The Unintentionally Christian Big Brother (& Karaoke)

I was reading through the BB (big brother) diary and noticed the following entry....

David feels he wasn't acting himself during the last week. Camilla gives Danielle the following piece of advice: "Be in the game, don't play the game."

Isn't it funny how, in an indirect, paraphrased kind of way, and without even possibly realising it, a housemate from this year's big brother has quoted the bible.

For all those people out there who think Big Brother is inappropriate and should not be aired and is a waste of time and space in the entertainment industry, fair enough but think how that simple statement could be used in a sermon/talk and at the same time reach out to a generation of lost people who have nothing better to do with their time than watch meaningless reality television....hmmmmm.....

But i don't suppose making oneself familiar with things that people relate to counts for much these days, right?

Wrong!

You're only ever going to get through to someone when you get beside them, on their level and talk about the things that are closest to their own hearts - even if it IS big brother, that's how you'd "preach it" to me anyway?! They won't have a bar of you otherwise?!

In other news, karaoke is going well, thank you! We've decided to spice things up a bit and have a theme every time we go to karaoke. This week (if you're planning on coming) will be an 80's night, dress as 80's as you possibly can and be prepared only to sing 80's music, nothing else and if i get some photos, i'll post 'em here so stay tuned folks!!!

Goodness me, what am i thinking, how i hate the era of the 80's, i'm ashamed to even be apart of it?! And to think i missed out on the 70's by 10 months?!

Ahhh....the things we do for fun?!

Tink xoxo

The Day After

I know i've been blogging frequently lately and probably not of anything sunstantial, reminds me of a friend....haha....but these things cannot afford to be left out of my very personal blog......??....

Anyway, if you're an avid reader of my blogs (especially the comment about me having alot to say that needs to be heard - i do?) then you'll remember that yesterday i had a top day, ended by winning $50 at karaoke. Today Cinderella has turned back into the servant girl though.

It seems that when the clock struck twelve everything just seemed to slide downhill!!!! Parts of a document i had saved were not redeemable because it had been saved all together (don't worry, it makes sense in my head and it was a bother?!). Bad point one.

The second bad point was when i went to look for my prize money, all i found was $20 on the floor that had obviously slipped out of my pocket. The rest of it was gone - most likely falling out somewhere else along the way. Bad point two.

The third bad point was that i bought a toasted chicken schnitzel roll for lunch which only cost me $3 - i thought it was odd but was quite happy to see my luck, perhaps, returning! When i opened it up and due to my lack of observance, i proceeded to eat a toasted lettuce and mayo roll. The extra $3 was the missing chicken schnitzel - for goodness sake?!

It is just not my day today!!!

Tink xoxo

Work Adventures

BIG FAT UPDATE!!!!!
Tonight at karaoke, i won the $50, so it topped off my euphoric day with the most best, most exhilerating, most brilliant and highest sensation. Although i can't help but wonder just how exactly rigged Brad made it?! hmmm...

____________________________________________________


Today was awesome, I had a good day today, it was so good i want to tell you about it. On a good friends advice, I also want to tell you about my experience at work the other day, so bear with me!

Well today work paid for me to complete a refresher course to update my first aid certificate which is quickly going out of date. It was really good!!!! In the last 3 months, first aid in australia has been changed dramatically and it's so much better now.

I've finally registered my car "with a little help from my friends" and there was only one bill in my mailbox today and it was my phone bill which was the cheapest it's been for three months.

There is definately a God after all and he certainly loves me today!!!!! (nah, actually he loves and provides for me at all times!!!! ha!)

So that's my most awesome day - and i haven't had one of those for awhile, you know the ones where at the end of the day you have a smile on your face and there couldn't possibly be anything better about the world! Yea it's a euphoric feeling!!! hehe......

Anyway, on Monday some of us took my boss out for lunch (her and her husband are leaving Australia to live back in their home country of England) to a place called stanmore. At Stanmore The Salvation Army owns this REALLY old mansion that's used for salvo courses and conferences. It's absolutely old heritage and it's gorgeous!!!!!! Massive staircase and really beautiful old oak furniture. As a bridesmaid, I stayed there with Tara Sippel (nee Cook) on the night before her wedding. It's madly historic!!! Mind you, it'd be a pretty scary place to stay on your own, so it was good having other girls there with me. At times i felt as though i would walk past a mirror and see a ghost image or something, ha! such antiqueness about it - soooooo nice!!!!

We set out for Stanmore and i was transported there by the lovely commissioner (funny salvo lingo for head boss of the salvos) les strong and his wife coral. Gosh, they are the most dear people, i'm so glad we have them as commissioners of this territory (more funny salvo lingo which means the ACT, NSW and QLD)!!! They're such great christian examples and they're probly more in love with each other than when they got married and they're just such friendly, down to earth people. I hope when i've been married for as long as they have, my marriage is as fresh and romantic as that - THEY ARE GREAT!!!!!

But...

Their car, oh my giddy aunt?! It has a leather interior?!?!?! I felt like i was riding with the prime minister for goodness sake!!!! People get so flustered about the commissioner but on the way home i realised that he's just another guy and they're just ordinary people, i had great chats with them!!! They are generally, interested, caring people who have people's best interests at heart!

So we ate lunch at Stanmore, it was all intimately set out with wine glasses, napkins, bread and butter plates, maison, etc. When we were dining, i felt like some weird, wealthy princess girl from the 1900's. I was being all proper and everything, only speaking when i was spoken to, coughing away from the table, placing my napkin on my lap, elbows off the tables - VERY POLITE.......it was a little bit hard to imagine my "other" life away from that place, so ordinary and very povo and untidy and NOT wealthy-like!!

I went for lunch at 12 and didn't get back til like 2 - A TWO HOUR LUNCH WITH THE COM!!!!! CRAZY!!!!!

Anyway, i just wanted to tell you of my day's adventure today and on Monday because indeed, I've had an interesting week!!!!

Tink xoxo

The Best of You

Sometimes i get really revved up about my faith after i hear certain things or i've attended certain conferences or whatever.

Last night i heard GOOD preaching, real, genuine, meaty and really hearty preaching and i was truly inspired. But it made me think about what i was doing about this faith i proclaim to have. How passionate am i? How gutsy am i? Do i "give God enough space?" Do i let him infiltrate every part of who i am? Am i doing justice to my so called Christianity? Am i doing God justice? Am i being who he intended me to be? Am i a fighter? Or do i just sit back and expect God to do his work through me sitting on my bum? Yea, i got a good think out of it!

All day today i haven't been able to get out of my head alot of my friends who don't know God the way i do. At different times of the day either the image of people's faces or their names have been flashing up and floating around in my head and on the way home from work today a song came to me that wasn't even Christian and i started analysing the words and singing it over and over and over again in my head - i couldn't get rid of it!!!

It's a song that someone sings at karaoke over and over and over again til he kills it and i've never even realised what the words say until now. I rushed to get home because all i knew of the song was the chorus (which is good enough in itself!) and i wanted to know the rest of the lyrics.

If you're a Foo Fighter fan you'll know it, the chorus says:

"Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?"

After i kept hearing it my head and after thinking of all my friends who couldn't be bothered with God i just thought, it's so true, who's getting the best of you and why, why, why won't you give that best part of who you are to God?!

So i got home and read the lyrics and here's what some of them said:

"Are you gone and on to someone new?
I needed somewhere to hang my head, without your noose
You gave me something that I didn't have, but had no use
I was too weak to give in, too strong to lose
My heart is under arrest again, but I break loose
My head is giving me life or death, but I can't choose
I'll swear I'll never give in, I'll refuse"

I thought about the noose that satan puts around our necks and about where we go to escape that noose, or where we go to hang our heads???
I thought about all the meaningless, useless things that satan puts into our heads and that time after time we just blindly accept them.
I thought about where our strength comes from to resist satan.
It made me think about how much of a battle for our hearts this war is, both good and evil want possesion of it and that's why our heart goes "under arrest"!!!
I thought about breaking loose, by the power of God, from satan.
And the last line held the most significance for me.

"I swear I'll never give in, I'll refuse."

I just thought, wow, this song has more credit than i've ever given it because in my relationship with God, i'm not going to give up?! Perseverance in fighting with the full armour of God is what it's all about and committing ourselves to say to God, "With your help, i can do anything".

But you think that's all???????????? There was more lyrics, and this is the greatest wake up call ever?! The next part of it said this:

"Has someone taken your faith? Its real.
The pain you feel?
The life? The love, you died to hear?
The hope that stops the broken hearts?
Your trust?
You must confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?"

Who's stealing your joy, your faith, who's taking away the real faith that you have in God?
Where's the pain coming from, are you giving everything to God? You know, in the bible in Psalm 84:11 the second half of the verse says:

"...no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

If we're living blameless lives, God's promises will be made fresh to us daily and he won't hold back anything from us, his blessings, his gifts, all the things he stores up for us in heaven, he will lavish upon us, but hey, "are we giving God the space?

Is someone sucking the life out of you? The void for God's love in your life - is someone robbing or stealing that from you???? What about your trust? What about the hope that is found in God? Who even has the right to take that away from you and if they have, why have you let them?! The song says, the hope that stops the broken hearts......why are we giving our best to someone or something that takes that hope away, that comes from God alone and stops broken hearts???

The song just makes me question, who's getting our best? It makes me think that if we don't confess all that stuff and just give it over to God, it'll end up eating us inside out!!! It makes me livid to see that all the non-Christians i know are giving their best to satan pretty much, when there is so much more for them stored up if they'd only give their best to God - he has abundant, eternal life and a love which surpasses all greatness, he has so much more to offer them than satan ever will?!

When i saw that the Foo Fighters wrote that song, i was astonished - these guys aren't even Christian and yet, the song can be seen in such a powerfully Christian way and can speak truths on levels they probably didn't even intend the song to be used for.

It also just puts a whole new spin on this guy at karaoke who sings this song on a regular basis (he's good at it) but doesn't even realise that there's a spiritual truth to that song, he doesn't see it because he's got his back turned to God - it's so crazy?! Sometimes i just wanna grab people by the shoulders and shake it into them, "don't you get it?!".......*sighs*.......

Anyway, had to blog this, it was just burning on my heart. The lyrics of this song are here and if you're smart and technical enough, "The Best of You" can be found on that page.

I must say, it's a fighting song when it's put into a Godly context. I don't think i'll listen to that song quite the same after today!

Tink xoxo

Perfect Match

Did you ever used to do those things in high school where you'd put your name loves your lovers name???

ie. Alisha Blackman

loves

Ben Affleck

And then you'd tally it up to see what percentage you got? And to see whether they were your perfect match?

Well, boys and girls you can put your brains to rest and your pencils aside because now the worldwide web has invented the:

~*!!!CRUSH CALCULATOR!!!*~

Just click on the link to find out how perfect your match really is?!

Tink xoxo

The Decider

That's right folks, not the insider but the decider!

I got a bit distressed and confused when i read an article in The Salvation Army's publication Pipeline.

The title of the article was "In the World, not of the World" which was a great name for it but i just felt that the article didn't do the title justice. A reader's opinion i guess, but still a good article though.

By the end of it, i wasn't sure if they were or weren't condoning Christians going into nightclubs which was the gist of the article. It just seemed like a collection of opinions and views about some people who were against it and some who were for it.

I had a few thoughts and views that i wanted to share here and i can coz this is my blog.

Whilst i was slightly confused by the article (or perhaps that's just me being not really all there), there were a lot of good points that were raised and, in true sermon fashion, i wanna touch on some of those. Hope you don't mind, although if you do, why are you still reading this??? Go away....ha! not really.

Liam Glover was quoted in there as saying that Christianity should be "us going to the people, rather than expecting the people to come to us." Well done, my first lot of brownie points go out to him, even though i don't know the guy, i feel the same way.

The second point i picked up on in this article was what a South Sydney person had to say (i'm sure i'll know this person so i'll choose my words carefully). They said they didn't hang out in nightclubs etc because they were worried about what they're youth will think of them and the example they'd be setting. Very good point BUT....

I too am on a youth group committee but my opinion is that we should be teaching our youth in their early ages about the "big, bad world". We should be going into these places being good Christian examples. Before long, these teenagers we are "leading" will grow into adults. One would hope that by the time they reach that age they will be strong, committed Christians because of the nurturing and encouragement we are showing to them. Anyone that turns the age of 18 is curious about pubs and clubs and at some point will want to venture into them, i am generally speaking of course. Would it be better for them to have seen you setting a Christian example and witnessing to non-Christians in this environment or would it be better for them to venture into something where no (Christian) man has gone before?

You know, when i go into a pub (clubs aint my thing) i want people to think of me as building a relationship with someone, getting to know them and possibly trying to do life with them. I want young people to see that what i'm doing is being a witness for Christ and fighting for their hearts for Jesus sake which satan obviously seems to have a hold over. Why should it be seen as a bad or taboo thing? And why, tell me this, should satan be even allowed to hold position in these places in the first place?????

When our young people are finding themselves wandering into a club or pub as they turn the legal age of 18 without the Christian knowledge and faith and nurturing and without knowing how to guard and protect themselves from satan's grasp and without God's strength and without having seen their "leaders" go before them that's when they'll find themselves in trouble. Are we being equipped and helping to equip other people with the spiritual, God-promising weapons and armour that we need to go into these places that it talks about in Ephesians 6:10 or do we just find ourselves stumbling through the doors out of curiousity unprepared?? Are we going into these places with words of wisdom that we've prayed for from God or are we just talking meaningless conversations?

If an 18 year old, who goes into a club/pub is not a strong enough Christian and doesn't know their inheritance and how important it is to rescue the souls that are drifting into hell, i wanna know why?

So what if people think you're going there to drink, are you? And who are you trying to save? Yourself or the other people around you who don't know Christ? God knows your intention when you walk into these places so why worry about human beings assumptions, unless you have a guilty consciencious?

Ok, done with that point.....

Third point, more of an illustration really and definately an update on karaoke:

Last week at karaoke was a great night because i didn't even intend on going until i remembered i'd told two people i'd be there - couldn't let 'em down, glad i went coz they definately did!

One of our dearest karaoke, non-Christian friends was shattered, absolutely plastered, off her face gonnnnnne, which wasn't unusual, she does this most karaoke nights, some nights not being quite as bad as others. This particular night she was had it. But as she always did, she told us she was driving herself home afterwards.

Are you shocked? Because you should be!!! We were the first couple of times she told us but, like us to karaoke, this just became the regular thing for her to do.

Like i said, last week was one of the drunkest i've ever seen her and i put my foot down. Either she was gonna kill herself, someone else or both if she drove herself home in that state of mind. So i arranged with one of her friends for them both to walk home which, as far as i know, they did.

Even at Balmain, where i used to do karaoke, i remember driving some people home because they were too far gone to get there any other way.

Isn't it a case of "where are the Christians when you need 'em?". Sure we get paid out for drinking water and eating ice (although sometimes we go as far as coke), even to the extent of having it thrown at us (thanks phil!) but we're there if they need a chat or a lift home or just a friend and somehow, dare i say it, i get the feeling that Jesus approves of that.

So in conclusion (it has been quite an essy, hasn't it?!)....

I have decided (finally, the title and reason for blogging) on two things.

1. Whilst i'm not a Soldier and not against a social drink, i have decided to abstain from alcohol whenever i am in a pub/club for the sole reason that i want people to know that fun times can be had whilst sober. Whilst one drink doesn't really send me over the edge or even tipsy for that matter, a complete stranger does not know that my weird craziness is just how i am without alcohol and so, when asked, i'd rather be able to say that, "no, i haven't had anything to drink and that's just the crazy person God created me to be". SOooo, no more alcohol for me at karaoke (not that i ever drank often anyway, probly only 1 drink every 3 or so months for those that interested).

2. i will be at karaoke this week, no boy can stop the work that God has for me to do - satan thought he had me but he doesn't!!!!! SUCKER - GAME ON MOLE!

Anyway, i'm sure that this has caused some negative or controversial issues with some readers, but that's ok, it's my blog and i'm allowed to express my opinion!!!

Tink xoxo

PS: I did have the article to post as a graphic, but for some reason it's not coming up and you'll just have to look forward to it. If i can manage to get it to work some other time, i'll post it.

Acting for the Camera

It's obviously no surprise that once again this, year, i am enthused about the return of Big Brother - whoopiieeee!!!! For my views and opinions on some topics of this show you can read about it here in a previous post.

i haven't devoted much time to writing about BB06 this year because i just don't feel like it is worth blogging about (is this a sign of growing up or just pure laziness???). But this week i got thinking about young Michael. He's the insider of the group and basically has to sabotage all the task the HMs (HouseMates) engage in. He's doing an alright job i guess.

Some of his other HMs have been getting irratated by his unusual behaviour, inparticular, his sleuthing-type personality. He's always trying to solve puzzles and figure things out, he always thinks that there's an underlying liar in every situation and his fellow HMs are getting a little bit annoyed with it and want him to just be himself instead of acting for the cameras (which i might point out, they're not allowed to do!).

I must admit, i have to agree with the HMs. I don't think he's ever going to forget the cameras are there and just be himself and yes, it is irratating because i think he'd be really sweet if he just relaxed. But then i got thinking on a deeper level (i do alot of thinking on the train, as i've stated many times). Remembering that the cameras are there is probably good for them because they know they friends and family will be watching and they know to be decent and respectable - most of the time (actually not always - meh, humans, what can i say?!).

I thought about this in relation to my spiritual life and about how important it is to constantly remember that we are in the spotlight and to be good, effective Christian examples, we have to keep reminding ourselves of that. I thought it was really interesting when i thought of it like that.

I love Big Brother because so often, it reminds me about spiritual truths and about how i'm living out the faith in my own, personal life and what exactly it is that people are seeing. It also reminds me in an abstract kind of way about how obedient i'm being to God and what things are being held from me (not necessarily taken away) because i'm holding on to my own valueless material things. God has so much to give me and you that he's pleading with us to give him our complete all so we can have the good things he wants to give us. Why should we expect God to give us all of his blessings to us when we're not prepared to give him everything of who we are?! When you get thinking about it, it really makes sense!

Anyway, just wanted to comment on the whole "in your face, camera action" thing and the good lesson it reminded me of.

Thanks Big Brother, thanks Michael!

Tink xoxo

Bye, Bye Braddles

WARNING:
This is a mush blog, don't read it if you don't like mush!

If you're an avid reader of my blogs (why???) you'll remember that i am in love, absolutely smitten with the karaoke host, Brad. He's an absolute gem he really is.

But he's not by any means a Christian and it's so, so sad.

A principle I've tried to live by since coming to a more intimate relationship with God a few years ago is to keep my heart set on the person God is preparing for me. I haven't set eyes (or heart) on any young chap that's not living closely to God for about 3 years.

Until Brad.

I don't know whether it's because i'm becoming slack in my walk with God or whether there just hasn't been anyone who's caught my attention in that time but the thought that Brad isn't who God has planned for me just yet has sort of been pushed to the back of my thoughts and i haven't really cared that he's not yet apart of God's family.

This weekend i've heard preachers constantly preach about giving our 100% to God, about being faithful to God, about becoming free in Christ and i'm starting to hear God saying to me, what are you holding back?

I've realised i'm hanging onto an affection for someone God doesn't want me to be with. I'm realising that I'm trying to take control of my relationships instead of letting God deal with that. I've realised that i want to be so desperately in love with Brad that i don't care if it's what God wants or not and i've realised that's not a good thing. I'm not going to be truly free in Christ if i'm holding the reigns instead of God.

Sure, God's got a backup plan if i don't follow his original plan and he's not going to leave me alone but ideally he wants me to walk in his first perfect plan for my life (i learnt that in bible study a couple of years ago).

What i'm trying to say is that Brad is not who God has in mind for me (at least not now, if ever) and it's time for me to make the decision about who's in control.

For awhile now, i've been sitting on the fence trying to convince myself that it's ok to fall for Brad while in my heart i can quite clearly hear God saying, "um, no, i don't think so". So i'm deciding to jump off the fence and catch up to God who's already continued walking ahead of me and just the thought of that makes me feel a bit more burden-free.

To paint a picture for you, it's like a little kid who's got tired from walking and sits down to rest but is starting to realise they can't see their father who's starting to disappear into the distance. So they jump off the fence and run to catch up.

In my personal opinion, i reckon it's ok to have a rest and a break every now and again coz sometimes we do get tired, so long as we don't do it too often and for too long and as long as we're leaving God in control the whole time!

So whilst i'll keep praying for him and being God's witnessing tool to him, in my heart it's time to say farewell Brad!

Tink xoxo

Happy 100th!!

Well unfortunately for me, or actually, unfortunately for you, or maybe fortunately depending on how you look at it, this is my 100th blog so:

!!!HAPPY HUNDREDTH!!!

The sad thing about the whole ordeal is that I don't really have anything exciting to blog about on this happy occasion.

However, for those of you who get upset when i DON'T blog, i'll do it anyway, as i really DID have something to blog about, exciting or not.

Confused yet? Don't worry, just read on....

I'll start with something that happened last week that i didn't blog about but feel that i really should to relieve some built up excitement on my behalf.

My heart-throb karaoke host Brad, asked me to sing the last song of the night at karaoke. I was ecstatic AND the song he chose was Time Warp from the Rocky Horror picture show which has always been a song i've been too afraid to sing but wanted to - wow! After it was over and i had, on numerous occasions ran into him whilst dancing on stage, i knew that someone, perhaps one of the girls, had put him up to it (especially after Trish, the darling, made me sing 'caberet', a song i had no idea of but gave it a shot anyway) so i interrogated them on it but alas, no-one had secretly put my name in - Brad had randomly asked me to sing with him! It was something straight out of one of my wildest daydreams?! It was a crazy night of karaoke but goshhhh it made my whole night worth it let me say!

Wow, that's been building up fow quite some time now! It feels good to get it off my chest!

Next on the agenda, mobile (cell phone) scares!!!!

Last night, for our weekly suppers, i was late as i wanted to get home for the weekly screening of my favourite show Big Brother before being a social bunny.

So i arrived and little Joel (bless his cotton sox) took me for a spin with his newly acquired 'P' plates (CONGRATULATIONS!!! For those of you unfamiliar with this, 'p' plates are indications that someone is still learning to drive but that they don't need anyone's help in the front seat!). He's a good lil driver, but he's still a baby and it flips me out that he can drive a car, it's crazy?! For the first time HE drove ME around and there i sat in the backseat while the boys in the front seat (Matt AND Joel) cheuffered ME around!!! I felt a tad out of place and a tad not my age (nothing unusual about the latter i suppose). I felt like i was the 17 year old being driven around by 25 years olds....pffft.....what's with that, that's just wrong?!

Anyway, that wasn't about my mobile scare. The thing is, i got out and to my utter dismay, i left my mobile IN JOEL'S CAR.....AAARRRGGGHHHH.......

So i made the necessary calls to the boys (now including Nathan Hodges - more cause for alarm!) to drop my phone into me before they headed home. It was also necessary for me to tell them that no, they couldn't make prank calls or real calls to people and no they couldn't message whom they liked. So the time that i had to wait for them was anxious and painful to say the least! Reasons why:

• The previous night i had put on a mud mask and soaked in a bubble filled bath and had thought my mud mask was so funny that i took a couple of snaps of my face and hadn't had the chance to upload them off my phone on to my computer. I may post one of them here if you're lucky!
  
• There are certain phone numbers in my phone that if called, i would struggle to explain why i had their number! No guesses as to whose number i have!

SO...

It was a long wait as you can see. After being tricked into thinking they'd returned it, i headed out to retrieve my phone from the letterbox - it wasn't there. So a good hour later they turned up on my doorstep with my phone - my phone - at last!!!!!

Surprisingly enough, they were angels, they made only one prank phone call to Rachel (while i was there) and didn't do anything else with my phone - i was gobsmacked!!! Thanks boys, indeed you made my night, in fact, my whole weekend with that simple act of trustworthiness!!!

So there you have it folks - my 100th blog!

Tink xoxo