One of my greatest blessings...

...It was Mothers Day this past Sunday. And as I was thinking about my Mother I started reflecting on some of the things that I wouldn't have learnt were it not for her.
So I started a list and I thought I'd Share it:

10 Great Things I Learnt from My Mum 

1. How to read - that's a pretty special thing to have my mother teach me that, but she did, and did so much more than that in the 6 years that she homeschooled me. 
2. How to feed a crowd - mum was almost always okay with us kids inviting 3 extra people over for dinner...20 minutes before dinner was served. She'd cook up some rice, or make garlic bread out of hotdog buns, or do something to stretch the meal so that we could invite others over. This has given me a heart to show hospitality, and a skill to do it without breaking the budget.
3. How to set aside time every day for personal devotions - I remember time and time again walking past mum and dad's bedroom when the door was open and mum was sitting on the bed or kneeling beside it reading her bible praying, even working on memory verses. That is something that has stuck with me when I'm planning my day, I make sure to make time for time with the Lord. 
4. How to sing - I think some of this just happend from osmosis. Seriously. Sometimes when I sing the alto part to a psalm I hear mum singing it in my head (especially the psalms that we sang at meal times and bed times, something that I unconsciously picked up. She also just sang all the time, songs about anything and everything. Probably 50% of the songs that I know I learnt from hearing mum sing them. 
5. That writing thank you notes is important - there certainly were times that I dreaded the days after my birthday because I knew that mum would make me write thank you notes to the people who had given me birthday gifts. But after years of doing that, it became a habit. A habit that I'm so thankful to have. Because thank you notes are important to write, and it's something that I continue to be reminded of every time I receive a thank you note from my mother. 
6. How to drive a manual car  - Dad did a lot of the driving instructions when us kids were first learning to drive a car. When I was 19 and going back for my manual license though, it was mum who took me on my first drive, and most of the drives after that. And though pulling into the driveway was not the most successful drive of my driving career (mum may have lasting damage from that whiplash) mum was always patient with me and took me out again and again to drive our manual van. 
7. How to be a good listener - this is something mum often would do with us kids. She'd just listen when we wanted to talk. But I also saw her do it so very often with neighbours and church friends, and people who just needed a listening ear. She didn't try to fix their problems or offer solutions, she was so often just a listening ear which showed her care for people. She so often had an 'open door' policy in our home.
8. That family is important - This is something I learnt early on, from seeing her interaction with her parents and siblings and neices and nephews. And so often from her words 'don't you love your siblings?'. I grew to understand how important family is, and making the effort to get together with your family and love each other, love your siblings, and your parents even when you're grown up and don't live together anymore. Make family time special. 
9. That games are fun - Our family definitely went through stages of loving to play games together and other times mum would say 'who wants to play a game tonight?' and no one would answer. Sometimes I feel like I'm turning into mum when it seems like I'm the only one in the house who likes to play games, and I better know what it feels likes like when no one wants to play games with you after dinner. But she definitely taught me that playing games together is a fun way to spend an evening. 
10. How to make monkey bread - for as long as I can remember Monkey Bread has been a Blackwood Family Birthday Breakfast tradition. I remember many a late nights the night before someones biirthday mum would ask if anyone wanted to help her make monkey bread, and we'd make it together.

Sometimes I think I was the most privileged of my parents children. Privileged because I got to live with mum and dad longer than any of the rest of my siblings. Privileged because now when I go visit my parents I get them all to myself (which none of the rest of my siblings get anymore) For Mothers day this year I designed a picture for mum that read "Some of my greatest blessings call me Mum" - and it had each of her children's names below it. While that might be true for her, I know that it certainly is true for me, that one of my greatest blessings calls me 'Daughter' - and even further than that, she calls me her favourite middle daughter. I certainly am blessed to have a Mum who loves me as she does. Thank you Mum for teaching me great things, these 10, and SO many more, I love you my favourite mummy in the whole world!

The Smell of memories...

I'm not very regular at writing blogposts. And I find myself writing posts in my head all the time. When I'm cleaning and cooking, going for walks, riding my bike, I think I just speak in story. But I'm not very good at getting them from my head down into writing.
One thing that I often have done in years past is write a post on the anniversary of our family arriving in Australia. Because I'm sentimental, because I don't like those days to just go past without being recognised, and because I like to capture memories in my writing. So today's post, 

The smell of memories....

...Smells can sneak up on you, and suddenly, without trying to, you're reminded of something. They say smell is linked to memory more than all our other senses. And I can testify to that. Anytime I smell honeysuckles I'm a little girl again, in our backyard, making up some kind of concoction that me and my siblings will try eating. Sometimes it was delicious, like our pickle flower soup, or our grain and salt cereal. Followed by a dessert of honeysuckles. The dandelion and brick soups weren't quite as delicious. And you can ask Tamara about the many mud pies that she actually ate. I don't think she'll ever live that down in the Blackwood family. I love the smell of honeysuckles, the remind me of my childhood. Sometimes I think about planting some along our fence, but I'm afraid that if I smelt it every day it would no longer be linked to my childhood, and I would miss it.

When I smell snickerdoodles baking in the oven I'm reminded of Grandma and Grandpa Cole. And the days when they would come visit, and Grandpa would pick us up from school, and we'd come home to Grandma's freshly baked snickerdoodles. I love remembering those days.

Then there's smells that remind me of those first days in Australia 12 years ago. There's that orange air-freshener, anytime I smell it I'm taking back to our foot street house and those first few days. There's the smell of quiche being heated in the oven, our first breakfast in Australia. (we were told later not only do Australians not usually eat egg and bacon quiche for breakfast, but they usually eat it cold, so it's not a smell I smell often :) ). There's the smell of sweet water creek. I'm not even sure exactly what it is, but even now when I go for walks there it smells like 2006. My sisters and I call them 'WOAH!' moments. Those moments when without realising it, a smell, or a sound, or a sight take you back to first moving to Australia, when things were so different and even smells were foreign.

It's nice to look back, and reflect. Yesterday was our last worship service in the guide hall that we've used for the past many years. (We couldn't remember exactly how long we'd been there, which sent me searching through old bulletins. May 14th, 2006 was our first service there, so it has nearly been 12 years in that building) And one of our elders, Tony, reflected on those years in this building. The ways God has used this place for our worship services, the baptisms that have taken place, the people who have professed their faith,the worship and fellowship that has taken place as God has met with us. It was a good reminder to remember. Remember the great things that God has done for us, remember the ways God has blessed us, remember the people whose lives we've been able to reach and be a part of over the years, and even to remember the hard times, because we also remember that God has brought us through them. Both as individuals, and as a church family.

So as I smell things and am reminded of things, I'm thankful. Thankful that God gave us memories. Thankful that random sights and sounds and smells can take me back to places and times to think about and relive to things that God has done in my life.

Until we meet again...

I don’t think I’ve ever had a more stressfully sad trip to the airport, though the time when Mum and Dad forgot their passports would come close. It was May the 10^th, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Our bus was full of the shirelings (as we’ve taken to calling ourselves) George, Aiden, Benjamin, Tamara, Megumi, Ruth, Covenant, Janet, and myself. We were late in leaving home (what else is new) and though we had a lovely ride for most of the way, talking, playing the ‘I’m going to a party’ game, singing psalms, praying, and reading New Morning Mercies together. It was lovely. But in the last 10km or so, we hit traffic, the sign said 36minutes to Tullamarine, and we prayed that we would make it on time. We started coming up with what skills everyone in the car would be able to use to help Tamara make her flight. Aiden would plea with his lawyer skills, Ruth would save someone’s life with her paramedic skills, George would call out ‘Everybody move!’ so the way would be clear and Tamara would make her flight. So we made the game plan, who would grab what bags, and everyone would usher Tamara to the counter while I went to park the van. The time was getting close, and it was 7:45 when we pulled up to the doors (exactly 90 minutes from when her flight was scheduled to leave) – I dropped them at the door and went to find a place to park. The only problem is…the height of the bus. It’s too tall to fit in the undercover parking area except for one place – which has 2 regular spots and about 20 disabled spots. The other place it can fit is the outdoor carpark place. So I drive around and around the outdoor place, hoping for someone to come move their car so I can take their spot. I drive in and out of the carpark, wondering if I should just park in the disabled parking and plead my case later. I try ringing the Melbourne Airport Parking Assistance phone line, only to be told the first time that their opening hours are 8am – 5pm. It’s 7:58. I ring again and again and again and again, each time making it so far as to get hold music for 10 seconds before they tell me that all their operators are busy and use the email page on the webpage. I just want to talk to someone, to ask if I can please park in the disabled parking just this one time. Meanwhile, time is ticking, and I know Tamara will have to go through the magical doors any minute now. All I can think is ‘I need someone else in the car to keep trying the phone line, or to use the webpage so I can keep driving around to find a park’. I pray that God would help me find parking, and I’m wondering If I’m going to miss seeing Tamara, I hadn’t even given her a hug. My last words when she got out of the car were “don’t you dare go through the doors before I say goodbye”.

I get out of my car 3 times to ask someone if I can have their parking spot, once a man said yes, but another car got to it before I did. A second time just as someone was pulling it I pleaded with a man to let me have the spot he just pulled into, pleaded with tears in my eyes “I don’t fit in the regular parking, and I need to say goodbye to my sister.” His reply ‘sorry but I need to park here’. The next time it’s a car full of Chinese people, I speak to them and they drive into the spot, not even acknowledging my presence, and all I can think is, “I need Aiden to translate for me” and his lawyer skills would probably have been helpful with the other man too. At this point I lose all hope, and I can’t stop the tears.

Aiden rings and asks if I’m coming soon because she has to go through soon. It’s almost funny because I can’t say anything more than “I can’t…” a few times because of my tears, when I finally get out “I can’t park, I’m too tall…” Ruth offers to come trade with me. She gives Tamara one last hug and runs to find me in the car. Firstly accidentally running the wrong way, then she rings me and runs while on the phone, with me trying to tell her where to go. I know that I need to get something besides my phone to bring to Tamara, but I can’t think what it is. I see Ruth running towards me, and I tell her, I’m leaving the keys in the car, and leaving it here (in the middle of the carpark, unparked) I hang up to Ruth and run, slippers and all to the gate to find them. I try to ring Tamara and Benjamin as I run through the airport, but they don’t answer. Thankfully it’s a place I know well, and I know how to get to the magical doors, the ones that lead to America. I’m running hard when I see George in his minion onesie and there’s Tamara, she hasn’t gone through, and I cry a tear of relief, I’ll get to hug her one last time. And I remember that I left the note that I had written for her in the car. That’s what I forgot, but it’s okay because I get to say goodbye.

So we do, we hug, we say kind words to each other, I tell her that I love her and will miss her. And I am happy for her, but sad for us. And we say goodbye. And then she walks away, through the magical doors that lead to America. And I don’t really know what to think or feel.

I told Tamara in her letter that Stephen is a really great guy, and marriage is a really great thing. Which is why it feels a bit like Page CXVI’s version of the song Joy  I told her that I am so happy for her, but sad for the whole country of Australia. And I know that her version of the song probably sounds more that the Cole family singing it than Page CXVI, and that’s okay because she’s going to the great guy and that good thing, so I’ll keep trying to remember that when I’m sad and missing her. But feeling this way also makes me think about something else.

It’s goodbyes, it’s the sadness of living in a world where separation is a real thing, that make me long so much for Heaven. Alastair preached just last Lord’s Day from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and though it is talking about Christians not grieving like others without hope in the face of death it also made me think about it in the context of saying goodbye. We do have a hope that is sure and steadfast, an anchor for the soul. We do have the joy of knowing that Heaven will be an eternity with the Lord, we will be with Him FOREVER. And we will be in a place with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ where we won’t have to say goodbye. A place where all sorrow and sighing will pass away. I think that any time we say goodbye, any time countries separate us, anytime that we have sorrow and sadness in this life, we get that reminder that we are longing for a better country, a heavenly country, a place that God is preparing for us. It puts eternity in my heart, and that makes the goodbye less hard. It makes the grieving not without hope. 

Four thousand and eighteen days

A few days ago, January 28th came and went. For many, it was just an ordinary day, not unlike other January 28th's in years past. It was a day that went by without mention to any (even in our family) but it was a day of great significance in the lives of the Ed Blackwood Family. January 28th 2017 marked a day when one member of our Family had officially lived more of his life in Australia than in America.

On January 26th, 2006, just one day shy of his 11th birthday, Benjamin moved half-way around the world from Indianapolis Indiana to Frankston Australia. (actually skipping his 11th birthday on the flight to Australia) And the total number of days lived in America were 4017 (10 years, 364 days).

On January 28th, 2006, one day after his 11th birthday, Benjamin officially began his time of living in Australia. And on January 28th this year, the count of days lived in Australia was 4018 (11 years to the day)

Some of you might be thinking who cares about a thing like how many days you've lived in a country. Well, in answer, I do. If you'd asked me in January of 2006 how long I'd be living in Australia. My answer would have been "2 years, that's all, then I'll be back and live in America again" - it didn't take very long for my answer of "Where do you consider Home to be?" to change from "America" to "Australia". And there are times that I think Australia is so much home, that America seems like this foreign country that I happen to have a connection to. There have been days when I miss America so much my heart aches, and there have been other days when I wish I could just turn everything about myself Australian. But most of the time, I'm thankful that I'm an Australican and all the things that that entails. Thankful because having 2 places that at different times I have called home reminds me that this earth is not our home ultimately. In the bible, Hebrews 11 talks about the so called 'Heros of the Faith' - those men and women who had great faith in God, showing that they believed His promises, things hoped for and not seen. verses 13 and following say,

"These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a great distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. But they now desire a better place - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." 

Having lived in 2 countries does give me an even greater longing for Heaven, the true homeland for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. So, even as we know that this is not our ultimate home, when January 28th came and went, it got me thinking, and wondering, where will I be living on the 19th November 2020? Will it mark the day that I've lived 5410 days in Australia, compared to the 5409 that I lived in America? Only time will tell.

I'm thankful for...

Traditionally in the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on the 4^th Thursday of November. But for the past 11 years, living in a country without the Thanksgiving holiday, we, along with a bunch of other Americans, have celebrated on the Saturday following what would be Thanksgiving Day. We get together and of course eat all kinds of American foods that Australians would find hard to stomach (at least in serving some of them as main meal food and not dessert) such as 7 layer Jelly and sweet potato casserole. But more than the food is the opportunity for Fellowship. It’s always time for good conversations, and fun throwing a Frisbee around, or playing other games together. But my favourite part is when we all go around and say something that we’re thankful for.

It’s a real encouragement to think back over the year, and to recognise the many, many things that God has blessed us with to be thankful for. There are usually some tears, definitely by me, because when people take the time to share things, the things that are said truly help all of us to remember what it is that we should give thanks to God for. For me, it was easy to choose what I wanted to say. Not because there are so few things that I can be thankful for, but rather because many of the things that I have to be thankful for in this year past are all wrapped up into one thing. And that is the thing that I shared.

I’m thankful for all the things that my parents taught me in the first 24 years of my life while I lived with them, to equip me for living without them. The list of things that they taught me could go on and on, but this past Lord’s day as I was walking to church in the evening, I realised that there is especially one thing that I am VERY thankful that my parents taught me. Taught me both in words, and very much by their example. And that is the importance of corporate worship. I was walking to church, singing psalm 119E, and I was struck with an overpowering sense of thankfulness. Thankful that we have the privilege of worshipping together twice on the Lord’s Day. Thankful that God cares for us as His people SOOOO much that He gives us one day out of EVERY week to set aside as different. A day that refreshes me spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Psalm 119:38 & 40 say, “That I Your servant be revived to serve you reverently…Revive me in Your righteousness; I long for Your decrees.” – that’s the kind of longing I had on the Lord’s day. A longing to be with God and His people, hearing His word read, sung, and preached. And I was revived to be in worship. Which is why, I am so thankful for the things my parents have taught me, and one thing especially, to view the Lord’s day as a blessing. And that, is what I am thankful for. 

Singing like David

I have a unique privilege most Lord’s Days. I get to sit next to David James. David is a 36 years old man who comes to our church, and he has Down syndrome. Sitting next to him a couple weeks ago and listening to him sing the psalms I thought:

Why don’t we all sing like him. With such gusto, almost dancing in his seat as he sings. Especially when it comes to his favourite psalms, 3A, 23B, 67C, and others. As we sang psalm 146B as our call to worship this particular Lord’s day evening, and he was singing next to me, it challenged me to think, do I sing “Praise the Lord, let all within me offer to the LORD His praise…” and really mean it? Am I really singing with all that is in me offering praise to my God?

As I watched and listened to Him sing, I was really challenged. I love to sing, but do I really sing with all that is in me? Do I sing God’s praise because I’m genuinely happy to be singing praise to Him? And I also thought, everyone should get a chance to sit next to David for a Sunday service, and maybe we’d have a church full of people who sing like David.

Worth it for the Blossom trees

There are a lot of days when I think "I have the best job in the world" but this is especially true in Spring. Don't get me wrong, there are also some days when I think "I wish I had an indoor job" but for the most part I really love getting out on my bike, riding around delivering Charity Bags door to door.

Spring time comes and I think "I love Spring!" I get excited that the weather is getting warmer and I won't have to wear my beanie and extra thick socks when I'm out delivering. Then I remember, spring time is also often the rainiest time of the year so I will often be wearing my rain coat. And there are days when I'm out in the cold rain that I think "I hate Spring"

Then I get excited that Spring also means longer days. The sun rises earlier and sets later so I will have more times of light to deliver in, and I think "I LOVE Spring!" but I also remember that Sprintg means the coming of magpie swooping season. Magpies that swoop not just once as you ride past, casually getting close to you, but magpies that swoop again and again, hitting you in the back of the head, side on - attacking your ears, Making me frightened by the shadows of flying birds and the clicking sound that many birds make with their wings when they get close enough for you to hear, and I think "I HATE Spring!"

Then I think about the flowers, the beautiful, beautiful flowers that come out in Spring. Flowers that fill my heart with happiness just to look at them. Flowers that could brighten the day of anyone who saw them, flowers is so many shapes and colours, and I think about how much I love Spring. But I also remember that with flowers comes hayfever. Hayfever that at times is so bad that my eyes nearly swell shut, I forget what it is like to have a nose that isn't dripping, and my throat is constantly itching. And through constant sneezing and watery eyes I remember that I don't really like Spring all that much after all.

It's about this time that I come across the Blossom Trees. There's nothing quite like a Blossom Tree, with the pink or white flowers greeting you as you turn a corner into a street filled with them, or as you catch their scent riding past. And I remember that even with the rainy days, the swooping magpies, and even the heyfever that I really truly do love spring, every aspect of it, and all the things that make Spring less enjoyable especially in my delivering, all of them are worth it, worth it for the Blossom Trees.

The Importance of Having Little People in my Life

Over my summer holidays I've had great opportunities to spend time with lots of different kids, and I've come to realise how important it is to have little people in my life. 

I have the blessing of having 5 nieces (2 of which I haven't yet met in person) but with them living so far away, it's nice to have other little people in my life, through the church, to invest in, spend time with, and share life with. 

Some of my favourite memories over the past few weeks of times with little people are: 

• Hearing Kids Pray 
• Getting to spend a few days with the Moynahans, going to the beach with the kids. Showing them how to boogie board. 
• Listening to Tamara talk with Joel and asked 
• "When do you turn 4?" 
• Joel's reply was "On my next birthday!" 
• Having Family worship with 3 differnt families in the past few weeks, and getting to better see what faith like a child is. 
• Going on a bush bash (with children, and led by children) 
• Our Children's Bible Class closing program, hearing the kids tell me things that they liked learning over the year 
• Working aside lots of differnt little people during our church's working bee camp 
• Having family worship with the Kents and Kate asked if anyone had anything to pray for. 
• Solomon said "Thank God that Mrs. Thierry is in heaven with Jesus, and pray that her family won't be too sad."
• Going for walks with Jonah 
• Skyping my nieces. 

"See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven." - Matthew 18:10 

Dear Grandma, Grandpa, and Katy

Since I didn’t write you an airplane note before you left. (you probably realised that that is a bit of a tradition for us, with T and B both writing you letters. We like to give last letters to read on the plane, and to re-read over and over again to remember the good times, and just because it is nice to have something to hold onto when the visit has come to an end) so, I wanted to write you a letter. So here it goes:

Dear Grandma, Grandpa, and Katy,

Thank you so much for coming to Australia. Thank you for taking the time, and spending the money, and leaving behind many things for those 5 weeks to come and visit us. I’ve never had the chance to spend that amount of time with you all especially in such a close way, and I am grateful for that time more than words can say.

I am so thankful that you were able to experience our life here in Australia. I’m glad that you got to meet our friends, see where we live, come to our church, and experience our life here.

I am glad that I was able to get to know you better over these 5 weeks. I’m glad for the things that I learnt about you, about Grandma and Grandpa’s childhoods, about Dad moving in with you, about your foster and adopted children, and just to know you all better

Grandpa, thanks for helping me with the veggie garden, for doing all the hard work, sorry you don’t get to enjoy the fruit of your labours, but I think all of us will be thankful for the home grown veggies J

I’m thankful that in this five weeks, I got to experience great things with you, and I will miss Katy’s hugs, late night talks with Grandma, one on one talks and walks with Grandpa, your prayers, so many times I heard and was so grateful for all 3 of your prayers, teaching Katy in my children’s bible class, hearing her tell me the catechism questions, lunch with Grandpa and Katy, outings with Grandma. I will miss it, but mostly I will miss you all!

Lord Willing I will see you again next year!

Love Always,

Maria 

Looking forward to...

• My Grandparents Visit
• Thanksgiving
• School Holidays
• Pleasure Reading
• Long days
• Evenings outdoors
• Home Grown Veggies
• Cool Ocean Water
• Sleepovers with Friends 
• Lord's day morning prayer meetings
• More evenings free to have people over for dinner 
• Traveling and Exploring
• Working Bee Camp
• New Years Day Picnic 
  

Junior Camp 2014

In the car on the way home from camp, we were all sharing our top 5 things that we loved about camp (it started out as 1, but we had too many, great things, so we made it 5). When it got to my turn, I started by saying "Okay, my top favourite 25 things are..." I was sort of joking, but deep down I was actually serious because I really really loved camp so much that I couldn't even limit myself to 5 things that I loved about camp, I didn't actually share 25 things, but I think it was at least 10. So here are actually my top 25 favourite things about Junior Camp 2014 (in no particular order)

The Whole Gang

1. Cooking - it is always fun to cook at camp, and it's kinda the one job that really you can't have camp without, so it's nice to be able to serve in that way
2. Having LOTS of offers from the kids to come help in the kitchen. We decided that duty teams were a thing of the past for Junior Camp because we just always had some many lovely and eager volunteers it was great! One day we had to turn away 7 kids who asked if there was anything they could do to help because there just weren't any jobs to do
3. Telling the girls bedtime stories in the girls dorm. Some made up, some real stories from my life or the lives of people I know, some a combination of both (a bit o, shall we say, historical fiction..?)
4. Singing lullabies to the girls to get them to sleep
5. Having a bonfire and bush dance in the rain!
6. Rob's talks on Survival - making David's life seam so real and truly seeing the amazingness of it!
7. The total flexibility of the schedule, just changing times to fit around things whenever
8. The BEAUTIFUL weather that God blessed us with (only a little bit of rain)
9. Staying up late and talking with the other leaders after all the kids had gone to bed, and pretty much all other times of chatting with the leaders, especially Melissa and Allison!
10. Getting to know the kids better, some I'd never met before.
11. Sharing meals with the kids, talking about life.
12. Having 2 of the smallest 8 years olds I can imagine come along, they just made it so much fun!
13. Ten ping pong - it will soon make an appearance in the Olympics I'm sure
14. Of course a princess skit in the concert with Harry playing the princess :)
15. The leaders taking the kids team rope challenge and getting a finishing time of 10:34 (When the slowest kids time had been 6 minutes!)

The Leaders

16. Playing Yahtzee with Helen
17. The amazing rope things that Joel put up
18. Team hopping (since I wasn't on any particular team, I just chose different teams for different activities)
19. Reading stories in the hall on Thursday morning as people were waking up
20. Melissa's girls dorm devotions
21. Dorm inspections, and the girls talent shown in that!
22. Luke's stories in the evening with hot chocolate and supper
23. Bonding over washing and drying dishes
24. All the leaders willingness to just join in with the kids in all the different activities
25. Doing 10-13 girls hair in the mornings

Highlights from Gartmore, RP International Conference

Youth plus Group 

• Meeting so many amazing a lovely people 
• Catching up with my friends from Senior Camp
• Psalm singing with everyone and in the youth plus group especially (better acoustics)
• Being a 'yellow person' (aka, helping the parents with young children at meal times)
• Family Worship 
• Highland games
• All age group activities in the evening
• Getting excited about saying the alphabet backwards the quickest, but not being able to do it in 4 seconds
• Collecting people's life stories
• Playing the 'Intriguing questions' game with people
• Going to the prayer meeting in the mornings and speaking with the older people afterwards
• Late night chats with my roommate
• The CRAZY games in the youth rise program
• Kenneth Stewart's talks, especially Implications for Faith (Peter) 
• Meeting people's families
• Hanging out at the cabins and playing games there
• D&M's with people
• Learning how to play rounders
• Sitting with and meeting different  people at mealtimes
• Worshipping with RP's from all over the world

It was a blessed week filled with many grand things, good craic, deep and meaningful conversations, meeting people from all over the world, and being blessed. Already making plans to come back in 2018 Lord Willing!!

"From all that dwell below the skies, O let Jehovah's praise arise! And let His glorious name be sung in every land by every tongue! Great are mercies of the LORD, and truth eternal is His word; ye nations, sound from shore to shore Jehovah's praise forevermore!"

Highlights from Senior Camp

I really enjoyed the Senior Camp that is organised by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. I was really blessed by the people that I met, the things that I did, and the fun times had. Here are just some of the highlights

- Meeting new people
- Getting to know my room-mates

Best Room-mates EVER!

- Eating meals with different people and getting to talk to them
- Worshipping together with RP's from a different part of the world
- McCollum's Madness - messy and somewhat disgusting gamres
- Learning to play bucketball
- Teaching people how to play Ultimate Frisbee and ARF (Australian Rules Frisbee, otherwise known as the triangle frisbee game)
- Phillip Moffett's talks: Christ and His people - identified with Christ, Organised by Christ, Worshippers of Christ, Growing in the Sacraments of Christ, Witnesses to Christ, Living for Christ, and Looking to Christ. Each day I thought the one we did was the best, but the 3 that I found most challenging and helpful were: Growing in the Sacraments of Christ, Living for Christ, and Looking to Christ.
- Psalm Singing on the Lord's Day evening. Robert McCollum explaining the psalms (taking off the apple tagline: there's an app for that) as there's a psalm for that. For every situation in life there is a psalm.
- Making up a cheerleading routine in our teams as part of the Monday evening Game Show
- Having everyone sing along to the song that I wrote during the concert on Thursday evening
- The party - especially learning new dances
- Bus rides to and from camp and to and from activities/outings, getting to talk to people
- Staying up late chatting and laughing with several of the girls
- DMC (or as we in Australia say D&M's) with people, especially on the night walks and the long walk on the Lord's day
And there were so many more fun and exciting times, but overall I was just glad to meet a group of lovely young people, and spend a week getting to know some of them better. I am looking forward to seeing many of them again at RP International at Gartmore in a week and a half!

Why the airport was my favourite part of Paris

So before you read my reasons, you have to understand  something. Vietnam and Paris for me were just a means to an end. Kind of like Dallas and L.A. when we head back to the states, I'm sure they are great places, but I just REALLY WANT TO GET TO INDIANA! So, I really wanted to get to Belfast, that was my destination, the places in-between were just a means to an end, just places to stop to make the journey the cheapest way possible. So with that introduction, here are 8 reasons why the airport was my favourite part of Paris: (in no particular order)

1. I got free WiFi for 15 minutes when I first got there so I could update my family and friends on my travels
2. It doesn't cost anything to use the airport toilets.
3. There was a red piano to play
4. All the staff were VERY friendly and helpful
5. I got to eat a real fresh chocolate croissant and drink coffee
6. As I was boarding my flight to Belfast I heard the Irish accent which finally made me excited as I thought about my Northern Irish friends
7. The above cafe had free unlimited WiFi so I got to see everyone's comments on my 6 hours in Paris facebook post.
8. I found out that on my flight to Belfast I would have a window seat, my first window seat of the journey, and it means I can see Northern Ireland from the air!

Just so you all know, I did visit Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower - just the outside, I didn't go up it, I walked around A LOT! I wanted to hire a bike, but my bank cards didn't work, so I took a train into and out of the city and walked a lot. I wanted to go to a cafe for lunch, but in the end I wasn't hungry and I just ate back at the airport, a fresh chocolate croissant and coffee were the only things I ate in all of Paris. Unfortunately I didn't buy a souvenir :( because I kept thinking I would find a cheaper option, but in the end I ran out of time. It was a bit lonely with no one to share it with, and no one to help me find my way around (which was fine, I had a great map, but things were further away than I thought) So overall, I am glad to say that I've seen the Eiffel Tower, but it would have been better with a travelling friend.

Praying at all times...

I would rather have taken a long shower, and snuggled up with a good book and a hot cup of tea. I would rather have gone to bed early...but I didn't. Not because I wanted to feel "holier-than-thou" or because "I'm a Blackwood and that's what we do". I could even have made the excise that "I've already been to one prayer meeting this week". But... instead, I went. I went because God tells us to, and there is power when God's people come together to pray.

" Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints." Ephesians 6: 18

The last 2 prayer meetings we've listened to 2 of John McCarther's Sermons on Prayer. I would commend both of them to you if you want to hear powerful sermons about the power of prayer The Necessities for Effective Prayer  and Praying at All Times 

As I was at prayer meeting, standing during both the message, and the prayer time (so I wouldn't fall asleep) I was encouraged just by being with the saints, crying to our One True God and heavenly Father together, singing God's Word together, hearing His Word preached, and of course Praying with and for one another and for our church. I was especially challenged from Ephesians 6:10-20 to pray for Unity, for God's Will to be done, for the Spirit to move in us, for Fruitfulness, and for Holiness. Our prayer time was so encouraging, I was overcome with weeping for those hurting in our congregation, I was humbled by the simple prayers of people, I was filled with Joy to hear about God's wondrous work in us and the people we know, and I was encouraged with the prayers of so many, and challenged have a better prayer life, not just once a fortnight during a prayer meeting, but to pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers, with all perseverance, for all the saints. What a Great and Awesome God we have, and one who Delights to hear our prayers.

"The prayer of the upright is [the LORD's] delight" Proverbs 15:8

Motivation!!

Last year at some point my Dad, Tamara, and I started race walking together a couple times a week. For me I enjoyed it, but I always wanted to go faster because the faster you go the faster you finish. 

So then I took up running. I've heard that the more you run, eventually your body craves running, and you enjoy getting up early and going for a run. Some might even get excited about it. Well...I am far from that point. I'm currently at the point that I know that I should go running because it is good for me, but I don't relish it. So, I had to find a good way to motivate myself. 

So...I started listening to audio books when I exercise. I signed up for Christian Audio's free audio book of the month: http://christianaudio.com/free

So 2 mornings a week, I plug in my headphones, and go out for a run listening to my book. 3 mornings a week I go out with my sister and we do our Pull-up/Push-up/Sit-up workout, and one day we do a skipping workout, and the day left is the Lord's Day, our day of rest. 

It's been a pretty great motivator. I get excited to find out what is going to happen next in the book, or the story. 

Today, I actually got excited about my run. I rode my bike down to the beach, went for a 40 minute run, then swam out in the bay to the buoy and biked home in my wet clothes, which kept me cool. It was actually really lovely. 

"Auntie Auntie"

That one word is the most precious thing I've ever heard my niece say. Since moving to Australia we've tried to make the transition from Aunt (ant) to Aunt (ont) or Auntie. So when my precious little 18month old niece, Felicity was visiting us here in Australia, she learned all of our names. Nanna (my mum - she learned to say this first), Granda (my Dad), Auntie (no differentiation between me and my sister Tamara) and Uncle (my younger brother Benjamin). It was pretty special for us, and also very special when she went back home and called her other Aunts and Uncles "Auntie" & "Uncle" We skyped her a few days after she'd been home and my brother and sister-in-law said that she'd been asking for Auntie ever since she'd been home.

The love in my heart for this sweet little girl is simply overflowing. A very special thing happened on Wednesday November 4th, when the love in my heart for
my niece(s) double when my second niece Elanor Louise was born. What a beautiful and precious little child. And I long for the November day when I can hold her in my arms. It's a very special thing being an Auntie. A very special thing indeed!

"Children are a heritage from the Lord,offspring a reward from him.Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.They will not be put to shame" 

- Psalm 127:3-5

How the free sample lady made my day

I started a course at the Reformed Theological College this year, doing a bachelor of Christian Studies. I do one subject on campus, and two online through distance. Since the college is in Geelong, and my Wednesday class starts at 9am, it makes for an early morning. The alarm goes off at 4:30 and I'm out the door by 5 to make the 5:17 Frankston train.
The Frankston train provides a great time to eat my take with me brekky and to read my bible.
This one particular morning I made it to Southern cross and I was freeeeezing. Rather than buy a coffee (my sister Tamara &I are trying to do a year of just drinking water) I brought my travel mug and asked the nice man at cafe vellunto for some hot water. As I walked past woolies (southern cross has everything!) I thought I'd stop in and see if there were any good deals on hot muffins or something. I saw Uncle Tobys oats in a cup, just add hot water for $2.20. I pondered it, but decided my hot water would do. As I was going down the escalator toward my train I saw some ladies in red handing something out. I walked over and got not one but 2 free Uncle Tobys oat cups. Since I already had my hot water, I added some mixed it up, and hopped on the train to enjoy some nice hot oats while watching the sun rise over the city. I guess I already have next weeks brekky planned.

Fortnightly on Sabbath afternoon, the young people of our congregation get together for what we call METY - mutual encouragement time for Youth. The hope is not that we will fortnightly mutually encourage one another in the LORD, but that the more we do it 'formally' the more it will be a habit to talk to one another about the things that God is teaching us from His Word.

A couple of months ago Nathan Bingham encouraged us to send a text to each other from something we've read in our personal devotions to encourage or challenge one another.

So this morning in my personal devotions, I was very challenged, and I wanted to share it. It was too much to fit in a (or even 10) texts, so here is me sharing how I was challenged.

Although this is primarily to my peers. To young people that God loves, I hope it bring encouragement and challenge to all who read it.

I'm reading through II Chronicles, and this morning I read Chapter 10. It is about Rehoboam, Solomon's son. He had just become King in Israel, and the Israelites asked him to life the burden that Solomon had put on them. So Rehoboam sought advice which Andrew Stewart says "This was a good thing to do because no one is so wise that he or she does not need advice" (A House of Prayer, the message of II Chronicles simply explained). He asked the wise elders (called elders because of their years of accumulated experience) and they said :If you will be kind to these people and always please them and give them a favourable answer than they will happily serve you" and he asked the young men, his friends, who basically said "tell them 'you thought Dad was hard, I'll be even harder on you. Dad used whips, I'll use scorpions'"

Rehoboam took the young mens advice, and because of that, the Kingdom divided. Forever a civil war between Israel and Judah. They separated themselves from Jerusalem, and the temple, and the worship of Jehovah.

I was VERY challenged, how much more importance do I put on the advice of m friends than to the advice of those older and wiser than me, especially my parents. So often I think we as youth would rather listen to each other than out parents, so I challenge you as I hope you will challenge em to think, "I don't know everything" "I don't know what is best for my life" "My parents do love and care for me which is why they have rules and set boundaries"

In his commentary, a House of Prayer, Andrew Stewart answers the question, "how can we avoid make the same mistakes [as Rehoboam]

Firstly by taking heed to God's Word when we hear it. Read your bible every day, come to church each week with your bible, eager to follow the preachers sermon.

Secondly make our plans subject to God's overriding plans. Pray before we make plans.

Thirdly, seek out those who can give us godly advice. Do we want flattery or faithfulness from a friend Are we willing to listen to advice from older people even when they may say something we don't want to hear

Forthly, make it a priority to pursue what the LORD wants.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

So, let's give good advice to each other; let's pray with and for one another; let's talk to older and wiser people in the church when we have question about things in our lives; let's talk to our parents and take their advice, they love us, and care for us; and we owe it to them as the ones who have raised us, taught us about the bible, who live their lives sacrificing for us, let's listen to God as He speaks to us in and through His Word, our Minister, Bible school Teachers, those older wiser Godly people what have been young men and women, who have good life experience, and who live Godly lives.

Let's not fall into the same sin as Rehoboam, but rather, learn from his mistakes, and turn to God.

Not all Magpie fans are mean

This is a truth that mum and I discovered whilst taking a walk yesterday evening.

On our way home from the video store, we happened to see this poor little baby magpie just sitting in the middle of the road. A HUGE truck was coming down the street, and I thought 'That's the end for the poor magpie' but surprisingly, the driver actually saw the little bird and stopped for it and honked. When it still didn't move, the passenger rolled down his window and asked Mum and I "Where is it"

"It's right in the middle so you should be fine. Very cautiously the truck began to move forward, just when it did the magpie headed towards the other side of the road, right under the trucks tire. the truck passed and turned into the next street. I thought surely there would be smashed 'pie on the road, but there was the little guy slowly making it's way to the other side. Once traffic cleared I crossed the road, and rescued the little bird. Now I don't really like magpies (except for their beautiful call [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXBuxN1LwFs&feature=related] which always reminds me of my first morning in Australia.) they're huge, and annoying, and they swoop you, but as soon as I felt his soft fluffy baby feathers, and felt his feet grip me, I couldn't just let him stay and possible get run over, he couldn't even fly. So I scooped him in my arms and carried him with me. Less than half a block later, the truck driver came running after me.

"Do you still have him?" He asked

I told him I did

"Can you take a photo of me with him? See, I'm a 'pies (Magpie, Collingwood footy team ) fan."

I told him that even though I was a Cats (Geelong footy team) I would take it.

So I took the photo, of him holding the baby magpie, then he took a close up of it in my hand.

"He's a cute little guy isn't he?"

As we started to walk away, he asked if I was going to take care of him. I told him I would.

So I brought it home, showed it to the family. Dad told me I had to put it outside right that instant! So I put him in the grass, and gave him some worms, but he didn't eat them. Benjamin said I needed to chew them up first.

He's lasted a day now. I named him 'Lil Guy, and apparently magpies are very intelligent, and can learn to talk. I'm trying to get him to say 'Go cats' :) A mother magpie that lives in our yard, after 20 hours of just staring at him, finally adopted him, and has been feeding him, so hopefully he'll live, and learn to fly.