Daddy's on holidays

 

Josiah and Mark climbing trees - aren't they cute!

Happy Birthday Josiah

 

Josiah turns 3 today!! He is still my baby:) Poor thing, has been sick for a few days. He didn't want to have a birthday today because he was having too much fun - I think its all been a bit too exciting for him. We had a party with a racing car cake (needed 100 times more food colouring!) at South Bank and had a bit of a picnic with the Burrells and the Burrells and the Neales. Josiah slept on the rug most of the time :( Off to Australia Zoo on Tuesday!! Can't wait:)

Relaxing in Brisbane

 

Having a lovely week in Brisbane with Chloe, Jo and Mic...

Holidays

 

Had lots of fun hanging out with the Reeses at Coffs Harbour. Went to Kegel 9 pin bowling - was very cool! We had a lovely time with Matt, Dan, Josh, Larissa and Isaac.

clever, cute and cuddly

just some cute pics of the munchkins:) its lovely to sit outside on a warm day and play with the kids...
...oh,so cute!

...got to love dads

...aren't i clever?

gluten free festival

off to the gluten free expo tomorrow:)! Lots of free glulten free food. gourmet stuff, yummy stuff too.

changing the world champions

this blog is dedicated to those that are making a conscience effort to change the world
my cousin Chris ...
Mum suggested I have a look at Chris' website. http://dandelioncommunitea.com/drupal/whyorganic - you can too. Chris runs an eco friendly organic cafe in Orlando.

my beautiful sister Jo wrote to me ...
"your web blog thingo has stirred me up a lot. today i started to get
really convicted about child labour in agriculture and started
researching it. i've decided we are going to try and buy only
fairtrade chocolate. but then i cant do that and ignore coffee which
comes from the same thing, so i looked in to that. i contacted merlo
coffee whom we buy most of our coffee from and they are not fair
trade certified but are certified with the rainforest alliance, so i
researched them and found that they support the UN's declaration of
Human Rights and Children's rights convention regulations. so that is
good. so thats a start. i am going to start learning more and go from
there."

join the stitches on my shin club

My awesome nephew fell on some oysters and got a mad cut and lots of stitches this week. I was reminded of when we had a family holiday to Timbertown and I "fell" of a see-saw. I had to get 7 stitches in my knee in the shape of a candycane:) Last year we went to Timbertown and I was telling a friend about the childhood traumatic event and how I wanted to find the see-saw - as photo evidence for a certain unnamed younger brother;) And I turned around and there was the famous see-saw right behind me. A familiar scene was playing out. A little boy and his older sister were fighting over the see-saw, I think the older sister was making it go too high, so the younger brother ran off crying to his mum and dad in the shop - the sister quickly overtook him so that she could dob on her little brother for something or other, before they ran back to the see-saw for another round. It brought back memories! So I took a photo of them. I forgot about it until today. This photo is dedicated to Peter and the wonderful times we had playing together as children:)

chocolate, diamonds and grace

We leave the Amazing Grace movie with joy in our hearts that slavery was abolished … years ago, as if we somehow were part of the victory and rejoice with the cute lead star – we did it, we worked so hard and abolished slavery!
Most of us in the Western world are blissfully unaware that slavery exists in the world today. Not just slavery of men and women, but slavery of children.
Last week my husband and I sat down to watch Blood Diamond. Millions of dollars spent to entertain us and tell us a story. I couldn’t stop weeping in the film. I didn’t know if it was fact or fiction. But I knew that the story was real. Children are treated this way in the world today. Ironically just the morning before watching the film, a friend had sent through an email with photos of beautiful diamond rings and I dreamed of wearing those rings on my fingers.
I don’t know if blood diamonds still exist, conflict diamonds, the beautiful and coveted prize of a child’s forced labour, the treasured result of a child’s death, families slaughtered, nations in war and ravaged by rebel armies.
I don’t know.
But I am determined to find out.

A question has been in my mind over the last few weeks. We know that 20 percent of the world lavishly enjoy 80 percent of the world’s resources. We go on, as if there is not much we can do for the poor, maybe support a child, give to the homeless. Yet I wonder, is it because they are poor that we are rich? Is it because we are rich, that they are poor? Is our 1st world wealth gathered up from the labour of the 3rd world poor? For example, can I buy cheap clothes and fill my cupboards with them because the labour is cheap to make them in China for example? Where the labourer is poor. Are they poor because I pay a cheap price for them?
Am I adorned in jewels because a child was taken at gun-point from their home and forced to dig up a sapphire for me?
I know nothing about the international marketplace, exchange rates and all the rest. I’m sure many amateur economists will argue all sorts of arguments. But I’m not looking for that. I’m looking for an answer.
When I was a little girl I dreamed of changing the world. I don’t want to give up just because the world doesn’t want to be changed.
I have a stirring in my heart. Maybe the children are crying out. Maybe the blood of the children is crying out. Maybe they are praying for us to help.
In the film amazing grace the wife of Wilburforce talks of not having sugar in her tea – sugar, the result of slave labour. When a lot of young women joined together, not having sugar – a culture was changed. A generation was changed.
Maybe back then it was easier to see who made the sugar. Now we have a huge global market. How do we know if slaves picked the cocoa beans for our chocolate, or if children were forced to dig for our jewels?
This is not a cheap thing for me to write. If I let you read it then I’m accountable for it. I need to be prepared to stand for it. I need to be sure to fight for it.

According to …antislavery.org
• The International Labour Organization estimates there are
218 million working children aged between five and 17 (2006)
• 126 million are estimated to work in the worst forms of child labour -- one in every 12 of the world's five to 17 years olds (2006)
• 74 million children under 15 are in hazardous work and should be "immediately withdrawn from this work" (2006)
• 8.4 million children are in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage and other forms of forced labour, forced recruitment for armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities (2002)

I don’t really know the facts or what we can do, but there must be something we can do. Every one of those children is more precious than a diamond, they are just as precious as our own children. What wouldn’t I do to save my own child?

almost spring, picnics and painting

mullet

first half of haircut

just beautiful

daredevil stunts

getting ready to jump ...

rascals

step here

on the way to parkes

july pics

Marks on holidays now and we're just chillin'. Having a blast with the kids and catching up with friends. Its a lovely sunny day today. Thought we might do groceries and get to the toy sales! fun! shopping!!!:)

kiddies in june

As promised, photos from June. Can't resist taking model shots of the kids! Don't they just make you smile?:) Zoe was dedicated at our church in June. She looked beautiful in a little knitted dress and cardigan that was Mark's when he was a baby. I put dusty pink ribbons in it. Josiah and Zoe just love each other and playing together. Josiah is so sweet to her and sometimes loves sharing his toys with her:)

catch up time ...

Sorry, its been a while. Thought I'd try to catch you up on some photos. Here are some from May. June and July ones to come. Zoe can say Mum and Dada!! Very cute and wonderful:)

we're back... did you miss us???

Just back from a lovely couple of days down the South Coast. Our first holiday, just the 4 of us. It was nice to just relax and do nothing. Josiah and Mark had lots of adventures on the sand, the rocks, in the bush, seeing all sorts of wildlife - kangaroos, snakes, crabs, fish, mosquitos...

Another song was written ...

kangaroo poo

kangaroo poo

I got stuck in the kangaroo poo

Zoe and I sat on the beach, Zoe slept in the tiger tent and I took photos of the boys or did nothing. Lots of reading was done, DVDs were watched, food was eaten, shells and rocks collected, sand collected in all our stuff. Now theres piles of washing to do. But it was a lovely time away!

little kids go to the big city

Josiah loved the ferry ride and Zoe loved playing in the park!

Japan Team Reunion

Yesterday we had a Japan Team reunion with a whole bunch of friends who were in Tokyo for the same era together! Kylie (Sydney), Lisa (Wollongong), Cab (Blue Mountains), Val (Vic), Georgi (Vic), Kev and Loz (who made the whole thing happen by flying over from Perth), Beck (Newcastle), Sam (Val's boyfriend, Vic), Nat (Newcastle) and us!!

We met at Circular Quay, ate lunch in the Botanical Gardens, the boys climbed a massive tree, caught a ferry to Darling Harbour, hung about. Everybody loved catching up with Josiah, who didn't remember everyone of course! And loved seeing Zoe. Kev and Loz are 14 weeks pregnant! Very exciting! Josiah loved the ferry ride too, a little queezy though I think.

It was so good to catch up with all our old friends and sit and laugh about the good old days!

Gee Cell BBQ

We had an awesome time last night with the Gees' cells! There was a whole tribe of us! Lots of sausages, water balloons, splashes, silly pass the parcel dares! Great to hang out together guys and girls!! Together we can change the world!!!!

Happy Easter!!

The first time I heard your voice I was filled with joy
Your love overwhelmed my soul and tears of gladness flowed
The first time I felt your love I was consumed by you
You held me close and whispered I am with you

Let your love overwhelm my soul again
Let your love flow over me
Crash over me
I want to be in the fullness of You again

Be my best friend
Be my best friend
Be my closest friend
Know me deeper
Live in me

I want to talk with you when I’m walking down the street
I want to hear your voice in my time of need
I want to rejoice when my friends know you
I want to preach your word in the power of You

diving into the river

a tree planted by the rivers of living water
theres nothing it can do to grow
the only thing that will stop it growing is cutting it down, taking away its water supply, or uprooting it
but in and of itself, it can't stop itself from growing and being who it was designed to be when it was first planted as a seed
it will grow taller and higher into the sky
the black cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets will feast each day in its leaves
its shade will shade backyards where children play, gardens where fruit grows, and will take the heat for a little while for men mowing the lawn on a hot saturday
if it stays where it is, next to the cool flowing living water, drenching its roots in the life giving minerals, it will grow, just as it is destined to grow.
so is the woman or man who drenches themselves, delights in, dwells in the word of God
they will be prosper, be fruitful and successful in whatever they stretch out their branches to achieve
(Psalm 1)

imagine freedom for the captives

I thought I would share with you an article I wrote for the ImagineNations 2007 conference magazine......

Imagine freedom for the captives, imagine release from darkness for the prisoners, imagine comfort for those who mourn, imagine joy instead of shame.

In 2007, in our world …

Millions will suffer sexual violence and assault. In many places, sexual crimes aren’t even recognised, giving the victims no hope for escape. For many, including children, the abuse will lead to them contracting AIDS.

Up to one million women and children will be taken from their homes and forced into prostitution. People trafficking is the second most lucrative crime in the world, after drug trafficking, bringing in $32 billion (US) annually. The average age of the children is 13.

It is estimated that up to nine thousand young Nepalese girls are sold into sexual slavery each year and that India’s brothels are filled with approximately 160 thousand Nepalese women. Extreme poverty is a trap which forces many parents to sell their daughters, many times not knowing what type of work they will be employed in. Innocent girls are forced into prostitution, suffering abuse from brothel owners and customers. They are in financial debt to the brothel owner, they have no hope for escape and nowhere to go. Even once they have paid off their debt, after many years, the girls don’t know any other way to earn money and they remain as prostitutes. Prostitution is not illegal in Mumbai, yet if a girl is found soliciting clients she will be locked up overnight by police, and often she will be raped. She has no choice but to remain in the brothel.

On the streets of Mumbai, the most populated city in India, around 300 thousand children are homeless. Up to 80 % of the homeless girls will be sexually abused before they turn 13. Many girls will be forced into prostitution or will have no other choice to support themselves financially than by becoming a sex worker.

This year Penrith Christian Life Centre will partner with Biju Thampy and ‘Vision Rescue’ in Mumbai India on a mission to release the victims of sex trafficking and help young girls in danger of being forced into prostitution or sexual abuse. ‘Vision Rescue’ aims to rescue girls from sexual exploitation through a range of services. They will be setting up a café close to where girls solicit clients and will provide a counselling service through the café, offering other services to these young women such as vocational training camps and free medical check-ups. ‘Vision rescue’ will also provide accommodation, rehabilitation centres, and prayer and ministry for healing, to help the women begin a completely new way of life.

It is Pastor Biju’s dream to see many young women escape the trap of sexual exploitation through ‘Vision Rescue’. He says “for those who show the earnest desire to be rescued, it is necessary to remove them from their setting, which would require us to rent a house to accommodate them. A fully-fledged rehab center would help us to boldly see our vision of rescuing at least one girl a week come true. It also means recruiting staff to care for them, even nurse them since most of them would require medical help initially.”

Biju says, “It is the right of every human being to be able to live freely, to be able to know their creator and to be respected by fellow human beings. They are created in the image of God, and the love of Christ compels us to make a difference in their lives. As Christians it is our responsibility to defend the basic human rights of these precious defenceless girls. A simple decision to care for them, to show a secure place to live, to train them up to earn their living, just to be there for them can save the lives of those who see these brothels as their future.”

.... Since the conference, 3 other churches from around the world have partnered with Biju Thampy to support 3 more homes for girls in different cities of India. That means that more than 200 girls will be saved in the next year! Imagine what we can do in the years to come ...

Coconut Cookies

Josiah and I cooked coconut cookies this morning! He loves helping me in the kitchen! Yeah! I'm training him up to be my number-1-helper! Mark is relieved to be demoted to number 2 position:) Zoe rolled over the other day, 3 times! She did some rolling over early on, but it wasn't so deliberate, just accidental. She hasn't tried again since, but maybe today she will have another go!!:)
COLOUR was awesome! Got to see Naomi which was wonderful! Sorry we lost you on the last day Nomes, Mum told you the wrong room to go to... nevermind. We will see you again soon!:)
At Colour we saw a film, the Invisible Children. It was a really extreme true documentary about children who are abducted from their homes and trained as child soldiers by a rebel army. They are often tortured and killed, they are trained to kill other children. It was really horrible. To the international community they have been invisible. But we need to make their story known and begin to do something about it. www.invisiblechildren.com . I think they are in Ghana.
A pastor from that area spoke about the Watoto homes for children that they are setting up.
Have a look. Lets change our world!!

Visit to Grandma & Grandpa's

We visited Grandma and Grandpa today. Uncle Bill was there too. I think Zoe has a bit of Grandpa's red hair. Grandpa was pretty chipper, but Grandma's not feeling so good. Pray for her.
Uncle Bill showed us how he does the felting on teddy bears. I should have taken a photo of that too - pretty interesting:)
Josiah played with Grandma's lego. I think we should buy him some small lego to play with, he gets right into it.

Zoe 3 months - March 2007

Josiah 3 months - December 2005

Hard @ Work

Renovations

Renovations are underway today for our new extension. Josiah has been working on some basic designs. We like what he's come up with. We thought we'd take him on a trip to Bunnings soon for some supplies. A bit of colourful paint for inside, a few new tiles for the roof and some lino for the floor, and 'wallah', its a brand new cubby house! Thanks so much to Josh, Isaac, Larissa, Dan and Matt for the great present!!

Josiah all dressed up in shark pajamas and policeman's hat! We found a photo of mark when he was about 1 in a hat just the same:)

Songs for kids

Mark said I should publish the kids songs I have written for Josiah! i hope you like them:) We sing them to bring a happy mood to difficult situations!!

EVERYDAY

(upbeat)

Everyday
I do what mummy and daddy say
Everyday
I do what mummy and daddy say
Then I will have long long days
then I will have happy happy days
everyday
yeah!
(Josiah loves this one - the 'yeah' is done with 'just jack' hands)
haha

ADVENTURE

(good song for car trips)

Adventure Adventure
We're going on an adventure
Adventure Adventure
We're going on an adventure
Where will we go today?
Will we go to the shops? No!
Where will we go today?
Will we go to the park? No!
Where will we go today?
Will we go to the libary? Yes!
Where will we go today?
Will we go on an aeroplane? No!
(repeat)

WAITING PATIENTLY

(to the tune of 'the grand old duke of york')

We're waiting patiently

We're waiting with a smile

We're waiting patiently

We're waiting with a please:)

Can anyone tell me how to get the comments on the same page? Can't figure it out!

Sarah

Did you check out www.thatsmyschool.com.au ?? It launched last night at youth, and I think its the best thing to ever be on the internet! (other than Naomi's blog of course). Have a look!
Youth was great last night! We launched a new album and the band played the homegrown songs, which were awesome! The have childcare for the leader's kids now, even Zoe slept in her pram in there for a while - very cool:)

surrender

well we better have a blog since everybody else is doing it! Should be a good way to keep in touch with the fans!!
Check out www.thatsmyschool.com.au - I think thats the site. The launch is at youth tonight. So I don't know if the page will be working until then. It'll be a website for the high school students to talk about what God is doing in their schools, building a strong community and strengthening vision.
Will do all the fancy stuff later and wow your socks off with creativity!! Maybe I'll get a chance...
Sarah