What's new around here...

Absolutely nothing :p


Life seems to have slowed down a little. A while ago it was a high speed train going so fast I hardly have time to take it all in, but now it’s just chugging slowly along. I guess I enjoy it better like this anyway. For now :)

In family news: The youngest little member of the family seems to have reached that "terrible two" stage a little early (17 months). I detest the term actually, because people often dismiss Behavioural Issues with a "Oh, Jonny's just going through his terrible two stage. He'll get over it". Which, if left ignored, quickly develops into the spoiled brats that Dad has to look after at work (day-care centres), haha! Anyway, I shall stop ranting about that now... So yes, usually in our family the youngest member gets rather spoiled, and it’s hard not to give them their own way all the time when there's so many of you around to spoil them. But after a while, the sweet little darlings turn into little red faced monsters whenever they don't get given what they want, when they want it and how they want it. Then everyone starts telling Mum "the baby’s turning into a spoilt little brat! You need to do something!" The poor little tykes don't even know what's coming :)

So today we had a little guy SREAMING the house down... so bad we could hardly do our school (don't worry, he wasn't hurt, he just wanted to get picked up but wouldn't ask - he can speak very well for his age, and well all knew he could say it). Like a little monster! We eventually put him in another room so we could get stuff done, and in the end it was Dad that made him calm down and asked to be picked up (he says "hop up" it's so cute!) I guess we've got a few more of those days coming up. He'll just have to learn that he can't always get his way. Then he'll be back to his cute little self again- hopefully :)


Not much else is new around here... I got the little ones to race against teach other doing their school this morning, with lollipops when they were done. Now they're going to ask for more tomorrow I bet. Silly me. But hey, it worked! :)

On Sat night I watched a really scary movie called "The Village". Lydia and I were so terrified! And I even saw younger brother blocking his ears! Yes! I love teasing the boys :) What a mean sister I am haha. Anyway, I thought the movie was so scary I never wanted to watch anything like it again. And Dad told me it's not even a real horror! Oh well. I guess I'll stick to Pride and Prejudice and the like after that :)





~Rachel

Remember Them...

“It’s not easy being a Christian!”

We sigh from our big soft chair

“Why, today I was reading my Bible

And my co-worker gave me a glare!

While down in a cell

A brother’s life is hell

Shackles on his legs

In pain he sits and begs

“It’s not easy being a Christian

It’s really just not cool

While I have trials at work

The kids get bullied at school!”

While in another country

Too far away for us to care

A woman cries in agony

For her child is no longer here

Why do they weep?

Well, we don’t know

And if we care

It sure doesn’t show!

There is family out there

That we’ve never met

And it’s just so easy

Their pain to forget!

They are the ones who really know

How hard it is to be a Christian

And while we sit and complain

They are suffering in Jesus’ name

We try to remember them

And pray for them too

But our lives are so busy

And there’s so much to do!

So while we sit in complacency

Can we at least spare a prayer?

Cause if it was you or me

We’d want our family to care

Hebrews 13:3 - Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. NIV




~Rachel

Look Up

When confusion abounds

And fighting surrounds

When there are tears in the night

Let Jesus hold you tight

When you can’t face another day

When your whole life turns to clay

Look up, there is another way

You don’t have to be alone today

When your life is all just one big fight

You’re struggling to see any light

Ask God to show you the way

And He will light up your day

If you ask, He will give

So stop trying just to live

Cause there’s more to life

Than all of this strife

Please stop trying on your own

He said He won’t leave you alone

So let Him walk beside you

To lead and always guide you

~Rachel

About Children and Writing :)

It’s become very clear to me in the last few days since I started this blog that I really can't write. I guess I already knew that, but now it's obvious not just to me, but to anyone else who reads this blog also.

Some people really have a talent for writing. I came across another blog a few days ago and the author; well I can't even describe how well he writes. I read a story he wrote about some young boys he had met. It was like being in another world. It took me to where he was (Israel) and it felt like I was standing there watching the story unfold.

Anyway, enough about that. (See how I ramble!)

Last night I went along to Woodend Christian Camp to visit my little Bible in schools kiddies who were on a school camp there. Boy those kids are cute! When we (Lydia B and I) got through the door the girls swarmed us with hugs and excitedly showed us their cabin. While we all had tea they were quite happy to chat away. It was really neat getting to know some of them as friends, not just being "Miss Rachel". After tea we played board games. One little boy, L____ wanted to play a game with "just you and me". He is ADHD or something and is a handful but he thrives on one on one attention. I also found out he's a bit (ok, majorly) a cheat :p.

After games we had a story about Tarore, a Maori girl. The kids enjoyed it and got right into trying to pronounce Maori names and places. It was fun! I reckon our kids are really cool :) Then we had a quiz to see how much they learnt, and they did really well.

So there's a bit about my evening :) A completely random post I know, but I couldn't think of what else to say.


~Rachel

Teaching Troubles

"Write 'sat' while I'm gone."

"But we don't know how!"

They sound worried. Too bad. They should know how to write way more than that by now anyway.


5 minutes later when I get back - "have you finished writing yet?" They show me what they've done.

"But that's not what I told you to write!"

They've copied off "the", "and", "at" & "to" from a piece of paper.

"But we don't know what you told us to write!"


Argh. I did tell them what to write didn't I? I'm sure I made it clear.


"Write Sat!"

Leah: "zat!"

Not wanting to give away how it's spelt, I repeat carefully: "sssssat"

Leah: "zzzzat"

Whatever.

After a bit I look over to see if she's done. She has, and correctly too! Curious to see how she pronounces it, "So what does it say?"

Leah: "z-a-t"

Me: "s-a-t"

Leah: "z-a-t"

Me, "no, S-a-t"

Leah: "That's what I said!

*sigh* Must. have. patience. It's going to be a long morning.


I was right.
Tears over maths. How hard can 3+4 be?! You can even count it on your fingers!
I'm not cut out to be a teacher. How are the poor kids I hope to have one day going to cope being homeschooled? I have no idea.




-Rachel

A poem

I don't know what to write, so I thought I'd just put on a poem I wrote a little while ago...

A Clean Heart

“Create in me a clean heart”

The psalm, that is how it reads.

But what about my own heart?

Only You know how it bleeds.

For from You my heart, it strayed far away,

Re- pounding the nails again yesterday.

My audacity, my shame,

I can only look with pain.

You died for me, I mocked You.

I’m all sin, my whole heart through.

How I could cause You so much pain?

I know not how I can explain.

But there is something more

I’ll never understand

How ever You could ask me

To come back into Your hand.

I know You’re all-forgiving,

That much I have been told.

But I never really knew how much,

Till the day I re-entered Your fold.

Father, I know You’re able

To keep my feet from slipping.

So make my way pure and stable,

‘Till Your glory I am seeing

“Create in me a clean heart”

Yes that is my hearts prayer

`Cos I’m on a new start

A walk where You are there

~Rachel~

Help!

I can't seem to work out how to get comments :( Actually, it’s a perfect example of my computer illiteracy (is that how you say it? :p) for you haha. So, if you can help me, and save me from my distress could ya please email (razberi92@hotmail.com) me? Thanks :)

My first post...

...And I have no idea if many people will even read it!


I thought I'd say a bit more about me - rather selfish isn't it?! :) I am the 2nd in a family of 10 children, 7 boys and 3 girls...yeah, we want more girls.

We live on a 24 acre farmlet type thing - not really big enough to be a "real" farm, but we like to think it is:) Among the animals on our little farm are cattle, sheep, goats, a dog, chickens, and ducks.



Anyway, about me... I recently found out I could write poetry - quite by mistake! I decided I would try to write a poem to announce some news to family and friends, and when it turned out ok, people encouraged me to write more. So if I put any on here, feel free to critic them, but please don’t use them without asking me first.

I quite like sewing, although I haven't done much lately. Among my creations is a few Victorian dresses a handbag, tons of pyjama pants for my lil brothers :), and a few skirts etc. I also so play a little piano (although "very ill indeed"!).



So, what I hope to put on here: what God is teaching me, family life things, what I'm up to, poetry maybe... anything really. I'm very new to the whole blog thing so please bear with me if I make any mistakes.



In Messiah Yeshua

- Rachel