God of the Traffic

So I have decided that I need to make my blogs a little more succinct, short and sweet, but still pack that classic punch! So I will try my best, but seeing as I suffer quite badly from verbal diarrhoea I don't know how well I will go!

Anyway, yesterday I had my last day of placement, which was a little sad because I have been loving my placement very much, anyway...short and succinct I remember...this particular morning I had to drive myself because I had to race over to another a seminar I had to go to last night, so as usual I was running late, but then I got stuck at an intersection where I had to turn right and there was lots of traffic coming both ways...so can you kind of picture it? Maybe??...probably not...

Anyway, there were two cars in front of me also trying to make the same turn, but not having much luck...so I had a little chat with the big man, and just asked if he could please let there be a gap in the traffic big enough for all three of us to get through, and do you know what...not very long after that there was a gap and not just 3 of us got through but the car behind me as well...so I said thank you and told him that maybe 4 cars was just showing off, but it reminded me that God loves me enough to give me a gap in the traffic! It seems like something so little and silly, but it meant a lot to me, and it reminded me that I am loved and that He his watching over me and protecting me!

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"

Lest We Forget

Yesterday was ANZAC day, and like always I spent yesterday like every other day of my life, busily doing things just so they were done and I could move on to the next task, so much so yesterday that I almost missed ANZAC day completely...i knew it was ANZAC day, but I was so caught up in my own world it wasn't until i was watching Big Brother during tea that I actually realised the weight of the day.

How in big brother you might ask? Well big brother made the housemates participate in a dawn service after they were woken by the sounding of the last post. I almost felt guilty that I not yet stopped and paid my respects to those that had fallen so that I could be free. I am so lucky to be living in a country where I am free from opression, and I am even able to fly through a day like yesterday.

But it also reminds that there is always a price for freedom, a price of life, of a limb, of sainity, of love. I guess its true spiritually too though, because our spritual freedom was also brought with a life, that of Jesus.

So thanks for giving me this freedom...lest we forget!

Sydney...its a beautiful city...apparently

Well I just got back from flying trip to Sydney, well Paramatta actually, being the guest artist at the salvos up there, but before you get all excited...the songsters were the guest artist not me personally, and the big band came too and they stole the show anyway (in a good way), because they were just so fantastic! Seriously if you want to hear an amazing big band, check out Box Hill Salvos Big Band...but its probably the 5th or 6th time I have been to Sydney and I still have not seen the city, I have never been to the harbour bridge or seen the opera house or anything and its getting to the stage where it is just ridiculous because everyone keeps telling me how beautiful it is and I still haven't been...I have been around the world pretty much, but haven't even seen Sydney Australia! It's weird ey? How sometimes you can see so much of everything else but no even go out into your own backyard and check it out...

But it wasn't all a waste, I got to met some pretty cool people, including on that was the spitting image of Mr. Incredible from the Disney movie, and I got to sing, which I love doing and spend some time with my mates, and see God minister through music it was a great trip, I just wish it was a little longer, because by the time we got used to everything we had to go home again! Oh and I was also able to get Missy Higgins new single...which is awesome, seriously check it out!

Anyway thats all from me today...

The world is such a funny place!

Wow...What a Long Weekend

Well Easter has come and gone for another year…once again I have stuffed myself silly with Cadburys chocolate and completely stuffed my diet, but my goodness me was it worth it and I am also another year older since I last blogged! I know pretty crazy ey?

I am finding as I get older that Easter seems to be more and more meaningful but completely different from everything else Easter has ever meant before. I know that’s kind of weird but its true.

When I was little Easter only meant eating a lot of chocolate and hot cross buns. I knew about the story but it didn’t really mean anything to me personally, but now every Easter I am reminded just how much God gave for me… but not just for me for everyone, even people like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Ladin, people that hate Christians and I guess that just blows my mind. Seriously think about, would you really give your life for your best friend…I guess I would like to think that I would, but I don’t know, but imagine giving it for someone who hated you. It’s amazing! It’s a pretty amazing gift, coz really all we have done is stuffed up, and so Jesus has died for us, even though he did nothing wrong and was perfect, so that we can have eternal life and go to heaven. And there is no catch either, all we have to do is believe that Jesus died for us and the gift is ours. It seriously blows my mind. So if you haven’t already this Easter take a minute and just thank God for his sacrifice, coz its pretty cool, and without it we are all stuffed!

It also turns out that since I last blogged I have left another chapter of my life behind, I am now 20years old. I know, I know, soooooo old, but it’s true. But yesterday was my birthday and while I wasn’t really looking forward to it, because it was such a silly number and mum and dad were away I actually had an awesome day. It all started being woken up by Dave with one of the best presents ever! And then continued when he took me out to breakfast, which was just lovely! Then we went to the footy, which was awesome because the Hawks finally won a game and came up with the goods for my birthday buddy Brandon and I, much to dusty’s disgust! But I had a great time cheering on the hawks with Brad and Alicia and hanging out with the somewhat disheartened Melbourne supporters that came too! The guy sitting behind also made the game very amusing as all passionate Melbourne fans do!

After singing the song through a couple of times, I went home and Kirsten picked me up and took me out to tea, where I had the best penne carbonara that I have had in a long time. Then we went back to her place and Sue had made me a cake and Pheebs and Kirsten, and Ryan and Dave too, made a big fuss, and it was the best.

So thankyou everyone that messaged me, or spoke to me, or saw me yesterday, for making my birthday such an awesome day. Even though I don’t like being 20, I am glad that I had a 20th birthday!

Here are a few photos… but there are more on my myspace...check it out.

Brad and Pheebs

Amanda and I

The Hawks' hawk and I

Kirsten, Pheebs and I

The world is such a funny place.

Gone too soon...

As a fairly young person, still in my teenage years it is quite easy for me to look at my life and hope for what tomorrow will bring, what things I will try and what things I will accomplish, and its fair to say that most people my age, like me, think that the are invincible! We have our whole lives ahead of us and we normally assume that we will live to get married, have a good job, finish uni and get old (probably not in the that order though!). But sometimes that doesn't always happen and last Saturday morning, Rebecca Kate Philp (more fondly known as Bec) passed away at just 17 years of age, after hitting her head during an epileptic seizure.

Bec was a young girl in my youth group at Box Hill Salvos, a girl which I had a fair bit to do with. I was her cell leader when she first came to Box Hill when she was in year 8 and then again when she was in year 10. She also dated my brother and practically lived at my house for a year, we did a lot of things together, not all the time, but over a long time, and her passing has left a hole in my life.

Bec was absolutely stunning, but she could eat whatever she wanted, probably the best combination I could ever imagine, her only flaw was her love for pickled onions (However this particular trait did win my Dad over, so maybe it was all worth it!). She loved life and lived it to the full, always testing the boundaries but always coming back to where it was safe again, She also loved the people in her life so much more then they ever expected she would, and she always wanted to know more about life, about love, about God.

Yesterday, at church, we had her funeral, a celebration of the beautiful girl that she was, and still is, just up in heaven now instead. The Church was packed full of people that Bec had made am impact on, I don't think that she would have believed it when she looked down to see. She was sooooo amazing and touched so many lives. I tell you what though, I never want to say goodbye to another of my cell girls again. It just doesn't seem right and it doesn't seem fair, things were finally working out for her and her future looked sooooo bright. And while because of what I believe I know that she is in heaven and that she is probably having a lot more fun, finally driving and shopping and eating chocolate as much as she wants to, I still don't understand why God would take her now. But I guess that's where faith comes in, I have to believe that there was a purpose and a plan for her going now, even though I can't see what it is. I know that God is looking at the bigger picture and that this fits, I just have to chose to trust and not get mad that I can't see the answers as well.

Anyway, I guess what I want to say is that I will miss you bec, more than you will ever know, I am soooo blessed to have had you in my life at all and I thank God that he shared me with you even if it was only for a little while. And I want you to know that I will try and take care of your family and Dave, so you don't need to worry.

I also just want to say too that... Janette and Jeff, Aaron, Glenn and Ashley, and Dave too, I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through right now, but I want you to know that I love you, and that I loved your daughter/sister/girlfriend, and that I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for letting me share her with you. She was an amazing girl and I will miss her stacks.

Rest in Peace Bec, we love you.