I Smell Like Oil

Yep. That's right. My hands, my clothes, my hair...... I smell like wonderful cooking oil. But hey, it was worth it. Today I decided to take my cooking to a whole new level and try out a Masterchef recipe that I saw recently and really wanted to taste. So, seeing as today wasn't a very busy day (in terms of what business busy-ness means to me at the moment, anyway) I cooked it for dinner. And made an absolute oily mess of the kitchen, which I will add, I DID clean up. As a result I got a little oily despite my brilliant plan to wear an apron. Perhaps next time I should wear a full-body suit or something...... ;)

That aside, I was so busy cooking and then eating that I didn't take photos of my amazing concoction :(. But I'll share the recipe (not like it's my top secret or anything) here for you to peek at, and maybe even give it a go yourself. This was something I hadn't tried before, and although I made some slight alterations, it kinda turned out similar. I'm not a fan of fish, but I don't mind squid, and this was pretty nice. Even the pickled onions were DELICIOUS. The best thing was that I even managed to make mayonnaise from scratch and it worked. Anyways, it tasted amazing, so next time you're wondering what to cook, here's a suggestion. There's even a photo on there (bonus!).

http://www.masterchef.com.au/recipes/lime-and-chilli-squid-with-herb-and-pickled-onion-salad-and-lime-aioli.htm

Have fun!

Rest, not Retail Therapy

The countdown is on.... only 6 days to go! The most amazing thing ever has struck town, and it's coming soon! Well, that's what some people think anyway.

Today I was struck by something mentioned on the radio, which hasn't been all that far from my thoughts recently. Coming Sunday marks the beginning of Sunday trading in WA. And to most people, that's a pretty exciting phenomenon. We get to shop on Sundays, fantastic! Now, to me, that seems rather absurd. Just because the shops are open on Sundays doesn't mean that you're going to have more money so that you can shop on a Sunday. Just because trading hours are extended doesn't mean that you're going to have the time and energy and funds to spend at the shops. If you could fit your grocery shopping in before (or if you take the online option), then why do you need or so desperately desire Sunday trading? To me, it seems rather strange that everyone's getting hyped up about Sunday trading, because in fact I don't see the point.

But, more importantly, Sunday trading is an act of sin against the 4th commandment which God gave to us for a reason. When God commanded man to rest, and to keep the Sabbath holy, He didn't mean that you can choose your day off work. He didn't mean that you could use a Sunday to do your shopping because 'you don't have any other time in the week'. God meant that the day He ordained for rest, was the day that you rest, and not in the sense of retail therapy. He meant that Sundays are a day set apart for His service, not servicing yourselves at the checkouts. He meant that He, as the majestic God who grants all things, including the blessings of money and shopping trips, was to be given a special day, not a sales 'specials' day.

All God asked was for 1 out of 7 days. He gives us 6 days per week to do whatever we like (although we must do so for His honour and glory, as humans we are given life choices and opportunities to do many things with our days). And not only that, God knows that we need rest. We're human beings, and we can't operate 14 days straight without a break. God knew even before He created the world, that man needed rest. And so He established a week that included one day of rest. And what better way to spend it then hearing His Word, meditating on it, and enjoying a day of praising Him? I don't mean here that we must simply go to church all day, or spend all day holed up on the couch reading Calvin's commentaries. No, within the families, friends, and communion of saints He's provided, we may worship Him and be thankful for what He's given us, enjoying the company of like-minded people. How rich we are to share a faith, to share a common goal, and to share in a marvellous Father!

And then, when I hear on a so-called Christian radio station, that the radio announcers are excited to go shopping on Sunday, I question where society is heading. And it's not just from them that I've heard this. Sure, there are many ways in which 'godly' or 'Christian' morals are being attacked, especially in the area of politics. We only need to think of how the world is dealing with marriage and pregnancy, to name a couple of examples. But how can people who claim to be 'Christian' support such an act that is so completely against God's Word? Then it seems no wonder God's Word is under attack.

At the same time, we must remember that God is in control, and He will use the foolish acts of men to further His kingdom. I continue to pray that each politician, each leader, and each citizen may recognise who their Creator and Sustainer is, and in that way acknowledge His commandments as the rule to life. May His Name continue to be acknowledged and revered on this earth, and may we continue to serve and honour Him with our whole lives, including our Sundays.

P.S. I also believe that the 4th commandment is a call to rest each day from our evil works, but this was not the point of the post, so I leave it here for now.

A Teacher's Mind at 3pm

As I sit here, there's 23 kids in red shirts sitting in front of me. They're busy practising their keyboarding skills, and I can't help but sit here and think about how this deserves a blog post. Somehow, I'm here in front of a class of lovely students. I'm in neat clothes, in charge, and so happy. There's a faint smell of sweaty children, grass and tennis balls wafting through the room, but rosy cheeks and sun-kissed smiles to go with it. We've all got a computer in front of us, there's a soft murmur of friendly chatter, and the sun is shining outside. I'm only 20min away from my next cup of tea, I'm halfway through my planning for tomorrow, and my students are not even half-excited about the swag of work they're doing tomorrow... :) You can't expect much more than this at 3 in the afternoon. I'm doing what I love, and I'm in love with it. Teaching rocks.

A Life Turn: The End of a Chapter

I really don't like emotional days, especially those where you're happy and sad and excited all at the same time. And, yep, you guessed it. Today was one of those days. I guess I wouldn't be blogging about it otherwise... 

Today was my last shift at Fair Haven, and what a day it was. It was a normal working shift, but so different in other ways. I kept thinking about 'lasts'. It was the last time I did the breakfast run, the last time I turned the stove on, the last load of dishes etc.. But then, in other ways, saying goodbye to so many people, sharing a last coffee break with amazing staff, talking about my career and aspirations as a thing of the moment rather than the future and all those kind of things you do on the last day of work made my day rather different. And difficult. It's not always easy to say 'goodbye' and 'thank you' and 'all the best'. It was hard to do, and quite saddening. 

I knew the day was coming, and it was something that I looked forward to, but also didn't want to pass. Somehow, it was the end before a beginning, the sign of change, and the last words of another life chapter. So I guess I can feel a bit sad. But at the same time, I'm excited for what's coming ahead. There's a career waiting for me. I've studied for 3 1/2 years to get to this point, and now it's time to take another leap out of my comfort zone, away from all the 'student stuff' toward my career as a professional teacher. So although I leave my job with sadness, it's with no regrets, for there are better things to come. 

13 months ago, I would never have guessed that I would be writing this today. And in some way, 13 months seems like a long time, but in other ways it doesn't.  Taking my average shifts, I've done more than 170 days, or more than 1100 hours, and I'll leave the maths there. For me, it went fast, but in other ways the amount that I've been able to grow and achieve in that time is incredible. I don't think I would have thought that I could have come this far as an individual person- the growth I have experienced in my knowledge, confidence, relationships, world view, attitudes and God-focused lifestyle is something to truly be thankful for. And I can only thank the loving staff and residents, and my heavenly Father, for that. I never knew that being holed up a kitchen for 7 hours could help me become the person I am today. And therefore I leave with confidence in my ability to pursue my dreams, new relationships, a new perspective on life, and a whole lot of knowledge about how to cook porridge and Dutch food. :)

It's also very comforting to know that I leave Fair Haven in God's hands, knowing that He looks after His children there, and that I may leave in confidence that He'll continue His plan of salvation for all those that live and work there. It is a blessing to have been part of a loving and Christian community there, and I pray that God will continue to bless them all. 

Thanks so much to all the staff at Fair Haven who have joined me and helped me on life's journey over the past year. Thanks to all the residents who have accepted me as part of their community, enjoyed my cooking, and were always willing to share a smile and chat. And thanks to God who has given me this opportunity and will continue to guide me in the future. 

Rally for Life

Last night I attended the 2012 Remembrance Walk and Rally for Life, an annual event where pro-life supporters mark the anniversary of the 1988 laws allowing abortion in WA. There were approx 750 people there rallying against the abortion laws. We started at Kings Park, with reading from the Bible, and praying for the government, our city, the church, unborn babies, and pregnant mothers and families. Then, under the supervision of some very kind police escorts, we walked behind banners and holding placards and 'candles' to Parliament House. In peace we could reflect for a minute on the shocking abortion statistics (116,000 babies have been aborted since the laws were first put in place) and say our own prayers for those suffering the effects of abortion and the unborn. We were also addressed by a number of said 'pro-life' parliamentarians who gave us words of encouragement to continue our fight, and support our politicians, against abortion and the protection of life in the womb. A statement by Mr. Peter Abetz has stayed in my mind, when he said something like "the most dangerous place for babies is in the womb".

It still beats me how people can morally justify abortion, or even bring themselves to do it, and why these laws were passed in the first place. Even not taking God's commandments into account, it is hard for me to even comprehend how people victimise themselves and make these decisions. At the same time, I pray that those who have been affected physically, emotionally and spiritually by abortion, may realise and depend on the forgiveness and healing of Jesus Christ.

It is heartbreaking to remember and realise the hurt this must cause our heavenly Father, who grants abundant life, who creates in His image, and who hates murder. It is my prayer that the government of Western Australia, Australia, and the entire world, realise the immorality and explicit disobedience of the abortion laws; and that life may be protected and cherished.

You can read a bit more here:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/13758025/rally-fights-for-abortion-law-change/