|
About Me
Some Fabulous Posts
Some Fabulous Places Some Fabulous People |
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 When I'm At Dixon's Creek... I could write all about the wonderful 4 days I just had at Dixon's Creek (the Reformed Presbyterian Church campsite). I could tell you all about the people I had the blessing of seeing and fellowshipping with, the big beautiful outdoors around the campsite, my lack of sleep. I could go on and on about the crazy games we played, the amazing food we ate, the Psalms we sang. I'd have to tell you about the speaker, of course, who gave us some wonderful talks on the Psalms. I'd include a bit about the sermon on Sunday morning on 1 Corinthians 13 -- "It's Better If We Love People." I'd also have to go on about all the adorable little kiddies who gave me the pleasure of being on Playground Patrol for long periods of time, the walks we got to take together, and the fun I had driving back from camp, carpooling with the rest of the Frankstonites. But instead of rambling about all those details, I'll just sum up Dixon's Creek in general with a poem Maria and I wrote. We started the poem after our first Dixon's Creek experience, and I finally wrote the second half almost 2 years later. We typed it out, pasted some photos beside it, and stuck it up on the wall to see if anyone noticed. A few people figured right away that it must have been a Blackwood effort (does that mean we're poetic or just pathetic? :-)) and Jono Blakston suggested I post it on my blog. So, here it is... Look at that place! Who'd want to stay there? It's smack dab In the middle of nowhere! A couple of buildings, A sandbox, a swing, And up in the "hall"... Does that phone even ring? The dishes don't match, The couches atrocious, Half the wall blackened-- Make that fire less ferocious! The dorms--as they call them-- Some bunks and a mirror, Aren't really that bad... If it's not spiders you fear. Four minute showers-- Can you even wash your hair? The rule must be followed; No water to spare! The toilets get blocked At least once every time. But don't you worry, Just follow this rhyme: "If it's yellow, let it mellow, If it's brown, flush it down." And she'll be right, mate! No reason to frown. And yet... Listen to that! Is that music I hear? And singing and laughter Coming from in there? Now I see people, All ages and sizes, All colours and shapes, And harmony arises! They're talking and laughing, Smiling and sharing; And now look at that-- At those costumes they're wearing! It is quite refreshing To see unity abound In this world where this peace Is not likely found. This family of families Bringing glory to Above. What does it look like? Well, it looks--like--Love. That's Dixon's Creek in a rather large nutshell. It's priceless.  [2008 Dixon's Creek Campers] For more photos, go HERE. Charity | 8:30 pm Comments-[ comments.]
Monday, March 17, 2008
We girls just got back from our fortnightly Young Adults Bible study. We're the only ones from Frankston RPC, and the rest of the group is made up of young people from various other churches in the area. We just started studying the book of Amos. As my Dad likes to say, "It's in the clean pages of your Bible." I recently read through the Prophets, and it was wonderful to learn more of God's character through His dealings with His people. Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah aren't really the first places we Christians tend to go to for spiritual growth. But I am positive that God's Word is meant to be read in its entirety. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (1 Timothy 3:16-16) I just thought I'd share some things God's been teaching me from this book, both in my own reading and in this group study. "Seek the Lord and live." Charity | 11:05 pm Comments-[ comments.]
Friday, March 14, 2008
My little sister Tamara was born on my 3rd birthday. When people asked me what kind of presents I got, I truthfully answered, "I got a baby for my birthday." "Aww, cute! A baby doll?" "No, a real baby!" From then on, my life was to be filled with shared birthdays. I had no idea what was going on for the first couple years, so life went on happy and innocent as ever. When I got to be about 8, though, I wasn't so sure anymore about this whole your-birthday-is-my-birthday thing. By the time I was 11, I was plain sick of it. Where's the fun in having to take turns opening presents on your birthday? And what was up with the trend of matching presents? What were we, twins or something? Mom let us pick out our own birthday cakes, but that didn't seem to make up for it. On my 13th birthday, I officially did not invite Tamara to my birthday party, which took place in our basement. That didn't go over so well. I started to get over my selfishness a bit by my golden (14th) birthday. All I cared about was the fact that we both got sweet stereos AND I could finally go to youth group! Some friends threw me a surprise 15th birthday party, to which Tamara was not invited. But it wasn't my fault that time! I had my 16th birthday here in Australia. The expectation was that I'd have a nice big, fussed over party like Allen and Zachary had gotten before me. Of course, everyone who was invited knew it was Tamara's birthday as well, so we got an equal amount of presents and almost equal amount of recognition during the party proceedings. Last year, my 17th and Tamara's 14th, we both got a better birthday present than we could have asked for: a visit from our older brothers from the States. We had a family day at the beach and Ralph over for dinner and cake. Later on, we happily shared a celebration with some of our best friends--our siblings and the Glovers and Blakstons. And here we are today, 18 and 15. Everyone thinks Tamara must be a uni student while they mistake me for a 9th-grader. I just keep telling Tamara I'll get her back one of these days. When I'm 40, I'll still look 30, but when she's 40, she'll look 50! So there. Sitting here today, I think I've finally grown up enough to appreciate being able to share my birthday with one of my best friends.  p.s. I PASSED MY DRIVERS TEST!!!!! It only took me 6 hours (ask me sometime and I will tell you the story of how the Lord got me through it! I am so thankful to Him and to everyone who prayed for me! I took my first drive on my "P"-plates to Frankston with Maria to get some birthday ice cream. And we're both still alive (along with the car)! Woo hoo. :D Charity | 5:11 pm Comments-[ comments.]
Monday, March 10, 2008
For those of you who don't know, today is Labour Day in Australia. We got invited by some friends from church to go boating and skiing and tubing on our day off. Greta, a friend from church, spent the night so she could come along with us. The plan was to leave bright and early, so our bedroom light went on at exactly 6:30 a.m. I hate the process of getting up early (besides, it was DARK not BRIGHT!), but once I'm up and can't really do anything about it, it's kind of almost enjoyable. I drove since I am wanting to get as much driving practice as possible before my long-awaited but nontheless hugely scary driving test this coming Friday (which also happens to be my 18th birthday!). It was so nice to be driving before everyone else in the world was awake. I pretty much had the roads to myself. This was a very good thing since we were driving directly into the sunrise and it was rather blinding! It made me think of a country song me and my sisters used to listen to all the time...but I will spare you all the lyrics. We picked Seth (another friend from church) up along the way, and it was fun to drive down those long roads way out in the sticks. Give me country roads over city streets any day. It almost reminded me of Indiana, except the corn fields were missing. Dad said that is one of things he misses most (after family and friends, of course) about good old Indiana. I made sure to apply and re-apply plenty of sunscreen today. I've been burnt more than enough for one summer! I'd rather keep my skin, thank you. Greta, Tamara, and I tubed together, and Greta and I screamed the whole way. Tamara just sat there laughing at us and trying to grab my leg to pull me off when I got close enough. I nearly lost my contacts a couple of times when I tried skiing, but thankfully they just kind of rolled up into my eyeballs and then came back down again. My skiing experience this time was a bit disasterous, though I really don't know why. It was fun anyway. So that was my 2008 Labor Day. Tomorrow my week starts for real. Sleep seems like a good way to prepare for it... Gute nacht. Charity | 10:42 pm Comments-[ comments.]
Saturday, March 01, 2008
The day that we've been hoping and praying for for so very long is finally here! The Blakston family moved into their new house in Frankston TODAY! I am so delightedly exhuberantly joyfully excited that I could cry. It seems so unreal that they are now living five minutes away, as opposed to the two hour drive it takes us to get to Geelong. It will be such a huge, huge, huge blessing to have them here laboring with us in the church. They are so encouraging to be around and have such a heart and vision for the Lord's work. Please pray for them as they get settled into their new house and life here. Their moving here, away from a wonderful home and church and life, was not a small or easy thing. But they have done it because they want to serve the Lord wherever He is calling them, even if it means giving up some of the things they love. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. --Psalm 139:9-10 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy... Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. --Psalm 126:3, 5-6 Here are a few proofs of how amazing this family is... +004.jpg) [Tamara, Maria, Louise, and me, having one of our late-night chats at their Geelong house] +006.jpg) [Jono being...Jono] +010.jpg) [Rosie and Lily in our van, when they wanted to come home with us after our last visit] +011.jpg) [Benny and pet his stick bug, named Mary] [And, the best yet, a midnight pillow fight, started by Louise! She sneakily avoided photographic evidence of being a participant, but let me tell you, I have four reliable witnesses...] p.s. HAPPY MARCH!!! Charity | 11:10 pm Comments-[ comments.] |
My life is not my own, for I belong to Christ.