The List

Well Tomorrow brings in a new year, and while I can hardly believe that this year is already done, I have to face the facts and come to terms with the fact that tomorrow will be the first day of 2007. So first of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ok now that that is done, I thought I would use this blog to share with you all 100 things that I would like to do/achieve in the coming year. Some of them I have attepmted in the past and even blogged about (you can check out the links i have made), and some of them I haven't never done or at least haven't done for a long time anyway.

So if there is anything you would like to do with me, or could help me with, just let me know, that would be great. Hopefully as the year goes by I will be able to tick them off this not so little list and put a photo or at least a blog about it…

Okay so here we go, in 2007 I want to…
1. Exercise regularly (can you believe it? I can’t, but I want to do)
2. Keep up to date with things I have due at uni
3. Keep up to date with things I have due at Church
4. Be on time (well at least more often then I am late)
5. Control the amount of chocolate that I eat
6. Learn Guitar
7. Sing with a Big Band
8. Wash my car (by myself)
9. Sleep in the backyard
10. Stop pushing the snooze button, and just get up, surely its not that hard
11. Stay with Mick and Helen in Bright
12. Meet the rest of Dave’s rellies from the big NZ
13. Not let Dave get sick
14. Have my car valet parked
15. Clean out my wardrobe and actually throw stuff out
16. Don’t owe anyone money
17. Visit my great grandma at least 4 times
18. Say no to a job I don’t have time to do, even if I want to do the job
19. Allow Dave not to be my slave
20. Have Indian food
21. Be more gracious and tolerant
22. Try real sushi, you know raw fish and all
23. Order something other than pasta, stir-fry or pizza from a restaurant
24. Shell a prawn
25. Go on holidays with my mum
26. Get a CD stacker
27. Go to a state or country I have never been to
28. Be less judgemental
29. Save some money
30. Lose a bit of weight
31. Wear something other than jeans for a whole week
32. Drive to one of Dave’s gigs in the city
33. Pull off a parallel park
34. Blog at least once a week
35. Learn how to rip gaffa tape with my bare hands
36. Go to a concert of someone famous
37. See a musical
38. Go on a boat
39. Go to Luna Park
40. Go Fishing
41. Watch a V8 Car race in real life as in not on TV
42. See the penguins at Philip island
43. Meet Craig Lowndes
44. Watch the Sunrise
45. Die my hair a weird colour not all of it, but at least some
46. Drink a bottle of water everyday
47. Cook a 3 course meal for my family
48. Organise my photos properly
49. Play dark zone
50. Have a fully non cola/red slurpee
51. Play a board game with Dave (and others to, but just getting Dave to play a board game is the tough bit)
52. Not crash a car
53. Ride an exercise bike (more than once)
54. Ride a real bike (more than once)
55. Do karaoke
56. Try sarsaparilla
57. Read 5 books from dad’s library
58. Learn to drive a manual
59. Try a radio controlled car
60. Go in one of those trampolines with the big nets all the way round
61. Enter a radio competition
62. Try licorish ice cream/gelati
63. Go to the tip
64. Ride a skateboard
65. Write a kids book
66. Have a rainbow paddle pop
67. Get some tadpoles
68. Have a dancing lesson
69. Score 10 points in a season of basketball
70. Use my Jurlique voucher
71. learn 10 songs on guitar
72. Go to the museum
73. Go to the snow
74. Be a parking attendant
75. Beat Brad Dupuy at BUZZ (on PS2)
76. Try a strange food that I haven’t even heard of yet
77. Try to understand what “negative gearing” means for tax purposes
78. Build something from IKEA (something relatively elaborate)
79. Try some Durian fruit (the one with the odour…)
80. Work out how to check my water and oil and top up my washer bottle
81. Work out how to change a tyre
82. Bake some meringues (that actually taste good)
83. Go to 24 hour K-mart between the hours of 1-3am
84. Get some boots that fit my mighty calves (but also have a look at this link)
85. Drive in a convertible with the roof down
86. Write a letter to a friend I haven’t seen in years
87. Bake a cake and take it to work
88. Wear high-heels, well even just girlier shoes more often
89. Try beef-jerkie
90. Go without TV for a week
91. Drive Dustin’s car
92. Read/listen to my bible everyday
93. Watch a sunset on the beach
94. Stand out in the rain
95. See some fireworks
96. Jump off a pier
97. Not Shave my legs (just emjoi...you thought i was going bush, lol)
98. Go on a horse and cart ride
99. Visit all the "Emma" streets listed in the melways (theres 20 I think)
100. Win an award

Wish me luck

Just a thought I had...

Stay tunned.

Forgiveness? What's that?

Okay so I just found out that Saddam Hussein has just been hung, its one of things that was always coming, but never actually happens.

It makes me wonder though, whether it was right or wrong. Don’t get me wrong, Saddam was a bad man, and he did lots or really terrible things, but even with this, I still find hard to comprehend that someone had the power to say that he deserved to die. Spend life in prison and pay a price for the things that he has done? For sure, but die, I don’t know that we have the power to decided that.

As a Christian, I believe that we all have free choice, so the choice to kill all those people was Saddam’s, but I also believe that God is in control and the job of choosing who lives and dies is really up to him.

I also believe that he is a just God and whenever Saddam had died, God would punish him accordingly. However, because I am also not perfect, and while I haven’t committed mass murder, I stuff up regularly, I know that I am also open to the justice of God. But I also know that my God is forgiveness. Now you may think “did she say that right?” doesn’t she mean that God shows forgiveness or that God forgives, well yes but it’s more than that. God is forgiveness, because of what he did with his son Jesus, the only truly perfect person, God is forgiveness to me but also to Saddam if he asks.

Now putting me next to Saddam might seem a bit outrageous, but in the bible it says that all sins are equal and not one is worse than the other. Now that makes it a little scary. Seriously that means that my little white lie, is just as bad as mass murder. Maybe its not so outrageous. But if that is the case, how can I tell someone that they deserve to die for something that they have done wrong and that I don’t? It’s not really fair is it? So is it fair to even lock him up? Well I think that keeping a murder away from others is not really to punish them, but more to protect everyone else. Anyway, I just thought I would put my thoughts out there…let me know what you think.

Just a thought I had…

Stay tunned.

Swoosh Swoosh

I wear jeans a lot and I think that I have worked out why…because today I am wearing cords and I can’t stand the fact that every time I walk anywhere I get a constant “swoosh, swoosh, swoosh” accompanying me.

Maybe people wouldn’t wear jeans so much if other types of pants were also silent

Just a thought I had

Stay tunned

Well, it's Christmas day what do you think this is about???

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Have a great day and Enjoy the joy that God has given us for this day.

Lots of Love and God Bless

Love Em

Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins"

Hercules vs Jesus

Hey everyone,

How’s it all going? Everything wrapped and ready to go?

Well today is Christmas Eve, you know the day before Christmas Day??? And I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a VERY VERY VERY VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS. I know that during all the business of Christmas it’s hard to actually sit down and enjoy what Christmas is all about, or even to think about what Christmas really means.

This is something that I have really struggled with this year. In all the bustle I found it hard to actually comprehend what Christmas means, and to think of the Christmas story as more than a just a story. But it is so much more than that. If you think about what it actually says it’s a pretty unbelievable, let me just remind you…

A Girl has a baby, not so unbelievable but she’s a virgin (ok so that complicates things a little) and she is like 16. No one believes her story about God giving her this child, but she stands by God’s plan and a guy called Joseph, who is also disgraced by this whole situation decides to stand by her (what kind of man would do that these days??). Anyway they travel to their home town and this poor girl is forced to give birth in the back of a stable (I tell you what, if that was me, I would have kicked up a stink, just ask Dave!). Then out of no where come these Sheppards who believe her story even before she has told it. And then some wise men, who have been travelling for months also come to visit and bring them some pretty fancy gifts. And this happens pretty much all at once. It’s pretty unbelievable, but there are two things that make it even more amazing… one this whole turn of events was planed for thousands and thousands years before it actually happened. The other that this baby was not an ordinary baby, well he was in the physical sense but he was also God. God in the form of flesh. That’s pretty crazy.

I was trying to think what this was like and the closest thing that I could come to was the story of Hercules. I know that is just a story, but its very similar in that a child is born to a God and comes to earth, but the difference between Jesus and Hercules is that… Hercules could only do what he did because of his incredible strength that he was born with, and while he was still mortal he had super powers. Where as Jesus was born completely mortal, he was still God, but he had no super powers like Hercules. He changed the world, not with super strength, but in complete humility.

Why could he do this? Because God had a big plan for his life… To save you (but we will get to that at Easter). But maybe if you haven’t already take a minute to think about what the real complications of Christmas are… God’s son on earth. A gift to you from Heaven.

Just a thought I had.

Happy Christmas and God Bless

Stay tuned.

He sees you when you're sleeping!

So Christmas is just around the corner and everything is hustle and bustle (hence the lack of blogs), but joy is in the air.

This Christmas has been very strange for me, mainly coz even though I have been trying hard to spread the Christmas spirit, it still doesn't feel like Christmas. I have decorated billy hyde, been out carolling once or twice and even played carols in my car, but still i don't feel like there is only one week left until Christmas Day. Anyway, once again I have gotten off track and thats not what i wanted to talk about... This week in the Christmas preparations, i had the opportunity to play some carols at a little friend of mine's kindergarten.

Anyway it turns out that this little friend is scared of Santa, and that got me thinking, i don't really blame him at all! I reckon if I had my time again and I thought about things a little more before i did them, i would have been more like my brother, Dustin, who wouldn't go near Santa, instead of just running up to him and having a chat.

I mean seriously think about it, this big fat, old man, is everywhere you go in every shopping centre...and then on Christmas eve he breaks into your house deposits things and eats your food and then leaves on a very convenient flying get away car! But that's not where this horror ends...Have you ever actually thought about the words to "Santa Claus is coming to town?" say??? read it again....

You better Watch out you better not cry, you better not pout I'm tellin' you why, Santa Claus is coming to town, he's making a list checkin it twice, he's gonna find out who's naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming to town!

If you ask me that sounds like a threat from a very horrible man! Seriously this dude is watching them, has anyone called the authorities, if he wasn't wearing a big red suit he would be locked up for a long time! Maybe because everyone sings it so up beat it doesn't sound as bad!

No wonder Kids are scared of him, i reckon I am too.

Just a thought I had...

Stay tuned.

What do you say???

Okay so you know when you were younger, remember back, i know its a long way, but just try. Alright everyone there? most of you would have some one in your life that said..."say please" or possibly even..."what do you say?" before they would give you anything. for example....

Can i have a biscuit??? "say please"
can i go out side??? "what do you say?"
Can i go to the toilet? "say please"

Seriously remember it? It was annoying, but helpful, because guess what? I say please all the time (well maybe not all the time, but most times). So i guess it was worth all those torment. But you know what really gets up my nose? When people don't say it? Even if they don't mean it i would still rather they say it! what has brought on this fit of rage???? Well i work in retail, so i spend my day doing things for other people, give them stuff, but thats ok because thats what i am paid to do. But here is the thing, i am not paid to be nice, or go the extra mile, i am not paid to be polite and offer people discounts or other little bonus just because its the kind thing to do, and you know what i am not even paid to offer people a humble bag. But I do, and all i ask in return is when i say "would you like a bag for that" and smile, they will say "yes please" not just yes. `

Is that too much to ask?

I don't think so, all I want is a little common courtesy

Just a thought I had...

Stay tuned.

Parallel Parking Problems

I have had my licence for 18 months now and in that time I have managed to crash one car badly and another not so badly, but thats not what i wanted to talk about, in that 18 months i have also managed to only ever be in a situation where i had to parallel park twice. Now if you ask me thats 2 times too many. The thing is though, while i was learning to drive, i loved parallel parking i was really good at it and then after i got my licence i just lost it, i don't know how and i don't know when but its gone.

Anyway last night, i was remind of why i never attempt such parks. Kat and I went to get ice cream from a shop on Glenferrie Rd and still feeling confident, well maybe a little over confident and possibly even cocky, about my ability to drive due to my conquering of the trip to the airport on tuesday, I was driving which was quite strange because Kat always drives and i never drive. Anyway that was what was happening. So we drove towards the shop and it was only on my way there that i realised that this trip would involve parallel parking, which i didn't panic about, but decided to take in my stride, anyway as we approached the shop, i realised that might be slightly more challenging than I had thought, due the large crowds of people walking up and down Glenferrie Rd. But still not being deterred, i found myself attempting the impossible, trying to do a reverse parallel park right in front of the shop, which turned out to be closed anyway. Anyway, i fitted in okay, but I didn't quite get in deep enough to get out of the lane, so i spent about 5 minutes driving forward and driving backwards trying to get further in, but little did i know that it was too late to make that kind of change so, Kat and i just sat there laughing while I repeatedly said, i told you i couldn't do it, i can't believe my park is soooooo bad", and then when we stopped laughing and realised it was closed, i took me and my car out of there as soon as possible. Ahhh what a night

Anyway, if anyone wants to teach me to parallel park, let me know coz i am up for it, I would really like to learn....seriously...anyone???

Just a thought I had stay tuned.