Just to let you know I have started waffling again.. but somewhere else
www.auntyamo.wordpress.com
Hope to see you there. xx
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A little 'innothenthce' goes a long way...
I have a grand-niece called Layla-Sue who is 3 and she has the cutest lisp. And instead of it going away as she develops, it seems to be getting stronger and it looks like she'll always have it. She a beautiful blonde kid who can be as bold as brass but you just have to love her!
Recently she marched into the kitchen look up at her granny (my sister) and said, "Granny! Why do sthome babiesth eat their mammy'sth?" My sister was stunned by the question when suddenly it dawned on her that one of my nieces was in the other room breast-feeding her baby. Layla had never seen this before and was amazed that baby Oliver was 'eating' his mammy!
Layla's innocence is as cute as her lisp. And it's a simple picture of how we can get the wrong end of the stick! To Layla the little baby was taking something from his mammy. What she didn't realise was that the baby's mammy was giving to him. Feeding him, nourishing him, bonding with him and loving him. Having never had children I don't know what that's like. But Layla's misreading of the situation is like my own misreading of my relationship to God. .
He gives and feeds and nourishes, bonds and loves -- just as freely as a mother gives milk to her new born baby. There's nothing I can take from God my Father that he is not already willingly giving me anyway.
Such an intimate picture.
If only I had Layla-thSue's innothenthce :)
Recently she marched into the kitchen look up at her granny (my sister) and said, "Granny! Why do sthome babiesth eat their mammy'sth?" My sister was stunned by the question when suddenly it dawned on her that one of my nieces was in the other room breast-feeding her baby. Layla had never seen this before and was amazed that baby Oliver was 'eating' his mammy!
Layla's innocence is as cute as her lisp. And it's a simple picture of how we can get the wrong end of the stick! To Layla the little baby was taking something from his mammy. What she didn't realise was that the baby's mammy was giving to him. Feeding him, nourishing him, bonding with him and loving him. Having never had children I don't know what that's like. But Layla's misreading of the situation is like my own misreading of my relationship to God. .
He gives and feeds and nourishes, bonds and loves -- just as freely as a mother gives milk to her new born baby. There's nothing I can take from God my Father that he is not already willingly giving me anyway.
Such an intimate picture.
If only I had Layla-thSue's innothenthce :)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Get out of my FACEbook!
This is a new site for people who want to join social network sites but don’t want anyone to view their profile, don’t want to be invited to join an group and certainly DON’T want anyone to request their friendship!!
It is inspired by a friend of mine who is new to FB and VERY suspicious of it. He’s quite wary that now he is on there, people might find him.
There was the shocking moment when he realised that when he wrote on his friend’s wall other people could see it!!! The post went something like... “Wow Pete, haven’t seen you in ages. How are you doing?”
Now I know that the guys from Spooks would have that deciphered in a second and would know that this guy is obviously subversive and a danger to society and scoop him up, hiding him in a Safe House in Bethnal Green; never to be seen again. But to most of us FB users it’s probably fairly harmless and won’t damage the UN peace agreement s just yet if someone spots it. . .
Some words of advice for those nervous about social networking sites. Don’t take them too seriously guys. Don’t dwell too much on it. Be sensible, be friendly and for goodness sake if you’re going to add your credit card number will you PLEASE remember the last 3 digits on the back!!!
It is inspired by a friend of mine who is new to FB and VERY suspicious of it. He’s quite wary that now he is on there, people might find him.
There was the shocking moment when he realised that when he wrote on his friend’s wall other people could see it!!! The post went something like... “Wow Pete, haven’t seen you in ages. How are you doing?”
Now I know that the guys from Spooks would have that deciphered in a second and would know that this guy is obviously subversive and a danger to society and scoop him up, hiding him in a Safe House in Bethnal Green; never to be seen again. But to most of us FB users it’s probably fairly harmless and won’t damage the UN peace agreement s just yet if someone spots it. . .
Some words of advice for those nervous about social networking sites. Don’t take them too seriously guys. Don’t dwell too much on it. Be sensible, be friendly and for goodness sake if you’re going to add your credit card number will you PLEASE remember the last 3 digits on the back!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Cadbury's now owned by Mac'n'Cheese brigade!!!
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0119/breaking13.html
What a sad day. After months of fending off a hostile takeover, Cadbury have finally bowed to Kraft's offer.
Now I'm feeling very delicate and fragile at the moment (another story) but the one of the things gives me comfort is chocolate. In fact I do believe it is an addcitive substance. I'd love to walk up to a drug addict and say, "HEROIN??? come on!! have you never dipped a bar of fruit and nut into your tea and sucked the melting chocolate off while keeping a finger free to catch the bit rolling down your chin?????? Now that's a high!!"
But some one told me that not to do that. Not advisable... apparently!
Kraft make soups, freeze dried mac'n'cheese and all sorts of other highly processed instant stuff. Yum... not! And I know Iriah jobs are important and blah blah blah but WHAT IF THEY CHANGE THE RECIPE!!!! Now that WOULD BE a serious national disaster.
As life progresses I realise more and more that it is true... God really IS the only one I can rely on. I'm struggling with some disappointments at the moment. And even the faithful chocolate could end up being a pierce'n'ding product -- although I'm not sure quite how that would work; but you get my point.
There was an attempt at a hostile take over of God. More than 1 actually. But he fends them off -- every time. And thank God that his recipe won't change!
Right let's make some tea.... :)
What a sad day. After months of fending off a hostile takeover, Cadbury have finally bowed to Kraft's offer.
Now I'm feeling very delicate and fragile at the moment (another story) but the one of the things gives me comfort is chocolate. In fact I do believe it is an addcitive substance. I'd love to walk up to a drug addict and say, "HEROIN??? come on!! have you never dipped a bar of fruit and nut into your tea and sucked the melting chocolate off while keeping a finger free to catch the bit rolling down your chin?????? Now that's a high!!"
But some one told me that not to do that. Not advisable... apparently!
Kraft make soups, freeze dried mac'n'cheese and all sorts of other highly processed instant stuff. Yum... not! And I know Iriah jobs are important and blah blah blah but WHAT IF THEY CHANGE THE RECIPE!!!! Now that WOULD BE a serious national disaster.
As life progresses I realise more and more that it is true... God really IS the only one I can rely on. I'm struggling with some disappointments at the moment. And even the faithful chocolate could end up being a pierce'n'ding product -- although I'm not sure quite how that would work; but you get my point.
There was an attempt at a hostile take over of God. More than 1 actually. But he fends them off -- every time. And thank God that his recipe won't change!
Right let's make some tea.... :)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Happy You Near
I used to be such a faithful blogger. What went wrong?!
But I'll try again.
I'm sitting in bed looking out at the snow. Isn't it amazing. Everywhere is so white.
I love putting footprints in snow. Maybe it's my desire to wreck stuff, or maybe I am actually 7!!!!
Well hasn't 2009 been a funny old year with the recession and all that jazz...
I had to go down to part time work, which I secretly love!!! I can devote more time to studying and othe stuff... yeay!
And we had to sell a car... oooohhhh dear -- where's Del-boy when you really need him!? It was such a pain.
We were selling it cos of lack of money and no one was buying it cos of lack of money... If there was more money about it would probably have sold quicker but then we wouldn't have needed to sell it. Oh the ironing of it all!!
AND I graduated!!! So exciting. That degree means so much to me. It's the one thing I give my self permission to be totally proud of. (I'm proud about lots of things but feel bad about them)
2010 will bring a few interesting things too...
I'm having my first cornea transplant in March
Me and Rich are back to Wales for the month of June to do a placement with our old church
And we'll be 10 years married in August.
And that's just some of the stuff I know about. So there'll be no excuse not to be blogging.
Be back soon x
But I'll try again.
I'm sitting in bed looking out at the snow. Isn't it amazing. Everywhere is so white.
I love putting footprints in snow. Maybe it's my desire to wreck stuff, or maybe I am actually 7!!!!
Well hasn't 2009 been a funny old year with the recession and all that jazz...
I had to go down to part time work, which I secretly love!!! I can devote more time to studying and othe stuff... yeay!
And we had to sell a car... oooohhhh dear -- where's Del-boy when you really need him!? It was such a pain.
We were selling it cos of lack of money and no one was buying it cos of lack of money... If there was more money about it would probably have sold quicker but then we wouldn't have needed to sell it. Oh the ironing of it all!!
AND I graduated!!! So exciting. That degree means so much to me. It's the one thing I give my self permission to be totally proud of. (I'm proud about lots of things but feel bad about them)
2010 will bring a few interesting things too...
I'm having my first cornea transplant in March
Me and Rich are back to Wales for the month of June to do a placement with our old church
And we'll be 10 years married in August.
And that's just some of the stuff I know about. So there'll be no excuse not to be blogging.
Be back soon x
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
I took the summer off from wafling... but I'm back now :)
Did ya miss me?
I had to write my testimony for an application. Let me share it with you and i'll delve into some areas of it a little deeper over the next few weeks...
My sister was saved at a Luis Palou conference in Dublin about 17 years ago. For the next two years or so she drove me mad talking about Jesus and His love for me. She gave me a bible and brought me to see friends of hers from her church. I remember walking in to one house and they turned the TV off so we could chat. I was amazed by that.
Eventually in May 1994 (out of curiosity) I visited my sister’s church Bethel Christian Centre in Tallaght and was amazed that people were delighted to see me and had been praying for me. On my third visit to that church I gave my life to the Lord.
I was baptised by immersion in the Irish Sea in August of that year but was impatient for God to give me what I longed for – a husband and children! I wasted a year trying to make inappropriate relationships appropriate and trying to turn a non Christian boyfriend into a Christian. Then I realised that God was my husband and I re committed myself to him. That year I went to CFI (Christ for Ireland) to do my diploma in Biblical Studies.
During 1996 a couple came to speak in our church about the Holy Spirit but I wasn’t able to get to the meeting. I asked if I could have a copy of the tape. I woke up one morning and decided to stay in bed for a little while and listen to the tape. We had some family staying with us so for some reason I decided to leave them sleeping and climb into my parent’s bed (they had gone to work) to listen to the tape. While listening to the tape I was baptised in the Holy Spirit and started to pray aloud in tongues. It was like I was at the meeting!! And probably a good thing I was in a room on my own or I wouldn’t have felt free enough to speak out when I knew the Spirit had fallen on me.
I was a part of the worship team and helped with the children’s club over the next few years and slowly grew in the love and knowledge of God. Past sins and hurts were being healed and I felt myself changing and growing.
In 1999 life took an unexpected turn. I met and in 2000 married a wonderful man! I had started to believe I would remain single but along came Richard and everything changed. Richard was brought up in a very traditional Welsh evangelical church and he is a committed Christian who loves the Lord. I know he has the Spirit of God in him and we talk a lot about the difference in his experience to mine and it challenges us both to examine out position and ‘keep it real’.
After we married we spent 7 years in Malpas Road Evangelical Church in Newport, South Wales. This is the church Richard was brought up in. I struggled with what I felt was a lack of freedom and at first found it hard to worship. But God really challenged me in those early days there and I knew He was asking me… “Annmarie, can you only worship me when there is lively music and room to dance? Can you not worship me here – with this group of people who love Me too?” I struggled a lot at first and then realised that the Spirit was in this church. It was a still small voice, and as I learned hymns like - Crown Him with Many Crowns, And Can it Be?, A Sovereign Protector I Have - on many occasions and experienced many quiet but intimate moments with God in that wonderful Church.
During those years in South Wales I was very ill. I had endometrial cancer and in July 2002, just before our 2nd wedding anniversary, I had a hysterectomy. Unable to have children, we tried to adopt but were not able to. As I mentioned earlier past sins and hurts had been healed but new hurts had arrived. As a Christian it was so hard to understand how God could have allowed this to happen. More wrestling and then losing my mother early in 2005, caused me to experience times of sadness and (I think) depression. I went through some dark times but all the time I knew God was with me. No matter how low I felt I could always talk to Him. Even when I could not feel Him or hear Him, He gave me faith in my heart to believe He was there and is faithful.
Then I had one of those moments!!! I was crying out to Him…
“Why?! Why Lord? How could you do this to me? I am afraid of Your Power. I believe in You and I worship You but I am afraid of You and Your authority. You have the power to take anything and everything from me. And I have lost so much with no ability to cope with it. How can I truly worship You and trust You - You have the authority to take everything from me”
I was so distressed! Then He spoke to me. It was the first time I had heard directly from Him in some time. I heard Him say, “Yes I have the power and authority to take everything from you – but I have already given you everything - in Jesus!
After that, the whole concept of God’s sovereignty became real to me. It has changed me, my marriage, my walk with God and my attitude to almost everything!
My grief was still very painful and after much prayer and seeking the wise counsel of some friends we decided to return to Ireland. We have been back since the end of April 07
Two things I knew I wanted to do were continue working in family life so I was thrilled to move straight from Care for the Family to Focus on the Family. The other thing was to finish the degree I had started.
I spent the last two years working on finishing my degree and graduated BTh (Hons) in April this year. I have now started an MA in Theology in IBI.
I have no idea what is ahead or how I will use it. Generally, it will help me as I get involved in my new church in Dublin and I am sure, give me better knowledge of scripture and will help me grow. But specifically I do not know how I will use it. I have always loved the idea of being a teacher but at the moment don’t feel a calling towards it. But I have faith that God will use it and it in me. And I look forward to the next chapter.
I had to write my testimony for an application. Let me share it with you and i'll delve into some areas of it a little deeper over the next few weeks...
My sister was saved at a Luis Palou conference in Dublin about 17 years ago. For the next two years or so she drove me mad talking about Jesus and His love for me. She gave me a bible and brought me to see friends of hers from her church. I remember walking in to one house and they turned the TV off so we could chat. I was amazed by that.
Eventually in May 1994 (out of curiosity) I visited my sister’s church Bethel Christian Centre in Tallaght and was amazed that people were delighted to see me and had been praying for me. On my third visit to that church I gave my life to the Lord.
I was baptised by immersion in the Irish Sea in August of that year but was impatient for God to give me what I longed for – a husband and children! I wasted a year trying to make inappropriate relationships appropriate and trying to turn a non Christian boyfriend into a Christian. Then I realised that God was my husband and I re committed myself to him. That year I went to CFI (Christ for Ireland) to do my diploma in Biblical Studies.
During 1996 a couple came to speak in our church about the Holy Spirit but I wasn’t able to get to the meeting. I asked if I could have a copy of the tape. I woke up one morning and decided to stay in bed for a little while and listen to the tape. We had some family staying with us so for some reason I decided to leave them sleeping and climb into my parent’s bed (they had gone to work) to listen to the tape. While listening to the tape I was baptised in the Holy Spirit and started to pray aloud in tongues. It was like I was at the meeting!! And probably a good thing I was in a room on my own or I wouldn’t have felt free enough to speak out when I knew the Spirit had fallen on me.
I was a part of the worship team and helped with the children’s club over the next few years and slowly grew in the love and knowledge of God. Past sins and hurts were being healed and I felt myself changing and growing.
In 1999 life took an unexpected turn. I met and in 2000 married a wonderful man! I had started to believe I would remain single but along came Richard and everything changed. Richard was brought up in a very traditional Welsh evangelical church and he is a committed Christian who loves the Lord. I know he has the Spirit of God in him and we talk a lot about the difference in his experience to mine and it challenges us both to examine out position and ‘keep it real’.
After we married we spent 7 years in Malpas Road Evangelical Church in Newport, South Wales. This is the church Richard was brought up in. I struggled with what I felt was a lack of freedom and at first found it hard to worship. But God really challenged me in those early days there and I knew He was asking me… “Annmarie, can you only worship me when there is lively music and room to dance? Can you not worship me here – with this group of people who love Me too?” I struggled a lot at first and then realised that the Spirit was in this church. It was a still small voice, and as I learned hymns like - Crown Him with Many Crowns, And Can it Be?, A Sovereign Protector I Have - on many occasions and experienced many quiet but intimate moments with God in that wonderful Church.
During those years in South Wales I was very ill. I had endometrial cancer and in July 2002, just before our 2nd wedding anniversary, I had a hysterectomy. Unable to have children, we tried to adopt but were not able to. As I mentioned earlier past sins and hurts had been healed but new hurts had arrived. As a Christian it was so hard to understand how God could have allowed this to happen. More wrestling and then losing my mother early in 2005, caused me to experience times of sadness and (I think) depression. I went through some dark times but all the time I knew God was with me. No matter how low I felt I could always talk to Him. Even when I could not feel Him or hear Him, He gave me faith in my heart to believe He was there and is faithful.
Then I had one of those moments!!! I was crying out to Him…
“Why?! Why Lord? How could you do this to me? I am afraid of Your Power. I believe in You and I worship You but I am afraid of You and Your authority. You have the power to take anything and everything from me. And I have lost so much with no ability to cope with it. How can I truly worship You and trust You - You have the authority to take everything from me”
I was so distressed! Then He spoke to me. It was the first time I had heard directly from Him in some time. I heard Him say, “Yes I have the power and authority to take everything from you – but I have already given you everything - in Jesus!
After that, the whole concept of God’s sovereignty became real to me. It has changed me, my marriage, my walk with God and my attitude to almost everything!
My grief was still very painful and after much prayer and seeking the wise counsel of some friends we decided to return to Ireland. We have been back since the end of April 07
Two things I knew I wanted to do were continue working in family life so I was thrilled to move straight from Care for the Family to Focus on the Family. The other thing was to finish the degree I had started.
I spent the last two years working on finishing my degree and graduated BTh (Hons) in April this year. I have now started an MA in Theology in IBI.
I have no idea what is ahead or how I will use it. Generally, it will help me as I get involved in my new church in Dublin and I am sure, give me better knowledge of scripture and will help me grow. But specifically I do not know how I will use it. I have always loved the idea of being a teacher but at the moment don’t feel a calling towards it. But I have faith that God will use it and it in me. And I look forward to the next chapter.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Excuse me; have you got 5 minutes to answer a couple of questions...?
Twice in the last week I have agreed to fill out a survey. Once on the phone as I was just happy they weren’t trying to sell me Broadband; and once online. I don’t often fill them in either, usually cos they want to add me to a million mailing lists.
On both occasions at a certain stage of the survey I was told that they had filled their quota of those in my category; thanks but no thanks.
First of all, if It’s a survey how can they decide who they don’t want? Surely the whole idea is to take whatever information they get and work out the results... But my main problem with it is... am I typical? Are there lots of people in my “category”? And what IS my category anyway???
I remember all those categories that came out in the 80s the YUPPYs, the DINKs and the DINKYs. I certainly never fitted into to any of those. In fact I don’t remember EVER fitting in, to any gang or group. I’m not sporty, I’m not what you might call pretty, I was never cool, I always thought I was a social outcast! (OK that was a bit of a dramatic overstatement but you get my drift.) But now it turns out that me and my category are filling out every survey available and there are too many of us! It’s a bit tragic really!
BUT... look at these verses from Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
And later…
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How many babies have been conceived in the world since it began? And these verses apply to each and every one!
It turns out that there’s only one category after all… Made by God!
On both occasions at a certain stage of the survey I was told that they had filled their quota of those in my category; thanks but no thanks.
First of all, if It’s a survey how can they decide who they don’t want? Surely the whole idea is to take whatever information they get and work out the results... But my main problem with it is... am I typical? Are there lots of people in my “category”? And what IS my category anyway???
I remember all those categories that came out in the 80s the YUPPYs, the DINKs and the DINKYs. I certainly never fitted into to any of those. In fact I don’t remember EVER fitting in, to any gang or group. I’m not sporty, I’m not what you might call pretty, I was never cool, I always thought I was a social outcast! (OK that was a bit of a dramatic overstatement but you get my drift.) But now it turns out that me and my category are filling out every survey available and there are too many of us! It’s a bit tragic really!
BUT... look at these verses from Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
And later…
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How many babies have been conceived in the world since it began? And these verses apply to each and every one!
It turns out that there’s only one category after all… Made by God!
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