January 8th-January 15th

Fearless by Max Lucado

January 8th

"It's not the absence of storms that sets us apart. It's whom we discover in the storm: and unstirred Christ."

January 9th

"You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. Psalm 18:48 (NLT)"

January 10th

"The disciples scream; Jesus dreams. Thunder roars; Jesus snores. He doesn't doze, catnap, or rest. He slumbers. Could you sleep at a time like this?"

January 11th

"You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the LORD is you security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Proverbs 3:25-26 (NLT)"

January 12th

"[Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on a pillow" (Mark 4:38).... This was a premeditated slumber. He didn't accidentally nod off. In full knowledge of the coming storm, Jesus decided it was siesta time, so he crawled into the corner, put his head on the pillow, and drifted into dreamland."

January 13th

"The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall i be afraid?"

January 14th

"Fear corrodes our confidence in God's goodness. We begin to wonder if love lives in heaven. If God can sleep in our storms, if his eyes stay shut when our eyes grow wide, if he permits storms after we get on his boat, does he care? Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts, anger-stirring doubts."

January 15th

"The more insecure we feel, the meaner we become. We growl and bare our fangs. Why? Because we are bad? In part. But also because we feel cornered."

Tennis

I love the tennis. That is all.

This year is the year of saving.

Sam and I went a bit crazy last year and just bought what we wanted and ate what we wanted. This year we are going to change that and be conscientious about our future and preparing for it.

It helps that I've been getting a few extra hours at work but it's still less then 20 hours which is frustrating but my job works so well around uni!

Next week S and I are off to a youth camp at the place we did our internship. Warrambui, about 45 minutes outside of Canberra.

It'll be a fun week filled with music, games, worship, fellowship, bible study and a few bad skits thrown in for skit night.

Lots of preparation for that and organising and training as well. 

It feels like we are so busy right now. S has been away a lot for work and then we are away next week then it's pretty much Australia day and then it's February. And I've still got another month till I'm back at uni and can feel like this year has really started!

Goals

January 7th

By Max Lucado

"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV)"

Last year I put on a bit of weight. I call it my newlywed weight.

I waited till now to write this post as if I had of last night, I probably wouldn't be able to say this.

I got up at 830 today and went for a jog/walk. I thought I'd jinx myself if I wrote it before I did it.

This last year has been an awesome roller coaster of settling into my new life, as a wife, independent living, working and uni. So granted I did put on quite a bit of weight, through no fault but my own, and now I really hate it.

Before the wedding I was super skinny and running lots to keep the weight off so I could fit into my wedding dress.

My problem last year was consistency, I ran just not often enough. This year I'm going to try and do better and thinking about what will help, I've decided to do an award based attitude. 

So from now on, each walk I go for I put a $1 in the jar, and a run gets $2. The more I run, the more I earn and that money will go solely on something to treat myself. Maybe some cool running shorts of shoes, maybe a massage or manicure. Haven't decided yet as I've only got $1 in there so far haha.

I'm also going to document my runs on instagram as well, you can find me at katieellenlieschke.

Linking up with Jess for IBOT

January 6th

January 6th

By Max Lucado

"Don't Christ-followers enjoy a calendar full of Caribbean cruises? No. This story send the not-so-subtke and not-too-popular reminder: getting on board with Christ can mean getting soaked with Christ. Disciples can expect rough seas and stout winds. "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33)."

Life is not without it's struggle and heartache. Christ knows this better then anybody, if you don't know, pick of the bible and read John, and you'll hear what Jesus went through in His life, went through because He loves you that much.

For today I leave with this reminder; times are tough, and life as a christian was never meant to be easy, Jesus said that plan and simple. He also gave us life after death and hope for the future.

Best Present Ever!

January 5th

By Max Lucado

"But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. Psalm 33:18-19 (NLT)"

I probably received the best present today.

And that's probably an exaggeration, but if you love writing in your calendar diary and happen to be a left hander like me then you will understand.

Many things have plagued my life as a left hander, scissors never worked properly, I had trouble writing in the correct direction, remembering right to left was how the Chinese wrote. And most of all. The annoying binder's on work books that would forever dig into my hand when I wanted to write on the nice, clean, crisp new page on a book.

My lovely sister-in-law found something that will help with this.

It opens the correct way!

Sorry I forgot to turn this one but the planning pages are on the left so no annoying binding to worry about and on the right are little facts about left handers and throughout the calendar has the birthday's of famous left handers.

The page on the right says "Southpaws of Substance"

Michael Bloomberg

Steve Forbes

Bill Gates

Ross Perot

Oprah Winfrey

Mark Zuckerberg

I loved all the presents I received this christmas. Including a beautiful canvas from my big sis Kylie.

Go lefty's!

Envision

January 4th

By Max Lucado

" Envision a day, just one day, absent the dread of failure, rejection, and calamity. Can you imagine a life with no fear? This is the possibility behind Jesus' question. "Why are you afraid?" Matthew 8:26(NCV)"

Today S and I drove out to Albury/Wodonga with the in-laws in the FIL's old Holden HQ, it has just recently been given a new engine and a clean up and so we thought we might take it for the hour and a bit drive to Albury.

We caught up with an old friend of the MIL and enjoyed a couples hours of chatting and checking out her new house.

We then made our way to Wodonga to a friend's 50th birthday celebrations. A family friend and S and I are good friends with the birthday boys son and his wife, who live in NZ.

Going back to their house always reminds me of the good times we had there before we were all married and would just hang out watching movies and going shopping.

We left to go back to Wagga just after 530, and as we pulled away from the curb, the steering decided to disappear, literally. Turning the steering wheel did nothing.

Luckily we had just lost a screw of the steering column thing (not to up on my mechanic lingo) and all it need was a bolt to hold it in place, which sufficed and we made it home at 7 on the dot. 

It was a good day hanging out with the in-laws and catching up with old friends. I always say how lucky I am too have such great in-laws and I will never take it for granted!

Cross-Stitch

January 3rd

By Max Lucado

"So don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31 (NCV)"

When I was a teenager I started becoming interested in knitting, including crocheting, and also took a fancy to cross-stitch.

Now it was quite a few years before I learnt how to knit anything more then a scarf and to even learn what a purl stitch was, or what pattern meant.

I got there in the end, thanks too youtube for showing me. I need to see things being done as my way of learning and youtube helped with that.

So I learnt to purl and knit and how to follow a pattern and started making things left right and centre.

Then mum bought me a learn how to crochet book, which I ignored for a bit because I couldn't learn from reading the instructions, although I finally figured it out and could follow the crocheting patterns, so I started to make lots and lots of blankets.

Knitting and crocheting aren't to bad in the expense department, knitting needles aren't to bad and you can find patterns with the right size needle you have so you don't need to buy more, same as crochet hooks. Wool is a bit more expensive, especially when trying to be a jumper or something bigger then a beanie but stills reasonably priced.

Which brings me to cross-stitich.

I was given a cross-stitch when I was younger and I started it but never finished and only just recently did I find it and think I should finish it off, one of those numerous projects that I start but never seem to finish. I was finishing the product (almost finished now) and realised how much I love cross-stitch.

Now the one I was finishing off was a bit of a cheat one, because the pattern was actually printed onto the fabric so I didn't have to follow a pattern, which then lead me to wanting to challenge myself and buy a cross-stitch where the fabric is blank and the pattern is one big piece of paper.

So off I went, dragging S along, I told him he didn't need to come into spotlight that I wouldn't be long but alas he decided to come in, I think he was glad he did though.

I found the cross-stitch section and was browsing and finding some really cool modern styles, but I took one look at the 84 dollars they were asking for it and my heart sank, bugger. 

84 dollars for a cross-stitch!!!

I kept looking and S was getting restless and telling me to just pick one, I said I like one and he's just wanted me to hurry up, but being the good wife I am I pointed out the price to him. Which he then decided that he wasn't going to encourage my cross-stitching haha.

He couldn't believe how expensive it was, and for a bit of (being polite there) a cheap arse I'm surprised he didn't have a heart attack.

I did find a nice 30 dollar one, which is still expensive but its very cute and has little owls on it so I'm looking forward to completing it. Cross-stitch just takes a very long time!

The cross-stitch thats been hanging around for years. Almost finished.

The first little owl of 9 to be done. This took me an hour to do!!!