The Drew Patch has moved!

The all new Drew Patch

2010-01-25T13:57:00.001+11:00

I'm excited about having a new blogspot, complete with a beautiful new header. Please come and visit the new site! All the old posts have been imported to the new blog.

www.thedrewpatch.blogspot.com

Look closely!

2010-01-17T16:50:00.000+11:00

If you look carefully, you can see Elnathan's first two teeth!

A Slice of Organic Life

2010-01-16T11:22:00.000+11:00

We have loved looking through this beautiful book which we borrowed from our local library. It has something for everyone. Whether you live in a flat or on a farm, there are ideas for you! Due to borrowing this book, Dave and I reconsidered the idea of getting backyard chickens and Dave is building a coop. Last night I began to try to make saurerkraut. The book is full of beautiful pictures, which makes it fun to flick through even if you don't have time to pursue any of the suggested activities.

Yellow Pear tomatoes

2010-01-11T12:36:00.000+11:00

Our yellow pear tomatoes have been the first to ripen this season. This picture was taken on December the 31st, and we enjoyed the tomato in a salad. Since then we have had two more, but we didn't get to eat them. Dave is involved in a tomato growing competition at work and they had to be submitted as evidence!

Salmon Ponds at Plenty

2010-01-11T12:31:00.000+11:00

During Dave's recent leave from work we enjoyed a day trip to the Salmon Ponds near the small town of Plenty. I just love the name Plenty for a town!

Most of the beautiful ponds were actually stocked with trout. It was fun to watch them swim. The albino rainbow trout were particularly striking. A museum on site explains the history of raising trout in Tasmania. The first successful shipment of eggs arrived in 1864.

It was fun to take photos on self timer.

The ponds are surrounded with beautiful old trees of many types. Dave loves trees, so this feature was an unexpected highlight of our visit!

The restaurant sells delicious savoury and sweet pancakes. We enjoyed lunch, then a stroll, then sweet pancakes for dessert. The Salmon Ponds is definitely worth another visit, perhaps when the trees are changing colour.

Preserving loquats

2010-01-02T17:55:00.000+11:00

Pictured are the results of two sessions of loquat bottling. My Dad has two loquat trees that produce too much fruit for their needs, especially as they compete with cherries at this time of year! We harvested two bucketfuls and most of them are now preserved. Our friends the Baehrs helped us last night. Preserving bees are the best! It is great to work with others. Today I worked on the remaining bucket on my own, and found the process less arduous than I expected. This year we left on most of the skins. These are tough but will be softer with cooking. Loquats have lots of pits (those pictured are a fraction of what was removed), and right now I'm nursing a sore thumb as a result of pitting them. My fingers are thanking me for choosing not to peel them all! Those who have preserved fruit before will know the satisfaction that looking at the finished product brings.

Our moving baby

2010-01-02T16:47:00.000+11:00

Elnathan has learnt to swivel himself when he is on his tummy. In this picture he was originally facing the little block train carriage. He turned himself right around and started grabbing Christmas presents!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T21:38:00.000+11:00

Christmas Day 2009

Haystacks for dinner

2009-12-21T20:30:00.000+11:00

Yesterday we enjoyed haystacks for dinner. This is a simple meal of corn chips topped with a bean and tomato mix plus cheese, sour cream, and whatever fresh or canned veggies you want! I'm always looking for meals that can use a variety of garden produce, and this is one. Yesterday we enjoyed fresh lettuce, rocket, and grated carrot from our garden. Elnathan ate some homegrown turnip (frozen prior), plus some pumpkin and avacado. I love meals like haystacks for Sundays as they don't take long to prepare. Sunday is my official rest day, so I don't like to spend it doing lots of cooking.

Another reasonably quick meal we've discovered recently is homemade whole wheat tortillas. These are much cheaper than the store bought variety, and taste yummy! Like haystacks, you can use lots of garden vegetables on them. I think these may well become a summer staple at our home. It is also great to use beans on tortillas and haystacks as they are a frugal and earth friendly option. We're blessed that we happen to love beans!

Here are a few extra photos of our boy . . .

Natey loves to sit by himself, but occasionally falls over so we still put a cushion behind him.

He pushes himself right up with his arms when we put him onto his tummy, but doesn't roll yet.

Sunday at the Drews

2009-12-13T18:26:00.000+11:00

Sunday at the Drew Patch has been happy and relaxing for the most part!

Elnathan had a ride on his Daddy's shoulders.

Dave enjoyed one of his favourite activities, which is to water and observe the garden.

On the 20th of last month, the corn was tiny in comparison to what it is now . . .

After observing the growth in the corn, Elnathan turned his mind and hands to other matters . . .

He has become quite the mango fan, and can suck a lot of fruit through his mesh feeder.

He can also hold his own cup! All these things seem remarkable to his parents as it seems like only a short while ago that he couldn't even hold his head steady!

This must be one of the happiest seasons of our lives, as we enjoy the smiles of our little person.

Happy Advent!

2009-12-07T21:40:00.000+11:00

Dave and I can hardly wait to put up our Christmas tree each year! This year we put it up on on November 29th, four Sundays before Christmas. This is the first Sunday of Advent.

It was more fun than ever because we had a tiny person to do it with! Elnathan tried to grab everything and put it into his mouth. Having a tiny baby gives us an extra opportunity to contemplate the miracle of God becoming man. Isn't it wonderful that God was faithful to provide us with a Saviour from our sins so that we can have eternal life! We sent some of these pictures and more to relatives overseas today, and hope they take some of our joy in Christ with them. I've also been scrapbooking our Christmas tree decorating this afternoon - fun!

Lessons from Lorraine!

2009-12-05T20:41:00.001+11:00

My mother Lorraine has written a beautiful post for my new blog, Home Based Education, titled Quietness of Mind and Singleness of Purpose. What a great privilege it is to receive godly advice from someone who has walked this road before. This is one of my main purposes in starting the new blog, to share what I am learning from others as I seek to create a joyful learning environment at home. I am happy that due to starting this blog, I've been able to gain some extra advice from Mum. It is wonderful to have her thoughts in written form to refer back to and think about more.

Pilgrim Hill

2009-11-26T14:08:00.002+11:00

This place was built

by the Lord of the Hill

For the relief and security

of Pilgrims

Our friends the Baehrs are beginning a hospitality ministry in the Huon Valley called Pilgrim Hill. You can read a little more about it on Mikey Lynch's Christian Reflections blog.

A couple of weeks ago we had the pleasure of going up to Pilgrim Hill for a picnic. There are no buildings on the hill as yet, but it is a wonderful place to spend a sunny afternoon in good company.

Dave and Elnathan enjoyed father and son time. Elnathan looks very Australian in this hat, but it is actually a South African hat we bought at Stellenbosch last year!

Later in the afternoon we went for a walk up the hill. We thought Elnathan might sleep, but his eyes were wide open!

Then we enjoyed sitting together and having a family picture taken. This is one of my favourite family pictures so far!

An outdoorsy kinda guy

2009-11-26T13:41:00.000+11:00

Elnathan loves to be outside. When he is grumpy indoors, his mood is often transformed when he is placed on a blanket on the grass. He is much happier having tummy time or lying on his back outdoors than he is indoors, and is not as insistent upon being sat up to look at everything! He is quite happy to try to grab at some grass and stuff it in his mouth. We think a few seeds may have been ingested in the process, but that is OK.

Dave's new car

2009-11-21T16:24:00.000+11:00

On the weekend Dave purchased a new car, a 2006 model Mazda 6.

It was an exciting day, and the weather was perfect for a first drive! It felt unreal to have such a nice car all of our very own!

It is certainly an upgrade from our very reliable but less than exciting 1994 Ford Laser.

If anyone is in the market for one of these, I recommend buying ours - I would have stayed with it but my very patient husband had waited long enough for his newer car!

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

2009-11-18T13:20:00.000+11:00

I'm excited to be able to participate in the Passionate Homemaking Crockpot Carnival! We enjoy this Moroccan Red Lentil soup at our house. Dave is not generally a great fan of soup, but this one is a winner with him. It is filling and very nutritious, full of cheap protein!

2 tbs olive oil
2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
7 cups vegetable stock
1 can (about 20 ounces or 440 grams, it doesn't really matter) crushed tomatoes
2 cups dried red lentils, washed and rinsed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbs fresh parsley (or another fresh herb)
1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro (again, substituting is fine)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook onions until tender, add garlic and spices (except pepper flakes). Place with hot stock, tomatoes and lentils in the slow cooker. Cook for 4 - 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender.

Add the final four ingredients and cook on high for 10 minutes.

Eat! Yum, yum - and some left over to freeze!

Home Based Education

2009-11-17T11:58:00.000+11:00

I have been thinking about creating a new blog about education for a couple of months now. I've gone backwards and forwards as to whether or not this was a good idea. Thinking about Elnathan's future education is important to me right now. I want to use some of the "extra" time I have to be thinking about how to create a positive learning environment for him here at home. I hope that this new blog will not only be a useful way to document that journey for our purposes, but will also be a help to others who are on the same path. I believe that nearly all parents are concerned about the education of their children, so this is not just for those of us who are hoping to homeschool. I hope that it will be of use also to every parent who wants to create a home that is a place of joyful learning! As well as posting about our journey, I'm planning to ask people with experience in home education to write for me or to be interviewed.

Bay Christian Church sermons

2009-11-07T20:32:00.000+11:00

I've been wanting to share our church's sermon archive with you for a while. We attend Bay Christian Church which is just 5 minutes drive from our home. We have particularly benefited from two recent talks, "A prayer for experience" and "Kingdom prayer". These are both available on the Bible talks page. The sermon "A prayer for experience" focuses on the need to experience God's love. Last week we found the sermon "Whose Kingdom - Mine or Yours" thought provoking, and we discussed the need to stand guard against all kinds of greed. Dave will be preaching on the parable of the good Samaritan tomorrow, and we've been working hard to prepare!

Watering with Daddy

2009-11-05T21:49:00.000+11:00

I've finally cleared my iPhoto sufficiently to be able to use it at a reasonable pace! To celebrate, I am posting these cute pics of Elnathan and Dave watering the garden.

We are loving our garden right now. We have planted beans, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, and lots more! These pictures were taken last month and it is amazing to see how much things have grown even since that time. On warm days, the little plants seem to grow before our eyes!

Dave looks forward to getting home from work to greet his wife, greet his baby, and thirdly head straight out to the garden!

Elnathan also seems to enjoy the outdoors. In the last couple of days I've placed him in his rocker in the shade of the cabbages, and he sits there contentedly while I work. Pulling off bits of cabbage leaf and trying to eat them is a favourite occupation!

When it comes to photo storage, do any of you know of a good program that can be downloaded for free? If so, I'd love to hear your recommendations. My iPhoto is quite limited, and I'd love a program that stores many photos and allows you to edit them (for example, removing red eye).

Why Kaz Cooke's Kid-wrangling is wrong about cloth nappies

2009-10-29T13:43:00.000+11:00

Kid-wrangling is a popular book in Australia. I'm sure its lighthearted look at parenting is a pleasant relief from some of the more intense parenting materials out there. In between the amusement, Kaz is attempting to provide real information for parents. Much of it is probably sound and helpful. When it comes to cloth nappies, though, Kaz is just wrong. Before I start on why, I need to state my agreement with Kid-wrangling that cloth nappy advocates shouldn't go around making judgmental statements about those who use disposables. That being said, advocates of disposables need to do their homework before saying anything about cloth.

I've just put my nappies on the line . . .

and it was way easier than Kaz would have us believe. We've used cloth nappies solely for four and a half months of Elnathan's life so far (excluding our overseas trip and his first two weeks). Disposables have their place, but good cloth nappies are really not that bad.

Kaz's comments are in italics. My responses follow.

They require far more labour.
If you use pocket nappies like Bumgenius it is very quick and easy. When we were in South Africa we used three different types of Huggies nappies, all with the same result: serious poo leaks that required clothing changes every time. Bumgenius have much better containment and reduce work in this way. Personally, I'd rather change a nappy than a whole outfit.

Soaking and washing them is an unpleasant, tedious task
Many modern cloth nappies don't need soaking. You just have to rinse off any poo at the time of changing the nappy, pop the nappy in the bucket, then dump them all in the washing machine when you feel in danger of running out of them.

They need to be washed with very hefty antibacterial chemical washing powders and in very hot water, and if poo stained they need savage bleaching products to look non-skid marked.
Huh? We don't own any of these products, and our nappies look OK. We rarely wash in hot water, either (shock, horror), and our baby's bot looks just fine.

It's hard to cope unless you have a whizzbang washing machine and dryer.
Our washing machine is fantastic (a Fisher & Paykel Intuitive Eco), but we don't own a dryer. We found it easy to get our nappies dry throughout the wettest Tasmanian winter for fifty years.

Cloth nappies are slightly trickier to fasten.
Only if you use traditional cloth squares! Bumgenius and some other pocket nappies are as easy as disposables.

You'll need:

about 30 to 35 nappies
try 20, I'm sure you'll be fine

about 6 - 8 plastic overpants
Yes, if you use nappies that need them. Pocket nappies like the marvelous Bumgenius don't.

fastners
Yes, if you use nappies that need them!

Rubber gloves
Why? Baby poo is not scary.

2 big nappy-soaking buckets with close-fitting lids
Try one, it is enough as long as you're not planning to soak your nappies (an unnecessary and annoying process).

bleach and antibacterial soaking powder
What are those things? We don't own them. The sun does the job.

a washing machine with a hot function
Handy but not strictly necessary, as long as you live in a climate where they'll get some sun.

antibacterial washing powder
Huh? We've purchased one box of ecostore powder and it is still going. With Bumgenius you are specifically required to use environmentally friendly detergent that doesn't contain enzymes, etc, and to use it very sparingly. If you don't, you're no longer eligible for the one year guarantee.

lots of clothes-line space and fine weather or a big clothes dryer
Neither are necessary. You can dry them inside if the weather is yuck. This is especially true of traditional cloth nappies, as they are thin cotton squares and dry quickly.

When I read Kaz's comments, I'm not surprised so few people use cloth. If I thought it would be like that, I probably wouldn't either. Kaz argues that using cloth is not necessarily an environmental improvement. If they are used in the way she describes, I agree. What many people forget is that you don't have to do cloth in the traditional way. Hey, it is 2009!

I chose South Africa

2009-10-27T12:58:00.001+11:00

For wherever you go, I will go;

And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people,

And your God, my God.

Ruth 1:16, The Bible

I've been asked many times, "Do you think you could live in South Africa?". This is a question I attempted to answer long before anyone started to ask me. My personal perspective is that you shouldn't marry someone if you are not willing to live in their country. This is why I chose to visit South Africa before getting engaged (you can read about that trip in the travel section of my previous blog). For me, choosing Dave was choosing South Africa.

Since making that choice, I've had many conversations with ex-pats here in Australia. These people have left much that they love in South Africa due to things they find frightening and frustrating. This has led me to feel challenged about my own choice. At times I've felt judgmental and angry with ex-pats. I now see this as a result of insecurity about our own choice to remain open to living there. I now feel secure in the fact that God has every person on a different journey. He is working different things in each family, and that is OK!

I can't know what it would be like for us to live in South Africa - no one can unless they do it! I do know that I have many limitations that could make it hard. These include only speaking one language, being a cautious driver, and seemingly having a learning disability related to keys and locking up houses! I have always lived in Tasmania near my family.

Whether we live in South Africa or not, I've already lived out some of the consequences of my choice to marry someone who comes from another continent. We've spent two months in South Africa since our first trip together in January 2007, on two separate trips. We've together pursued the adventure of taking a tiny baby overseas. I've seen townships, tribal lands, bullet laden security guards, spectacular scenery, and lots of elephants! Friendships have multiplied.

More than that, the problems and joys of South Africa have captured my heart in ways I never expected when I said "yes" to my husband. I've found that I love the place, yet wondered if I am crazy for not dismissing it as a basket case. I want our son to somehow be both South African and Australian, to remain connected to both places, but wonder if it will work out like that. I've felt smidgen of the despair of yet another political disappointment, and a touch of the fear of crime that many cite as the reason for their departure from the country. We've longed to do more for those who are suffering, particularly orphans, but found the obstacles to this discouraging.

We are content in Australia, but remain willing to trade it in for a more unpredictable continent. God will be working his purposes in us wherever we go. Where we are physically is not as important as the relationship we have with God. Wherever we are there are opportunities and difficulties that we are called to make the most of, with God's guidance. God is at work in South Africa, and it is exciting to remain open to the possibility that he may have a role for us there.

Elnathan's new seat

2009-10-26T20:29:00.000+11:00

Elnathan is six months old next week. He now enjoys trying to sit up to play, but doesn't have the balance to sit alone yet. Today I went to mother's group and saw this handy solution - the washing basket seat! Supervision is required, as unbalanced little ones can end up slumped against the sides. Some padding would also help, perhaps a blanket or quilt to soften the sides of the basket. My friend at mother's group had placed a doona over the basket for padding.

Respecting God's creation

2009-10-26T20:19:00.000+11:00

Lindsay has written an inspiring post about caring for the environment - Free to Be Green. I love her point that respecting God's creation is demonstrating respect for God himself.

Great idea for family Bible time

2009-10-19T19:57:00.000+11:00

It was inspiring to read one woman's account of how she included Bible reading in her day with three small children. I love reading about little ones learning from the plain old Bible - no simplification and no pictures - Wow! God's word is powerful, even for preschoolers.

Turning the tide against euthanasia

2009-10-16T14:26:00.001+11:00

I recently watched Turning the Tide, a documentary about euthanasia.

I appreciated the interviews with people who were disabled, suffering from chronic pain, or caring for vulnerable people. The documentary presented the classic arguments against euthanasia, including the idea that we need to help people to feel they have dignity and worth. After watching this, I felt that we need to do more for those who are living in aged care facilities. Many of these people feel they do not have worth because they do not enjoy caring relationships.

Occasionally, not often enough, I go to visit my step grandmother in a home for elderly and disabled people about 20 minutes from where we live. She seems to enjoy a good life there despite her pain. She has lots of friends, a lovely room, and caring staff. On my last two trips I've also taken the time to visit a man from our church who suffers from MS.

Here Elnathan is pictured with his step great-grandma. Babies are a wonderful asset when visiting an aged care hostel! Maybe we can contribute a small amount toward valuing those members of our society who are vulnerable. The best argument against euthanasia is suffering people who are loved, content, and cared for in their pain.

A lovely testimony

2009-10-09T21:16:00.000+11:00

I enjoyed re-reading a lovely testimony of how one woman gained A New Heart for Homemaking.

Those who are rich

2009-10-09T09:38:00.000+11:00

Do you ever think of yourself as rich? If you are like most Australians, I doubt it. We have grown to think of the rich as those who have million dollar houses, boats, and a couple of European cars sitting in the driveway.

The Bible encourages us to think differently. My McArthur Study Bible defines "rich" as those who have more than they need to live upon. If you are reading this on a computer right now, chances are that you are rich according to this definition. What do we need in order to live? Basic food, a few pieces of clothing, and shelter. So 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19 applies to us:

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

In the second week of our recent trip to South Africa, I felt an immense conflict in myself about how rich I was and how little I did in this world. I was so obviously rich in a place where many are obviously poor, and it seemed like the only people I ever talked with were equally rich . . . what did this mean for who I was and my place in the world?

Then God comforted me. He reminded me that God had given me these "things" that make me rich. He had given us the money to not only own a car but also hire one, to not only own a home in Tasmania but also hire lovely places to stay in South Africa. Yes, this was luxury. Yes, God had given it. Given it to enjoy, not to feel guilty about.

I don't understand why there is so much inequality in this world. The Bible says that God decides who will be rich and poor (see 1 Samuel 2). I don't understand why he doesn't even things out more! However, it is not my job to question God. It is my job to be grateful and obey. That means being ready and willing to give, and actively pursuing a lifestyle of good works. This is basic to my place in the world as one of those who are rich.

The reversal of hope

2009-10-06T20:57:00.000+11:00

Today I came across another prayer that reminds us of why God sometimes does not answer our prayers in the way we hope. Read Most Richly Blessed and be reminded of God's priorities for our lives and our hopes.

Single minded desire for God's glory

2009-09-28T11:38:00.000+10:00

This prayer from Blaise Pascal is an encouragement to desire God's glory above our own comfort.

Take from me, Lord, that self-pity which love of myself so readily produces, and fromt he frustration of not succeeding in the world as I would naturally desire, for these have no regard for your glory. Rather, create in me a sorrow that is conformable to your own . . . Let me no longer wish for health or life, but to spend it and end it for you, with you, and in you. I pray neither for health or sickness, life nor death. Rather I pray that you will dispose of my health, my sickness, my life, and my death, as for your glory, for my salvation, for the usefulness to your church and your saints, among whom I hope to be numbered. You alone know what is expedient for me . . . Conform my will to yours . . . May I equally adore whatever proceeds from you.

Precious days with Gramps and Gran

2009-09-25T20:35:00.003+10:00

Apologies for the bizarre picture formatting - I'm still getting the hang of blogger's new features!

Gran plays the piano beautifully and Elnathan enjoyed listening.

Gran and Gramps were delighted to spend some time with their precious first grandson.

We were sorry to have to fly away, knowing that they would not see Natey for a long time. However, we were also very grateful to have had the opportunity to introduce him to them.

Girltalk hospitality series

2009-09-25T19:52:00.000+10:00

Girltalk is running a great series at the moment on hospitality. I've found this encouraging, and I hope you will as well!

Also check out Deb's post thoughts on a rainy day for a quote that points out the connection between hospitality and truly loving people.

Our second wedding anniversary

2009-09-24T13:53:00.001+10:00

We spent our second wedding anniversary in South Africa, as we did our first! We enjoyed a lovely lunch with Dave's parents Will and Di, and then headed into Durban to spend the evening with our friend Sue. Sue traveled all the way from South Africa to attend our wedding in 2007. How wonderful it was to have a little baby to celebrate with this year! We still look at him sometimes and marvel that he is real! It is a precious thing to love one another, and for that love to result in a little person who is a delight to us both.

Natey! Look at the animals!

2009-09-24T09:03:00.004+10:00

We were blessed to spend a week at Kruger National Park while in South Africa.

These photos were taken at Letaba camp during our drive out of Kruger Park. The park is large and it takes hours just to drive out of it from Olifants camp where we stayed.

"Mum, is that a bushbuck?"

Elnathan was a good traveller during our game drives, but seemed just as interested in his hands as in the animals! We would be like "look Natey, a water buck!" and he would coo and put his hand in front of his face. Of course, he'd only just discovered his hands existed so it is understandable that he didn't realise they were of less interest than elephants.

God is at work in Zimbabwe

2009-09-10T17:27:00.002+10:00

During our trip to South Africa it was encouraging to speak with a pastor who has been involved with taking food over the border to Zimbabwe. We also spoke with a Zimbabwean refugee who said things were improving somewhat and he hopes to go home in the near future.

A friend recently sent me a link to the article "God is Working!" about the way some Christians are responding in faith to the difficulties in Zimbabwe. We can learn much from Christians who face extreme hardship.

I love this quote:

"Optimism is being able to acknowledge brutal realities and to paint an even greater reality."

Christians in Africa need that type of optimism! Dave and I hope to have this type of attitude toward South Africa's "brutal realities". Yes, the crime and poverty and corruption (and really bad driving!) are real. Yes, God is real too and we have hope that the church will thrive and do great things in the midst of suffering. The kingdom of God is the "greater reality".

Back to blogging

2009-09-08T15:32:00.003+10:00

As you can see, I didn't have a chance to blog during our month in South Africa! When there were gaps in our schedule I was often forced to be in bed resting as I had some severe back problems while away. We have been home for a week. Now that I've caught up on personal emails, sorted our mail stack, begun to make inroads into the mess, and feel better in terms of my back, I feel free to begin blogging again.

While on the topic of blogging, why not read Stacy's article Tips for Cutting Back on the Internet. When I go away for a month like this I'm reminded that it is possible to live without the Internet, and I may not even be poorer for it! Having said that, I still enjoy reading others' blogs and posting on mine - the Internet just has to be kept way down on the priority list where it belongs.

Goodbye for now!

2009-07-28T17:26:00.002+10:00

Next Tuesday the three Drews will land in Johannesburg, South Africa. I don't expect to have time to blog next week (since most of Monday and Tuesday will be spent on planes)!

We look forward to introducing our little man to his family and his many friends in South Africa.

I hope to drop by my blog with a few updates while away, but I'm not sure if it will happen! We will be back in Tasmania on August 31.

Sick of it all?

2009-07-27T16:50:00.003+10:00

If you're anything like me, you sometimes get sick of trials. I find myself thinking "I'm tired of this", "I can't do this", "I'm sick of this and I don't want to do it anymore". Often these thoughts come in the context of ordinary duties of life, difficulties and differences between people, and various forms of physical suffering. Today I opened my Bible to a passage that seemed just right for tackling this pattern of thinking.

My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

I love the way the NKJV says you "fall into" trials. It often feels like that - you're going along OK, and then all of a sudden hard things just happen. When they happen, God tells us we can count it joy rather than resenting it. I've made these verses a memory project for today!

House keeping for the glory of God

2009-07-27T14:39:00.003+10:00

I have recently realised how easy it is to place keeping house above loving people. I am not implying that having a clean house and loving those who live in it are necessarily in conflict! However, I have some serious physical limitations due to a back injury and sometimes I just don't have the strength to do all I want in my home. Recently I've found it easy to resent the mess that people inevitably create. When I do this I'm forgetting that my home and everything in it are to serve people. Nothing in my home matters eternally except the people who walk through its doors. If welcoming and loving people means that at times my house is not even the slightest bit neat, that should be OK. Often, I want my house to be neat and clean because I like it that way. My motive is self, not the glory of God or the good of other people. In the context of this, I've appreciated revisiting Lindsay's blog post Serving vs. Enjoying Our Families. As Christian wives, mothers and homemakers our most important work is to create and maintain loving, joyful and vibrant relationships with our families and our God, and from that place to reach out into our churches and communities. When we do prioritise these things, and use our homes to serve and enjoy people, our house keeping can glorify God.

Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate

2009-07-21T10:47:00.004+10:00

Have you noticed that it is the so called "minor" sins that cause the most unhappiness and tension in your life? I have. My anger, discontentment, frustration, anxiety, pride etc. lead to countless unhappy moments (in my life and the lives of others) that need never occur if I learn to conquer these sins. They stop me from loving others, and God, as I should. Respectable Sins looks at these sins (and many others) in the light of the Bible and the gospel. It is the continuing presence of these types of sins in my life that continually reminds me of my need for Jesus. Yes, I'm still a sinner and I can't change on my own! I need God's help, and continually need the forgiveness of sin that only comes through Jesus. I am only half way through this book, but already want to recommend it! You can read a review at Ligonier Ministries.

Keep smiling!

2009-07-21T10:45:00.003+10:00

Elnathan has become more interactive and is giving us more smiles! We can't wait to see him smiling at Gran and Gramps in South Africa.

Talks by Carolyn Mahaney

2009-07-14T14:36:00.003+10:00

Visit Sovereign Grace Resource Library to download excellent talks for free! I have listened to several of them, and found them to be challenging and encouraging.

Is that a smile?

2009-07-14T14:19:00.002+10:00

Elnathan has several smiles for us each day now, but they are hard to capture in photos!

Growing with the kids

2009-07-14T13:11:00.002+10:00

Growth Spurts! is an encouraging post about having a godly attitude to changes in your children.

If I pray for a growth spurt, for ideas on how to help them, to make this a fun new phase, and to appreciate their new needs, then the change on my part usually clears up a lot of things! I am not saying that this eliminates the need for discipline, but it makes it gloriously clear cut and sweet. My attitude is no longer a player, and it is no longer a big “situation” but just normal life.

I have already found it challenging to adjust to changes in Elnathan - and he is only nine weeks old (ten tomorrow!).

Hospitality tips

2009-07-14T13:07:00.003+10:00

I've enjoyed a few posts on hospitality on the True Woman blog. Check out Making Things a Little Easier for some hospitality ideas. I also enjoyed the comments section on this post, and made my own comment about some of our hospitality adventures! We have had lots of people over in the last few weeks, and sometimes I've had to choose not to worry about the state of my house. If I was going to wait until my home was clean to invite people over, it would probably never happen - unless we hired a cleaner!

Early morning fun

2009-07-14T12:13:00.000+10:00

Getting Elnathan ready to go!

2009-07-14T12:05:00.003+10:00

Elnathan's travel cot came yesterday. We purchased a Kinderkot, which looks like a little baby tent! Since we will be moving around a lot while we are in South Africa, we needed something that was easy to put up and down.

There is lots to think about when travelling with a baby!

Learning to be content

2009-07-13T08:19:00.006+10:00

Last week I visited BabyWorld and spied a nappy bag called "Traveller". Dave, baby and I are heading to South Africa in three weeks, so I took a closer look. The bag was fantastic, much better than our hand-me-down nappy bag. Wow! $100 seemed reasonable for this amazing baby accessory. I thought . . . I work hard and this would make life easier . . . when we're spending so much on airfares what is $100 to make the trip go more smoothly . . . I've spent so little on baby things so far, don't I have the right to choose some of my own things? I went home hatching a plan for how I could persuade Dave that this really was the best ever nappy bag and we should have it.

Fast forward two days, and it dawned on me that it was ridiculous to want to replace a perfectly good nappy bag with a better one in order to travel to a country where people make homes out of political posters (and whatever else they can find). I was reminded of Zukiswa's comments on the recent South African elections:

After today my street lights will not be littered by mugs of politicians and parties. The posters will however become useful elsewhere. I have noticed in the past that they tend to come in handy for some of my enterprising fellow-citizens (I am thinking here of an old poster that I saw in some informal settlement some months back covering the dwellers from the summer rain. The poster said, Vote ANC, A Better Life for All.)

I am not saying there is anything wrong with fantastic nappy bags. However, there is something wrong with the desire to replace good, sufficient things with better ones. This goal is what our consumer society is built upon. It leads to greed and waste, and diverts money that could be used for God's kingdom. I don't have a hard life and I don't have a "right" to have better things.

God has used a few things to drive home this reminder not to be covetous. One is the ABC sampler I'm making for Elnathan's room. The verse on the sampler reads ". . . For one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. Luke 12:15b". There is a picture of a flourishing garden and a home, basic things and places that sustain us.

Secondly, God used 1 John 2:15 - 17 to remind me that chasing after possessions is not godly.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but from the world.And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Femina blog has several articles about contentment. I find that it is easy to be discontent about many things - from the amount of time it takes me just to do the laundry, feed Elnathan or wash up, to the behaviour of people close to me, to my level of knowledge and mental ability. Just about anything can become something to be discontent about. A prayer in the Valley of Vision reminds me that it is how we respond to our circumstances, not those circumstances themselves, that matters . . . "may my character and not my circumstances chiefly engage me." This is just one aspect of the long journey toward truly trusting God. Do I trust God that he has provided me with enough possessions, ability, knowledge, health etc. for this time in my life? Not yet, but I pray that I will.

An advertisement for midwifery

2009-07-06T20:40:00.001+10:00

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

2009-07-06T16:17:00.003+10:00

I love this book. It prompts me to pray in ways that I otherwise would not know how to pray. It helps me to think of God as I ought, reminding me of truths about who he is. It challenges me in regard to my sin, and leads me to call upon God for greater faith and obedience. I not only enjoy reading the prayers aloud and making them my own, but also using them as starting points for my own prayers. On many occasions parts of the prayers have come to mind as I lay in bed or went about my work. I have worked on committing some to memory. Today parts of the prayer "Openness" (those sections in bold) have reminded me to pray for a life that is focused on things that will matter eternally:

Lord of immortality

Before whom angels and archangels veil their faces,

enable me to serve thee with reverence and godly fear.

Thou who art Spirit and requirest truth in the inward parts,

help me to worship thee in spirit and in truth.

Thou who art righteous,

let me not harbour sin in my heart,

or indulge a worldly temper

or seek satisfaction in things that perish.

I hasten towards an hour

when all earthly pursuits and possessions will appear vain,

when it will be indifferent whether I have been rich or poor,

successful or disappointed,

admired or despised.

But it will be of eternal moment that I have mourned for sin,

hungered and thirsted after righteousness,

loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity,

gloried in his cross.

May these objects engross my chief solicitude!

Produce in me those principles and dispositions

that make thy service perfect freedom.

Expel from my mind all sinful fear and shame,

so that with firmness and courage I may

confess the redeemer before men,

go forth with him bearing his reproach,

be zealous with his knowledge,

be filled with his wisdom,

walk with his circumspection,

ask counsel of him in all things,

repair to the Scriptures for his orders,

stay my mind on his peace,

knowing that nothing can befall me

without his permission, appointment and administration.

The love of the stranger

2009-06-30T16:18:00.004+10:00

Conservative politics can have many failings. One of these is a tendency to turn racism and fear in the community to its own advantage. This is evident in the resurgence of conservative political parties in Europe. It has also been a feature of Australia's policy toward asylum seekers for many years now. Australia makes every effort to deter asylum seekers (this photo shows police boarding an illegal vessel and arresting its occupants).

As I was completing my read the Bible in 90 days plan, one of the themes I looked for was that of how we are to treat strangers. It was clear that God places a high priority on loving strangers, just as he does upon loving widows and orphans. Strangers often appear to be people who are "foreigners" and in need. Locking such "illegal immigrants" up in detention centers, as Australia does, does not appear to be consistent with the priority God places upon loving strangers. What do you think?

The baby feeding issue

2009-06-30T12:58:00.002+10:00

It will come as no surprise to most Mums that how to feed a baby can be a contentious issue. Those who bottle feed can feel judged by those who breastfeed. Those who schedule feed can tend to be judgemental of those who "demand feed" - and vice versa. Those who breastfeed for one year or six months often express judgment of those who feed their children for two years or four. Whenever these conversations come up, I like to churn out my standard line. "Each to their own, each to their own", I say!

This is not because I believe the Bible has nothing specific to say about the baby feeding issue. It is because I believe the Bible speaks very clearly to this issue, and encourages us to take an "each to their own" attitude. Romans 14 indicates that we not to judge others based on what they eat. Food is one of the "doubtful things" over which we are not to get into disputes (Romans 14:1).

I am uncomfortable when Romans 14 is applied to anything and everything, from pot smoking to belly dancing. This type of application amounts to the idea that anything that is not specifically mentioned in the Bible is an area of total Christian liberty. I attempted to counter this argument in my post "Sure, you can be a Christian polygamous, petrol sniffing, right wing racist if you like". Romans 14 tells us which matters it is speaking of - food and special days. Baby milk falls into the category of food, does it not? Therefore we shouldn't be spending our days commenting on what others are doing.

Our bonny boy

2009-06-29T20:30:00.001+10:00

Our family

2009-06-29T20:16:00.003+10:00

Kara Dekker took this photo for us when she and John visited a couple of weeks ago. We were privileged to have them visit us during their honeymoon in Tasmania!

In this photo Elnathan is six weeks old. At his six week check he was on the 90th percentile for weight gain, which was exciting!

A Mom Just Like You

2009-06-23T17:17:00.003+10:00

I have been receiving inspiration from Vickie and Jayme Farris's book "A Mom Just Like You". Vickie is a homeschool Mother of 10 children, and she writes frankly about her struggles and the reasons why she keeps on going. I have enjoyed the way the book is frank about the weaknesses and struggles we may face, but also provides many reasons to persevere. Vickie does not encourage readers to just embrace her conclusions, rather she urges them to search the scriptures and come to convictions for themselves about what they should do with their lives. Trust in God and relationship with Him is emphasized throughout. The book covers many topics, including prioritising your marriage and teaching a large family. I recommend this book for other mothers who hope to homeschool.

The best cloth nappies

2009-06-23T14:39:00.003+10:00

Before Elnathan was born, we decided to use cloth nappies. Dave especially wanted us to do this, due to the environmental impact of disposables. It was sobering to realise that the total amount of garbage we put out each week would probably double if we used disposables! While some people will argue that cloth nappies are just as bad for the environment, we are convinced that this is not the case.

I set out to discover the best and easiest way to use cloth nappies. I set up a registry of nappies for my baby shower, and received a few different ones which I could try out to decide on the best ones for us. I also purchased a few things.

One day I conducted a little experiment to see which nappies dried the fastest! This is our drying system, hanging the nappies in front of our heater (we love to put them on the washing line in the sun, as this bleaches and sanitizes them, but it is winter right now and so this is not always an option). The BumGenius pocket nappy and the plain cotton nappies won the competition. Of course, drying time is not the only marker of a good nappy. Containment is also very important, and I had to wait until Elnathan was born to find out about that!

It was not long after the birth of Elnathan that we decided the BumGenius pocket nappies were definitely the best in other categories as well - ease of use, containment, and fit. They really do fit a newborn (unlike some of our other "one size fits all" nappies). We've found that some nappies look good, but fail to contain the messes - thereby defeating the purpose of a nappy! There are other good nappy brands out there (I can also recommend Baby Beehinds), but BumGenius wins our vote for the best nappy. The cutest little man models a BumGenius in this picture.

My Birth Adventure

2009-06-16T16:50:00.005+10:00

Ever since Elnathan was born I have been hoping to write down on my blog some of what God did for us in the labour and birth. Life has been busy, though, and I haven't even yet completely written out the story for myself! Here are some of the details.

I woke up with pre-labour pains several times during the early morning hours on 5 May. I phoned my midwife about these pains in the morning, as they were continuing. Dave decided to work from home, but as it turns out he did not do much work! We went for a walk in the morning in an effort to make sure things kept on track - we wanted this baby to come!

In the early afternoon the contractions had become strong enough for me to phone my parents and some friends and tell them I was in labour. Around 3pm my midwife arrived. The contractions were getting stronger but I was able to pray and sing through them.

About 5pm I climbed into the birth pool, which was set up in the dining area, and found relief for my sore legs. The water was soothing. The contractions became intense, and I remember trying different positions and crying out to God as I went through them. Dave sat beside the pool and held me and said encouraging things like "you can do this". He also gave me sips of drinks.

A few hours later (about 8pm) my midwife told me that I was about 8cm dilated, and would be going into transition soon. I remember saying at some point "I just want to love God and love Dave" - I didn't want to respond wrongly to them during the trying time of labour. My sister Janelle, who is a midwife, arrived around this time. At one point I was really loosing it as the contractions became incredibly intense. My midwife and Dave helped me to realise that I wasn't helping myself. Dave helped me to breath and Janelle and my midwife took turns rubbing me where it hurt the most. This enabled me to calm down. In between contractions I was able to doze against the side of the pool and be soothed by the warm water.

Dave had Christian music playing, and I remember singing along to the Sovereign Grace music song "Give me the strength to sustain me, wisdom enough to guide my path".

At around 10pm my midwife said that I was ready to push. She told me that the key was to push harder than I thought I could, and that with a first birth it could take 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I was praising God to have reached this point. I talked about how people have implied or thought that I wouldn't be able to have a normal pregnancy and birth because of my back injury. I said "but I didn't believe them, and I can give birth!". This was a wonderful feeling and I was praising God.

Janelle and my midwife told me the baby would almost certainly be born before midnight. I was excited about this, as we'd prayed the baby would be born before the due date (the 6th)! However, things did not progress as fast as they thought. We all prayed together for this stage.

At about 12pm my midwife said I needed to get out of the pool to have the assistance of gravity. I thought I couldn't, but everyone said "yes you can!". Dave was especially encouraging! I leaned on Dave, with my leg on a chair, and he held me up through each contraction. I remember everyone saying to me "push, push, push" through each contraction. I was also making a lot of noise, and the thought of the neighbours did cross my mind!

Our midwife thought I'd need an episiotomy, but then I tore and our baby came out all at once. He landed on the chair in what seemed like a pool of blood! It was Elnathan - after months of speculating about whether our baby would be named Elnathan or the name we'd chosen for a girl, now we knew! I was happy to have given Dave a son. I exclaimed that I knew the baby was a boy! I'd been saying so throughout the pregnancy.

Dave and I climbed back into the pool with Elnathan, as I wanted to relax in the water. He looked very floppy, so the cord had to be cut and he was taken away to have some oxygen. He quickly recovered.

After the delivery of the placenta and the first breastfeed, I went to bed. Dave took Elnathan to introduce him to his parents via Skype, then brought him back for another feed. Another midwife came to help my midwife with the stitches. I was very tired and could hardly face this next stage, but kept praying and speaking God's truth. I was able to be calm enough for them to proceed, and was blessed to be able to lie in my own bed and look at our wedding picture on the wall while I was being stitched!

Finally we were left all alone with our newborn - and it felt like someone really should be supervising!

There are so many things to be grateful for about our labour and birth adventure . . .

* the comfort of our own home

* wonderful midwives to help us - not just one but two devoting their full attention to us in the most difficult stages - plus another excellent midwife to help with the stitching!

* being able to cry out to God throughout, without any inhibitions and knowing that all present were also seeking him

* good advice, particularly when I was not coping well

* the birth pool

* the medical expertise and equipment needed to help Elnathan breath properly

* being comfortable with our midwife and the care we received

* Dave's excellent support, and the strength God gave him throughout

* God's strength for me, enabling me to persevere

* A reasonably short labour in total, for a first birth

* the special experience of having my sister at the birth

* an intervention-free birth, which was just what we'd prayed for! I believe this would have been much less likely to happen in hospital. Without the pool and excellent supporters I may well have begged for some drugs for pain relief, and it is also likely there would have been intervention due to the longer than usual pushing stage.

God has answered our prayers. May we always remember what he has done.

The God who delights to humble us

2009-06-09T12:22:00.003+10:00

Suppose you eliminated suffering, what a dreadful place the world would be! because everything that corrects the tendency of man to feel over-important and over-pleased with himself would disappear. He's bad enough now, but he would be absolutely intolerable if he never suffered."
Malcolm Muggeridge, as quoted in Elizabeth Elliot's A Path Through Suffering: Discovering the Relationship Between God's Mercy and Our Pain

My labour experience with Elnathan was a wonderful example of God's providence and answered prayer, which I hope we will always look back upon with gratitude. It was also one of the most painful and difficult experiences of my life, which I came out of thinking "Wow, I've been through that and I'm still here!". Our early weeks with Elnathan have likewise been full of examples of God's goodness, and full of physical pain as I've had problems with breastfeeding.

At times I've wondered what on earth God was doing - the pain of birth seemed enough, without the added feeding problems. My answer is that God has humbled us through this pain. We often prayed for humility, and God has answered through suffering. There is nothing like suffering to put us in our place. Pain reminds us that we are not in control. We have to surrender to God's will, not our own.

Suffering also reminds us not to judge ourselves to be better than others. Would we do better if we were in their place, with their suffering? My relatively small sufferings have given me a greater appreciation for the reasons why people might be afraid of birth, or might give up breastfeeding in favour of the bottle. I don't believe I was ever harshly judgmental of those who opt for elective cesareans or bottle feed from the start. Now though, I realise that I could easily be one of them if I did not have so much wonderful support.

Pain has humbled me again. May God be glorified.

Becoming Mummy

2009-06-08T17:20:00.002+10:00

Before Elnathan was born, I thought of myself as a Mum to an unborn child. Sure, we had not met our child yet but I was still his or her Mum.

So it was a surprise when I did not feel like a Mum after he was born - the whole thing seemed unreal. It took me a couple of weeks to begin to feel like Mummy.

While we may be blessed with many more children in future, it will be Elnathan who turned us into parents! If any additional children come along, we will already be "Mummy" and "Daddy".

As I joked in the couple of days after his birth, he is "Experimental Version 1"! He has parents who forget to check his nappy when he won't stop crying, and generally feel quite unsure of themselves!

Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II

2009-06-01T17:43:00.003+10:00

During the last weeks of my pregnancy, I spent a lot of time lying tummy down in a beanbag in an attempt to get Elnathan to move into a better position. I am so grateful that my midwife recommended this (and lent me the beanbag) as he did move into a better position and I'm sure labour was easier as a result.

I had been getting little reading done previously, but this forced inactivity turned me to reading again! One of the books I read was "Evidence Not Seen". What a precious time it was as I walked with Darlene through here terrible experiences and her complete surrender of everything to God. What she went through is incomprehensible to many of us - torture, starvation, imprisonment, the loss of her much-loved husband.

I highly recommend this book, and want Elnathan to read it someday. In our smaller life trials, the same God who worked on Darlene's behalf helps us through. Just as she had to be willing to give up everything and continue to love and serve God, we face many daily opportunities to die to self. Like Darlene, we can find that out of the end of all our hopes God builds faith and strong relationships with others. In our weakness and pain, we too can find relationship with God as our strength and continue to serve him.

I dusted the house!

2009-06-01T17:12:00.002+10:00

Yep, it is true. In the life before the arrival of Elnathan, Monday was dusting and tidying day. Today for the first time in four weeks, Monday was dusting and tidying day. I only got to two rooms, but it felt great. I love caring for my home!

My wonderful man

2009-06-01T16:39:00.004+10:00

I can't say how grateful I've been for my husband at this time of transition to parenthood. I knew I had a gem, but now I have an even deeper appreciation for him! I was amazed at the way he took on all the necessary household tasks, from cleaning bloodstained items after the homebirth to doing his most hated job (washing up) more than once a day! In first couple of weeks after Elnathan was born I was very weak, and Dave's help was invaluable.

Here are some pictures of those first weeks with our little man.

Dave outside the doctor's surgery where we took Elnathan for his first ever doctor's visit, and his first ever drive in the car outside the womb!

Enjoying a cuddle with Daddy . . . Daddy's arms are one of the safest places to be!

Dave on his birthday, the week after Elnathan's birth, with his most important present!!

In the weeks following Elnathan's birth, I often thought of the phrase from Proverbs "Son of my womb, son of my vows". The reality of what my body had been through to give Elnathan life was still fresh . . . "Son of my womb". My gratitude to be in a loving marriage relationship at this time was also often on my mind . . . "Son of my vows". I love this photo of Dave's hand with his wedding band on, over our little son.

Elnathan loves to have his bath with Daddy. In fact, Daddy was the only one to do this job for the first two weeks.

Dave was also the first one to take Elnathan beyond the boundaries of our property! Here he is returning from posting a letter with our little man.

Thank you God for the blessings of marriage, of help, and of the perseverant love I've expressed in daily tasks being returned to me at the time I needed it most.

God has cared for us.

Listening to the Bible

2009-05-25T16:26:00.003+10:00

After being immersed in the word for months leading up to Elnathan's birth, I did not open my own Bible for two weeks following his birth. Nor did I go for a walk, wash up, or do anything much except look after Elnathan and try to recover from birth/solve my breastfeeding issues! The challenges were all consuming.

I am so grateful that just days before the birth, we chose to purchase this NKJV audio Bible . . .

As well as receiving God's word during our evening Psalm reading (which we've continued together), I've been able to listen to this while feeding. What a blessing it is to hear God's word. I am grateful to one of the ladies at church who suggested I buy an audio Bible for this time.

The cutest little man

2009-05-25T16:07:00.003+10:00

Equipping children for a life of love

2009-05-12T18:09:00.005+10:00

This post finishes a series about the belief statement I wrote about Christian education while studying at Wesley Institute. You can read the two prior posts on this topic, Education to the glory of God and Educating for godly dominion. Christian education must prioritise love for God and people, which is essential to the teachings of the Bible. We are hoping to homeschool, so in future I hope to adapt and expand on the thoughts in this belief statement for that purpose. A Christian education must also be a gospel-focused education. I hope to carefully consider how this could work itself out in our family, specifically with reference to reaching out to our community from our home. The possibilities for education in the home have become so much more exciting and real following the birth of our son Elnathan Michael Drew on Wednesday! Dave is excited about teaching our little one. He's already been observed speaking to the little guy in languages other than English and there seems to be classical music on around here more than usual!

"In order to become effective rulers of the world, children and young adults also need to obey the Great Commandment. Jesus taught that love for God and our neighbours is the principle around which we are to orientate our lives (Mark 12: 29 – 31). Christian education provides opportunities to prioritise love for God throughout the day and in every subject area. God can be glorified as a teacher reminds a student that He created numerical order and working out mathematical problems is possible. When the whole class recognises a sin or problem, they can learn to look to Christ as the answer. As a school, staff and students can sing God’s praises together and pray. Christian education also provides many opportunities to teach children about loving their neighbours. God’s word can be applied to students’ interactions with others and attitude toward themselves. They can be taught that their emotions, thoughts, words, and actions are important to God. Teachers can give moment-by-moment, situation-by-situation instruction about obedience, anger, speech, forgiveness, and many other topics. The academics in a Christian school should never be sub-standard, as this would display a lack of love for the students. Instead, students should be equipped to use the gifts God has given them to serve Christ and His body, the church.

As well as providing opportunities to teach about love for God and others, love for the gospel is an important characteristic of a Christian education. The centre of God’s work for humanity is the coming, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These truths also need to be central to a Christian education. The Bible not only commands Christians to believe the gospel, but to become people who can disciple the nations according to all that God has commanded (Matthew 28:20). Christian schooling can enable teachers to disciple students from both Christian and non-Christian homes. Teachers have wonderful opportunities to reach out to families who do not know Christ, or are struggling in their walk with Him, as well as those who are passionate about the gospel. A focus upon the gospel also gives students the strategies they need to deal with sin. Christian schools cannot protect children from sin, as each person in the school has a sinful heart. Instead, they provide an environment where sin can be exposed and biblically addressed. Through Christian education, students learn the answer to the problem of sin. In their particular circumstances, they can be reminded of God’s grace and its transforming power."

Elnathan Michael Drew

2009-05-12T17:53:00.002+10:00

Elnathan ~ God has given
Michael ~ Who is like God?

Born at home
12:11am
Wednesday May 6th

Baby shower

2009-05-04T17:08:00.006+10:00

In April my mother and sister threw a baby shower for me. Here are my Mum Lorraine and sister-in-law Jen with the decorations Mum put up - the signs read "Let's celebrate Baby Drew".

We had a lovely supper. I had to take care of a doll for the evening, as practice. Thankfully the doll did not cry or need its nappy changed.

One game involved tasting a variety of baby food options and trying to guess what was in them. Everyone who played decided that bought baby food was revolting! The only kind of nice one was berry and apple. Homemade baby food, here we come!

My sister Janelle served punch in a unique bowl!

Of course, there was "one of those games" that involved guessing my tummy size. Guests broke off the number of toilet paper squares they thought would measure baby and me.

I was allowed to leave my baby in the care of others, and often made use of their willing arms. Yvonne is expecting, so she needs some practice :).

I am thankful for the friends who attended, for those who brought food, for the effort put into organising the shower, the presents, and especially for the special prayer time we had.

Our gem squash harvest

2009-05-04T16:52:00.004+10:00

In April we collected all our gem squash from the plants. We had fun picking them before we pulled out the plants, looking for them amongst the tendrils and uncovering them amongst other plants where the vine had twisted its arms. We were thrilled to harvest more than 50 gem squash from only two plants, as we had expected each to produce only 8 - 12! Gem squash are a South African favourite that are rarely grown here, and they keep for up to twelve months. We look forward to enjoying them over the winter months and into spring time.

A new blog plan

2009-05-01T14:46:00.002+10:00

With baby coming soon, I've decided to shift to blogging on Monday and/or Tuesday each week rather than in the last week of each month. I'll be starting this next week.

I am also seeking to ask myself three main questions:

Does this glorify God?

Does this bless/help/edify those who read?

Am I writing this for myself (to get it off my chest, engage with others on a particular topic, let people know I think about more than babies, etc.) or for those who read it?

God has shown me that too often I've written primarily for myself. I've always sought to avoid blog "rants", and rather to give reasons for what I believe and to attempt to present my views (especially those that are controversial) in a thoughtful manner. However, God has shown me that I have still had inappropriate motives at times. I am not yet sure what this will mean for "A Deeper Love". One thing I hope to do is to refer readers more to resources (books, blog posts, talks) that may be helpful to them. I'd appreciate prayers as I seek to blog solely for God's glory and the good of those who read.

Dave's graduation

2009-05-01T14:31:00.002+10:00

We had a wonderful time at Dave's graduation from Monash University early in April.

Getting a PhD means you get a special hat.

The Drews . . . Dave, Sherrin and baby.

I felt blessed to be able to share this special time with Dave, as I was only a week away from the stage of pregnancy when airlines don't like to let you onto planes!

At the end of the evening, Dave was relieved to take off his hot and somewhat amusing garb.

While in Melbourne we were blessed to receive hospitality from friends. We also felt privileged that a friend and one of my aunts chose to attend the ceremony with us. Graduation ceremonies are not the most riveting of events, so we figured it must have been something of a sacrifice! It was great to be able to share the celebration with them. One of Dave's PhD supervisors also attended.

Thankful for Crystal's example

2009-04-30T17:31:00.002+10:00

I have greatly appreciated reading Crystal's pregnancy updates. Since she is just one week ahead of me (her due date is today), they have seemed very relevant to what I'm going through! After reading the 39 week update I'm inspired to continue to try to be cheerful! Crystal's trials are much greater than my own, so I'm reminded of how much God is sparing me even in the midst of the pain and sleep deprivation of late pregnancy.

Are you foolish?

2009-04-30T10:45:00.003+10:00

Today I did the Visionary Daughters "Are you a fool" quiz.

My grade: B

My verse:

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. - Ecclesiastes 10:1

Don't you love God's word! My grade gives me a "stinking savour". I already knew I had some work to do :)

Why not take the quiz yourself . . . if you're game!

Nancy on Preventative Prayer

2009-04-29T14:04:00.002+10:00

I've recently begun reading the blog Femina. Nancy Wilson's post on preventative prayer has stuck with me, and I'm seeking to apply it to my life.

Many things can be dealt with if we would pray preventively. Jesus taught us to pray that we would not be lead into temptation. That is preventive prayer.

This year, I began praying in advance about our reaction if we were not invited to a particular event. It was still hurtful when my suspicion that we wouldn't be invited turned out to be correct. However, I do believe that all those prayers in advance were helpful as we do not seem to have lingering resentments. I could do with praying far more of these prayers in anticipation of hardship or hurt, and perhaps this would help avoid future angry and unforgiving reactions.

Do you have any examples to share of how preventative prayer has helped you?

Differences between Christians

2009-04-29T14:00:00.002+10:00

How to deal with differences within the church is a frequent topic of conversation around our dinner table, and a frequent topic of prayer as we ask God to help us love the church.

James McDonald has posted helpful thoughts. Read A Step Toward Winning the Battle: Loving Each Other Amid Differences.

Affirmations for pregnancy and birth

2009-04-27T10:15:00.005+10:00

Yep, I'm still pregnant! I've been known to get a little impatient. I've also been known to get quite anxious about some of the present trials and potential trials.

Lots of pregnancy books recommend writing down "affirmations", which seem to revolve around statements like:

"My body has the power to give birth".

Hmmmmm . . .

Yesterday I took the time to focus on some of the verses that I've written down in recent months to help in pregnancy and labour, and to write down some Christian affirmations. I share these with you in the hope that they may help other Mums. I do not claim that these verses are in context - but I do believe that the truths in them can be applied to the situations of pregnancy and labour.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs with His arm,

And carry them in His bosom,

And gently lead those who are with young.

Isaiah 40:11

God is gently and tenderly caring for me and my child.

God is leading us in good paths.

I will be content with the paths God tenderly chooses for us.

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

Psalm 46:1-2

I will not fear, because God promises to be my strength, help and safety.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"

The LORD will give strength to His people;

The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 29:9, 11

God has complete power over all natural processes, including birth.

God makes the deer give birth, and he will make my body give birth.

God will glorify himself in the way he chooses to do this.

My greatest desire is to glorify God for his choices for us.

I want to bring glory to God's holy name through the way I trust him and embrace his will for our lives.

God will give us strength.

God will bless us with peace.

"Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD.

"Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God.

Isaiah 66:9

God causes delivery, and opens up the womb.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and even forevermore.

Psalm 121: 7 - 8

God will preserve our souls throughout the process, and always.

Let us know,

Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD.

His going forth is established as the morning;

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Hosea 6:3

God will come near to us, as surely as morning will come and rain will fall on the earth.

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. John 16:21.

Labour may bring sorrow, but it will result in joy.

Come, and let us return to the LORD;

For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up,

That we may live in His sight.

Hosea 6:1-2

When God brings suffering, and he also raises us up after it.

You have made known to me the ways of life;

You will make me full of joy in Your presence.

Acts 2:28

As I contemplated these Scriptures and God's sovereignty, I added two further "affirmations" of truth.

God has chosen the time of our child's birth.

God has chosen the place of our child's birth.

I want our child to be born at home. I want the birth to be as natural as possible. I want the birth to leave my body in good shape to serve my family afterwards, and for the nurture and birth of any future children. This is why I want to avoid interventions like cesarean.

Some of my desires stem from personal preference. Others are based on a desire to serve God in the way I believe he has called me to do. However, I have to recognise that God is in the best position to decide how I can serve him!

When we were researching home birth, this website about the birth pool we would be using made us laugh. The picture was a particular hit . . .

Doesn't it look idyllic? It is accompanied with the slogan "Because every woman has a right to a fabulous birthing experience".

While we are going with the home birth and the pool, it is not because I believe I have a right to a fabulous birthing experience! It is rather because we believe this gives us the maximum opportunity to have a natural birth. Ultimately though, what happens is God's choice. His choice will be for our good and his glory.

My pregnancy so far

2009-03-27T13:55:00.007+11:00

I have reached that point in pregnancy where it has begun to dawn on us that very soon we will need to care for a newborn! Nappy websites have suddenly taken on a fascination (which combination, exactly, should I purchase for night wear I wonder . . . ?). I have even been known to dream about cloth nappies (or maybe those were nightmares).

At 34 weeks of pregnancy, the goals that seemed so achievable when I made them in January have a much closer deadline! The fact that Mum gave birth to her first child 3 weeks early is a reminder that it really could happen any time. The freezer is already full of food (more than 20 meals), and thankfully the quilt top is sewn together now . . .

. . . and I remind myself that baby will just want to be fed and cuddled, and really won't care whether Mummy's scrapbooks are up-to-date or there is a framed ABC cross stitch on the wall!

Thankfully my goals have been fairly simple. I am aiming for three things in this season of life:

simplify
prioritise
choose the best

I have set out basic things that I should aim for in late pregnancy and after birth:

simple meals
rest and self care
laundry, dishes, toilet cleaning
prayer
remembering God's word
time with Dave

I've also written down a whole lot of the things that can completely drop off my list if need be, including:

Dusting
Tidying
Blogging
Sweeping and mopping
Craft
Organising
Reading anything more than the Bible

Hopefully having these things written down will help me focus on what is most important on hard days.

I feel exceptionally blessed in my pregnancy so far, despite the fact that the mishaps just keep happening! My chronic back pain has not grown worse, and overall I have felt healthy and happy. These are amazing blessings, considering my physical limitations.

Speaking of mishaps . . .

Pregnancy brain is a real phenomenon. Honestly. Have you ever left your wallet at home and not realised until some of your groceries had been scanned? Remedies . . .

Just accept it!

Lady, remember you have a TUMMY! It took me a long time to register that I could no longer fit through the same spaces as before. On one visit to the hospital I rammed someone with my tummy and said "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting I have a tummy!" Remedies . . .

Try to move more slowly

Baby will play up at the worst times . . . I am not sure if I can really blame the baby, but when I was a bridesmaid recently I did suspect him/her of being very naughty. I got such a severe cramp at the hairdresser's that I ended up crawling around her bathroom floor rubbing my side, in an effort to ease the pain. I was in there quite a while, and then had to lie on the couch. Meanwhile, baby was kick, kick, kicking right where the worst pain was and had changed position a lot since that morning. Thankfully I recovered in time for the ceremony. Possible remedies . . .

Laugh, laugh, and laugh some more. Really, what could be funnier than crawling around the floor in agony when you're meant to be painting the bride's nails?
Keep in mind that accepting any major responsibilities while pregnant could be hazardous!

Truly, I do find these things funny and it all adds to the adventure that is being pregnant for the first time. Next time my blogging month is here, I may no longer be pregnant! I am reminded to enjoy this unique stage of life that lasts such a short time. Baby is not due until May 6, but we are hoping to see him/her a little early. Please join with us in praying for a healthy and natural birth.

Sure, you can be a Christian polygamous, petrol sniffing, right-wing racist if you like.

2009-03-25T09:50:00.003+11:00

We’ve all heard the argument. “Well, the Bible doesn’t say anything about _____”. Or, with more sophistication “That is not a matter about which the Bible is clear, so we really shouldn’t make judgements”. The idea behind both statements is that if the Bible doesn’t speak to something specifically, we are left to our own opinions and conscience.

The key reason why such arguments do not satisfy me is that I have yet to see how they can be applied consistently. Why, exactly, don’t they lead to the conclusion put forward in the title of this blog post? When does the Bible become specific enough to listen to? There are many things that the Bible does not specifically mention which the Christian church has long held to be sinful or at least unwise (and being unwise is not, as I’ve attempted to demonstrate, much of a step up from outright sin).

I have shocked people when I pointed out that the Bible says “nothing” specific about the evils of paedophilia or polygamy . . . I didn’t mention de-facto marriage, slave owning, or membership of the Nazi party. Yet surely Christians must face and explain these things if they are to put forward the argument that if something is not mentioned specifically it is an area of Christian freedom. If an argument does not work when it comes to large matters, does it work for small ones? If so, how do we make the distinction?

I believe that the Bible does speak, directly or indirectly, to almost all areas of life. The Bible doesn’t use the word paedophilia, but it forbids sex outside of loving marriage. The Bible doesn’t condemn polygamy outright. It shows its destructive consequences and deviation from God’s plan. There are areas where the Bible specifically says we are entirely free: what we eat and drink and what days we keep (Romans 14). In these cases, the Bible does speak – and tells us to follow our own conscience.

As we seek to grapple with what the Bible says, there are many things to keep in mind:

We are to seek peace with one another, and it is wise to hold our tongues (read Proverbs!). I often fail on this one!
Many of us struggle to live out the Bible’s obvious teachings, and we need to focus on these. How many of us can say we’ve “arrived” when it comes to forgiving others or helping the poor?
Some areas of life are less important than others, and the very clear (love on another) must never be forgotten in our attempts to understand other matters.

Even when Christians are genuinely seeking to find out what the Bible’s implications are for a particular issue, they will not always come to agreement. It is still better, however, to attempt to make a Biblical case for one’s position. Otherwise, what will you have to say to the Christian polygamous, petrol-sniffing, right-wing racist when he tells you not to judge him? In my opinion . . . ?

Engagement Anniversary

2009-03-24T20:51:00.004+11:00

Dave and I had a great time celebrating our engagement anniversary on March 9. It is now two years since that happy day when we decided to get married. We are happier than ever that God led us to make that choice! We went to the historic town of Richmond to eat lunch and search for a wedding present for friends.

Dave took these pictures on self-timer . . .

Educating for godly dominion

2009-03-24T16:26:00.002+11:00

Last month, I posted an introductory comment on Christian education that I wrote as part of my Diploma of Education studies at Wesley Institute. Now I would like to share further from the belief statement I have drawn up, with this section on the Creation Mandate.

"As Christians we know that people are made in God’s image, to rule His world (Genesis 1:26). Part of this Creation Mandate is to form families through having children (Genesis 1:28). In order that humanity will rule the world well, parents are commanded to teach their children God’s ways. This teaching is not to be a haphazard and infrequent task. Rather, parents are to look for opportunities to share God’s word during every waking moment (Deuteronomy 6: 7). Truly Christian education, whether at home or at school, involves continual and deliberate sharing about God and what he has commanded. Parents can fulfil this responsibility through home schooling, which is the way that I was educated. If parents do not choose this option, Christian schools provide another way for children to be trained in God’s ways and from his perspective. Christian schooling enables parents to delegate their responsibility to teachers who love God. Teachers are there to help parents train their children to work in families and communities, and exercise responsible rulership over the earth. As families and communities take godly dominion, they glorify and enjoy their Creator."

Joyful Motherhood

2009-03-22T17:00:00.003+11:00

Psalm 139:9 says "He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!". As I read this verse, it struck me that "joyful" and "mother" are not words I think of together often! I was further challenged on this point when I listened to a Nancy Campbell teaching CD. Nancy shared her belief that God wants us as women to not just be mothers but joyful mothers.

How different this image God provides is to what we often see around us. I don't know about you, but when I think of words to describe the Mums I have known "joyful" is not the first word that comes to mind. Here are some of the things I might think of:

*Self-sacrificing
*Tired
*Frustrated
*Patient
*Perseverant
*Anxious
*Long suffering

What about you?

After listening to the teaching CD, I chaged my prayer for children somewhat. I began to pray that I would become a joyful mother of children. I knew that becoming a joyful Mum, when so many Mums I had known were not characterised by joy, would be just as much an act of God as the conception and birth of a child for us. This prayer has become a continual one for me, as I am constantly reminded of the many ways that it is easy to radiate anything but joyful motherhood! Even pregnancy brings many challenges . . . and I can easily see myself becoming a complaining not a joyful mother!

Here are some of the things I think may steal mothers' joy:

Anxiety for our children and ourselves. God's word repeatedly reminds us not to be anxious. However, if you are anything like me you are not very good at obeying this command.

Self-imposed pressure or pressure from others to do, do, do - and do it just right! Unlike Jesus' yoke, the yokes we impose on ourselves are often heavy.

Comparison with others. God's word speaks to this and tells us that each one should "examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another" (Galatians 6:4).

I believe there may also be things that contribute to a joyful attitude:

Confidence in God's purpose for us as mothers - the deep assurance that God has created us for this role and he will provide all we need to do it.

Trust is a closely related concept. Trust that God will do what is best for us and our children.

Knowledge that in laying down our lives we find them. We do not need to chaff against the self-sacrifice and loss of space and time that are basic to motherhood. Instead, we can see this as one way of being like Christ in dying to our own desires. If we know that this self-sacrifice is the path to true joy, we are comforted in the changes and sufferings that motherhood brings.

Investing all our energy and passion into what God has called us to at this time. There are countless opportunities out there to better ourselves, to serve others, to "escape the kids", etc. Often, the opportunities are the worst temptations! "Good" things that actually take us from what we are primarily called to do as wives and mothers, and increase that self-imposed pressure. I have even experienced this in pregnancy.

I am just starting out on my journey of being a Mum . . . so I'd love to hear from more experienced readers about what you believe keeps us from being joyful Mums and what helps us to live out God's heart for us - joyful motherhood!

Zucchini Recipes and Ideas

2009-02-28T17:10:00.003+11:00

There is nothing like growing your own food for inspiring creativity in using it! When you garden you don't have the luxury of buying only what you need for a recipe. Instead, you have to find recipes for the food you've grown! A lot of people resort to giving away their zucchini to anyone who will take one, because they have so many. Since I'm a more obsessive type, I've instead attempted to find a use for every zucchini we grow. Sometimes I have dreams about zucchini, and think I'll soon join the ranks of the givers of unwanted gifts, but in the meantime I've come across lots of ways to use zucchini. Here are a few that I recommend:

Stuffed Zucchini

If you let your zucchini grow a bit big, this is a fantastic way to use them. Cut the zucchini in half and take the soft inner part where the seeds are. Blanch them in boiling water until softened and drain. Prepare savory rice to your taste - we like to include beans, cheese, onion, some of the zucchini cut from the middle, and herbs. Pine nuts, currants, capsicum and onion can also work. Place rice into zucchini shells, and top with cheese. Bake.

Zucchini Bakes

I have a couple that we like.

* Breadcrumb Zucchini with parmesan and parsley
* Tomato, Zucchini and Capsicum Gratin - oregano and feta gives this one a great flavour

Stir Fries and Curries

Young zucchini are great as part of a general vegetable stir fry, or you can use them in Thai Green Curry. Basically, you can chuck a zucchini in most of these types of dishes!

Soup

This is a new one for me this year, and it is fantastic! I was surprised at how good zucchini soup can taste. You can use big zucchini with success.

Pickles

Another new one for me this year, I tried a zucchini pickle recipe. We will have to wait and see how it turns out, but I tried one someone else had made and it was great.

Egg based dishes

Zucchini can be added as one vegetable in a quiche, or better yet made into zucchini slice.

Muffins and cakes

Savoury muffins with zucchini can be tasty. I recently adapted one with delicious results (or we thought so, anyway). Here it is:

2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk or milk (buttermilk gives a lovely tangy flavour - you could also use a combination of natural yoghurt and milk)
3 0z (90g) butter, melted
2 medium zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Enough fresh tomato to garnish

Mix up the dry ingredients with the cheese and basil. Mix up the wet ingredients with the zucchini and add. Stir until just combined. Place in muffin cups and top with sesame seed and a small piece of fresh tomato.

Would you believe it, you can also put zucchini in sweet cakes and breads. Zucchini chocolate cake is lovely and moist, and you wouldn't know the zucchini was there!

Pizza

Add a small zucchini as one of the vegetables on pizza.

Miscellaneous

Pop zucchini slices in toasties, dice tiny ones in salads . . . anything! One surprisingly simple and good recipe I came across recently uses zucchini, oil, tomatoes, garlic, olives and parsley to create a vegetable mix that can be eaten hot or cold. It tastes great plain or on toast. I am hoping to experiment with placing it on top of pasta or a grain.

After all this, it is still possible to be inundated with too many zucchinis! I suggest harvesting the flowers for garnishes on salads, or choppping them up as one ingredient in salads. After all, one of the keys to zucchini control is pick 'em young! Pick them in the early morning and keep them in the fridge until needed.

If you have a lot of yellow zucchini, or patty pan squash like those above, the perfect thing to do with them is make Tammy's Chicken Squash Bake. We love this! Since we don't have a functioning grill, we just bake it for the last part. I also just use ordinary cheddar cheese, and it is fine.

I am happy to provide any of the recipes for these ideas on request. If you have further ideas for using zucchini and squash, please let me know!

Education to the glory of God

2009-02-26T16:33:00.003+11:00

Now that I'm a Mum to an unborn child, I plan to pay some attention to defining and understanding what our family's vision for Christian education is. My friend John Dekker once stated that he believed this was essential for excellence in home schooling, and I think he has a point. In the past, through my studies at Wesley Institute, I had the opportunity to define my beliefs in an assignment. I'll be using some of the ideas in this to build further understanding. Those of you who are interested in the topic of Christian education may also find these thoughts of interest. Here is the first part of "My personal philosophy of Christian education".

“To glorify God and enjoy Him forever” is the way Augustine described the goal of the Christian life. The education of children is part of this broader aim. Education is inescapably religious. It transfers information about what is meaningful in life, how we should live, and whom we should serve. Even when these ideas are not explicitly spoken, they form the basis of what is excluded or included in the curriculum. Secular education is not neutral. God cannot be glorified where he is not praised. Students do not have a full opportunity to enjoy God when he is not acknowledged. Christians who desire to glorify and enjoy God in education can look to the Bible for encouragement and guidance. The central biblical commands found in the Creation Mandate (Genesis 1: 26 – 28), the Great Commandment (Mark 12: 29 – 31), and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20) provide insights into what truly Christian education should look like.

Baby's quilt

2009-02-25T17:16:00.002+11:00

I've been working on a baby quilt for months. I think I chose the most time consuming idea possible :). Finally, nearly every animal is finished - just some details of several have to be done. I'm glad the animals are interspersed with plain blocks. They are much quicker! The idea is that the quilt represents South Africa and Australia, like our family! There is a koala, lion, emu, hippo, leopard, kangaroo (and joey), etc. all mixed up together! We hope that our child will identify with and pray for both the country where he/she was conceived (South Africa) and the country where he/she will be born - Australia! This is by no means the final block arrangement, just one layout idea. The only definite colour patterning is the emerald green.

Oh, and our bed is not even properly made in this picture - just so my online friends realise I'm not a perfect housekeeper :).

February 2009 garden

2009-02-25T17:01:00.003+11:00

Our garden has been giving us a lot of pleasure this month, as we've begun to harvest more from it. It is exciting that Dave has now completed all the beds and we are able to see the design come together.

We planted gem squash, a South African favourite that is not sold here in Australia. We are planning to keep most of them for winter (they keep up to 12 months) but Dave couldn't resist harvesting one and preparing it the right way, boiled whole then halved and served with a dab of butter and salt and pepper. These photos were taken on February 7.

This is a more recent photo, taken on Sunday. Dave is the resident waterer, and I am the resident planter/harvester/main cook and preserver. I think it is a good deal, because watering takes a long time each day!

Dave is becoming increasingly passionate about knowing where our food comes from and participating in its production. He's been mulling over many agrarian ideas.

The expectant couple

2009-02-25T16:25:00.000+11:00

This pic was taken on January 31 at Shellyanne and Tim's wedding.

Congratulations John and Kara!

2009-02-23T20:31:00.003+11:00

I am thrilled to be able to publicly congratulate John and Kara on their engagement. The story of how it happened is recounted here with a satisfying amount of detail! Thanks John. I am also happy to be able to say that I had a small part to play in this, through keeping a blog! The details of that are recounted in John's post. It is exciting to have been used by God to answer my own prayers for John! I also corresponded a bit with Kara, answering questions about John. At some point she may have realised that my replies were somewhat similar to advertisements :) - just joking, but I did have a lot of good things to say! I've been praying for years that God would bless John with a wife, and I'm convinced that Kara will make a good helper for him.

45 days immersed in God's word

2009-02-23T19:52:00.004+11:00

Today I reached the milestone of completing half of the "read the Bible in 90 days" plan. It is an answer to prayer that I've been able to keep up with it (sometimes, like today, through completing two days in one). It is not easy to read 10 - 20 + chapters of the Bible each day, and requires me to prioritise Bible reading over lots of other activities or reading that it would be nice to complete. That is exactly why I chose to attempt this plan. I wanted to purposefully devote my late pregnancy to learning about God. A challenge like this seemed like a great way to do so!

At times I have wondered if there were really benefits to soaking myself in Scripture at such a rapid rate. I think it was somewhere between 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles that I began to wonder if being soaked in ugly stories about Israel's history was at all edifying! I remembered though, that Israel really lived through this. God really bore with his people through this. Couldn't I stick with it a few days? Before I knew it I was paging through the more familiar pages of Job and the Psalms. The more I've read, the more convinced I am that reading through the Bible quickly does have benefits. I've gained a stronger perspective on God's work through in and through his people - the "big picture" of who God is and what he cares about.

I believe that God blesses our efforts to seek Him, even if the results are not immediately evident. Here are a few of the aspects of Scripture that I've felt the Holy Spirit has particularly applied to my heart as I've commited to reading God's word. . .

* We had a terrible wind storm in January. I was home alone and a little afraid of the wind. It was hard to stand against it as I tried to stake the tomatoes, rescue the roses, and tie back the sunflowers. As I looked at the wind God reminded me of how much more terrifying his wrath is. I had a good picture of this through the Bible history I'd been reading!

* I've coloured in many themes during my reading time. One of these is the fatherless and widows. I'd never noticed before the way that Job's defence of his righteousness hinges upon the way he treated the poor. Job says that if he had mistreated the poor and fatherless he would deserve his suffering. However, instead he had been as a father to the fatherless (Job 31:18) and shared his food with the widow (Job 31:17).

* Fear is another theme I've explored. The fear of God has become clearer to me, as have our other fears. God is a Father who speaks to the realities of human emotions and reactions. He does us the great kindness of not leaving us to our own devices. Instead, he reaches down to teach us how to love and fear Him in the midst of it all!

All the family

2009-01-30T21:30:00.002+11:00

My brother and his family are down from Brisbane, so it was fun to have a picnic (in Mum and Dad's yard!) with all of my siblings and their kids. All but one of the children feature in this photo . . .

Well, this is the last post from me until the last week in February. In the meantime I'll be busy trying to complete craft projects before baby comes, keeping house, using the produce of our garden and my parents' garden, keeping up with my "read the Bible in 90 days" plan, and more! I'm grateful to God for purposeful days.

Holiness, Legalism and the Sufficiency of Scripture

2009-01-30T21:22:00.002+11:00

On a recent road trip to the North East of Tasmania, Dave and I listened to Jeff Pollard’s talk “Holiness, Legalism, and the Sufficiency of Scripture”. It was the first time Dave had heard the talk, but it was my fourth or fifth. I have a desire to listen to this CD over and over again, perhaps because its message is one I need to hear over and over again! The talk is also packed with concepts. The preacher acknowledges that each topic listed in the title could do with multiple sermons, and packing it into about an hour makes it a stretch.

The section on holiness is inspiring as Pollard details God’s holiness and our call to be like Him. We are to be a set apart, holy people. God’s standard is complete holiness in thought, word, and action. The section on legalism is insightful and challenging. Some humour is provided as Pollard details the pitfalls of this topic – the main ones being that people constantly label others legalists yet no one seems sure what it means and no one ever admits to it! Pollard defines legalism as a) having a standard – God’s word or a man made standard b) that you seek to attain through self-effort c) for the purposes of self-exaltation.

The teaching about legalism is remarkable for two things. 1) Its accuracy in describing the true evidences of legalism, and the clarity of conviction this provides. We are all legalists. 2) Its avoidance of the common tendency to describe a legalist as, in Pollard’s words, anyone who says there is a problem with something I think is fine! You are not a legalist solely because you hold particular convictions about dress or Sabbath keeping or giving . . . or a multitude of other topics. You are a legalist if you think that those things make you a better Christian and more pleasing to God.

Pollard’s teaching on the Sufficiency of Scripture is perhaps the most controversial section of his CD. He argues that we can seek the mind and will of God through the Scriptures and prayer – even on matters that are not spoken of in specifics. Amongst many Evangelicals today, this position is not held in high regard. Many argue that the Bible does not speak to x, or y, or z . . . or that it does not speak in a relevant or understandable way. It is common to hear it said that unless the Bible addresses something specifically, that matter is one of opinion. The position put forward on this CD is that we ought to rely upon God’s revelation in all matters, not on our own reason or opinions. However, if someone else also seeks out God’s word and prays and comes to a different conclusion we are not to view that person as a lesser Christian.

I recommend this CD to anyone with even a slight interest in the topics covered. It is well worth what you pay for it from Behemoth.

Pregnancy Mishaps

2009-01-30T20:57:00.005+11:00

In the tradition of the homemaking mishaps, I present:

The problem of the soiled tummy . . .

It never occured to me prior to pregancy, but that jutting tummy can pose a dirt problem. Everything that falls out of your mouth, or out of your hand while you're trying to get it into your mouth, lands on your tummy. Just to let you know.

Possible solutions:

Wearing an apron at all times, especially while eating. Mum suggested a set of black ones from Big W.

Any other ideas?

The memory issue . . .

There was the occasion where a guest asked me two simple questions and I couldn't answer either of them. They were "how many weeks pregnant are you", and "how old are you". Being unable to reply to such questions could be considered humiliating.

Possible solutions:

Taping a piece of paper to oneself with all vital details, or carrying a small card ready for occasions when you're asked such questions.

Any other ideas?
The attitude problem . . .

Perhaps the most serious of my mishaps when it comes to pregnancy is the fact that I let my attitude slip in relation to people's litany of comments about my tummy. This is more of a sin or folly than a mishap, and I really need to learn to laugh about the silly things people say. I was reminded of this two days ago, when in two separate stores I got two totally different reactions to my tummy.

Store 1: Mr. Appliance Spares, who was not previously known to me, said that I "looked like I'd dropped" and "wow, I'd really popped out".

Store 2: Mr. Picture Framer asked me if I had moved out of home. This puzzled me a little as I was obviously pregnant and wearing a wedding ring. Things were made a little clearer when, as I was leaving, I mentioned that I wanted to get my pictures done before the baby comes. He replied that he hadn't noticed I was pregnant.

Mummy Shower

2009-01-30T20:12:00.003+11:00

Do any of you read Above Rubies? My Mum has received it for many years and the inspiring articles and teaching have impacted my life in many ways. It is the kind of magazine that makes you believe that it is possible to create a God honouring home and family life, and turns you toward relationship with God as the source of hope and help in life's difficulties. Even people I know who don't agree with a word of the magazine's perspective on birth control (which could be briefly described as God family planning) read and enjoy it.

One article described the idea of giving baby showers to Mums who were having their 3rd, 4th, 5th . . . or 10th child! The idea was that we should have special God honouring rituals that celebrate life and encourage Mums. We shouldn't stop celebrating with number one or two! So when friend of mine became pregnant with her 4th child, I asked if she'd like a "Mummy Shower". She already had everything necessary for baby, so the idea was that guests would bring something to bless her. Here I am with our lovely sunflowers before the Mummy Shower . . .

We gave the Mum-of-honour a foot bath and painted her nails.

I also made a book of pretty pictures and inspiring quotes. In the invitations guests were invited to contribute a word of encouragement to this book. At the Mummy Shower we also had a prayer time . . . and of course there was food to eat and punch to drink. Have any of you ever done anything similar? If so, do you have ideas for other activities?

What is wisdom?

2009-01-29T11:16:00.005+11:00

The urgency of being obedient to wisdom

The Bible presents wisdom and understanding and obedience to God's commands as closely connected. This is seen when Moses speaks of the law of God. "Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples" (Deut. 4:6). In chapter eight of Proverbs, we are instructed to pursue wisdom with great urgency. The warnings about the consequences of choosing not to do this are strong. Proverbs 8:36 says "he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death". Wisdom doesn't seem to be a take it or leave it kind of thing.

The need to see foolishness as sinful

The New Testament echoes the idea that folly is something that must be repented of. In Mark 7:20 - 23, Jesus puts foolishness in a list of evil things. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Foolishness is listed as one of the things we are meant to have left behind as Christians "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures" (Titus 3:3).

Is wisdom "Christianised common sense". Is it up to us to decide what is wise?

If wisdom is vital, and we can be called to repent of it, there must be definite boundaries to wisdom - "rights" and "wrongs" if you like. For example, the Bible uniformly presents a person who responds well to correction as wise. There are some heart reactions to correction that are right, and some that are wrong. At the same time, there can sometimes be more than one wise course. The Bible defines the boundaries of wisdom, and there are instances where multiple options are presented as wise depending upon the circumstances. Scripture must be compared with Scripture. Sometimes we are called to make up our own minds about what is wise. There will be boundaries, however, and there will always be some options that are foolish.

Freedom from unnecessary advice

Embracing the Bible's view of wisdom frees us from "Christianized common sense". The Christian world abounds with people who are willing to press viewpoints upon us that are independent of Biblical revelation. If someone tells you not to get married until you're 25, to make sure you check that your baby is OK by having an ultrasound, to juice carrots daily, to not to have kids until you're 30, to date for five years, to vote for the one who'll "do most for the poor", to wait a year to have kids after you get married, or not to buy a bike, there are biblical principles you can use to evaluate this advice. Most advice is not based on God's wisdom, and after listening and giving consideration to it we are perfectly free to reject it.

The personal context of this post

I know many Christians who appear to argue that wisdom issues and godliness issues can be neatly separated out. They say that we are not to make judgements about a "Christian" response when it comes to wisdom issues because these are not matters of right or wrong. I believe that this approach to wisdom is not consistent with biblical revelation. It is desperately important for every Christian (myself included) to be held accountable to make wise choices. It is not loving to our brothers and sisters in Christ to ignore obvious departures from wisdom. In the context of close relationships, it is appropriate to remind one another that some choices are unwise. All this must be done in the spirit that James 3:17 describes as wise. God's wisdom is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy".

Keeping Dave Number One

2009-01-27T14:58:00.004+11:00

I am grateful for my husband. There are few days on which I don't think about how blessed I am that God brought him into my life. He is tender, kind, dilligent, passionate about things that matter, generous, a good friend, a good cook, and so much more! We both feel like having a child is an expression and fulfillment of the "one flesh" union that is marriage - our child will be from both of us, yet one person. Of course, I want baby to look like Dave and Dave wants baby to look like me!

Although having a child brings much joy, I am also aware that many women struggle to keep their husbands as "number one person" after little ones arrive. The physical and time demands of parenthood make it harder to prioritise their husbands' needs and desires. I am thrilled to be a Mum, and yet I don't want to be primarily defined as one. I am first of all my husband's helper, and one of the ways I help him is to be a Mum. This is one reason why even after the baby is born I'd rather tell people I'm a housewife than a stay-at-home Mum.

I know that many of my readers have been married much longer than me, and already have one or more children. I'd love to hear . . .

* Your tips for treasuring your husband, even in those early "survival" days of parenthood!
* Mistakes you've made and what you have learnt from them
* How you teach your children that Daddy comes first in your heart and priorities (after God, of course)!
* How you treasure your husband in the way you talk about him to others outside the family, and communicate to them that he comes first

And anything else that comes to mind!

Even if Dave and I have 10 children, it is likely that one day it will just be the two of us in our house again. When that day comes, I want us to have a deeper love and trust between us than we do today. I also know that the best thing we can do for our child is to love each other.

Back to the plan

2009-01-10T12:57:00.002+11:00

After the change of plan for December's posts, I will now be returning to my blogging plan. You will find more blog posts here at the end of January.

In the mean time, I recommend a couple of blog posts:

Your Sacred Calling, A Single Solitary Article

Passionate Homemaking, A Godly Woman's Work

Year's End

2009-01-10T12:33:00.005+11:00

"Year's End", a prayer from The Valley of Vision, is ideal to meditate on at the start of 2009.

O love beyond compare,
Thou art good when thou givest,
when thou takest away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when night gathers over me.
Thou has loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness,
in retreat helping me to advance,
when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that thou has veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If thou has appointed storms of tribulation,
thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
I shall see thy face the sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
As a chosen vessel meet always for they use.

The start of 2009 is also the perfect time to decide on a new plan for spending time in God's word. Check out this impressive list of Bible reading plans. I'm still deciding what to do. I'm thinking of trying to read through the whole Bible before baby arrives, using the 90 day plan.

Entrusting our dreams to God

2009-01-08T16:12:00.002+11:00

We serve a God who can do the impossible. In August two years ago I wrote a long post about courtship, which I’ve summarised in some of these posts. At the end of my article I wrote: “After all this, you have to actually like the person . . . or preferably fall in love! If that all seems impossible, as it does to me often, remember that we serve a big God who loves to see his people happy and functioning effectively for his kingdom.”

I’ve been amazed at how God has answered my prayers. Marriage has been better than I ever imagined, and I still marvel at the way God brought Dave all the way across the world! I rejoice in the way we are able to support and love each other. At the same time, marriage has made me realise again the importance of trust. Singleness is a real trial to many people, especially those who struggle with sexual desires that cannot be fulfilled or with loneliness. Yet marriage can bring with it its own particular unfulfilled longings.

God chose to withhold the gift of children from Dave and I in the first year of our marriage. We always knew he might do so, and that it might even be his will that we were permanently childless. Our marriage vows contain a deliberate acknowledgement of this. We did not promise to raise “our children” to know and love Jesus, we promised this for “any children God gives us”.

Yet despite this mental acknowledgement, we experienced a lot of fear about why we weren’t getting pregnant. Many negative and even sinful emotions emerged. As the seemingly endless pregnancy announcements kept coming, we wondered if there was something wrong with us. Of course, the announcements that were attended with the label “unexpected” were the hardest.

Now that God has blessed us with an unborn child, I am still laying down dreams. The desire to adopt a child runs very deep. Yet if anything, getting pregnant has made this harder. I’ve had to repent of wanting to control situations in order to be able to adopt. Only God will enable us to adopt, just as only God could give us a biological child. It has got to be his dream, not ours.

In the face of unfulfilled dreams, we all have a choice: trust God, or be miserable and without hope. We must say with the hymn Prince of Peace, Control My Will “May thy will, not mine be done, May thy will and mine be one”. This is particularly hard when we know that what we want is in line with the general will of God. Marriage is the general will of God, as is bearing children and the placement of orphans in families. It is right to desire these things, but we must want the fulfilment of God’s specific will for our lives more – even if it means we are denied the very things we believe God’s word leads us to desire.

God does not call us to an emotionless life. Unfulfilled dreams will, at times, be a source of grief. We can entrust our broken lives, and crushed hopes, to God and know that he does not condemn our sorrow. Yet in the midst of this God is calling those who are hurting to trust Him and believe He knows best. As we seek God, He will provide ways for us to serve Him in the circumstances He has appointed. It is in God that we find our ultimate hope and inheritance, not in earthly families and relationships. He wants us to desire Him above all else.

God's plan of adoption

2009-01-07T15:44:00.003+11:00

God sets the solitary in families
Psalm 68:6

This Bible verse is the basis for my passion for adoption as a care option for orphaned or abandoned children. Apparently, there are over 100 million orphaned children in the world. These children have been left alone, without a family to care for them. I believe that God’s ideal for each of them is that they would have a loving family. While other care options (such as institutional care) can provide for physical needs, the family is God’s best way of providing long-term love, emotional connection, and social networks.

Adoption is also a concept rooted in the Christian doctrine of salvation. God uses the words adopted and adoption to describe his actions toward us. This is a precious thing to remember at Christmas. We are God’s children because he sent his son to die for our sins, so that our relationship with him could be restored and we could be adopted into his family. God planned for us to be his children before time began “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 3:5).

Galations 4:4 – 7 says:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Keeping the gospel in mind can help us to know how to respond to some of the objections to adoption that are often raised. Many people are hesitant about inter-country adoption, or inter-racial adoption. Remember that God has adopted into his family people of every tribe and tongue and nation. He does not discriminate against any, but meets the needs of all. Christian families do well when they reflect the diversity of the family of God. Many people also have concerns about the child’s background, and whether they will cause trouble in their adoptive family. Remember that although we rebelled against God and even hated him, he forgave and welcomed us into his family.

At the end of January, I hope to post more on adoption.

December pictures

2009-01-06T17:41:00.004+11:00

We had a wonderful month celebrating Christmas! Dave loves to decorate the tree.

My sister gave us a bassinett some time ago, and it is set up in our room looking pretty . . .

On Christmas Eve, we had "Nine Lessons and Carols" at our home. This is a worship service with carols and Bible readings and prayers. Christina was to give birth to Eve the next week (who, by the way, is a most beautiful baby).

On Christmas day we harvested some veggies to take to our family Christmas lunch.

Our sister-in-law obligingly took photos of us in my parents garden.

I hope you also had a fantastic Christmas and December.

The best laid plans . . .

2009-01-03T18:59:00.002+11:00

I had planned several posts for the Christmas week, and even written them the week before! I'd also decided on some of the photos I'd like to upload. However, I had another reminder of one of my favourite verses:

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jeremiah 10:23

Our Internet was out nearly all week, and could not be fixed until this Monday - when we left on holiday! So I'll be posting a few things next week that I had intended to post in December.

Don't Waste Your Life

2008-12-22T14:07:00.003+11:00

Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper is a heartfelt call to live out the Christian life with passion. John Piper does not advocate a “good” life, or an “ok” life, but a life devoted to enjoying God and making others happy in Him.

Don't Wate Your Life is full of the biblical themes that should define our lives: the Creation Mandate, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission. Piper shows the way that all are essential to the furtherance of God’s Kingdom. He achieves a refreshing and essential integration of them in his call for devotion to Jesus Christ.

An entire chapter is devoted to “secular” work and its worth in the Kingdom of God. This chapter provides fresh perspective on what it means to be creative human beings who aim to exalt and enjoy God through daily work. I am going to dip back into this in order to apply it better to my approach to work at home.

John Piper draws all things into the centre of loving and enjoying God. He calls for us to love the cross, the gospel, and the beauty of God Himself. Piper shows the way love for God leads to love for others. This is expressed beautifully in part of a long prayer that makes up the final chapter:

“There is a quiet kind of joy, O Lord, that Jesus did both save us from our sin and show us how to love. His life, as you have said, was both a purchase and a path. He died for us, and now calls us to die with him. He took our poverty upon himself that we, in him, might have the riches of his heaven, and he calls us now to use our riches for the poor.”

This path of love that Jesus showed us leads us directly into the midst of the Great Commission. If we love people, we will want them and to be happy in Christ. If we love God, we will want every life and culture and nation in this world to glorify Him. Piper devotes much space to a call to take risks for the sake of the gospel, and to explaining the worth of frontier mission.

So often we can spend our lives on the “ok” things. The things we may be free to do, but which God has never said should be priorities in our lives. Piper critiques many of these things, including our culture’s entertainment obsession. In recent months, I’ve been reconsidering many of the things I do. Even “good” things can keep us from opportunities to obey Christ and show that we treasure the same things he does.

See you in December!

2008-11-27T18:04:00.003+11:00

I'll blog next time in the Christmas week.

One of the many reasons I have decided to stop blogging weekly is that there are so many great blogs out there covering some of the same main themes that I focus on here.

Check out Passionate Homemaking where Lindsay has written about Mission minded home schooling, lots of other mission-related posts, and lots of posts about caring for God's world. This blog seems fantastic.

Jasmine has written about The Environment, giving a Christian perspective on why we care for the earth.