LA The Great

2008-07-06T11:59:00.004+10:00

Nickelback - This Is How You Remind Me

A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest
Emily Dickinson

A wounded deer leaps highest,
I've heard the hunter tell;
'Tis but the ecstasy of death,
And then the brake is still.

The smitten rock that gushes,
The trampled steel that springs:
A cheek is always redder
Just where the hectic stings!

Mirth is mail of anguish,
In which its cautious arm
Lest anybody spy the blood
And, "you're hurt" exclaim

The Girl

I never write in this thing anymore! I guess there are some things that you just grow out of when you grow older. But I have to admit that there is still nothing I would rather do than sit down to read or write, and with some recent revisits of Dickinson and Yeats, I can't help but wonder what things would have been like if I'd gone and done what I wanted to do, rather than what has been expected of me thus far in life.

Lee-Anne will be successful, smart - 6.0 average in business of course, or law, because she has the brains and gift and talent and nose for business; an entepreuner and an effective communicator. Maybe not a CEO because she's nice - nice people don't become CEOs, but she will be successful for sure. Graduate on time. Perhaps early. Do the best work for the best firm, and end up in the best position.

Or there is the other side.

Yes, Lee-Anne is so gifted by God. She has a calling. She'll preach and teach and lead and impact people. of course this will occur when she is healed you know, because she will be healed very soon you know. She's going to do bible college and graduate with good marks. Yes, called to a life of impacting ministry. How could she even consider anything else? Of course she won't. She'll follow God. We all know where God wants her.

And amongst all the sound and clutter and ideas and ideals and hopes and dreams and aspirations and callings and energetic hopefulness for the future of not self, but another, and not just some faint idea of another but one who is in fact themselves in their own past, which didn't occur because of the preventing factors of whatever timely or untimely decisions which were made for whatever reason - good or bad or neutral - relived in their minds and hopes and projected (even somewhat endearingly) onto the screen that is my future, intermingled with the matter of which Lee-Anne is made and breathes into and hopes for and looks into.

And so the question asked of the girl right now is not "What do you want?" but rather, "What did you want?" back before the distant futures of Others were found to be raping her own.

2008-01-08T23:39:00.000+11:00

Rebecca Csoke - Hero

My first dictionary word for 2008 is... accelerate.

vti 1. go faster: to move increasingly quickly, or cause something to do this 2. progress faster: to happen or develop faster, or cause something to do this
(Encarta's World English Dictionary)

Chris and I were praying today and the word slipped out, so there ya go.

Sooo... Goodnight :-) I need to get up early and handwash stuff.

xx LA

2008-01-04T13:35:00.000+11:00

Three Cantonese films you have to watch RIGHT NOW!
and no cheating, watch them in Cantonese

Shi Mian Mai Fu - House of Flying Daggers
Director: Yimou Zhang

During the Tang dynasty, a beautiful young dancer, Mei (Ziyi Zhang) is arrested when government officials discover she is possibly the daughter of anti-government organisation The House of Flying Daggers. A plot is hatched in which officer Jin (Takeshi Kenishiro) aids her escape from prison, and assuming she will lead them to the groups leader, she is carefully followed by government forces. But everything is definitely not as it seems, and what follows is an epic tale of love, conspiracy and tradgedy.

Ngo Foo Chong Lung - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Director: Yimou Zhang

During the Quing dynasty, the famous warrior Li Mu Bai decides to give his powerful sword, the Green Destiny, to a trusted friend. The sword is stolen by a mystery martial artist, who has unheard of skills seemingly at least equal to Li's own. Li embarks on a quest to find the sword, win the heart his unrequited love, Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeow), and avenge his master, murdered by the evil Jade Fox. What links these themes together? Enter Jiao Long Yu (Ziyi Zhang), the beautiful daughter of a nobleman, and there begins a tale full of mystery, romance, truth and duty.

Ying Xiong - Hero
Director: Ang Lee

In a China marked by provincial warring, the King of Qin embarks on a mission to unify China and create one people. Because of this, the King is under constant attempts by China's most infamous and dangerous assassins, Sky (Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Leung Chiu Wai) and Flying Snow (Maggie Chiung)... Until word comes that a mystery warrior, known only as Nameless (Jet Li), has killed them all. Nameless is called to the palace to give account of his tale and what follows is a captivating story of love and conspiracy told through Ang's use of incredible cinematography conveying Nameless' story in flashbacks. You won't figure out the truth until the end.

2008-01-03T22:39:00.000+11:00

Matt Redman - Undignified

Top twelve things right now:

1. Dr. Fermin Tabasaurez! He was my doctor in Coota, and I didn't manage to find one in the city during the course of 2007. I went to see him on Wednesday about a blood test, and he told me that he's moving to Sydney later this month... and will be working out of the medical centre closest to my house.

Jeremiah 42; Nehemiah 8:1-9; Proverbs 19; John 3; Ephesians.

Baby Oliver - Because he's a child of promise, and just plain gorgeous.

Baby Oliver's family, because they're a big bunch of beautiful people.

My own family - because you'll never find anyone quite like a Bryant!

Yiern's time away being roughly 1/3 over and her incredible photos.

Gyimah the original Blackaneese, because he's prepared to sacrifice his health to eat my food. And he's gonna bring dessert... Anyone who bring dessert is worthy of the honor of being on my top twelve list.

Jordan Chubb for his War + Peace sized emails and the fact that he has a toy reindeer

Joshua Ballard - For introducing me to the Eee PC and because he's on his way to being an incredible author - Maybe it's because I love all the 'ologies', but I can't wait to read his work on the social history of Christian marriage. *cough*yesiamanerd*cough*

Amulya Jain! Just because he's Amulya; there is no other way to describe him or reason to justify his appearance on my list. I'm convinced that he's my brother who went missing and showed up at Uni after spending his life in India.

New Years Eve and the (my!) honourable Dr. Hannah Jones (M.D)

Scott James falling asleep on my lounge on NYE... How many times? Haha. And how many times after Brian asked for a lift home did Scott push 'play' on the DVD player to watch another movie chapter... and then fall asleep again? Ahh what to say what to say... Princess chrome dome is a champ.

Ok godnight.

Hmm I meant to say 'goodnight', but somehow 'godnight' fits better :-)

Love yas xx

2008-01-01T17:36:00.000+11:00

Student Life Praise and Worship - I Bow Down

It seems too soon, but happy Christmas and New Year :-) Didn't 2007 go so fast!?

Fast and fantabulous. If you know me well enough you probably know that I've been asking God for 'words' - as in, dictionary words - each year. 2006 was 'restoration' and in 2007 I had 'introduce' and 'intensify'.

And of course that's what God did! It was an awesome year - with lots of introductions and new levels of intensity in so many areas. God blessed!

And now we're standing on the horizon of 2008 and everything that a fresh year represents - spiritually and otherwise.

How exciting!!

2007-11-03T01:50:00.000+11:00

Brooke Fraser // Albertine - Love Is Waiting

I'm sitting at my mum's house in Cootamundra, going through old photos. I've found some absolute tragic shots.

This one in particular caught my attention. It's myself and a few others at a friend's eighteenth... The night got so totally out of hand that I won't even say who they are or who's party it was. Unless you were there you don't really need to know the details.

It's a reminder of who I was, who I am now, and why and how the difference has come about. It's a reminder of how privelaged I am to have been adopted by such an amazing King and loved with such an amazing love... I don't know where to start or if I could ever stop, so I won't even go there tonight!

The thing is... These changes are real, they are substance, they can't be denied. I'm so over consumer Christianity, and I'm so over people making God complicated.

The simple truth is this: God is real, God is God and He is God alone. Jesus died and rose again. He was torchered for our healing. He carried our guilt, shame, past life and religious disorders and put them all to death. Then he conquered death itself so that death and those things that were put to death can never touch us again if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that He is who He claims to be.

It's so simple, and it works so well.

Why do we have to complicate it so much?

And how do we manage to commercialise and falsify a God so real?

Possible even worse... How did He ever get turned into a religion?

I have a catholic friend (absolutely no offence to catholics... I love you guys) who is so padantic about the teachings of the catholic church and their sacraments and what not.

Why do people choose to follow rules and teachings, and live with the burden of failure from knowing that although we might be 'good' in comparison to some, we will never be perfect?

Perfection Himself is knocking, saying "Let Me in! I just want to love you!"

Perfection Himself wants to come into the deepest part of our being and change us from the inside out.

It's so easy.

2007-10-10T10:33:00.000+10:00

Relient K - Consequences

If you know me well enough, you know that I have a much easier time being expressive than I do being productive.

I did an exercise this morning paraphrasing Philippians 4:5-7 (you anglicans are good for something after all... thanks for the study book last semester, Haoran). It needs some editing, but I was pleased with the results. Here's my draft.

Be consumed always by our awe-inspiring Messiah and the joy given us in Him. Never stop delighting in Him - He doesn't in you! Be bold in allowing everyone the opportunity to see the gentleness, peacefullness and tenderness of Christ in you... It's God doing a work in you. When people recognise and these things in you, they are really identifying God and honouring Him. Because they're seeing God - Not you!

There is no reason for you to be frightened or uneasy about anything. Bring every concern to God - every person, every situation, everything - constantly placing yourself in unceasing communication before His throne, asking for his grace, provision and mercy, and thanking Him because He's never failed you. ...and if He hasn't failed you yet, what makes you question that He ever will?

In knowing this, the peace of God will stand sentry of your heart and thoughts, giving you tranquility that outshines and transcends any kind of natural human understanding or rationality.

I'm not comfortable with the constant use of 'you' in the first paragraph, the double use of 'and' in the second paragraph or the lack of flow in the third. The overuse of some words seems a bit redundant (such as 'you' and 'in'). Also, I'm not sure if I'm extrapolating scripture too far... So it's off to do some greek as soon as I've done the management decision making corporate report.

Only 5000 words to go!

Love you beautifuls x

2007-09-24T22:53:00.000+10:00

LeCrae - Stand, Walk, Dance

There you go. Enough said.

2007-09-19T23:24:00.000+10:00

sons of korah

Do you like my rainbow? This was around maybe... erm, close to two weeks ago. I really should write these things down, but I'm usually rushing around like a mad chook and don't have the time - BUT things are going to change.

My friend Chris came out with something gold a few weeks back - That film could never capture the beauty of creation, because only the human eye was designed to do so. So even though my camera is slightly more advanced, you'll have to excuse it for not being able to capture the 'awesome factor' within it's pixels.

Even so, I have to point out that my rainbow wasn't beautiful because of it's colour, shape or form. It wasn't beautiful because of it's size, mystery or intrigue, nor because of the awesome scientific explanation behind it's occurance; although of course these play a part.

My rainbow is beautiful simply because God placed it there for me.

"Stop and look up. Trust me."

In the middle of her busy, pressured day mashed between work, classes, assignments and tests, the creator-King took time to call to attention a nineteen year old girl outside of her villa in the backroads of Western Sydney, simply to amaze her with his love and wonder.

The call was one so spontaneous. I had no idea what I was going to see. I was so close to just ignoring him and going about my business.

I stopped and looked up, out of nothing but four years of experience of relationship with an amazing God who really means 'get ready for something mind blowing and incredible' when he asks for my trust.

"I love you."

I am not an emotional, girly girl. It's really just not who I am. But the presence of God, the intense awareness of his perfection, wonder and love leave me both in awe and in tears.

The beautiful, intimate moments of fellowship with the creator are impossible to put into words, I guess because language is such a limited vessel of communication. Words could never do justice to such wonder, amazement and love.

It's these moments, and this God, for which and whom I live.

I love you all.

2007-09-17T22:37:00.000+10:00

brooke fraser - albertine // shadowfeet

It's late at night and I'm sitting here procrastinating - Mainly thinking about how I want to be at work at 7am... Here's my brain dump.

Romans 8:16 (msg) - This resurrection life you recieved from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.
My superhero buddies The Van Man and his supersidekick Man Cans... I just can't get them out of my head. They're the kind of guys you think about and, no matter what time of day or what you're doing at the time, you just have to burst out in laughter.
God works in the funniest ways. Just last night I thought about selling and upgrading my laptop... A friend said to me in class today (so random), "I'd buy this off you for $600." Like what!? So I'm seeking God for whatever piece of technology He's got in store for me.
Albertine's line, 'Now that I have seen, I am responsible... Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go 'til you are...' got me thinking about vision. I think it carries quite a significant revelation not only for the writer, but everyone. More on this later, when I can fully catch it myself.
Entry into Maq law (art/law program) ... When will I get it? Whether or not I will is not my question. That bit's already assured. The 'when' factor is an entirely different story. Is UniTest going to be the catalyst? What will my GPA look like after this semester? Should I take STAT? These things are playing on my mind, and I'll have to make a decision about most of them within the next week or so.
So many assignments and so little time! Thank God I have my maths genius Yi Ern to calculate the exact amount of words I need to write for each assignment per day over the next two weeks. Talk about quality control... She can NEVER go back to M'sia!
Todays management foundations lecture was on decision making. I don't fit any of the decsion-maker types in the text. The reason is this.

No matter what happens... I will always be found in Christ. I've found true reality. Living for Him is no longer a choice that has to be made, but a reality that will be lived out... The freedom and love of Christ Jesus is the foundation of my entire life, and it's totally different (and liberating) to even the most brilliant academic theory.

I'm starting to stop being able to form coherent sentences so I'm going to bed :)

2007-09-07T13:31:00.000+10:00

in the office - updating tax file information

Facebook access has been blocked at work!

I need Scrabulous!

Oh my gosh!

2007-09-06T23:31:00.000+10:00

hillsong - saviour king // saviour king

Things that get me out of bed on normal workdays

Time with Jesus
The promise of a hot, unecessarily large beverage from Gj's, and fresh watermelon juice from Country Growers
Unlike at uni, at work my tasks are set and robotic: there is no need for procrastination, and no need to think about what I'm doing. It's like taking a day off, except...
I get paid, and I get paid above award

Things that get me out of bed to work on a public holiday without penalty rates

Time with Jesus
The promise of a hot, unecessarily large beverage from Gj's, and fresh watermelon juice from Country Growers
My $500 phone bill

2007-09-05T23:44:00.000+10:00

brooke fraser - albertine // albertine

I am Lee-Anne. I love Jesus, dilmah and shoes (in that order).

I felt it was time to press 'delete' on the old, and start with something new... So here we are!

'Intesifiquese' - 'intensify' in Spanish, because Babelfish is cool. Intensify and introduce were the two words I recieved from God at the start of the year, but intensify is the most personally relevant... and I hope that this will be a personal space.

Welcome friend, family and stranger alike.

I think you're cool already!