It's Your Call

Jan 1 2008 says it’s a new year. Now you have a second chance.

‘To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven’ Ecclesiastes. A time to review and set goals or let yourself off the hook and cruise into this year with a stress free attitude.

It’s usually an emotive time because you are facing a blank page. The old is gone. You can write on this what you will – it’s up to you. It’s your second chance.

About ten years ago Doug and I stood on the threshold of our new life together. It was the 1st of the 1st we happen to be at the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road when we met another surfer who was spiritually hungry. Doug had befriended him in the water and he followed Doug up out of the surf smiling. I could see his keenness to have what we had then and as we stood there on that bright sunny day in Victoria he was brought to an encounter by his own will with one prayer to a new life in Christ. We met with God on the precipice.

His surname was Bridgewater and that was where he was headed funnily enough.

Each year is our opportunity to turn over a new leaf. So this year I see a list in the Courier Mail of resolutions people make – it’s always the same:
Be Debt free
Enjoy life more
Spend more time with family and friends
De Stress
Exercise
Lose weight
Have a Holiday
… we’re all the same aren’t we? We all seek the kingdom of heaven in effect without knowing it because the above aspirations lie in kingdom living.

So Cheers Happy New Year

The Restoring Power of a Loving God

As children my four sisters and older brother and I were compensated for any robbery at home with the our grandfather’s carnival from Christmas onward. It was a treasure trove of pure fun and a very popular place on the peninsula and we were privileged to get free rides as we worked there year after year through our entire lives. Well my last year was when I was 18. In the long summer school holidays. I thank God for this compensation which was quite needed. My grandfather was an amazing entrepreneur and he had a way of gathering tens of volunteers to the carnival with the idea that 50% of the profits would go to charity. They had an honorary badge and most were retirees. He also thought he would bless legacy boys who were on an outing to the carnival. Again I would like to thank God for this advent which taught me the work ethic, the corporate/team spirit and its rewards and the great sense of security it brought. The beach, the fun, Straus’ Blue Danube and other carnival music are in my blood. To live in tents against a beautiful backdrop of a black velvet skies and carnival lights, milling crowds and distant music, the day filled with lazy mornings or hunting for coins, community lunches, and finally running the rides, selling tickets all night was absolutely blessed.

How to Get Happy at Christmas

‘Tis the season to be jolly’ is a strange lyric. Christmas is often a very trying time for lonely people or those who have to face family they don’t click with or those who are too busy to stop. If you try some of the stuff below you may survive the tough side of this season…

Don’t be by yourself if possible
Do things for people even strangers
Pray for people. If this is a foreign concept think of the good in people
Be Proactive in any area where you feel powerless
Don’t dwell on the negatives
Count the good things up every night ‘He daily loads up with benefits.’
Ask God to help you out of despair
Pour your heart out
Forgive yourself for wrongs, God will
Look forward not back
Get some good lyrics and music that helps your soul
Tolerate family who dampen your spirit with criticism

The Reason…
Jesus thanks for coming to earth to show what God is like. Thanks for identifying with the people you created. Thanks for the way you came and where you arrived according to the prophecies. Being so vulnerable as a baby escaping Herod.

Radio Nowhere

Names are quite important things. I met a little child called Hercules the other day. He also had an interesting Greek surname to top it off and he was a robust little character to boot.

Names are important things. For example an Aussie band Gangijang came up with a great song many decades ago. One of them lamented that if only they called the song something including the word Australia it would have sold heaps but alas it had some obsure title and the sales were lost as no one knew how to find the song. I will tell you the lyrics I remember… ‘Out on the patio we sit and the humidity we breathe. See the lightning crack on the cane fields. We laugh and think this is Australia.’ We all adored that song and yet I still don’t know the name of it.

God had a way of changing people’s names to best suit their purpose in Him. He changed Simon’s name to Peter (upon this ROCK I will build this church) Sarai became Sarah Abram became Abraham (father of many nations). These all had suitable meanings for their callings. Jesus name was chosen because it meant He saves. The Old Testament prophesy in Isaiah said ‘For unto us a child is born. And his name shall be called Immanuel which meant God is with us.

Jacob’s name meant supplanter or trickster cos he stole his brother’s blessing and birthright as the first born.. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel because Jacob wrestled with God.

Saul, after his conversion became Paul. Sorry I’ll have to look up the meaning. My sister’s name is Pauline which means little Paul.

Anyone for Golf?

My husband and I have been working on a longterm project all year. He wrote Golf - Your Perfect Plan for Practice and Play and its now available through his website and also clickbank marketplace.

If anyone is interested in checking out this wonderful work go to "http://annek77.dougk710.hop.clickbank.net"

Anne K