Wedding 1 2012

It looks like there will only be one wedding to blog about in 2012.  I miss going to stacks of weddings.

We attended Rachel and Dan's wedding ceremony in Perth on Saturday 8th September.  They had a very quirky powerpoint playing while everyone was waiting for the bride which detailed how they started dating and got engaged.  I loved it.

 

 

When I was 21 weeks

 

 

Diary of an Incubator: What's in a Name?

With only seven and a half weeks to go, I realised Duncan and I needed to sit down and have a serious discussion about what to name the baby.  We didn't find out the sex at our 20 week scan (much to the astonishment of so many people - it must be a given that everyone finds out these days), so we need to have a list of names for each.

We first discussed baby names waaay before we considered having kids, and we discovered that we didn't agree on anything.  I thought some of the names Duncan suggested were downright bizarre, or sounded like old man names.  He thought names I liked reminded him of people he knew at school who weren't very nice.  Or he'd say, "No, we can't have that name.  My cousin's kid's dog has that name."

It took a while to name Maya and Gypsy because we couldn't agree.  I thought if we were that bad with dogs, what are we going to be like with kids?

This time, we both made a list of names, exchanged lists, and crossed out names that we definitely didn't like.  I felt a bit sad that Duncan was whittling away my reasonable list.  But then I practically massacred his much shorter list haha.  However, I was surprised that we were actually agreeing a lot more.  Our tastes had changed a bit and moved more towards each other.  Some of my suggestions which Duncan had rejected a few years back, he decided he quite liked now.

A few days ago, Duncan had a rare day off work and we sat down and reduced the list even further.  We now have a short list of four girls' names and two boys' names (with middle names to go with each one).  We decided to leave it at that and just wait until we meet the baby.  I've always been sceptical when people say, "Oh I had this name picked out, but then I met the baby and he didn't look like a John; he looked more like a Sam."  I thought, how does a baby look like anything?  He/she just looks like a baby.  When I meet people and they introduce themselves, I don't think, They don't look like a Bob.  They're just Bob.  All Bobs look different anyway.  But at least our child won't go weeks without a name.  If one of us changes our mind, then we have backups.

Choosing a name is fun, but also hard.  You have to make sure it goes with your surname and the middle name, and that it rolls off the tongue.  People have told me they're intrigued at the sort of names I might like.  They've said, 'We're not sure if you'd go for hippie names or normal names."  One person thought I'd be likely to go for weirdo names, and Duncan for Matthew/Mark/Luke/John type names.  Haha if only they knew.  I keep things close to my chest.  I don't want to tell people our list of names and have them try to change our minds.  Plenty of friends and family have chosen names for their kids that I think are hideous, but I keep my mouth shut.  It's none of my business.

Anyway, here's what you can expect when we announce the name:

• NOT something starting with B.  Our surname starts with B.  Some double-barrelled names do sound good, but generally most B names didn't sound great with our surname (which was annoying since I like a lot of boys' names starting with B).
• NOT a weird Biblical name.  I know some Christian couples LOVE these kinds of names because of the meaning.  Why is it that so many Christians seem obsessed with the meaning of a name?  Surely the sound of the name has to be taken into consideration as well - the kid has to live with that name, and I'm sure the school bullies aren't going to ask the meaning of their name when they're picking on them.  I've been told, "You need to pick a name with a good meaning (i.e. God with us, God is our light etc) so you can pray it over the child."  Meh!  As long as the name we choose doesn't mean 'spawn of Satan' or something, I'm not fussed.  Don't expect any Obadiahs in this household.
• NOT something in the Top 10 Most Popular Names.  I'm Sarah.  There was always more than one in my class at school.  Enough said.  Something a little more original would be better.
• NOT a one-syllable name.  Our surname has one syllable.  I think you've got to have a first name that's at least two syllables when you've got a short surname.
• NOT a family name (i.e. naming the child after a relative).  I'm VERY glad that Duncan doesn't come from a family where we're expected to carry on names.  A friend of mine comes from a family where the first male is always called John...her grandfather, father and brother are all called John.  I couldn't stand that.  A child needs to have their own identity.  Nobody should be forced to carry on a tradition, or name their child after a dead relative with a hideous name.  My whole name is family names (Sarah is my great-grandmother).  I think often people name their child after a much-loved relative with an underlying expectation that the child will be like who they're named after.  Those kinds of expectations are unhealthy.  Then, if you do it for one side of the family, the rest of the family expect you to name the next child after them.  We might consider it for middle names, but definitely not for first names.  You might have fond memories of a loved one, but if their name was Gertrude, it might be better NOT to pass that on!

There you go.  When I announce the name in late January, expect the unexpected. :)

How did you go about choosing your children's names?

Is there a story behind why your parents chose your name?

The Post I Wasn't Planning To Write

I had planned to do a Friday Funny today.  That will have to wait until next Friday.  I'm feeling too sad at the moment.

Yesterday I found my handsome Light Sussex rooster, Russell Crowe, dead in the chookyard.  There was no obvious reason why he died.  Maybe he was bitten by something.  Maybe he was sick.  Maybe he just had a heart attack or a stroke (which I read online can happen suddenly to chickens, and not necessarily old ones).

All of the hens are fine.

Whatever happened to Russell, I still feel down.  To everyone else, he may have been just a rooster, but to me, he was a much-loved pet.

We will get another rooster eventually when I hear of someone giving away a nice, friendly adult one.

He was a lovely boy.  The chookyard doesn't look right without its king.  I'm glad he was able to have a nice home with us - I just wish it was for longer than two years and four months.

I miss Russell.  That is all.

Daddy's Girl

Ebony is such a daddy's girl.

She's going to get a rude shock when the baby arrives.  I asked Duncan, "How are you going to fit both the cat and the baby on your lap at the same time?" Hehe!

Here they both are on a Sunday morning a little while back.  Duncan woke up when the flash went off and said, "Don't put it on Facebook!"

Nah, I'll just put it on the blog instead. ;)

And Can It Be That I Should Gain by Charles Wesley

Another hymn I love to sing loudly because it so fits with my experience of being set free by Jesus.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay.
Fast bound in sin and nature's night.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray -
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.
My chains fell off, my heart was free.
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free.
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread.
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine.
Alive in Him, my living head,
And clothed in righteousness divine.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown through Christ my own.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown through Christ my own.

Lyrics sourced from here.

Quote of the Day

It is worth the effort of a lifetime to reach one person with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 - Charles Spurgeon

The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission

If you only read one book on evangelism...read this one!

 It was 2005 when I first spied it on a camp bookstall.  I've always liked John Dickson's books, but I feared this would be another guilt-trippy book on evangelism that would chastise Christians for not all being street preachers or door knockers.  I should have known it wouldn't be so after reading some of Dickson's earlier books.

When I first read it, it was known as Promoting the Gospel and it looked like this:

But it's still the same book!

The tagline for the repackaged version is: Promoting the gospel with more than our lips.  That's what Dickson is on about.  He differentiates between proclaiming the gospel and promoting the gospel by exploring some key Bible verses on evangelism:

Consequently faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:7

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
1 Peter 2:12

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives, when they see the purity and reverance of your lives.
1 Peter 3:1-2

At first, it may seem that Dickson is a big fan of the famous quote supposedly by St Francis of Assisi - Preach the gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words.  Even though I have struggled with telling others that I have faith in Christ, this quote has never sat well with me.  How can anyone know and understand the gospel if no-one explains it to them?  As much as I might not want to speak, speaking is necessary.  Have you ever seen a great ad on TV, but never had an idea what it is actually advertising?  You may be attracted to someone's good life, but unless you know WHY they live the way they do, you will not know what they are 'advertising'.

Dickson is NOT saying, "Don't preach the gospel."  That would mean Peter is contradicting Paul.  What he IS saying is that although we need to preach the gospel with our lips, we also need to adorn it with our lives.  Non-Christians see Christians who don't practise what they preach as hypocrites, and rightly so.  Rather, Dickson is promoting a range of activities that make the gospel beautiful to those around us.  These include:

• Prayer
• Godly behaviour
• Financial assistance to those in need
• Public praise of God (i.e. in church or through Church Together, Carols by Candlelight or some public Christian activity)
• Answering people's questions and objections about Christianity (i.e. over coffee with a friend or during morning tea at your workplace)

This was all true for me before I became a Christian.  I was attracted to Jesus by the lifestyles of my Christian friends at high school.  Although I gave them limited opportunities to explain the reason for the way they lived, God was working in me, awakening a desire for Himself.  But obviously someone had to explain the gospel to me so that I could believe it.  That happened when I went to uni.

While Dickson himself is a gifted evangelist, he realises in the book that he has been guilty in the past of pushing his ministry onto others.  He emphasises that there are people who have been gifted in evangelism who find it naturally easier than others, and that these people have a special role in the church (that is not to say that other Christians should not be involved in evangelism).  I was relieved to read that.  I've met a few gifted evangelists who have been bewildered that any Christian could be coy about sharing their faith.  It was nice to know that someone understands and is committed to helping others reach out in different ways.

One of the great thing about this book is that is does not emphasise and promote what Dickson calls the 'gospel download' - learning and memorising a five point gospel outline to share with others during stranger evangelism.  While he acknowledges that courses encouraging Christians to share their faith certainly have their place and can be invaluable when opportunities arise, we do not get many opportunities in our culture for doing this with non Christians.  Australian culture sees religion as a private thing.  Some people are very open with asking questions about faith (especially on university campuses), but most of my friends who have door knockers come by their houses tell them to get lost.  Therefore, most of our opportunities for sharing Christ will not come in the form of 'gospel downloads' but 'gospel bites'.  Someone at work may make a passing comment about Christianity which gives us the opportunity to respond.  But often we won't get the opportunity to share the whole gospel.  Sometimes it will take months or years of being alongside that person, being their friend, answering their questions to get that opportunity to share more.  Other cultures may be different, but that's Australia to a tee.  Therefore, every Christian needs to be prepared to give an answer, but not necessarily a gospel download.

But in your hearts set Christ apart as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect...
1 Peter 3:15

Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6

This was a HUGE encouragement to me, knowing that I don't have to regurgitate a gospel outline to people who are not interested.  Obviously it would be great to have that chance, but wisdom and discernment (and patience) is needed in each and every situation.

The main problem which I blogged about in The Dreaded E Word is NOT not knowing what to say, but having the courage to speak up in the first place...even if it's just a gospel bite.  Too often I've been in a group situation where someone has said what they think about Christians, or about churches (not positive), and I've just sat there.  That is not to say that I should have jumped in and berated them, but I could have asked them why they thought that and tried to gently engage with them a bit more, rather than not wanting to be seen as a freak.  If you're anything like me, Dickson has this encouragement for you:
Whatever the causes, the antidote to Christian coyness is a renewed vision of Christ's lordship over all: as Peter says, setting apart Christ as Lord.  Our bosses, professors, parents, friends, politicians and media do not rule heaven or earth.  If for just a moment, we could lift the curtain of heaven and see 'the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God' (Acts 7:55), then all causes of Christian embarrassment would vanish in an instant. (page 158)

John Dickson is right and the counsellor who helped me back in 2004 is right.  To be able to share the good news of the gospel with others, I first and foremost DON'T just need more training, or be told to be brave, or just get over it.  I need a fresh view of who Jesus is.  He puts everything into perspective.

This is a book I highly recommend every Christian should read.  I am grateful to God for how He used this book to help me.