I found myself in that situation late yesterday afternoon / evening; I was doing my final delivery for the day and I had left the engine running obviously with the keys in the ignition, and when I came back to the car the exterior door handle just snapped of in my hand, I could not open the drivers door at all.

Unfortunately I had not long locked the passenger door either so that was no good either. With my mobile phone also sitting in it’s cradle inside the car, I managed to obtain use of a landline telephone and was able to call the office, who sent someone to help me, and after about an hour and a half of being locked out, we finally gained access and was able to move on.

It was a scary situation a first, not knowing what to do, but made me aware of a few things I need to do to avoid this happening again. Getting a spare key cut would be a good idea to start with, and then seriously consider joining the RAC roadside assistance program.

So have you ever been locked out of your car while out and about? Did you panic at first and how did you resolve the problem. Please feel free to join the conversation by leaving your thoughts below.

I’m now 9 weeks into it and I am finding it allot more challenging than I was expecting. I’m doing two units at the same time in order to be the equivalent of a full time student, to satisfy the governments AUSTUDY requirements. On top of this I’m working part time which takes up allot of my day. I’m trying to put in the study time in the mornings before heading off to work just before noon. Then the weekends are usually taken up with catching up on weekly activities from these units.

I’ve already submitted two assignments which were a challenge to complete and hand in on time, and my time management probably could have been handled better, but I got there.

This weekend I’ve been trying to catch up on 3 weeks worth of activities, and then last night when I checked my assignment I realized that I have an assignment due in on Monday, so I’m scrambling to get it done. With God’s grace, I’m sure it’ll come together.

Have I bitten off more than I can chew; I’m really not sure, but it’s something that’s in my mind at the moment. I just continue to pray for God’s grace as that’s all I have.

The main thing that I’m having to get used to is not being in the classroom. When you are in a classroom you have your fellow students there with you as well as the tutor. Online you don’t get to see faces, just names.

Also in the face to face environment the tutor normally has notes for each lesson they are teaching, whereas online, all the info is available at once and you have to just go through it all in your own time, something I find challenging as I prefer to have someone telling me to do this then do that.

I’m learning very quickly to manage my time around the other things in life; I’m working in the afternoons so keeping up with my study while keeping a regular job makes me tired. I expect this will get better as the time goes by.

So those are some of my first impression after 4 days. It will be interesting to see how things change,

Have you noticed how 99% of the ads have been about shoving negativity about the other parties rather than actually trying to sell their own party? The only decent ads I’ve seen have been the local MP’s selling themselves and what they will do. That’s the way it should be, shouldn’t it?

I’ve noticed that over the last week particularly the frequency of the ads have increased. I had to tune in the TV last night and as I was searching through the channels there was “one of those ads” on every channel; all bad mouthing the other party.

The good news is that as of midnight Wednesday, by law the ads have to stop. So the TV can return back to normal now, at least until the next state election.

Remember to make your vote count on Saturday.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I have been in the city every day for work, just walking around delivering stuff and taking in the sights.

There’s something about the inner CBD that’s just a real buzz. People everywhere; entertainers doing their thing; I find it stimulating watching what goes on in the city.

Unfortunately I’ve now been taken out of the city as far as work goes, and am now out in the suburbs; I find the atmosphere in the suburbs is not the same as it is in the city.

I was sitting on the train coming home after being in the city, and it got me thinking that I would love to have a job that puts me in the city everyday, in some sort of business.

Many people enjoy the quieter life away from the hustle & bustle, which we did as young kids for several years, but I’m always drawn back to the city again.

Do you enjoy the busyness of the city, or do you prefer the quieter life of the suburbs?? Why not register with this blog now and leave your thoughts below.

Up until last week I have been doing the same run that I enjoy doing every day. Visiting the same places with the same friendly faces; and while some may find that boring or unexciting, I quite enjoy it.

Last Monday I was told that I was going to be learning a new run as they were changing things around a bit, so to compensate for the lack of drivers. I thought it was only going to be a temporary thing, so I wasn’t too concerned; but now I find out that they want to keep me on that new run permanently.

This last week I have been learning a new run. It’s an area which I don’t know and never go into personally, as it’s the opposite end of town to where I live. I have found it rather tiring at at times down right annoying.

So my motivation for getting up and going to work lately rather than being enjoyable, is becoming a thing I have to do in order to get paid at the end of the week. I’m also battling a cold & flu that has me blowing my nose every 5 minutes; not the best really.

We’ll just have to see how things pan out over the next few weeks. Hopefully I can get my old run back again.

My job has been busy over the past few weeks as I get back into it again & learn my new run; there have been times where I have wondered whether it’s all worth it, but am starting to settle into it and become more happy, although it does make me very tired.

We are still staying with my sister and brother-in-law with their family while we look for our own place; we have looked at several properties, but as yet nothing has succeeded; we know God has the right place at the right time.

Our stuff is still sitting in storage until we can secure permanent residence, so with the weather starting to cool, especially overnight, I am running out of warm clothing. We also have little Chlo’s 3rd birthday coming next week and we have a B.I.K.E (sssshhhhhh don’t tell her) in storage which at this point we cannot get to, so there may have to be something else for her birthday.

Anyway, I’ll stop rambling. Life seems to be busy especially with a house full of people (14 of us at present), but I’ll try & blog more regularly.

The following article comes from Randy Robison from Life Today, and gives us a bit of insight of the true meaning of Easter.

The Necessity of the Cross
by Randy Robison

Did Jesus really have to die to save mankind? In the limited, contradictory framework of human logic, it may seem like a God who can do whatever He wants could easily avoid all of the suffering – and perhaps He could have. But what we do know is that Jesus chose the cross, proving to the world His ability to relate to our pain, His willingness to take our sin on Himself, and His supreme power over death. In the process, He exemplified a truth that applies to each of us every day.

In John 12, Jesus was nearing His crucifixion. “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”

Here, Jesus explained a key reason for His death: the exponential expansion of salvation. But in the very next sentence, He ties it to the attitude of His followers: “Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.”

Among other mysterious and miraculous works, Jesus’ suffering and death illustrated a truth that we, His followers, must learn. In order to enter into His glory, we must die to self.

The interesting thing about Jesus’ usage of the wheat kernel is that in order for the harvest to come, the kernel must go through a complete transformation. It must cease being a kernel to become a stalk of wheat. That stalk of wheat then produces many kernels, which multiplies the fruitfulness of the field.

Do you want to enter into the glorious purpose of Jesus Christ? Do you want to live a fruitful life, reaping a harvest of lost souls? Then you must undergo a complete transformation and cease being what you once were. Paul put it this way: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)

Other translations use the phrase “new creation” to describe believers. The idea is consistent with Jesus’ illustration of the wheat kernel – one thing dies in order to become something else.

Interestingly, the context of Paul’s statement is a discussion of the death and resurrection of Christ. “Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life,” Paul wrote. “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” (v 14-15)

Perhaps the biggest barrier in a Christian’s life is this desperate clinging to the old ways. We come to Christ looking for a new life, and rightly so. But without death, there is no resurrected life. In a graphic demonstration, Jesus showed us the necessity of death. His was literal, but ours is spiritual. The fleshly nature must die so that the spirit can truly live.

Jesus related this truth in a bit of a warning. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Luke 9:23-25)

Jesus marries two concepts here: the symbol of suffering and death (“your cross”) and the perpetual nature of it (“daily”). Of course, the wonderful promise of life always follows. In every instance, the suffering and death precedes a glorious resurrection.

So how do we do this? We don’t literally carry crosses, though a few people, such as my friends Arthur Blessitt and Keith Wheeler, have been called to do so. Even their display symbolizes of a greater principle. It, too, is found in Jesus’ words and actions. “If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me,” He said while contemplating the cross. “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39, NLT)

This is the simplest definition of taking up the cross or dying to self: submission to the will of God. It requires subjugating our will to the purposes and plans of God. This is how we kill our old, sinful nature. The ultimate goal is the good news of salvation, but, as Jesus showed us personally, death to self through submission to God is a necessary step. So as we commemorate Christ’s crucifixion and celebrate His glorious resurrection, let us incorporate a lifestyle of submission in order to experience new life in Christ each and every day.

We went & looked at a rental property yesterday which looked alright on the website it was advertised on. We looked all through the property & then had some questions for the agent who was supposed to be looking after the property.

It was like talking to a brick layer about plumbing; every question we had she said “I don’t know, ask the owner”. Is it not their job as the property manager to know about the property they are dealing with??

How are you supposed to look at a property for 5 minutes and then make a decision without getting further information. There are certain things that you cannot know just by viewing something, and if the agent doesn’t know, then who the heck does.

Anyway in the end that property wasn’t suitable for our family. So we’ll keep looking.

Have you had any bad experiences with renting through land agents? Use the comments section below to leave our thoughts.

We are staying with my sister and Brother-in-law temporarily while we look for our own place. At least this way we don’t have to pay big bucks for accommodation and be in a hurry to find a house quickly. It’s interesting because they have 3 kids, so with our 2, we have 5 kids in the house, 3 of which are under 3 years. We also have to find a car from somewhere, but my brother-in-law is good at that & is a mechanic, so he is helping us out.

I have to find work, but the job prospects here are endless compared to what is on the Gold Coast, plus I have a few leads already which makes things much easier.

So here we are, back in Perth settling in slowly, but as the post title says, it’s good to be home.