Okay i have made some posts invisible in the last thread. I will be editing them tonight as i have to go out right now.

Colleen

Bronze!

POV - I like Sheffield - for a visit LOL.

Shoshoi - LOL probably know him! Too funny. We probably know some similar ppl anyway cause DH does a lot of work in a lot of different churches with our business.

OK a quiz... to get to know you better and apologies if this has already been done but i am too lazy to go back and look this morning LOL.

1. Where do you live?
2. What church do you go to?
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this)
4. What do you do in your spare time?
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?

That'll do for now...

here's my answers

1. Where do you live? near Launceston in Tas.
2. What church do you go to? a new church plant, AOG. Only been there a few weeks and haven't 100% decided yet but more than likely
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) Bethany 2yr8mth and Mia 5mths who needs to go to bed instead of watching Mum type LOL
4. What do you do in your spare time? scrapbook
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? scrapbooking and general boards

TTFN
Narelle

Hey Narelle

Morning all... feeling a bit awful this morning... how can you catch a cold on top of morning sickness?? LOL

Just the survey this morning, sorry

1. Where do you live? Brissie
2. What church do you go to? a large AOG one
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) I have one 3yo DD
4. What do you do in your spare time? Scrap, study, moderate a christian site, tidy this wreck of a house ROFL, actually... what is "spare" time??
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? My Mother's group (and now due-in!) and the scrappers threads...

Yay, I finally get to post after hours and hours of reading to catch up. (I also read POV's thread on Spiritual Q & A - very cool stuff) Thanks goodness things are a bit slower in here today.
It is really very pointless trying to do personals but I just wanted to let you know patscat that I'm praying for Sam, I'm really glad you got in to see the specialist so quickly so that you can get into treating it.

1. Where do you live?

Central Coast, NSW

2. What church do you go to?

AOG

3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this)

A bit redundant for me to answer cos it's in my sig But anyway Hayley and Sarah who are 5 1/2 and Amelie who is 2 1/2 months.

4. What do you do in your spare time?

Really nothing atm, cos I b/f every 2 1/2 hours so getting out to the shops is about the best I can do.

5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?

I hang out in my parents group, wdyt and misc and here - especially now that people are posting so much more. I have completely missed what is going on in wdyt or venting (I haven't even looked yet) but I can assume it is at least 20 pages by now, I don't know if I'm up for it.
I only really come on here atm when I am feeding on my left boob, lol, so I can scroll with my right hand And if Amelie is unsettled and needs holding. I used to have more time when I was pg because H & S have started school this year so I was a bit lost for children to nurture during school hours for a while!
I missed out on the whole PTTK thread thing, I nearly posted when it was a few pages and then when I saw it again it was about 1000

Anyway I'm being nagged cos I told the girls we'd go to the shops so I'd better end the suspense

Emma xx

Hi Ladies,

I have looked at the posts i made invisible and after careful consideration im going to leave them that way. I have made a couple others invisible aswell as i just think they would be better of left that way.
If you have to talk about it please do it through PM.

Have a lovely day all.

Colleen

1. Where do you live? Melbourne
2. What church do you go to? Roman Catholic
3. What are your children's names and ages? I have three little
ones, 1 daughter & 2 sons.
4. What do you do in your spare time? Spare time? I'm usually
in bed during my spare time. I'm homeschooling, and with a
toddler we're very busy in this house.
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?
I love the cloth nappy reviews in Tips for Mums, I am a sad
nappy nerd. I don't mind watching the debates, and wading in
at times on WDYT.

Also, Shell, I fully support your views on Right to Life, and all you said about abortion in the last thread. You've done a terrific job in defending your position.

God bless you all, and have a great weekend.

Wow another thread already. How come ours don't get to 22 pages like WDYT? Every time I come in here it's a new one... and I wonder why I'm not getting emails to tell me there a new post in the previous one.

Ok will I ever feel clean again? Has one of *those* baby poo moments today. DD woke up from her day sleep - nappy mysteriousy removed, very big runny poo .... you can guess the rest. Nappy COMPLETELY clean, DD completely gross! It was in her ears, between her fingers, on her mouth ... ugh! And I can't begin to describe the state of the cot. Blech! I had been napping and it took a few seconds to register I was not in fact dreaming.

Shoshoi:

We're already with WEC ... it's just that we are serving in Oz not overseas. Technically we're short termers right now because we're *trying it* for a year, but we're happy enough to stay so long as our financial support works out. Overseas is definitely a longer-term possibility, but right now there's HEAPS for us to do here.

Oooh a quiz - yay! (Does anyone else actually enjoy the census like me!)

1. Where do you live?
Brissy (was Sydney until 4 months ago)

2. What church do you go to?
Sml presy church in Wilston - we want to help it groooooow

3. What are your children's names and ages
M.G. ... 20 months and a poo legend. TTC #2 sometime soon (aaargh!)

4. What do you do in your spare blink.gif time?
WHat spare time? EB... Read. Watch telly (Amazing Race fan, and ok I admit have been watching A.Idol). Procrastinate. Avoid reading my bible. Do some work for WEC. Write our prayer letter. Email friends I don't see much. Eat. Try not to buy chocolate. Go for walks exploring my new city (especially after the chocolate!).

5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?
Here. General area sometimes. Pop into Toddler Talk now and then. Haven't got a due in group or anything as I didn't discover EB until after DD was born.

CONGRATULATIONS MEL!!!! Praying for a happy, healthy & boring 8 months.

How is everyone else's weekend shaping up? It's a gorgeous spring day here today, sunny & warm, just the kind of day that makes me want to bust out some cute summer clothes

Skipper - how is your DH's sleep talking going?

POV - matching nappies & nighties for your little girl sounds just too cute!

The quiz:

1. Where do you live? Rural NSW
2. What church do you go to? local Anglican Church
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) The Bump, currently minus nine days!
4. What do you do in your spare time? scrapping, photography, surfing the net
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? here, & WDYT (lurking only!)

My EB time is pretty much dependant on how motivated I am. I'm connected to the net most of the day, so will hang around for an hour or so after brekkie, then pop in and out during the day, whenever I'm sick of my current domestic task!

Just wondering if you all get a spare five seconds if you could please pray for my grandfather - 3 years ago he had bowel cancer, and yesterday the doctors discovered the cancer has come back in his bones. We won't know the full extent until late this week, early next week. Thanks.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Thanks Ruth! Eeerk I'm trying not to think about it!

Bec thanks for sharing that quote. I thought it was great. Here's something I read today which also made an impact (especially given goings on around this place of late)...

It's from the book "Death of a Guru" about a Hindu man from the Brahmen (highest) caste who becomes a Christian and the subsequent outrage from his family and friends...



Food for thought, anyhoo.

Hi everyone,
I have been reading lots of the posts lately, sorry I havn't contributed anything. I am praying that people's hearts may be changed by what they read on this thread and that we may be true reflection of what Christ is like.

Here are my answers to the 'census'.

1. Where do you live? Sydney
2. What church do you go to? Small Pressy Church Plant
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) see below
4. What do you do in your spare time? I technically shouldn't have too much free time as I am studying Primary Teaching full time, have 3 kids, teach scripture, my DH is away almost every 2nd week, and many others things, but I do manage to spend alot of time on EB....and I love to cook.
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? Mostly studying forum.

Jo

Bondia, you poor thing with the nappy! We have been lucky to have never had any quite that bad. And, BTW, I love the census! Whenever any surveys etc. have to be filled out, I'm the first in there to do them .

Bec, I have 'Boomerang Joy' and it's a great book. I haven't read it for a long time, might be time to go back and do those devotionals once I've eventually finished my current one. And thanks for your post on what you heard on the radio this morning. It was just what I needed to read after I'd just posted in the homosexuality thread. That was a very hard post to write.

There are quite a few people sick at the moment, aren't there? I am praying that you'll all start to feel better very soon.

Mel, congratulations on your pregnancy!

My answers:
1. Where do you live? Melbourne
2. What church do you go to? Baptist
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) DS is 4.5 years, DD is 13 months
4. What do you do in your spare blink.gif time? Journalling, reading, scrapbooking sometimes.
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? Toddler talk, Toddlers plus, WDYT, Misc, baby names (I have a fascination with names ).
We have broadband and the puter is on all day, so I just pop in and out of EB whenever I have a few minutes (or an hour lol) through the day.

1. Where do you live? Perth
2. What church do you go to? Baptist
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this) Jemilla is 4, Keegan is 2
4. What do you do in your spare blink.gif time? op shop, read, eBay, not much free time...I am at TAFE full-time
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? Baby names, second-hand goods wanted, WA forum, TV and movies

1. Where do you live? Hobart
2. What church do you go to? http://www.cornerstonehobart.org
3. What are your children's names and ages? see below (using middle names for a bit o privacy for the lads)
4. What do you do in your spare time? mmmmmwha ha ha ha ha - good one!
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? here, Your Parenting Style, Baby Names, recently 'General' LOL, Hot Specials Books, Poetry & Music...and I'll just generally float about if something intresting catches my eye

1. Where do you live? Melbourne
2. What church do you go to? Catholic
3. What are your children's names and ages Benjamin 19, Joshua 18(next month), Nathan 16, Mary 14, Caleb 13, Tobias almost 11, Noah 9, Zachary 7, Ezekiel 6, Isaiah 5, Elizabeth 3, Gabriel 20mths and Lucky due 28/2/07
4. What do you do in your spare time? Spare time, whats That? I spend way too much time on the net, I'm studying one subject(intro to the new testament) I run a playgroup, am involved in yth ministry, baptism preparation and parish council.
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? Her mainly, I think 25% of my posts are here.

Hi all!

I didn't realise this thread was faster than a speeding bullet! I thought. 'Oh yeah, I'll drop in from time to time...'

I hadn't been here in maybe 3 days and had almost 3 entire threads to read. And a big in the middle for something that disappeared with no idea what it was!

Oh well! In relation to the Q's:

1. Where do you live?
The Nation's Capital
2. What church do you go to?
North Belco Baps
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this)
In my sig is as much I am willing to put on this forum but there is more detail on my web site.
4. What do you do in your spare time?
What spare time? Between devotions, husband, children, ministry oversight, work, study and housework there is no such thing as spare time!! However, I do escape on occassion for dinners out with other ladies!
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?
Probably my ACT thread, did spend time in Motivation Station when I was revising my control journal and have been sighted most regularly in recipes, studying & parenting and have recently joined in the your diet & fitness. Have popped up elsewhere if I had time to get past my subscriptions.

Now I have a prayer request - I am going into full time work in a couple of weeks and our Playtime! group can't really be put in suspended animation. So could people please commit our playgroup and it's mums to Him. We only have 3 church families attend and the rest are from our local area and do not yet know our Lord. I know I am following God's will but I am finding it hard waiting on Him to show me the path this ministry should follow.

TIA

Hi everyone! You ladies sure do some quick work! Hopefully now that I am officially on maternity leave, I will be able to keep up a little bit more.

1. Where do you live? Gawler (near Adelaide)
2. What church do you go to? small home group church plant from CRC
3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this)Preston, who will be 3 in October and baby girl who is due on 4th October
4. What do you do in your spare time? up until now, I didn't have much, as I was still working 3 days, and looking after a toddler, so just EB, tv and aqua-aerobics.
5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? VBAC support group and then I lurk in the Misc, WDYT, Venting, etc, putting in the occasional post when I think I have something valuable to contribute.

I noticed someone else goes to a CRC church in SA, so I will have to read back through the posts and PM you! Maybe we know each other!

We are not going to church today. DH worked all day yesterday, and then I was out at night. So we are having a family day. That's what I like about our small home-group church - we always meet, but in the week, when it suits, so we only go to the Sunday church we are associated with when it suits! Slack, I know! He, He, He!

Actually, a friend of DH has also recently planted a church in the city, so we might even go there tonight to support them. Not sure, I really pushed myself yesterday with lots of shopping, and now my feet are so swollen, I can't fit shoes on! I might need to stay at home today.

DH dad is coming over for brunch - eggs and bacon, of course!

Enjoy your families today

Hiya!
Happy Daddy's Day to all the Dads!!!

I had to come home from church early today, E was screaming his lungs out and wouldn't settle. He is teethinga again and it seems to be bothering his ears, and he is being very grumpy. Poor little boy. So I bought him home and popped him to bed.

Mop was NOT impressed. Since DH is worship leading this morning, I had to bring her home with me. She loves church and I had to drag her out of the church and she cried her heart out all the way home, till I said she could play with PlayDoh when we get home!
Bribery works wonders....

Sorry I haven't dropped in for a bit. I have been pretty busy... as usual.

1. Where do you live?
Adelaide - the northern suburbs

2. What church do you go to?
Playford Assembly of God

3. What are your children's names and ages (only if you are OK with posting this)
I'm not. I refer to them as Mop and E but the people who were hanging about while I was in labour and giving birth know what E's real name is.

4. What do you do in your spare time?
Heh.... I don't get spare time. I pop on EB, I work my backside off in the church, tend to like socialising with friends and having dinner with them, scrapbooking/digital scrapbooking.

5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB?
I am all over the place. I am often seen in Relationships, Motivation Station (I am there alot to help me get through my housework), Soul Sisters of course, and I like to browse though the general section when I get time.

Okay gotta go to the Motivation station.... I have stuff to do.

Hope you enjoy spoiling your man/dad's today.

I didn't miss church but secretly I wish I had. I'm struggling a LOT with our church. Not the people, they are lovely ... just the style of worship. It's so utterly boring! We are there because there's an opportunity to 'modernise' and help a seemingly dying church grow, but nothing will really happen until the current minister retires at the end of this year. In the meantime ... yaaaaaaaawn.

I really need to change my attitude. I'm sure it's not pleasing to God that I have such a bad attitude towards church.

I agree 100%

HOW can worship be boring??? Really... worship is between you and God. Worship is communicating to God your love, and your admiration to Him...
Worship is boring because??? It's not your style of music? Since when has worship been about your likes and dislikes. Nothing hinders your worship except yourself. God can reach out and touch the very heart of his worshippers, if they are singing old Hymns or old-style choruses. It's the heart of the worshipper that is important.

Why only last week in our church, people were worshipping their hearts out to "Holy Holy Holy" a song that was written 100 years ago.
When I was in the Solomon Islands doing mission work, they only knew three songs, (or sang three songs) but those people sang them night after night, worshipping, because they knew it wasn't the song, the lack of musicians or anything else that mattered. It was their heart before God.

There is a lovely song we sing at our church at the moment "I CHOOSE to worship." Our worship is a choice we make, an action.

Another:
"When the music fades, all is stripped away
And I simply come.
Longing just to bring, something that's of worth,
that will bless your heart.

I'll bring you more than a song,
for a song in itself,
is not what you have required.
You search much deeper within,
through the way things appear.
You're looking deep in my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship,
and It's ALL ABOUT YOU, all about YOU.. Jesus.
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about you, all about you Jesus."

Heart of Worship by Matt and Beth Redman.

Get used to worshipping people. It's what we will do in heaven.

I know. But I did need to hear it again from someone other than myself! I have been so aware that the problem is ME but too caught up in my life and negativity, to focus on changing. It's so pathetic. You know when you can see the problem but are too busy indulging in it to fix it?! Ugh, it's horrible.

Skip I LOVE that song, Heart of Worship. I have it somewhere on CD so I think I will go get it out and play it a bit. Thanks so much for pushing me a bit!

I didn't learn anything today, since I had to come home early with a whinging boy.

I am worship leading next week though, and guess which song I have picked to be my theme? Heart of Worship.

I need to go pick em now actually.

I was gonna come in here and share what we learnt tonight - and I will but probably tomorrow cause it is really relevant to what has been going on here. It was awesome. It is the first time in nearly 4 years that I can remember what is being preached each week, enjoy it and apply it. LOVE OUR NEW CHURCH.
BBL for all the details.

Bec I don't know why you were so at what I said. I said nothing shocking.

In my church, Fellowship is Fellowship, Worship is worship. The two do not integrate at all. We worship the same God, but what the other person is doing is none of our business. Because true worship comes from the heart... not the outward expression of something that looks like worship.
I find the most wonderful times of worship is when I am whispering to God, or just being still in his presence. I don't care what is being played around me. How the other members of the congregation "worship" is none of my business. Though I must admit, it's very uplifting to hear them crying out his praises, being vocal, getting on their knees before Him... and giving it all they have got!

As my mother says "Boredom is an attitude" You can choose to be bored or not. My Dad is a Pastor of a very Independent Baptist church, and the only songs he will sing are hymns. It's very quiet and could be classified as boring, but this will not effect what I have to say to God, nor effect my ability to worship Him. If you rely on other people and their moods, and their awesome band to get you into worship, then how do you worship on your own?? Worship is not just for the church, we can cry out any time, any place any where to him. If can be vocally, or not... it doesn't matter. Approaching the throne of God is not reserved for Sundays with other people.

I think in the more sedate churches, I think we need to respect their way of worship. It may not be to our liking, but that doesnt have to stop us from giving God all we have. He deserves nothing less.

It's not the appearance that matters...

What does the Bible say "Man looks on the outside (boppy music, emotion swelling music, goosebumps etc) but God looks at the heart (what is REALLY in there and what are giving Him?)

FWIW I didn't find anything in Skip's post. She said exactly what I had been saying to myself (but ignoring!). Church IS ultimately about worshipping God. The other stuff is a bonus (and important bonus nonetheless). Church isn't about what I get out of it - it is about what God gets out of me being there. And I'm not giving him much right now.

Yes, the environment isn't helping, but I need to find a way to step outside the environment and make it about me and God. After all, were I to go on mission overseas, or happen to live in a country where there were very limited churches and numbers of Christians, I might not always have the choice of the 'style' of church I'm involved with. I think it is something important to learn, to worship God wherever we are.

Another scenario... I'm thrown in jail in some foreign country for owning a bible, or whatever... Or in a country where I don't speak the language of the church I attend? Will I die from boredom because there's no music or young people to sing with? Or is my relationship with God strong enough to be able to worship him wherever I am. Who knows, but learning to accept this situation seems like a good place to start.

Thanks Skip and Bec for the encouragement. Nothing negative taken from either post from me... I know deep down I needed to hear it so to my ears it sounded totally appropriate. I love how God does that through people.

Happy fathers day to all our dads!!! How did you all spend fathers day, out of curiosity?

Re: what did I learn today? I've not decided yet...need a few days to meditate on what I've heard and take it on board personally (get the message from my head to my heart, iykwim). So...I'll get back to you on that - when the penny has really dropped for me and you're not just hearing a detatched summary.

klkl;jgklgjk;nxm,.

Sorry, keyboard speaking in tongues

A little food for thought on word "worship"...

In modern churches we tend to think of "worship" as a set of particular activities - like singing, for example, or prayer - that we do at a praticular time/place, like in a church meeting.

But the Bible's definition of worship is actually much bigger than that. For example, 'worship' and 'service' are synonymous in the Bible...they are the same thing.

Essentially, how we serve God and one another (which is an extension of serving God) on a day to day basis (including but not limited to our church meetings) IS our worship.

Anyway, makes the idea of a 'worship service' (as in welcome to our...) kind of redundant in a way. Worship=service and service=worship and that's a 24/7 thing.

*plop* my brain fell out

Talk to you soon, praying you all have lovely dreams tonight

Bec what I said about worshipping in heaven was a statement... I was not being condescending at all. Try not to negativity into something that is supposed to be encouraging and motivating to get people closer and more intimate with God.

She- Nanny -YAY!! SLEEEEPPP!!!! It's wonderful isn't it!? I hope this is the start of more sleeping through, and more sleep for you! Glad the cough is getting better.

Bondia - glad that you were able to glean something from my post. I hope that this helps you overcome your lack of interest in the style of your church.... Tell me, are they all oldies there? In my church, the majority of people are older. In ten years about 50% of our church will be dead!!! It's hard to bring in a new style into an elderly church, the resist, complain, threaten and carry on like children!!! One lady left the church because the drums were too loud (I was the drummer!!) and my Pastor was telling me to play louder!! I wasn't loud at all... but she just didn't like the style changing from just an organ to a full band. LOL
Have you got music directors you can talk to about jazzing things up a little?
When I took over as music director, I started jazzing it up in my own way. I can't keep still when I am singing so I was bopping all around the place. The stunned looks on their faces was priceless.... but they are slowly getting used to it. Change is about as pleasant to some people as tooth pulling.

Anyway I should stop dribbling, DH is just about to go to work, and I should be going.

Buh bye

Good morning all!

Too hard to do personals ATM as I still haven't drawn any distinctions between who's who yet. However, *YAY* on sleep front she-nanny! I was blessed with children who were, on the most part, great settlers so I am glad that things seem to be heading that way for you.

What did you learn at church today? That sometimes not going can better for my relationship with God than going. Let me expand (this may be long):

Last week found out that two of our leadership are leaving at the end of the year to move to Adelaide. One is also our worship co-ordinator. Our church has been in a holding pattern since our previous pastor's resignation (under duress) back in January 2005 (the same weekend my DS2 was born). Since then there has been a core group that has kept our church going and everyone else who either stood around watching, left as they had achieved their outcome of ousting our pastor or who left to follow our pastor in sympathy. (He was in his 30s and is no longer a pastor at all).

Our church has been healed by God and I am so thankful for that. However, my DH and I can see how much it needs renewal and it is hard for us to bite our toungues and let the Spirit move instead. (When for me, all I want to do is stand at the pulpit and do some head kicking of those with apathetic attitudes towards their walk with the Lord). So, anyhoo DH and I sat down and prayed over it rather than going to church today and we felt much better for it having had the chance to pray over our church and it's people and then leave it at God's feet.

We also studied 1Cor:1-9 last night but I'll BBL to tell you about that as I have children to chase and pet food to buy.

Have a blessed morning!

Guys, I don't usually discuss things like this because I believe a persons walk with God is their own...however I'm slightly concerned about some of the ideas being taught as fact in this group.

QUOTE

Nothing hinders your worship except yourself.

I think that this comment is manipulative (probably unitentionally). Having been spiritually abused before I find the idea that a Church's lack of progress and refusal to meet the needs of the congregation as a fault on the individuals part is very scary and manipulative. Its very important that each Christian finds a church that caters to their needs. They must do it for their families and themselves. Nothing is a stiffling as being in a Church where you feel unfulfiled. It can, and eventually will, burn out your candle.

Please be very careful. Do your own sudy into the word of God. Pray for wisdom and grace.
Be gentle with those around you.
Be loving as Jesus was. Read 1 Corinthians 13.
Pray often for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Trust your instincts.

Thats all I'm saying.

God Bless

Hello to everyone,

I have been very encouraged reading these threads, sorry I haven't had much to add. It is good to hear from people who take their walk with God seriously and want to discuss the nitty gritty, even if they don't agree.

The sermon at our Church yesterday was very timely considering all the debate that has been going on in EB. He preached on that passage from Corinthians where it says that the message of the cross is foolishness to 'the world'.

We have received God's Spirit and are now able to understand what God has done for us in Christ. But,

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" 1Cor 2:14


Jo

Hi All

I'm back from the wide blue yonder. We had a great time away and it's great to be home again. Things with my MIL went reasonably well, I've been challenged in some of my attitudes towards her, so I guess that's a good thing. I'm dreading Christmas at her place TBH, I don't know how I'll cope if things go pear shaped this time 'round.

We're all doing well, things go back to normal tomorrow as DH goes back to work and I get back into being a full time mum and housewife. Not looking forward to it really as Tuesdays are the day that DH has band practice and doesn't come home until some awful hour of the night.

Anyway, hope you are all doing well. Good to see this thread powering along

Christy

Good morning all!!

Will be back later for personals, heading out in 10 minutes to have coffee with one of my good friends who is home from Sydney at the minute.

What did I learn in church yesterday? Hmmmm... I think the main thing I got out of yesterday's service was that DH & I really need to spend more time together. We seem to get so caught up in day to day life that we don't just stop & chill out together. Oh, and the vicar was kind enough to remind me that babies are easier to get in than to get out!!

Hope everyone's Monday is shaping up nicely. BBL for a chat.

John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

God seeks true worshippers, and He identifies them as those who "worship Him in spirit and in truth". Worshipping God in spirit means that it must be done from the heart.

James 4:8 tells us to, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

This also suggests that getting close to God only involves you. You don’t need anyone else taking you there. I don’t want to be experiencing God, I want to be seeking him. I want to draw near to Him.

I personally would hate to be this:
Mat 15:8 -9 These people give me honour with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men.

I want my worship to have a purpose and I want God to love what I give Him – which he does, because I give him my all. Everytime I worship I want him to have my heart and to have every single thing I have.

I don’t have the time to dig up more, but I will if I need to.

I don’t appreciate the accusations of being manipulative. HOW exactly will my comments benefit ME? They were to benefit Bondia… and she said they were. I find the comments of being manipulative and condescending most offensive and very hurtful.

This is all I am going to say about this. What you all believe and how you worship is between you and God. This is where I step back, I have said my piece, my comments reached the right person.

I want to give my all in worship and I think God deserves nothing less…. But I can’t make other’s see that and be that way.

Hi everyone

Re worship - I 100% agree with what Shoshoi said about Worship and Service. The worship team at our old church was called 24/7, exactly what Shoshoi said! At our new church plant, we have taken it one step further, and, at this stage, we are not having ANY traditional "worship" - no singing, etc, although every week one of us will read a psalm, or play a song on a CD or something to focus our attention. We have made a decision (once again, I say, at this stage!) and feel that God is leading us to worship him through acts of service to our community. I also believe that "fellowship" is worship because in 1 john, it says, anyone who loves his brother loves me, so by expressing our love for each other, we are expressing our love for God. Anyway, that's just a few of my thoughts.

We didn't end up going to our friend's church plant last night - we spent 1/2 of the day catching up on sleep, so went out for Father's Day dinner.

I have an OB appointment today (36 weeks), so should hopefully find out if they are definitely going to let me try for a VBAC. Although, he will probably want me to have an U-Sound before any final decisions are made. Please pray that things with my insides are good to go! I really want a VBAC, although I know that God has it under control, whatever happens.

I will let you know how I go after my appointment.



Hey Skip, just wanted to let you know my post was in no way in response to yours I posted just after you, so hadn't even read yours before I wrote mine. FWIW, I don't think you were being at all manipulative. We all have different opinions and views on worship, and that is what makes a group like this important, because we can all learn from each other, and encourage each other.

Why are all my posts being joined together, instead of being seperate posts???????????????????????????????

This is my 4th post in a row, and wanted to check if it joined on again.......

Sorry, this is just a technical post to see if it joins on to my last one, even though POV has done a post since mine.

I have posted in the Moderators section, so hopefully someone can work it out for me

"worship" can certainly be boring. Perhaps where it's not real worship. Often church people hinder real worship because they are worried about church politics, and about what kind of worship they should do, rather than about simply, God.

It's popular for christians to say that worship is only boring because of the worshiper, but sometimes that can be a cop-out.

For example, I once attended and served in a church where the teaching was continuously only lightly linked with Scripture and was complex, tedious and unrefreshing theology...clever but not really feeding the congregation. Worship was limited by a small number in the congregation who were strongly opposed to any kind of worship developed post 1950s. Worship certainly did mirror that old hymn, 'Like a mighty tortoise, is the church of God'. An 'elder in traning' visited us at one stage and said something like; "I've been in this church all my life, and no-one grows, no-one changes. Why is that?" In the end, I found enduring services there rather like chewing and attempting to swallow sawdust. God was absent. People were in the ascendancy.

That church was a place where the activity of the HS was hindered by controlling, authoritarian leadership. So nothing changed, and no-one grew. Worship was dry at that church.

But there are churches where God is present. You can feel God there, and no matter how bad you feel, how flat, how dry and tired, you are swept up into worship. (Unless I suppose you deliberately avoid being swept up into worship). But I don't believe that many christians are doing this.

God bless

frangranny

Thanks POV. That's what someone told me in the Moderators section. You learn something new every day

Hi girls, I'm finding it really interesting reading about your different churches. Being Catholic, although the same essentially in that we worship the same God, believe that Jesus died for our sins etc(read the creed!) Our way of reaching God is in many ways different(but the same) I'm about as clear as mud aren't I?

Something I love about the Catholic Church is that no matter where you go in the world it will be the same, there may be minor differences, as each priest may preach(give his homily) with a different style. but basically the Mass is the same in Germany, England, France Iceland, Africa, Tonga or Australia. Mass is offered everyday of the week not just on Sundays, I love to get there on weekdays as well as Sundays (I've been a bit slack with that lately and I can see that my life flows better when I have started it in God's presence, I must try harder to go again). I find this sameness not boring as some may expect but instead inspiring, it amazes me that it can be the same, and it makes me even more certain that I am where God wants me to be! I am in my opinion in His true Church.

At Mass we believe that at the consecration, when the priest says the words that Jesus spoke at the last supper, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. This awesome fact means that while its great to get a good sermon, even if its no good, or the music is bad, or I am just not getting it. I still know with my heart and with my mind of faith, that Jesus has come to me, really come to me so the need for a good sermon, music etc. is just not so great.

On to the subject of worship, there is a fairly new group within the Catholic Church called Opus Dei, I'm sure you've heard of them!!(Da Vinci Code) I promise it is not full of monks sneaking around murdering people!! One of their teachings is that everyone can become closer to God by living their life for Him, every moment for Him! As if every action is a form of worship. So when you get up in the morning, you thank Him for the day! You clean the house to the best of your ability because you are doing it for God, you go to work and do the best job you can do, because you are doing it for Him. It means that even the mundane things like ironing or cooking become a prayer , or a form of worship because you are doing them for God. Anyway that was just a thought that I thought I would share. I find when I try to live this way(key word being try, I think that's all God asks), it means that we are more in tune to our relationship with Him because it truly becomes a way of life, and sometimes, not always because faith is not about feelings, but sometimes, it means we can feel closer to Him!

oh wow, Shell! I can't believe I agree with Opus Dei! That is exactly what I believe worship is

Skipper, did someone say your posts were condescending? I can't find that .... I like reading your POV, myself. It doesn't seem condescending.

But I note that pinklizzy says she's been spiritually abused. People who've had that experience are extraordinarily tender and need great care and gentleness to assist in recovery ... which can take decades, I know from experience. Even visiting this forum would be painful and unsettling for such a person. Perhaps posters/readers here might choose to not take the words of survivors of spiritual abuse to heart as personal comments? just a thought.

frangranny

Blessed are the peacemakers.....

Gee chatty bunch this morning! I am going to sit and type some thoughts out in word then cut and paste, cause it might take a while
So hopefully I'll be back soon.

POV - I can't really answer your question more that already done

OK I'm back.

I enjoyed your post too Shell - we need to do everything we do excellently as worship to Him and also as a witness to others. MMMMMMMMMM lots to think about.

Anyway - this is a mammoth ramble from me... starting with the revelations from church yesterday.

The sermon was based on Nehemiah 4. Sanballat saw the destruction of the city and didn’t believe that restoration could occur “Can they bring those stones back to life – burned as they are” (v2), but in that destruction Nehemiah saw life. Basically Nehemiah saw in Jerusalem – the potential for life and restoration – God’s perspective. God sees that potential in us, he doesn’t see the destruction. If we are to reach this world, we need to get God’s perspective too. Sanballat said two significant things – ‘piles of rubble’ (lives in ruin) and ‘burned as they are’ (ppl affected by circumstances, divorce, abuse etc) (NOTE the two are not mutually exclusive). But we need to see past all that and see life.
In 1 Peter 2:5 it says “you also, like living stones, are BEING built into a spiritual house”. Note the word being – it’s a process and a journey for the stones to be built into a house. We are to be a house – part of what God is doing. In Joshua 6, Jericho was tightly shut up – on the outside of the city God said to Joshua “SEE I have delivered Jericho into your hand”. And then on to the instructions of marching. But first became SEEING what what going to happen, not being restricted by the actual circumstance. The victory is already won, we just have to claim it and not stand in the way.

OK – this is my thoughts on the whole worship thing. I guess there are two types of worship – there is corporate (the body) and individual. I do think that many things can hinder our worship (both types) and mostly we have to choose to act to make it right again. Sometimes that action might be leaving a church for many reasons, or purely making the choice to praise in all circumstances – which helps us to worship. In the passage in Joshua 6 above, God gives Joshua the instructions to march round the city… leading the army were the priests blowing the trumpets. This was what happened going in to battle – the praise went first. Praise neutralises the devil, our pastor liken it to chopping off your thumbs and then not being able to hold a sword – the sword is not longer effective – it can be waved but not used properly. So – why I am saying this is cause in the hard times, we (and I mean I) need to choose to praise, cause it is such a powerful tool. But in terms of the worship I agree that it is all we do – we are a temple of God so really it probably even comes down to the food we eat (scary thought as she downs those two choc chip biccies LOL). But Linda I really know where you are coming from – in the corporate sense it can be so so hard worshipping as an individual. Some ppl are anointed so strongly to lead, some songs are anointed, etc etc but sometimes it just doesn’t happen on a corporate level, maybe for one service or maybe over time.
Here’s a bit to my story – we have recently left our church of 3.5yrs. When we moved here we started going to this church for a few reasons – it was the same “movement” that we had been going to in our old town. After a while some things started happening and as time went by more and more was revealed. There is a lot to the story obviously but as time went by we became more and more concerned with things that were going on and how things were being dealt with. It was not just us but numerous ppl. My youngest was born on a Monday – the Sat before some friends left, and during the week I was in hospital some other friends left. It had finally cracked open. We hung in there for a while – I wanted out but DH wanted to stay so stay we did. Anyway, he finally come to the realisation/revelation that we needed to be out for lots of reasons. And I have to say that its been a great move – we are loving where we are now – the sermons are AWESOME. Great ppl etc. Our eldest is very happy and there is a noticeable change in her behaviour at church. The main thing is for me, I am being fed. I can remember every week what he preaches about and it is making a difference in my life. But that’s a diversion cause the reason I started sharing that is that at our old church there were issues – things like the worship team consisting of some young ppl that were going out drinking etc. The behaviour was known about but not acted on strongly. It wasn’t really tolerated but they weren’t removed from the team etc. These sorts of things really impacted on corporate worship. Sure, God is there (where two or more gather there I am etc) but the is a real difference. A worship leader is there to lead the body into worship – if they aren’t in the right place that is very difficult. As an individual I can choose to worship – sure. I hope you get what I am saying here. This is purely MHO!


Emmamc - do you happen to go to Ian Woods church?

Morning all I have CABLE now so nothing can stop me from posting...WOO HOO


Lisa - -I had a VBAC with DS #2 so you can ask anything if you want. Will be praying you get all the info you need


Well I have been busy with the elimination diet and am struggling as DS is a fussy eater at the best of time and patience is wering thin with DH and me...Which is hard because Dh has HEAPS more patience than me but I had to step in and tell him to "walk away" last night...So we could really use some prayers about this.

I love coming to this little haven in EB and even if I haven't posted much lately be assured I have been reading and praying xxx

Shell12, that was a really lovely post, this makes a lot of sense to me:

When I make a conscious effort to do this, I do find I feel more mindful of God. He becomes a part of everyday life and every little thing rather than just at certain times of the day. I really need to do this much more often! Thanks for the reminder.

Lisa, I really wish you all the best with the VBAC, and I will be praying for you.


LOL at this description. The small church I used to go to was mainly older people, but the style of music and worship leading depended very much on who was the worship leader on any particular day. So we would have quite a variety - older hymns one week, more modern, faster songs another, we had a band some weeks, just the organ on others… When I found the style of leading more 'boring' I would try to really listen to the words of the song or what was being said, and focus on those. Not easy with DS there too though!

Kris, I too am feeling confused too about who’s who with some posters and who has said what, so I can relate to this comment!

She-Nanny, glad that Freya has had some good nights. My DD still wakes most nights for a feed but it’s wonderful when she doesn’t, like last night – must have been the night for good sleeps .

We didn’t go to church yesterday. DH was home because it was raining, and the regular crèche lady wasn’t there yesterday so DD would have been even more unsettled in crèche if I’d taken her. I wouldn’t have heard any of the service anyway, so we spent some time at home with DH . I'm glad everyone else has been sharing what they have learnt, it's really interesting.

Oh and I never answered the quick questions - ME EITHER

1. Where do you live? Sydney, NSW

2. What church do you go to? Baptist church for the last 12 years

3. What are your children's names and ages I have 2 boys aged 8 and 5 1/2 yrs

4. What do you do in your spare time? Quilting, reading, scrapbooking

5. Where do you mostly hang out in EB? Here WDYT, natural therapies

Hi everyone
Just quickly cos my little chicky is waking to be fed.

Relleh - I don't go to Ian Wood's church but I know that name, what is his church? I'm frustrating myself trying to remember. I go to Bayside CLC, the Central Coast AOG churches are fantastic, all the pastors really try to work together and support each other. It's great to be a part of. Ian Woods, Ian Woods.... ,lol.

I do agree with the posters who believe that worship is a continual thing, that everything we do should be as an act of worship to God. Shell12 - you put it really eloquently. And there is a scripture to back it up but I really have to run.

Just quickly POV a major difference between JW's and christians is that christians believe that Jesus is God but JW's don't. I really should elaborate but I just can't atm, I will if you would like to know more.

Emma

hi girls just a quick prayer request. Just got back form the docs and now heading off to hospital with Gabriel, He has asthma. He's alright but the doc wasn't happy enough with him just to send us home with predmix, wants him watched more closely. Please pray he recovers quickly so I can get home and do what I have to do i.e. feed, clean and care for the other 12 people who live with me . the birght side is I'll quite enjoy some one on one time with him as he recovers!

Hi everyone - it's been great to read everyone's posts and I'm so encouraged by this group. Thank you all! Welcome back Christy!

A bit of background on my church situation, to understand where I was coming from when I said I was struggling with worship. Yes, we go to a small church of around 10 mostly old people. Yes, the music is old fashioned, hymns very formal, the service is the same every week. The pastor always leads, prays, bible reads, no one else does anything. He always includes the Lord's prayer, always recited like a robot, and always the old version with the "thys" in it. He raises his hand to give the benediction at the end of each service. Young people come once and never return.

I don't mean this as criticism, I just want you to get the picture. Many people like this style of service, although it's not my preference.

As someone who is new to Brisbane, missing old friends and our completely different church service in Sydney, and also having never attended Presy churches before, I'm struggling to settle in. So why are we staying?

We most definitely feel God wants us at this church. At the end of the year the pastor is retiring and, hopefully, a new young couple will be taking over. They have a real vision to grow the church, and make at least one of the services (the one we attend) more contemporary. We have talked with them about being part of the team to help make that happen - we have a shared vision. The church is in an area full of young people and families and it just makes sense in terms of outreach to make some changes.

Also ... DH and I are in full-time ministry with a mission org. This organisation's vision is churchplanting (overseas in unreached areas) - and even though we are not overseas, we are encouraged to be involved in some sort of activity here that relates to outreach/churchplanting. This is why we sought out a church that we felt needed growth.

We did not choose this church for US, God chose us to go there and help contribute. And in the process, He is teaching us a LOT about the difference between going to church for US and going to church for HIM. Even though it's hard, and I fail some weeks, I'm glad of the lesson.

When someone says the only thing that hinders worship is us, I understand what is meant by that, in our context. I KNOW God wants me at this church, and it is my negative attitude which is affecting my ability to get something out of the service. I don't believe everyone should force themselves to stay at a church where they are not growing, but in our case, this is where we are meant to be.

My grandparents were Christian Scientists. They believed the only thing hindering their ability to be healed was THEM. If they had enough faith God would do it. My cousin is from a pentecostal church that believes the only thing hindering a pain free childbirth is YOU, since God has already lifted the curse through Jesus. I've heard of churches that say the only thing hindering your ability to speak in tongues is YOU. Yes, these attitudes are very dangerous and completely wrong.

But in my case, I AM hindering my worship of God, through my sinful attitude to my church.

Hope that explains things a bit. I think God used Skip to remind me. While her post may have been interpreted differently by others, it met me where I was at, and I love that God does that through our brothers and sisters.

Shell - Praying for Gabriel and you ...Keep us posted

No, please do. That's what we are here for!