I'm writing again.
Actually, I've been writing again for over a month but I think it probably takes a month of writing before I can really say that I really am writing again.
I gave myself a rule that for two weeks I wasn't allowed to read any fiction (gasp!!!!) and my reading would be for work or would be ON the topic of writing. Reading about writing is almost as much fun as writing itself (if its a good book on writing) but it actually sends me to my story as oposed to fiction reading which usually keeps me from it.
I'm back reading fiction again now, but even it has been inspiring me. I'm reading as a writer, and as I get caught up in the little world there is still a part of my brain facinated by what they say and how they say it and how it makes me feel.
One of the big things I've been observing is verbs.
One of the writing books I am reading is Mark Treswick???s "The little Red Writing book" (and yes- it was only last week, after owning the book for two years that I realised why he called it that and how the words sound. So slow :) It's fantastic because its a book on writing which is actually well written! Kind of logical but strangely refreshing. The last chapter was on verbs, and it was the verbs chapter that sent me sailing back into fiction reading again. Mark said that verbs are often the difference between good writing and bad writing and that you need to collect verbs.
And so I read, and I realised the truth. Good verbs really do make good writing. And so I am on a mission to collect verbs. To see what I always use and to add to them.
The verbs (or other words acting as verbs) in this post so far are: writing, think, say, gave, allowed, gasp, sends, keeps, "has been inspiring", get caught, facinated, feel, observing, reading, owning, realised, sound, was on, sailing back, said, need, read, realised, make, collect, use, add.
I love writing.
love B
PS 168 pages
Friday, October 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The packet of Tim-tams that never runs out...
"Wait- did that really happen?" said R in my scripture class today.
"Yes, it really did" I answered, "The Bible said so".
"Really?" R said, still looking sceptical
"that" was the widow that Elijah stayed with having her bowl of flour never run out, and her bottle of olive oil continuing to fill.
"Maybe Elijah snuck in at night and filled it" said K, one of the more disruptive boys in my class, who today was hanging off every word.
"That's not what the Bible says" I said smiling, "And besides, the whole point was that there was no food, for the widow or for Elijah. God provided".
It's funny what the kids can cope with. They can cope with Goliath being defeated by David. They can cope with Jesus stopping the storm. They could cope with Jesus rising from the dead. But a BC version of the packet of Tim-tams that never runs out- was just a bit too much.
"God made the world. He controls everything. He made the rules of how things work- he made Physics. So he can do anything he wants. Nothing is too hard for him" This was my attempt at answering.
I don't know if they got it. But when God sent fire down from Heaven- and burnt up Elijah's sacrifice- they loved it. And I think they even believed it.
love B
"Yes, it really did" I answered, "The Bible said so".
"Really?" R said, still looking sceptical
"that" was the widow that Elijah stayed with having her bowl of flour never run out, and her bottle of olive oil continuing to fill.
"Maybe Elijah snuck in at night and filled it" said K, one of the more disruptive boys in my class, who today was hanging off every word.
"That's not what the Bible says" I said smiling, "And besides, the whole point was that there was no food, for the widow or for Elijah. God provided".
It's funny what the kids can cope with. They can cope with Goliath being defeated by David. They can cope with Jesus stopping the storm. They could cope with Jesus rising from the dead. But a BC version of the packet of Tim-tams that never runs out- was just a bit too much.
"God made the world. He controls everything. He made the rules of how things work- he made Physics. So he can do anything he wants. Nothing is too hard for him" This was my attempt at answering.
I don't know if they got it. But when God sent fire down from Heaven- and burnt up Elijah's sacrifice- they loved it. And I think they even believed it.
love B
Monday, October 4, 2010
BFFs?
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the whole concept of BFFs.
If you are not familiar with the term, it starts for "Best friends forever". It is a term which i hear quite alot, due to my facebook friendship with numerous teens.
Don't get me started on people who use the term "BFFs forever", just like PIN number and ATM machine.
But my big issues are first the use of the world best, and second the use of the world forever.
Firstly- when I was in primary school I learnt you would rate things like this: good, better, best. And Best was the absolute cream of the crop. You couldn't have two bests (although you could have a collective group that was the best I suppose, but that's another story).
Hence the use of the Kath and Kim phrase "Second-best friend". I realise sometimes people don't like making distinctions and can't choose between friends who is "the best". Then I argue it makes sense to use a different term.
But BFFs? Well, most people have several BFFs, or they regularly change BFFs depending on their mood. I don't think that should be possible.
And the second F? When I was in my teens I may have had people I could call my "best friend" but I had no illusions that they would be my best friend forever? I mean, you can't tell the future! I was hoping at that time to get married, and I presumed that whoever I married would become my best friend. So any "Best friends" I had were highly likely to be temporary.
So, my new suggestion is "CFF?"
Close friends forever?
You are committing to prioritise that relationship long term. The question mark is that you don't know what will happen in the future, but you will work hard to stay close through lives changes. Because its more realistic, I actually think its more powerful. BFF is just a throw away term. "CFF?" is a commitment!
Do you think it will take off?
love B
If you are not familiar with the term, it starts for "Best friends forever". It is a term which i hear quite alot, due to my facebook friendship with numerous teens.
Don't get me started on people who use the term "BFFs forever", just like PIN number and ATM machine.
But my big issues are first the use of the world best, and second the use of the world forever.
Firstly- when I was in primary school I learnt you would rate things like this: good, better, best. And Best was the absolute cream of the crop. You couldn't have two bests (although you could have a collective group that was the best I suppose, but that's another story).
Hence the use of the Kath and Kim phrase "Second-best friend". I realise sometimes people don't like making distinctions and can't choose between friends who is "the best". Then I argue it makes sense to use a different term.
But BFFs? Well, most people have several BFFs, or they regularly change BFFs depending on their mood. I don't think that should be possible.
And the second F? When I was in my teens I may have had people I could call my "best friend" but I had no illusions that they would be my best friend forever? I mean, you can't tell the future! I was hoping at that time to get married, and I presumed that whoever I married would become my best friend. So any "Best friends" I had were highly likely to be temporary.
So, my new suggestion is "CFF?"
Close friends forever?
You are committing to prioritise that relationship long term. The question mark is that you don't know what will happen in the future, but you will work hard to stay close through lives changes. Because its more realistic, I actually think its more powerful. BFF is just a throw away term. "CFF?" is a commitment!
Do you think it will take off?
love B
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Long Service Leave
Tim has been causing a sensation.
In social situations he will announce to everyone "Belinda and I are going on holidays to Europe".
Everyone looks very shocked and surprised, no doubt wondering if being a four day a week children's/women's church worker and a Bible College student pays better than they had expected!
"When?" Is always the next question.
"In Twelve Years" is Tim's cheeky reply, "Long Service Leave".
Tim has wanted to go to Europe for as long as I've known him (don't get him started on the fact that his parents took his little brother without him!). And the wish has been growing more and more.
Lots of our friends have gone. In fact, along with buying a house, it seems to be "the thing" that every couple does. And for me it is just one more thing that we are missing out on doing together. And I don't like my attitude! As Tim keeps reminding me- I wouldn't trade a European holiday or a house for the awesome relationships and ministry that God has so graciously thrown my way!
But it is still so hard.
Hence the plan.
Tim will (God willing)- start working in 16 months. Starting in January we will put aside $100 each month into savings. That way, by the time we hit long service leave, we will have at least $12,000 saved up for our holiday.
And just having made that plan, we feel better. Yes, we have made sacrifices, and we would make them again.
But its so lovely to have a goal, something special and exciting to look forward to, to celebrate potentially ten years of ministry work. (James 4:13-15 of course in mind and acknowledged).
And strange though it seems, Tim and I are already excited thinking about it.
Of course there are other options. Tim's sister cheekily suggested we go to Europe this summer, go into debt- and spend the next twelve years paying off the debt rather than saving up for it. Or someone else suggested Tim could always become a multi-millionaire Televangelist and have his own private jet to go to Europe whenever he wants.
But I think we'll stick to the savings plan ;)
love B
PS To be fair, I have been to Europe before with my family. But I don't really care about going except that it would make Tim so happy. And I like a happy Tim!
In social situations he will announce to everyone "Belinda and I are going on holidays to Europe".
Everyone looks very shocked and surprised, no doubt wondering if being a four day a week children's/women's church worker and a Bible College student pays better than they had expected!
"When?" Is always the next question.
"In Twelve Years" is Tim's cheeky reply, "Long Service Leave".
Tim has wanted to go to Europe for as long as I've known him (don't get him started on the fact that his parents took his little brother without him!). And the wish has been growing more and more.
Lots of our friends have gone. In fact, along with buying a house, it seems to be "the thing" that every couple does. And for me it is just one more thing that we are missing out on doing together. And I don't like my attitude! As Tim keeps reminding me- I wouldn't trade a European holiday or a house for the awesome relationships and ministry that God has so graciously thrown my way!
But it is still so hard.
Hence the plan.
Tim will (God willing)- start working in 16 months. Starting in January we will put aside $100 each month into savings. That way, by the time we hit long service leave, we will have at least $12,000 saved up for our holiday.
And just having made that plan, we feel better. Yes, we have made sacrifices, and we would make them again.
But its so lovely to have a goal, something special and exciting to look forward to, to celebrate potentially ten years of ministry work. (James 4:13-15 of course in mind and acknowledged).
And strange though it seems, Tim and I are already excited thinking about it.
Of course there are other options. Tim's sister cheekily suggested we go to Europe this summer, go into debt- and spend the next twelve years paying off the debt rather than saving up for it. Or someone else suggested Tim could always become a multi-millionaire Televangelist and have his own private jet to go to Europe whenever he wants.
But I think we'll stick to the savings plan ;)
love B
PS To be fair, I have been to Europe before with my family. But I don't really care about going except that it would make Tim so happy. And I like a happy Tim!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
10 things that make me happy
My friend Jean tagged me for a meme. Ten things that make me happy.
1. Sunsets
2. Cherry Blossoms
3. Dates with Tim
4. Sharing Jesus with people who don't know him
5. The kids at church, and particularly being called "Aunty Belinda" (or Blinda, or Binda, or Bananna or whatever version they say!)
6. Praying and reading God's word and seeing it change people's lives :)
7. Nights of chatting with friends that slip into the early hours of the morning, because you are having so much fun.
8. Playing silly games with my Grant family
9. Telling old stories with my Clarke family
10. Walking on the beach
Tough stopping at ten. Praise God for so much joy potential in my life!
love B
1. Sunsets
2. Cherry Blossoms
3. Dates with Tim
4. Sharing Jesus with people who don't know him
5. The kids at church, and particularly being called "Aunty Belinda" (or Blinda, or Binda, or Bananna or whatever version they say!)
6. Praying and reading God's word and seeing it change people's lives :)
7. Nights of chatting with friends that slip into the early hours of the morning, because you are having so much fun.
8. Playing silly games with my Grant family
9. Telling old stories with my Clarke family
10. Walking on the beach
Tough stopping at ten. Praise God for so much joy potential in my life!
love B
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Holidays
Holidays in Melbourne are...
-Eating lots of food I shouldn't and not getting any exercise except a little bit of Wii fit. Though I did managed for the first time ever to get a Wii fit age which was actually within 10 years of my actual age so I assume I can't be going so bad!
-Being late to everything because every moment you spend with people you want to drag on and on. Or being late to everything because you just aren't in the habit of calculating the time it takes to get from A to B anymore.
-(speaking of cars) That Melbourne roads are beautifully wide and uncomplicated and that small cars like my sisters and my Mum's can't fit much stuff but they are so zippy and fun!
-lots of tears, as you realise once again that life is hard and that a burden shared may not be a burden halved, but that it does make a difference to be able to share the tough stuff over the last little while that you've all been through.
-Seeing people you don't see or talk to for 5 months and it is as if you just spoke yesterday
-Mad, crazy, not enough sleep.
-Wonderful.
love B
-Eating lots of food I shouldn't and not getting any exercise except a little bit of Wii fit. Though I did managed for the first time ever to get a Wii fit age which was actually within 10 years of my actual age so I assume I can't be going so bad!
-Being late to everything because every moment you spend with people you want to drag on and on. Or being late to everything because you just aren't in the habit of calculating the time it takes to get from A to B anymore.
-(speaking of cars) That Melbourne roads are beautifully wide and uncomplicated and that small cars like my sisters and my Mum's can't fit much stuff but they are so zippy and fun!
-lots of tears, as you realise once again that life is hard and that a burden shared may not be a burden halved, but that it does make a difference to be able to share the tough stuff over the last little while that you've all been through.
-Seeing people you don't see or talk to for 5 months and it is as if you just spoke yesterday
-Mad, crazy, not enough sleep.
-Wonderful.
love B
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Bible study 5 months on
Today I was talking with my boss (Senior pastor boss I mean, not God!) and we were reflecting on my Mum's Bible study- and reflecting on the change since it started.
Five Months ago- there were weeks when nobody came.
This week there were seven Mum!
This isn't an exercise in numbers. But its just funny to think of the March Belinda- sitting in a room by herself trying not to cry thinking that it was because of her that nobody came.
It's Encouraging to see perseverence paying off.
And particularly encouraging to see Mum's excited to read God's word, even when with small kids, it can be a bit of a sacrifice.
love Belinda
Five Months ago- there were weeks when nobody came.
This week there were seven Mum!
This isn't an exercise in numbers. But its just funny to think of the March Belinda- sitting in a room by herself trying not to cry thinking that it was because of her that nobody came.
It's Encouraging to see perseverence paying off.
And particularly encouraging to see Mum's excited to read God's word, even when with small kids, it can be a bit of a sacrifice.
love Belinda
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