Guess what??
When I first came to OZ, I signed up with PeopleOnline in the effort to find a job. I posted my resume outlining all my skills and abilities. Well, nothing came back to me until a few days ago and then again today. They have found a perfect job for me - Housekeeper/Nanny !! 'ability to work unsupervised, good time-management skills are a pre-requisite for this position' Well, there you go.. if I lose my job, I can always find a job as a housekeeper, after all I am a perfect candidate :-)
Tuesday 31 July 2007
Monday 30 July 2007
Sponge pudding
Tried a hand on baking, yeap the oven is finally cleaned and heated and ready for baking :-) My first baking adventure - sponge pudding.. it didn't come out too bad except I read the instruction wrong and baked for 40 mins instead of 20! So, my sponge is dry.. haha.. but it was fun :-) Sponge pudding?? More like Stone pudding..hahha
Tried a hand on baking, yeap the oven is finally cleaned and heated and ready for baking :-) My first baking adventure - sponge pudding.. it didn't come out too bad except I read the instruction wrong and baked for 40 mins instead of 20! So, my sponge is dry.. haha.. but it was fun :-) Sponge pudding?? More like Stone pudding..hahha
Sunday 29 July 2007
A series of unfortunate events
First, there was the cough and the cold, now the toilet is blocked!! Double with the fact that it is the weekend, how much worse can it get?? Well, I have tried various ways to get it unblocked, all the DIY methods, but I guess this is something that I cannot fix and just have to wait another day until the plumber can come. This is not the first time it happens, the last time it happened was when I first moved in, and the plumber who came told me it would happen again. And sure enough, it is happening again. Maybe I should go to plumbing school and learn how to unblock a toilet! Now that's a thought :-)
Anyway, I am 99% OK now so the blocked toilet is just there to annoy me :-)
I hope nothing else happens..fingers crossed!
First, there was the cough and the cold, now the toilet is blocked!! Double with the fact that it is the weekend, how much worse can it get?? Well, I have tried various ways to get it unblocked, all the DIY methods, but I guess this is something that I cannot fix and just have to wait another day until the plumber can come. This is not the first time it happens, the last time it happened was when I first moved in, and the plumber who came told me it would happen again. And sure enough, it is happening again. Maybe I should go to plumbing school and learn how to unblock a toilet! Now that's a thought :-)
Anyway, I am 99% OK now so the blocked toilet is just there to annoy me :-)
I hope nothing else happens..fingers crossed!
Saturday 28 July 2007
Friday 27 July 2007
Another wet weekend..
Been on 'house arrest' for 2 days and looks like another 2 more days of staying at home. But I am feeling much better, and hopefully will be fully recovered by Monday :-) The weather has been a little crazy, it's bright and sunny in the morning but by midday, the clouds would move in and then it'll rain. At times there is strong wind as well. So, the best thing to do in a weather like this is to stay home and snuggle in :-) keep warm..Would be nice if I had gotten a Harry Potter book though.. hmm... lets see what happens tomorrow :-)
Been on 'house arrest' for 2 days and looks like another 2 more days of staying at home. But I am feeling much better, and hopefully will be fully recovered by Monday :-) The weather has been a little crazy, it's bright and sunny in the morning but by midday, the clouds would move in and then it'll rain. At times there is strong wind as well. So, the best thing to do in a weather like this is to stay home and snuggle in :-) keep warm..Would be nice if I had gotten a Harry Potter book though.. hmm... lets see what happens tomorrow :-)
Thursday 26 July 2007
From me to you...
blessings
My Granduncle Felix Lee passed away today. He was 67 years old. He was the youngest in the family of 9. I am worried about grandma, I hope she is coping with the news well. Last April she lost her sister, and now she lost her brother. Life is so fragile. Appreciate every moment of it, appreciate the people you love..
blessings
My Granduncle Felix Lee passed away today. He was 67 years old. He was the youngest in the family of 9. I am worried about grandma, I hope she is coping with the news well. Last April she lost her sister, and now she lost her brother. Life is so fragile. Appreciate every moment of it, appreciate the people you love..
Wednesday 25 July 2007
An ode to a great book
A good story transcends all races, country and beliefs.. it knows no boundary and it does not discriminate. And so Harry Potter conquers the world, not just in Asia and Australia, England and Europe, but also in Afghanistan, where people live in constant fear for their life. The Australian reported that 50 lucky foreigners who work in Kabul got a copy of the HP book on the day of it’s release, and they got it before their friends in the US .. now how about that???? Everywhere people were excited over the new book, young kids and grown ups alike. Steve Landrigan, of Boston, Massachusetts, called it a "great joy" to be able to read Harry on its release date in Afghanistan, a location where newly released books and movies are a rare treat.
"In Afghanistan you need to laugh and to have pleasant things happen, and I think this book is going to be one of those things," he said.
Back home, even newlyweds were not spared the excitement. My friend Verma who got married on the day the book was released rushed over to the bookstore with her hubby in their wedding attire after morning tea to get their copy of the book!! And they got the attention of 2 local and 1 national newspaper, which documented this event and even published their pics. Well Verma and Ian, if you happen to read this, congrats on your auspicious day :-) I think it was no doubt the most exciting day of your lives, to get married and have HP new book release on the same day :-)
A good story transcends all races, country and beliefs.. it knows no boundary and it does not discriminate. And so Harry Potter conquers the world, not just in Asia and Australia, England and Europe, but also in Afghanistan, where people live in constant fear for their life. The Australian reported that 50 lucky foreigners who work in Kabul got a copy of the HP book on the day of it’s release, and they got it before their friends in the US .. now how about that???? Everywhere people were excited over the new book, young kids and grown ups alike. Steve Landrigan, of Boston, Massachusetts, called it a "great joy" to be able to read Harry on its release date in Afghanistan, a location where newly released books and movies are a rare treat.
"In Afghanistan you need to laugh and to have pleasant things happen, and I think this book is going to be one of those things," he said.
Back home, even newlyweds were not spared the excitement. My friend Verma who got married on the day the book was released rushed over to the bookstore with her hubby in their wedding attire after morning tea to get their copy of the book!! And they got the attention of 2 local and 1 national newspaper, which documented this event and even published their pics. Well Verma and Ian, if you happen to read this, congrats on your auspicious day :-) I think it was no doubt the most exciting day of your lives, to get married and have HP new book release on the same day :-)
Now aren't these beautiful :-) A sea of tulips.. *well.. almost .. hehe* I have heard that there is a tulip farm (ahem.. a botanical garden) here in WA, must go and visit someday. I've always loved tulips, I remember seeing pictures of them for the first time when my dad came home from his jamboree trip to Europe. He brought home postcards showing this lovely flowers and I was thinking then that one day I will visit Amsterdam and see them myself. Well, I would still love to visit Amsterdam, but I think since it is grown in abundance here, I would go and visit. The annual Yates Springtime at Araluen Festival which runs from July 28 to October 1 displays massed Tulips and other spring flowers, including Daffodils, Jonquils, Azaleas, Camellias, Magnolias and Lilacs. Each year about 100,000 bulbs are planted in an area that has an a set up of an ancient roman ruin complete with water features and an arcade of olive trees. I will post pics when I do go for a visit :-)
Tuesday 24 July 2007
Braless??
I was waiting for the bus home today when suddenly my attention was diverted to a young lady running across the road. What caught my attention was not her running, it's normal to run when you're jaywalking.. haha, it's seing her bouncing boobs (yeap, you read me correctly) while she was running that really makes me wonder why some women go without bras, especially when their boobs are of a significant size. I have nothing against going braless, sometimes it's great, you don't feel restricted..just not when you are planning on running around.. hahah... Now ladies, don't get offended.. it was just my observation of the day :-)
I was waiting for the bus home today when suddenly my attention was diverted to a young lady running across the road. What caught my attention was not her running, it's normal to run when you're jaywalking.. haha, it's seing her bouncing boobs (yeap, you read me correctly) while she was running that really makes me wonder why some women go without bras, especially when their boobs are of a significant size. I have nothing against going braless, sometimes it's great, you don't feel restricted..just not when you are planning on running around.. hahah... Now ladies, don't get offended.. it was just my observation of the day :-)
Monday 23 July 2007
A friend sent me this today and thought I would share it with you all. It's a little long winded but worth the read.. enjoy it :-)
The Daffodil Principle
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over."
I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead . "I will come next Tuesday". I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there.
When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.
"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."
"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.
"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."
"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."
"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.
It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.
On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."
For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived.
One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .
"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.
She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"
Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...
There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and,
Dance like no one's watching.
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
Sunday 22 July 2007
Harry Potter craze...
Yeap..it's a craze coz people lined up as early as midnight Friday, in the rain and cold, I might add, waiting for bookstores to open at 7.01am Saturday. Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows is the 7th and last book of the series..or is it? Well, I haven't read the book, but a friend who did yesterday morning, and yes, she pre-ordered the book 3 months back, said it was a 'Good Ending' :-) Now, does that mean that Harry survived the Hallows? The book review in The West this morning gave an interesting account of what to expect in the book, and it says whatever you do, do not fast forward reading as it will ruin the story and won't make much sense. And 'do not put it down once you pass page 464!!'Sounds very very interesting. Now, I am not a 'HP fan per se' but I enjoyed the movies :-) Perhaps I should go and get a copy of the book and see what it's all about...hmm..now that's a thought. But then again, I would need to read the other books in order to get in track with the story now, wouldn't I? I wonder if the library has the other HP books?? According to the review, book 6 is where Prof Dumbledore died, but I was told that in Book 7 his death is planned... hmm.. perhaps I could do without reading Book 6 and just jump to Book 7...or perhaps I will just wait for the movie.. hehe :-D
Yeap..it's a craze coz people lined up as early as midnight Friday, in the rain and cold, I might add, waiting for bookstores to open at 7.01am Saturday. Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows is the 7th and last book of the series..or is it? Well, I haven't read the book, but a friend who did yesterday morning, and yes, she pre-ordered the book 3 months back, said it was a 'Good Ending' :-) Now, does that mean that Harry survived the Hallows? The book review in The West this morning gave an interesting account of what to expect in the book, and it says whatever you do, do not fast forward reading as it will ruin the story and won't make much sense. And 'do not put it down once you pass page 464!!'Sounds very very interesting. Now, I am not a 'HP fan per se' but I enjoyed the movies :-) Perhaps I should go and get a copy of the book and see what it's all about...hmm..now that's a thought. But then again, I would need to read the other books in order to get in track with the story now, wouldn't I? I wonder if the library has the other HP books?? According to the review, book 6 is where Prof Dumbledore died, but I was told that in Book 7 his death is planned... hmm.. perhaps I could do without reading Book 6 and just jump to Book 7...or perhaps I will just wait for the movie.. hehe :-D
Saturday 21 July 2007
Exotic adventure
Bellydance!! An exotic and ancient Middle Eastern dance which involves the movement of the hips, the abdomen, the legs and the arms..in other words, it provides a good body work out. Picked up a vcd when I was home in April - Belldance boogie. It has been sitting on my shelf ever since it arrived in Perth and today I decided to take a peep at what it is all about. What I found was really a good body workout without jumping around. The only problem was to make my hips and abdomen go the way it should.. haha.. but I had fun. I suppose I need more practice, but I have an idea of how to do it.. Well, here's to bellydancing :-)
Bellydance!! An exotic and ancient Middle Eastern dance which involves the movement of the hips, the abdomen, the legs and the arms..in other words, it provides a good body work out. Picked up a vcd when I was home in April - Belldance boogie. It has been sitting on my shelf ever since it arrived in Perth and today I decided to take a peep at what it is all about. What I found was really a good body workout without jumping around. The only problem was to make my hips and abdomen go the way it should.. haha.. but I had fun. I suppose I need more practice, but I have an idea of how to do it.. Well, here's to bellydancing :-)
Friday 20 July 2007
It's the weekend again...
but this is not one I am looking forward to..been home the whole afternoon sleeping -yeap, finally the winter got to me. A heavy head, a sore throat, tired bones and I could feel a cough coming. And to top it off, it's that time of the month - all coming in at once. How much worse could it get huh??
Oh..I need some tlc :-)
but this is not one I am looking forward to..been home the whole afternoon sleeping -yeap, finally the winter got to me. A heavy head, a sore throat, tired bones and I could feel a cough coming. And to top it off, it's that time of the month - all coming in at once. How much worse could it get huh??
Oh..I need some tlc :-)
Thursday 19 July 2007
Monday 16 July 2007
In Loving Memory
Mousy died last week after a hit and run one morning outside his house. Poor cat. Probably didn't know what hit him. Mousy was my cousin's cat. She loved him very much. Imagine her feelings the morning she found him lying on the road. Mousy was a beautiful cat, he was like Garfield, big and cuddly. Unlike Garfield, he didn't have a sarcastic bone in his body, he was the quiet type. He would be missed.
Mousy died last week after a hit and run one morning outside his house. Poor cat. Probably didn't know what hit him. Mousy was my cousin's cat. She loved him very much. Imagine her feelings the morning she found him lying on the road. Mousy was a beautiful cat, he was like Garfield, big and cuddly. Unlike Garfield, he didn't have a sarcastic bone in his body, he was the quiet type. He would be missed.
Saturday 14 July 2007
False sense of slenderness
The next time you go and buy a pair of jeans, remember that the size that you picked might not reflect the real you. Yeap, you read it right!! And the size is likely to be bigger than the size you choose!! A survey was done by The West Australian which put 13 designers to the test and found the discrepancy between the label, some up to 5 inches!! Scary isn't it. Now that's for the ladies'. For the men's, the discrepancy is about 2 inches. Some designers argue 'low—waisted jeans always measure bigger than a traditional waist measurement as the cut is designed to sit on the waist.' Well, there you go.. just think of this the next time you buy a new pair of jeans and if it is low-waisted, it's OK!! Hahah..
The next time you go and buy a pair of jeans, remember that the size that you picked might not reflect the real you. Yeap, you read it right!! And the size is likely to be bigger than the size you choose!! A survey was done by The West Australian which put 13 designers to the test and found the discrepancy between the label, some up to 5 inches!! Scary isn't it. Now that's for the ladies'. For the men's, the discrepancy is about 2 inches. Some designers argue 'low—waisted jeans always measure bigger than a traditional waist measurement as the cut is designed to sit on the waist.' Well, there you go.. just think of this the next time you buy a new pair of jeans and if it is low-waisted, it's OK!! Hahah..
Yipppiee!!!
It's the weekend again!!! More time to do my own stuff and not think about work :-) Not that work days are no good, it's the luxury of being able to wake up late on Saturdays! Yeah, especially during the winter month when the sun does not rise until 7 am and it's bloody cold! Haha.. anyway, having said that, the next question is - what to do this weekend?? After doing the usual 'laundry, cleaning, tidying..etc etc..' that is. Hmmm.. last weekend I rearranged the furniture in my unit, now it looks more homey. This week, probably I will just sit home and hibernate, with one or two nice DVDs on, sipping my usual cuppa. It's a nice day out there though, the sun is shining and it is very tempting to go out and enjoy the warmth. Perhaps later this afternoon I will go for a walk down the river. Haven't done that for a long time now. That would be great :-) Or maybe if I am not lazy, might just take the bus to town and go watch 'Transformers'. 'Harry Potter' is playing but will give it a miss until the whole hoo-haa is over. Judging from the popularity of the show, the cinema would be jam-packed with people, especially now with school children on their break. Ahh well.. we'll see. The day is just starting, and another day to go tomorrow.
It's the weekend again!!! More time to do my own stuff and not think about work :-) Not that work days are no good, it's the luxury of being able to wake up late on Saturdays! Yeah, especially during the winter month when the sun does not rise until 7 am and it's bloody cold! Haha.. anyway, having said that, the next question is - what to do this weekend?? After doing the usual 'laundry, cleaning, tidying..etc etc..' that is. Hmmm.. last weekend I rearranged the furniture in my unit, now it looks more homey. This week, probably I will just sit home and hibernate, with one or two nice DVDs on, sipping my usual cuppa. It's a nice day out there though, the sun is shining and it is very tempting to go out and enjoy the warmth. Perhaps later this afternoon I will go for a walk down the river. Haven't done that for a long time now. That would be great :-) Or maybe if I am not lazy, might just take the bus to town and go watch 'Transformers'. 'Harry Potter' is playing but will give it a miss until the whole hoo-haa is over. Judging from the popularity of the show, the cinema would be jam-packed with people, especially now with school children on their break. Ahh well.. we'll see. The day is just starting, and another day to go tomorrow.
Thursday 12 July 2007
Serenity Prayer
(someone sent me this pic :-) )
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Thought I would share with you this article on 'Prayer' I came across while browsing the internet.
Prayer is a Gift of God by Fr Victor Hoagland
To begin with, prayer is a gift of God. "Gift" is a good word to describe prayer, because praying is not something we can do of ourselves. " We do not know how to pray as we ought," scripture says. Prayer is a gift God must give.
And God gives that gift generously, without consideration of our worthiness or our unworthiness. Sinners as well as saints can pray. People of every religious tradition receive the gift. In fact, every human being is able to pray. The Catholic Catechism reminds us of that by entitling its opening section on prayer The Universal Call to Prayer. (2566-2567)
Yes, all are called to pray. All receive the gift. And, surprisingly, sometimes those thought to be "ungifted" pray best and are graciously heard. That's the lesson Jesus taught in his parable about the Pharisee and the Publican who together went up to the temple to pray. The Publican, an outsider who thought himself unworthy of approaching God in prayer, was found more pleasing by God than the Pharisee, a professionally religious person, who prayed so effortlessly.
Prayer, then, is God's gift to the strong and the weak, to the smallest child and frailest of the old. It's given to those who say, " I'm not really religious; prayer is beyond me." It's given to everyone, no matter who you are.
That's not to say we can't refuse to pray or we can't neglect it. Like any gift, prayer must be received. If someone gives you a beautiful piece of clothing, you may use it or not. You may take it and wear it. Or, you can throw it in the back of your closet and never look at it again. The piece of clothing becomes a gift unused. "If you knew the gift of God," Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well. A Gift was there before her eyes, but she was blind to it.
How tragic to go through life leaving the gift of prayer unused!
Prayer: God's Search for Intimacy with Us
Why does God give the gift of prayer? The main reason is because of love for us. God looks for intimacy with us. How strange that sounds! God all-sufficient, all-powerful, all-knowing, wishes to draw close, to communicate, to speak to us, to seek our response, to hear our prayer. It may seem unbelievable, but it is true.
At the same time, by praying we fulfill the desire we have as human beings to know God. After all, we are made in God's image. Something in in our being thirsts for intimacy with God. That thirst is described in the psalms, O God, you are my God, for you I long. For you my soul is thirsting. Like a dry weary land without water... so my soul longs for you, my God. Something in us cannot be satisfied unless we are draw near to God. "Our hearts are restless," St. Augustine says, "until they rest in you." By praying, we rest in God.
The church in her formal prayers often humbly acknowledges that prayer is God's gift and asks God to give and strengthen that gift in us. At the beginning of her daily prayers, the liturgy of the hours, the church prays two verses of the psalms.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
O God, come to my assistance.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Simple, truthful words. I cannot open my lips in prayer unless God give me the gift. O God, come and assist me; help me that I may approach you.
And God does give this beautiful gift. In prayer God comes and helps; God invites us into the divine presence where we can open our lips and our hearts. There God welcomes our slightest word or cry, our smallest effort.
Delighting to give us the gift of prayer, God wishes that we come near to share our hearts and minds, our very life with One who loves us. Prayer is God's precious gift; cherish it always.
(someone sent me this pic :-) )
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Thought I would share with you this article on 'Prayer' I came across while browsing the internet.
Prayer is a Gift of God by Fr Victor Hoagland
To begin with, prayer is a gift of God. "Gift" is a good word to describe prayer, because praying is not something we can do of ourselves. " We do not know how to pray as we ought," scripture says. Prayer is a gift God must give.
And God gives that gift generously, without consideration of our worthiness or our unworthiness. Sinners as well as saints can pray. People of every religious tradition receive the gift. In fact, every human being is able to pray. The Catholic Catechism reminds us of that by entitling its opening section on prayer The Universal Call to Prayer. (2566-2567)
Yes, all are called to pray. All receive the gift. And, surprisingly, sometimes those thought to be "ungifted" pray best and are graciously heard. That's the lesson Jesus taught in his parable about the Pharisee and the Publican who together went up to the temple to pray. The Publican, an outsider who thought himself unworthy of approaching God in prayer, was found more pleasing by God than the Pharisee, a professionally religious person, who prayed so effortlessly.
Prayer, then, is God's gift to the strong and the weak, to the smallest child and frailest of the old. It's given to those who say, " I'm not really religious; prayer is beyond me." It's given to everyone, no matter who you are.
That's not to say we can't refuse to pray or we can't neglect it. Like any gift, prayer must be received. If someone gives you a beautiful piece of clothing, you may use it or not. You may take it and wear it. Or, you can throw it in the back of your closet and never look at it again. The piece of clothing becomes a gift unused. "If you knew the gift of God," Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well. A Gift was there before her eyes, but she was blind to it.
How tragic to go through life leaving the gift of prayer unused!
Prayer: God's Search for Intimacy with Us
Why does God give the gift of prayer? The main reason is because of love for us. God looks for intimacy with us. How strange that sounds! God all-sufficient, all-powerful, all-knowing, wishes to draw close, to communicate, to speak to us, to seek our response, to hear our prayer. It may seem unbelievable, but it is true.
At the same time, by praying we fulfill the desire we have as human beings to know God. After all, we are made in God's image. Something in in our being thirsts for intimacy with God. That thirst is described in the psalms, O God, you are my God, for you I long. For you my soul is thirsting. Like a dry weary land without water... so my soul longs for you, my God. Something in us cannot be satisfied unless we are draw near to God. "Our hearts are restless," St. Augustine says, "until they rest in you." By praying, we rest in God.
The church in her formal prayers often humbly acknowledges that prayer is God's gift and asks God to give and strengthen that gift in us. At the beginning of her daily prayers, the liturgy of the hours, the church prays two verses of the psalms.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
O God, come to my assistance.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Simple, truthful words. I cannot open my lips in prayer unless God give me the gift. O God, come and assist me; help me that I may approach you.
And God does give this beautiful gift. In prayer God comes and helps; God invites us into the divine presence where we can open our lips and our hearts. There God welcomes our slightest word or cry, our smallest effort.
Delighting to give us the gift of prayer, God wishes that we come near to share our hearts and minds, our very life with One who loves us. Prayer is God's precious gift; cherish it always.
Wednesday 11 July 2007
Craft adventure
Saw this in the "Better Homes and Gardens" program and decided I would try it out. It turns out quite well. Now it is hanging on my wall, but I must admit it is not 100% done yet. Still need to set the background. A friend suggested using gold paper, that would make the pattern stand out. Perhaps I will try that. I am making 2, I haven't started on the other one yet!! :-) The wonderful thing about it is that it is cheap and if I decide on a change, I could always do another pattern :-)
Saw this in the "Better Homes and Gardens" program and decided I would try it out. It turns out quite well. Now it is hanging on my wall, but I must admit it is not 100% done yet. Still need to set the background. A friend suggested using gold paper, that would make the pattern stand out. Perhaps I will try that. I am making 2, I haven't started on the other one yet!! :-) The wonderful thing about it is that it is cheap and if I decide on a change, I could always do another pattern :-)
Monday 9 July 2007
NAIDOC Week
From 8 - 15 July, Australia is celebrating Naidoc Week, with the theme for this year 50 years: Looking Forward, Looking Blak. NAIDOC celebrates the survival of Indigenous culture and the Indigenous contribution to modern Australia. It is held around Australia in the first full week in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’ which was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week. Now its acronym is the name of the week itself.
What goes on during this week? Usually there are local activities and also 'national focus' activities. Some of the local activities that you can do is: Listen to Indigenous music, Study Aboriginal arts and crafts, Read a Dreamtime story, and Learn the meanings of local or national Aboriginal place names.
The ‘national focus’activities are more elaborate, and these include:
* choosing a national focus city or town - for 2007 it is Darwin, Northern Territory
celebrations are based on a national theme
* distribution of the national NAIDOC poster based on the theme, chosen from entries to the NAIDOC Poster Competition
* celebrations culminate in an awards ceremony and ball held in the focus city - in 2007 the National NAIDOC Awards and Ball will be held at SkyCity Casino, Darwin on Black Friday, 13 July 2007
* at the ball, national awards are given to Indigenous achievers in a number of categories.
The Department of Attorney General, where I work, and the Department of Corrective Service are also participating in this event. Last Friday a few colleagues and I was involved in painting the the WA banner. Each department under these two Departments were given a circle on the banner where we were suppose to express our interpretation of the Naidoc week in painting. Five of us went and none of us had any idea of what to paint!! We were under the impression that a design would be allocated to us and all we had to do was paint it. I guess that was a wishful thinking, coz we were told that we were suppose to come up with our own design. But, being creative people that we are, even though artwork is not one of our forte :-), we managed to put together some aboriginals artwork and created a beautiful piece. I also got to know some symbols that are used by the aboriginals in their art, for eg the kangaroo, child, people, snake etc etc. I guess I can proudly say that I have participated in this year's Naidoc Week :-)
Want to know more? Click here: Naidoc history
From 8 - 15 July, Australia is celebrating Naidoc Week, with the theme for this year 50 years: Looking Forward, Looking Blak. NAIDOC celebrates the survival of Indigenous culture and the Indigenous contribution to modern Australia. It is held around Australia in the first full week in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’ which was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week. Now its acronym is the name of the week itself.
What goes on during this week? Usually there are local activities and also 'national focus' activities. Some of the local activities that you can do is: Listen to Indigenous music, Study Aboriginal arts and crafts, Read a Dreamtime story, and Learn the meanings of local or national Aboriginal place names.
The ‘national focus’activities are more elaborate, and these include:
* choosing a national focus city or town - for 2007 it is Darwin, Northern Territory
celebrations are based on a national theme
* distribution of the national NAIDOC poster based on the theme, chosen from entries to the NAIDOC Poster Competition
* celebrations culminate in an awards ceremony and ball held in the focus city - in 2007 the National NAIDOC Awards and Ball will be held at SkyCity Casino, Darwin on Black Friday, 13 July 2007
* at the ball, national awards are given to Indigenous achievers in a number of categories.
The Department of Attorney General, where I work, and the Department of Corrective Service are also participating in this event. Last Friday a few colleagues and I was involved in painting the the WA banner. Each department under these two Departments were given a circle on the banner where we were suppose to express our interpretation of the Naidoc week in painting. Five of us went and none of us had any idea of what to paint!! We were under the impression that a design would be allocated to us and all we had to do was paint it. I guess that was a wishful thinking, coz we were told that we were suppose to come up with our own design. But, being creative people that we are, even though artwork is not one of our forte :-), we managed to put together some aboriginals artwork and created a beautiful piece. I also got to know some symbols that are used by the aboriginals in their art, for eg the kangaroo, child, people, snake etc etc. I guess I can proudly say that I have participated in this year's Naidoc Week :-)
Want to know more? Click here: Naidoc history
Sunday 8 July 2007
TO ALL THE THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's and 60's / early '70s............
I can identify with this.. can you?? :-)
First, we survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time.
They took aspirin, candies floss,fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, and
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a private taxi was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle.
We would spend hours on the fields under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV ray which never seem to affect us.
We go to jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes.
With mere 5 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best) we boys would ran like crazy for hours.
We catch guppy in drains / canals and when it rain we swim there.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually worry about being unhygenic.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies,bread and real butter and drank very sweet soft sweet coffee/ tea, ice karang, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, till streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours repairing our old bicycles and wooden scooters out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, multiple channels on cable TV, DVD movies, no surround sound, no phones, no personal computers, no Internet.WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts.
We were never birthdays parties till we are 21,
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
Yet this generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 40 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
I must admit those were the good old days, life was so simple then. I remember growing up with my older brother and the few cousins, we used to climb trees and walk through the bushes behind our house. I also remember the time I was learning to ride a bicycle - mind you, I didn't have a BMX, it was my father's old bicycle!! Then there was the time when we played 'thieves and robbers' - we were so fit then!! Or the time when went fishing at the ditch behind our house, or digging earthworms for bait. I was such a 'tomboy' :-) We didn't have a computer, a playstation or an X- Box, we played games that involved a lot of running around. There was no telephone, let alone a mobile!! There was no Astro, or Foxtell as they call it here - the only channel we had was RTM one channel, until TV 2 came along. I remember watching 'The Waltons' and 'Little House on the Prairie' and the superhero was the 'Six Million Dollar Man' :-) I can still recall the black and white TV.. hehe.. thank goodness colour TV came along. Those were the days...gone but not forgotten!!
I can identify with this.. can you?? :-)
First, we survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time.
They took aspirin, candies floss,fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, and
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a private taxi was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle.
We would spend hours on the fields under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV ray which never seem to affect us.
We go to jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes.
With mere 5 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best) we boys would ran like crazy for hours.
We catch guppy in drains / canals and when it rain we swim there.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually worry about being unhygenic.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies,bread and real butter and drank very sweet soft sweet coffee/ tea, ice karang, but we weren't overweight because......
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, till streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours repairing our old bicycles and wooden scooters out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, multiple channels on cable TV, DVD movies, no surround sound, no phones, no personal computers, no Internet.WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts.
We were never birthdays parties till we are 21,
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
Yet this generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 40 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
I must admit those were the good old days, life was so simple then. I remember growing up with my older brother and the few cousins, we used to climb trees and walk through the bushes behind our house. I also remember the time I was learning to ride a bicycle - mind you, I didn't have a BMX, it was my father's old bicycle!! Then there was the time when we played 'thieves and robbers' - we were so fit then!! Or the time when went fishing at the ditch behind our house, or digging earthworms for bait. I was such a 'tomboy' :-) We didn't have a computer, a playstation or an X- Box, we played games that involved a lot of running around. There was no telephone, let alone a mobile!! There was no Astro, or Foxtell as they call it here - the only channel we had was RTM one channel, until TV 2 came along. I remember watching 'The Waltons' and 'Little House on the Prairie' and the superhero was the 'Six Million Dollar Man' :-) I can still recall the black and white TV.. hehe.. thank goodness colour TV came along. Those were the days...gone but not forgotten!!
Tuesday 3 July 2007
Monday 2 July 2007
Kopi Luwak
It costs USD1000 a kg!!!! Which comes to about $50 a cup of coffee.. It comes from the island of Sumatra and it is the world's most expensive coffee. Why the sudden interest in this coffee?? I was watching Border Security on Channel 7 and someone came into Australia with this coffee. What caught my attention was not how much it costs, it's how the coffee beans are prepared. Apparently, these coffee cherries are the favourite food of the little mammals, known as luwaks which live in the trees. They eat the cherries, bean and all. The cherries go through the animal's digestive system, fleshy parts digested leaving the beans which then exits. The beans are then collected, cleaned, then roasted and ground like any other coffee.This produces coffee that is said to be like no other. It has a 'rich, heavy flavour with hints of caramel or chocolate'. Fancy a cuppa?? I may be a coffee addict but I don't think I am that adventurous :-)
You can read more of this special coffee, and see images of how the coffee beans are prepared in this website :www.animalcoffee.com
It costs USD1000 a kg!!!! Which comes to about $50 a cup of coffee.. It comes from the island of Sumatra and it is the world's most expensive coffee. Why the sudden interest in this coffee?? I was watching Border Security on Channel 7 and someone came into Australia with this coffee. What caught my attention was not how much it costs, it's how the coffee beans are prepared. Apparently, these coffee cherries are the favourite food of the little mammals, known as luwaks which live in the trees. They eat the cherries, bean and all. The cherries go through the animal's digestive system, fleshy parts digested leaving the beans which then exits. The beans are then collected, cleaned, then roasted and ground like any other coffee.This produces coffee that is said to be like no other. It has a 'rich, heavy flavour with hints of caramel or chocolate'. Fancy a cuppa?? I may be a coffee addict but I don't think I am that adventurous :-)
You can read more of this special coffee, and see images of how the coffee beans are prepared in this website :www.animalcoffee.com
Wet, Stormy Monday
We are still experiencing strong wind and patches of heavy rain.Luckily for me, it didn't rain when I left for work and when I got off the bus to walk home. I was all ready though, to face the storm, with my big umbrella and raincoat :-) but I guess if it had rained, I would still be soaked through.. haha.. The severe wind yesterday has caused a lot of destruction - trees fell, buildings damaged, roads flooded, and some suburbs are still without power. This morning the wild weather creating major traffic jam, with water from the Swan River washed onto the freeway and flooded the road. This is the first storm I experienced since I arrived in Perth. I suppose everyone welcomes the much needed rain as Perth has been very dry for sometime now, it's just that the enormity of the wind and rain was just too overwhelming. Weather forecast for tomorrow - still more rain to come :-)
We are still experiencing strong wind and patches of heavy rain.Luckily for me, it didn't rain when I left for work and when I got off the bus to walk home. I was all ready though, to face the storm, with my big umbrella and raincoat :-) but I guess if it had rained, I would still be soaked through.. haha.. The severe wind yesterday has caused a lot of destruction - trees fell, buildings damaged, roads flooded, and some suburbs are still without power. This morning the wild weather creating major traffic jam, with water from the Swan River washed onto the freeway and flooded the road. This is the first storm I experienced since I arrived in Perth. I suppose everyone welcomes the much needed rain as Perth has been very dry for sometime now, it's just that the enormity of the wind and rain was just too overwhelming. Weather forecast for tomorrow - still more rain to come :-)
Sunday 1 July 2007
It's a cold and windy day in Perth today. From my living room I can hear the strong wind blowing, the rustling of the leaves on the tree, the rain falling intermittently. The gale has been going on the whole day, and will continue through the night and tomorrow. It's a time like this that I am grateful to be indoor. Curling up on the sofa, watching a good DVD, enjoying a nice cup of coffee, listening to the rain and wind outside. Of course it would have been more romantic to curl up in bed with someone, ahh... but that would be another story :-) For now, this is Simply Delightful!
A little sharing on a Sunday morning
"When we look at it, most of the things we get involved in have hidden costs - those things we were not quite prepared for. It may be the illness we didn't expect; the child or parent (or even ourselves) who disappointed us; the positions we worked so hard for but which landed in someone else's lap; the relationship in which so much was invested,but which was one-way only. Each of us has something 'costly' that we journey with, something not measured in dollars or euros.
As followers of Jesus, we know that there will be the inevitable hidden costs. Jesus made it quite clear that in following him we will travel to some lonely or difficult places. His most difficult journey was to Jerusalem but along the way he encountered lots of lonely places too. The reassuring thing about places is that Jesus gets there first - and there he waits for us."
An excerpt from Sr Kathryn Williams' sunday reflection...
"When we look at it, most of the things we get involved in have hidden costs - those things we were not quite prepared for. It may be the illness we didn't expect; the child or parent (or even ourselves) who disappointed us; the positions we worked so hard for but which landed in someone else's lap; the relationship in which so much was invested,but which was one-way only. Each of us has something 'costly' that we journey with, something not measured in dollars or euros.
As followers of Jesus, we know that there will be the inevitable hidden costs. Jesus made it quite clear that in following him we will travel to some lonely or difficult places. His most difficult journey was to Jerusalem but along the way he encountered lots of lonely places too. The reassuring thing about places is that Jesus gets there first - and there he waits for us."
An excerpt from Sr Kathryn Williams' sunday reflection...
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