6. It's perfectly acceptable to prance around singing 'Dancing Queen' at the top of your voice whilst doing household chores.
7. New stationary is exciting as well as functional.
8. You can talk to anyone you please and no-one is suspicious of you. e.g. person with cute puppy, or cute baby or random person in the supermarket checkout line.
9. Your 'look' alone can kill. Men haven't mastered this.
10. You can wear skirts or trousers....David Beckham. No comment! Are we suprised it didn't catch on? er..NO.
11-15 coming soon...
After some more serious stuff.
Girl Power
06/09/2008
Prepared for anything?
I like to be organised. I like to be prepared, fully and as in advance as possible, it's part of my personality. When I'm packing for a family holiday, for instance, the process begins about three weeks before departure. I think about which clothes everyone will need to take, wash them, iron them and put them in the case in the corner of the bedroom. This trait drives my husband mad, in a perplexed rather than in an angry way! (He is a very calm and patient man...):
'Where's my blue Polo shirt?" He'll ask.
"Packed" I'll reply.
(BIG SIGH) "But we're not going for another 2 and a half weeks!!"...
When I'm satisfied with that stage I'll make a list of things I might need to go and buy:
* deoderant
* batteries
* things to keep the children happy (colouring book, sweets...)
...You get the picture!
I love lists. They're definately the way to go. I love crossing jobs off a list that I've complete. I enjoy the satisfaction of a shopping trip where I've got everything on the list in as little time as possible and preferably, as cheaply as possible.
This need for organisation, preparation and thinking ahead is evident in other parts of my life too...even, dare I say it, in my Christian life. I believe that God used this part of my personality in a way to 'win me'. Before I accepted Jesus as my Saviour it was thinking ahead to the rest of my life and more specifically to the end of it, to my death, that I didn't feel prepared for. I didn't like this feeling. Being unprepared (about anything) to me is the total pole opposite to the secure feeling of being organised, it's sheer panic. So, not preparing myself for the inevitable as I grew up seemed stupid. I HAD to think about it.
It puzzles me that a person will plan their funeral meticulously and sort out their pre-payed funeral package, choose the songs they want and even the colours they want people to wear! but be careless about their destination. It's like spending your life savings on a very expensive plane ticket for what you hope will be a relaxing holiday but not bothering to pack anything, omitting to plan any accomodation at the other end and not bothering to take your passport to the airport. How can it be that people can choose a beautiful silk lined box, look after their loved ones financially but only plan up to that point and not beyond?
Last September my Dad read a note to me over the phone that his Mum had left for him to read when she died. Although the event to us was sudden and shocking, my Nan had been totally prepared for it, in every way, despite not knowing the hour or day it would come. Her note wasn't long. She was a woman who didn't like a fuss. It simply stated that she had had a very happy life and contained two instructions. The first was about her death not bringing us sorrow.....although it does still bring me this, I know it brought her joy. The second was the two hymns she wanted at her funeral. The words of which summed up her life and death. She lived with Christ and died in him. Her destination was secure. I know where she's gone. For sure. I know where I'm headed too. It's my deepest longing and prayer that more people will be prepared like my Nan. A lovely pastor once put it something like this: "If you saw thousands of people running blindly towards the edge of a cliff, wouldn't you shout at them to warn them?"
I know that it's wonderful to know what God has prepared for me. I know it's a miracle He lead me to this certainty. I also know that I don't shout loud enough.
The anniversary of my Nan's death has made me realise again that it's urgent. Death is a certainty. For those I love, those I know and spend time with. For those that don't yet know Jesus and therefore don't know where they're going. Please pray for me. I want to shout louder. I really need to warn them about that cliff. I really have to tell them the way to get to heaven. But often my voice is little more than a pathetic whisper.
'Where's my blue Polo shirt?" He'll ask.
"Packed" I'll reply.
(BIG SIGH) "But we're not going for another 2 and a half weeks!!"...
When I'm satisfied with that stage I'll make a list of things I might need to go and buy:
* deoderant
* batteries
* things to keep the children happy (colouring book, sweets...)
...You get the picture!
I love lists. They're definately the way to go. I love crossing jobs off a list that I've complete. I enjoy the satisfaction of a shopping trip where I've got everything on the list in as little time as possible and preferably, as cheaply as possible.
This need for organisation, preparation and thinking ahead is evident in other parts of my life too...even, dare I say it, in my Christian life. I believe that God used this part of my personality in a way to 'win me'. Before I accepted Jesus as my Saviour it was thinking ahead to the rest of my life and more specifically to the end of it, to my death, that I didn't feel prepared for. I didn't like this feeling. Being unprepared (about anything) to me is the total pole opposite to the secure feeling of being organised, it's sheer panic. So, not preparing myself for the inevitable as I grew up seemed stupid. I HAD to think about it.
It puzzles me that a person will plan their funeral meticulously and sort out their pre-payed funeral package, choose the songs they want and even the colours they want people to wear! but be careless about their destination. It's like spending your life savings on a very expensive plane ticket for what you hope will be a relaxing holiday but not bothering to pack anything, omitting to plan any accomodation at the other end and not bothering to take your passport to the airport. How can it be that people can choose a beautiful silk lined box, look after their loved ones financially but only plan up to that point and not beyond?
Last September my Dad read a note to me over the phone that his Mum had left for him to read when she died. Although the event to us was sudden and shocking, my Nan had been totally prepared for it, in every way, despite not knowing the hour or day it would come. Her note wasn't long. She was a woman who didn't like a fuss. It simply stated that she had had a very happy life and contained two instructions. The first was about her death not bringing us sorrow.....although it does still bring me this, I know it brought her joy. The second was the two hymns she wanted at her funeral. The words of which summed up her life and death. She lived with Christ and died in him. Her destination was secure. I know where she's gone. For sure. I know where I'm headed too. It's my deepest longing and prayer that more people will be prepared like my Nan. A lovely pastor once put it something like this: "If you saw thousands of people running blindly towards the edge of a cliff, wouldn't you shout at them to warn them?"
I know that it's wonderful to know what God has prepared for me. I know it's a miracle He lead me to this certainty. I also know that I don't shout loud enough.
The anniversary of my Nan's death has made me realise again that it's urgent. Death is a certainty. For those I love, those I know and spend time with. For those that don't yet know Jesus and therefore don't know where they're going. Please pray for me. I want to shout louder. I really need to warn them about that cliff. I really have to tell them the way to get to heaven. But often my voice is little more than a pathetic whisper.
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