another semester bites the dust!
I'm not sure why, but I've found it difficult to sit down to write this. I can't tell whether it's because I have always made a 'secular' and a 'christian' version .. one i post on facebook .. one i post here .. but now i'm combining the two and i don't know whether to put it here, on facebook or both. ah the pittiful dilemmas of a first world, comfortable, middle class, christian student.
but here i sit, a nice playlist, a bit mug of tea, warm lighting on an early summer's night and a keyboard waiting for my fingers to dance across it.
ok, here goes.
i find making a spreadsheet of the semester which indicates when each assignment is due and which outlines when i should start each assessment either extremely helpful or extremely anxiety provoking. it's still a wonder to me how and why.
the more extra-curricular activities you juggle, the faster the semester goes.
similarily, the more you have on your plate - the more you surprise yourself at your capacity to juggle!
it is good to do activities that you find extremely uncomfotable. it is good to go into situations where you know nobody, know nothing about what is ahead, have no distractions and are forced to make friends. it's actually really good for the soul.
public transport is condusive to my most profound revelations
when you think that you have no time to, get up earlier.
more importantly, no matter how early you're required to wake up, wake up an hour earlier and spend it with God. You may be more tired throughout the day, but the buzz of joy and peace in the revelation of your life under the auspices of your saviour is stronger.
upon reflection of assessment feedback, i think that grades are more a reflection more on your ability to write the academic language rather than your hold on the concept. this is handy to know when deciding what field of social work you want to go into ; - )
Pinterest definately makes the moments of waiting for buses, people and things to load go quicker.
Um, i think im moving to Denmark.
nicole asked me this week 'why do you know everybody's personality?' i realised that i'm in this weird phase of constantly silently myers brigging everyone around me. i can't help it . . . it's unconscious.
i think that certain lecturers are sent to echo the faint calling in our hearts.
this semester i was confronted in the 'social work with older people' unit with the academic paradigm that there is no eternal purpose in suffering during the ageing process. health and ageing is an uncontrollable part of life to which most of us will become passive recipents, as we all will scramble to find meaning and purpose in 'that final stage of life'. i found this very troubling, moving and confronting. i felt like it was bursting out of me in class .. THERE IS A HIGHER PURPOSE IN ALL EARTHLY SUFFERING. they don't want to hear. do they?
i find it fascinating that social work has it's roots with christian women who wanted to help the poor, hungry and homeless in Chicago and England in the 1800's ... yet it is now one of the most godless courses that exist. there is no such thing as truth, and don't you dare impose the 'truth' of God to people you work with. fascinating.
i learnt that everything will actually be ok. if you are under God's auspices, no matter what curveball is thrown at you, no matter how difficult or interpretive the assignment question is - you will actually be fine. i promise.
i also learnt that man may make plans for your life, but God's purpose ALWAYS prevail. Man may attempt to stop things, opportunities, options that God would want you to have .. but God ALWAYS has a way of brining his servant to walk the path set for Him. SO. exciting.
my friendships have deepened this semester. i am so grateful to God for them. we like to eat out at new quirky restautants all over perth. we see eachother every week during class, but whenever we go for dinner, we talk so long catching up about assignments, tutors, thoughts and feelings about social work that the waitress has to revisit us at least twice to see whether we are ready to order. i feel bad for the waitress, but I HAVE FRIENDS TO TALK SOCIAL WORK WITH! we have wonderful dinner parties. i am grateful to God for my friends.
i remember thinking that i'd never settle into curtin. it was always the university i was forced to go to because i coulnd't go to ORU. however, this past 2 years, i have owned curtin like i own my dog whom i love to bits. im proud of it and embrace everything about it.
i don't understand people who complain about the lecture, the tutorial workshop, the assignment, the relevance of a unit . . . you are here for a purpose to learn this exactly. embrace it, suck everything out of it that you can. no information on any education is ever wasted.
i have developed a new appreciation for all types of education. it gives me a glimpse into the awesome intricacies God has created. engineering. the written word. the psychology of a human being. the human body. the way the world spins on money. everything is fascinating to me.
why would you waste valuable reflection time in tune with music that does nothing to edify your thoughts?
i have a hinting suspicion that God works and unlocks in mysterious ways when we fast.
there is no better primary rememdy for the anxious soul than reading, writing and meditating on scripture. no walk, no journal, no music will ever penetrate as deep into the soul than the reading of God - breathed scripture.
my social work degree has been a school of faith for me.
elisabeth and jim elliot and john piper have been my greatest mentors this semester.
i realise that i am prone to 'talent' crushes.
the same God who called me to america and a summer of awesomeness is the same God who calls me here to the day-in day-out.
i have come to re - consider my take on purchasing expensive clothing. i think it is ok as long as it is not your source of beauty. the greatest investment in your beauty should that be of your inner self.
On a more practical note, - I have come to appreciate good quality, more expensive clothing. I think that if you can afford it at the time and it does not cut into your tithe or generosity to others .. well it is actually financially wiser to invest in more expensive good qaulity items than in loads of poor quality items which will need replacing in a year anyway. The key is to keep from being vain, conceited or pre-occupied with 'needing' these items. in this sense, you don't actually need anything.
listening to psalms and proverbs as you fall asleep subscribes your mind into the kingdom and is very effective in keeping holesome thoughts and aids falling asleep!
lack of self control in one area pops up in almost every other area of your life. i have found fasting from one area has helped gain self control in almost all other areas of life.
if you don't have friends around you who hunger and thirst for holiness more than you, then PLUG yourself into those sermons and podcasts!
i think that flirting (online or via text message) is a superficial mimick of the chemistry that's supposed to happen in real life. it's stupid and i don't mind leaving friendships in the lurch because i just don't engage.
while it's scary, i think it's amazing how magpies instinctively know to swoop people and small animals in order to protect their nest. i think i just love how it reflects that instinct is absolute. instinct - it's ingrained. it's bioligical. nobody can deny that. most of all. it shoots feminists out of the water.
disappointments and letdowns are our greatest teachers.
i have this theory: if it was meant to be, God would have moved heaven and earth to enable it.
the heart really is deceptive above all else. i find it constantly roams the horizons for something OTHER than God to set it's affections on and then becomes terribly disappointed when God says 'no.'
you can't pray for hospitality and then complain about your guests.
(thanks to the desiring god app) i have learnt the importance of for every introspective look at myself, to look 10x more at Christ.
i realise more now in this season of my life than ever . . . nothing 'good' i do is me. the good i do is only by the grace of God and his righteousness working through me. this gives me so much hope for when i stuff it all up, - i am redeemed and can have his righteousness back straight away. becuase it was never mine. it was alwasy his. and he gives it back to me all the time.
this semester i walked through a season of great disappointments, all of which have taught my heart to sing in of no other name than Jesus. And in doing so, I have found the riches of His love to be more satisfying than what i had originially wanted.
as we walk with open, obedient hearts, we walk in the Will of God. the moment we begin to complain or become discouraged i believe we have compared ourselves to others.
social work claims that there is no truth. but post modern, social constructions of reality are a belief system of itself. a religion, even. a way of practice which helps disenchanted people make sense of their world and suffering. Negating all sense of sin and consequences of it, social work practice offers hope and salvation to everyone. this is a scary thing.
i realise i want to work in the field of child therapy because i find children to be so passive to their circumstances and so willing to believe in the strong, safe arms of somebody stronger and more wiser than themselves.
sometimes i feel as though my love for the children i currently work with at the Department may be God expressing His love for them through me. nearly all my children know the song 'Jesus loves me this I know.' shh.
This is me and my caveman brother, Chris. he's a really cool guy. last thursday I graduated from my university's Leadership Academy.
i befriended the swedish exchange students and took them out on our boat last weekend
but here i sit, a nice playlist, a bit mug of tea, warm lighting on an early summer's night and a keyboard waiting for my fingers to dance across it.
ok, here goes.
i find making a spreadsheet of the semester which indicates when each assignment is due and which outlines when i should start each assessment either extremely helpful or extremely anxiety provoking. it's still a wonder to me how and why.
the more extra-curricular activities you juggle, the faster the semester goes.
similarily, the more you have on your plate - the more you surprise yourself at your capacity to juggle!
it is good to do activities that you find extremely uncomfotable. it is good to go into situations where you know nobody, know nothing about what is ahead, have no distractions and are forced to make friends. it's actually really good for the soul.
public transport is condusive to my most profound revelations
when you think that you have no time to, get up earlier.
more importantly, no matter how early you're required to wake up, wake up an hour earlier and spend it with God. You may be more tired throughout the day, but the buzz of joy and peace in the revelation of your life under the auspices of your saviour is stronger.
upon reflection of assessment feedback, i think that grades are more a reflection more on your ability to write the academic language rather than your hold on the concept. this is handy to know when deciding what field of social work you want to go into ; - )
Pinterest definately makes the moments of waiting for buses, people and things to load go quicker.
Um, i think im moving to Denmark.
nicole asked me this week 'why do you know everybody's personality?' i realised that i'm in this weird phase of constantly silently myers brigging everyone around me. i can't help it . . . it's unconscious.
i think that certain lecturers are sent to echo the faint calling in our hearts.
this semester i was confronted in the 'social work with older people' unit with the academic paradigm that there is no eternal purpose in suffering during the ageing process. health and ageing is an uncontrollable part of life to which most of us will become passive recipents, as we all will scramble to find meaning and purpose in 'that final stage of life'. i found this very troubling, moving and confronting. i felt like it was bursting out of me in class .. THERE IS A HIGHER PURPOSE IN ALL EARTHLY SUFFERING. they don't want to hear. do they?
i find it fascinating that social work has it's roots with christian women who wanted to help the poor, hungry and homeless in Chicago and England in the 1800's ... yet it is now one of the most godless courses that exist. there is no such thing as truth, and don't you dare impose the 'truth' of God to people you work with. fascinating.
i learnt that everything will actually be ok. if you are under God's auspices, no matter what curveball is thrown at you, no matter how difficult or interpretive the assignment question is - you will actually be fine. i promise.
i also learnt that man may make plans for your life, but God's purpose ALWAYS prevail. Man may attempt to stop things, opportunities, options that God would want you to have .. but God ALWAYS has a way of brining his servant to walk the path set for Him. SO. exciting.
my friendships have deepened this semester. i am so grateful to God for them. we like to eat out at new quirky restautants all over perth. we see eachother every week during class, but whenever we go for dinner, we talk so long catching up about assignments, tutors, thoughts and feelings about social work that the waitress has to revisit us at least twice to see whether we are ready to order. i feel bad for the waitress, but I HAVE FRIENDS TO TALK SOCIAL WORK WITH! we have wonderful dinner parties. i am grateful to God for my friends.
i remember thinking that i'd never settle into curtin. it was always the university i was forced to go to because i coulnd't go to ORU. however, this past 2 years, i have owned curtin like i own my dog whom i love to bits. im proud of it and embrace everything about it.
i don't understand people who complain about the lecture, the tutorial workshop, the assignment, the relevance of a unit . . . you are here for a purpose to learn this exactly. embrace it, suck everything out of it that you can. no information on any education is ever wasted.
i have developed a new appreciation for all types of education. it gives me a glimpse into the awesome intricacies God has created. engineering. the written word. the psychology of a human being. the human body. the way the world spins on money. everything is fascinating to me.
why would you waste valuable reflection time in tune with music that does nothing to edify your thoughts?
i have a hinting suspicion that God works and unlocks in mysterious ways when we fast.
there is no better primary rememdy for the anxious soul than reading, writing and meditating on scripture. no walk, no journal, no music will ever penetrate as deep into the soul than the reading of God - breathed scripture.
my social work degree has been a school of faith for me.
elisabeth and jim elliot and john piper have been my greatest mentors this semester.
i realise that i am prone to 'talent' crushes.
the same God who called me to america and a summer of awesomeness is the same God who calls me here to the day-in day-out.
i have come to re - consider my take on purchasing expensive clothing. i think it is ok as long as it is not your source of beauty. the greatest investment in your beauty should that be of your inner self.
On a more practical note, - I have come to appreciate good quality, more expensive clothing. I think that if you can afford it at the time and it does not cut into your tithe or generosity to others .. well it is actually financially wiser to invest in more expensive good qaulity items than in loads of poor quality items which will need replacing in a year anyway. The key is to keep from being vain, conceited or pre-occupied with 'needing' these items. in this sense, you don't actually need anything.
listening to psalms and proverbs as you fall asleep subscribes your mind into the kingdom and is very effective in keeping holesome thoughts and aids falling asleep!
lack of self control in one area pops up in almost every other area of your life. i have found fasting from one area has helped gain self control in almost all other areas of life.
if you don't have friends around you who hunger and thirst for holiness more than you, then PLUG yourself into those sermons and podcasts!
i think that flirting (online or via text message) is a superficial mimick of the chemistry that's supposed to happen in real life. it's stupid and i don't mind leaving friendships in the lurch because i just don't engage.
while it's scary, i think it's amazing how magpies instinctively know to swoop people and small animals in order to protect their nest. i think i just love how it reflects that instinct is absolute. instinct - it's ingrained. it's bioligical. nobody can deny that. most of all. it shoots feminists out of the water.
disappointments and letdowns are our greatest teachers.
i have this theory: if it was meant to be, God would have moved heaven and earth to enable it.
the heart really is deceptive above all else. i find it constantly roams the horizons for something OTHER than God to set it's affections on and then becomes terribly disappointed when God says 'no.'
you can't pray for hospitality and then complain about your guests.
(thanks to the desiring god app) i have learnt the importance of for every introspective look at myself, to look 10x more at Christ.
i realise more now in this season of my life than ever . . . nothing 'good' i do is me. the good i do is only by the grace of God and his righteousness working through me. this gives me so much hope for when i stuff it all up, - i am redeemed and can have his righteousness back straight away. becuase it was never mine. it was alwasy his. and he gives it back to me all the time.
this semester i walked through a season of great disappointments, all of which have taught my heart to sing in of no other name than Jesus. And in doing so, I have found the riches of His love to be more satisfying than what i had originially wanted.
as we walk with open, obedient hearts, we walk in the Will of God. the moment we begin to complain or become discouraged i believe we have compared ourselves to others.
social work claims that there is no truth. but post modern, social constructions of reality are a belief system of itself. a religion, even. a way of practice which helps disenchanted people make sense of their world and suffering. Negating all sense of sin and consequences of it, social work practice offers hope and salvation to everyone. this is a scary thing.
i realise i want to work in the field of child therapy because i find children to be so passive to their circumstances and so willing to believe in the strong, safe arms of somebody stronger and more wiser than themselves.
sometimes i feel as though my love for the children i currently work with at the Department may be God expressing His love for them through me. nearly all my children know the song 'Jesus loves me this I know.' shh.
alrighty! some photos
This is me and my caveman brother, Chris. he's a really cool guy. last thursday I graduated from my university's Leadership Academy.
 | ||
i befriended the swedish exchange students and took them out on our boat last weekend
and this is what dad did to show us that the sharks won't get us this summer.
if you've ever seen the movie jaws . . . unfortunately that is my little sleepy city right now. just today they had to close our local beach because a shark was spotted too close to shore 20 times! in ONE DAY!
as per usual, i'll probably lie awake thinking of new things to add in. but for now . . . i've begun bikeriding with dad at 6.30 am every morning and it's now 11.30am . . . way past my bedtime.
will write soon!
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