It's Not About How I Feel

As I think I have previously mentioned on this blog times have been changing at my salvo corps, for the past 8 weeks while we have been leaderless, the young adults have been stepping up and having a go at preaching, coordinating and generally getting involved, and it has actually been really good, like seriously good. I have been blown away by the things I have learnt, the hidden talents of my friends and by the way that God has just so very very very clearly had His hand on the whole thing, guiding, prompting and using us in a huge way. In fact part of me is a little sad that it’s all over, but I think that it’s actually just the beginning… but that’s a different blog

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Over the last 8 weeks even though its been very powerful and we have (with lots of help from the big man of course) ‘pulled it off’ so to speak, there have been lots of frustrating times, challenging situations and sometimes I just haven’t wanted to do it any more. Last night I shared a video about worship which thanks to facebook’s news feed I had found, which talked about how we just go through the motions and make worship about us… in fact you can watch it for yourself…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJp98hoqy5I]

At the end of the video I talked about the fact that sometimes I feel like just going through the motions and getting my ‘worship face’ on because I just couldn’t be bothered giving it my all, but that actually God calls us to more and that He deserves more, so much more. I was then reminded by a very wise man that it’s not actually about how we feel at all. In fact what we feel like doing is often irrelevant because God is bigger than feeling. This idea is something that I had heard before, but I had forgotten, being the emotional, feelings based person I am. I am so glad that God is bigger than my feelings and that he is steadfast in His love. I am so glad that he doesn’t actually call us to be ‘in the mood’ but instead just to be obedient and that he actually honours our faithfulness when we are obedient even when we don’t feel like it. I am glad that God’s brain isn't based on the flippant emotions that I feel… I am glad that he does have emotion and that we are able to experience his emotion, both good and bad, but that it isn’t his emotion that calls the shots, but instead his heart of love, justice and mercy… I am also thankful that he used his obedient servant to remind me of this.

Yellow Chocolate?

The title of this blog is ‘the most curious george’ which just between you and me I am pretty impressed with… because you know… its like curious George the monkey… and now I am a George… so it’s a pretty impressive play on words… ok, maybe its just me but I like it…. I feel like I have stepped up into the world of other blogs with cool name plays like The Freind's who have “Freindly Fire’ and the ‘Friendly Sparrow’. 

Anyway that’s not the point, the point is if the blog is called ‘the most curious george’ its only fair that every now and then I am actually curious about something… perhaps I should make that my blogging criteria… maybe I always need a question… hmmmm, that’s not such a bad idea…. Anyway the time has come for a question, and it’s a question that I have been pondering for a while now.  I haven’t actually done anything to actively seek out an answer, but I still wondering…  Are you ready for it?  My first official blogged curiosity? Ok here it is…

What is the Yellow Chocolate?  

Let me explain, you know those old school chocolates where you get chocolate melts almost, they are small about the size of a 20cent piece... wait I have a picture: 

They usually come in milk chocolate, white chocolate and then the yellow one.  That’s what I want to know what is that yellow one?  Is it a half milk, half white… and if so why is it yellow?  Is it a honeycomb type flavour that’s just not very strong… is it just a dyed white chocolate?  And if it is what is it’s purpose? 

If some one would kindly explain what it is? Where it has come from? And Why its always there? That would be most appreciated…

Thanks,

The truly curious george.   

Wordless Wednesday

Try Hard Anthropologist

So my last blog was all about how I was going to be more honest with this new blog, let you into who I am am and what makes me tick... we I have had my first challenge with this.

This week I found out some news that I am very excited about... no I am not pregnant... just in case you went straight to that... No, this news is much less serious, but perhaps a lot more embarrassing. This week I found out that big brother is set to return in 2012. (Well according to this article at the herald sun anyway).

Anyway, this isn’t the first time I have blogged about big brother... in fact way back when they were in lots of trouble for being a little naughty, i felt I needed to blog, but what I failed to mention in the that blog was the fact that I loved big brother... and I mean loved it, like I would follow their daily activities via the website loved it!  I have been a secret fan for a long time... and I guess that's not so secret now, and in fairness to myself, the height of my addiction was while I was at uni and really had way too much free time on my hands... but I am not going to lie... I am very very very excited that it is coming back.

I think what draws me in the most is that I love to watch people... I guess that's why I like the blogs that I do, I like to know how people work, why they do the things that they do. How they interact with each other. Perhaps I should have been an anthropologist so that I could watch all day everyday, but I am not... So instead I do it as a hobby.  Although, sometimes it gets me in trouble because I tend to stare at people, couples, families, whoever, especially while I am on holidays where I am away from those I know, and apparently, according to Dave, I am not very subtle.  In fact just this morning inbetween my patients at clinic I found it very interesting to observe from the safety of my offive how many people would use the single toilet despite the fact that the light doesn't work in there.  Of the 4 people I noticed heading to the toilet 3 chose to go in the dark... only one went to the toilet next door which has a light that was already on... crazy... who goes to the toilet in the dark?  Granted the other toilet has a disabled and baby change label on the front... but seriously... in the dark... that's just asking for trouble. 

Anyway, I guess the point I am trying to make is that big brother makes this little personality quirk of mine acceptable, whether that's right or wrong. It actually provides an opportunity for me to just watch and not get ‘caught’. Actually now that I am typing it out it sounds kind of creepy, but its not... its all above board so to speak, and I am still excited about it’s return...

Who I am...

I have been thinking this morning about the ‘theme’ of my blog… that is it’s appearance, and I am not sure I like it… it doesn’t feel like me… So I have started the process of finding just the right theme, just the right first impression for the people that read my blog.

I think that one thing I really wanted with this blog was to be a little more honest, rather than it just a glorified primary school diary.  But I guess like anything else on the internet it’s easy to hid behind graphics, words and the fact that you can really tell the world anything that you want to and no one can actually check that it’s true.  I guess the hard thing for me is that you actually know who I am, the people that read this are usually my friends and family, the people that I see on a regular basis, or I guess when it comes down to it the people whose options I care about, so it’s a scary thought to let people in.  I guess by sharing my life I also share the stories and the relationships of those around me and that is a scary thought too because then my words impact more than just me.  I guess too, I have a healthy sense of internet security and don’t really want to go into all the details of my life because I know that once it’s on the internet… it stays on the internet.  So I guess I am guarded in how much I share about the things that really challenge me coz I don’t want them to come back an bit me in the butt so to speak.  The thing is though when I look at the blogs I like to read… they are the ones that are raw, they talk or personal struggle and triumph, of pain and joy, and they actually allow me to share someone’s life with them, to learn from what they have learnt… and that’s what I want.  I know this isn’t the first time I have blogged about this, but it’s something that I don’t think I have achieved since I last posted it, but I am freshly inspired… thanks to a few of my blogging buddies and their courageous honesty.

So here is too another fresh start of sorts… to a more honest blog, one that actually shares my thoughts not just my deeds. One that actually says this is me… this who I am.   A blog that actually shares my curiosities about life… not just my whinging, but one that asks questions and shares the answers as I find them… or the new questions I have on my quest.

Trying Something New

So after years of being a faithful ‘blogspot’ blogger, I am trying something new.  For a long time now, people have been telling me to get into wordpress, because ‘it’s heaps better’ but until now I haven’t given it a good go.  I have played ignorant and let all the extra features of wordpress scare me.  However today I have decided its time to give it ago and so I have been playing around put all my old blogs onto this one so that now both my blogger and my wordpress blog are up to date and giving me a chance to get my head around exactly how this wordpress thing works, and I think I am going to like it…  but because I am a committaphobe I am going to keep the two going for a while and just see what happens, see which one I like better… maybe see which one gets the better reaction.

I must admit though I am liking wordpress so far… I can load straight to my twitter feed… I can show you all my instagram pictures, and it just seems to fit a little better, all my social media in the one spot… but its still early days… so we will wait and see.

I should be embarrassed about how bad I am feeling about leaving blogspot… its a little sad… but I don’t… I get attached to what I know, I guess I am just not as good with change as I thought I was.

Oh and you can check out the new one here

Wordless Wednesday

Wow what a month

I have lost my blogging confidence again, and for that I am sorry, once again I am doubting whats worth writing and whats not, what people will want to read and what they will not, but once again I have had to remind my self that this blog is for me... not you, although I hope you enjoy it, it’s for me.

So here we are the 4^th day of spring and I am busy... well... clearly not right at this very moment, but my life over the last little while has been nuts.  Here are some of the things that have gone down... which I haven’t blogged about... it is a long blog but I have broken it down into bit size pieces... enjoy: 

We ate a massive load of duck to celebrate the 23^rd year of my brother's birth...and it was delicious.... so delicious.

Dave has been MIA – well again, kind of... September sees Dave’s first Musical Director gig at his new school, and because the musical they have chosen to do is the epic “Sound of Music” he has been busy busy busy, doing lots of extra rehearsals out of his normal school hours... I guess this makes me the newest musical widow... Although its seems to be the month for it because before the Sound of Music, Dave was busy with the YP Anniversary 2011 which was also a musical but this one was all about Jonah.

In fact, its not just Davo that has been busy with the kids I have also been flexing my children’s ministry muscles this month just gone,  not only have I made some very cool cup cakes, kept children under control while waiting for the signal from dave, started taking the timbrels while Jude is away and hung out with the coolest prayer pal in the world! But I think that last Sunday really topped it off, I also got to lead over 100kids in worship, with crazy singing, dancing and jumping around at this years Eastern Vic Kids Big Day Out, which was super fun.  Although it did take me a little longer to recover than I would have liked.  Being so involved with the kids again has made me realise how much I love working with them, and perhaps even need to return at some stage (although not just now).  In fact it made me a little nostalgic so I have added this little link to my previous times in children’s ministries just so I can reminisce a little bit more.

Weddings Weddings Weddings – I have been lucky enough to attend two weddings this much, one for Bec and Michael, which feel like forever ago on the 6^th of August and the second for Felicity and Michael last Saturday the 27^th of August, and just in case you weren’t sure yes... they were different Michael's...  Both weddings were really different, and I think that perhaps reflected on my relationships with brides.  Bec was one of my cell girls when she was growing up, so her wedding , made me feel very old, but in a good, motherly, way.  It took me a long time to comprehend that this girl, now woman, who I had watched grow up was now getting married.  Where as Flic was one of my uni mates, so my emotions were a little different, they weren’t reflective, but rather, excited to see my good friend so happy and excited to be able to share this next chapter of her life.  Both were beautiful, and reminded me just why I love weddings soooooo much.  Oh and both brides looked amazing!  I felt so privileged to be part of their special days.

I have swapped jobs – well kind of.. my position was a ‘rotating’ one which means that from time to time, (usually about every 6months) I have to swap sites, so this last week I spent a few half days being orientated to my new sites and this week I have been flying by the seat of my pants trying to work out what on earth I am doing at my new site, getting lost, asking silly questions and generally feeling a little more useless than normal, but give me a week or two and I will be ruling the roost again.  My new sites aren’t quite as busy as my old one, which means I am actually getting time to do all the things that I need to do in the day, which is a very pleasant change. 

Oh and I also had my first batch of Australian bananas in I don’t know how long.... and boy were they good, I can’t wait until the prices go down a little bit more and I can have them all the time.

So there you go... that was August, crazy ey?  I am really hoping that September slows down just a little bit, but I am beginning to think that that's unlikely... I think this is just life... but it would be nice if it slowed down just for a little bit.