yg camp

Was amazing. Over the long weekend we took the youth to Lithgow and just spent four fabulous days in the freezing cold hearing about the certain hope we have in Christ and bracing ourselves for a lifetime of following Jesus in a hostile world.

Highlights:

• Watching the kids really include one another and look out for each other
• Seeing new kids be absorbed and adopted and included by the rest
• My seniors stepping up to really serve others at youth 
• Bonfire night - our sharing prayer and praise evening. Kids were keen to sing, keen to share and keen to pray for one another. 
• Hearing how difficult people find it to be a Christian and knowing you're not alone
• Realising that God really is at work in people, and we are all a work in progress.
• My team won the overall weekend competition. Woo!
• The food as usual
• Interviewed one cook, who shared her incredible testimony of how she learned to pray from watching The Simpsons.
• A shy girl got up and shared what it's like to be a Christian for her in front of the youth.
• New leaders taking charge and running things and stepping up.
• E prepared missionary stories and they were really captivating for the kids to hear about people who went into hostile places to share the word.
• Electives all went really well
• Costumes were on point as usual
• Train trip went smoothly. Nice conversations on the way there, epic games of mafia on the way back

 So many more highlights. Too many to mention. Came back on a high.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Blacked Chicken

I made this for the second time the other night and it was really good. Although would be better in summer when mangoes and avocados are easier to purchase, and when I remember to buy cress.... But regardless, turned out to be super enjoyable. I may have made too much couscous.

Overall gets a very big tick of approval. Recipes that get quicker every time you make them are good recipes. And this one doesn't use a thousand dishes and pans, which is a nice change from many Jamie recipes. 

Would make again. 

The picture is from Pinterest. My dishes never come out looking like that sadly. 

The past two weekends

Reminder to myself: I need to blog. It is good for me to have a scrapbook of fun memories.

Friday 27 - Monday 30 May
The plan was to ride my bike and then catch a train to Campbelltown, but this didn't happen due to a cough and cold air. But I got to drive to Campbelltown, do a hairdresser date and lunch with mum and come home with freshly dyed hair.

Saturday was Equip, which was wonderful but a super long day. Served lots of people, saw old forgotten friends, had encouraging conversations with M and L after the conference, had a really nice road trip with C and a prayer session in the car. Those things are always good for the soul.

Church was good - it's always good. Spontaneous picnic lunch with friends at the park, then dinner with R. Bit of a goodbye dinner, which I'm no good at. But nice to think back over the past year and be thankful for sharing this season of life together as a trio.

Monday was so tired from big weekend. We discovered a mouse in cupboard. Went out to dinner with Mum and family, and then spontaneous board games at my house. Turns out L and I are the most compatible, but am not compatible with Mum at all haha.



Friday 3 - Monday 6 June
Spent all Friday finishing a youth group talk, hearing the mouse run through the walls, and napping. Youth group talk was on Ecclesiastes 9, death is meaningless but Jesus defeats death. Afterwards we celebrated it being a Friday night by driving out for Krispy Kreme donuts and then for HSP's. A random epic evening but my favourite kind.

R left on Saturday, so we helped him pack boxes and drove stuff over for him. Trying to help him get settled in the new home. Had a baby shower in the afternoon which was lovely, and then went out at night for P's birthday with a bunch of girls. Dancing, pizza, good conversations and lots of rain. Was a bit scary driving home. Also I had two energy drinks, so then I was awake most of the night.

Church = good again! Talk was on keeping the gospel pure and free from contamination, and protecting it. I made slow cooker vegetable soup, which turned out to be God's providence as I ended up feeding most of those who stayed around at church lunch. Rain meant that not many people wanted to leave and come back. Spent the evening with E and K watching Veronica Mars and cuddling Paddington dog.

Monday = sleep. Considering that I didn't get much on the weekend. And it was an emotionally exhausting one. Did some housework, spent time with Soong. We went out for spontaneous waffles. Also had coffee with P which was lovely to catch up and just share some of the things we are going through. Disappointed we didn't pray together though. And the camp prep begins. Monday and Tuesday were 1am bedtimes.

Wednesday morning I also enjoyed a 15 minute conversation with E and her daughters R & J. So gorgeous to watch them growing up.