Dial Up...Peh

I knew dial up was stupid, but this is ridiculous. Finally got the internet working, but it takes forever to load just about anything. I take my hat off to people who still have dial up, you are an inspiration.

Sadly, I am also restricted to commercial TV.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the solitude over the last couple of days. It's just been me and Thomas. I also just got Photoshop so I've been working on photos for most of the time, it's been very relaxing.

I saw The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe on Boxing Day. I'm seeing it again tonight. Although the cinematography was no where near as good as Lord Of The Rings, and the story seemed somewhat rushed there was some very powerful stuff within the script. The allegory was amazing. Good old C.S. Lewis. I can't even really articulate the power of those words. Those of you who know what I'm talking about will know what I'm talking about, for those of you who don't, no amount of explaining would make you understand. You either do, or you don't.

What Am I Going To Do?

I'm housesitting this week. Their ISP is stupid. So for now I will not be blogging until next Monday or something. I know, you are distraught at the thought, but we will all just have to try to deal with it.

Curses!!!

Well, being a recluse did not last as long as I had hoped. It seems that all my plans have been foiled by the forces of evil. I ended up having to go to church on christmas eve, to do something I had previously forgotton to do, but said I would. I ended up being glad I went, but in no way was that related to the fact that it was christmas.

I am completely exhausted. Still three more chrissie events to attend.

Give me a break!!!

Annettethehermit

I've pretty much been avoiding going out this week, which means I've been confined to the house. I actually quite like it, it's given me time to do stuff. Stuff like play my guitar, mess around with photos and watch some TV. I don't really feel like going anywhere. Maybe when I grow up I should become a recluse. I'd be pretty good at it.
Nah, but really, I do miss my friends.
Hey everyone who loves me, you have to come to me from now on! You don't even have to call first. I'll be home.

Babble

I have a question: Is it possible to eat enough chocolate liqueurs to go over the legal limit? Does anyone know?

Now, even though I will not be attending any christmas church service, I did stick around on Tuesday night to watch "The Lion, The Grinch and The Wardrobe". The set is fantastic, kudos to Clare and everyone else. The whole production is really very good, and our dance team kicks butt. Even though Phil didn't run through his message, he's Phil, and doesn't do bad messages, so It'll be amazing I'm sure. So all you Christmas church go-ers you're in for a treat, remember to take your family and friends.

English is so restricting, I'm 22 and have pretty much run out of words to describe things that are good, very good, very very good, very very very good and so on. It's quite frustrating. At least we won't have to worry about that in the next world.

Still

I never fully seem to comprehend the power nor the importance of being still until I push myself so far that if I am not still I will go insane. It's actually a really stupid thing to do because Jesus himself had to go and be still, so what makes me think I can get by without doing it? Jesus would wake up before everyone else and go into the garden and just spend some alone time with God. Alone time with God. How often do I really do that? Sure, I'll spend some time alone, but do I remember that God is there waiting for me to engage with Him? Or I'll remember to talk and listen to God when I'm busy, but am I being still? Now, I'm certainly not getting up before everyone else as I would promptly fall back asleep, but the afternoon works just fine for stillness. I spent some time being still today. I went to a park, with a friend and got quiet and although God wasn't particularly talkative I had such an amazing time just basking in His presence.
Basking in God's presence, in His love... I could do that forever. So why do I forget to?

101 Things About Me

sErGAKAToNy suggested I do this, so here it is. 101 things about me:

1. My full name is Annette Emily Binks.
2. I love to worship my king more than anything else.
3. I like Mars Bars and Cherry Ripes frozen.
4. My fingers used to be quite corrosive and my guitar strings would start to rust after only a couple of hours.
5. I have worked at Maccas for nearly five years : (
6. Sometimes I cry myself to sleep (he he, do you feel bad, actually I can't remember the last time I cried myself to sleep)
7. When I was little Andrew and I could have died coz we built a fire in a rainwater tank and it got all smoked up and we had a really hard time getting out.
8. I once told Andrew to step on a bee (I was 6) just to see what would happen (evil I know)
9. My all time favourite colour of all time is purple.
10. I like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh
11.My best friend's name is Jane and we have been friends since Year 9.
12. I mix strawberry and passionberry lip balm from The Body Shop to make my own special lip balm.
13. When I was in highscool I wanted to study Medicine at UWA.
14. I don't belong to a "group" at Riverview, all my friends have different friends.
15. It is one of my dreams to have a room full of guitars.
16. I think WRXs are hot.
17. I was on the organisation team for Saltbush 05.
18. I don't like any guys at the moment enough to want to go out with them.
19. God gave me a very nice acoustic guitar this time last year, he is very good to me.
20. I love animals in general, I want to have heaps of them when I grow up.
21. I can be a real bitch if I want to.
22. I have quite an extensive DVD collection.
23. Insincerity is one of my pet hates.
24. My primary love language is Quality Time.
25. I am a night person.
26. I want to raise my kids in the country, city kids are snobs (no offense)
27. I think black people are awesome.
28. I have never touched snow.
29. I avoid celebrating Easter and Christmas as much as possible.
30. I long for the return of The Christ more than anything else.
31. I do amateur music recordings in my computer room.
32. On my right ring finger I have 4 crease lines, on my left I have 3.
33. My room looks more like a 5 year olds than a 22 year olds.
34. I have been in the Riverview Youth Worship Team for about five years.
35. I hate cooked mushrooms.
36. I don't like crying, but I do.
37. My fingers hurt right now.
38. Spiders and cockroaches freak me out.
39. I fold and scrunch.
40. I was hardly ever fully clothed before I was in primary school.
41. I like to climb trees.
42. I used to surf.
43. I go to El Rancho Relaxo almost every day.
44. When I drink coffee I have a latte.
45. I like Hillsong, even if Andrew doesn't.
46. I think the concept of world peace, while we are on this earth is ridiculous.
47. I sing really loud when I'm alone.
48. I bite my nails on my left hand.
49. I have size 8 feet, which is fairly big for my height (Brendan calls them hobbit feet).
50. I also play the ukulele.
51. I have never kissed anyone, and that's not an invitation.
52. An average shower for me is around half an hour (water saving shower head).
53. I wear boyleg undies.
54. I do not own a skirt.
55. I know lots of little bits of useless trivia.
56. I have a plasma ball in my room that runs all the time, my Mum calls it my night light.
57. Jesus came into my heart when I was three.
58. I have been at Rhema/Riverview ever since that day.
59. I lived in Gidgegannup for a while when I was 9/10. It was the best part of my childhood.
60. One day I want to own a set of congas.
61. I did TEE English Literature.
62. I love nature.
63. I let my cat sleep on my bed, sometimes he takes up more room than me.
64. I have an Akubra.
65. I do not have a driza-bone (not yet)
66. If I'm sleeping I can have a phone conversation and then go straight back to sleep.
67. I like cooking.
68. I hate doing dishes, I would rather clean the toilet.
69. I used to work in Toddlers and Nursery at Riverview.
70. I am an ebayer.
71. In my opinion BBQs are one of the best inventions ever.
72. I like steak, someone pass me the cow.
73. I sleep with my bedroom door open.
74. I used to be fairly fat when I was about 15.
75. I once got punched by a girl at school.
76. I used to beat Andrew up for sport (I am very sorry)
77. I miss my dogs (they're dead now)
78. I once skinned a dead kangaroo with my cousins on a family holiday, we then posed it's naked body on a pole by the side of the road. My uncle busted us and made us take it off. My grandparents thought it was so funny they got video footage of it.
79. I illegally copy CDs.
80. I'm not very good at fingerpicking guitar.
81. I have never been shooting.
82. I believe music should be free.
83. I don't particularly like the beach any more, it's windy and sunny and sandy and salty.
84. I love Officeworks.
85. I have never been drunk, I never want to be.
86. I have never had a drag of a cigarette.
87. I want to go to Africa, New Zealand and Canada one day.
88. I am of the opinion that people are inherently stupid, but I Iove them anyway.
89. I think JJJ sucks (actually I think all radio stations suck)
90. Once I stole a toy from a doctors surgery and my Mum made me take it back and apologise.
91. I also once hit Andrew in the head with a golf club (by accident) and he bled everywhere and stuff.
92. I only just got used to being in photos, even though I love taking them.
93. My car is yellow and totally awesome in a kind of bombie way.
94. Jane and I once coloured in, and enameled a Tiny Teddy which came to school with us for ages until it broke : (
95. I have amazing friends and I thank God for them every day.
96. I love being alive, even though sometimes I just wish I could go home.
97. People are my favourite part about getting to live on earth.
98. Andrew and I joke about how hot he is all the time.
99. I have two compassion kids.
100. Even when I'm busting, I can hold it for hours.
101. I am blessed, more than I could ever have hoped for. Beautiful parents, a ridiculously goodlooking biological brother, more amazing kingdom brothers and sisters, friends and the best city in the world to live in. Yeah, I'm blessed.

One Down, Two To Go

I finished The Final Quest, now onto The Call. Man there is some AMAZING stuff in these books. Each time I read them I get something new out of them, just like the bible really. Each time I read them I am challenged in a new way. It is saweeta.

A Book, You Know-That Thing With Words And Pages

The Final Quest, The Call and The Torch and the Sword by Rick Joyner are three of my favourite books. They read like a story, like novels. They are made up of a series of prophetic visions that Rick has had. I love them, so if you ever get a chance you should read them. I'm about to read them again.

Waffles and Jigsaws

Today is my cousin Keiran's birthday, and also Brooke Fraser's. Just thought I'd tell you.

Aaaaaanyway...I got to go and hang out with "The Awesome Karlee Abbott" today. It was very lovely. Aaron Malone and Dearboy came over coz we were making waffles in her penguin waffle maker. They were good. The boys did some naughty things with chocolate chips...as boys do (mind you for those guys it was a very mild form of naughty). We also started a new jigsaw of Mickey Mouse, one of those mosaic ones. It's really hard. Karlee's a master at the art of jigsaw putting together, so when I can't find any more I just sit there and watch her build her masterpiece.

Jigsaws are a lot like life really ... I don't actually mean that, just thought I'd say it. They probably are...but I don't really care.

Marshmallows

I'm not usually a fan of marshmallows (unless they're toasted) and yet here I am munching away on some. Why is it sometimes we do stuff that we don't really like, and don't really have to? Why am I eating marshmallows when I don't particularly like them? Perhaps it's out of boredom, perhaps there's a marshmallow shaped hole in my stomach. Who knows.

I went to the NRG/Youth/Young Adults end of year bash thingo tonight. We have a LOT of leaders. Our leadership team is bigger than most peoples whole youth groups. Not that it means very much, but it was just interesting. I love our leadership team. I love those quite achievers, the ones who just do what needs doing without needing acknowledgement, knowing that what they do is for God himself. People like Rambo, Jason O'Neil, Matty Felay, Boof, Eddie, Sarah R. and Alina C. They go unseen much of the time, but in them I see the power of a servant heart, true leaders. They inspire me. Some of them were honoured tonight, after a long slog. They have endured when no-one but God was watching.

I'm listening to "Hallelujah" off Hillsong's album "For All You've Done". We've played it countless times at youth and church, but I still cannot get over the way my heart responds to it. I never want to stop singing Hallelujah to my king. The awe, the intimacy, the desire. I never want to lose it, never want it to fade.

Hallejujah

Saved by Your mercy
Found in Your grace
Totally surrendered to Your embrace
And there's nothing more than You

See Your perfection
I'm lost in Your peace
Your faithfulness sings over me
And Your love is the light of my soul

And I lift my eyes to You
Creator of the world

And I stand in awe of You
Of Your glory
And I live to worship You
Son of God, King of heaven

And the angels round Your throne
Cry out holy
To the One who is to come
Hear us sing hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Sorry

Even more blank. Blank blank blank.

Nothing To Say

I feel clouded. I feel quiet.

I went out with Erin this afternoon. I listened to her talk. I found myself wishing I had something to say, but I was just blank. I went to Amanda's book launch, same thing. I went out with Clare, Erynne, Samn and Sarah. Same again. I just feel like I have nothing to add. I enjoy the conversation. I answer the questions, but I feel completely empty of thoughts. I have nothing to say, nothing to give, nothing to impart, nothing. I know little bits and pieces come out, I still say stuff without being asked, but it's really hard work. I feel, but I don't think. My feelings are un-articulated by my mind.
There's a heaviness on me, I'm thinking...but I'm not.

Dunsborough

The Weather started off soooo nice and turned lame. It was still a really good weekend though. We arrived before any of the other "kids" so Andrew and I walked across the road to the beach for some explorin'. That night we went out with the crab net and gidgie but all the crabs were too small and the gidge was too blunt and wouldn't go into the fish : ) The accommodation was way nicer than I was expecting, I guess I could have just read that it was four star.
Saturday the weather sucked. We went to Bunker Bay but it rained so we only ended up staying for a little while. When we got back we went into Dunsborough to the fishing shop to buy a new gidgie and the lolly shop to get some yummies. Sheryn and I played guitar together for a couple of hours which was cool. Our family's pretty musical, only the youngest Binks cousin doesn't play an instrument. That evening we headed out for dinner to celebrate our Grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary. Food was good, so was the company. After that we went a-huntin'. It was cold and rainy and a little windy but still lots of fun. I caught a crab and then tried to catch another one and stacked it and got soaked. I was wearing two jumpers and they got really heavy once they were wet. It wasn't much fun after that. Andrew is a champ with a gidge (or anything you can throw/shoot) He and Justin caught four cobbler and we ate them on Sunday. They were yummy and I was pretty surprised seeing as they just eat junk.
Today we thought we had to be out by 10am so we got up at 8am and were then told we didn't have to leave till the afternoon so it was back to bed for Sheryn and Me. Sleep is good. I think I slept for most of the trip back too.

I missed Puss though. It's good to be home.

Going Away

I'm heading off to Dunsborough for the weekend tomorrow (which is actually today). It was my grandparents' (on my Dad's side) 50th wedding anniversary this year and they wanted to celebrate by taking their kids and grandkids away for a weekend. I don't really know what we'll be doing while we're down there, family stuff I guess. We used to go away together when my cousins and I were little but stopped when I was about eight or something. The accommodation looks nice. I'm hoping to get away for a few hours for some alone time in the scenery. I'm going to take zillions of photos.

I still feel really busy, like there's always something I have to be doing. I really want a break, don't know if it'll happen though.

Gidgegannup

Today was fantastic. I took Sarah (or rather she took me) to my favourite place within an hour of Perth. We went to the most western side of Gidgegannup. When you get that far out there's no noise except for birds and bugs. When they shutup there's just silence. It's breathtaking. I wish I could express what I feel when I go there, the freedom and peace. It was wonderful to be able to share it with Sarah. Sarah is very, very cool. We talked for about six hours, which is quite a feat for me. I also tried to stir up some ants but they weren't home.

I haven't had a day this good in a long time.

Another BBQ, Not Summery Though

I stayed up waaaay too late last night, but I got up at 11:00 anyway. I recorded a couple of songs while Mum and Andrew were out, I was reasonably pleased with them. I desperately need an auto-tuner though.

I managed to lose track of the time and rock up at Esther to teach 15 minutes late, but the girls were running late anyway so it didn't really matter. I had an hour to burn so I went to Maccas and picked up a Turkey and Cranberry Roll, a Diet Coke and headed to the river. It was so nice to sit in the quiet for a while, just Me, God and My City. Then it was off to the Riverview Youth Worship Team End Of Year Bash. A BBQ at Burswood Park. The weather did exactly what it did at last years bash and reverted to winter. Cold, cloudy and windy.

Tomorrow SOng and I are going somewhere thet is very special to me. I'll take pics.