Tuesday, November 30, 2010

First Anniversary.

Last year on the 30th of November, my mother rang me and told me my father had passed away. I was really stunned. I remember I was sitting at the computer updating my blog. I cannot remember what I was writing but I remember deleting it all and telling everyone that my father had died.

A few days later I wrote about what a wonderful example he was to us. My father had a very strong faith in God and his actions spoke of this all the time. I can see now what a good influence he was in my life and in raising me to care for others and to live our Catholic faith to the full. I am ever so grateful to both my mother and my father for the values they have instilled in me.




Tonight Steve and I will be praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for my father.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Our Week.

Last week was our last week of formal home school for the year. We will still be doing some maths and reading but our main focus will be on advent and preparing for Christmas.



For advent, we are having an advent wreath. I was a bit late ordering the candles for it so we havn't made it yet but I am hoping they will arrive this week and between now and then we will do the prayers each day without the wreath.



We are also making a Jesse Tree. I have downloaded the symbols from Our Sunday Visitor. There are all kinds of links for advent activities for everyone to do with their family at Catholic mom.

My other goal for Advent is to take Tom, Amelia and Christopher to mass each day.

What are your plans for advent?

Thursday, November 18, 2010

20 Questions.

I got this list from Jeanne's blog:

  1. Sweet or Savoury?
  2. Dresses or Jeans?
  3. House or Apartment?
  4. Shop Online or Offline?
  5. DVDs or Downloads?
  6. Cocktails or Juice?
  7. Chocolate or Strawberry?
  8. Laptop or PC?
  9. Magazines or Newspapers?
  10. Facebook or Twitter?
  11. CDs or MP3s?
  12. Kids or Pets?
  13. Macaron or Cupcakes?
  14. Walk or Run?
  15. Breakfast in Bed or Breakfast Out?
  16. Market or Supermarket?
  17. Sourdough or Grainy?
  18. Heels or Flats?
  19. Late nights or Not?
  20. Coffee or Tea?
Sweet or Savoury: Depends. I mostly like savoury though.

Dress or Jeans: Love wearing dresses but wear jeans more especially in winter.

House or Apartment: House definitely.

Shop online or offline: Online much more but only because shopping in our town can be limiting.

Downloads or DVD? DVD's mostly.

Cocktails or juice: Cocktails.

Chocolate or Strawberry: Strawberry for milkshakes but chocolate for bars, sauces or puddings.

Laptop or PC: PC

Magazines or Newspapers: I suppose magazines but rarely read them. I am interested in Better home and garden magazine and wish we had a bit more money for crafty magazines.

Facebook or Twitter: I am on facebook every day but only go to my twitter account once a week or so.

CD's or MP3? CD's.

Kids or Pets? both.

Macaron or Cupcakes? Cupcakes.

Walk or Run? Walk. I am lazy.

Breakfast in Bed or Breakfast Out? Love the occasional breakfast in bed but couldn't do it regularly.

Market or Supermarket? I use a supermarket but would use a local market if there was one here.

Sourdough or Grainy? Grainy.

Heels or Flats? Flats. I remember the shoes I bought for our wedding my mother thought were too flat but I just don't like heels.

Late nights or Not? Night owl here.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee thanks.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Anti discrimination laws.

Steve found a link at the salt shakers site stating that the Australian Human Rights Commission is doing a consultation to find if people can be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.

Anyone can take part in the consultation.

Here are the questions that are asked and what Steve has written. We encourage many Australians to go and comment at the consultation and have your say.


1. What benefit would there be in federal anti-discrimination laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity?

There would be of no benefit to the majority of Australians. It would complicate the legal system even further and would all be based on something so trivial as sexual orientation. How does one even prove a persons sexual orientation? Does this mean that I can now take legal action if I don't get that job because of my sexual orientation?


2. What benefit would there be in federal law prohibiting vilification and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity?

There would be no benefit. We already have laws which protect and provide compensation for those who are harassed or abused in any way. A person's sexual orinetation is generally an unknown quantity and can not be proven. If we create laws based on sexual orientation, why not create laws prohibiting harassment of those who are orientated towards a particular football team?

3. Can you provide examples of situations where federal protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or sex and/or gender identity are needed because state and territory laws do not provide adequate protections?

No, but society needs to be protected from sexual orientation laws. Lets imagine two men wanted to rent a single room together for the night but the hotel owner thought this was inappropriate since the room only had one double bed. Could the owner of the hotel be sued because he refused to rent the room to these two men? Anti discrimination laws based on sexual orientation would force the owner to either go against his conscience or be faced with court procedings.

4. Have you experienced discrimination because of your sexual orientation or sex and/or gender identity for which there is no legal protection?

No. How would people even know what my sexual orientation is unless I told them.

5. Have you experienced vilification or harassment because of your sexual orientation or sex and/or gender identity for which there is no legal protection?

No. How would people even know what my sexual orientation is unless I told them.

6. What terminology should be used in federal anti-discrimination legislation if protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is to be included?

Just as some people talk about people having a sex change we should also mention those who want to have a sexual orientation change. There are many who are same sex attracted but would like to have a sexual orientation change back to a heterosexual orientation.

7. What terminology should be used in federal anti-discrimination legislation if protection from discrimination on the basis of sex and/or gender identity is to be included?

Gender confusion is a term which comes to my mind.

What are the advantages or disadvantages of the terms used in state and territory laws, including: gender identity; chosen gender; gender history; a gender reassigned person; or a recognised transgender person; or transexuality?

Bodily compatibility is a term I'm thinking. A man and a woman's body is designed for sexual intimacy.


Should protection from discrimination be provided if a person has or appears to have the characteristics of any gender?

No.

8. What terminology should be used to ensure that people who identify as intersex are protected from discrimination in federal law? Should the term ‘intersex’ be used? Should protection from discrimination on the basis of ‘sex’ include people who are of ‘indeterminate sex’?

It's hard to take this question seriously.

9. What special measures designed to benefit specific groups based on sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity should be allowed by federal anti-discrimination law?

I think those who do suffer from a same sex orientation should be offered help and programs developed to re assign their orientation to a heterosexual orientation if they so wish.

10. What other actions would you like to see the Australian Government take to better protect and promote the rights of LGBTI people in Australia?

All Australians have the same rights regardless of how they label themselves. Keep in mind that even those with a same sex orientation can get married they just can't marry someone of the same sex.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Sew Serendipity.


I bought this sewing book a while ago, after reading about it at Michelle's blog.

Since getting it, I have wanted to write about what a great book this is. It has endless fashionable skirts, tops, dresses and coats. I don't think there is any pattern that I didn't like when looking through.

There are full size patterns at the back and really great instructions all the way through. Totally recommend this sewing book for those that sew and those that want a few tips to start sewing.

In Australia it is available from Fishpond.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

A special gift.

A very long time ago, I received a package in the post from a blogging friend in the USA.

Here is what was in the package:


Inside the box was a blessed rosary which I would show you but I left it in Adelaide last time we were there.

I am going to put this little box on our storage unit that Steve made and put our children's bible, some other little prayer cards and some other things that are to do with the liturgical year. I really want to get a few statues that can go on top of the box too. Then we will have a little family devotion area in our house.

Thanks so much Shelly for sending me the little box. I am so sorry it took me so long to write about your generosity.

Therese.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Sacrament of confession.

We have a new priest in our parish. Today he started a new Saturday devotion. Each Saturday he is going to offer mass and then have adoration and benediction straight after. Steve and I went and it was wonderful to be in the presence of God and praise him for all he has done for us.

Straight after, we went to confession. I just love the sacrament of confession. We confess our sins and receive forgiveness from God for them. The best thing about confession is it is a chance to turn out lives around. I have seen God's grace at work in my life because of confession. I remember when I first came back to the church, there was one particular area of sin that I really struggled to overcome. At first I was frightened to tell the priest. It probably took me a couple of confessions to have the courage to say it to the priest. This confession was very freeing for me. Because this sin was one that I had trouble with, I still had times when I did it after the confession but I kept on taking it back and asking God to help me overcome this area of sin. After a while, I realised that this sin was one of the past. I had overcome it with God's grace.

I find prayer every day and examining my conscious regularly, makes it easier to see the areas I need God's help in. Fr. Corapi has a great examination of conscious online. Go here to read it.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A giveaway.

My friend Mel from Homestead and Bread is having a give away.

She is giving away a book called Little Star. What a great story is sounds like so go over and enter.

Recipe Swap.

I have been invited to a recipe swap.

When the email arrives, you have two people on a list. The idea is you send a recipe to the first person on the list, move the second person to first place and put your name in second place.

Then you send this email to 20 people.

I have done all this but 4 emails bounced back to me and another friend is too busy to do it so I have 5 more people to send the email too. I thought I would see if anyone who reads here is interested in being a part of this

If you are interested, my email is on my profile page.

Send me an email and I will forward the details to you. For your hard work in sending out the 20 emails, you should get 36 recipes.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Wordless Wednesday.




Joseph was 9 months old on Sunday. Only 3 months till his first birthday. It has gone way too fast.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Swimming!!!!!



The weather down under has really warmed up the last couple of days so today when all the school work had been done, we went to the pool for a cool down. Joseph is a real water baby. He really loves being in the water.

Friday, November 05, 2010

Friday funnies

It is a while since I did a Friday funny. I decided yesterday when I saw this you tube that it was time for another one.



Wouldn't you love to have a chair like this? I could just see my children fighting over it.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Some changes.

I have completed 4 covers for our lounge to go in the family room. Steve has also rubbed down the pine, stained it and varnished it. It has come up really well:

I want to do the back cushions again. They are just a bit too small. I measured the covers off the foam and they are about 2cm too small. I started them tonight and should finish them off tomorrow.

We also got our new pigeon pair of lounges for the lounge/dining room. Here they are:


Once I do the curtains, I will take another shot. I am really happy with our new lounges and the make over we gave our old lounge.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

A story about life.

A while ago, I came across this young girl speaking out against abortion.



In 2008, Victoria passed a new abortion law. This abortion law allowed:

  • Abortion allowed right up to birth.
  • Partial birth abortion allowed
  • doctors freedom of conscious denied.
  • no independent counselling provided.
  • Pain relief not required.

Many Victorians don't realise just how horrific this bill is.





Please pass the message out. We need to let people know just how horrific this bill is.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

HOPE: preventing euthanasia and assisted suicide

HOPE: preventing euthanasia and assisted suicide

Hope is a group to try and stop Euthanasia from becoming legal. Please go and subscribe to keep updated with what is going on in the Federal campaign and the South Australian campaign.

Monday, November 01, 2010

All Saints Day.

I went into my archives tonight to see what I have shared in the past about All Saints.

I was surprised to find that I haven't done a post on All Saints. Our parish in Port Augusta is All Saints parish and since it is our feast day, I thought I would have posted on this before.

For our parish celebration tonight, we had mass followed by benediction with the litany of the saints.

After we shared Coffee and Cake.

Our Catholic faith is so full of good things. There is so much to learn from the Saints that have been here before us and when we celebrate their lives, we give glory to God for the work he has done in them.

All through the month of November, we will be praying for all the souls of the faithful departed. If there are any people in particular you would like us to pray for this month. let me know in the comment box.

All Holy Men and Women,

Pray for us.

Please pray for a cure for Type One Diabetes

Please pray for a cure for Type One Diabetes
Our sons Tom and Christopher and our daughter Amelia are type one diabetics. We pray everyday for a cure. We do not want one by illicit means though so don't support any organisation that contributes to Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Click on the photo of Tom and Christopher to read about why I am against using Embryonic Stem cells for a cure.

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Australian Catholic Homeschoolers.

Tom's and Christopher's insulin pump

New book: Faith Quilt.

New book: Faith Quilt.
All proceeds from sales of "FAITH QUILT" going to "Casa de Amor Children's Homes in Bolivia" and "Sarah's Covenant Homes in India" Two truly extraordinary organisations that take in the most needy children and give them a place of love and security to call home.