our beautiful niece

How cute is she?

tawny widemouth

After spending some time at my in-laws before Christmas we then spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Newcastle. We had a lovely time with SP's family.. I hope you all had a great Christmas yourselves..

When we got home yesterday SP was in our spare room and he shouted to me to come in. There on our window sill was a funny looking thing. At first I thought it was an owl but SP told me it was a Tawny Frogmouth, a native Australian bird. I had never seen one before and couldn't believe it was just sitting there on our window sill.. When I got close to it it opened up it's mouth so I could see right inside his bright yellow mouth. I grabbed the camera and took far too many photos!

He stayed there for most of the afternoon and then a little later flew up into the big tree outside our spare room and kitchen, I took heaps more of photos of him. Last night he was gone! Probably looking for food.

But now as I type this I can see him in that same tree - I think he lives there..

Apparently they stay really still so that they think you can't see them, this is what the 'Sydney Wildlife' website says:

"During the day they may adopt a sedentary position on a branch or fence where they will remain until evening. When disturbed they raise their heads and streamline their body shape to simulate the appearance of a branch."

He was doing that while on our window sill - BUT I don't think he realised he was in a very obvious spot where I COULD see him! Nice try though!

I love living where we live where you can hear and see birds!

just read and currently reading.....

1. "God Smuggler" by Brother Andrew. This is the guy who started up the Christian organisation 'Open Doors'. What an inspiring story!

2. "Soul Surfer" by Bethany Hamilton. I was given this to read a while ago. It's about the Christian surfer girl who lost her arm in a shark attack in Hawaii. Also inspiring, an easy read, not all that deep but a fun story written by a young girl who wants to share God's love and providence with people through her experience.

ps she is still a world class surfer with one arm and was back in the water 3 weeks after the attack - can you believe it!

Currently reading... "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. I have only just started it, it's a 1928 edition of the book - so it's all old and special. I have obviously heard about this book many times but only now getting to read it. I am looking forward to it!

my only two christmas decorations....

..... but aren't they cute!



I was given a really little tree by our neighbours, so I popped these two gorgeous decorations on it. It's looking a bit bare but hopefully I can get a few more to put on.

See I am getting in the Christmassy mood ;)

happy 13th wedding anniversary to AB and Ruth

I just wanted to say Happy 13th Wedding Anniversary to AB and Ruth.

We love you guys heaps and think that you as a great example of what a godly husband and wife look like, you are individually great, great as a married couple and great parents to your beautiful kids.

We have watched you in your marriage and with your kids over the last 3 1/2 years and both SP and I have learnt a lot. I know many people have benefited from your ministry and friendship. You Guys Rock Socks ;)

Congratulation on 13 years of marriage, I pray you might have many more fantastice years together and I look forward to spending many years of hanging out with you all. May God grow you both in your understanding of each other and may your beautiful kids grow up to be men and women of God.

bah, humbug!

I am sorry but I find Christmas in Australia not like Christmas AT ALL!

It's not cold, it's hot, it's not the same as England, it's just not right! I want to feel Christmasy but I just don't!

Ultimately I know that Christmas is not about whether it is cold out side or whether they play cheesy carols in shops. BUT, there is that feeling of excitement that Christmas time brings that I miss here in Australia. The familiarity of Christmas in England is just not here. BUT it's kind of good it doesn't feel like Christmas because then I don't feel as sad or miss my family as much as I would if it felt Christmasy and I was so far away from them!

I know Christmas not about the feelings and the weather it's actually ALL about Jesus the son of God becoming man to save his people from their sins.

Jesus gave up his place on the throne to die the death, death on a cross so that we might be reconciled to God, that is the best gift that we could ever receive - no matter where in the world we are we all need this gift..

In the midst of the 'busy-ness'* this season brings let's not forget to remember the gracious and precious gift of Christ. This universal message of salvation is the same whether celebrating Christmas in England, Australia, Indian, America, Indonesia or China!

* how do you spell 'busy-ness', is it the same as business?

foot in mouth awards

Ex England manager Steve McClaren won the award for this statement about the brilliant footballer Wayne Rooney:

"He is inexperienced but he's experienced in terms of what he's been through."

Check out more beauties here and here at the Plain English Awards!

These were a few of my favourites:

George Bush
"All I can tell you is that when the governor calls, I answer his phone."

Fastway Couriers (T&Cs on their website)
The Carrier shall not be liable for injury or damage to or destruction or loss of the Goods or any other property arising out of or incidental to or in connection with or occurring during the provision of the Services or for the mis-delivery or nondelivery of the Goods and whether or not caused or contributed to by the default (including negligence) of the Carrier or any agent, servant or officer of the Carrier or any other person entitled to the benefit of these conditions.

Virgin Trains (response to Web User magazine about problems booking online)
Moving forwards, we as Virgin Trains are looking to take ownership of the flow in question to apply our pricing structure, thus resulting in this journey search appearing in the new category-matrix format. The pricing of this particular flow is an issue going back to 1996 and it is not something that we can change until 2008 at the earliest. I hope this makes the situation clear.

'E' giggling - she is too cute!

You will have to excuse my baby talk - babies seem to love it! Anyway it's not about me, it's about 'E' ;)

our last sunday at church with pics

Last Sunday was our last night at our current church, we had a picnic during the day along with a few other people who also left on Sunday. It was a nice afternoon of chatting, eating, boiling in the hot weather and remembering how much God has taught us and grown us.

I will miss my church and church family but I know there are many people that I will continue to have great friendships with, who I will continue to see regularly.

I was a little sad during the last song, knowing that that was the last time I would be singing together as a member of that church but I am excited to see what God has in store at our new church, how he is going to grow us, use us and shape us to be more like his son.

pet hate....

.....maybe I will say 'pet-dislike' instead, as 'hate' maybe a strong word but man does it bug me.

What bugs Nixter that much you may ask... well a few things but this one in particular gets me annoyed very quickly.

(rant begins)
Bad customer service....... It frustrates me, makes me lose my patience quickly and also causes me to wonder how some of these people get jobs?!?!?!

I have had a few situations lately where I have been into a shop with what I think is a fairly simple request and it has turned into me waiting and waiting getting passed to 2 or 3 different people to be told an answer they could have told me within a few seconds or for the person to not really know the answer at all... Grrrrrrrrr.

I know working in customer services is not easy, I started working in customer service when I was 16 and worked my way up to management all in a retail environment and it can be hard work but really I do wonder sometimes...

It is easy to say a simple thank-you at the end of serving someone but at our local supermarket that seems to be a problem...

I suppose you never really know what kind of a day someone is having but still, to say please and thank you is not too much to ask is it?
(rant ends!)

What are your pet 'dislikes'?

america's got talent

This guy is awesome!

man flu - friday funny

blogger comments - help?!?

Is anyone else not receiving emails notifications when they get comments?!?!?

I have had a few comments and not received an email to tell me?

a beckham beauty

compassion

I have sponsored a Compassion child for about 3 years or so now, and I love it!

I receive pictures, drawings, letters from 'Joko' who is in Indonesian. A group at church chose to sponsor 10 children from the same village with the hope of maybe one day going to visit our sponsor children. I also get a new 'official compassion' picture and update each year, I just received mine in the mail a few days again. Joko is getting so big, he looks so little in the first picture we have of him...

Compassion is a great idea and a real opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in countries not as privileged as ours. The thing I love most about Compassion is that it is 'Christ-centred, Child-focused and Church-based, these kids regular attend Sunday school, they run vocational bible school in the holidays which Joko attends and he tells me about it in letters. They seem to get together a lot at the 'project' where they get to do Christian activities and games, all of these things are linked with the local church in the community that Joko and his family live. Click here to find out more about what Compassion do.

Friends of mine have sponsored children for their own children, what a great way to teach your children to care and love others, they also write each others letters and draw each other pictures. I think I would like to do this for our niece when she gets a little bit older..

I really recommend this program, it's a joy to receive letters and pictures from Joko and to also write to him, it's a privilege to be able to contribute to a family in need, but most of all it's amazing to know that through this program this little boy and his family are finding out more about our Lord and Saviour, not only are their physical needs being met but most importantly their spiritual needs are also being met.

I pray that Joko grows up to be a man of God, to know, love and fear the Lord with all his heart, mind, body and soul...

free coffee at starbucks @ wynyard between 10am and 12pm today!

Thought I would spread the good news :)

If you hate Starbucks - please ignore!

beowulf

SP and I saw this movie on Saturday night and can I say - it wasn't my cup of tea... I mean it's hardly a 'chick flick' but I found it very unusual and don't tell anyone, but I was a little bit scared in parts. I also found it a very grotesque, guys you may be alright with this but ladies - I don't recommend it to you unless you really like that kind of thing... SP wasn't a fan either... To be fair we didn't really know anything of this story before we went - sorry Beowulf fans, but I have since looked up a little bit about it's origin etc....

The 'digitally enhanced live action' (I had to look this up on the internet as I wasn't sure what the correct term was!) was amazing and at times I found it hard to believe that it wasn't actually Anthony Hopkins... Ray Winston lends his voice to Beowulf, I love Ray Winston and think he is an awesome 'cockney' actor...

So they did an amazing job of the 'digitally enhanced live-action' and the actors are great but the movie itself = strange! That could just be me and I am sure there are many a folk out there who will love it, let me know what you think if you have seen it or if you go and see it!