Someone who made a difference

 Dear XXXXXXX


Im not sure if you even read my blog, but I just wanted to say to you...thank you for making a difference in my life. You shared many ups and many downs, but throughout them all you were always by my side...supporting me...assisting me. I could always count on you, no matter what I faced.

You taught me so much. When I reflect back, on how I was before you and how I was after you, I realised how much I grew during the time we spent together. You taught me so much, despite you limited experiences. You are much wiser than your years, you are more intelligent that people give you credit for.

I wish there was someway that I could fully express how grateful I am for what you did for me, the time you spent with me, the times you came to my rescue...but I know that there is no way I could express how much I honestly appreciate you.

I know at times...a lot of times...I took you for granted...and for that Im sorry. But now I realise how much you taught me and how much you made me smile. Small things to you...they are all significant things to me.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and change some...if not all....the things I did wrong. But that time is past. All I can do now is pray that you are happy...and you will be happy in the future.

You are an inspirational person. You are compassionate and caring. You are amazing.

Thank you.

Just like living in paradise

When someone mentions paradise, I guess most people would imagine long sandy beaches, beautiful sunshine, lazing around and spending time with someone. But for someone like me who is burnt by the sun when its raining, the idea of sunshine and beaches is not ideal.

But what exactly do I picture paradise to be like?


I guess the first answer would be to say...Heaven! But since we cannot even begin to explain how amazing heaven must be...then I will have to go back to my perfect place.

I would have to say paradise is a place where the following things are in place:

• No need to work - nothing would beat just lazing around, hanging out with friends and hitting the gym as much as I like
• Weather would be a standard 20-25 degrees each day - this is my ideal temperature, not too hot and not too cold...just right
• All my friends and family are in the same place - I have too many friends overseas...and in my paradise they are all living here with me =)
• Footy is on everyday of the week - doesnt have to be Carlton, just has to be footy...the greatest game in the world!

To be honest though...its hard to truly sum up paradise for me. There are so many places I have been that are beautiful and amazing. But the one thing that always makes every place even more wonderful is the people I am there with. So I guess that means paradise for me is a place where my friends and family are close to me.

Tracks to keep me going

I love music and I almost always have my headphones in listening to tracks, whether it be on my iPod, iPhone, Mac or pumping from the stereo in the car! So what then would be the five songs I would have with me on a desert island and why?

My first reaction to this question was...the answer would change as time goes by. So my answer is based on my current situation. But how to pick those songs out? Well my first idea was to check out what are the top 5 tracks played on itunes currently...and they are the following:

1. Dead End Friends - Them Crooked Vultures
2. Showbiz - Muse
3. In Your World - Muse
4. Mind Eraser, No Chaser - Them Crooked Vultures
5. This Is Our God - Hillsong

Interesting actually...although this is more a result of me just turning on itunes when im at work and letting the tracks play.

So back to the list...well here we go in no particular order:

Hosanna - Hillsong United
This is a beautiful song...yeah I know...not what you expect from me with my first selection. But its truly wonderful. With such powerful lyrics such as "Show me how to love like you have loved me...Break my heart from what breaks yours" its one song I really enjoy worshiping God to and thats something I definitely need.

Misfit Love - Queens of the Stone Age
Since my recent love for QOTSA started, this is one song that has stood out and I particularly enjoy listening to it while at the gym due to the fast beat. Also the way the song mixes it up towards the end is a delight to listen to!

New Born - Muse
Muse have so man awesome songs to pick from...but this is just one that I cant go past. From the slow build up in the start with the piano hammering away to the pace of the chorus...this song has seen me through countless workouts and is one I just do not tire of!

Gave Up - Nine Inch Nails
This was a tossup between "Gave Up" and "Wish", but since this song is longer...I have opted for this since I need as much music as possible! The quick drum loop that the song starts with is a good build up to the chorus where it is guitar centric with high pitched vocals! This is the song I usually use to get myself over the line after a big session or a massive run!


The Stand - Hillsong United
If stranded, I would definitely need two worship songs and this is another beautiful song to praise the Lord to. It starts slowly with soft vocals and builds up strongly to the chorus. The chorus is wonderful, as it proclaims "So I'll stand...With arms high and heart abandoned...In awe of the One who gave it all".

So there you have it, the five songs I would take if I was on a desert island...a mix of worship song with fast paced rock!

Something that inspires you

There are times where people will remark that Im quite self-motivated, quite structured in the way I lead my life...which is quite evident by the fact that my routine today is almost identical to what it was 12 months ago and 12 months before that...in that it consists of Work, Church, Gym and Football!

But behind that motivation, what is it that inspires me to do what I do? What gives me that feeling to push further, beyond the boundaries that I feel are currently in place around my life?

Is it watching TBird run around the park in the Carlton guernsey (no not the Bullants one), taking big grabs and then slamming home a nice goal...nah not really.

Is it observing some of the more solid fellas in the gym, pressing 100kg+, curling a bar which is fully loaded and strutting around the gym like they are God's gift to the world....probably not either

Or is it tuning in to a great speaker belt out a spectacular speech, listening to the words the use to get the crowd passionate about a specific cause...I would have to say no to this one too.

I think one thing that really inspires me is...watching normal people achieve spectacular outcomes. I love to hear my friends share stories with me where they have been successful despite difficult circumstances, where they have come through with the goods despite all the signs saying that they would fail.

It might seem simple...but I feel a sense of joy hearing their story. I enjoy being around people who are passionate about a cause or situation and will put all their efforts and energies into that to achieve a desired outcome. And a lot of the time, their passion, their dedication, their desire to succeed no matter what...these expressions are infectious and will have me pushing the boundaries in no time!

But of course if all else fails to inspire...looking at TBird's smiling face on the badge pinned to my scarf can also do that job =P

Guilty Pleasures

I think we all have some form of guilty pleasures that we indulge in at various times, whether it be a big block of chocolate when we are down or snuggling up to watch a romantic comedy on a cold winters night. Recently I was thinking what would I say my guilty pleasure is...and I guess it comes back to food!

There is one cafe down in North Melbourne which isnt much to look at from the outside...but they sure can put together some amazing food!! In particular Im quite partial to the pancakes and the french toast.

Usually when I'm feeling like I want to indulge a little and I want a bit of quiet time alone, sometimes after a particularly tough gym session, I will head down there and order myself a strong latte and the pancakes, grab the paper or a book and just allow the afternoon to drift by!

Now you may be thinking to yourself "where is this awesome place in North Melbourne?" Well as much as I would love to tell you...if I did it would be even busier there than it currently is...so that part Im going to be keeping a secret...unless of course you are nice to me and I might allow you to accompany me down there one weekend =)

What do you see?

Ill address the fact that I have been MIA some other time. I just wanted to share something that was on my heart tonight as I was driving home. Actually its something that I have been dealing with quite a lot in recent times.

On Monday night I was at the football to see Carlton take on the Saints. At the game, the excitement was amazing...the intensity was extreme...especially in the dying minutes where the Saints fought back to take the lead, before Andrew Walker marked and goaled to win the game for the Blues by 3 points! I was literally shaking as Walkers goal slice through...and when the final siren went 90 seconds later...I was on my feet cheering like you wouldnt believe. By the time I left the stadium, my voice was gone...but I was on a huge high! Carlton had won against a team who has played in the last 2 grand finals, they are one loss after seven rounds and have a solid position in the top four.

But as I drove home from the game, listening to talk back radio discuss the game, I was surprised to hear how many Carlton supporters were ringing up to complain about the performance of the Carlton players during the game. Now im not saying there isnt room for improvement, there were a huge number of skill errors throughout the game...but the fact is in the end Carlton won despite being totally out on their feet! There I was...super excited and thrilled with the win...and there other fans were...not happy about the game because we should have won by more. Two groups, one situation, two different views.

Last month I completed the Run for the Kids. Around the 6km mark, a woman darted in front of me, slowed down, causing me to jump out of the way and subsequently I rolled my ankle. Now the run was about 14km...I was barely halfway and I was really concerned I would have to pull out there and then. But I just pushed on, hoping the pain would go away. It luckily did and I was able to finish the run, although once I stopped at the end and headed home, the pain in my ankle was extreme! Now at the end of the run, I could have just focused on my injury and the woman that was the cause. Or I could celebrate the fact I was able to finish the run sucessfully. 

The point im trying to make is, no matter what your situation is, there is always two ways you can look at it...and the way you see the situation will ultimately dictate how you carry yourself going forward. We must never neglect the awesome things that God has done and is doing in our lives. If we are only focused on what we dont have and what we feel hasnt gone right, we are missing out on so much more, so many great things that God is doing!

Just because something doesnt arrive today, doesnt mean that it wont arrive tomorrow. Just because God doesnt answer your prayer today, doesnt mean he isnt listening and working in your life! God hears every word we speak, every word we pray. So in all things we should rejoice in knowing that God continues to work for those who love Him.

So I just pray that you will be encouraged to take this line next time you feel yourself beginning to focus on the negatives of your situation. When things begin to take the tougher road, just give thanks to God knowing He is by your side and will ultimately lead you to bigger and better things if you continue to follow Him!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

What are you called to do?

As I prepare for this weeks cell group, I though I would revisit what was discussed at church last weekend. I find the topic that was spoken on being one which is practical to revisit at times. The topic in question is that of finding God's calling upon your life. It is said time and time again, but none of us have been put on this Earth for no reason. We all have a purpose, a reason for being here, goals that are set before us. But sometimes we may feel that we are unable to reach those goals, or that we are not equipped appropriately to face the battles that we are confronted with. But there is good news for anyone who is struggling with this...

Two years ago marked the final season of Brendan Fevola at Carlton. This guy was a freak when it came to kicking goals...whether he was 60m out on the boundary or laying on the ground with one leg free...he had an uncanny skill for finding the goals. He had an amazing set shot...and when he was switched on...he would excite the Blues faithful! But ultimately he got himself into trouble, gambling and alcohol were problems for him, and in the end he was sacked from the Blues. He had amazing talent...but he wasted it.

We are all blessed by God with natural and spiritual gifts. Just like no two people are the same, no two people are blessed with exactly the same gifts. But God doesnt give us these gifts for no reason, as with all things God does...there is a purpose. But beyond giving us these gifts for a purpose, God enjoys watching us discover and experience the gifts we receive. But unless we are moving in the the direction God is calling us, we are not able to make a difference around us with the gifts that we are blessed with.

Some people may ask the question what gifts have I been given or what is my purpose. I guess to answer these questions, you must look at 4 more important questions first.

1. What am I good at?
2. What am I passionate about?
3. What do I enjoy?
4. What is it that I am doing now with the gifts that God has given me?

 The final question cannot be answered until the first 3 have been answered first. It is then that you will start to see what God has given you, where your heart lies and what are your strengths and weaknesses.

In Matthew 25:14-28 we hear the parable of the talents. This is a perfect analogy for this topic of discussion. Here were three men given different talents, and we see how they used them differently based on different factors. Basically you can summarise it by saying that the attitude affected what they did and their concept of the master affected their attitude.

We need to acknowledge that there is no reason to be afraid of making mistakes with our heavenly father, for none of us are perfect and we are all bound to fall at times during our journey. For as mentioned earlier, God enjoys watching us discover our gifts, learn how to use them effectively and ultimately enjoy our talents. So how do we learn to use our gifts and talents that we receive from God?

Firstly we must accept responsibility for what God has placed in our lives. God has not called us to be survivors or live with a survival mentality. We are called to live bold and empowered lives, we are to rise up and spread the blessings of God. But if we just kick back and play it safe, how can any of that be achieved? We will not grow and ultimately we will be breaking the heart of God. You can liken it to if you were to give your best friend a gift, and they took that gift...looked at it...and then just put it to the side...neglected it...and never got to experience the joy that it could have brought their life.

In the parable, we see the wise servants had a sense of urgency, they wanted to bring profit to their master immediately. This is the same approach that God calls us to possess and this attitude brings joy and excitement to God's heart. But God doesnt select the people who appear to be the best choice, God enjoys taking the people that others deem hopeless and have given up on, and using these people for great things. Throughout the Bible there are examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things through his power and grace.

A year and a half ago, I injured my shoulder. At first I was unsure what was the problem, but when I was in the gym I seriously struggled to do almost any exercise. An issue with one part caused the whole body to suffer. You could say that one part of my body was not functioning to its potential. This is same in God's family, the body of Christ. If one of us doesnt function to our potential, the whole body suffers. This is highlighted in 1 Corinthians 12:20-23 where we read there are many parts, but one body. We are to work together for the glory of God.

We need to continually position ourselves where we can gain wisdom and encouragement from one another. This is shown in 2 Timothy 1, where Paul writes to Timothy to remind him that he is being prayed for. He encourages Timothy to use his great gifts to the full potential. This is the same message for you and I today...dont live under the radar. Rise up and put the gifts to work for God's glory. Start exercising those gifts that you have been given, for we need to possess the passion to use our gifts!

It is when we say yes and put our gifts to work that we have the opportunity for our talents to make a bigger difference and shine more and more.

For it is our willingness that releases our ability to fulfill the calling of God on our lives!