Lists too Good not to Share # 4 - Blessing Missionaries

This is my last list and no, it isn't Monday. But tomorrow I have something else I need to post.

Do you know any missionaries? Or at the very least, do you know of any missionaries? They are ordinary people who eat, sleep, have families, do a job, try to work hard at their relationship with God and at their relationships with one another under God. But as it happens they work in a foreign setting. Sometimes their work is a direct ministry. Sometimes they do a mainstream job and seek to be Christian in how they work and live. Another feature of missionaries is that they have left their homes, families, friends and churches to do this. It is good work but it can be isolating work. So here is a great list from the Desiring God website of 13 ways to bless a missionary without paying for postage - which will surely appeal because I know there are some of you out there who don't like writing letters!! And the good thing is that you don't have to wait until Christmas to have a go at one of these...each of them will work and be gratefully received any time of the year.

This list is again presented to you with full permission and as per their request, I have copied the article in full which was originally from here.

Were you unable to send a Christmas present or care package to some missionaries you love this season? It’s okay. You can still bless a missionary this Christmas.

[Update: It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway—even though Christmas is past, these ideas can still encourage our friends overseas. Let's keep serving them all year long!]

Here are 13 post-office-free ideas to get you started, most of which you could do right now from your desk:

1. Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them.

2. Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away.

3. Purchase phone minutes for an international calling card through an online service like OneSuite and email them the account number.
4. Donate frequent flier miles to them.
5. Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number.
6. Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year.
7. Write a song or poem or story for them. Email them the text and a recording of you reading or singing it.
8. Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss.
9. Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency.
10. Western Union—the fastest way to send money.
11. Call their local florist (not everyone is in the jungle these days) and have flowers delivered, or their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered—with corn and shrimp as toppings!
12. Donate to a charity that means a lot to them.
13. Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.
If you have your own ideas, respond to this post and let us know what they are. Maybe next year we can offer 50 suggestions, or 100.

(Remember to use discernment in written or video communication if your missionaries work in security-sensitive locations.)
" Copyright 2007 Desiring God. Used by permission."

And here is another similar list, this time from the Gospel Coalition Blog, which does include a visit to the post office!

Dishonesty at the Pool

I've spent each morning for the last two weeks watching children doing their swimming lessons in what is a great Western Australian tradition - Vac Swim - two weeks of lessons for a $1 a day during the summer holidays. Vac Swim has been around for seventy one years now.

Sitting on the sidelines watching the boys have their lessons brought back memories of the Vac Swim lessons I took as a child. The terror of learning to dive and having to duck dive for the teacher's whistle in the deep end of the big pool.  The joy of being allowed to buy a packet of potato chips from the vending machine after the last lesson. Coming home with another certificate having passed the next stage. Green hair and red, stinging eyes from the chlorine.

And today, as one of the boys was tested to see if he will pass his current stage, I remembered how I fudged my way through not one but two swimming tests.  The first was in the very early stages.  We were required to swim freestyle across the width of the pool - eight lanes in all.  I could do the arms.  I could do the kicking.  I could turn my head to the side every second stroke to facilitate breathing.  But I just couldn't manage to take a breath!  And so when being tested, I took in a huge lungful of air and swam as fast as I could to the other side.  It all looked OK and I made it to the other side, lungs bursting. 

I passed.  (Without passing out!!)

Much later down the track when I doing life saving lessons, one of the things required of us was to demonstrate resuscitation.  Every time we practised this we did it for two minutes, pretending to resuscitate a partner, who would count how many cycles we went through.  One breath every five seconds...two minutes...twenty four breaths.  Text book.  When it came to the test, my partner counting my cycles, I got to twenty four and then thirty six.  I thought I must be going way too fast...nerves during the exam!  And so I whispered to my partner that she should say, when asked at the end of the exercise, that I had done twenty four cycles.  And then I revised that to thirty when time seemed to drag on. 

Examiner:  How many cycles did Meredith do?

Partner:  Thirty.

Examiner to Meredith: That seems very slow.  Show me what you were doing.

Meredith demonstrates perfectly timed cycles every five seconds.

Examiner: You must have been going a bit slowly or maybe your partner didn't count correctly.  I did let the exercise go on for a few minutes.  (Meredith did not correct this situation and defend her partner who, at the age of twelve or there abouts, could of course count to forty eight.)  But you seem to be doing just fine now.

And I passed.

So naughty!!

"Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.  Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin."  Leviticus 19:35,36a 

Lists too Good not to Share # 3

Are you getting ready to start a new Bible study group for the year? Here is a fantastic list of questions I found here on Jean's blog In All Honesty that could be used to help your group get to know each other. You write each question on a separate piece of paper, fold the pieces of paper up and put them in a bowl. Members of your group take turns to choose a question and answer it. Or you could choose five questions and get everyone to answer each of them and do this over several weeks. It's great! I used these questions last year in a group I ran and it really helped ease some "new group nerves."

This list is copied with full permission. Here it is...

How did you become a Christian?
Name one film or book that you hated and explain why.
Who was the best teacher you had at school and why?
What is one of your favourite parts of the Bible?
What is you favourite ice-cream flavour?
If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
What is one of your favourite songs we sing at church?
Tell us about one time when you were really scared.
What is one thing you think you are very good at?
What's the most important thing that happened to you this week?
I've always wanted to...
The person in my family that I get along best with is...
What was one of the nicest presents you ever received?
If I could be an animal, I'd be a...
Tell how you are feeling today in the form of a weather report.
If you could go anywhere in the world for a holiday, where would it be?
One of the hardest things I have ever done is...
I'm most aware of God's presence when...
Three things that make me angry are...
Three things that make me happy are...
An embarrassing moment...
Three of my favourite films are...
My favorite tv show is...
If I could be one fictional character who would it be and why?
A talent or skill I have is...
Something I’m not good at but would like to be is...
On the way to this meeting, I was feeling...
Introvert or extravert? And would you change?
The first album I ever bought was...
My first job was... And I was paid...
My favorite pizza topping is...
Tell us something about the shoes you're wearing.
Who is your favorite super hero and why?
What would your family say you're like first thing in the morning?
What’s your favourite room in the house and why?
What's the weirdest thing you eat at home?
What is a Christian book you have enjoyed? (not including the Bible)
Name a Christian leader or historical figure you admire.
If you could have a full day at home by yourself what would you do?
Which fruit of the Spirit do you struggle with most?
What is something goofy that another family member does that makes you laugh?
What is one habit you just can’t break?
What is one thing your parents did for you that you are really grateful for?
What is one naughty thing you did when you were little?
A toy I really liked playing with when I was little was...
A film or book that really made me laugh was...
Name two of your favourite film stars.
Tell us about something you collect.
Can you think of one thing you might be doing differently if you weren’t a Christian?

Lists too Good not to Share # 2 - Reading

Until February I am only posting on Mondays and will be showcasing some helpful lists I found on other people's blogs during 2009.
The series is called "Lists too Good not to Share."
I have received full and direct permission to reproduce these lists here from the owners of the blogs who originally featured them.

Did one of your New Year's resolutions have something to do with reading? Reading more? Or getting started on some solid reading perhaps? Two weeks into the new year is your resolve weakening?

Here is an inspiring list all about reading that encourages and enthuses - a distillation by Justin Taylor from Between Two Worlds of some longer posts by one Professor Bruce Ashford.

On “what” to read:

1. Guard your time in the Scriptures.
2. Avoid limiting yourself by era, tribe, or category.
3. Reading the great authors is more helpful than reading a great number of books.
4. Make a list of categories and read a selected number of books each year, in each category.
5. Read a few select journals and magazines.

On “how” to read:

1. If you would like to become a disciplined reader, you probably need to make a plan.
2. Figure out your “reading style.”
3. Always carry a book.
4. If possible, drink and read at the same time.

On “why” to read, suggesting that reading does the following:

1. Sharpens the mind.
2. Exercises the mind.
3. Gives one something about which to converse.
4. Allows one to “travel” to other times and places.
5. Reduces stress.
6. Provides an inexpensive and low maintenance form of entertainment.

Doesn't that make you want to make a cup of tea and find a good book? To that end, I have updated my reading list for 2010 on my sidebar. Now, where is that book?

Lists too Good not to Share # 1 - Hospitality Questions

Until February I am only posting on Mondays and will be showcasing some helpful lists I found on other people's blogs during 2009.
The series is called "Lists too Good not to Share."
I have received full and direct permission to reproduce these lists here from the owners of the blogs who originally featured them.

The summer holidays are in full swing here in my neck of the southern hemisphere. There are plenty of opportunities to be inviting people over for a relaxed meal during the warm evenings. So here is a fantastic list of questions to help with meaningful conversation over all sorts of dinner occasions, written by Nancy Rogers and first posted at the Girl Talk website here.


Questions to Get to Know People Better

1. Where did you grow up?
2. Where did you go to school and what did you study?
3. How did you meet your spouse and how long have you been married?
4. What dreams do you have for the future?
5. What is one thing you have never done that you wish you could do?
6. What is the most important thing you have accomplished in your life?
7. What do you enjoy doing with your spare time?
8. If you could do anything other than what you are doing now, what would you do?
9. Ask questions about their work, their kids, where they like to take holidays or their favorite foods.
10. What books are they currently reading?

Questions for Biblical Fellowship

1. What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year and what are you doing to this end?
3. Who is one person you would like to spend time with asking questions about their relationship with the Lord?
4. What is one new way you could help strengthen the church?
5. What is one thing you could do to improve your prayer life?
6. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
7. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
8. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
9. In what area of your life do you most need growth and what will you do about it?
10. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year?

Questions to Get to Know Internationals Better

1. What country are you from?
2. Can you describe your daily life and family traditions in your home country?
3. What was your education like and what are your interests?
4. What are your impressions of our country?
5. Were you brought up in a religious home?
6. What foods are unique to your country and what food from our country do you enjoy?
7. Would you teach me a few words in your native language?
8. Are there any questions you would like to ask me?
9. What are your special holidays and how do you celebrate them?
10. Is there any way I can serve you?

Forget Biodiversity! 2010 is the Year of...

...the Roast.

Some people seem to think that cooking a roast is the easiest meal to prepare under the sun. I can roast meat. Especially lamb. And I can sort of roast vegetables, although the potatoes aren't necessarily cooked all the way through every time. Timing the vegies is tricky. And getting all the vegies AND the meat cooked and ready to be eaten at the same time...well, that's quite a feat. I CAN make gravy. Real gravy using the pan juices, a little flour and a few secret ingredients. I used to make the gravy every Sunday when I was growing up. Problem is, when I was making the gravy back then I wasn't responsible for the rest of the roast dinner. Just the gravy. And then there is one more thing. It's not just the meat and the vegies and the gravy. It's then getting myself to the dinner table with the roast looking like it was a breeze. No stress.

Roasts are such an economical way to feed guests. I've just got to master this skill.

2010 is The Year of the Roast.

I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, feel free to give me ALL your favourite tips. I want to know EVERYTHING.

Was 2009 the Year of Optimism?

The other day I was perusing my notebook and found a list labelled "2009". Here's what was on that list in bold print - and how I went in plain text.

JOBS
Put shelf and mirror up in guest toilet. No. Still on the list.
Smoke alarms in boys' bedrooms. No. But now that we're back into fire season it is on my mind to get onto this again.
Clear out spare room. No.
Sort out the garden. Well, I've made a very small start.

GOALS
Bible reading and prayer. Being more regular, more thorough, more disciplined...it's a given on any list of goals for any year. Always room for improvement.
Be more deliberate about housework. Mmmmmm...I did sweep the floor under the table where the boys eat a lot.
Read other books - alternating fiction and non fiction. Gave up fiction except during the holidays. Small success with non fiction.
Respond to letters and emails from missionaries by email as soon as the letters have arrived. Alas, no.
Write one encouraging letter per week. Had a good month in May. Otherwise, I did what I vowed I wouldn't do. I let blogging get in the way of letter writing.

Well, at least I have saved myself a job. I don't need to think of any New Year's resolutions for 2010. I can just recycle the list from this year!!!

When I started this blog at the beginning of the year I mentioned that a friend and I had declared 2009 to be The Year of Optimism. Looking at my list of underachievements for the year you might guess that The Year of Optimism didn't live up to its designation.

But no. In fact it has been The Year of Optimism. And I think there are probably three good reasons.

Firstly, my husband and I have been married for eleven year and this has been the first year of our marriage that has been uneventful. This is the first year in eleven years that we were able to stand together, looking out on the horizon of the year ahead at the beginning of the year, without anticipating the death of a parent, the birth of a child, moving house, moving church, leaving a job, swapping from worker to student or student back to worker, a diagnosis of a serious illness, having to make a major decision that was going to be life changing. We were looking at our first ever ordinary year together. Which is not to say that stuff didn't happen. It did. But we were able to face the year more steadily because there was nothing looming when the year started.

Secondly, our youngest boy has been emerging from the toddler years. Joy. We have entered that golden five or so years when both boys are neither toddlers nor teenagers. Which again, is not to say that stuff won't happen. But as a primary school teacher, I know the primary years to be a steady time of a child's life. And we are loving it.

Thirdly, I think in declaring that this year would be the Year of Optimism up front has given me an incentive and a determination to think optimistically. It's a little trick of the mind really, a way of training the brain. Yes, there were times when I felt far from optimistic this year. However for the most part, if I said it was The Year of Optimism then I was determined that I would finish it being able to say that yes, it was The Year of Optimism.

So what of next year? The United Nations has declared it The International Year of Biodiversity - a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives where the world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth.

I'm going for something much simpler.
2010 - The Year of..
Yes, you'll have to come back tomorrow to find out.

My Bible Reading Plan for 2010

Ever since I became a Christian I have endeavoured to read through the Bible once a year. I became more convinced of the importance of doing this in 2001 when I took a year off work to do some study at a theological college. While at college the principal commented that he reads through the Bible each year because it is his major tool of the trade. Now I am not the principal of a theological college, although one might argue that being a mother makes you the deputy principal of your own little theological college at home. But whether I am a principal or a mother or anything else, I think it's important to keep reading the Bible in a systematic, organised and disciplined way and my personal preference, at least for daily devotional reading, is to keep sweeping through the Scriptures year by year.

In terms of being systematic and organised, I have used various reading plans, some written by me and some written by others such as:

• Starting at the beginning and reading through to the end
• Alternating an OT book with a NT book
• Systems that get you through the OT once and the NT twice, book by book
• A plan that did OT book, NT book, a few Psalms, a gospel and then repeating the cycle - designed to read through the gospels many times in order to really get to know Jesus. This one was a two year project.

Now I said that I have endeavoured to read through the Bible each year. Some years have been successful and some have been anything but successful - if the measure is to get to the end of the plan by 31st December each year. There is always benefit, as long as the Scriptures are read but I have certainly floundered these last few years to get all the way through any plan I find or devise. And I always get bogged down in the same spot. Yes, you know which spot it is. Those prophets! And it has become SUCH a problem that I knew I needed to do something drastic about it in the new year.

So I have been praying about an approach to take in 2010. At the time I was praying about this, Jean wrote a post at Equip where she linked to Justin who provided this LIST of Bible reading plans in this post. (I know, too many links there! THE link to follow is probably the one in capital letters. Thank you Jean for finding this really helpful resource. Praising God for you again and again.)
In surveying the possibilities, I have decided to head in a different direction and use THIS reading plan for the year ahead. Rather than go through whole books at a time, it provides a portion of OT, a portion of NT and a Psalm every day and in the year gets through the OT once and the NT and Psalms twice. The OT and NT books are covered in sequential order so it isn't a wacky, all-over-the-place reading system, but it does break up the books each day which means that I won't have to fear wading into the Prophets for weeks and weeks on end, which does my unfit brain and timid heart in every time.
I haven't read the Bible like this in years. I'm looking forward to it. I'll let you know how it goes.

A Cross from Bethlehem

I was given this small wooden cross about a month ago from another member of a committee on which we both serve. He picked it up while visiting Israel during October. It's made from the wood of an olive tree from Bethlehem. I showed it to our six year old son and explained where it came from.

With eyes as big as saucers he said, “Is Bethlehem real?”
M: Yes.
R: Where is it?
I show him on the map. I thought we had done that before, but maybe not...
M: Didn’t you think Bethlehem was a real place? Did you think it was just a place in a story?
R: I know that everything in the Bible is true, Mummy. Now I know that it is real too.

We have a mad collection of decorations for our Christmas tree. Our tree, when decorated, is no glitzy, department store, colour co-ordinated masterpiece. But it is beautiful to us because nearly every decoration has a story behind it - a Kindergarten craft masterpiece, a gift from a precious friend, a reminder of a special time - and we love to remember each story and give thanks for each special person and occasion behind the decorations as we decorate our tree. This cross from Bethlehem is one of the treasures, with its own special story, that we have added to our tree this year.

Merry Christmas, and may your hearts be filled with joy as you reflect on the One who was sent - a baby born in Bethelehem on that very first Christmas - to be our Saviour. And rejoice.

More on the Mince Pies

Here are a few more tips for budding mince pie chefs.

1. Unless you are in the habit of making pies during the year, make a small first batch. Making pies once a year is a bit like making pancakes...the first ones are never very good. Best not to use up too much of your delicious home made fruit mince on dud pies.

2. Use an egg wash on the inside of the lids to stick them down and an egg and milk wash on the top of the lids. An egg wash top and bottom is just too...well...egg-y.

3. If you live in the southern hemisphere, they are best cooked first thing in the morning or else in the evening when it isn't so hot. It takes me about an hour in the preparation...and having pastry out on the bench for an hour in the heat just doesn't work. If you must bake in the heat of the afternoon, keep your pastry under a damp tea towel.

4. Trim excess pastry off the edges of the pies before you put them in the oven for the perfect pie.

5. If your fruit mix is nice and juicy, the juice will inevitably bubble out of the air holes during the cooking and run all over your pastry lids. But once the pies are out of the oven and have cooled just a little, you can actually wipe off the juice with a clean damp cloth for near perfect results. And when dusted with icing sugar they'll win awards.

6. For those, such as myself, who use pre-rolled pastry from the supermarket DO NOT use low fat pastry! Even if you have spent an hour lining your pie tins, putting in the mix, putting on the lids and getting them all ready for oven and you check the cooking time on the packet one more time and discover that you mistakenly purchased low fat pastry, even still DO NOT PROCEED hoping that it will all be OK, as I did with my second batch of 24, no less! IT WILL NOT WORK. They will not be nice. Pastry is not meant to be low fat. Low fat pastry cooks into a cardboard-like consistency and is a complete waste of good fruit mince.

With these six tips, along with the right fruit mince, you have everything you need to know to make the real deal. Enjoy.

Garden Update # 8

There hasn't been a whole lot of work on the garden lately. Since the weather warmed up most of my gardening time has been directed at keeping the lawn watered. But there are a couple of little things to report.

Firstly, an addition to the pot plants since the coriander came to its end...


...in the form of a lettuce for summer!


And because it is Christmas, a hydrangea...


...here at my spot for sitting for a quiet moment...


...because like the coriander in the pots, the marigold that used to be on this table didn't make it!

Real Hope

Some real hope at Christmas - because without Christmas there is no Easter and without Easter we are without hope. This is a beautiful song by Colin Buchanan. The music is gorgeous too but it is deeply refreshing to the read the words as stand alone poetry. Be encouraged this Christmas.

Real Hope

It was a real birth in real stable
In a real dusty Judean town
And a real mother nursed her precious baby
And a bunch of wide-eyed shepherds gathered round
And real angles sang “Glory!”
For real hope was born that day.

I bet all I have on Jesus
I will throw myself on him
For the one who died a real death, for real sin
I bet all I have on Jesus
And throughout eternity
I will marvel at the real hope
That my Saviour won for me

It was a real life
He had real friends
He walked shoulder to shoulder with the lost
He wept real tears
For the fallen ones
And he anguished over sin's dreadful cost
And on a real cross he cried, "Forgive them!"
As his real life drained away.

I bet all I have on Jesus
I will throw myself on him
For the one who died a real death, for real sin
I bet all I have on Jesus
And throughout eternity
I will marvel at the real hope
That my Saviour won for me

I have real fears
I do real sin
And I hurt the ones I cherish and adore
But the real mercy
Of the true God
Sees the filthy fallen purchased and restored
And I cry "My God - O fill me
With a heart completely yours!"

I bet all I have on Jesus
I will throw myself on him
For the one who died a real death, for real sin
I bet all I have on Jesus
And throughout eternity
I will marvel at the real hope
That my Saviour won for me

(And nothing now until Monday. I am onto my once a week with a few exceptions regime until February.)

A Bit of an Update

I sometimes wonder how I come across in this blog. I know I write about how it would be good to be reading the Bible every day and praying heaps and being nice and kind to everyone and grateful for everything and...

And it would be good to be doing all this and running the perfect household (although I am sure if you looked at the photos here you won't be under any illusions!) and so on and so forth but lest you think I'm showing off and being...

...here's an update on some of the things I said I'd do or try in the course of this blog in recent months and how it has really gone!!

The Garden - well, I think I've been quite honest about the weeds! I did get onto mulching but all those bags of mulch I bought covered about a QUARTER of the area...my conservation of volume is HOPELESS...and I didn't really get back to it after that. That was early October. Having said that, the pots of herbs are doing really well. I think plants in pots are my forte! So if you are thinking of buying me a Christmas present, a big terracot pot would be lovely!!!

The Bible Reading Plan - got off to a great start but I confess I was overcome by the prophets. It's all fantastic and great to learn about the God who judges (and judge He did and judge He will) but I reached a point where, if I didn't change tack, I wasn't going to read the Bible for days at a time because I was so overwhelmed. So that plan was abandoned, I headed back into the New Testament for some refreshment and am looking forward to the Gospels during December. Stay tuned for 2010's plan (and how it goes!)

Praying before answering the door - getting better at doing this. At the very least, certainly pausing to draw breath and open the door smiling. And mostly answering the phone nicely too. Although one day, after about a million calls between 5 and 6pm I did pick up the last call in that series and bark down the phone. It was my dear sister who thinks I am too officious when I answer the phone! That time "officious" would have been a kind description!

Christmas cards - I said in the September post about Christmas that if one started then and wrote two cards a day, one could have 150 cards written before December even arrived. I actually wrote two the next day. And no more until a week ago. We send out an embarrassingly large number of cards so while it might have made it easier to start a bit earlier, it just seems strange writing "Merry Christmas" in September. Just like it is weird to have Christmas decorations out in the shops that early. But don't get me started on that one again...

Reading in general - just 15 minutes a day! It's not much to ask!! I got through both church history books and bits of other books but that too fell in a heap. Maybe next year!

The first thought of the day - the deal here was to try to make one's very first thought of the day one that focuses upon God. It is a marvellous, MARVELLOUS idea but I am wondering if it is next to impossible. I have in mind to email CJ Mahaney and ask him whether he was preaching in exaggerated form so that if we aimed high we might manage to make our second, third or fourth thought of the day one about God. I don't think I have managed a FIRST thought as prescribed. But with some discipline I can get going pretty quickly. A lot depends on how early I get to bed the night before.

West Wing - now, I am having great success here. I haven't missed "The Bill" at all. In fact I watched an episode of "The Bill" while we were on holiday - pretty easy to pick it up again but really, I didn't feel like I needed to make a date to watch the following week's episode. But "West Wing"...loving that! Been watching it since the beginning of July and am well into series three. And wondering where I can access grief counselling against the day I run out of episodes, which at current rate will occur about this time next year.

Toilets - and success here! All thanks to a kind person at church who helped out here. The three toilets are out of the entrance hall and installed where they should be. Yes, we have three toilets in this house!!! And what is better, they all work. What a joy. I started taking photos to blog it but then I pulled myself back into line. A post about toilets? I don't think so!

So to summarise, my life is full of good intention and long lists of things that haven't been ticked off. Which leaves plenty of scope for new year's resolutions!!!