Mawma

I have no illusions of being able to write poetry and didn't spend hours correcting the meter and rhythm,I merely wrote in rhyme to make it a little less sad and a little more interesting.This blog post is for you,Mawma.

I miss you Mawma,it's been a while

Since I saw your lovely smile.

It's been been a few days that I've been gone,

But it feel like ages,oh so long.

Sometimes in secret,I shed a little tear

Coz I wish,oh I wish that you were here.

I need you Mawma,I'm still just little,

My life's all wobbly,like a skittle.

There's so much stuff I still need to know

But such is life,we both had to go.

There's a special little whole for you in my heart,

If you stay in there,we're never really apart.

I love you Mawma,more than I can say

You're the very best Mawma in every way.

Dan the Man

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another."  ~Anatole France

Ever since I can remember,my older sister Rebekah has been planning her wedding. From hundreds of dress designs to sample invitations and a list of characteristics of her Prince,she's had it all figured out. Like any good sister would,I looked through picture after picture,discussed whether a dark-haired man would have preference over a tall one and diligently scanned my peers and random strangers for a suitable beaux. Little did I know that reality would be completely different from the fantasy. I never really thought that day would arrive. Her prince had come. And I hated it.


When Rebekah left for Australia,she was completely against finding a spouse there. She hated the country,hated their accents and hated their way of life. One man made the country amazing. One man made the accent beautiful. One man made their way of life idyllic. One man named Daniel Willsmore stole my sister from me and captured her heart.

Daniel hails from a small town called Mt Gambier in Southern Australia. He lives on a dairy farm with his parents,three brothers and a sister. Yes,he milks cows for a living. On the bright side,sound engineering is his career of choice. Dan is tall,lanky,blue-eyed and blonde-haired with a nose you cannot miss. Even though they've only been dating for a few months,he came and met the family,lived in our house for a month and proposed to her. When I first met him,I was not impressed. His accent is weird,he laughs at everything,he calls Rebekah "Bek" and he is only 19. Even though now I've only known him for six days,I am completely sold. It has taken some interrogating,a few silly arguments and some inside jokes,but I am convinced that Dan is indeed The Man. He makes amazing tea,he's funny,he loves Jesus and Rebekah,he acts like he belongs and his accent is actually quite cool. He has an amazing ability to calm Rebekah down and nothing seems to offend him. He is completely opposite to what she thought she wanted and exactly who she needed. Mr Daniel Willsmore,you paw paw,you have my approval. Even though you have turned my life upside down and stolen my closest friend,our snot bridge is strong,you can stay. Fair Dinkum

Just For Today

While paging through a journal from 2009,I stumbled upon one of my rare "sharable" entries. I had written it for the church magazine,but the poor unfortunate remained in the confines of a scruffy,silver paper covered notebook. Until now. Though somewhat edited,as Geography exams no longer plague me,what I will post here is just about what I scrawled down around this time two years ago.

Just for today I will not fret about yesterday's awkward moments or worry about tomorrow's *Theology assignment. I will get rid of fear and past experiences and discover God's will for today.
Just for today I will not try to appear perfect. I will feel free to cry,to doubt,to laugh until I hurt. I will think less about pleasing people and more about pleasing God. Just for today I will be a good listener. I will comfort others and keep my own opinions at bay. I will love others for who they are,not what they are.

Just for today I will take time to create a memory. I will take a walk at sunset,pick a flower,greet a stranger,talk to a child and read an entire chapter of my Bible.
Just for today I will trust God for the "impossible": a friendship healed,a bad memory erased,a sin forgotten.Just for today a will quit a bad habit and replace it with a good one. I will not minimize or justify my wrongs-I will say "It's my fault" and take the heat for my behaviour.
Just for today I will act out my faith in very everyday,ordinary ways and trust God in very extraordinary ways.I will stop telling people I'm a Christian and start showing them.

Just for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.


*Originally Geography exam


The sunset I did indeed view while taking a walk.



Tumbling Along

How I have neglected you,oh my dear,perhaps non-existent,cyber space readers...

On Friday night at youth,between a conversation about what the world would be like if coughing sounded like laughing and an indepth discussion about magic tricks and popping balloons with lasers,this blog of mine was remembered. The lengthy conversation between two men of few words and unsound minds went like this:
Kevin:    When are you going to blog again?
Richard:  You have a blog?
Kevin:     She does. It is a bit of a tumbleweed situation.
Richard:  Are you impressed by my *rubik's cube skills?**

I'm not quite sure what Kevin's opinion of my blog is. Either the way it starts and stops relates to a tumbleweed's sporadic movements,or my blog is dry,crunchy and moved along by random gusts of wind. Whichever one motivated his remark,the answer to Kevin's question is "now". I promised a blog series on my fellow yoyl goers and friends like Kev and Richy provide numerous bloggable comments. The winds of writing and inspiration are blowing once more,pushing my blog into motion. We are tumbling along...

*Yes,that is how you spell it. Google told me.

** I am impressed by your skills Richard.

Band of Brothers(and Sisters):The Beginning

The Yoyl team of 2011 consists of fourteen strange,unique individuals and one leader. Those joining me on this ridiculous journey are,in alphabetical order,Carmen,Cathryn,Chelsea,Eugene,Jodie,Lisa,Madhvi,Manon,Matt,Matt,Petra,Shaydene and Tooks. Our great and mighty leader goes by the name Grant. On the 17th of December 2010 I took a bus down to Durban where I spent the weekend with Cathryn's family,with the intention of confirming the fact that I did not want to do Yoyl. On the 19th I attended Redemption Point Church where I met the afore said Grant as well as Chelsea and the first Matthew. By the end of the day I was fully determined to return home with a very positive NO. That evening I flew home somewhat unsure,went to sleep undecided and woke up knowing there was no choice but to return to Red Point. The day I left Springs I was positive I'd made the biggest mistake of my life. On the 24th of January,I met the rest of the team and by the end of the week I never wanted to leave. Now,nearly 5 months later,I am already dreading the day I must leave these amazing people who have become a huge part of my life.

Over the next few days or weeks I will introduce you,oh cyber space,to my Band of Brothers and Sisters who have forever changed my life.

Yoyl Team 2011.
From left to right:Carmen,Shaydene,Jodie,Matt D,Tooks,Matt T,Grant,Cathryn,Me,Madhvi,Chelsea,Petra,Lisa.

(: Happy Friday :)

Friday the thirteenth. I love superstitious people. They're such fun to laugh at. This poor,unsuspecting day that falls on the 13th as well as a friday has become a day of fear and dread for such people. In honour of them,and those of us who believe in more than bad luck ladders,we at Salt and Light youth made today Happy Friday. Instead of dressing up as grotesque creatures of the imagination,we adorned ourselves with smiley faces,bright colours and silly grins. I even wrote the word "Happy" in eighteen different languages on my sleeves. Our evening passed without any hint of misfortune or bad luck,despite the fact that my black cat ran in front of several times today. Happy Friday the thirteenth dear cyber space. :) :) :)

Just Keep Walking

Even though my last post ended with me choosing losing my mind over the current crazyness of life,I am fully determined to walk on through it. I have formulated a small list of things to keep me walking on the sane path instead of skipping over to the fields of insanity.

Going to youth;there's is something amazing in worshipping with people as crazy as yourself.

Running through piles of leaves.The sound and feel is almost theraputic.

Taking photos of random objects,such as shoes and eyes.

Tea,especially when I don't have to make it.

Reading New Moon,even though it is highly overrated and doesn't end the way I want it to.

Having smal,random crazy moments,like pulling faces in the mirror or laughing at nothing.

Recalling moments of intense laughter with my non-related relatives,namely Uncle Rob and Aunty Lou

Blogging.

These small,seemingly insignificant things keep me walking on. Walking,walking always walking...

Walking in red

Walking in black

Walking in yellow