Slavery alive and kicking

I had just typed a whole post on this in word and lost it. But I feel strongly about this, so here we go again. I have just been looking into this in my sermon preparation for Micah 6:6-8:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

I have been thinking about this recently, because of reading about a movie out called the jammed about the sex slavery trade in Australia, a film which has been struggling to find distribution, and also because a friend asked me to join a group on Facebook against human trafficking.

Here are some sobering stats:
27 Million estimated slaves worldwide
1.2 million estimated children trafficked every year
1000 estimated sex slaves in Australia - the extent of all forms of slavery in Australia is not known - yes read that again - slavery exists in Australia today!

Another recent film, that I haven't yet seen but would like to (Besides the important and engrossing subject matter, the adorable Ioan Gruffudd is in it), Amazing Grace, looks at the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade 200 years ago, an achievement Christians can be proud to have been important change agents in. But we cannot rest on our laurels! When we understand the value given to human beings in the Bible, that we are in the image of God, we should not be content until slavery has been abolished everywhere.

What can you do? start by looking at these websites:

The antislavery project
Stop the Traffik
World Vision Australia

john calvin and thomas hobbes......

Oh - so couldn't resist this theologian cartoon. Check the cartoonist's other work out here
she has a manga style simpsons as well.

Book club blogging has started

Yes, we now have some posts in our book club blog.......so far we have discussed the intro and the first chapter (on Deborah, the judge and prophet) from our first book Women, Ministry and the gospel. Don't worry, if not your cuppa, the fiction book should be decided on soon.

childrearing and personality

Bhaer and I have been thinking a lot about how our parenting methods need to take account of personality. We are both very aware, for instance, that as introverts, we shouldn't see Sparky's extraversion as naughtiness just because it is different (and sometimes annoying...).

Just the other day, Sparky told me he liked squiggly things - like worms and drawing squiggles. This made me think of the very basic personality test of what shape you like. There are 5 shapes and one is a squiggle. I wondered whether it worked for him. Well, not completely - for a 3 year old he isn't messy and disorganised. But he is "creative, flamboyant, dramatic, and witty" and "very easily bored, requiring constant stimulation". See here. You can check out yourself - I'm a circle, with a little squiggliness.

I have often wondered what his Myers Brigg type is - it is hard to know for a young child, but we are guessing an ENFJ (though not as sure about middle letters).

Owl is still a baby, so hard to guess at him, but he is generally quieter (not always), and more self directed.

I'm thinking I might like to look into books like the one pictured above - which I found here on Amazon.

What about your kids? How do their personality types shape how you parent?

Clothes- bargains

Well, my last fashion post took off in an unexpected direction – I was just amusing myself really, but it seemed to be a starting point for readers to share where they got good bargains – so look here is a post to do that! Please respond with your own good ideas. Here is what I have found:

Kids clothes:
Cotton on kids have regular sales (almost continually! I just stop in everytime I’m near one) which are much reduced (I often find tops for $5 on sale there which are pretty good quality – they seem to hold up pretty well). They are a plainer style than say pumpkin patch, but I like that. Really comfy pjs too. For stores see: http://www.cottonon.com.au/stores.php?kids_state=NSW.

Ebay – I buy a lot of Sparky’s clothes through ebay – I find that buying the more expensive brands second hand works well, as often people saved these for good and they are hardly worn. Particularly found great bargains on 100% wool jumpers for some reason, pehraps because people buy sloppy joes - but I just love knits on kids. You can buy bulk lots too and save on postage – good for play clothes. If you are worried about ebay, I can give some of my tips for using it....

Sales generally. I love it that they are still too young to care about choosing clothes really, so I can buy clothes a year ahead in the sales and put them aside.

My clothes
Outlets such as DFO - are good for things year round on sale (thanks Prue for mentioning this one in your comment – I use it too!) .

I’m signed up to the websites of my fave brands (witchery, kookai, cue, country road to name a few) so that I get informed when a sale is happening. Also, being on these lists often means they send you special offers or vouchers. And signing to these lists is free. You might not share my tastes, but check out your faves online and register for them. For example, I’m not a Colorado wearer usually, but many of you are – if you want you can sign up at http://www.colorado.com.au/home/default.asp#/home .

Partially because I was pregnant last summer, and 2 summers before that was carrying post baby weight, I have hardly any summer clothes – and t-shirts seem to be particularly rare in my wardrobe – but my lifestyle demands lots of tees! I have discovered 2 online places to get tees that I am thinking of trying out (I have bought one as a gift so far!). They aren’t rock bottom prices, but good prices for good quality.

Threadless tees – this is an interesting site where people compete to get their design or slogan on a tee – they choose a few every week based on votes and print limited editions (I am addicted to scoring designs). So these tees don’t look like ones you get just anywhere. Designs vary from witty to beautiful. But they don’t cost too much – I got one for a gift for $25 (which included shipping from US, I think even cheaper if buy multiple). If you prefer plain, the women’s ones for threadless are printed on tees by American Apparel (aussie website for this American company is http://store.americanapparel.com.au/ - cost per tee around $30). According to reputation the fabric they use is wonderful quality – and my sister-in-law backs this up. They have tonnes of different styles all available in a much wider selection of colours than in the shops.

* the picture is a threadless tee I want reprinted -called sailing the high trees.

So - what about you? what are your bargain hunting secrets?

what do you do with them?

I am interested to know what others with small kids do with them all day.

I have this guilt thing that I should be providing just the right amount of stimulation in a range of areas. That I should be highly organised and thoughtful about this. Those who know me as the unstructured person I am will probably guess this is not the case. With Sparky, I did provide a lot of stimulation, basically because he demands a lot of attention as an extravert and I had to think of things to do with him so I didn't get bored. Then for the first few months post Owl, I was really busy with him as the frequent feeder, bad sleeper he was, and so Sparky was left to fend for himself a lot more (self directed play is good, right?). Now Owl himself is playing, as he is now at the cruising round the furniture stage and opening doors etc. But Owl is a lot more naturally self directed, and Sparky has learnt to be. Though he now tries to organise me with what he has decided to do - yesterday I kept coming into the kitchen finding ingredients and implements for baking cakes had been taken out - Yes Sparky had decided we should bake - he knew what to get out, too! Actually Sparky has taken to turning off the TV in the morning and telling me he has finished with the TV now - I am starting to get the impression from this and many other incidents that Sparky may be a structured personality - a J, in Myers Brigg speak.

I actually allow myself to be directed by him to some extent - so I don't tend to organise craft, for instance, but if he asks for it, will provide it. So he does paint, draw, use playdough, use stickers on a regular basis - though highly structured craft is left for playgroup. I always read a book to him at bedtime, but often he asks for others during the day too. He has been learning to read as well, because he started reading words by himself almost a year ago, I nearly fell over in astonishment and figured maybe I should teach him too if he is interested- but this goes up and down depending on whats going on for me. I used to put on music for him and play music and sing and dance with him before owl, but I don't really get round to this at the moment. Maybe when Owl is a little older it will be something both can do, and I might do it then.

Poor Owl, I keep remembering that at that age I spent lots more time with Sparky, teaching him to walk, showing him things, talking to him, reading books - how do second children learn anything? ?

I find with 2 kids that I have more housework to do, that can't be put off, and as Owl is a light sleeper, I can't do it when he is asleep. So that means they get left to play more by themselves than when I had 1.

my mind says they are going ok, and that this is good for them, to learn to amuse themselves, but my fears say I must get the right amount of everything in! and maybe I am failing them if I don't....

the book club takes on a life of its own

literally!
it now has its own blog
see http://goinonabookhunt.blogspot.com/
the fiction book will be up soon.