TAFE

Well, I haven't really posted an update on TAFE in awhile, so I thought I would do that.
I've pretty much finished all of my theory work for Cert 2. All that I have left to do is a resume, which I'm gonna do on Friday at TAFE, and then I'll be finished theory.
That means that on Tuesdays I'm now in the pracfirm all day trying to finish off the one department that I have left! That's right, I am really close to being finished Certificate 2 in Business!!
After that, we're going to sign me up for a second traineeship with Dad so that I can do Certificate 3 in Business Admin.
I'm a little bit sick of studying, but I'm getting some good skills, and it means that I can do more work for Dad. That means that he can focus more on the work that actually brings in the money, which means that he's doing the work that brings in the money which pays me :P
So yeah, I'm really happy that I'm almost finished Cert 2 :)

What's happening in my life

On Monday I had my dermatologist appointment, and she gave me a stronger cream to put on my legs. I'm supposed to put it on twice a day for a month, and to try shaving without soap.
The cream seems to have already made a massive difference! My legs have barely itched this week, and I haven't scratched them! It's great, especially considering the fact that I've been wearing long skirts all week. I'm LOVING it!

On another note, I've eaten waaaaayy to much junk food this week. If I keep going like this, I'm gonna be broke and as big as a house. Maybe even two houses!
So this week, my goal is not to eat anything that I've bought with my own money.
For example, cream buns, jam buns, icecream... (coffee doesn't count :D)
I really want to eat healthily, but I need to learn to tell myself no.

My legs

For the past 2-3 years, I've had a rash on my lower legs. In the past year and a half, it's gotten really bad. I've times where I cannot stop scratching, because while I'm scratching I have relief.
As a result, my legs have been red and raw at times, and I can't shave for weeks on end.
Near Christmas it was getting better and seemed like it had gone. Then I started absentmindedly rubbing my leg, and then scratching, which brought it all back again!
I had a week of relief from it a couple weeks ago, and I thought it might be on its way out, but then it came back full force, and so I've decided to go see a dermatologist. I rang up on Friday, but then found out that I needed a referral. So I went to see a doctor to get a referral, and finally made the appointment today!
My appointment is next Monday at 2:45pm, and it would be great if you could all pray that it would be able to be stopped coz I'm sick of living with it :)

Jittery, jittery

Wow! I don't think I have ever drunk as much coffee in one day as I did today.
I'm jittery. That should tell you something :)
It wasn't weak coffee either. It was strong, espresso coffee.
I took a barista course today because I've always wanted to learn how to make cafe style coffee. I made cappucinos, caramel lattes, iced coffee (espresso style), hot chocolates, and watched the other girl make affogatos, and normal lattes.
I drank one and a half cappuccinos (one c? two c's?), half a caramel latte, and an iced coffee (well, that's all I can remember anyway).
I'm not hypo because coffee generally makes me sleepy. This lot hasn't been too bad, but my hands are really jittery. Because I'm not used to drinking this much coffee, the guy teaching us told us to drink lots of water over the next 24 hours. In a little over an hour I've drunk almost a litre of water :) I'll probably drink another litre by the end of tonight.
I'm feeling pretty tired, so I'm gonna go. Catchya later

My Week in Hell

Otherwise known as My Week Without Computer :P

It wasn't too bad. It was really hard not to be able to go on the internet and waste time, and it was really hard to think about what else I could do instead.

BUT......

My room is clean. I now have my brother's old bookcase in there, and my room looks pretty cool. I cleaned it on Sunday, and almost a week later it's still clean!! Miracle of miracles.

I've exercised on my gym ball more. Man, bouncing up and down on that thing for 3 minutes and 48 seconds really kills your legs!
I also got a sore back and really sore shoulders coz I was punching the air for most of that time. Yeah, I'm not really used to that.

I didn't dig into God's Word as much as I had planned, but I did do it a little bit. I started a book called 'Do Hard Things' by Alex & Brett Harris, which is great! I haven't finished it, but it's really, really good.

SO....

My plans for the next week are that I'll only spend half an hour on the internet/computer a day. No more. Also, I won't go on straight after work. Instead, I'll do something else like read my Bible, clean my room, wash/iron my clothes, or read a devotional/inspirational book.

It taught me that I can live without the internet, and that I accomplish so much more if I don't go on :)

Computer usage

I've recently been reading a book for book club called 'What Happens When Women Say Yes to God' by Lysa TerKeurst.
In reading it today, I've really been challenged to dramatically cut my computer usage.
In chapter 3, Lysa writes about how God told her to stop watching TV.
Here's her reasons as to why God told her to stop watching TV: "I wasn't a TV junkie, ... but as I prayed, I felt God telling me why the TV had to go. I enjoyed sitting down after a tiresome day and being entertained. God showed me that I was vulnerable and empty during those times. It wasn't that what I was watching was bad -- it just wasn't God's best. I was filling myself with the world's perspectives and influences, while He wanted to be my strength and fill me with Himself. I knew it would be hard to break this habit, but I was determined to ask God for the strength to do so. I prayed that my desire to please Him would be stronger than my desire for television."*

I've been feeling that through this book, God is asking me to dramatically cut my computer usage. I go on the computer several times a day. I go on before work, after work, late in the afternoon, before bed, and quite often at other times of the day as well.
I was talking to a friend the other day, and saying that I wanted to dig into the Word of God, and really grow through that.
I feel that always being on the computer is filling me up with things that God doesn't want me filled up with, and that I'm putting the computer before Him. I feel like I HAVE to go on the computer because 'something might have happened!'.
I don't want to HAVE to go on the computer every day because I feel like I can't function without it. So, for the next week I'm not going to go on the computer at all except to check my email address that I use for book reviewing, and (of course) to work and study.
I plan to use the leisure time that I would usually spend on the computer, for spending time digging into God's Word and doing my jobs at home.
In a week I'll evaluate how it's gone, and plan what to do from then on. Please keep me accountable to this, and I'll try and post about what I've learnt in the time that I spend with God.


*'What Happens When Women Say Yes to God' by Lysa TerKeurst. Chapter 3, pg. 44.

Changes

I hope everyone else can see the changes that I've made :)
Because if they can't, there's not much point in changing my blog.
What you should be able to see is that it's green and black now. What do you think? Please leave me a comment and tell me :D

Kids' Bible Study

I said a couple weeks ago in this post that I was going to be teaching the kids' Bible Study at our home group. A friend of mine, Josh Clancy ended up going to be helping me, and the Thursday before last was our first week of teaching together. It went really well, and we worked well together.
Last Thursday though, Steph (his sister) rang me to let me know that Josh couldn't get onto me, and had asked them to let me know that he wouldn't be doing it anymore because he was feeling too stressed because he was involved in too much and needed to cut back on some things.
I was disappointed that he couldn't do it, but I understood why he had to.
So now I'm doing it by myself, and last week was my first week of doing it by myself. I was expecting there to be about 13 kids, so I was praying heaps beforehand and trying not to freak out. However, God was good, and there only ended up being six kids there. We went through the study too quickly, and ended up having ages to play games, but it went really well otherwise!

God is SO good!

My Icecream Flavour

Your Icecream Flavour is...Neopolitan!

You aren't satisfied with just one flavor. They say variety is the spice of life and this shines through in your Ice cream of choice! Just don't eat all the chocolate and leave the strawberry and vanilla behind!

What is your Icecream Flavour?

Find out at Go Quiz

Teaching

It was confirmed on Thursday night that I'm going to be teaching the kids' Bible study at home group.

I'm really excited, but sort of nervous at the same time.
I'm excited because I know that God is going to use me for His Kingdom, and I'm excited to see what He's going to do with this, but on the other hand, I'm nervous because I don't want to teach them incorrectly, that they won't respect me, and that they won't learn anything.

However, I'm stil excited because I know that God is in charge, I know that nothing is impossible with God, I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I'm praying that God will use me in a huge way through this, and that I would grow in Him through teaching.

To God be the Glory, Forever and Ever, Amen.