That's What Friends Are For...

"Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
In good times, in bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
Oh, that's what friends are for"


I have always loved this song... And today this song goes out to all my friends and family who not only have made the last couple of days bearable but have made today such a beautiful day.

To be honest I was kinda dreading today. I felt like it was jut going to be awful and lonely... But God has blessed me with some gorgeous girlfriends who surprised me with a birthday picnic. There was champagne, strawberries, chicken wraps, brownie cake... the view was beautiful, the food was beautiful and the company was beautiful!! Thank you girls for such an amazing day.

Also thanks to Urban Bites... probably the best cafe in Sydney. The place where no one could possibly ever be sad.

But mostly I have God to thank for providing me with such amazing friends and family... Looks like things can only get better from here...

Coz that's what friends are for...

Life...

One of my ex-boyfriends had a beautiful baby boy, one of my good friend's got engaged, my brother set a date for his wedding... I just want to be ecstatic for them, but the pain is so great.

My birthday is on Wed... not shaping up to be particularly good.

I start work at Glassons with my cousin on Thurs... hopefully that will be a good distraction.

Life... it can be so hard... so much pain amongst all the joy.

I praise God that I am his child... not sure how I would survive if that wasn't the case.

Endings...

End of exams...

End of another year of life...

End of some things beautiful...

So many mixed emotions... So little energy... So much in need of a rest...

Things you CAN'T do when you're NOT in a pool

Just as well I will have a pool over summer or this could be me!!

Party Plans!!

Ok... so I'm thinking dinner and drinks on the 24th Nov.

Dinner: Litani's Lebanese Restaurant, 120 Corrimal St, Wollongong @ 7.30pm.

Drinks: Somewhere in Wollongong after that.

If you're keen to come along and hang out (particularly for dinner) then please let me know by next Wed (22nd Nov).

YAY!! :)

I know I can... I know I can...

With not a great deal of sleep behind me I sat my NT Exegetical Exam today. When I first got in there, I freaked out!!! "I don't know enough to translate these or write anything about them!" Then I started translating and it wasn't that bad... Praise God for the ESV!! ;)

I think I wrote 3 decent exegetical papers that they should find it difficult to fail. Not brilliant but definitely not failable. So I think I can say that I have passed NT.

Now I have a bit of space to prepare for OT Theology and Exegesis next Mon & Tues and then Church History on Thurs. Ahhh, a moment to breathe... but only a moment.

I also realised that tomorrow it will only be 2 weeks until my birthday!! I didn't really realise it was that close. I am normally excited for months beforehand. It has kinda crept up on me this year :)

Am thinking about having a dinner and drinks thing in Wollongong on the Friday night beforehand so if anyone is around maybe you would like to see the sights of the gorgeous Wollongong for a night. But I will keep you posted.

I think I can... I think I can...

I am feeling a little like The Little Engine that Could... except I haven't quite made it to the "I know I can... I know I can" bit yet.

I sat our NT theology paper today and have NT Exegesis tomorrow.

I am tired and feeling like my brain is failing but I have so much work to do.

Not feeling overly confident with NT altogether. I mean I think I passed today but not with flying colours.

And tomorrow is in Greek. Ah Greek! I love it and I hate it!! I guess I just wish I had done more work.

Gangster Ball

Some pics from the Ball...

Warts and All

I want people to love me warts and all. I am not perfect. I will always have faults. But I want to be loved despite my flaws. I want to be loved for ALL of me and this includes my flaws. They are a part of me and although I don't necessarily like them they contribute to who I am. Is it wrong to want to be loved for who you are, warts and all?? I want to be loved for who I am even if I never changed. Is this something unreasonable?

Can you care about someone's godliness yet still love them even if they never changed? Or should you expect people to change in areas of godliness? Is it true love that wants to see the person change or true love that loves them despite their faults??

I want to grow and change and be more like Jesus. I want his Spirit to be refining me. But I also want to be loved warts and all.

I guess God loved us warts and all. He loved us even when we were his enemies. He loved us so much that he chose to die on a cross for us. But then his love changes us. He love us so much that he saved us to be made like his son. How does this translate into how we are to love each other?? I am so confused.

Here is one man's interpretation of God's love...

Your Love Changes Me
(Nathan Tasker)

I look in the mirror at the man in front of me
Just a hazy reflection of all the things I want to be
So frustrated by all the compromise
So embarrassed by the way I feast on the hollow lies
When your truth is so much sweeter
And your love is so much deeper

Well you cannot love me more and you will not love me more
Though I come to you with nothing I receive your righteousness
I come just as I am, oh, but here's the mystery
While I can come without changing, your love changes me

I sometimes imagine when I am all alone
Given some more time I could have done this on my own
How can I be so blinded by my pride?
How can I forget I was dead before you gave me life?
For you are the great life giver and you are the promise keeper

Well you cannot love me more and you will not love me more
Though I come to you with nothing I receive your righteousness
I come just as I am, oh, but here's the mystery
While I can come without changing, your love changes me

Nothing of my own I bring simply to your cross I cling
Nothing of my own so I know it's you alone that gives me everything

For you loved before I loved you and you've done what I could never do

Well you cannot love me more and you will not love me more
Though I come to you with nothing I receive your righteousness
I come just as I am, oh, but here's the mystery
While I can come without changing, your love changes me