Where Stars Still Shine At Night

June 1st 2013: Make a list of things that make you happy. Then make a list of things that annoy you or make you unhappy.

Happy:

1. Writing! Which ya'll know anyway. There's something so exciting about reading over the latest poem and thinking I wrote that. Of course, it's nice when I win a contest with it. But the satisfaction of writing something good is the best of all.

2. Singing. There's something so uplifting about singing. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, a little song makes the day just a bit brighter.

3. Friends who listen to my complaining. All my friends are rather experienced in this art. It's nice to have a listening ear that you know you can say whatever you like into and they'll sympathize and encourage you.

4. Cats who like cuddles. Nothing sweeter that waking up to kitty smooches.

5. Watching a movie with friends. Movies are boring by to see yourself (unless they inspire you...) but having friends over makes it something special.

6. Driving in the dark (while listening to your favourite songs). I always feel such depth in the darkness and mystery, as if around each corner of the road there is something new to discover, and sharing that with the person next to you (kinda like life, huh?).

7. Weekends. Yep, it's on my list too. :-[ Friday night feels oooh so good.

8. Chocolate! "It's true that money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy chocolate, which is kinda the same thing."

9. Reading a good book. This should really be number two, but this list isn't in any order. It's nice to pick up a book and actually enjoy the writing, instead of enduring the amateur style so prevalent in modern bestsellers (yes, sorry George R. R. Martin and Suzanne Collins).

10. Candlelight / firelight. Surrounded in peace, engulfed in stillness. In the flickering flames there is something so eternal that makes time stand still. It reminds me of a quote I love: It's a kind of magic. Firelight makes time stand still. When you put out the lamps and sit in the firelight's glow there aren't any rules any more. You can do what you want, say what you want, be what you want, and when the lamps are lit again, time starts again, and everything you said or did is forgotten. More than forgotten – it never happened.

Unhappy:

1. Flirtatious guys / guys who ignore girls / guys who can't treat girls normally / and vice versa. People, especially young people, are losing their social manners. There's nothing that disappoints me more than a person who won't shake your hand, look you in the eye and say "nice to meet you" (or something) when you are introduced. Treat people of the opposite sex with respect and you will earn their respect in return.

2. Reading the news. Why is it that one murder trial in the US gets more attention on the news than twenty-four children on a school-bus killed in Syria? And why is there never any happy news? Why are we so obsessed with the hollow lives of celebrities, whom we all know live a lie in the public eye, when real, everyday heroes are forgotten?

3. People who think they know everything / people who don't know anything / people who don't know what they're talking about. Okay, we all hate this one! "I told you so" and "I know" are two of the most irritating phrases in the world. They should be blasted from the English language.

4. People without a sense of humour / people who don't laugh at your jokes. That awkward moment when something you meant as a joke is taken seriously...

5. The alarm clock!! My daily morning routine: Rudely jarred from sleep, roll over in bed and swat at the BEEP BEEP BEEP sound, knocking everything over from the bedside table in the process and breaking the lamp light bulb, then stick head back under covers to shield out the cold and grumble your way into a doze before snapping awake and thinking, "Argh! I'm late!"

6. A day in town. Nothing I hate more than spending half a day longer than expected in the noisy, stinky, smelly city centre. Come home with a headache and put everything away.

7. No sense of achievement at the end of the day. That makes me feel totally flat.

8. Sleep that is over too quickly. Especially in the middle of a really nice dream! Kinda ties in with number five.

9. Disappointed expectations / books that suck. "This book/movie is so amazing! You have to read/watch it!" "Okay! I'll get it out!" Later... "Did you read/see that book/movie?" "Er...yeah."

10. People telling me what to do when I already know what to do / people stating the obvious as if I didn't know. *tears hair out*

May 10, 2013: What rights should the father have if his unmarried girlfriend wants an abortion?

Lots has been happening on my end of the stick. If you've been following my little updates that I post in my notebook, you will have heard everything that's going on in my writing world. But I won't bore you with details (until later).

Okay, I'm warning you – this prompt touches on a sore spot. I'm about to climb onto my hobby horse and have a rant.

Often it's the father who encourages the girlfriend to have the abortion. But if the girl wants to abort the child and he wants to keep it, he should do everything in his power to persuade her to have the child. I think this is the kind of thing you can't make laws about. It's a personal decision to be made between the parents. The government should provide help, like adoption facilities and counseling, etc. but should not step in and pass laws such as what the father/mother can or can't do.

I think that's a problem with governments all over the world. They step in too much and interfere in the decisions of individuals and the lives of families. The government can only do so much. It's people who will change things, not systems.

It's like passing laws against smacking. It makes abuse and discipline illegal. They don't seem to understand that there is a difference. Criminalizing normal parents and normalizing criminals.

I believe that abortion is taking life. The Bible teaches that life starts at conception. It seems that pro-abortionists are just looking for excuses, as if children are a problem that need solving. They try to take consequences away, but without consequences, how do people learn? I know that there are cases such as rape and, even though only one in every thousand rapes conceive, a child can come at an unexpected or "unwanted" time. However, this gives us no excuses. If teens are sleeping around, no wonder there are going to be some consequences.

And where does it stop? The old, sick, disabled, dying? The criminals, the outcasts, the Christians?

My heart bleeds for this world. I ache for the mothers who choose (or are coerced into choosing) to abort a child. I ache for those who must face the choice of turning off a machine and ending someone's suffering. I weep for the soldiers who don't know what they're fighting for. I burn for the innocent who are imprisoned, for the hungry and suffering, for the homeless out there in the cold. And there is only one to blame: us. Humankind. For the corruption and greed and hatred that we allow to govern us.

I am pro-life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y2KsU_dhwI

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH PROMPT: Do you believe we are all here for a reason? What might the reason be?

I believe simply that the purpose of humans on earth is to love one another and to love God.

For thousands of years people have sought purpose and meaning in life. Few have been able to confront death and say, "I am ready. I have lived my life to its fullest. I have done my best."

People search for purpose in religion, work, art, music. I have found my purpose in living my life to glorify God. I believe that glorifying God means imitating Him, and one of the characteristics of God is creativity. My personal expression of worship is in creating. When I play my cello or piano, I bring together notes in a melody and they sing for Him. When I arrange words on paper in beautiful forms, they express colour and harmony, reflecting God's artistic creation.

I write poetry to convey the thoughts and feelings of my mind and heart, and stories to share them persuasively with others. Writing sets me free because there are endless possibilities and no restrictions. Writing gives me the chance to be unique, to do what I love and to praise God.

But although writing and music are my passions, there is one passion that I will always hold greater: people. People are made in the image of God. They are strong, smart, beautiful, creative. People have so many abilities, so many talents and potentials. There are so many roads we can take and things we can do. It gets me excited just thinking about it. I love people, I love the millions of different characters and dreams, the beauty and creativity in this world.

Love perfects who we are. There is nothing sweeter than the love of man for God or the love of one human for another. A mother with her child, a husband and his wife, a brother and his sister. The harmony of two human beings is like the harmony of colours, of music, of words, of nature. In heaven, there will be perfect harmony.

Everyone wants to be somebody. The reason of our existence is to be the best we can be, and the best we can be is to love one another.

I have found my purpose. Whoever you are and whatever you believe, I hope you have found a purpose that gives you peace and happiness.

March 25, 2013: We all have our low points in life. How do you get through times like these? How do you "get up" and continue on?

When I'm down, I pray and read the Bible. I ask God to gently coax me back onto the right path again, even if I don't know what He's doing or where He's taking me. I pray for the strength and the grace, and I just trust Him. My father has a saying: "When God leads you through a dark swamp, He only lights up one step at a time."

To be honest, it's never easy. Often when I'm down, I just don't feel like getting up. Writing poetry is definitely my escape. I can vent into any form I like. A thousand pure words of anger, or two lines of deepest sorrow. I'm good at feeling sorry for myself, and poetry is a wonderful healing balm. I always feel better when I've written something. The beauty of poetry is its freedom. I can write for myself and no one has to read it. I can write with or without rhyme or structure, I can write whatever and however I like. Self-pity is a horrible, selfish thing. I hate it a lot (although sometimes it's nice to indulge ). But poetry is a way of turning something ugly into something beautiful. Anger, fear, bitterness – any of these can be turned to something expressive and nice through words. Words can transform us.

Reading is another escape. Often, reading helps me calm down, collect myself and confront the emotions racing around inside me.

True, thinking positively helps, as cliché as it sounds, and animals always bring a smile to my face (as long as they aren't misbehaving!). Listening to happy music lifts the spirits, as well.

Frankly, people are the last thing I want. Most of the time they just make me feel worse, unless they understand what I'm going through and have some kind or helpful words.

Anyone else have a really bad day that just seems to get worse, and then one last thing just sets you off? Sometimes it would be nice to have one of those punch-bag things permanently nearby.

Look at the bright side of life. Try to see past the rain to the rainbows in the water drops. Try to see the beauty all around. Think about all the nice things you can enjoy, and the friends all around you. Smile to yourself. Give yourself a treat. Take your mind off what's depressing you. Go somewhere alone. Go for a long walk. Give yourself a change in scenery. Write something you feel like writing, and put everything else out of your head; forget what you need to do and just enjoy something for a while. Something that will leave you feeling better (not watching TV!), like you've accomplished something. And yes, sometimes just crying helps. Get it out of your system. Make yourself dance or sing really loud.

I think we all handle depression, grief and tough times differently. Venting, crying, praying, drinking, writing, taking medicine, walking, running, screaming, punching, sleeping, eating... I don't have the right answers, but I know what works for me, and it's always writing.

March 23, 2013: Write about the funniest thing that ever happened to you. Whoever makes me laugh the most wins!

Well, there isn't much hope for me here, is there? For one, I'm betting Gaby ~ Keeper Of The Realm or Ren the Klutz! are going to win, and two, I can't even think of the funniest thing that ever happened to me! All right, I'll give it a go. I can tell you of one of the funniest incidents I remember.

My family and some friends had tramped into the Mangaparua Valley (Bridge to Nowhere) and were camping there at Testers. There was a pig hunter camping nearby, and we would often hear him drive up the track on his quad bike.

One night my friend and I went down to the creek to get water. There were two creeks, so we just went to the closer one. Not did we know how that decision would change our lives...

As we were filling up the water bottles, we heard the quad bike coming down the track. As the headlights appeared, we moved everything out of the way to let him pass. The quad bike slowed down to cross the stream. I wondered why he was slowing right down, and eventually he came to a stop right beside us.

A deep, gruff voice came out of the darkness from the big figure sitting on the bike.

"Your mate..." the voice said. "Gave me a fright."

Me and my friend looked at each other. Were we hearing this right? What the heck was he talking about? But he drove on, his dogs trailing after him, and we concluded he was drunk.

As we walked back to camp with the bottles, we heard a lot of laughter around the camp fire. We hurried back and saw everyone looking towards us as we came down from the track. At the same time, one of my other friends appeared, doubled over with laughter. She had a black canvas cape over her head and back, which one of the boys used for a raincoat.

It took a while for the story to come out. Everyone was laughing so hard.

When the two of us went to get water, our other friend put on the cape and went to give us a scare. However, she went the wrong way up the track towards the other creek. As she hid in the trees near the track to wait for us, she heard the quad bike. She thought, Should I? Shouldn't I?

Just as the bike appeared in front of her, she jumped up, the cape forming a great looming shape in the darkness, and yelled.

The pig hunter on the quad let out a mighty yell in fright, and the dark shape disappeared back down the track, giggling hysterically. Back at camp they heard the yell and the quad bike stop. She's lucky he didn't shoot her!

You can imagine the laughter when we added the sequel to the story, how he spoke to us at the creek and said, "Your mate...Gave me a fright."

That story went down in tramping legend, and it was always titled "The Man Scream".


And while we're on the subject, I have another story that happened the following year, although this one is more embarrassing. Same place, same people. The friend who jumped out at the guy on the quad was there, and she and I were walking down to the same stream to get water. We shared a tent, you see, and at night we liked to sit in the tent munching on chips, chocolate and other goodies like juice. We were talking about that and having a laugh, a rather loud laugh, you see, as we walked down to the stream.

She said something about "smoking dope" and "having a puff", and then I said "In the tent tonight, babe," (referring to the food, not anything else!). Just then, laughing hysterically, we reached the bank leading down to the stream. And what did we see? A cyclist standing at the stream filling up his water bottle! He looked at us kinda weird and said something about the weather. He definitely heard that last comment, and I think I know what the weird look meant!

We laughed uncontrollably for the rest of the day.

March 21, 2013: Write about a moment in your life when you had to "step up" and do something, even though perhaps you didn't want to.

Step up...step up...let's see... Nope, nothing comes to mind straight away. Well, actually, I suppose this story might count:

There was a time when I had to babysit a bunch of girls I didn't want to babysit. My sister was supposed to be looking after them, but she had work. I groaned when she asked me to babysit them, and I only agreed reluctantly. I'm not overly fond of children. I was surprised when it turned out to be a lot of fun. We had a colouring-in competition, a treasure hunt, and went for a picnic and a swim. Looking after these girls soon became routine, and I got to know them really well.

There were four of them, from six years old up to twelve. Two of them were sisters who came for music lessons, the other two were sisters from up the road. They were always well-behaved and I soon earned their respect and affection, and vice versa. Lunchtime picnics became a bit of a tradition. Sometimes we would have water fights, or sit inside and read stories together. The two older girls liked to write stories with me, and one time the five of us wrote and illustrated a fairy-tale book called "The Seven Bells". It was actually quite a cool little story, about a little girl and her brother who discover a fairy tale kingdom which needs their help. Their adventures lead them on a quest to find seven silver bells. It turned out longer than we expected, and the pictures, which the little girls drew (with my help) were really cute. We also loved to make hot chocolates and watch movies in the evenings. Shrek and Shrek 2 were their favourites.

One time we went blackberry picking up the road. There were so many blackberries that we spent the whole afternoon there, and got a bit sunburned. At one point we slipped down the bank and lost half a bucket of blackberries, which was a bit disappointing, but we didn't mind too much because we already had a few other buckets full. We ate blackberry pie for dessert and each pair of sisters took blackberries home for their families. It took a long time for the scratches on my arms to heal, but it was worth it.

They were sweet, good-natured girls, and full of fun and creativity. They followed me around and were always interested in everything I did. They were happy to help out with the chores. They hardly ever argued or fought (which I have never seen in a group of girls before or since) and only the youngest girl tended to sulk when she didn't get her way. I learned how to handle her, though, and it wasn't so bad after that.

In the end we were all the best of friends. I was always loathe to part with them. I became a child again with them, and I also grew up. I learned a lot about kids.

Sometimes I think there's a divide between adults and children. When a grown-up starts acting like a kid, they breach the divide. You have to get into their worlds to really understand them and love them. I remember a lot of things in my childhood that I liked, and a lot of things I didn't like. I used these memories to guide how I treated the girls, and I think that's what won their respect. I showed that I cared about them and what they did and said and made. I wasn't afraid to be young again and have water fights and read princess stories. Something really clicked.

Other News:

This morning I logged in to find an inbox full of surprises. I won Color My Eggs in the "Invalid Item"  with yesterday's entry ("Invalid Entry" ) and was presented with a gorgeous Spring Merit Badge. Then I was informed I had won Blogger of the Week!

And it doesn't stop! To cap it all off, Maryann presented our group "P.E.N.C.I.L."  with a huge awardicon on behalf of Anonymous. Thank you both soo much. I'm dying to know who Anonymous is, but I don't think I ever will. If it was Gaby ~ Keeper Of The Realm I'm going to kill her. She's already given so much to the group. Gotta love her. I'm so proud of P.E.N.C.I.L. It's a fantastic group to be part of.

I feel like I don't deserve any of this, but I am so grateful.

I'm beginning to suspect this is all Brother Nature 's fault... He knows why.

Today I wrote

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March 20, 2013: What do colored Easter eggs make you think of?

Obviously, being an addict, the first thing I think of is...







But beyond that I have to come up with something profound or philosophical, or funny. Actually, I don't think I can beat Ren the Klutz! 's entry for funny. Check it out: "Invalid Entry" 

I have to be honest here. Coloured eggs make me think of kids, advertising and how the true meaning of Easter is misrepresented. Popular culture has somewhat twisted this special time of year, like Christmas, into a shopping frenzy for shiny things.

Don't get me wrong. I love Easter eggs. But all the hype around bunnies and all that kinda weirds me out. Easter is a traditional holiday to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You may not believe in that latter – most of the world doesn't. But I do. So when I think of Easter, I think of a terrible, sad, historical moment. And I think of a joyful, victorious celebration, full of hope and new life.

We can talk about life and death. But have you ever thought about life and death – and life again?!



The temple curtain tore in two. The earth quaked. Darkness covered the land. The people cowered in fear and confusion. Satan gazed in triumph at the crucifixion of the Son of God. But three days made all the difference!



Now, in my life, this is what the colours of Easter mean to me:



Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Do you? http://www.4-14.org.uk/thats-my-king-s-m-lockridge

March 19, 2013: When was the first time you really felt like a grown-up (if ever)?

One of the times I felt like a grown up was when Dad took me and my brother with him to work. He ran his own business renting out and servicing garage equipment, mostly hoists. Since my siblings and I were home-schooled, we could get time off schoolwork to go and help Dad. We would put on overalls and pass him tools and do other odd jobs. It was a great experience, and a lot of the time my brother and I would sneak off and play in the yard until it was time to leave. Dad didn't mind. Often as a reward, or just when he was feeling like it, he would buy us each a Moro bar or some fizzy drink. It was a big treat for us, since most of the time we couldn't afford luxuries like chocolate.

Even as we got older, as teenagers, my brother and I, who have always been really close friends, would still go and help Dad. Eventually the business was growing too much and demanding a lot of work from him, and as he got older he didn't like to be far from home, so Dad sold the business. He had a workshop at home and worked as a mechanic, buying broken cars, fixing and selling them. He also rented out wheel aligners, a job that he could mostly do from home which brought in a good income. At the same time he did a delivery run, transporting milk, bread and salads to shops and supermarkets.

When I got my learner driver license, I went with Dad on the truck run and he taught me how to drive. It was a fantastic time of my life and gave me a lot of great memories. We talked a lot, about all sorts, and grew closer together as father and daughter.

My brother once said, "Dad is a Jack of all trades, and master of all."

I think Dad passed that on to his children as well. With all the varied work he did, we all learned a lot of skills, from farming, engineering and carpentry to handling money wisely, owning and managing a business and dealing with difficult people. We always felt like grown-ups, in a way, because we could help Dad and we knew he liked our company, needed our help and taught us valuable lessons. At the same time, we had a perfect childhood, because as well as trusting us, Dad and Mum let us be kids. They let us get dirty, learn lessons the hard way and play. They taught us to be creative and enjoy building things with our own hands for the fun of it.

March 14, 2013: Are you the type of person who lives for the journey or for the destination?

Heaven is my destination. I live with one foot in eternity.

But the journey is what matters. Life on earth is what counts. We make the decision to follow Christ or turn away from Him. The life we live reflects who and what we live for. What we do and say reflects what is in our heart. Our steps are guided by our purpose.

To me, the walking of the road is the joy of the destination. The beauty of living each moment is the memories they make and the lasting peace they give. My goals and aims and hopes are all for Jesus. Every word I write is for Him. Every song I sing is for Him. Every breath I draw is for Him. I want to get to heaven and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

And without those few things He has given me, I cannot be in charge of many things. I cannot be happy. I intend to use my talents and strengths for the glory of God, so that He will be pleased with who I have become, what I have done and the life I have lived. I want Him to be proud to call me His daughter.

So in the end, the journey is my destination. My destination is the journey.

March 13, 2013: If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

If I could go anywhere in the world, I would choose Europe. I would love to experience all the different cultures, the history and art. I would like to visit Poland and see all the war memorials. I would like to hunt wolves and round up reindeer in Finland. I'd like to see Paris and Moscow, Athens and Rome, London and Istanbul.

I haven't been blogging much lately because I've been really tired and busy. But I'll try to pick it up a bit and carry on.

March 6, 2013: Are you afraid of death? Write about your feelings on the subject.

Ha! Death, what a joke!

Or not...

Death is the ultimate fear of man, stronger even than his love of life. Death has driven philosophers to madness and artists to despair. Even the bravest soul has faced death and been swallowed in its cloud. Death overtakes us all. It is the final reckoning, the finale, the end.

Or not...

What if death was just the beginning? What if a whole world lay beyond? Another life? Another colour? Another hope? Another chord of an endless song? What if the melody of your soul lingers into eternity? What if the shades of death were nothing to the glories of what lies beyond?

I could not believe death is the end. No, I sense, I feel, I know there is something beyond. I know the soul is too deep and strong to be of mere earth. As the body passes, so will the earth, but the spirit is like the wind, and we do not know where it begins or ends. I cling to the hope of Christ and the life laid down for me. I believe that as He rose again, so will He raise me up.

I have faced death only a few times, and during those moments I have discovered and rediscovered my faith in God. I have gone from thinking He exists, to believing He exists, to knowing He exists, and in Him life and light eternal. Heaven is the presence of God, of all that is good and beautiful. I believe heaven is more beautiful than our fairest dreams.

So no, I do not fear death, and I hope that when I some day face it, I shall regret nothing of the life I leave behind. This life is a shadow of the life to come, it is but the first word in a novel, the first brushstroke on a painting, the first note of the melody. The first stone laid in the foundation of a city.

But what do we really fear: death or the unknown?

March 5, 2013: List five things from your childhood that you wish all children could experience.

1. Jesus. He is what everyone needs, and He gives everything we could wish for or imagine, and more. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me."

2. Love. Love is what binds us together, heals wounds and gives joy. Love is sunshine in the rain. Love is hope and beauty. Love guards and protects. Love surrounds and twice blesses, those who give and receive. I wish I could take all the children in the world, scoop them up in my arms and tell them they are loved.

3. Family and friends. The love of friends and family is what makes good times so memorable. Family who will always be there, friends who are faithful and true. Family who are your blood, friends who are your spirit.

4. Security and peace. Knowing that their parents love each other above all else gives a child security that he takes for granted. But everywhere there is insecurity, divorced parents and single parents, parents who do not love any less, but who can only give half as much.

5. Warmth, food and shelter. Knowing that they can always come home, be fed and warmed. Such small parts of our day, yet so vital.

I could add a lot more: home-schooled, country living, lots of brothers and sisters, a good church... But perhaps not all of these things are for everyone. Perhaps they are best only for some of us.