen carefully - that the process of being being transformed in our mind requires non-conforming to worldly patterns and the same is true the other way around, both are dependent on each other. This is no easy process. But it IS Possible and WORTHWHILE. My problem is that I let circumstances and excuses cloud my judgment, causing me to think and feel like it's too hard when it actually isn't. First of all God himself promises to help us, He gives us other people to grow with, and then it really comes down to the small everyday decisions of your life. Now that makes it sound more possible to me.

Thus reactivating the simple rule of 'swapping' worldly habits for Godly habits that will keep me focussed on and connected with Jesus, is the key. Hence my new personal project "The Swap Project" (here) It's not really revolutionary, it's just something to help live out Rom 12v1-2. I'm trying to keep it simple so I've been really disciplined and refrained from spending lots of time making it look good - trust me that's a big deal, hehe:)

Feel free to join me in it:)

Hindsight

So I'm here looking back on a recent scenario of my life thinking how 'Hindsight' really drew the short straw when it came to getting its role on the 'Sight' team. Foresight gets all the glory with preventing us from doing stupid things or preparing us for things to come. The only weakness of Sight is that there are things we sometimes don't want to see in the moment, other than that we are thankful for being able to see everytime we open our eyes. But Hindsight gets all the angst. Hindsight is the one noone really wants, in fact more than that, we'd much prefer Hindsight to someone else: the other 'Sights'. It's the one that we would like to yell at, and perhaps have:
"where were you when I really need led you?!"
"what?! You're choosing to tell me NOW and not back then when it mattered?!"
Yep Hindsight is the awkward one that never seems to get timing right. The thing is, that's its job... so at least it does it's job well. And whilst we tend to err on the side of animosity towards Hindsight, there's a depth of wisdom in it that we appreciate. It teaches us valuable things, that actually end up being useful for our present and future. Maybe it's not so separated from Foresight or Sight as it seems... Oh yeah they're a team... We need them all.

Disappointment

It's an inevitable thing in this life that we will all experience disappointment. Whether it be disappointment in things not turning out how we hoped or planned, or disappointment causes by people, the effect is the same. Usually it's some form of sadness and sense of loss, whether it shows in tears or anger.

As a person full of hope, optimism and dreams I have encountered disappointment to the point where we are beyond 'acquaintances'. Whilst there is a deep familiarity with disappointment, at times it can still catch me by surprise in its ability to effect me. Usually it rears its head in circumstances not working out how I hoped they would. Lately it's showed up on a regular basis.

Today was its most recent sighting.

The difficult part of dealing with disappointment for me is in finding a healthy response where I allow myself to feel the valid sadness, reflect on what happened so I can understand it and learn from it, but then find a way to let it go so it doesn't lead me towards bitterness or inaction.

Today the most difficult part was facing the fact that I let myself down. I really wanted to hit myself over the head a couple of times. Don't worry, I didn't:). But I couldn't fight back the tears on and off - even on a plane!

I wonder what you do with disappointment.
For me, the key is intentionally bringing to mind what is ultimately true and outlasts whatever happens on Earth - Jesus: His character, His promises and what he has already done for me.

Truth can be hard to hold onto when our emotions are at full throttle. So today it was a difficult challenge to fight the repetitive regretful thoughts with truth. Boy can my mind shout, particularly at night when I want to sleep. But I opened the Bible (well my Bible ap) and the verse for the day was Philippians 4v4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Perfect verse for me to hear tonight. Thank you God! It puts everything into perspective and helps me to fix my eyes on God not me (the Bible says it well: Hebrews 12v1-3). Whatever happens, God is still in charge and His ways are perfect, better plans than mine. And all that happens on this Earth in my life is so small and temporary compared with seeing God face to face and being with Him in 'perfect everything' forever. So this may not have worked out, but it doesn't knock me out of God's awesome hands and perfect plans.

Hope in this earthly life is a fleeting thing and really is no sure hope at all. but hope in Jesus is absolute and eternal.

In times of disappointment may you run to the God in whom there's never nothing to rejoice about.

That is the difference between joy and happiness: joy withstands circumstances, whereas happiness depends on circumstances. Joy comes from knowing Jesus :D He does not disappoint :D