blessings of today

• supervisor’s meeting going really well
• Instagram on Android
• sunny weather
• Classic FM
• salmon and cream cheese on corn cakes

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psalm 40:5.

Oh what joy! That the LORD has been so good to me that I could never be able to speak of all His mercies. Even if I never ceased to declare them, this fleeting body would run out of breath. 

God is good, and He has done great things.

I will live to proclaim His goodness to me, for - oh! - it has been abundant.

there are moments in this sunshine

when I’m lying next to you in a hammock

and listening to beautiful music

and my heart just leaps into praise

He is so good to us

you are such an undeserved blessing

Valentine’s Day

You said to meet you at 5pm, at Circular Quay. I didn’t want to be late but I wasn’t feeling the best that day, so I didn’t get much of a chance to get ready really. So I sat on the train, nervously, excitedly, nibbling on a piece of ginger to keep the dizziness at bay. I got there before you did and as I waited for you, I watched as men of all sorts were running around with blooms for their loved ones. One lady ran after another girl who’d dropped a card from her Valentine. It made me smile. You know I’ve always liked Valentine’s Day. I’ve looked past the Hallmark and the tacky, and you know how I like to make little gifts (this year it was Oreo truffle kisses, complete with sweet little messages). I guess I genuinely enjoy romance because it’s such a beautiful gift from God. You showed up and walked down the stairs with a big bunch of roses and these beautiful tiny little purple flowers. I noticed it was wrapped in brown paper. You know how I love brown paper, and how much more I like it compared to that plastic wrapping. I got so excited that you’d asked the florist for brown paper - and that’s when you revealed that the florist didn’t have anything really other than the plastic love heart wrapping underneath the brown paper, and that you’d run to the nearest newsagent for the kraft wrapping to put a smile on my face. You bought us some ferry tickets and I had no idea where we were going. But as we enjoyed the surprise of the sun on the water, our hearts grew increasingly warm with joy and thanksgiving to the LORD. How wonderful He is to give us such sweetness. You pointed out all the sights - Cockatoo Island, Anzac Bridge, St Leonard’s Station - and we pulled up in Woolwich. I have no idea where that is (I still don’t..somewhere on the Parramatta River?) but you surprised me when I found your 1985 Skyline parked. You let me in on the secret - the night before you’d left dinner at my house early, so that you and your friend could park the car here in preparation for our night out. You drove us to Cucinetta, a beautiful Italian restaurant overlooking the lake. The waiter looked at my big bouquet and laughed as he pointed to the single rose on the table, “What do we do with these? I guess you don’t need that one after all!” and offered us a vase. There was an acoustic guitarist and we laughed because he was so much better than the hilariously loud music (LOVE IS IN THE AIIIIIR) we’d enjoyed on previous dates. He played wonderful covers of my favourite songs - Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight and a lovely chilled out version of Bruno’s Just The Way You Are - and we got to pick our meals. You were unfortunately allergic to all four entrees on the Valentine’s Day menu but they whipped up an alternative to the zucchini flowers that you could eat. We were so happy. So happy. I couldn’t stop smiling and you couldn’t stop smiling because I couldn’t stop smiling. You slid a Valentine across the table. I hope this is our most special Valentine’s Day yet! And it was. It really was. You made me close my eyes and you placed a little love heart button for my button collection that you’d bought for me on holiday in Nepal, because you’d been thinking of me. We sat outside the restaurant and watched the sun set. It was a clear night but there were still a few clouds and we picked out the shapes (a little turtle, a little dragon with a big chubby tail, Australia with a lopsided Tasmania). We went for a walk but it was too dark and a bat made me jump! Still, I felt safe with you. We sat in the Skyline and for a while sang our favourite hymns in harmony, practising so you would get used to not being distracted by my voice so we could sing harmonies more often. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee - how great Thou art, how great Thou art! And you drove us to our spot in Balmain, where the city lights shine in the harbour, and we went for a little walk. And there, you gave me the most beautiful necklace and told me I’d captured your heart.

You’ve captured mine. There is no-one I’d rather have by my side in this race.

So convicted about how much food I waste

I’m so sick of throwing out food I’ve forgotten about or just keep leaving in the fridge.

I’m so blessed and yet I’m so wasteful. My housemate just returned from Africa with the most heartbreaking stories and here I am, throwing out vegetables because I couldn’t be bothered to cook them for a week.

This year, I’m going to buy less, eat what I buy, and save my money or give it away, rather than wasting it.

I’m learning as I go, but I’ve taken these steps:

- Write down what’s in my fridge
- Buy vegetable & fruit storage bags (they’re meant to keep stuff fresher; it helps vegetables keep in the fridge for about 3 weeks apparently) 
- Checking out some tips on the internet.

I’m excited about becoming a better steward. 

blessings of today {so far}

- remembering my umbrella on this rainy day

- a good grade on my health psych quiz

- reaching the front of the line after an hour of waiting at the Arts Faculty office and getting to speak to a helpful lady who answered my questions

- a free seat @ clipper cafe once I walked around for a while

- iced chocolate & mushroom pesto eggs once I sat down at clipper

- free wireless internet

- productive study

God, You are so good.

blessings of today

- 2 Peter 1:3-8

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

- cheese cubes, crackers and sweet grapes in tupperware containers for work snacks

- work. provision. His generosity.

- Christmas goodie bags. I can’t wait to bake gingerbread for people!

- beautiful sisters

the greatest lessons you’ll ever learn as a uni student

God is greater than any high distinction you could ever aim for.

God is greater than any of your failings.

My goodness, Christ really does give you rest. And his yoke really is easy and his burden really is light.

blessings of today

- hearing God’s voice so clearly

- smashing through so much of my essay

- a really fun afternoon with Don eating gelato and talking about the differences and similarities in how we love to worship the LORD when we sing

- peanut butter on raisin toast

- my grandma being home from hospital (she lives in Hong Kong)

- weekly rental DVDs for just $3.30

blessings of today (I haven’t done this in a while - but I have been thankful often!)

• sponge cake that’s light and fluffy with jam and cream inside
• a clean apartment!
• having my housemate home (she was leading on a study camp. VERY cool ministry!)
• how sunny it was when I walked over to the supermarket to do grocery shopping
• a darling called Donald who calmed me down when I started panicking about losing an hour due to daylight savings tomorrow. I’m so silly sometimes :)
• hot milk with honey and how deliciously yummy and how calming it is
• bed time