It's only 1 more sleep. yay
Tomorrow morning we pick up the keys for the new house and start the mammoth task of moving. Computer about to be disconnected. If I stand still long enough I'll probably end up in a box. Next time I talk to you, it will be from our new house. How exciting!!
Blessings
Em
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Random collection of experiences or Life
I have never done a random experiences entry before but here it is.
1) Packing packing packing. This time next week we will have signed many papers handed over way too much money and have our grandpa's jumper house. How very exciting.
2) On Tuesday I went to an extraordinary seminar about Leadership. It was great, my hand was cramping from all the notes, a rare thing at seminars, normally sit and listen with out feeling the need to capture every word because it is all gold. Not the case on Tuesday. The day could have easily been spread over 2 or 3 days for the amount of great stuff.
3) Both my boys have hit very exciting milestones in their development over the last week and I am just bursting with pride to tell the world, just as they were when they informed me.
At the moment LB is going through a wonderful stage of feeling strong, so he has been walking around the house and preschool for the last few days declaring " I'm strong, look I can lift (insert heavy for a 3 year old object here, chair, box, big book, table)" He was feeling quite strong after his many amazing feats and then decided to try and lift our 3 seater lounge. " I'm strong, I can lift the lounge, grrrrrreeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr, Mum you help?."
Our eldest ( still struggling with a name, toying with The theologian) came down stairs and announced "Guess what?!" Based on the enthusiasm and pride in his voice I automatically assumed he had found a cure for aids, hunger, war or poverty. So imagine my amazement when I found out he had surpassed all things when he announced "I can make my armpit fart!" I'm just bursting with pride.
What amazing milestones the ability to lift heavy things and the ability to make his armpit fart. I do believed my kids have peaked too early and it's all down hill from here.
Blessings
Emma
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Second Space
I am currently pondering Cook's theory of Second Spaces.
The thesis of this theory is this:
That everyone needs a space in life, other than their primary space, where they feel safe and where they can sit and read, to catch up with friends - somewhere to just be.
At one point in time this may have been the church but this is definitely not the case today. For many people the need to have somewhere they can be themselves without constraints is a core need. The desire to connect, to not be judged, to have space to process, to have time out from the busyness of life and breathe in crucial.
This space is the place we are drawn to when we feel things are getting too much. For me this second space is the beach. When I step foot on the sand of a beach I am immediately relaxed and feel as though I am in a safe place. When I was studying to be a minister my second space was the Macquarie Centre, a large shopping complex, which was walking distance from the college. Again I could go there and just be, buy a cuppa and sit.
This space could be anywhere, for some it would be their local pub, the series Cheers, epitomizes the Pub as a second space. For a friend of mine Starbucks is her second space. A second space could be and specific rock to watch the sunset, a park a cafe, a library it can be anywhere you are able to reconnect with self, others and God. For many they may not recognize a reconnecting with God but a realigning of the spiritual side of life.
What is it about our second space that makes it a safe space?
How is it that we can help provide our communities with healthy safe spaces?
Does the inceaseing epidemic of loneliness which permeates our communities exist because people don't have access to a second space?
How does a faith community develop space which responds to this need?
How do kids access their second space, if they have the restaints of parents, transport etc? Is their bedroom their second space?
I would love your responses on this theory? I would love to hear where your second space is?
Blessings
Emma
The thesis of this theory is this:
That everyone needs a space in life, other than their primary space, where they feel safe and where they can sit and read, to catch up with friends - somewhere to just be.
At one point in time this may have been the church but this is definitely not the case today. For many people the need to have somewhere they can be themselves without constraints is a core need. The desire to connect, to not be judged, to have space to process, to have time out from the busyness of life and breathe in crucial.
This space is the place we are drawn to when we feel things are getting too much. For me this second space is the beach. When I step foot on the sand of a beach I am immediately relaxed and feel as though I am in a safe place. When I was studying to be a minister my second space was the Macquarie Centre, a large shopping complex, which was walking distance from the college. Again I could go there and just be, buy a cuppa and sit.
This space could be anywhere, for some it would be their local pub, the series Cheers, epitomizes the Pub as a second space. For a friend of mine Starbucks is her second space. A second space could be and specific rock to watch the sunset, a park a cafe, a library it can be anywhere you are able to reconnect with self, others and God. For many they may not recognize a reconnecting with God but a realigning of the spiritual side of life.
What is it about our second space that makes it a safe space?
How is it that we can help provide our communities with healthy safe spaces?
Does the inceaseing epidemic of loneliness which permeates our communities exist because people don't have access to a second space?
How does a faith community develop space which responds to this need?
How do kids access their second space, if they have the restaints of parents, transport etc? Is their bedroom their second space?
I would love your responses on this theory? I would love to hear where your second space is?
Blessings
Emma
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
The Real-Life Vicar of Dibley
As many of you would know, one of my idols/mentors is the Vicar of Dibley.
When ever I am feeling particularly down, trodden on, out of place or just peed off I will sit down to an afternoon of Dibley and then I'm back on track again. I haven't watched in a while, I guess that's a good thing.
Anyway a friend of mine has lent me the book Beneath the Cassock: the Real-Life vicar of Dibley by Joy Carroll and I have read it from cover to cover in about 3 days. It's a great read. It is an autobiography by the woman that the Vicar was based on, I guess some of you may know her or know of her.
It was as if I was reading about my own life in a number of ways, as here in NSW we are still in the early days of the women ministers journey.
I would like to send a big thanks out into the cyber world to Ms Carroll for normalizing a lot of what I am experiencing and helping along the journey.
Blessings
Emma
When ever I am feeling particularly down, trodden on, out of place or just peed off I will sit down to an afternoon of Dibley and then I'm back on track again. I haven't watched in a while, I guess that's a good thing.
Anyway a friend of mine has lent me the book Beneath the Cassock: the Real-Life vicar of Dibley by Joy Carroll and I have read it from cover to cover in about 3 days. It's a great read. It is an autobiography by the woman that the Vicar was based on, I guess some of you may know her or know of her.
It was as if I was reading about my own life in a number of ways, as here in NSW we are still in the early days of the women ministers journey.
I would like to send a big thanks out into the cyber world to Ms Carroll for normalizing a lot of what I am experiencing and helping along the journey.
Blessings
Emma
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Theological ponderings of a 6 year old
In the car, as this seems to be where most of our deep theological discussions happen, our 6 year old asked, "How did Jesus die? Below is the conversation.
6: How did Jesus Die?
Mum: He died on a cross
6: Yes but what killed him?
Mum: He stopped breathing
6: But you can stop breathing and still live see (insert kid holding his breath).
So Jesus didn't die and then live he was just holding his breath.
Mum: If you hold your breath for 3 days you die. You need to breathe to live. Jesus died and then came back to life because he's God.
6: Yes and God has super powers that's why he could come back to life and we can't.
Mum: Yes God is very Super.
And then a few more kilometers down the road we had this conversation
6: Jesus loves us
Mum: Yes he does, is there anything that will make Jesus stop loving you.
6: No, he always loves me. He's God and he loves everyone in the world.
Mum: Yes.
6: He can do this because he's smart and can speak other languages.
So there you are the deep theological discussion as understood by a 6 year old.
1. Jesus didn't die he just held his breath and
2. God can love everyone because he is smart and can speak other languages.
And this stuff took me 4 years, man!! LOL
Blessings Em
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Let the packing begin
This is my 60th post!! and they said it wouldn't last. piff!
Well, we received official verification on Friday that we have the house all we have to do now is sign the lease, pick up the keys and pack.
The move is in 3 weeks but are going to attempt at doing this in an orderly, logical, manner which means we are purging along the way. This makes pack much slower than the 'just throw it in a box' style we have adopted over the past few moves.
Our boys are very excited and I had both of them, in a well coordinated maneuver, corner me with a box each asking for it to be taped so they could pack a box. So I taped the bottom and they very excitedly went racing upstairs to decide what toy they could do without, for 3 weeks, in order that they could pack something. It was decided that the dinosaurs were dispensable and so we now have 2 boxes packed and in the lounge room with their dinosaurs in them. They were so proud.
LB loves the new house and wants to move today, once he realized that we weren't moving today we had tears. He had thought packing a box would then mean we were able to move. If only, I'd pay good money for moving to only required 1 box. Unfortunately my previous life as a Librarian means I have books on books to pack, a few more than 1 box, and then there's the rest of the house.
Pack and purge, or should that be purge and pack. Either way
Blessings
Emma
Well, we received official verification on Friday that we have the house all we have to do now is sign the lease, pick up the keys and pack.
The move is in 3 weeks but are going to attempt at doing this in an orderly, logical, manner which means we are purging along the way. This makes pack much slower than the 'just throw it in a box' style we have adopted over the past few moves.
Our boys are very excited and I had both of them, in a well coordinated maneuver, corner me with a box each asking for it to be taped so they could pack a box. So I taped the bottom and they very excitedly went racing upstairs to decide what toy they could do without, for 3 weeks, in order that they could pack something. It was decided that the dinosaurs were dispensable and so we now have 2 boxes packed and in the lounge room with their dinosaurs in them. They were so proud.
LB loves the new house and wants to move today, once he realized that we weren't moving today we had tears. He had thought packing a box would then mean we were able to move. If only, I'd pay good money for moving to only required 1 box. Unfortunately my previous life as a Librarian means I have books on books to pack, a few more than 1 box, and then there's the rest of the house.
Pack and purge, or should that be purge and pack. Either way
Blessings
Emma
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
We have a house
Life has been busy over the last couple of weeks and the uncertainty of everything at the moment has been very draining. We received official notice on the 2nd that the house we rent has been sold and were given notice to be out by 2nd July. Although, they are still going ahead with the rental inspection tomorrow, go figure.
So we have been madly searching for a house, I have felt a little like goldilocks going into people's houses too big, too small, too lime green (a kitchen), too expensive and then ahhhh just right. We have found a house.
It took a bit of negotiating as we don't want to move in until the end of the month and they wanted us in earlier, blah blah, but it has been settled, we have paid the holding deposit and they have said yes.
It's described as
It's old, but I love old homes they have a soul that new houses don't yet have. They have character and not just in the "yeah she's got a great personality" way but in the it feels like home way, like grandpa's jumper. There are a few cracks and old paint and carpet but with 3 and 6 year old boys I don't want anything new anyway. And it's huge, it's probably twice the size of our current house, it has high ceilings and is sprawling so it feels like we have space as well.
It's a house for having friends over and entertaining, which I have missed because we have lived in houses to small to really have parties.
God is good, we have always had the right house turn up at the right time and it has happened again.
Praise God
Emma
So we have been madly searching for a house, I have felt a little like goldilocks going into people's houses too big, too small, too lime green (a kitchen), too expensive and then ahhhh just right. We have found a house.
It took a bit of negotiating as we don't want to move in until the end of the month and they wanted us in earlier, blah blah, but it has been settled, we have paid the holding deposit and they have said yes.
It's described as
Lovely country style home .....Neat and tidy 4 bedroom single storey home, built ins to 3 rooms, separate lounge and dining, family and sunroom, ceiling fans, internal laundry, single lock up garage plus carport, shed, carpet and tiles, pets negotiable
It's old, but I love old homes they have a soul that new houses don't yet have. They have character and not just in the "yeah she's got a great personality" way but in the it feels like home way, like grandpa's jumper. There are a few cracks and old paint and carpet but with 3 and 6 year old boys I don't want anything new anyway. And it's huge, it's probably twice the size of our current house, it has high ceilings and is sprawling so it feels like we have space as well.
It's a house for having friends over and entertaining, which I have missed because we have lived in houses to small to really have parties.
God is good, we have always had the right house turn up at the right time and it has happened again.
Praise God
Emma
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