Words say the darndest things... pt 3

My very favourite word in the whole world is oxymoron - it's so much fun to use! And there are many out there - this website has kindly compiled 35 of them for me, and I have grabbed them and displayed them here for you to peruse at your leisure. :) Oh, and I also added a picture because it looks very sad without pictures on my blog. And because I do love this picture. It makes me laugh. :D

And yes, these are American, so if you don't understand one, please... um... well I guess look it up. I wouldn't know. http://www.c4vct.com/kym/humor/oxymoron.htm

35. State worker

34. Legally drunk

33. Exact estimate

32. Act naturally

31. Found missing

30. Resident alien

29. Genuine imitation

28. Airline Food

27. Good grief

26. Government organization

25. Sanitary landfill

24. Alone together

23. Small crowd

22. Business ethics

21. Soft rock

20. Butt Head

19. Military Intelligence

18. Sweet sorrow

17. Rural Metro (ambulance service)

16. "Now, then ..."

15. Passive aggression

14. Clearly misunderstood

13. Peace force

12. Extinct Life

11. Plastic glasses

10. Terribly pleased

9. Computer security

8. Political science

7. Tight slacks

6. Definite maybe

5. Pretty ugly

4. Rap music

3. Working vacation

2. Religious tolerance
1. Microsoft Works

Habit begets desire: faith

Ok, ok, I know 'begets' is a big word, so I looked it up for you and it's definition is: to cause
So habit causes desire. Ok, now that you're with me, this entry talks about Hebrews chapter 11, the faith chapter.
When you're a kid, your mum makes you apologise to your brother, whether or not you think you did something wrong, and whether or not you mean it. Why? Because it is the easiest way to reconcile, and it is the right thing to do. You learn that when you're an adult, but when you're a kid it seems like the biggest injustice ever, and you feel pretty smug that you don't mean it anyway. So you learn as you grow up that it's important to do things that are right, even when you don't understand, because you are acting in faith that it is the right thing to do, and that your mum knows what she's talking about when she says it's good.

Faith, as you know, is doing things whether or not you know what is going to happen, doing things that don't make sense, because you believe them to be what is right. That's faith. And in Hebrews 11, the example used is Abraham, and how he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. First of all that would take immense strength and courage, and trust in God. But when you think about it, before that day God had told Abraham that it was through Isaac that his promises would be met. So God appeared to contradict himself - he had said Isaac would fulfil the promises to Abraham, but here he was asking Abraham to kill Isaac. Yet Abraham went ahead and trusted God, trusted that God knew what he was doing, that his plan was perfect. And it was.

Faith isn't just doing what you know will be good in the long run - it's doing anything and everything God asks, despite 'obvious' flaws in his plan. So the point of 'habit begets desire' is that even if you don't want to read your bible, for example, and you figure what's the point of reading the bible even when you have no interest and aren't getting anything out of it today, do it anyway. God knows what he's doing, and if you have a routine of reading, then eventually you will do it because you want to, because you like the routine and the consistency in which God speaks to you through it. How else do you fall in love with God? It's one thing to love him as a father, a friend, but what about a lover? You don't fall in love with God when you don't spend time with him. If you have a habit of loving him, you will have a desire of being in love with him. Habit causes desire.

The weak and the strong

Romans chapter 14
This chapter talks about accepting those with weak faith, though yours is strong, without judging them (lets go with 'him' for now) on 'disputable matters'. This means that it doesn't matter if he thinks that Saturday is the Sabbath, or that there shouldn't be a Sabbath at all, do not condemn him for it. It doesn't matter whether he eats meat or only vegetables, or if he drinks alcohol or not, God has accepted him. That is enough. It also says, make up your mind not to put any obstacles in his way, if he believes it is wrong to eat meat, do not eat meat in front of him. If he is distressed about what you eat or do, if you continue to parade it in front of him you are no longer acting in love. "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food." (vs 20) I personally think that verse was written with my family in mind - we love food! "So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." For if you eat or drink against what you believe, you are committing sin, regardless of what your brother believes. Interesting thought.

Words say the darndest things... pt 2

(Not sure how many parts this will have, but so far there is definitely going to be at least 2)
This part is called: Vocabumalary

Avoidable \uh-voy'-duh-buhl\: What a bullfighter tries to do.
balderdash (n), a rapidly receding hairline.
Burglarize \bur'-gler-ize\: What a crook sees with
coffee (n), a person who is coughed upon.
Counterfeiters \kown-ter-fit-ers \: Workers who put together kitchen cabinets
Eclipse \i-klips'\: what an English barber does for a living
Eyedropper \i'-drop-ur\: a clumsy ophthalmologist
flabbergasted (adj), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
Heroes \hee'-rhos\: what a guy in a boat does
lymph (v), to walk with a lisp.
Negligent (adj),describes a condition where you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie.
Paradox \par'-u-doks\: two physicians
Parasites \par'-uh-sites\: what you see from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Pharmacist \farm'-uh-sist\: a helper on the farm
Relief \ree-leef'\: what trees do in the spring
Selfish \sel'-fish\: what the owner of a seafood store does
semantics (n), pranks conducted by young men studying for the priesthood, including such things as gluing the pages of the priest's prayer book together just before mass.
Subdued \sub-dood'\: like, a guy, like, works on one of those, like, submarines, man
testicle (n), a humorous question on an exam.

And my personal favourite... rectitude (n), the formal, dignified demeanor assumed by a proctologist immediately before he examines you.

Words say the darndest things... pt 1

I found these on various websites, they are some of my favourite things about the english language.

Do Roman paramedics refer to IV's as "4's"?
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
When someone asks you, "A penny for your thoughts," and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?
Why do croutons come in airtight packages? It's just stale bread to begin with.
Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?
If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?
If horrific means to make horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible?
"I am." is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. How is it, then, that "I do," is the longest sentence?
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked and drycleaners depressed?
Why is it that if someone tells you that there are one billion stars in the universe, you'll believe it, but if you're told a wall has wet paint, you'll have to touch it to be sure?
If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes"?
Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?
If man evolved from apes why do we still have apes?
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman where the Self Help section was, she said if she told me it would defeat the purpose.
If a mute kid swears does his mother wash his hands with soap?
Whose cruel idea was it to put an "S" in the word "Lisp"?
If a man stands in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him....Is he still wrong?
If someone with multiple personalities threatens suicide....is it considered a hostage situation?
Is there another word for synonym?
Isn't it scary that doctors call what they do "practice"?
What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
Would a wingless fly be called a walk?
Is a shelless turtle homeless or just naked?
Do they use sterilized needles for lethal injections?
Why did kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
What was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread?

Snow cones

One of my favourite things in the whole world, and who doesn't love snow cones? Shaved ice stuffed into a degradable paper cone, liberally watered with grape, watermelon, lemon, orange, bubblegum, blue raspberry or something else, even topped with some sour sprinkle... mmmmm..... Can't you taste it now? There is little I like more. And it's been forever since I've had one. A good one, anyways.

You know how you can get some that's just ice chips? And you have to crunch them, and that's no fun. They taste gross, too. And there's the ones where they give you a dribble of flavouring, or too much (like hardly ever) and it just tastes like water or straight cordial?

But when they get the mix right... when they have that beautiful sour topping... when it's crushed or shaved ice and it melts in your mouth... now that is something else. Mmmm. My favourite has to be grape, but only with sour, and I like bubblegum (shame on me) even though it's a bit too sweet sometimes. Yum. Sure wish I had one now...

What's your favourite?

Perhaps a mix, like our friend here?

Cats

Well, I've had a serious case of writers block the last couple of days, I really wanted to blog but.... nothing. So I decided to break it today and write some interesting facts about cats that I randomly know, or have found on the net.
If a pregnant cat has a litter of kittens, of any number, each of the kittens can have a different father.
Sir Isaac Newton is not only credited with the laws of gravity but is also credited with inventing the cat flap.
Cats see six times better in the dark than humans.
Cats have the largest eyes in relation to their body of any mammal.
A female cat will be pregnant for approximately 9 weeks or between 62 and 65 days from conception to delivery.
Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.
The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.
A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute. Incidentally, that's the same speed as the heart of a human baby.
25% of cat owners blow dry their cats hair after a bath. (Ha - why would you admit that?)
The cat's front paw has 5 toes and the back paws have 4. Cats born with 6 or 7 front toes and extra back toes are called polydactl.
There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside. (Who counted?)
(Apparently) Cats wag their tails when it is in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. For example: If your cat is in the doorway wanting to go outside, and you open the door to find it raining, the cat's tail will wag because of internal conflict. The cat wants to go outside, but doesn't want to go into the rain. Once the cat makes a decision and either returns to the house or leaves into the rain, the tail will immediately stop wagging.
In 1952, a Texas Tabby named Dusty set the record by having more than 420 kittens before having her last litter at age 18.
A cat will almost never "meow" at another cat. This sound is reserved for humans. (We lucky few)
The oldest cat on record was Puss, from England, who died in 1939 just one day after her 36th birthday.
A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head will rotate, then the spine will twist and the rear legs will align, then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing. (Now that's a strategy)
Apparently cats hate the smell of orange or lemon, so put these where you don't want kitty to go.
Cats have a peripheral vision scope of about 285 degrees. Wow! We see about 170.
Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals. They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping. With that in mind, a seven year old cat has only been awake for two years of its life!
Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat.

And finally, this is the cat age chart vs 'people years':
Hope you enjoyed - if I can figure out how, I'll put in the chart for cats ages vs people years.

Jonah 4:5-11

This is about Jonah - most everyone knows about the fish part, and Jonah being bad, and not doing what God wanted, etc. But not many people know about the end, where Jonah is angry over God's compassion. The chapter tells about Jonah being mad about God saving Nineveh: the city he was supposed to go preach to in the first place and didn't, and when he finally did and they repented, God had mercy on them and didn't destroy them. Then it goes on to say about Jonah sitting down outside the city, and the Lord "provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and ease his discomfort," (vs 6) Jonah was happy with this - it's hot and dry, and now he has a plant for shade. But the next morning, God made a worm to eat the vine, and by the time the heat of the day came, Jonah had no shade to take away the heat and scorching wind. So he was angry with God - after all, God took away his comfort. God asked him if he had a right to be angry about the vine. God replied, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow... Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left... should I not be concerned about that great city?" And that is the end of the book. That last line.

I think the point here is that Jonah was angry at the injustice. He thought that Nineveh should have suffered - they were an evil people and Jonah thought they deserved punishment for what they had done. Although God brings justice, he is a God of mercy, and he had compassion on them, and when they begged his forgiveness, he thought nothing more of wiping the slate. After all, he created them nurtured them, and helped them grow. The same, if the lady next door has this great big fruit tree right on the fence, and every now and then you grab a piece that's on your side or has dropped on your side of the fence, it's great. What difference does it make to her? But what if she then chops it down. Does it make you angry? She's taken something you thought should stay - why would she do that? She knew it benefited you as well. But what right do you have to be angry at her? What if she decided to keep the tree, and you thought it blocked her view - not yours, hers - what right do you have to be angry that she isn't doing what you want? It isn't your tree. You didn't grow it, tend it, love it into tree-hood. But if it were your tree, and you chopped it down - that's different. She doesn't have a right to be angry at you.

So take into consideration that things in life aren't yours - they're God's. He created 'your' tree, he nurtured this world into life - he is also the one who made your children, your family. You aren't angry at God when he has mercy on your child, when he has done something stupid, dangerous, criminal. When he forgives your child, you don't hate God. So why do you hate him when he passes judgement? When he disciplines his children? Is it not still love?

Personal bubbles

Okay you all know one - someone that sits that little bit too close, or touches you unexpectedly in inappropriate moments. Or hugs you on the second meeting. That isn't so bad depending on who it is. If it's the opposite sex it's sort of 'socially unacceptable'. And then there are the people who, if you and a friend are out having coffee, will sit at the table right next to yours, when there are empty tables all around you. And yet they sit beside you and either talk extremely loud, or don't talk at all and appear to be listening in on your conversation. Very strange. Don't parents teach kids what is 'socially acceptable' anymore? Mind you, it isn't just the young people. I had a friend in an acting class who would sit right next to me, touching arms. As a female, and he a male, it made me rather uncomfortable - I mean, I barely knew him, and so I would sort of lean away, or wait until he sat down, and then sit a comfortable distance away. He would often shift anyway, and it wasn't just me - he sat that close to everyone, male and female alike. It isn't creepy, just a little... awkward. But you get over it.

God's timing

Wow - my first blog for May! How excitement.

Well this one is about feeling obligated to do something, just because it seems like a good idea, or because it is right. How many times have you seen something on TV, or someone you know journalling, or going to church on the prayer meeting night, and thought - hey that is such a good idea! And then you go and do it, and find there is nothing to journal about, or the prayer meeting is boring and pointless, and you just aren't getting anything out of them. Or those conferences where they fire you up to go and do something with the world - go and life your life to the full, but a week later you couldn't care less and all you have is disappointment that you failed. What is the point in that? And yet whoever got you started in it is great, they keep going and are amazing at what they do. What they don't teach you is that this is what God has asked them to do. It is His timing for their lives - and not necessarily for yours.

Maybe it is a great idea to journal in all your thoughts and God's words for you every day at 5am. (Shudder) But maybe he wants you to go for a 10 minute walk at 3.30pm every other afternoon. Or maybe he just wants you to sit and rest in him, for no particular time, maybe when you are driving even. The point of praying isn't getting what you want for christmas, although God does want us to ask him for things, the point is listening. A conversation shouldn't be one-sided. God likes to talk as well as listen, you know.

So he wants you to do what he wants, in his time. Not what you think is good, in your timing. If it is ordained from him, the success rate goes sky high. You are so much more likely to obey what he has for you if it was his idea in the first place! It doesn't mean don't try the things people suggest, or what you think might be good, just ask him about it first - of course this might be his way of telling you what he wants. Just run everything by him, make sure it's okay. And same with what revelations he gives you - they might not be law for everyone you know, but one out of a hundred might need it in 30 years time, they will remember about how to journal, and it may rekindle their love for God. You never know. So by all means, share it, but don't enforce it - and make sure you remind people they are not obligated to try everything you think is fantastic, just because it works for you.

Incidentally, it's the same with diets - not everything works for everyone. Not that that is entirely related. Just thought I would throw that in. :)

Rules for writers

Written by Jenni Larson on http://www.curiouser.co.uk/paradoxes/rules.htm


Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat.)
Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
Be more or less specific.
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
No sentence fragments.
Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
One should NEVER generalize.
Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
Don't use no double negatives.
One-word sentences? Eliminate.
Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
The passive voice is to be ignored.
Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
DO NOT use exclamation points and all caps to emphasize!!!
Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth shaking ideas.
Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
Puns are for children, not groan readers.
Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
Who needs rhetorical questions?
Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
A writer must not shift your point of view.
Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
Always pick on the correct idiom.
The adverb always follows the verb.
Be careful to use the rite homonym.
Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

It takes one to have the other

Inspired by Jason Mraz's song 'Life is Wonderful'. The words go along the lines of: 'It takes a crane to build a crane, it takes a hen to make an egg, it takes an egg to make a hen, it takes some silence to make sound, it takes a road to go nowhere, it takes a toll to make you care, it takes one to have the other.' Not in that order or anything, but the words are in there somewhere ;)

So the point is - it takes evil to know good, and hate to know love. If you have been through trials and have been hated or despised for one reason or the other, than you know love when you see it. Likewise, as it says somewhere in the bible (please, add the reference if you know, when I find it I will add it in) he how has been forgiven much will forgive much. When you know the love it takes for God and others to forgive you, how much easier then is it for you to forgive? I think it works the same in something that is personal to you. If you struggle with a particular sin for a long time, and only by God's grace and a lot of perseverance are you finally free, then you will see people that struggle with the same sin in a completely different light. Maybe this makes your ministry choice easier - to go somewhere you have been - and have come out the other side. Once your healing has begun, then you are able to help heal others.

On this note, I was listening to a preacher by the name of Kris Vallotton, who was talking about when Jesus approached the region of Gerasenes (in Mark ch 5) where a demon possessed man was causing trouble, and he cast the demons (named Legion, for they were many) into the herd of pigs, and the man was free. Jesus then left the region, because the herdsmen keeping the pigs were angry with him, and the former demon possessed man pleaded to go with him. Jesus declined, saying "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." In another words - he left the man to minister to the people - having only just been healed himself. What could this man possibly teach the people? Not about the laws and doctrines, not about faith or God - only what he had seen first hand. And Jesus didn't leave someone with him to teach him - he told him to go straight out and share what he knew. So there you go.

Proverbs 27:7

"He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet."

Spiritually, emotionally, in love. You can get the gist of the literal meaning of the verse: if you eat rich food and are full, you won't want a rich dessert. But if you are starving, a piece of stale bread or old food will taste wonderful. The point is, don't settle for second best. Don't go for the stale bread when if you wait just a little longer, there will be honey. Just because you have a need to fill, a hunger, doesn't mean you should have the first offer. Wait for first prize. This is important in love - God wants you to hold out, hang on until who he has made for you comes along. First prize. If you have to ask if this is the best God has for you, maybe it isn't. Maybe you are settling for bitter food, thinking it is sweet.

In Training

This is a revelation God gave me through the book 'Wild at Heart' - I am just repeating it, but with more depth.

When an athlete trains, if he wants to become a great athlete, he trains his body to withstand all sorts of trials; cold, heat, pain, wounds, hunger, lack of sleep and other hardships. So must we, as warriors for God, train ourselves. I thought about this and I thought, what do each of them mean? Individually. What is an example for each that we train ourselves to withstand throughout life?
Cold - emotional distance, when someone is 'punishing' you by being distant and unforgiving. This is the point where you turn to God and get your needs met in him.
Heat - embarrassment, passion, temptation, love in the wrong time, or person. Don't ignore this, don't try to make it go away, give it to God and redirect it.
Pain - betrayal, rejection, personal failure, heartache when it's most fresh.
Wounds - this meaning old pain stored up, unforgiveness (which actually hurts you more than you are wanting to hurt the other person for what they have supposedly done to you)
Hunger - of the spiritual nature. God seems distant, so you turn to other things to satisfy. Don't. Press into him, and continue to ask him - he will satisfy you.
Lack of sleep - physical, but also spiritual. Sometimes all you need is to rest in God, be patient, and just wait. Maybe 'quiet time' or maybe just shut up and listen. Asking God 'What do you want me to do? What are you trying to say? Why won't you talk to me?' Kind of drowns him out, don't you think?
And Hardship - trials, things that come along to knock your legs out from under you, the blows that Satan stores up for when you are weakened, or to try and weaken you. Survive these only by knowing who you are in God, and who God is. If you are confident of your relationship with him, things like these only make you stronger. Still hurts, but you are through.

Small talk

Anyone who knows me well, knows I hate small talk. It's a recent development, and could quite rightly have gone under the 'pet peeve' post. But that's okay, it's my blog and I can do what I like. Even if the only people who read this are my best friends and my mother. Sad, yes it is. Anyway, I hate small talk. The worst offender is the good acquaintance/friend who says, "So how are you?" or "So what have you been up to?" That in itself is okay, just general conversation starters, everyone uses them to get into the meaningful stuff. It's when you say, "Well, the other day I started writing in my blog about my dead cat..." And you take a breath, which to them means - that is all that happened in your week, time for me to intervene with what I really wanted this conversation to be about - me. They begin to tell you what they were thinking about before your reply to their question so rudely interrupted. And so it begins. Another conversation comprised only of this other person and small talk which you aren't allowed to fully answer. Sigh.

Shopping trolleys - an update

Apparently, as I have been informed, there are many working trolleys in the state of Queensland, and it is just me that cannot find any. Maybe I am just a bad-trolley magnet. Is it just me?

Fences - this will be a long one, so put your seat belt on

I was coming back from Toowoomba via bus and train, and what I noticed was that almost every house had a fence. So I decided God should give me a revelation about that. ;) So he did, very generous of him. This is what he said:

1. Almost every house has a fence
2. Fences come in different types: (in no particular order)
a) A tall, thick, no gaps fence - the type to give privacy
b) The decorative fence - just to make the house look pretty, usually white with pickets ;) your standard fence
c) The run down, bits missing and rotten wood fence - the house with no money/no time/don't care or all of the above
d) The fence to keep animals or small children in or out - depending on the size of either, and usually quite sturdy
e) and finally, something to mark a boundary - territory, so all involved know what is whose. (Thank you anonymous source for this one)
3. A fence, while in this case is literal, can also be metaphorical.

My friend taught me the difference between similes and metaphors, so I'm using this opportunity to put that into practise. (My anonymous source also told me I could use practise there and not practice - and not to quote that) Fences of the heart can be examined using the same template that I so brilliantly created above. So here we go:

1. Almost every heart has a fence.
2. Fences of the heart come in many types:
a) The privacy - nobody can see the real you, it's hidden, so your private thoughts stay that way, and that way you don't get hurt. Maybe made by previous hurt?
b) The decorative - To make you a little more exciting - a bit of mystery and frills make you a much more interesting person, so make some things up and add a little bit of fake emotional baggage.
c) The run down - For the weary soul, who used to have the best fence, whose heart was the most protected, but now lies in ruins because the fence wasn't enough. It took so much damage that it couldn't stand. Maybe all that is left is to start again with a new fence.
d) The barrier - to keep people in or out. This decides who is worthy of being in your heart - people or God. Most likely a self-protective manoeuvre.
e) A territorial fence. This part of my heart can be yours, because we are married, but this will always stay mine, and no one is allowed in. This can be things you are afraid to share, or bits of shattered heart that you keep close for fear of losing altogether - so close you won't let anyone heal it.
3. God can heal things - and although a fence wouldn't keep him out, he stays on the outside of it because he is a gentleman. Keep him out, fine, but your heart will be damaged no matter what fence you have, let him in, and your fence will go. Gradually, he will help you to break it down, to become vulnerable, but protected by him. This isn't to say you will not get hurt, but God will change you through it - and you will heal. Trust.

Allocated movie seats - useful or just a pain?

Well, I went to the movies today. (And yesterday, but that's besides the point) Anyways, it started a few months ago, at the movies, when they make you choose where you want to sit in the theatre. Most people, I assume, choose to sit in the middle area, around row J. Now most of us, when they mentioned they were going to bring this in, were thinking, well, I guess it could be okay, but not entirely happy with it. But the system is flawed. Sure, it works fine when everyone sits where they're told to watch the movie, but it just takes one couple on a date to sit in the wrong row because they don't want to sit directly in front of the elderly pair in row G, and the system collapses. Three schoolgirls sit across the row because their seats are taken up by the couple on the date, and then the family of five have to find somewhere else to sit because there aren't enough seats in their row, and the schoolgirls feel bad because they made them move. What a disaster. And it's all the old people's fault. Okay, not really, it's the dating couple, but still. You get the drift.

Pet Peeves

Everyone has them, some have more than others, and I have a lot. So seeing as I have a blog that nobody subscribes to and nobody reads, I shall list them here.
Firstly, it bugs me that (is it just QLD?) not one of the shopping trolleys work properly, no matter where you are. How difficult can it possibly be to create a shopping trolley with 4 working wheels??? Grrr. Surely there must be someone, somewhere that fixes them. You could probably make a fortune from the business.
It also really *miffs* me (I use ** because apparently it is in between neutral and annoyed) when very large 4-wheel drives zoom up behind you with enormous bright lights right at rear-view mirror level and then pass you, only to slow down to just under the speed limit right in front of you.
One thing that doesn't really count as a pet peeve because it doesn't irritate me is people who stand too close, hug too close, and are generally in your personal bubble just that inch too close for social etiquette. And I don't mean friends, I mean people who think they could be in the running for such a position. You all know one.
And lastly, the one pet peeve I cannot stand, is when people leave the end bracket off. (example

Water aerobics

I've decided to take up water aerobics. I thought it might be fun, swimming round in circles with a bunch of old ladies wearing swimming caps. I mean, it can't be all that difficult, can it? I haven't gotten up the courage to sign up just yet, I thought I might leave it for a while. I'm still persuading my mother to join up with me - then I won't feel so out of place! I think I might pass on the swimming cap, though. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Be fought for

Ok, lets face it. Deep down a girl really just wants to be fought for. She wants to know she is valued and wanted enough for a man to fight for her. And a man wants to fight for her - wants a battle to fight and someone to fight it for. So why not let him? Why not, instead of being tough and "I can do everything a man can do", why not let him fight for you? Same with God - hes asking you to rest in Him, to let him fight the battles. Before you turn to man, turn to God. He is willing, and able, to fight your battles for you. He wants to be your shield of faith, let him go before you when you are facing troubles. When you are tempted by sin, push God out in front. This is what he wants - to deliver you from the evil one, to come through for you, to protect you. Just let him - don't think you can struggle with sin alone, give it all up to God, he can deal with it. You can't. Let him fight for you.