Twilight - the Book

Hi Everyone

My apologies for being absent from the blogging world for a little while. Upon returning to Hobart I was seized with incredible tiredness and it was all I could do to get to my classes.

Now for the subject at hand - Twilight. Let me tell you that before Twilight I hated vampire tales, was sick to death of teenage love stories (after being a teacher for five years they get to you) and had no idea that the two together would be so compelling.

The book is wonderfully written and the romantic/sexual tension is really wonderfully done.

I also related to the heroine - Bella Swan. Bella is clumsy (like me), smart (hopefully like me), has low self-esteem (like me) and has no idea how she comes across to other people (like me).

I imagined I was Bella and I found myself falling in love with a vampire. Believe me I've never done that before!

Edward's character is done really well. I could really see his struggle with his growing love for Bella and his knowledge that being a vampire would, well, sort of complicate things a little.

The book also has a lot of twists and turns - Bella's life is at risk three, yes three, times. Usually I would just think that that was totally unrealistic and stop reading. But it's hard, very hard, to stop reading Twilight.

I did read somewhere that some Christian groups dislike Twilight. I am unsure why. If you're one of them please tell me why.

As a Christian reader I really related to it. Edward's struggle with his 'inner monster' is very like my own struggle with sin. It was done very, very well. Also his totally unconditional love for Bella is very like God's love for us.

Bella, likewise, is willing to risk her life to save both her own and Edward's families.

Apparently some people hate Twilight - I really thought I'd be one of them but I have already made arrangements to purchase the other books from a girl in my course who has them and hates their presence.

On a different note (ie end of book review note) please pray for me regarding my cat's health and my impending eviction.

God Bless

Amber

The Shack - Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity

Hi Everyone

I just finished reading The Shack. It was a gripping read - well written, lots of action and emotion and, of course, a lot of spiritual information.

I will only tell a little of the story because I want you all to read it.

Basically a family goes camping and, while there, their youngest daughter is kidnapped and brutally murdered. The father, like most of us when tragedy strikes, got angry at God.

He receives a letter from God to go back to the shack where the murder of his daughter took place.

What follows then is the story of his burgeoning relationship with God.

What I liked the most is that it taught, in an interesting way, that God is a God of love, of relationship and of forgiveness. God wants our good and He is good.

It's often hard for me to realize this when my own life has often been so negative. This was the same for the guy in the story. I also relate to Jesus more than I relate to God the Father or the Holy Spirit. This was the same for the main character, Mack, as well.

I would encourage everyone to give this book a go - even if you are not a Christian, or you are but don't believe God can speak so personally. Just pick up this book and see what you make of it. It is truly intriguing.

God Bless you all and have a Fabulous Easter Sunday Tomorrow.

Amber

Happy April Fool's Day

Hi Everyone

Did anyone 'get' you for April Fool's Day? My brother 'got' me by telling me our planned trip to Melbourne after Easter to go to the Melbourne Comedy Festival had been cancelled. I bought it hook, line and sinker.

A couple of young women in my class told their mothers they were getting married. One even said she was pregnant. I think, at these times of the year, I am just a bit too nice.

The sort of comedy I enjoy is the sort produced by Christian writer Adrian Plass. Adrian Plass came to my attention in the late 1980's with his book The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass. Here was a Christian writer sending himself up - believe me that's a rarity.

Plass is funny, humble and a good writer. I have read nearly all of his books and I never fail to be amused and entertained. He is like a breath of fresh air into the mass of Christian literature.

His latest offering Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation is no exception. It is an alphabeticised guide to Christianity. Short pieces which is good for my current scatty concentration span.

I will share my two favourite excerpts, with a little commentary for those who aren't familiar with the Christian subculture.

"Doctrine the things that I believe, not to be confused with heresy, which is the things other people believe."

Each church has its particular doctrinal slant. In my case I go to a Presbyterian church. Their slant, if you like, is predestination. They are inclined to, in layman's terms, focus on 'God directing everything' rather than humans having personal choice.

My father's family are Quakers. Their doctrinal slant is peace. They do not believe in war or violent conflict for any reason. They emphasise verses like 'Blessed are the peacemakers' etc.

The church where I became a Christian is a Pentecostal church. They emphasise spiritual gifts or supernatural gifts such as prophecy and speaking in tongues.

These slants are, I think, quite fine but, unfortunately, they have led to accusations of 'heresy' and outbreaks of hatred and conflict. This, really, goes against the teachings of Jesus.

If we can laugh at these things we will, hopefully, both minimise and appreciate these differences.

Now for the second quote: "Old Testament The part of the Christian Bible containing the Scriptures of the Hebrews. Must, of course, be regarded as inerrant, infallible and a guide to daily living. That is whuy modern churches regularly take their disobedient teenagers out and stone them..."

Yeah, it does say in the Bible that parents can have their kids stoned for unrelenting disobedience. Nowdays the stoning would be murder and child abuse and the offending parent would be jailed for a very long time. Really makes you think doesn't it? How times change.

In Australia now parents aren't even allowed to hit their children, although many do. How do you think modern Christians should deal with these sorts of passages? Any ideas would be welcome. I'm sure I don't know the answer.

The fact that this is humourous underlines, I think, that know one knows what to do with these sorts of passages.

Anyway happy April Fool's Day.

God Bless

Amber

An Aspiring Day

Hi Everyone

Today I am going to write a little bit about my rehabilition provider Aspire. I joined Aspire about a year or so ago as I wanted some support with daily living, studying and working. I had previously been with the Commonwealth Rehabilition Service (CRS) but found that they pushed me too hard and set off my stress levels. I was without a rehab provider for a while but one day at the church office I looked up Aspire on the internet and, in a likely coincidence, they were having an information session that afternoon.

At the information session I met Travis, who is now my support worker. We discussed writing and I told him one of my long term goals was to write a novel and do some post-graduate study in creative writing. As most of you know I do have a degree majoring in English but that was mainly critical analysis of other people's work (ie essays) not my own imaginative work.

It was not long after I had started work with Travis that I was hospitalised for four months. Travis came in to see me regularly during my hospitalisation, even though he was scared of all the security. I appreciated his honesty in admitting he was scared!

Once I was well Travis introduced me to NanoWrimo, an American competition to write a novel in a month. He said he'd do it too. I didn't have a computer at the time and I nearly wore their computer out getting that novel done! But I did it! Aspire staff are now reading the novel - I hope you all like it.

This year Travis came with me to an appointment with Jan (the disability officer at the Polytechnic - formerly TAFE) and we discussed ways Jan and Travis could support me during my studies this year.

Anyway the reason I am featuring Aspire today (Ok it sometimes takes me a long time to get to the point!) is that a group of we 'mental health consumers' had to review their progress. We were mainly positive and a fair few of us commented on the support and encouragement and enhanced self esteem that has come from being involved with Aspire - not to mention friendships with other participants.

After the review we had yummy sandwiches and cakes and then we had the 'Book Club' - I reviewed Seven Ways to Change the World by Jim Wallis (see previous post for the sort of things I said).

We then read a short story by the much loved Australian author Tim Winton. The story was called 'The Defender'. I thought the story was fantastic - it used some of the techniques used in 'Whodunits' to unveil the character of Vic, and his past and his relationships. It has an ending with a twist (but I'll let you read it).

All in all I had a great day.

If you want to find out more about Aspire their website is: http://www.aspire.org.au.

God Bless you all

Amber