I'm the proud mother of ...

three stunningly handsome boys ... even if I must say so myself!!

My firstborn ... my life of the party boy!!

He is so outgoing. He just loves to be around people. There ain't nuthin' shy about this boy.

My sweet, shy boy. He's my deep thinker ... the one that asks the impossible questions long after the sermon at church is over and the pews are cold.

My cheeky little extrovert!!! He loves a good joke .... that is, he loves to play a good joke on anyone who even looks like they would be a good victim!!!

As much as I love my boys, my prayer is that they love and serve God with every particle of their beings.

That, much more then anything that this world has to offer, is the thing I yearn for the most. I do not see it as a reflection of the success of my parenting skills, but rather as the grace, mercy and love of a wonderful Saviour, who died for all and reaches out to everyone who would love Him.

For the promise is unto me and unto my children and unto all them that are afar off!!!

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

I so love this old hymn. It has been rattling around in my poor old head ever since Amy Levine sang it. The words are incredibly poignant.'

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

Just to take Him at His word;

Just to rest upon His promise

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him;

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more.

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to trust His cleansing blood;

Just in simple faith to plunge me

'Neath the healing cleansing flood.

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end.

Blessed

I just love my family ....

and friends are so important!!!

Ten more things for which I am thankful:

1. Benjy has settled into preschool beautifully and is making new friends.
2. Joel is loving High School and is mainly keeping up with his homework.
3. Matthew was offered a place in the school band and he's accepted the position. He's playing the trumpet!!
4. Rob has a great job and a great boss and a great place to work.
5. I love the rain.
6. Jesus loves me.
7. God is faithful ... oh, soooo faithful!!
8. I am thankful for my church and my church family.
9. I have great in-laws!!
10. I have a wonderful family.

Yep ... I feel blessed.

Friendship

Friendship. The comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts, nor measure words, but pouring them out, just as they are - chaff and grain together - certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and with the breath of kindness blow away the rest.

Catching up

Two months have elapsed since I wrote my last post and sooooo much has happened in that space of time.

I have seen my "baby" boy graduate primary school:

My littlest boy turned five:

Here's my attempt at decorating birthday cakes (it's OK ... I really don't mind if you laugh!!!):

At the end of the holidays, Joel started High School and, one week later, Benjy started preschool:

In between all these events, we had Christmas, a fantastic conference, and visitors. It seemed like the holidays had only just began when they were already finished.

I finished reading Jeremiah and I received sooo much from it. Especially from chapter 29. The children of Israel had been in captivity and, I imagine, bemoaning the fact that they were oppressed by their captors. As often happens, I imagine they had forgotten the reason for their captivity ... i.e., they had been disobedient and errant and God wanted to bring them back to Himself. In chapter 29, God tells them to get on with life - marry, have their children marry, tend to their gardens - and then later on He tells them that He knows the plans He has for them. Even though they might have been feeling bad, God's plans for them were plans of peace and not of evil.

I love the thought that, even when I feel trapped or bound up by circumstances, God is in control ... He knows what He's doing.

Lastly, the devastating fires in Victoria have captured my attention and my heart. I feel helpless to do anything to help, yet in the very depths of my heart is a desire to reach out. If my desire is from God, I know He will open the doors and make a way for me to fulfill that desire. In the meantime, I can pray for the victims, that in this time of enormous distress, they will turn to God for comfort and peace.

I am excited about what God is going to do this year and I pray it will be blessed for everyone.

Matthew ...

A picture speaks a thousand words ...

There is absolutely nothing like the feeling when one of your children has made the decision to live for Jesus. It was a very proud and exciting moment for all of us. He's such a special boy and we know that God's plans for him are perfect!

His Poppa baptised him, which made what was already a very special and important moment, even more significant.

This week has been kind of 'nuts' ... I'm not really sure why, but it seems that the last several weeks have passed by me in a whirlwind and whilst I try to grab onto something to put the brakes on and slow things down, anything substantial to hold onto in order to achieve that end, alludes me!

All my children are growing up so quickly ... I just want things to slow down so that I can enjoy them at home longer!! Although Matthew has assured me time and time again that he's never leaving home and he's never getting married!!! We'll see how he feels in 10 or 12 years time!!

I'm thankful for Matthew because, at the moment, while Joel and Benjy are entering new phases, Matthew is constant and happy in the phase that he's in. Actually, I'm not sure he really wants to leave this stage of his life, he seems really quite content. However, the inevitable will happen and he, too, will move on.

When my children were little, and even when they first started school, it seemed that I would have them home forever and they would stay little forever. Alas, this is not to be. The ways of God have ordained that my children must grow up and move on!!!

In the last few weeks, I have picked up a preschool information pack for Benjy, bought shirts in readiness for Joel to start High School next year, picked a language for Joel to study next year and submitted it to the High School, submitted book packs for Matthew and Joel to their respective schools ... and the list seems endless. Not to mention the end-of-year excursions ... Joel is off to Big Splash next week with the year 6 group and Matthew is off to the Phillip pool and ice skating!! Joel has his year 6 graduation assembly next Thursday and graduation dinner next Thursday night!

2008 is coming to an end and there is preparation for 2009 to be done. So we leave one year behind us and look forward to new beginnings, new developments. Some things are uncertain, such as the global financial crises, the situation in Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan, the war on terrorism etc. But we can be sure that our God is faithful and He will NEVER leave us nor will He forsake us!! He is my Peace, my Joy, my Rock, my Shelter, my Strong Tower ... He is everything I could ever want Him to be and sooooo much more.

He is faithful!!!!

And He is Almighty God and worth getting to know, love and serve!!!

Jeremiah

Lately, I have been reading the book of Jeremiah, and I must confess that I did not really expect to find much encouragement from the book of the weeping prophet. I must say that I have been so pleasantly surprised. Whilst God is grieved and angry over the way His people have forsaken His ways, even to the point of denying that He exists, God illustrates His magnificent character and His awesome ways. I love the way these particular scriptures just jump out at me while I am reading this wonderful book of the Bible.

For example, there is a scripture in chapter 5 and verse 22 which demonstrates the power of God when He asks "Fear ye not me? ... will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?" He goes on to say that even while He has the power to control the elements, He cannot control His people.

Another scripture in chaper 6 and verse 16 says "... Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls ..." That is not the complete verse but it is a promise of God that if we walk in His ways, that even in troubled times ... as it must have been for anyone that wanted to live for God ... we can find rest.

There are sooo many good scriptures (I know - the whole Word of God is good!!) ... I will try and share them on a regular basis.

Actually, as I am reading through Jeremiah, I am reminded of the days that we are living in and the stubbornness of men's hearts. There is one scripture that talks about how men select the wood and the tools and make a statue and then worship it!! When I think of the global financial crisis and how men's dreams are coming down around their ears, I realise that they have placed their faith in the wrong thing. They have made the money, they have built their lives around it, they are worshipping it, but it's all coming to nothing. Sure, we need money to live, but we know Jehovah Jirah and His ear is not deaf, nor His arm short that He cannot save and deliver!!!

We live in a day of great anxiety for those whose trust is not in the Lord and in His ability to set us free from this world. He longs for us to come back into His presence and to experience the rest He so yearns to give us. And He is so faithful that if we come running back to Him, He will open His arms wide and embrace us. I am also reminded, while I am reading Jeremiah, of a father whose heart is broken. All He wants is for His children to repent and live righteously as He has shown them, then He will make everything good for them again. I guess the prodigal son would have known the loving forgiveness and mercy that was extended to him by his father when he realised how far he had fallen. We can know the same mercy and forgiveness by our Heavenly Father.

I am so often so tarnished by the dirt of the world ... I hear of the things happening around me and I begin to think about a plan of escape. And then I remember God has the perfect plan for me, all I need to do is trust Him. As Kylee said in her blog, He is in perfect control!!

He's such an awesome God!!!

Am I proud? ... or what???

I thought I should get a post in before November kisses us goodbye. I can't believe how quickly the time is sailing past us!!

My gifts do not lie in the area of art/craft. When God was allocating gifts, He knew I was going to marry Rob so He decided I didn't really need gifts in that area!! He was gracious in giving me children that ARE gifted, however. Recently, Joel had a Spring Project at school which he had to take at least 16 hours to complete and this is what he came up with:

He received an A+ for his efforts which included a log sheet and an essay detailing the whole process and including any difficulties he had.

He was also involved in Bandstravaganza which is a culmination of two years of playing in the school band. Bandstravaganza involves many, if not all, of the primary schools across the ACT. It showcases years 6 through to 12 and it is absolutely amazing. By the time we got to year 12, we felt that we had been to a show put on by professionals.

Joel is getting ready for his year 6 graduation dinner and dance (line and ballroom dancing!!) and then he will put primary school behind him forever. Hopefully, he will look on these years with fondness. He is growing up now but I have other things to look forward to as he grows to manhood.

Happenings ...

Here is a pictorial of the last few weeks of the life of most of the Taylors (unfortunately, Rob didn't make it into any of these pics!).

These were taken at Tidbinbilla during the school holidays. Unfortunately, because both Joel and I had forgotten to take his camera, we didn't get many more pics then these, and these only because, thankfully, my sister-in-law takes her camera everywhere she goes!!

My three gorgeous boys!!! I love 'em to bits and pieces!!!!

Benjy at his first Sunday School camp ...

Talking about Sunday School camp ... Mel is just sooooo inspiring to work with. I absolutely love being under her direction and leadership. She worked so hard to make sure that things were running smoothly and that the children were receiving everything they could from the sessions i.e., worship and teaching, as well as from the activities that the camp place had to offer. Mel worked so very, very hard behind the scenes co-ordinating with the camp staff and doing all that nasty administration stuff!!

And I love watching her with the children ... she's firm but always fair and the kiddliwinks absolutely love her.

It was a really good camp, too. Actually, I have to say it was one of the best Sunday School camps that I've ever been to ... but that may have partly been because my gorgeous middle son received the Holy Ghost ...

I joked with Matthew about 2-3 weeks before the camp that I would start calling him MT and then when he got the Holy Ghost I would call him "Full".

We had a camp fire after the service the night Matthew received the Holy Ghost and all he could say to me was "I can't believe I got the Holy Ghost." I have to admit that I was incredulous also!! God is soooo faithful and even when we can't see what's going on, He knows!!!

In fact, God knows alllll things and I'm excited about the plans He has for my children. Recently, I've been thinking about Hannah in the Old Testament and the fact that she gave back her much yearned-for, grieved after first-born and I am determined that the Lord will have my children to serve Him and bring Him glory!

Ruth gave me a wonderful hot and spicy cook book for my birthday and so I made Beef Rendang using fresh ingredients. I am soooo excited because I am normally a bottled sauce girl ... always have been. I think possibly I haven't had the confidence to know how to use herbs and spices, so when I received this book and browsed through it, I was very excited! And I really want to get away from the bottled sauces ... mainly because of the high salt content and also because they just don't taste as good!!

By the way, the Beef Rendang was delicious!!!

Lastly, I have been listening to Joel's ipod while I have been walking in the mornings and, this morning, there was one particular song that really ministered to me. I've heard it sooo many times that I usually "switch off", but this morning I really had a heart/mind to listen to the words. I hope they bless you and encourage you to run to the only One who can protect and shelter you.

In the distance I can see the storm clouds coming my way,

And I need to find a shelter before it starts to rain,

So I turn and run to You, Lord,

You're the only place to go,

Where unfailing love surrounds me,

When I need it most.

You're my hiding place,

Safe in your embrace,

I am protected from the storm that rages,

When the waters rise,

And I run to hide,

Lord in You I'll find my hiding place.

I'm not asking You to take away my troubles, Lord,

Cause it's through the stormy weather I'll learn to trust You more,

But I thank You for the promise,

And I have come to know,

Your unfailing love surrounds me,

When I need it most.

You're my hiding place,

Safe in Your embrace,

I'm protected from the storm that rages.

When the waters rise,

And I run to hide,

Lord in You I'll find my hiding place.

So, let Your people seek you,

While You may be found,

Cause You're our only refuge,

When the rain comes pouring down.

You're my hiding place,

Safe in Your embrace,

I'm protected from the storm that rages.

When the waters rise,

And I run to hid,

Lord in You I'll find my hiding place.

Floriade

On Tuesday, this week, the electricity on my side of the street was going to be turned off while ActewAGL replaced a power pole. Thankfully, my mother-in-law lives on the same side of the street so she suggested that we take Princess Hannah and Benjy to Floriade, providing the weather was pleasant. We could not have asked for more perfect weather!!! And the children really enjoyed themselves.

The first place we went was the petting farm and we saw a little chick that was less then 24 hours old. It was sooooooooo cute ... kind of like those little chickies that are made from pom poms.

The petting farm was very cool!!! Next we went to a child activity centre that was set up for ... well ... it's kinda obvious really!!! They had a craft table, an experiment table, music corner, sandpit, obstacle course and more!

After the activity centre we strolled through the Gnome Knoll - Princess Hannah duly told my mother-in-law that she liked all the girl gnomes! Benjy just liked whatever anyone else liked!

Then we had lunch. The two children had packed lunches and I decided to treat Rob's mum to lunch. We looked at the menu in one cafe and found it unappealing, although inexpensive. Sooooo, we decided to look for another eating place. The menu board looked better but we decided to share a bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese and salad because the cost of one bagel was about the same as the cost of three sandwiches in the first place we looked at!!!! My poor mum-in-law nearly fainted!!!!

After lunch, the two little people had a go on the jumping castle, then the nearby playground and then home to "Grandma's" for a chocolate magnum!!! Benjy and Hannah had been so quiet in the car, we thought they were going to sleep, but after the icecream ...

Hannah stayed with me until Josh picked her up later. Even though Benjy and Hannah had been running all day, they still seemed to have energy to spare. I was quite envious really. They had been sooooo good all day.

I'm thankful we went to Floriade when we did. The weather was perfect ... I commented to Rob's mum that, had we gone on any other day, it probably would have been too hot. It was not during the school holidays which meant that there weren't dense crowds. Even though there were a few busloads of people, the increased numbers didn't seem to impact on our enjoyment of the event.

All in all ... it was a very pleasant time the four of us had together.

Isaiah Preaching

Isaiah 35:3-10

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

No lion shall be there, not any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Amen, amen and amen!!!

Perfect Peace

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

Benjamin likes to have quiet in the house. If I want to listen to the radio, he protests. This morning I decided it would be nice to listen to Focus on the Family but when I tuned the radio in to the right station, I got the same protests I usually get. I told Benjy that I would turn the radio off after the program and he settled down and seemed quite happy to tolerate my "indulgence."

After Focus on the Family finished, the radio station played some nice music and, for a few minutes, Benjy seemed to have forgotten my promise. All of a sudden, he got up from his play, walked over to the radio and told me "it's finished, Mummy" and then he turned it off!

My response to that was "you want the peace and quiet, don't you Benjamin?" to which he replied "I don't want peace and I don't want quiet!"

I admit, I did have a chuckle!!!

I think I can be like that, though. I say I want peace but when I get offended or hurt or anxious or worried I stew on it and I think about it and, instead of giving it to God, I try and work through it on my own.

Or I might "give it to God" and then stew on it and think about it and try and work it out on my own, anyway.

I think "peace" might be just knowing that God is in control and having confidence in that knowledge. The feeling of safety that comes when we know that He loves us sooo much that He won't let us go through anything more then we're able to handle and to be able to leave every situation with Him so that He can work it for His glory, is not worth trading for even one iota of self-pity or worry or care.

It's really all about trusting God, isn't it?

Perfect peace, peace that passes all understanding. When the world is anxious - and really, they have a lot to be anxious about ... especially if they don't know who God is and how mighty He is - there is a God in Heaven who is looking at His creation and who knows exactly what to do.

And in that knowledge, I can rest assured and have that wonderful, unsurpassed, beyond understanding peace.

What an awesome God!!!

My Accident Prone Afternoon

Yesterday afternoon could probably be best described as clumsy ... not exactly disastrous ... but it was heading in that general direction!!

Ruth had treated Benjy to the Fun Factory and was dropping him back home. I still had groceries on the kitchen floor from my shopping expedition earlier in the day and I had a basket full of ironing on the kitchen bench that was waiting to be completed. Since I do my ironing in the kitchen because it's the most convenient place to do it, I figured I would have the basket handy for when I was ready to perform the task later that day.

I had made Hannah a Milo milk drink with a spoon in it so that she could the eat Milo on top and I was in the process of getting Benjy a spoon so that he could eat the Milo off the top of his milk ... I had the cutlery draw open and I was holding Benjy's drink over the top of it, groceries on the kitchen floor and ironing on the bench ... when suddenly, and accidentally, Benjy somehow knocked my hand and Milo milk went absolutely everywhere!!!!

It was all over everything!!

Including the snowy white shirts in the basket of ironing. And it wasn't even my ironing. At the beginning of this year, a lady whom I have known since Joel was in preschool, by virtue of the fact that she has a son in the same year as Joel, asked me if I would be interested in doing her ironing. She is a fastidious mother of 7 and so I told her I would think about it. And, as they say, the rest is history!!!

Can you imagine what Milo must look like on pristinely white shirts??? It was an ugly sight!!! I immediately threw the shirts into the washing machine with the thought that if you wash them straight away, there should be no stain.

Milo is sooooo stubborn!!!

Then, I made up a double strength solution of Napisan and prayed that in Jesus name those stains would be removed and I soaked those shirts, two of which were brand new, to within an inch of their lives!!!!

I put them in the washing machine again and, praise the Lord, those stains are gone!!!

I was worried, I can tell you.

But then, I got to thinking (something I've been doing a bit of lately). The Lord is returning for a "glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27). Anyone who has been baptised in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost is part of this glorious church. What if my garment is spotted or wrinkled? What if I have sins' stain on my heart? It could be bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, a wrong attitude, pride ... and the list goes on!

Revelation 3:4-5 mentions white garments.

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

The contrast of that Milo stain on those snowy white shirts was stark. And the stain obviously didn't belong on that shirt. In fact, had I left the stain on the shirt and ironed the stain into the shirt, the shirt would have been unwearable. As it was, the stains were harder to remove then I thought they would be!

And so it can be with sin. Sometimes pride gets in the way of confessing our faults before the Lord. Sometimes self-doubt hinders us ... "what I've done is bad and God will never forgive me". But 1 John 1:7 says that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin!!! Verse 9 of the same chapter assures us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just ... to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us ... from all unrighteousness!!!

Napisan, no matter how strong we make the solution, will not remove the stain from our hearts. The blood of animals won't remove it. Good works won't remove it. Going to church, acting holy, and even worshipping God, won't remove that stain. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us and make our garments spotless.

"... Though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ..." (Isaiah 1:18).

For a large part of my life I have struggled with the idea of a God who is so loving that, even when I stumble and fall, He loves me enough to show mercy to me, to forgive me, to embrace me. I used to believe that when I slipped up, which was a frequent happening (and still is, actually), that God would not want to know about me.

However, I have recently learnt of the mercy of God and how much He really does love me. He is slow to anger and quick to forgive. His compassion does not fail and His mercies are new every morning!! In this, then, I can rest confidently - not wanting to sin, but knowing that when I do, God will forgive me!!

And for me, that has a huge WOW factor!!!

Just a simple thought ...

"I have to work on speed and endurance and all four strokes. I need the speed to take it out (at the start) and the endurance to carry it through. You can't do it on talent alone. A lot of hard work, a lot of dedication." (Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer for the USA)

I was really excited when I read this comment on the ABC website from Michael Phelps, but it wasn't until I had time to think about it that I understood why I was excited.

The Bible tells us that we're in a race - "... let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ..." (Hebrews 12:1-2). We have to put aside the things that weigh us down so that we can run lighter, freer. We need to look to the One who started the race to be able to see us to the end.

Matthew 24:13 tells us that "he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Or, as The Message puts it, "Stay with it - that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved."

Endurance!!!

The verses preceding Matthew 24:13 tell us that times are going to get tough. Conditions are going to get worse. Life is going to get hard. But there is a promise to those who believe and endure - Salvation!! Heaven!!

WOW!!

Today, I watched Matthew's team play football. I'm not really a sports fan ... I love hearing about and watching the swimming, but football ain't really my thing. However, as I stood watching, even I was able to see that Matthew's team "knew" they weren't going to win even before the game started. They haven't won a game all season and so, I guess, they had a fair idea of the end result. And that seemed to affect the way they were going to play. After all, why bother putting in all that effort only to lose at the end??? They were intimidated by the skill and "togetherness" of the other team. The difference? The other team pulled together, they played confidently, they used their strengths to help each other and they knew they were going to win. Matthew's team had effectively given up before they had even started. Matthew had said to me before he jumped out of the car that they were probably going to lose today because they had been beaten last week by a "really bad team" and, in his eyes, that made his team even worse!!!

I wonder what would have happened if they had "laid aside" the negative thoughts and began to think of themselves as winners, no matter what the end result was? I think they scored one point and that wasn't even a goal (I don't understand any football code!!). If they had been more confident in handling the ball - and, believe me, there were so many opportunities for them to get the ball and do something with it - they would certainly have made it much tougher for the other team and they would probably have scored a few goals.

Even the coach seemed to accept defeat as inevitable!!! These kids are looking to the coach to show them the way, to train them up and to teach them the rules. I guess he's only human and he can only do so much, but if he doesn't believe in his team's ability to win, then they probably won't win!!!!

Something else the team seemed to lack was the discipline to work together and to persevere until they had scored a goal. The discipline comes in the practice sessions where techniques, strategies and fitness levels are taught and increased. The results of the practice sessions are seen in the game, whether those disciplines have been exercised or not.

We need discipline in our race, too. We need the discipline of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, of keeping our relationship with Him strong in practising His presence in our lives with prayer, worship and reading the instruction manual, aka The Word of God!!

I am thankful that my Coach (Jesus) has a belief in the abilities that He has given me. The difference is that He's not just on the sideline urging me on, He's with me every step of the way. When I feel like giving up, He's there. When I just want to throw my hands in the air and quit, He's there with me. When life is overwhelming, He's there. When sorrow or grief or bad attitudes threaten to suffocate me, He's there. In every trial, joy, temptation, victory, sorrow, blessing ... He's there. He said that He will never leave me, nor forsake me so that I may boldly say "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6).

I am thankful for all that Jesus has accomplished in my life. He is an awesome God!!

Women's Retreat

WOW!!!

I have to admit that, immediately prior to leaving for the camp, I had a fairly strong lack of desire to go. Being home with my family appealed to me so much more then heading off for a weekend without them.

And it was such an effort to get there. Not just mentally but physically. Diane, Kylee and Meg were brave enough to accompany me in my car. Since I'd heard that the fella's had all gotten themselves lost, I armed myself with an infallible (ahem) Google map and I knew that there was no way we were going to get lost. God has such a way of humbling us!!!

There came a point, while we were driving down the main street of Campbelltown, far, far away from where we were supposed to be, when Kylee suggested we ring David Kent. I reminded her that we had a reputation and an image to uphold and maintain and that we couldn't have this little faux pas passed on to ANYONE!!! Praise God for common sense. Kylee looked at me and said, "at the moment, I don't really care about image or reputation" ... or words to that effect!!

So ... Kylee rang David Kent. I think David Kent should be the CEO of Google Maps. We got there relatively easily under his superb directions - roughly two hours later then we should have, but we felt grateful to have arrived safely.

Because not only did we get lost, but we were driving through wind along tree-lined roads where bits and pieces were flying at the car!!! I have to say that we passed an accident on our side of the road at Lake George, then we passed through rain that was driven sooo hard by the wind that it was, literally, almost parallel with the road. I don't remember ever seeing anything like it.

When we arrived, I knew that the hand of God had been upon us and I was (and still am, actually) very, very grateful to Him for ensuring our safe passage. There was a wonderful sense of fellowship within the car, too, when it could, otherwise, have been soooooooo stressful.

Thus, I knew that God was going to move in a mighty way!!! I just wasn't expecting Him to move in SUCH a mighty way!!!! From the first song to the last, from the first word spoken to the last, I was ministered to by the Spirit of God in a really deep way. I haven't cried so much in a long time and, I can tell you, it felt soooo cleansing.

Sister Sjostrand (pronounced "show-strand" - she pronounced it herself and I think that's because we were all pronouncing it wrong!!) and her daughter, Caitlin, are amazing in their ministry. Sister Sjostrand can work a piano/keyboard over like it was a "walk in the park" - she makes playing it look soooooo easy!!!

And can she sing???? And when Sis Sjostrand and Caitlin sing together, it's as if all the angels in Heaven have entered into Earth's atmosphere and are singing with them. It's truly wonderful. What an experience!!!

Her ministry in preaching was heavily anointed. She was obedient to the direction of the Lord and His anointing flowed into the congregation. He ministered through Sis Sjostrand and through Jena, too, in such a magnificent way. We had two sessions each morning and a service at night.

Jena preached on Sunday morning and, even now, when I think back on the words she spoke, my heart is full of love for the Lord. God knows the innermost working of our hearts and minds, even when we think we're keeping them locked away in the secret places. God knew exactly what I needed and He touched me and delivered me in a beautiful way.

The worship was simply amazing. Especially on Sunday night!! Marcella (from Campsie church) led the worship and, as usually happens when Mars does anything, it had the signature of God allllllll over it!!! There was dancing down the front, in the aisles, in the seats, all over the place. The overhead wasn't working, but the praise went up unhindered. And just when it was beginning to quieten down, Mars announced that the Fijian sisters were going to do a special item and "please be seated".

Yeah!!! Right!!!

It was, quite literally, music from Heaven. I'm sure that God was directing that choir. It was wonderful and the dancing happened again. Then ... the Fijian choir stopped and we thought the "item" was over but one Fijian sister started singing again and, so, the dancing started again, but this time, the choir was dancing, too. Sister Sjostrand and Caitlin were in there dancing with them and whoever else joined them at the front.

There was another special item on the Saturday night. Four sisters from Hoppers Crossing positioned themselves at the front of the congregation and performed a piece of choreography to a CD of "There is a sweet anointing in this sanctuary". By the time they finished, there was not a dry eye in the house, it was so beautiful. And powerfully anointed. Absolutely wonderful!!!!

One amazing thing happened for me, personally. On the Friday morning of the day we left for the camp, the Lord showed me a passage of scripture. I was reading it and comprehending it and going "wow" over it and then, when Diane and I were talking about scripture on Saturday afternoon, I couldn't remember a thing about what I had read on Friday morning. Soooo - I decided I would refresh my memory on Sunday morning and was dumbfounded!! The scripture the Lord had shown me on Friday was very, very much in line with what Sister Sjostrand had preached in the two sessions on Saturday morning. In fact, although Sister Sjostrand didn't use that particular passage of scripture, she probably could have preached her whole message from it!!! That has never happened for me before, so I knew that God was wanting to tell me something!!

I love the Lord so much. He is so faithful to me, even when my heart wanders and my mind is turned to other things, He still loves me - warts and all. I love the fact that He knows me intimately, but He still loves me. In fact, He loves me too much to leave me the way I am. He wants to keep changing me and making me more like Him. Even when others have given up on me, the Lord remains constant!!!

This is not, by any means, a comprehensive account of the women's retreat, but the Lord did so much that it's difficult to contain it all in a few words. I think that sometime, down the track, there will be many testimonies of the Lord's wonderful work in the lives of those who went and desired to be forever changed. I am changed because of what Jesus has done for me - I'm not quite sure how those changes will be exhibited, maybe no-one but me will know how I am changed - and He has set His seal upon my life!!

What a wonderful Saviour!!

Thank you to all my friends ...

Like a Diamond

Instead of my mummy writing this page I, Matthew Taylor am posting this blog to your injoyment. My mummy said in one of the posts about me that I'm "one of those diamonds that you have to dig for but, once discovered, you don't want to let out of your sight". Unluckly for you that have found me I'm sure you would want to keep me. But I am very active and face fear without been a scardy cat. I would have a little trouble getting away but hey, Matthew Taylor never fails. I can get away any day. Somtimes. So when I get away it is going to be a bit of trouble been rich. As you may know I have turned double digit. 10. Its a horrible thing. We still haven't organised my party yet. On the 9.7.o8 which was a Wednesday my Grandma took me shopping for some birthday presents but before I can tell you this story I have to tell you this one. On the 8th of July is my real birthday. I was told we were going to walk all the way up Mount Taylor. I am very well known here in Canberra. The Mountain is named after me! We walked up Mount Taylor with my two brothers, my mum, my grandma and some of my cousins. Some people who work for me( I'm extremely rich) made a new path for my use but some people use it because they think they are more important than I am, but they are not. I'm thinking of getting better security. Well we all went up my path because I'm very kind. Then we walked back down again.

At night I opened all my presents. They are a wind cheater( I don't want to play a game of cards with him) , a game called hiest were you have to steal jewels( I'm writing this while I'm in jail). I also got another puzzle called lokulus. You know the geek called Archimedes who pulled the thorn out of the lions paw well he invented the puzzle called lokulus. The last present I got from my family was the movie called "Meet The Robinsons". It is a very good movie.

Anyway I shall get to the story about shopping with my Grandmma. I finally made up my mind about the things I wanted. I got some tricks that some people call magic tricks, you'll never believe me but for some odd reason they keep disappearing. I got a snake that is 145cm long. I am writing this while I am in hospital. My grandma also got me a movie called "Jimmy Neutron". It is very funny. I also got a book called "Geronimo Stilton". It is a mouse who talks about his adventures. The last thing I got from my grandma was a book called "Super Diaper Baby". It has interesting facts that baby power is stonger than grown up humans! My grandma also gave me $15. From my grandad I got $10 for my birthday.

Now to move on to more presents! From my Aunty Ruth, Uncle Josh, Sarah, Olivia and Hannah I got a yoyo and a thing that I like to call a thingy. It is awsome. From my Nanna and Poppa I got a $20 gift card( alot of money!). I got a book called "Soldier Boy" from Pamila, Jason, Matthew and Loren. It is a true story about the yougest ANZAC. The charector is called Jim Martin.

Thankyou for listening to this story. I hoped you injoyed it.
Singed by the future Primeminister of Australia: Matthew Taylor

Wrestling Again!!!

There they go again!!!

If there's one thing all the boys in my house love to do, it's to wrestle in the lounge room.

I think that maybe there's a casualty on the left hand side of this pic!!! Those little legs look motionless.

Don't let those legs fool you, though, because they belong to the Benjamin Bunny!!!

What did I tell you? The Benjamin Bunny is back in action. And with a vengeance!!!

You could see in the previous photo that the older boys were having a little trouble winning their wrestling match. However all is sorted out once the Bunny is back on the scene.

I'm telling you, you have to beware the Bunny. A lot of people have "Beware of the Dog" on their gates - I'm seriously considering having a sign made up - "Beware of the Bunny - Enter at your own risk" for my front door. I think that would scare any would-be thief away!!!

They have done the deed and now they're carting the bodies away.

But only until the next wrestle!!!!

They love it sooooo much. It is such an important bonding time as they exert some physical energy and get up "close and personal". I love the sound of laughter eminating from the loungeroom because I realise that they're all making some wonderful memories.

Matthew's Birthday

Matthew turned 10 yesterday. As I said to my special "little" boy, "I'm so glad to have Benjamin - otherwise I wouldn't have any little kids left in my home!!!" Matthew has now officially joined the "Tweens" - they are the age group of children just before the teenage years. Generally, they are between 10-14 years. Here's what I found on one website when I googled "Tweens":

Welcome to the Tweens: a generation of fashion-conscious, fad-loving, filled-with-attitude youth. You thought angst was a teenage phenomenon. Your 12-year-old is so moody, he begs for attention one minute, and then pretends you don't exist the next. You want to keep your 10-year-old in pigtails, but she tells you belly shirts are the bomb.

At least, with Matthew, I won't have to worry about the pigtails or the belly shirts. Nor will I need to worry about him being fashion-conscious or fad-loving. My beautiful boy is his own person and has his pleasures, which are relatively simple, and his own opinions, which he stubbornly clings to until logic - pure logic - proves otherwise!!! All he really wants to do at the moment is play AFL and cricket. This is great since both these sports are seasonal and there can be no "clashing of the titans". While this may seem faddish because it is "at the moment", this "moment" will last for a long time - once he commits himself, he usually sees it through to the end and doesn't worry about whether anyone else is doing it or not. However, it's hard to play either cricket or footy without a team, so I guess he is kind of dependent on others liking what he likes. :o)

Matthew is a lovely boy. He is quiet, shy and thinks deeply about the world around him. He holds his opinions to himself until something provokes that opinion to be voiced. When Matthew does give his view, it is usually well thought out and the wisdom in some of his words never ceases to amaze me. He loves the deeper preaching at church. Especially when his poppa is behind the pulpit!!

He's a great help around the house. He just focuses his mind on the task at hand and gets it done quickly. Apart from the task he's been set to do, he sees the other things that need to be done in association, and he does them. For example, one of his jobs in the mornings before school is to wash and dry the breakfast dishes. He also puts them away without being asked and without complaining. I have to say, he is very, very cute about it. I have to really bite my tongue when I see a tall tower of dishes shakily making their way from one bench to the other. They usually make it to the other side without mishap ... but I'm waiting for the "big bang"!!! Once they are safe, I allow myself to chuckle. Until then, I'm holding my breath.

He is a very kind and patient boy. He loves his little brother and they generally play very well together. He often defers to Benjy's preferred game or mode of play. I have watched Matthew with other younger children and he's just so patient with them. I'm really proud of my boy.

We gave him a few gifts for his birthday, not knowing what he would really like, because he never asks for anything. If there was anything we gave him that he didn't like, he didn't let us know. He let us believe that everything he was given was exciting to him and special. His grandmother is taking him out for lunch today and a spot of shopping so that she can get him whatever he wants. He has no idea what he wants, but when I suggested maybe new track pants, he countered me with "I could ask Grandma for socks." Poor child - you would think he didn't have any socks - he has a whole drawer full of the things but he is unselfish and he just thinks he doesn't really need anything. I hope he doesn't get disillusioned, LOL!!!

I know God has big plans for this special boy of mine. I keep telling him that he is wonderfully and fearfully made and that God's creation is good. He's one of those diamonds that you have to dig for but, once discovered, you don't want to let out of your sight.

Signed,
His Proud Mum

He's growing up and he's calling me 'Mum'

WARNING: Much longer post then I anticipated!!!!

Having read Michelle's post about the progression of N's language from calling her 'Mama' (a term I happen to love ... when any of my children call me 'Mama' it makes all my insides squishy!) to calling her 'Mummy', I was able to recall the days when my own called me 'Mummy' - thankfully, they sometimes still do. I hope they hold onto that term of endearment for many, many years to come. I can't say that, even though Joel and Matthew call me 'Mum', I was really ready for them to grow up yet. I have to say, I think 'Mummy' is more for me then it is for them!!! I hope that makes sense.

Well, my first-born bundle of joy arrived home from spending four days and three nights in Sydney. Ever since Joel was in Kindergarten, I have been adamant in declaring that there was no way that Joel was going on this particular excursion, which happens to be an exchange program with the school he attends and a school in Sydney. This program has been operating for the last 37 years and, as Joel's teacher pointed out to the parents (for obvious reasons), they have never experienced a problem. My main concerns involved the fact that Joel would be staying with a family I had never met and so I would not know their values/morals/approach to life/brand of toothpaste etc, etc! To this point, I have not allowed Joel to stay overnight with anyone outside the church for the aforementioned reason.

However, Rob and I were sitting in Joel's classroom on the "introduction to the teachers" night when the teacher explained the purpose of the excursion and the safety precautions implemented. My heart started doing an excited little flip, floppy type thing and I realised that this excursion would probably be a good experience for Joel. On our way home that particular night, Rob and I both agreed that Joel should probably go but we would delay telling him our decision until we were absolutely sure - you know, a "cooling off" type of period!! We realised that Joel, at the age of 12 years old, needed to make some stands and take some responsibility for himself.

Anyway, to make a rather long and tedious story, shorter and slightly more interesting, our "little" treasure departed on the bus on an extremely cold and foggy Tuesday morning at the unearthly hour of 7.15am and arrived home on Friday evening at around 6.30pm. I can tell you, I was overjoyed to see my boy!!

Joel took some rather wonderful pictures and gave me permission (you know, copyright and all that!!) to use them on this blog.

Of course, we all know this is the opera house. Joel took several wonderful photos of this beautiful Australian icon and it was very hard to choose one. The one below was taken through a fence.

Then there was the Quarantine Station where migrants suspected of carrying contagious diseases were quarantined at the site to protect the local Sydney community from infection. It was established in the 1830's and operated until 1984. In 1840 overcrowding was a huge issue - there were four children to a bed!

Designed by convict architect Francis Greenway, the Hyde Park Barracks (below) was home to convict men and a place of punishment between 1819 and 1848. Later it became an Immigration Depot for young girls and a Government Asylum for women.

The above picture shows the manacles that used to be put on the feet of the convicts.

And just before they came home -

LUNA PARK!!!!!!!

Joel had a wonderful time. When he got home, he showed us the 187 photos he took (these are a mere sample) and he told us all about everything. There were opportunities for him to draw close to God during that time as well. There were a couple of situations that might have turned out much worse then they actually did, but thankfully Joel knows how to call on Jesus and to trust Him for the outcome of any situation. I am thankful that we have a God we can call upon in any situation.

I just want to end this post with a Psalm that was part of my Sunday School preparation this week but actually, it didn't have too much bearing on the lesson itself. It did, however, encourage me and I pray you find it uplifting, too.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121