2012 Hopes: How I Went

Last January I listed my hopes for 2012.  These were things that I hoped to achieve throughout the year, but I neglected to call them 'resolutions'.  The word 'resolution' often inspires guilt trips.  I named 2012 The Year of Keep on Keeping On.  I am very big on finishing what I've started, and I find lots of unfinished little projects really bug me.

So, on the last day of 2012, it seems fitting to reveal how I went:

1.  Finish editing my book and start the search for a literary agent and publisher. Editing is SLOW!
Doh!  I'm up to Chapter 28 out of about 48 chapters.  It is indeed a slow process, but I need to do it properly since it is the final edit.  I did do a bit of a hunt around for reputable literary agents a few months back and have a few ideas.

2.  Finish my TAFE course.  I have started my final semester and should have finished my Certificate 2 in Business by early June (God willing).
I can tick this one off the list.  Done and dusted.  I blogged about it here.

3.  Do another unit in the Moore College correspondence course.
Nope.  I'm still keen to do one down the track once baby has arrived and things have hopefully settled down a bit.

4.  Raise money to support those in paid ministry, overseas missionaries, Compassion, and anyone/anything else the Lord leads me to give to.  Last year I felt my passion dwindling for this.  With all the work being done to our house, it seemed like we were collecting more stuff than getting rid of it.  I do not NEED so much STUFF.  I have a garage sale planned for sometime in January or February.  I'm also considering doing more beading and selling the pieces through the craft shop in town.  Expect more Acts 2:46 stalls.
We got our act together by April and had an Acts 2:46 garage sale which was a bit of a flop unfortunately.  At our baby shower, we had a box available for donations to Pregnancy Problem House rather than people feeling they had to buy us presents.  Otherwise I've just kept 'de-cluttering' and trying to sell stuff on ebay which can be a bit hit and miss.  I have a bag of beaded stuff I've made which I'm planning to sell through the local craft shop.

5.  Pray and explore new things to be involved in such as visiting the elderly in the nursing home in town, or taking on the missions role in our church in partnership with Duncan. I have a great desire to share the love of Jesus with older folk who don't know Him, and lately I've also felt a growing passion for overseas mission. When our church leaders asked us all to consider putting our hands up for the vacant role, Duncan and I BOTH felt God speaking to us. We've expressed interest, but that's all at this stage. It's nice to know you're on the same page as your husband sometimes. :)
Well, the nursing home visits have been put on hold for now, but Duncan and I did end up taking on the mission convenors' role at our church.  This involves letting the congregation know what has been happening in the lives of the missionaries the church supports through reading newsletters and letting them know the main prayer points for these people.  I decided that I wanted to do more than just read out letters, so I started making a powerpoint each fortnight, using Operation World to focus on a country that our missionaries live in and what the main challenges and prayer points for that country are.  I felt that I'm so far removed from their experience that it might help us all understand a bit more about the challenges they face (i.e. the population of that country, the percentage of Christians, the government etc).  So far, the feedback has been really good, and people seem more interested in what is happening overseas and how we can better support our brothers and sisters over there.

Part of the reason for summing up how I went was not to see where I've 'failed', but to know what is realistic and knowing that I need to keep relying on God for everything.

Stay tuned for my hopes for 2013 (which will be a lot more low-key).

What were your hopes for 2012, and how did the year pan out for you?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Diary of an Incubator: Which Trimester Was The Best?

Most mums I've talked to say they thought the second trimester was the best.

Well, with three weeks to go, I can honestly say there was no 'best trimester' for me.  They've all had their pros and cons.

First Trimester
Pros
I could still wear my normal clothes.
I could still play tennis.
I didn't look pregnant (well, I did start getting a bump quite early but, since it was winter, I could hide it more easily).

Cons
Morning sickness.
Trying to keep the pregnancy a secret until 12 weeks (apart from telling family and a few close friends).  This is hard when you're feeling unwell.  You have to soldier on like everything's normal otherwise some people get suspicious very quickly (especially in the country where some people are OBSESSED with asking you if you're pregnant every five minutes).

Second Trimester
Pros
I wasn't too large so the pregnancy wasn't too much of a strain on my body.  I was still getting a good night's sleep and wasn't in any pain.
I could be open about my pregnancy and people started making concessions for me (i.e. lifting heavy things).
I could feel the baby move.  This was comforting.

Cons
No immune system.  This is not everyone's experience.  The morning sickness ceased after about 13-14 weeks, but I seemed to catch every bug that was going around.  This meant the second trimester was not so enjoyable.
I had to start wearing maternity clothes.  It became more and more of a challenge to get dressed each morning as I'd discover I had outgrown more and more garments.

Third Trimester
Pros
I was forced to rest.  This can be a good thing.
When I ask Duncan for help, he can't accuse me of being lazy haha.
I knew if the baby was born now, he/she would have a high chance of survival.

Cons
Right now I'm struggling to sleep at night - aching legs, sore lower back, frequent toilet excursions, breathlessness, feeling faint etc.  Duncan isn't getting a good night's sleep either because of my constant tossing and turning.
I can't do all the things I want to do because I get tired so easily.
Some people stare at me when I'm out in public.

What were your experiences in each trimester?  Feel free to share.

Christmas 2012

It was my parents' turn to host Christmas this year and the lunch guests consisted of my brother Tim, Duncan and myself, and three Pommy backpackers who are friends with Tim.  They are all 19 and are having a working holiday and playing cricket in Albany for six months.  I find Christmas is always nicer when there are extra guests, and it was great to be able to share Christmas with them when their own families are so far away.

Tim decided to be Santa this year.

Lunch time!

Duncan's random photo of himself.

Duncan and I went for a drive to Whalers Cove in the afternoon.

Making the Most of the Cross

It's tempting to see the cross as the 'basic stuff' of Christianity.  In order to become a Christian we need to hear the message of the cross, but once we've heard and trusted it, we often feel like we need to move on to practical living applications.  That's true (we need to be growing, learning and maturing in our faith), but we must never lose sight of the cross.

This little book does a great job in reminding Christians of the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection.  In just 99 pages, it explores Jesus' death as:



bringing salvation
a substitute
a ransom
turning away God's anger
defeating Satan
the way God justifies sinners
the unifying force in the Christian community
bringing forgiveness and cleansing

Often the resurrection gets pushed into the background as the focus seems to be on Jesus' death.  John Chapman doesn't neglect the importance of what Jesus achieved in triumphing over sin, death, and the devil when He rose from the dead.  The resurrection means:

Jesus is God's King forever
Jesus is the judge of all people
Jesus' sacrifice was full, perfect and sufficient
Our fear of death is removed
We too will have resurrection bodies
Jesus alone can take us through death to life eternal

I could hardly believe all of this is covered in such a thin book!  It is highly readable and has prayers at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to thank God for all He has accomplished for us.

John Chapman was a gifted evangelist (who passed away when I was in the middle of reading this book), but I feel this is a book I would give to Christians to strengthen and reaffirm them in their faith.

It's not mind-blowing, but it will remind you of the core truths of the Christian faith.  Read it slowly and reflect.  My prayer is that you and I will never lose sight of the cross.

This book was reviewed for the Matthias Media Free For Bloggers programme.

It is available from the Matthias Media Australian online store here.

There is also a US store here.

Diary of an Incubator: Being a Country Woman

Yesterday, Duncan had to rush me down to Albany (one and a half hours away) for an ultrasound.  I've had aching legs for a while, but on Tuesday afternoon, I developed quite agonising pain in my right calf.  I could hardly walk.  Duncan tried to massage it and one spot was particularly sore.  He was concerned so he called the hospital where we plan to have the baby and spoke to a midwife.  She was worried that it might be a blood clot, so the next morning the obstetrician called me and told me he had got me an ultrasound appointment in Albany.  We were hoping to go to either Katanning or Narrogin which were closer, but their sonographers were either on leave or only work certain days.

In the end it all turned out fine.  I don't have a clot, but I do have to spend more time resting with my feet elevated.  This isn't as good as it sounds.  I have to keep fighting the urge to 'nest'.  However, since the pain is horrible, it is a pretty good deterrent.  I have been confined to the couch with my feet propped up on a chair and two cushions for most of today.

During my pregnancy, I have realised two things.  We are blessed to have such a good health care system in Australia, and being a pregnant woman in the country is a lot harder than it would be if I was in the city.

Here are some of the disadvantages of being in the country:

• The lack of maternity services.  Our local hospital has no maternity services and that's pretty normal for country towns.  Country women need to either go to Perth or their nearest regional centre.  Sometimes you can see your local GP for check-ups, but otherwise it means a lot of travelling - particularly if you haven't had an easy pregnancy.
• Distance (which kind of ties in with my last point).  Being on a farm, it can be hard to find someone available (and close by) to help if you need a lift somewhere.  Out here, most women have small kids at home which means they can't always drop everything if you need help.  Mobile reception isn't great which means it can be hard to contact Duncan.  Farms are very busy at certain times of the year which also means it can be hard to get hold of someone.  Country women usually go away to do their 'countdown' about two weeks before their due date in case the baby comes early (or sooner if they have complications).  This can be annoying.  My due date is the 18th January, but I have to go to Perth on the 4th January and stay there.  I really don't want to go.  Perth summers aren't pleasant.  I have to stay with other people which will probably end up being a burden on them and on me.  I deliberately didn't ask to stay with anyone who I suspected might be thinking I'll be their live-in nanny or cook for two weeks (especially since it's school holidays).
• You have to be tough.  I've lost count of the times people have told me to rest.  But sometimes you can't rest.  Things need to be done.  By that, I don't mean that I wish to start crazy projects like DIY house renovations, but I do have to feed myself, my husband, and my animals.  I have to go to town to get my shopping (there's no home delivery for groceries out here and no takeaway).  It's all very well people telling me to sit around with my feet up all day, but unless they're going to move in with me and do heavy lifting etc, they're just empty words.  Neighbours aren't right next-door like they are in suburbia.  There's no public transport or taxis.  You just have to soldier on sometimes.
• Less options for pregnancy exercises.  Last month, Duncan and I did an all-day antenatal class for first-time parents in Perth.  All of the women kept talking about the special pregnancy exercise classes in pilates or water aerobics they were attending.  There's nothing like that out here.  To exercise, I either have to go for a walk or go to the local pool (which is only open for six months of the year because it is outdoors).
• Less birthing options.  If you want a homebirth, it's discouraged out here because of the isolation if something goes wrong.  I don't want a homebirth so it isn't an issue for me, but it might be for some other women.

Despite all of these disadvantages, I am still blessed.  Many country towns don't even have a GP at all.  I take my hat off to women on stations up north, or those who live overseas with less access to quality health care.

5 Actors Who Are The Best At Playing Villains

These actors play the baddies so well. 

1.  Alan Rickman



Source

 

 

2.  Jason Isaacs

Source

3.  Anthony Hopkins

 



Source

 

4.  Jack Nicholson



Source

 

5.  Robert Carlyle
 



Source

 

Long Live The King

Cluckingham Palace has a new ruler.

Allow me to introduce.....

Solomon

Why Solomon?  I've been asked this question numerous times.  What is King Solomon famous for having a lot of? 

Wives and concubines, of course.

Solomon with five out of his eight ladies.



We brought Solomon home on Saturday (my now former boss gave him to me).  He is a vocal fellow who is quickly learning that his ladies are very bossy when it comes to mealtimes.  It's bog in, don't wait at Cluckingham Palace.

I still miss Russell Crowe.  I'm so used to seeing a large white bird strutting around the chookyard and it's still strange without him.   The hens didn't seem to miss him at all (they were more concerned with food and their pecking order).  I told them, "Girls, I'm going to get you another rooster."  They just looked at me with their beady little brown eyes and said, "Bok, bok, booook," (We don't need a husband), "Boooook bok bok," (We can govern ourselves), "Booook booook bok," (We were tired of him using us for sex).

Our dynasty of roosters
From left: Randolph, Russell Crowe, and Solomon

 

Does anyone have any ideas on what type of rooster Solomon is?  We're thinking he's mixed breed.  Duncan reckons he's got Rhode Island Red in him.