When Friends Go Weird

This is a hard post to write. It is one I have done a lot of reflecting on. At the back end of a tumultuous year like no other in my lifetime of 37 years, it seemed appropriate to post it now. As much as I'd like to believe it, I doubt when the clock clicks over to 2021 that these problems will magically disappear.

As fear of COVID-19 gripped the world, one of the repercussions has been the rise of conspiracy theories. These have always been around, but now social media, anxiety, and an increasingly unstable world have seen them gain new followers - ones who I would previously have never believed would have become entangled in things like this. I have at times felt devastated as it became glaringly obvious on Facebook that more and more friends had 'gone down the rabbit hole', and no amount of reasoning would convince them it was a terrible mistake. Suddenly anyone not with them was against them - we were 'living in fear', 'enslaved to the government', and needed to 'wake up'. COVID didn't exist, or at least was a lot less dangerous than the media was reporting. We were going to be forcibly vaccinated by Bill Gates and microchipped. The government was putting fluoride in our drinking water to damage our 'third eye' and make us docile and obedient. We shouldn't be wearing masks or staying in our homes. It was all part of a government plan to turn Australia into a dictatorship.

I was more scared of these people, my friends, than I was of the virus.

How was a longstanding friendship going to survive these bizarre beliefs? When lockdown ended and we could meet in person again, would I have to endure long-winded rants of how I was a sheep and needed to be 'woke'? Would every topic suddenly become an elephant in the room?

The scary thing was that some people were not just saying they believed these things, they were actively changing their lifestyle in accordance - in ways I could never imagined some people would have just a year earlier. This included no longer vaccinating their kids, planning to homeschool (presumably because the school wouldn't enrol their kids if they were unvaccinated), buying expensive water filters so they wouldn't have to drink tap water.

But then I started to consider how it must have looked to my non-Christian friends and family when I became a Christian. I know for a fact that many of them thought I'd become 'weird', that they were worried I'd been sucked into a cult, that I was living out my faith in big life decisions, rather than it being a passing fad. They must have been scared, they must have thought they'd lost me, they must have wondered if they could ever have a normal relationship with me again, they must have worried I'd bash them over the head with my Bible at every opportunity.

Maybe all this conspiracy theory stuff will be a fad for some friends. I truly hope so. I was talking to a good friend of mine who is a nurse in mental health, and she thinks the anxiety of being in social isolation has messed with people's minds. I'm inclined to agree. I also know that some people who are really into conspiracy theories also have bipolar disorder and, because of their beliefs regarding health, often refuse to take the proper medication for it.

I've also realised that rather than running in fear from some people because of their passion and outspokenness, I could use these opportunities to speak about Jesus. If they want a platform to speak about their great love, then they cannot refuse me the chance to respectfully speak about mine. Then I pray they will know what true freedom is, that trusting God in all things, means you are not living in fear.

5 Things I'd Say to My 18-Year-Old Self

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and talk to your younger self?  Tell them not to worry about some things.  Warn them about hardships to come.  Encourage them that, although the present may have its challenges, good things will come.

I follow Turia Pitt's Facebook page.  For those who don't know who she is, Turia suffered burns to more than 60% of her body from being caught in a bushfire while competing in an ultra-marathon in the Kimberly region of Western Australia in September 2011.  She is an incredibly inspiring person and I'm looking forward to reading her autobiography.  One post on her Facebook page particularly caught my eye.  It was a letter she had written to her 18-year-old self for the Business Chicks website.

That got me wondering....what would I say to my 18-year-old self if I had the chance to go back in time?


1.  Your life is about to change in the most dramatic way anyone's life ever can.  Many of your life plans will go out the window.  This is a good thing.  You will meet someone.  It won't be who you think.  It won't be the type of relationship you're hoping for.  Your friends already know him and have tried to introduce you to him.  I think you really do want to know him, even if you say you don't.  I'll give you a hint: His name begins with J....

2.  Don't stress so much about finding a man.  He's out there.  Just wait and make the most of your life until then.  No, it's not the one you're fixated on.  The right one is not quite ready yet...and neither are you.

3.  Your high school friends are keepers.  You'll meet other great friends, too.

4.  Don't give up writing that book.  Don't slack off.  You're single.  Now is the time to write, trust me.

5.  There will be a time in your life that will be incredibly dark.  You will need great strength to endure, but that strength won't come from yourself.  You will be ok.


What would you say to your 18-year-old self?

Is 2016 Cursed?

So many people think so, mainly due to the number of celebrities who have died this year. But, in reality,  many celebrities die every year; what these people mean is that celebrities they particularly like have passed on.

Then there's been Brexit, ongoing horrors in Syria, and Donald Trump becoming the US president. Again, troubling things are constantly happening in the world. 2016 has been no exception.

For me personally, 2016 has been a horrible year. Much of what happened flowed on from 2015; while it is nice to draw a line in the sand and say a new year is a fresh start, one cannot always escape past events. This year, I have been so unwell with postnatal depression, I probably should have been hospitalised many times. I've wanted to walk away from my marriage and family, desperate to seek help in the city. Our closest mental health service is absolutely appalling. I am so glad to be rid of them.

I feel like I've achieved very little, apart from surviving. I love my little family dearly, and it devastates me that I must live with my mind and body shrouded by a dark cloud. It feels like I've spent much of 2016 struggling in my relationship with God, desperate for Him to remove this thorn from my side. But, in His kindness and mercy, we have had two wonderful live-in nannies - Jordie for seeding and Liz for harvest. If I'd been well, I'd never have had the privilege and joy of having met them.

In recent weeks I've received the news that three friends of mine are now separated from their husbands. This has affected me deeply. It seems that hearing about separation/divorce and babies dying is a big trigger for depression for me. I grieve and I pray for there to be reconciliation and change in those marriages. But I'm trying not to let it get me down.

I'm praying for a better 2017. I'm praying for Flynn to sleep, as sleep deprivation is a huge factor in my illness.

Do I think 2016 is cursed? No, but it hasn't been a good year for many people.

Bring on 2017. May it be a great adventure.

The Shocking Death of Phillip Hughes

Like most people, the death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes last Thursday shocked and saddened me.

If you're not familiar with what happened, here's the story.

I've been trying to figure out why I found it distressing.  I'm not a cricket fan.  I don't know him personally.

Was it because he was young?
But young people die every day.

Was it because he was famous and talented?
But so many celebrities have passed on.

Was it because it was sudden?
Sort of, but people die suddenly every day.

I think it was because it was so random.  It hasn't really happened before in cricket, at least not that we've heard of here.

I think it's a stark reminder that you can be here today, gone tomorrow.  You don't have to be doing something stupid or dangerous to lose your life.  You can be cautious, be in the best health, be doing what you love....and you still can't cheat death.

Praying for Hughes' family, friends and teammates, for Sean Abbott who bowled the ball, and for everyone who has been touched by this tragedy.

Praying that they will look to the Author of Life......Jesus.

Image from here.

5 Favourite Robin Williams Movies

I'm still shocked and saddened by the death of Robin Williams, believed to be by suicide due to depression.  He was a true comedian and a brilliant actor. It shows that we need to have R U Ok? Day every day and not just once a year. Just because someone has a sense of humour and can make other people laugh, doesn't mean they are immune to depression.

I think I will have a Robin Williams movie fest over the coming weeks. We own the first four of my Top 5.

1. Mrs Doubtfire

2.  Jumanji

3.  Patch Adams

4.  Hook

5.  Aladdin

Which are your five favourite Robin Williams movies?

Vale Mickey Rooney

I was saddened to hear of Mickey Rooney's death yesterday.

Here he is with Elizabeth Taylor in one of my favourite films of all time, National Velvet.

Image from here

Shopping Ethically

Image is from here

Duncan and I watched a documentary on SBS about the clothing industry in Bangladesh last year.  Appalling working conditions resulted in buildings collapsing, killing and maiming many people.  Those who were left amputees could no longer work and had to be financially supported by their families.  Their pay rate was disgraceful.  What really hit home was that I shop at the clothing chains responsible for all of this.  Greed!  It's such a blind spot for all of us.


After that, I couldn't buy any clothes made in Bangladesh with a clear conscience.  Now some Christians would argue that boycotting is not a solution, that if we don't buy the products then the people will be out of work, resulting in them being poorer still.   I was glad to see that Oxfam has released a list of the clothing companies that have signed the Bangladesh Worker Safety Accord.  There is a petition here to sign if you're interested.

But this only addresses the building safety and does nothing for fair wages and workers' rights.  I wish I could shop at some of my favourite stores now that they're on the 'nice' list, but, the truth is, they still fail in many other areas.

Shop Ethical is an online consumer guide (they also have a booklet and a smart phone app available) which details and rates each company behind popular brands according to their environmental and social impact.  And some of them fail big time - oh my!  Definitely a big conscience prick there!  They are evaluated independently (so not by any company seeking to badmouth their rivals or blow their own trumpet) - see the FAQs for how it works.  It's NOT about persuading people to buy the more expensive brands instead of cheaper ones - some of the classier brands receive a bad rap as well.  Nor is it about product quality - the product itself could be excellent, but the company who makes it exploits their workers in developing countries, tests on animals, and uses poor environmental practices.

Now I've taken the hard step of trying to shop ethically when it comes to food and clothes.  It's not easy!  Some 'good' brands are not available in small country towns.  Some of my favourites don't get a good rap. I love a bargain as much as anyone.  It's very tempting to pretend I never saw that documentary, that I never visited the Shop Ethical website or bought the app.

But I can't.  If I claim I love Jesus, then I must love my neighbour.  Not turn a blind eye because I want to shop how I want.  Not continue on my merry way because it inconveniences me, a rich, white Westerner.  Not support companies which exploit people made in God's image for profit.

This is one of my hopes for 2014 and beyond.  We each can make a difference.


This post has been entered in the January edition of the Christian Blog Carnival.  If you're a Christian blogger and would like to enter one of your recent posts, submit it here today.

Speaking Out

While I was visiting my parents recently, my mum showed me an article from The West Australian newspaper. It was featured as part of Mental Health Week and was a Perth woman's story of her battle with postnatal depression.
"Do you know this woman?" my mum asked.  The reason she thought I might know her was that the article mentioned she'd been in the MBU earlier this year.

Yes, I know her!  Julie was in the MBU when I was.  I really appreciated her input in the group sessions, her honesty and openness, and I was so sad when I read that it hasn't been smooth sailing for her since she was discharged.

I'm going to write to the editor and thank Julie for being brave enough to share her story.  She continues to be an encouragement to me.

I Wanted Suma

But I'm happy with Simpson!

While on holidays, I heard the news I'd been hanging out for.....the Eagles' new coach!

Adam Simpson named West Coast Eagles head coach

I read criticism on the Eagles' Facebook page over Simpson being a Vic.  Umm hello, remember a Victorian called Mick Malthouse who came across and took the club to three Grand Finals and two premierships in his first five seasons as coach?

But when we got back to Perth, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Eagles' fans calling up radio stations when asked their opinion, and say they support the decision one hundred percent.

I do feel for Sumich though.

Welcome Adam Simpson!  May your tenure be a long and a successful one.

Image from here.

You're Doing Ok, Mum

When I used to go to work, I would come home usually feeling like I had achieved something.

One of the hardest things about becoming a parent is that I feel like I'm constantly failing.

A friend shared this clip on Facebook and it made me cry.

It's what I hope Rory would say if he could speak.

Storms Are NOT Cool!

Perth and the south west region of WA were in the grips of a wild storm yesterday.

Currently part of our roof is either in the garden or has blown onto another part of the roof.  Our gutters are hanging off the house like javelin poles.  Part of our verandah is missing.  Trees and branches have come crashing down everywhere.

We have no electricity and probably won't for a couple of days.  No electricity I can handle.  But on farms, when you lose electricity, you also lose water because the pressure pumps are no longer working.  Last night we went to see one of Duncan's workmates, who still had power, to fill up a big plastic container full of water.  Currently I'm in town so I can get heating, a drink of water and use the toilet (our toilets no longer flush).

Farmers were out last night trying to clear branches off the roads until the Shire come and move the large logs.  They went driving around to check whether anyone was trapped on the roads.  It's scary in the country as you could be driving and have trees crash onto the road in front of you and behind you.  It's nice that there are people who automatically think of others.

With more wild winds and rain predicted in the next couple of days, there is an urgency to get some tarps on our roof.  We are also thinking of buying our own generator as there is only one between six families on our farm.  Ridiculous!

I'm glad the hospitals are getting their power back.  I was quite annoyed to see people whinging on Facebook because they have no power and are bored with no TV.  Ummm ever heard of books?  At least they have water.

I no longer sit at the window and watch storms, thinking Cool!  like when I was a kid.  Now I sit there thinking, Here goes our power and water for a few days.

Pre-Teens Want 'Revenge' on Bad Friends

Researchers asked a group of 267 pre-teen boys and girls about how they would feel in 16 hypothetical situations, which included friends telling their secrets to other children, friends not completing their part of a group assignment and friends not reacting compassionately to personal tragedies, such as the death of a pet.

Both sexes were just as likely to want to verbally attack the friend, threaten to end the friendship, or seek revenge against the friend.

But when it came to emotions, girls were far more affected by a disappointing friend than boys, reporting they would feel more anger and sadness.

Girls were also more likely to view the friend's transgression as a sign the pal didn't care about them.

Very interesting article indeed.  I remember the pre-teen years.  Girls can be bitchy.  In regards to girls feeling let down by their friends who don't seem to care....I feel like that now!  It's definitely not just a pre-teen thing.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/family/parenting/8378462/mean-girls-pre-teens-want-revenge-on-bad-friends

A Timely Rebuke

There has been a fair bit of discussion about the end of the world lately. American Harold Camping predicted the earth's last day would be the 21st May 2011, and now there's Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck from Queensland who are claiming to be Jesus and Mary Magdalene returned to earth (and have atttracted a number of followers).

While we can say those people are nutcases, Carolyn McCulley from Radical Womanhood offers a timely rebuke to those who of us who claim to be Christians and say we believe Jesus will return.....but live like He never will.

Read her post here.

The Pendulum: A God of Justice and of Mercy

There have been many thoughts circulating in my head since Osama Bin Laden was killed eight days ago.  Mostly these thoughts have centred around the response on Facebook with about ten of my Facebook 'friends' posting a now revealed to be fake quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

To be honest this kind of annoyed me.  Not because so many people were posting the same thing (although my news feed was very boring that day) or that they were jumping on a bandwagon without checking its credibility (though that too was annoying).  I understood the sentiment behind it, and I do agree, but I thought these actions were ill-timed.

I wonder how many of those people, who were so quick to condemn the Americans for celebrating, have lost a loved one as a result of terrorist activities?  Or stood by and watched someone who murdered their loved one get a very lenient sentence?  No, I'm guessing many of those people have no idea what it feels like.  I'm guessing many of them have never been victims of heinous crimes, been persecuted and stood by helplessly as justice did not prevail.

Personally I thought the wild celebrations in the US were over the top.  I'm not disagreeing with many of the Facebookers there.  What I am saying is that if we were in the shoes of people who had lost family and friends on September 11 2001, we might feel differently.  We might actually feel glad that the world has one less evil and dangerous person in it.  Many people feel a sense of relief and even gladness when paedophiles or serial killers are sentenced justly.  We shouldn't be so quick to judge. 

I'm still really not sure how to feel about Bin Laden's death.  I don't think his death will signal the end of terrorism.  I certainly don't think the US is perfect, and I don't like the way the Australian government is so quick to jump into bed with them (although I guess having large borders and a small population makes us vulnerable).  I still wonder why the US took ten years to find Bin Laden.  How many civilians have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq because of their 'War on Terror'?  I certainly don't think the US is any more a Christian nation than Australia is.  Part of me is glad Bin Laden is dead, but part of me grieves that he was so evil in the first place and that anyone (either him or his victims) had to die.  I don't want to celebrate the death of one person, yet I also believe that God is a God of justice.  (That doesn't mean I think the US killing Bin Laden is an act of God's justice - that's something we will never know).

This whole scenario got me thinking about a sermon series on Revelation Duncan and I listened to a couple of years ago.  That's why I chose yesterday's Bible verse.  Here we have God's people crying out to Him for justice - people who have been persecuted for their faith.  I know this is not the same as terrorism and the Bin Laden situation, but it does raise questions about why we get so uncomfortable about God being a God of justice, but have no problems with Him being a God of mercy.  A couple of years ago in Bible study, we read Psalm 139 where David asks God to bring judgement on his enemies:
If only you would slay the wicked, O God!  Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!  They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.  Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you?  I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. (Psalm 139:19-22)
I do feel uncomfortable by David's strong words, particularly the word 'hate'.  But David is not asking God to smite these people for his own sake - these people are not just rising up against David, they are against God.

Many people say we are not to judge others, and that is true - God is the judge.  But there is a difference between passing a sentence on them, and calling a spade a spade.  We are all sinners, but that does not mean it is wrong to acknowledge that Bin Laden was an evil man.

Does God love Osama Bin Laden?  Yes, the same as He loves Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Mugabe and many other cruel dictators.  Ezekiel 18:23 says: "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord.  Rather am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"  God was not gloating when Osama Bin Laden was killed.  Proverbs 24:17 says: "Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble."  We have been given the difficult commandment to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).  God does not get His jollies out of condemning people - He'd much rather they repent, turn from their sin and follow Him.  But He is a God of justice.  He sees people's pain.  He is angered by sin.  He will one day call everyone, including you and me, to account.

I have a problem with signs like this:

Source: http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/images/osama.jpg

Not because it isn't true - but because it is inappropriate.  Yes Jesus loves Osama (as inconceivable as that might be), but tact is needed and this does not take into account the hurt and suffering people have endured.  It just ends up dividing people and causing more pain.

We celebrate God being a God of mercy, and rightly so.  We rejoice that Saul of Tarsus, who once persecuted Christians, was saved and transformed by God into the apostle Paul who took the gospel to what is now modern day Europe.  We marvel that God can change hearts and lives - no matter what the person has done.  I am glad He had mercy on me.

But we should see the cross as not only an act of mercy, but of justice.  God did not overlook sin when He let the guilty go free - Jesus, the innocent one, stood in our place.  Our earthly justice systems may fail us, but God is just and we should be glad this is so.  He sees the tears, He sees Christians being persecuted and crying out, "How long, Lord?"  He does not forget.  He does not overlook sin as if it doesn't matter that much.

I do have mixed feelings about the whole Bin Laden situation.  But I think that we should remember that many of us have not walked in the shoes of those who have suffered because of terrorism before we start relentlessly quoting 'Love your enemies'.  And while rejoicing may not be the right response, we can thank God that He is a God of both justice and mercy.

Quote of the Day

I must be living under a rock or just not watching enough TV because I had no idea until two days ago that Elizabeth Taylor died last week.  In her youth, she was one of the most strikingly beautiful young girls in the world.  Here's a quote from one of my favourite movies of all time, and the one that made her a star.

That'll be a dispute to the end of time, Mr Brown: whether it's better to do the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason.

– Mrs Brown (Anne Revere) in National Velvet.

The Ones Who Almost Put Me Off Having Kids

Gosh, women can be really discouraging to other women at times!

There is a fine line between honesty and negativity.

Have a read of this article and let me know what you think.  If you're a mum, is this predominantly your experience?

Top 100 Books

I was reading Red Dirt Mummy and she mentioned her post here that the West Australian newspaper recently released a list of Top 100 books as voted by their readers, and highlighted how many of those she had read.

I've decided to do the same and my result is 7 out of 100 (the ones I've read are in bold below).  Very poor indeed!  However, I'm part way through two series mentioned on the list (Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis), in the middle of Maralinga by Judy Nunn, and I have The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, and Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexandra in my bookshelf ready.

The Top 100 List

1. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
2. Harry Potter 1-7 by J.K. Rowling
3. The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
8. Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
10. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11. Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard
12. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
13. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
14. 61 Hours by Lee Child
15. Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb
16. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
17. The Silent Sea by Clive Cussler
18. Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
19. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
20. Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexandra
21. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
22. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
23. The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose
24. Ransom by David Malouf
25. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
26. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
27. Magician by Raymond E. Feist
28. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
29. House Rules by Jodi Picoult
30. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
31. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
32. Marley & Me by John Grogan
33. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls Jane Austen & Steve
34. Breath by Tim Winton
35. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
36. Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
37. The People's Train by Thomas Keneally
38. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
39. Truth by Peter Temple
40. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
41. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
42. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
43. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
44. The Book of Emmett by Deborah Forster
45. Ice Station by Matthew Reilly
46. The Road by Cormac Macarthy
47. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
48. Persuasion by Jane Austen
49. Jessica by Bryce Courtenay
50. Atonement by Ian McEwan
51. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
52. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
53. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
54. April Fool's Day by Bryce Courtenay
55. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
56. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
57. The Pact by Jodi Picoult
58. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
59. Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey
60. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
61. Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
62. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
63. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
64. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Burrows
65. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
66. Solar by Ian McEwan
67. Fallen by Lauren Kate
68. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
69. P.S. I Love You by Cecila Ahern
70. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
71. Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody
72. A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey
73. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
74. Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon
75. Dirt Music by Tim Winton
76. It by Stephen King
77. Hourglass by Claudia Gray
78. Tully by Paullina Simons
79. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
80. Shantaram: A Novel by Gregory David Roberts
81. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
82. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
83. Requiem for a Species by Clive Hamilton
84. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
85. Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
86. Animal Farm by George Orwell
87. The Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly
88. The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly
89. Maralinga by Judy Nunn
90. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
91. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
92. Worst Case by James Patterson
93. Once in a Lifetime by Cathy Kelly
94. The Stand by Stephen King
95. Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes
96. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
97. Temple by Matthew Reilly
98. All That Remains by Patricia Cornwall
99. The Slap by Christos Tsolkias
100. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Maybe one day my book will make it onto that list.  I can only dream...

How many have you read and which ones?

My Bro's Famous

Well, not really.  But he'd like to think so.

My little (only by age) brother, Tim, has been living in the UK for the past two months, playing cricket for a local side near Chelmsford, and basically having a working holiday.  He's coming back to Perth in late September.  My mum is hoping he'll meet a nice Pommy chick over there.  If that happens, Duncan and I are hoping he'll decide to get married over there so we have an excuse to go to the Motherland ;). No luck so far.

Anyway, he was pretty chuffed that he got his picture into one of the UK newspapers, having a coaching session with former England batsman and current England batting coach, Graham Gooch.

Tim is the fourth from the right.

The rest of the article is here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1289036/Paul-Newman-England-batting-coach-Graham-Gooch-passion-player.html

If you haven't voted in my poll yet, you have less than 24 hours to do so.  If you're using a reader, and have no idea what poll I'm talking about, click through to see my blog and it's on the top right of the screen.

I Dream of Haiti

On Wednesday night I had the strangest dream.

I dreamed I was in Haiti to help with disaster relief following the catastrophic earthquake. Duncan was there as well as many Christians from my current church and my former church. We were all there to help in various ways. I'm not sure what triggered this dream. Perhaps it was reading Rodney's post about the situation or the fact that it was on the news when my clock radio went off (I pressed snooze and fell asleep again). Either way, it was good to dream about something positive (in the sense that I was there to help) rather than something scary or just plain weird.

But it was frustrating because I only had a toddler's bike to get around on and I was pedalling away looking to help but I didn't really do anything important. I just made some craft things to give to orphans and then we went home.

I'm not sure if this dream has any real meaning or not but when I woke up, I was close to crying and I couldn't stop thinking about the plight of a country I'd previously thought little about. I was touched to the point of desperately wanting to do something to help the Haitians but not sure what on earth I could do from halfway across the world.

There was something I could do....something we can all do. Pray and give.

I'm often guilty of doubting the power of prayer. But prayer is not a cop-out. It is asking the God of the universe, the only one who has complete control of the situation, to stretch out His mighty hand and help, to save lives both physically and spiritually. I couldn't help but be incredibly grateful for all that I have and the privilege of sharing some of that with the people of Haiti. I may not be able to do big things but I can do little things with a lot of love and if each of us did that, imagine the impact.

If you would like to give to the aid appeal in Haiti, you can donate online through Compassion Australia, the Australian Red Cross, UNICEF, Medecins Sans Frontieres or World Vision just to name a few.

Picture is from dailymail.co.uk

Follywood

I was very sad to hear yesterday that Mel Gibson and his wife Robyn are divorcing after 28 years of marriage and seven children....and shocked to learn that they have already been separated for two and a half years. Story here.

Amidst Hollywood's frequent partner swapping and string of divorces, theirs seemed like one of the rare stable marriages.....obviously not!

Perhaps I shouldn't be an optimist when it comes to Hollywood....or as I call it...Follywood!

Picture is from ninemsn