Another lovely quote from Thy Stiney, my geographically challenged sister.

Stine: Where's Maroubra?
Bella: It's on the coast and kind of south
Stine: Is it on the North Shore?
Bella: Stine, the North Shore isn't south.

I am *really* excited about NTE. I've been getting all the emails from Mike...hey Matt, it looks like we'll be organising a puppet show again!

My cat is so irritated at the moment, due to her own fussiness. She only ever eats one brand of cat food....and recently, that brand added some kind of dental ingredient...which is supposed to make it better. But, simply because of the slightly different taste, Maddie doesn't eat it. And the original catfood isn't available anymore. So now Maddie is angry at us as if we aren't feeding her, even though her food bowl has been full for the past two days. I'm hoping she'll get hungry enough to just start eating anyway. She really is fussy, she doesn't even eat leftover chicken or fish from our plates! And when she's angry, she scratches :(

Not so good...I got back my applications for doing primary education at Mac next year, and I did not get in. Which sucks. So I might not be at Mac next year, but I will be doing something...it's all very confusing at the moment. Even so, if I'm not at Mac, I will visit you all alot. Prayers are important

Hey, I thought this was funny

http://www.gizoogle.com/

The funniest thing was, I was looking at my church friends sites, and basically I couldn't detect much of a difference!

All finished for the year! I had my last exam today, and as it was an English exam consisting of two essays, I waffled on about nothing in particular for as long as I possibly could - as you do in English exams. But I'm now on holidays (not that I was really working very hard before) and can turn *all* my attention to NTE. I'm so looking forward to it. One thing I'm not looking forward to is having a name tag that says *Ms* Bella Hibbard. I don't like that, I don't feel old enough yet. Still, that is a minor imperfection for an otherwise exciting prospect.

This is also my last day at college for the year and, as I only really use the internet to check my email and friends blogs, I still have some credit remaining from that $25 of internet money I paid way back in Feb. So...I am trying to use it all up today. I've looked at all your blogs several times today, hehe.

Exam supper is on now....I am off to score some free food!

I saw this on Em's blog and I thought it would be a good idea. There are so many things to thank God for...

Things I love:

* God! The fact that He is the most powerful, holy being in the whole universe, and he still loves me and works out so many blessings for me
* Praying to God, bringing to him the huge issues of the world and the trivial little aspects of my own life, and knowing that he is always listening and always answering prayer.
* Reading the Bible and being reminded about God through it
*My mum and dad, because they look after me but also help me grow up, and they nurture my spiritual development and somehow converse with me about my crazy theological issues
* Thy Stiney, who is always crazy and pink
* My animals - my dog, my cat and my two guinea pigs
* All my CU friends - for the craziness and the Spirit-led Christian encouragement, and the fact that most of them are going to be at uni with me for the next 2 years
*CU in general, because of the faithful bible teaching and passion for God, even if sometimes I feel a little too charismatic/pentecostal for it
*My church, which is where I get the charismata from - raising hands, speaking in tongues, multicultural singing, praising God, flags and banners, symbolic prayers,....*and* faithful bible teaching!
* Islander culture, islander time, islander music, islander dancing, islander food, islander clothes, islander people...the fact that the people at church have so readily welcomed a palangi girl into their culture is awesome
*Teaching kids, especially my three tutoring kids who I work with now. They're 11 and 12 year olds and completely different to eachother, but they're all cool
*Staying at uni for another 2 years
*Milo - Em loves tea, I love milo
*Singing praises to God, mostly in the form of traditional hymns both English and Tongan
*Reading because it always amazes me how words on a page can evoke so much
*Flowers - daisies, frangipanis, roses, violets, lilies, jasmine...such a beautiful example of God's creation
*Making paperdolls. A beautiful remnant of my childhood
*Quoting the Simpsons - endless fun
*Good, culturally authentic food
*Cold weather, compared to hot weather(Kate, are you with me?)
*Being 21 but acting 12 most of the time (as was demonstrated at my 21st when I swapped the numbers around)
* Meeting up with old friends you haven't seen for ages and realising you're still as close as you used to be
*Writing my kids stories, and not worrying if they're any good or not
*Enjoying loud, fast, fun pop-punk music without being called a poser
*Playing with my yo-yo even though I can't do any interesting things with it
*Other cultures - whether contemporary or historical
*Rain and the way grass smells after it rains
*Good dragons
*Making lists and realising there is so much to thank God for....

It looks like I'm still going to Tonga. Apparently, its settling down, so it looks like it will be safe to go over Christmas. Still, I'll have to be watching the news to see if anything else happens...and of course, it's still important to pray. But it looks like God has been answering prayers already.

This is not good

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20773729-23109,00.html

I met up with Fiona in the city yesterday, which was really good. Fiona is my best friend from school...we've been best friends since we were twelve and unfortunately I don't get to see her as much as I like, cause she's a ski instructor. So during winter she works in the Snowy Mountains, and next Friday she goes over to America for a few months for their winter. So she hasn't had any summer at all for about three years. The way it works, Fiona is away from home for Christmas, her birthday and my birthday. So I hadn't seen her for months and it was very good to see her again. How good is it when you see someone for the first time in ages and you're still friends like you were the last time you saw them! She teaches little kids how to ski, so we spent a lot of time swapping amusing little kid stories (Em, you will know what I mean!) She isn't a Christian, so please pray for her. She definitely knows I'm a Christian though! I love her because of her caring nature and her crazy sense of humour, and she's all grown up and working now but she's also still like a little kid. Praise God for friends! If I had enough money, I would go visit her in America....but that is *so* out of the question....still, the Snowy Mountains are a little more realistic. Maybe next year I can go visit her and she can teach me how to ski!! Oh, won't that be fun?

It's all coming together. I handed the final part of my application form for doing primary education next year. So...all I need to do know is wait and pray. Please pray that I get into this course, so I can stay with all you guys at Mac next year.

It completely amazes me how much God has been working in all of us over this past semester, especially. Not only in the fun and laughter and craziness that everyone has, but in the way we care for eachother and encourage eachother and pray for eachother. It's all because of God, working within us. Just another thing that shows me how great God is! And at the moment, I have no money because I spent it all on a ticket to Tonga...that is going to be so worth it though.

My little adventure for the day: Dad was driving me to the house of one of my tutoring kids, as always happens on Monday afternoons. But while we were driving, a car slammed in to the back of Dad's car...which then caused Dad to hit the car in front of us. And *then* the car who hit us drove off. So Dad's car is smashed on its front and back, and it had to get towed away. The police came and everything. We got the number plate of the hit and run guy so hopefully the police will catch him.

Thanks to God, even though the car is all smashed up, I'm not hurt at all and neither is Dad. It was funny, I was ringing up the second family I tutor on Mondays, to tell them I couldn't come today, and they're like 'I saw you on Hoxton Park Rd, are you okay?' So now, until Mum gets home from her prayer retreat on Thursday, we have no car.

I've always liked Rove McManus, so I'm very sad to hear that his wife died. I think they were only married for about 2 years.

I have a throat infection and have to go on antibiotics....which is why you haven't seen me at all this week. I never quite got around to going to college, so I've been home for the whole week.

Just cause I was bored....I looked up people's names on the internet, and this is what I came up with....


Kate Hewson

http://www.news.wisc.edu/10375.html

Amanda Smith

http://docsouth.unc.edu/smitham/menu.html

Alison Weaver

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mis/217548917.html

Matt Sit

http://nuforia.spaces.live.com/ (this was actually the first thing that came up on the search)

Emily Hoare

http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=:1116031&id=I1050

and finally...Bella Hibbard

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CAN-ONT-WENTWORTH/2000-06/0962200608

Much on the masquerade ball later - but first, a funny incident that happened at home. Keep in mind, after a while, Stiney was completely joking, or was she?

Bella: Stine, do you actually know where Rio is?
Stiney: Italy...Greece...somewhere in Europe
Bella: South America
Bella & Stiney: *laugh loudly*

a few minutes later
Bella: Hey Stiney, what country is Rio in?
Stiney: (triumphantly) South Africa

one more try
Bella: What country is Rio in?
Stiney: South America
Bella: What *country*
Stiney: doh!
Bella: Brazil
Stiney: I always thought Brazil was in Europe...

keep in mind, for this one, Stiney was actually joking
Stiney: I always thought anything that wasn't the US or Africa or Australia or New Zealand was Europe. Is England in Europe?
Bella: Yes
Stiney: Is Ireland?
Bella: Yes
Stiney: Is Scotland?
Bella: Yes.
Stiney: Is Jamaica?
Bella: No.

It's All Saints Day today - personally I like this day. It's a day to think about how faithful God has been to his people throughout history, and to thank God for all of his people throughout the ages who have served him, and especially those who have given their lives for the sake of the gospel.

Also, the bible says we are all saints, because we believe in Christ. So All Saints Day is also our day, so I thank God for all of you guys aswell.

Today, a Wednesday, was crazy as usual. I'm not feeling so good, though, so it was a bit hard to focus on all the merriment going on. Fortunately, I have handed in my last assignment and I only have one exam to go. So I can rest and hopefully get better soon.

I've been thinking a lot about certain theological issues lately, and trying to work out what they say from the bible. From church and CU and talking to my mum and sister, I get a mix of evangelical and charismatic theology. Both declare Jesus Christ as Lord and say faith is necessary for salvation. But there are just some little topics that are confusing me at the moment.

For example, a lot of charismatic songs sing 'let your glory fall over us' or 'let your glory fall in this room'. What does that mean? Is God's glory always there but we can't see it all the time - or does God's glory appear to us at different times.

Another thing is about the Holy Spirit. All Christians have the Holy Spirit within them - but then there's also being filled with the Holy Spirit. I'm tending to think that these are different things. A Christian who is actively sinning still has the Holy Spirit, but they might not be *filled* with the Holy Spirit or abiding in Christ (John 15)

Then, final thing, there's the idea of protection. I got this question from a conversation with my sister. Can Christians lose God's protection? If they are sinning or neglecting to read the Bible, for example, can they lose God's protection and open themselves up to negative spiritual influences? I'm confused on this one - this is a very charismatic idea.

Anyhoo...please let me know what you think - if you can, try to give biblical references. Don't worry if you have no idea at first, neither do I !!!!

Crazy conversation at dinner today. Jono asked another guy if he would wear a skirt, if it was socially acceptable. So then the topic revolved around guys wearing skirts, the advantages and disadvantages - and also about ancient Roman and Greek dress. One strange qq comes from discussing the advantages of a skirt

Jono: Wearing a skirt would be just like being naked but no-one can see that you're naked
Matt: Like being naked but no-one can see that you're naked? The clothes I'm wearing fulfill that function.
Jono: I won't elaborate cause there are ladies present, but you can think about it.
Bella: Thankyou

So basically, it seems the guys are looking for a skirt that is masculine, functional and comfortable. Or a robe of some sort. Or a maternity dress.

Am I the only one who finds that Pacific forum thing kind of funny? All I can imagine is all the Islander leaders sitting around in a big circle drinking kava.

And here's a little conversation that happened at my college bible study that I thought was funny. Both people in the conversation are called Nick, so I will use last names to avoid confusion

Stolk: I don't like the idea of God being wrathful. I want him to be just, but in a friendly way.
Bowie: He throws people into the lake of fire in a friendly way. He's smiling.

I'm not sure what the theological basis of that is!!

When I was on the bus today, I saw someone who was dressed exactly like Captain Jack Sparrow! It was very amusing. I can only hope he was going to a costume party - on a Tuesday night?

Yesterday was a good day. At church we had a guest speaker who was a Messianic Jew and she talked to us about the relationship between Christ and the Passover. So kind of like what Scott was talking about a few weeks ago, but from a Jewish perspective. She actually set up a Passover table at the front of the church, with all the cups and food and stuff, and took us through the tradition, explaining how each part points to Christ. Really interesting stuff and such a good gospel message. Christ is the passover lamb that brings redemption through his blood!

And from Jewish traditions to shellfish and pork, all in one day! I went to Hala's 16th birthday which took the form of a Tongan feast. I love those!! The food was delicious as usual, and Hala looked beautiful in a pale blue lavalava and ta'ovala. And, Joseph who used to be in Australian Idol was there because Hala is his cousin. He sang a few songs and he does have a really good voice. He's so much more suited to intimate performances rather than big Australian Idol things. I talked to him for a little while - he's such a sweetie but really very shy. And I got to see J.J again, who is one year old now and walking around by himself. He's a chubby baby! I think Tongan parties are so fun.