Book Club

I have joined a book club, was a bit concern about having to buy a book (not something we can afford to do alot of at the moment). But thankfully I suggested one of my personal favs that I already own and everyone agreed. Woo hoo. So we are reading 'Planetwise' by Dave Bookless (great name for an author!).

I am going to be blogging my thoughts and answers to some of the questions that are in the book.

Introduction

1.Do you agree that 'as human beings we have got our relationship with the planet all wrong'? What evidence can you find to support this view?
I think that I defiantly agree with this statement, for too long we have taken everything that we can from the planet. Without consideration for the consequences. Mining and logging being two big examples. Digging huge holes, and completely stripping the land of trees have huge consequences. Mining poisons waterways and makes the earth almost dead so it is almost impossible to grow anything, land clearing for logging destroys habitat, weakens the earth by removing the roots that were holding the soil together so when the first heavy rain comes along mud slides happen.

2.Where would you place yourself in the spectrum of Christian attitudes to environmental issues: are they insidious, irrelevant, incidental or integral? Why?
Become stronger in the integral, I have always had a passion for the environment, but havn't been all that sure that being a Christian and an environmentalist actually went together. But the more I read the bible and books like this one I am happily understanding that infact it is an integral part of being both and environmentalist and a christian.

3. The chapter concludes that the bible is not just the story of God and humanity, but 'the story of God and the whole of creation'. Why do you think Christian have often only emphasized the 'human' elements of the bible, and neglected the wider creation?
Because humans are inherently selfish beings, which I don't think is helped by the messages we receive everyday. Messages about that we are the centre of our own world, that we should put ourselves first, etc. And also because it is easier to focus on ourselves, the 'what can one person do?' attitude.

T-bags!

The other day I was doing the washing and one of my fav most comfy shirts that I wear almost all the time got wrecked :-( It had gotten torn somehow in the wash, right on the shoulder. Which is weird due to the fact that we have a front loader and they are suppose to be much gentler on clothes, I figure that it got snagged on a button, zip or something. So I put it on the pile of clothes that I am either going to turn into rags or throw out. Then yesterday I had this idea to make my own enviro bags, I found instructions on how to make a bag using a grocery shopping bag as a template. Made that bag, then I thought.......that shirt with the hole......I wonder.

So I cut off the sleeves, and the hem around the collar, taking the same amount from the back as well. Luckily the hole was close enough to the collar hem so I could get rid of that too. Hemmed the newly cut sections. Folded the sides to create a gusset, turned the shirt inside out ran a stitch along the bottom, and done!

I even like this bag better than the one I originally made, as it is alot thinner so folds up much smaller and fits in my handbag. It will be great for shopping in places like Target now as they do give out plastic bags anymore and you have to pay 10c for a biodegradable bag.

The only thing it needs now is a label or something on the front.....hmmm....will work on that.

Karma

Defined as : seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation.

This afternoon me and my husband are catching up on our Facebook friends and I am also answering emails. When karma leaped into conversation, one of my husbands work mates has put up on Facebook that they are sick in bed, and another person who my husband use to work with commented with 'karma'.

A couple of months ago our bible study did a series about world religions, their origins and how they are similar and/or differ from Christianity. Really interesting. We looked at karma in relation to Hinduism and Buddhism, essentially the definition at the top of this post says it all. And to be honest it all seems like a bit of a cope out, it heaps all responsibility for what happens to each of us squarely into our own laps. This includes sickness, death and natural disasters.

I think I do need to clarify, we are the ones who make the choices in our lives, choice is something that God gave all of us. If we smoke, take illegal drugs or drink excessively then there are health consequences, lung cancer, liver problem etc... But to say that the people who died in the terrible Victorian bushfires, or the recent earthquakes deserved what happened to them is (I think) going too far, and is quite frankly cruel.

If karma was true then what would be the point to helping people who were affected by these sort of disasters? According to karma those people deserved it right? I think not. Personally I prefer to live by God's commandments of 'love the Lord with all your heart and with all your mind' and 'love your neighbours as yourself'.

I do believe that everything happens for a reason, because it was apart of God's plan. I don't believe that God makes us sick, or causes natural disasters, but he does use these events in our lives to teach and make us stronger. Through God's love a negative can have some powerful positive results.

My friend had her baby!

My wonderful friend J had her first baby boy on Friday, born at home with a water birth. He is beautiful and so tiny, defiantly makes me want to have one of our own.

J is doing so well and she looks so very happy and contented with her new role as Mum, and her husband A just has this small grin on his face that just won't go away. I know that they are going to make fantastic parents and this little boy has joined a very special family.

Also went out to coffee this morning, it was a birthday morning tea for another friend who we had forgotten her birthday (oops, especially since her birthday is only a week after mine!). We went to a cafe down on the coast called Envy, I had a brownie which was quite nice crunchy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. Very nice, though not sure that this cafe will be a favourite.

Today was a funny day, really enjoyed parts and others I just left out of place. I am loving spending time with my friends everyday out of the house is a day that I don't think about being unemployed. Speaking of employment I applied for a few new jobs over the weekend, not sure if anything will come of them but you never know.

Formal Engagement Part

So last night me and my wonderful husband went to his cousins engagement party, it was a formal affair. Will admit wasn't too sure about that, formal isn't something I have done since I was 17 years old (and that was 10 years ago!). Due to that I didn't have anything to wear, and either did my husband. My husband didn't want to wear a suit, so decided to go with the waist coat look, then there is the ever problematic money issue. We could afford to splash out and just go to a formal wear store and but something. And at any rate who knows how often in all serious we were going to wear these outfits.


So off a shopping I went, found my dress at Target for $39.00 (was $49.00 but they were having a sale), brought my jewelry with money I kindly received from my Aunt and Uncle for my birthday. I went with pretty much just a headband and pair of earrings 'cause I have short hair and never know what to do with it in formal situations and I wanted to be simple. Found my ring at K-mart and just thought it would look great. Shoes & handbag I have had for ages so for this event cost me nothing.




For my husband we already had the pants (I think that we got them from Target also but we have had them so long can't quite remember), the waist coat was probably the best find. While we were shopping round my husband suggested that we look in Myer (defiantly not too buy, how expensive!), I spotted some waist coats on the back of a rack with red tags on them (red means sale). $79 down to $35 wow I thought, and it fitted great, then we went to the counter to pay and it was marked down by a further 50% OMG! His shirt was another great find, my husband had to fly down to South Australia for work so we went down to the airport early and dropped into DFO (Discount Factory Outlet) hoping to get him a shirt and tie. And found both! Found at Tarocash, shirt was $19.95 and the tie was $30.



So happy with our finds, didn't spend a fortune and to be honest we looked better than alot of people at the party.

Rain, Rain, Rain

We are experiencing some seriously wet weather, so much so that I think I am suffering from some cabin fever. Because I have created a blog for our pet bird! How silly, but fun all at the same time.

You can find it at;

www.curiousaboutcurios.blogspot.com

It is pretty plain @ this stage but I am having fun playing with it and will hopefully have a cute background up soon. Unfortunately I am using my husbands computer so I can't add any photo's of our little birdy but you can see plenty of photo's of him over on his blog.

Interesting to see how many others start to have blogs for their pets, silly fun for a rainy Saturday.

Offically 6 months

With the end of February comes the 6 months anniversary of becoming unemployed. Nothing to celebrate and I'm not, but I have taken time to reflex on my journey. I think the hardest thing has been that I didn't realise that how I viewed myself was linked so heavily with the job that I had, that my identity was so wrapped up in my job. Now looking back that seems so crazy, why on earth did I allow that to happen. I am much more than what that job said about me.

I am still not sure where I am actually going, I know that God has a plan for me but as for what that is I just don't know. I do know that I am enjoying my life right now, I am busy, busy with things that bring me a great sense of satisfaction. Youth Group, Bible Study and the pre-teen girls mentoring program these are things that I absolutely love. I have a few other things coming along that I am looking forward to, so all and all I am happier than I ever was at my job.

So am going to keep on keeping on and trying my hardest to listen to what God is telling me, oh yeah and pray.