my phone is so smart

So I got my new phone a few weeks ago now and it has been pretty impressive so far – does everything except the laundry. I’ve been spending some quality time learning more about the new phone and in the process I feel as though I am becoming more and a more of a nerd. Now when people ask me what type of phone I have, the reply is laced with foreign words such as ‘android’ ‘operating system’ ‘applications’ ‘platform’ ‘GPS’ and ‘megabytes’ – scary stuff.

The phone is not just pretty-looking, it also has lots of great little features. It's a "smartphone" which means it is like a little mini computer - same kinda thing as an iPhone (just a fraction of the price). I can download applications from the Android Market (for all the Apple-tons this is the App Store - only most apps are free here) and so far, I have downloaded everything from the Bible (one of the things I had to have on the new phone, to a personal trainer, to a constellation mapper, to a guitar tuner, to an animal sounds player (very useful and popular with the young kids), to an ebook reader and even a guitar! It's totally cool. On top of that, I can access the Internet, use GPS, play games, sync to my PC, record audio, view documents, and I can even make phone calls! haha

One thing I learnt with the whole phone selection task was to wait on God's timing. Let me explain. I wanted a new phone for a few months now - since maybe October or November 2009, but every time I wanted to get it, Three would not allow me to upgrade yet. Each time, I saw a new phone that I thought would be the one that I was supposed to get, but each time, it just wasn't possible to upgrade. It wasn't until I discovered a deal online for this phone that I knew would be a green light to go ahead - the phone was free on the same cap I was on already, it came with three months of free credit, $100 credit on top, and my bro even found a way for me to get $50 back through some website thing (don't ask me to explain cos I still don't entirely get it myself - something to do with advertising and links or something). You can't really say no to that kind of value.

So I have a new phone now and a few weeks on, I am not having ANY buyer's remorse - which can only be a good thing, especially for someone who is a compulsive impulse shopper.

post-vacation blues

Since coming back from holiday on Monday last week, I've had this unrelenting desire to do something. I think I was just too spoilt while travelling and I have become used to eating out, discovering new places, meeting up with people and just being on-the-go all the time. So coming back to sleepy Perth has taken a bit of adjustment. At the same time however, I really do appreciate being back home, having my wardrobe back (and not living out of a suitcase), sleeping in my own bed with my own pillow, having a decent shower (what is up with showers in hotels these days?? no water pressure!), and being with my family and friends. I guess I am pretty blessed. I'm also grateful that I live in the relatively unpopulated Perth where the weather is nice, the streets are clean, people are courteous (and conscious of hygiene), smoking is minimal, pollution is unheard of - my own little comfort zone :)

twenny-ten

Wow. I can't believe we're already more than a week into 2010. It didn't see like it was THAT long ago that I wrote down some resolutions for 2009, and just like that - the year was over. Looking back at my resolutions from last year, I am glad to say that I have somewhat achieved (or at least made a significant effort) most of them. I think my relationship with God has grown, I've read quite a few books (including finishing the Bible!), I've cut down on TV and shopping quite a bit (to the point now, that I can say I don't really watch TV much at all, and that shopping is no longer an addiction - still enjoyed, but I restrain myself too), I tried to pick up piano (and I can kinda play a few songs - albeit slowly with one or two mistakes - no chords yet, baby steps, baby steps!), err the get healthier one - that one kinda didn't eventuate (but I haven't put on any weight - which is good right?).

So I guess that leaves me with setting resolutions for this year. To be honest, I haven't really thought too much about what I want to achieve this year. But last night at Regeneration, we listened to one of my favourite sermons - Five Steps to Genuine Revival by Iain Paisley, and during the discussion that came afterwards, we talked about what we expected for Regeneration in the coming year.

Now Regen is a fellowship group that has been a real blessing to me since I started working and as such I really do love being a part of it. So for me, I really want to see this fellowship group grow in the Lord and for it to be a greenhouse of encouragement. It has changed for the better in the past year with the group becoming (by God's grace) a lot more open, trusting, loving, innovative and a real desire to learn God's Word together and pursue holiness has developed. I really want it to keep developing and as such, I realised (like how the late Michael Jackson realised when he said 'I'm starting with the man in the mirror') that I need to start with my self and try to change some things and enhance other things in my own life.

Firstly, I need to be less selfish and more loving. I need to put others first and deny myself. I need to love sacrificially and not always be focused on attending to my own needs or my own feelings. This, of course, will not happen in one year, but I need to start now.

Secondly, I need to pray more. Genuine pleading on my knees before God, being specific in confessing my sins, praising God for who He is and what He has done, opening my mouth wide and asking Him to do that which is beyond what I can ask or think, praying with faith, specifically. And I want to maintain regular attendance at Prayer Meeting.

I want to get into the practice of spending a day with God. I have never done this before in my whole Christian life and I really want to try.

Regular evangelism and being bold for Christ. I've recently fallen off the horse a little bit with this one, so I really need to get back into it.

Lastly, I want to try find ways to encourage others to learn and memorise God's Word. Some of us sisters have been trying to memorise Proverbs 31:10-31, and I've really enjoyed it. I want to help get others to do similar things to continue to equip ourselves for battle.

I really pray that God will help me with this and hopefully by blogging all the above, there is some kind of accountability for me to keep at it.