Stark Raving Christian

Faith isn’t inactive. The supernatural does not lack our participation. Forgiveness is not passive. Love is not easy. 

We do not get left where we are. We will not stay the same once we have encountered Christ. He will not leave us laying asleep in a prison cell in our underwear while He moves. He tells us to get up, get dressed and follow Him (Acts 12). 

We can’t live our lives like nothing has changed if we’ve truly met Christ. Because everyone we meet changes us and our perspectives and develops us. And that’s people. Normal, everyday, ordinary people. We’re talking about the Maker of the Universe. 

Jesus is not a secret to be kept. God is not a treasure to be hidden. Love is not a flame to hide beneath a bowel. Grace is not a reason to stay the same. Faith is not inactive. 

I know, I said I was making one. 

But my mother called. And was upset. So I talked to her. And then the husband came home. And I am ways too shy to make a video blog with him in the house. I did it once - a flower tutorial. He kept interrupting and asked me why I was talking weird. Never again. 

So no. No video blog yet. I’ll try to make one tomorrow if you want one. And given there were five of you going ‘where’s the vlog you promised???’ I’m assuming you want one. Except, it would be lovely if there were questions to answer or requests of things you want me to show you, say, or do. 

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The husband and I overslept this morning and missed church (heathens!). 

And we’re taking a road trip this afternoon to Hobart to have COLD ROCK ICE CREAM!!! It hasn’t been in Tasmania long and it’s one of my favourite things.

So we were thinking lets download some podcasts of awesome teachings… but neither of us have much of a clue where to start… so recommend us some teachings? Please?

To start with, some quotes for the guys behind us…

Oh… I’ve spent the whole movie trying to work out how the Avengers movie will work because he’ll be really old if he was around in the 1940s…

I thought it was Tony Stark, not Howard Stark? Oh it’s his father… alright then. 

Oh I just saw Loki in the Avengers trailer. I hate that, he’s the bad guy from a different movie… 

I’ve heard lots more people talking about Green Lantern than Captain America. I reckon it’s because Captain America is more realistic and there’s all that space stuff in Green Lantern…

Yeah, I agree, it’s all fantasy and stuff. 

ANYWAY

The movie itself was quite good. We really enjoyed it, of course neither of us know much about Cap, except his appearances in Avengers. It was quite plot driven but not much character development really. There was a silly annoying kiss in a silly annoying spot. Tommy Lee Jones was Tommy Lee Jones, as expected. Hugo Weaving… dude, pick an accent. Either be German or don’t be. Don’t do it half-assed and only half the time and really strong at others. Stanley Tucci was AMAZING as the Dr. I really enjoyed his performance. Beautiful. Agent Carter was alright and I loved the Howard Stark character. I loved a lot of the Hydra technology as it was based on a lot of familiar (to me at least) Nazi designs that never came to fruition. All the machinery and technology was so authentic the period, which was wonderful.

It has increased my anxiety regarding the upcoming Avengers movie. Incredible props go to the directors of ALL of the movies. They’ve all done a great job of creating movies that introduce the uninitiated and keep the majority of the fans happy. There could not be a better pick than Joss Whedon for the director of the Avengers. But he has a monumental task in front of him and I’m less happy with Thor and Captain America than I have been with The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. Which is not to say I don’t enjoy all of them. I don’t know. Fan-girl Sarai is very concerned. And Captain America was very enjoyable. 

I just realised this meant I have to find clothes to wear to a party. None of my party clothes fit anymore :-(… which means I may have to go shopping… 

Also, I have informed Mark he is obliged to sing. I doubt this will carry any weight. But I love when he sings. I’ve also said that I’m not obliged to sing. He doesn’t think this is true at all. 

papercranes07:

First, Mal was all like, “Love. You can learn all the math in the Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don’t love, she’ll shake you off just as sure as the turn of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down, tells ya she’s hurting before she keels. Makes her a home.”

And then I was all like:                                      

Well, it depends on your perspective as to how well this went. 

We didn’t actually see anyone, but we did see some places where people would probably sleep and left food there.

We were probably out too early. It’s also winter. 

But it was okay. We’re sure God will use it. We left foam containers saying GOD LOVES YOU and inside were burgers. God can use that. 

Okay tumblr, in about 3 hours, we’re going to go out into the mean streets of Launceston and hand out hamburgers to the homeless.

We’ve got no idea how this is going to go. At all. So prayers would be lovely as we gather, pray, make burgers and head out. Pray that the message gets through. 

The message is God is using us to feed you tonight because He loves you. 

Ask me questions/make requests now or I will ramble on about nothing and possibly read some Neil Gaiman at you. 

Ask box here

Are not working out as I had hoped the past few days.

• problems with the house we rent
• problems with our wedding bands
• no positives from the transfusion yet

But there are good things too. So I haven’t been posting because I’ve been stupidly busy and I’ve only had half-hearted whining because deep down:

• I’m truly grateful we’re provided for and have somewhere to live
• I’m truly grateful I’m married and we don’t need bands to prove it, and we found someone to resize them
• It might still happen and I have faith God will heal me

I bought two textbooks today.

I thought they’d be about $155… $130 ish for one, $25ish for the other…

It came to $190. I was running late and didn’t have time to look into this and didn’t put it past the shop, or the lecturers to further up the price of books and I needed them both so left. 

Checked at 4PM… the sticker on the books says $23… the price on the receipt says $65…

Called and they will refund me tomorrow but I’m still like… yes, everything has to be a problem with me, doesn’t it. Mark is right. I understand how frustrating I am right now.

Why did you make me come in and see you?

Tutor 1: You could have emailed me the slides OR just asked if I was understood it all and what I thougth about recording and how I record or have recorded. It took 15 minutes.

Tutor 2: You could have just emailed me and told me to post my 200 word narrative on mylo. It took 5 minutes.

I know you don’t know me yet and don’t know how I’m going in the unit but it just really frustrates me that I had to come in to uni on my day off to see you both at different times of the day when I really didn’t need to.

I had a full on dream last night about going to Seattle to visit Katee and walking around a forested mountain and going to a swimming pool and it being her birthday and all of her friends hating me and so she decided to ditch me and hang out with them. Also, I dreamed that it was really really filthy in the city. Like, disgustingly so.

But I got to visit Katee so I’m going to say it was a good dream :-P

I got to hang out with my awesome sister this morning until lunch. Which was amazing at our favourite cafe. 

My book arrived, and I ordered a new one from Koorong. I hope it comes soon!

I got to have a massage which was beyond amazing. 

I got to teach an upper primary dance class (10-12 year olds) and there were only 7 of them. We did some canons and then we choreographed the rest of the routine together and it was SO MUCH FUN. Seriously. FUN. I got paid $40 for that? SWEET AS. 

I’m so excited!

I’m also incredibly excited that I get to help organise it! I want to make invitations and beautiful bible verses as ‘favours’ to remember the night. I want to decorate a hall and bake special treats. 

I’m excited about getting to dress up and feel beautiful and dance and celebrate my beautiful little sister and her amazing relationship with Jesus. 

I just heard from my husbband’s mother, and Christchurch needs your prayers, particularly those in the East. 

You may be aware of the massive earthquakes that have happened there over the past… 18 months. They still don’t have a CBD and there are still ‘red zones’, places where no one can go in. There are some suburbs that still don’t have any infrastructure such as heating or water and are still using chemical toilets in their backyards. There are suburbs where there are only one or two houses still habitable, or not quite habitable but the residents have nowhere to go while insurance claims still drag on. Stuff is happening, but it’s slow. 

Last night snow fell. There are people without heating, people with holes in their roofs and people who have to go to the toilet in the backyard in snow so heavy that my mother-in-law’s garden is mostly buried. 

Pray for them. 

EDIT: 30 cm (almost 12 inches) of snow. All roads closed unless you’ve got a 4WD. How much more can this city take?

hislovewillconquer replied to your photo: I love these things and I should not eat them but… that. sounds. amazing.

Yep, they are basically poison to me - the chocolate makes my stomach feel a bit queasy and the raspberries set off my asthma… but damn they’re good.

They’re probably a metaphor for sin and disobedience in my life. But that’s a bit too philosophical for chocolate-coated raspberries. 

I’ve been trying to figure out the main thing that bugs me about the eleventh doctor. 

Because I can sit there and list reasons why I didn’t like the last series, and why I don’t like him but was something I could never quite put my finger on.

And here it is: I don’t think the eleventh doctor would feel the same way about Rose. I don’t think he’s more childlike than ever before and he’s too shy, or perhaps too awkward about things of a relational nature and he’s just so very awkward with River Song… no, I don’t think he’d feel the same about Rose and I feel like this season and this doctor are a break in continuity. I know it feels more like the old doctor, but it’s been poorly executed and I’m scared, genuinely scared of where this franchise is going.

No, I wouldn’t. 

For the following reasons:

• The world won’t last forever
• The people I love won’t last forever
• I would miss everyone too much
• I have enough trouble keeping up with what’s ‘hip’ now, I can’t imagine what it will be like in 300 years time
• I’m tired all the time. And maybe the transfusion will help. But I am. And I can’t imagine being tired for the next 2000 years. I want to go home to my Father

No, I wouldn’t. 

For the following reasons:

• The world won’t last forever
• The people I love won’t last forever
• I would miss everyone too much
• I have enough trouble keeping up with what’s ‘hip’ now, I can’t imagine what it will be like in 300 years time
• I’m tired all the time. And maybe the transfusion will help. But I am. And I can’t imagine being tired for the next 2000 years. I want to go home to my Father.