the unravelling mysteries

spring is here

 

i've got this idea in my head that life is all about seasons.

co-incidently, being september, my life is definately in the seaon of spring.

there is a new growth happening, and it's so exciting that i can barely comprehend it. 

 

  it's also terrifying.

things are still a bit up in the air, so i won't go into much detail,
but after work a week or so ago i thought i'd test out leaving a video on my blog about it!

i've lost track of how many times i've found myself listening to this song, so for future purposes it definately deserves to make it into this post as the theme song to my fortnight.

so i'll write this:

god is stirring some amazing things up for the future, so i would be very grateful for prayer:
that God would continue to sovereignly orchastrate my steps,

i would remain open  to hear and discern from Him as we dance through this season,

and that i would be shielded from any curveballs in that would seek to cut in on me.

in other news, 
last weekend i had the most fun i've had in quite a long time!

one of our affiliated churches held a young adults camp.

i met loads of new people,

(..a few that i've caught up with since..)

and i laughed so much my tummy was constantly hurting.

:)

i was looking for a weekend like that. 

we prayed and

we hopped between coffee shops, 

we went on the odd bush walk

we graced a few restaurants and wineries

we visited the beach! of course.

while i always appreciate it, i never miss "home" when i'm overseas.

but i do find myself bragging about "down south" whenever i'm away.

it's like my little pride and joy of aus

in other news,

prac!

prac. 

i helped run a therapy camp for mum's and kids over last week. 

i can now officially tie you a bow from a fork.

i have six weeks left of prac and then i graduate this place, curtin university

 

 and become a social worker!

i remember studying on level 5 of that library last year and 2011, and gazing out the window as all the planes flew in to land at the nearby airport.

i'd always wonder what the air hostess would be up to in saying.

"tray tables up and seats in the upright position..."

but therapy camp!

it was really to give the mum's an opportunity to get away from the stresses of their normal life

and bond with their children.

 

 i ran a puppet-making workshop with the goal centered on building on attachment through a joining activity.

 

it was interesting to see what all the children and mum's came up with. 

children project themselves (who they are, what they're feeling, what they want to happen) onto puppets as they create and then play with them.

it's a great tool to talk to the children about who they are, what they're feeling and what they want to happen in their own lives. 

play therapy 

:) 

i then ran a puppet show at night time with the goal centered on joining the mum's and kids together and building on their attachment through problem solving. what would they do a puppet show on? if the child was nervous, what would mum do to help reassure them? if the mum was nervous too, how would she deal with her own emotions while encouraging her child? would the mum let the child take the lead in coming up with ideas or how would she support the child as they brainstormed?

all so interesting!

also, this is why aussie's are so nonchalant about snakes.

it all stems from our childhood ;)

"if they only knew how you've mended

my broken wings, now I'm flying"

several things have happened on recent bike rides, 

things i will expand on later.

but for now i can say: 

i've decided that i am going to live each day like it was my last.

i honestly know how corny that sounds.

but i think that

when we stop reflecting upon who God is,

and who we are

and what we were created by Him for.

we're  in danger of wasting away our precious, short lives that are destined for greatness.

corny, but so true!

i mean,
we are god's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for us in adcance to do. (eph 2.10)

man.

created by God with intrinsic value for great purpose.

we aren't the only ones who suffer when we forget this.

 we also deprive the world around us of "us".

we dont' live out our dreams

nor our calling.

 we don't breathe life into the world around  us through our words, gifts and talents

because we're afraid.

or lazy.

or too busy.

we live these nominal lives and loose sight of our priorities.

i want to wake up every day from the temptation to slumber!

it's frightening.

i don't like the spotlight.

i don't like conflict.

but i. we,

are created by God to enjoy God and to breathe His life into our world. 

i want to practice this every day.

for me, it translates into doing everything on purpose.

being intentional with my time. money. words. work. leisure.

to actually invest myself into people; tell them the beauty i see in them

to do everything on purpose

it makes you vulnerable and open to getting hurt,
yes.

but i remind myself:  i am not of this world anyway...

fi recieve my approval, acceptance and validation from God

i have a pre-determined identity separate to what anybody else thinks.

i become fixed, firm, secure. hidden in Christ. 

i really can do anything, then, right?

that's just a bit where my head's at at the moment!

in other news,
for years now, i've wondered ways to keep toast warm while i was waiting (cup of tea to boil

doing dishes,

etc.)

bam.

"your love is heaven on earth

i'll shout it out to all of the world"

 it's becoming less and less likely to rain,

so the bike paths are slowly getting busy.

nooooo!!!

"whom you set free, 

is free indeed"

"i've got the strength of my God in me"

"you restored my dignity,

o completely you love me"

 my friends from dk and america tell me that their side of the hemisphere is cooling down.

oh man. i really, really love them.

 i try tell them that alot. 

perhaps we will end up having a reunion next year after all . . .

a funny thing happened yesterday morning.
i was feeling a bit stressed - and usually i would either go for a run,
or go find mum to talk and pray.

but mum was asleep from night shift,
and all i cared for was to find all the ingredients i like to begin baking!

so baking i did. 

i now have biscotti, flourless zucchinni brownie and blueberry-apple muffins for the week.

it's funny, because helene really sparked my interest in baking when i met her in dk.

 she wrote me a postcard tonight that since i moved out of her apartment,

she has lost her spark to bake!

i took it with me back to aus!!

so this brownie i have next to me now is for you sweet friend.

asja i still need that mexican lasagne recipe!!

that's chris and jess.
chris is my brother and jess is his lovely girlfriend.

my brother often comes into my room to "chat" or vent when things are on his mind.

 when it's serious he sprawls accross my bed and i know my assignment will just have to wait.

i don't mind it though.

i kinda like him :)

chris and jess just got home and came in for a chat.

so lucky them, i took a snap and put it on my blog.

but anyway..

i went out for dinner with dad on friday night

and he told me i had commitment issues!

i was telling him how 

i just don't see myself settling down into perth anytime soon to invest into a car, a house, a boyfriend, a cookie cut social work graduate job.

my heart is just too big for those things right now. 

i'm an old soul trapped in a twenty four year old's body.
and then he said it looked like i struggled with commitment.

worth a laugh!!!

i told him it just looks like that.
dad doesn't always see the world the same way as me ;)

i have always been a deep thinker.

i loose motivation very quickly when i don't see the overall purpose of doing things.

this is shaping my perspective for the graduating season ahead.

i think that if i stopped reflecting on God and who He created me to be,
i'd begin to do things because "that's what you do".
i'd then place myself in  danger of hitting the "quarter life crisis" at 25 or 30 years old
wondering
"what am i doing with my life?"
" why did i take that degree or do this job?"
"what is my purpose?"
my filter for the options in the season ahead is:
does this align up with who God has created me to be?
oh man! don't stop thinking!
never stop reflecting "why am i doing this?"
"whose agenda am i really serving?"
those who want to gain their lives for their own will loose it,
and those who loose their lives for Christ will gain it.
i have joy and joy to the full.

the options that are coming from a surrendered life under god's auspices are incredibly terrifyingly exciting.

whatever He is bringing my way is FAR 
 greater than what i'd originally chased after.

oh there's so much i want to explain but until next time!!