celebrate =D

Ahhhh I can't sleeppppp but for a good reason this time =D Ok lenten talks are coming up reeeeeeally soon and I'm sure that you can tell by my typing (all the elongated words) that I'm really excited!! I'm listening to ben cantelon at the moment (on youtube, I didn't buy the cd and my pc didn't want to rip it =\) and I'm going slightly nuts >.< I WANT SOUL SURVIVOR BACK!!!!!!!! But once I can't go back to the past, and if I could I'd rather arrange a few things instead of going back to soul survivor once I'll be there in 168 days *yey*, I'm just sooooooooooooo thrilled at the idea of going again! Ok so the song I'm listening to now is 'celebrate' and, apart from soul survivor, all I can think of is God's majesty ahhhhh it's awesome! Today's meeting was incredible, I felt so, well, overwhelmed! I don't know, it was amazing. Just think about all the things that we're got going for us at the moment! We have a home to live in, food to eat, friends to turn to, a relationship with God- we're so privilaged!! Let's celebrate for what He's done for us! Listen to the lyrics and just praise cos, wow, we're so blessed. I don't know, the song's just really hit home at the moment and has just reminded me about all the things that I have been blessed with and that I can thank God for and just celebrate His love for me =)
Ahhhhhhhh I'm venting at the moment I seriously feel like my chest is going to explodeeeee. *breathe* oh oh "keep breathing; that's the key. breathe!" (gimli, lord of the rings book 3- first book of the second section- the two towers) Oh I know my stuff alrighty =P
Ok so all I can do is pray and think and live at the moment. Yeah I know, it seems usual but it's different at the moment. I can't really explain but it's like I'm not happy unless I know that I've prayed.. AND IT'S GREAT!! Ahh so just to let you all know, I'm praying for you!!
Ok now guys we're a big family and we need each other's support, right? So pleeeeeease pray for us as a community, especially at the moment. It's lent and we really need to grow closer to Jesus and now with the lenten talks we're in desperate need of prayers what with the dances and the mime and the sound and the finances but mainly for God's will to be done and to get people to really experience what we've been experiencing for the last how-ever-long-you've-been-close-to-God-for =P He's called us to be fishers of men and fishers of men we shall be =D Jesus provides and we must witness and ahhhh God's so great =)
Ok if I don't shut up now I'll never stop haha *insane*
Oh and a BIG wellcome back to luisa =D She's back from italy at the moment with her room mate. It was great seeing her again hehe. Make sure to keep her in your prayers to as well as robert, xixa and chris.. and everyone else muahahaha!
God bless you all ^^

evil vs evil?

Hi guys.
Ok I apologise for the very trivial post before haha, but it was something that's been going around in my head and like "I'm an honest person" =P
I also want to make this clear:
I DO NOT MEAN TO OFFEND ANYONE IN THE FOLLOWING TEXT. I WILL NOT JUDGE OR IGNORE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR VIEWS. I AM ENTITLED TO MY OWN OPINION AS IS EVERYONE ELSE.. that's about it =)
So, the day before yesterday I was on the bus home and I was thinking (my substitute for reading) and, obviously, the idea of politics and elections came into my head. Now I'm really not into the whole politics thing (apart from at school because I could actually vote and it was quite funny haha *viva pulse* yeaah we won =P) for a couple of reasons that I personally think make sense.
1. I can't vote for the next 5 years =P
2. When the time comes, I will vote for the party that will do the best for the island and, for the time being, will not associate myself with being a nationalist or a laborite.
3. It's evil vs evil!
Coming from a family that are quite into politics (that's almost an understatement- my dad's been phoning all the people that he knows who live abroad to make sure that they come down to vote >.<) I am going to be very open minded and say.. I HATE POLITICS =P
Ok, maybe that's not considered as open minded (at all) and maybe not hate, but dislike the idea.. Think about it, political parties are groups of people who like, fight. That's it. Yes they may be doing good for the country and of course we need a government, but what's the whole fuss about? Think about the 'dark ages of malta', so many deaths, so many accidents, and I'm afraid that this is going to happen all over again =\ With one party insulting and blaming the other obviouslyt fights are going to break out and I'm sure that the last thing we want is to end up facing a civil war. I just wish that everyone would just vote and, whether their party loses or wins, live life normally. Fine, I must confess that the celebrations are hilarious and great fun =P
It's been 5 years since we've joined the european union and won the elections and yes, the country has moved forward- a lot! Though is such conflict needed? What we're actually doing when we vote is voting for the better of evils (which is a good thing =P pretty confusing huh?) and in doing so, doing the best for our little dot in the mediterranean sea =)
So guys, before you offend someone who doesn't have the same political views as you, before you make fun of a party (a supporter may be standing near you) and before you decide what is 'good' and 'bad'- think! We're all just people who want the best but we can't decide. Sorry if I confused anyone and I repeat- I don't mean to have offended anyone.
God bless you =P (He's the only one you can really trust haha =D)

hmmmm..

Hi guys.
Ok I'm sick haha but to be honest I'm really fine with it. Yes yes you may all think "Sure you're ok with it, you're sick for like 99.8% of your life! One would think that you'd be used to it by now bla blaaaaa" but actually I'm just really happy that I have a home to be in whilst I'm sick =) Ahh slum survivor has seriously stopped me from complaining (all of you, especially brooks and achie, don't say anything lool). So in all of my sickness and not being able to sleep yet being exhausted and sending a few messed up messages (haha you guys know who you are =P) I've been thinking about life in general and whilst I was at the doctor, well pharmacy, I looked at the hair dye charts and realised that I have the lamest dilemma on the planet spiraling in my brain!
Can you imagine? A dilemma about what colour to dye my hair- what a girl!! I am ashamed and completely shocked at myself, but yes, I am confused and I want to know what to do >.< You'd think that a weekend like the last would only make me wonder about world poverty.. But alongside world poverty and slums, I have blue and lime extensions floating round and round inside the sparkly black swirling vortex situated in my head aka my mind =P Should I go back to lime, or should I dye my hair blue black and get blue- that IS the question ha! The thing is, if I get lime now, then I'll get blue in summer for soul survivor, or viceversa. But the problem is, in summer I'll want my lime back (I know that I would, it's like my trademark lool) especailly with the black and lime bikini that looks so pretty underneath a dress or top and with black and lime hair =P And the blue is quite wintery, I don't know why, I just seems so- it's deeper. But am I right or not =S ?
Ok I'm really freaking myself out at the moment, I'm just typing without thinking and I've just wasted around 5 minutes of my, as well as your, life. I'm off to try and do something productive.
God bless =)

Slum Survivor; the ultimate challange

Here's our Slum Survivor blogsite:
http://slumsurvivormalta.blogspot.com
That's bacially what we did with a few photos, I hope that they upload more of the photos and ask for testimonies =)

Hello!!
We're back and all alive.. Talk about an adventure! I have honestly NEVER been so happy to look apon my bed before, ever! I don't exactly know where to start and what to say but all I can really say is that we're so lucky to live with all the basic comodities that we're given yet that we give such little grattidude for the most basic things such as a daily shower, food, water, a bed and a warm place to live in.
Wow, it's really been an eyeopener, we're so spoilt!! To think that I complain about food and my computer for being slow and not having credit in my phone when there are people in the world who wake up wondering if they are going to get the chance to nibble at something that day and who can only dream of ever getting more than living in a slum out of life. We're such a selfish world, well, most of the five-sixths of the world's population (the other one billion are living in slums all over the world) who just go on with life normally and acknowlegde the fact that people are living under the worst sort of conditions yet don't do anything about it. I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone, really, I'm not because I myself was all care free when the money boxes used to come round at school, but after living just three days in a slum and withstanding the elements and the horrible glances from people (yeah, people actually thought that we were homeless and avoided eye contact-how rude =P !! You know, rude when it comes to the no eye contact thing haha).
I honestly can't call myself anything other than -S-E-L-F-I-S-H- for ever complaining about such stupid and petty things that I probably will complain about by the time next week is over. But that's what happens when you're not living the life that these guys lead. Before slum survivor we were all discussing about how great it's going to be and what fun we'll have bla bla but it was honestly really hard and really challenging and until you're actually living the way that they do, you can't imagine how tough it is.
So, here's my brief overall of the weekend..
day 1: We arrived at baystreet at 4pm. The last thing that I ate and drank was a bacon baguette and a diet coke. We started to build our slums at 5pm and kept going till around 9pm. Then we were served 3kg of rice which was like WAY too much cos we could only eat like a cup/ladel each (quite funny really). I don't really remember what we remained doing but at around 12am we all prayed together, gotinto our slums and whilst the others slept I stayed awake praying and thinking and the moment I closed my eyes to sleep, ben or drew called me out for nightwatch. Gruppetta and I went to hacienda so that I could use the bathroom haha. At around 2am (couldn't really tell cos we didnt' have watched so we had to ask for the time) duncan and darren came and the poor guys had to listen to ben going slightly mad and me being all sleepy =P by like 3am everyone except rob and drew were awake hehe but then brooks, gruppetta and I went into the girl's slum to sleep and the beams from the ceiling fell on us and the ceiling caved in and I was woken up by a puddle literally sploshing onto my face >.< we had people passing by us all night and looking at us covered in boxes and sleepingbags looking like the biggest group of losers ever, but it was worth it! Three guys spent like 2 hours with us and really made us laugh, jonas, chris and someone else (can't remember who- sorry =/) and then I slept for like an hour on brooks poor guy haha.
day 2: Everyone was telling me to go home because I was sick. My mum came and she was really worried and wanted me to go home but, well let's just say that I'm a very stubborn person =P Kevin came with the whole camera crew to film us for the news..

http://public.di-ve.com/streaming/on_demand_media_streamer.aspx?id=1705&encoding=8&backUrl=streaming%2fon_demand_event_encoding.aspx%3fid%3d1705

(Go 30mintues into the news and wait a few seconds, we're there =D)

Tutzi, sam, bettina and philippa came to visit us to and then after praying and eating another cup of rice, we started to finish what the weather had started (break down our slums). We started on a new one, a better one that was more sustainable. Ilaria ahd a bad migrain and ended up going home. We basically spent the whole day building, sleeping, praying, chilling, doing a bible study, making a football and playing with it and at like 7pm we tasted what we thought was the best thing ever- rice with salt pepper and olive oil *heavenly angels singing lool* Aww, it's amazing the way that a little bit of oil, slat and pepper can turn 24 of nothing but two cups of plain rice and having another cup with those into something beautiful =P Tine felt really sick and had to go home. We were really worried about her and prayed for her as well as for illy. After that, the arch bishop came to visit us together with tutzi and becky and he ate some rice and actually came into the slum and sat inside.. Then we had a challange and came draw (girls vs boys) and we got like 10 skittles each AND a chocolate croissant *melt* then we just laughed around and after y4j everyone came and I stayed up last with drea, fabien, matt and andrew until like 1am and then they 'tucked' me into bed lool how cute (they held the cardbaord door, what gentlemen =P)
day 3: I woke up qutie afew times in the night and by what we think was 7am (no watches) cara and I went to security to use their bathroom haha. we cleared up all the flyers that we found on the floor after all the wind (gail force 6- coldest night in malta in the last 21 years wooooow!!) and sat down on the benches in our sleeping bags. Mina and brooks came out to join us and my mum came with panini instead of rice- YEY! so we all had a panina each and a mug of hot water that helped thaw our hands and insides haha. Tine came back so that was quite an encouragement =) We counted the money that we collected and then got ready for mass. After mass everyone halped us bring the slum down and pack everything up and by 1pm I arrived home to the hottest and longest shower in my life and what I know will be the most appreciated meal of my life, oh, and a diet coke =D

I just want to say a HUGE thanks to everyone who took part in it, to all of the people who aupported us and to everyone who prayed for us; you're incredible =) Obviosuly all the glory goes to God and I know that the only thing that kept us going was the reassurance that He kept placing in our hearts.
I think I'm going to bed now haha. I'm running a fever so I don't think that I'll go to school tomorrow- I'm not complaining =P
God bless you all and obviosuly, I shall finish this off with my tagline of the day (or week/month/howeverlong it lasts..)
"thank God for your bed tonight =)"

valentine's day =)

Hi world; Happy valentine's day =)
Ok this morning I missed my first lesson (physics) because I couldn't get out of my house once it was practically flooded in all types of flowers that had been delivered specially for moi.. YEAH RIGHT!! I missed my first lesson because I arrived at school at twenty past 8 due to traffic. I was really feeling sick today, honestly, blehh! I missed my first EVER philosophy lesson too 0.0 Point is, I was dying. Had work tonight too and that was fun but now the day has come to an end and I'm nackered. But here's the reason as to why I really wanted to post:
HAPPY VALENTINE'S BETTINA AND KARLA!!
Haha, three valentine's days ago we decided to be eachother's valentines and, taadaaaaa, we still are =)
The only photo that I have of just us three together was taken in feburary 2006 so bear with it haha.
.
And just a big "happy valentine's day" to all the couples out there (including myself haha!). But guys, no matter how perfect your boyfriend/girlfriend can ever be, Jesus loves you so so much more. So don't fret if you're single this year- Jesus is your valentine just as much as He's mine =D Just remember to hold on to your friends and the ones you love most cos you'll never have such treasurable ones again =)
God bless you

letting go; once again =)

Yo!
Ok I'm officially sick =P And for once, I'm taking medicine willingly 0.0 (haha I really want to be healthy for slum survivor). So I'm talking to miguel at the moment (hi mig ^_^ hehe) and we've just decided to 'let go and surrender' once again =) Now you may not know (including you, mig) that miguel actually really helped me with my Christian life and taking one of those big steps. If it wasn't for miguel I would have probably not surrendered my 'music problem' till, well, lately =P I won't get into it but he has a really touching story to tell and can really, really help, no matter what the situation is =) Well, he was the one to really open my eyes to the dangers of music. My point is, thanks =D Well, now as we're letting-go-buddies (miguel and I, together with bob- his virtual snail XD) I just want to ask you to pray for us hehe even if it's just a small prayer.. please. Haha silly me =P
As I'm sure you can all see, girl in the picture is letting go of things through writing them on leaves that she's dropping into the water. I had done that once, with a paper boat though. Maybe you didn't realise but there already is a leaf in the water, meaning that she's already let go of other hurts and earthly desires and probably has many more. I just wish that somehow, one day I'd have let go of everything and be totally free of anything that's holding me back from God.
Guys together we have to support each other on this journey and really, really pray for each other because it really isn't easy to let go and live to follow Christ =)
God bless!!

pre slum survivor battle

Hello!
It's 9:02am and I'm in my weekly 'alone free' =P I've been thinking for what, the last 4 mintues (just kidding, it's been circling my brain since I got up), about this "spiritual attack" that's starting to get to me right about when I woke up. So, last night I woke up by the sound of the rain and I spent around 10 minutes or so praying to be followed by falling asleep to a weird dream that i don't really remember but yeah, when I woke up I was so happy to be in my fluffy black bed all cosy and what not when it dawned on me- I'm going to die this weekend XD As most of you know, I honest to goodness have NO ammune system, or maybe I have one but it's just dormant >.< Whilst everyone may end up with a simple cough or cold, I'd be so lucky if I didn't end up with bronchitus or pneumonia XD But, and a big BUT Jesus is going to protect me I know it, I feel it and all I have to do is pray. I know that I won't remain 100% healthy but I'm sure that through prayer, I'll be able to avoid getting THAT sick..
After I slept and woke up at half 6 (now you all know why my alarm rings at 5:45 - so that I'll wake up by half six =P) it felt as if a truck backed up into me. "what?!" you may ask, well, that was my reaction.. "Jesusssssssssss why!? Come on God I can't already be weak, I need my strength for this weekend.. please oh please oh pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease heal me" bla bla.. then it struck me- "Oh no!!!! Not the famous 'spiritual attacks!!' =O" Well yeah, they've started and they're most likely going to get bad, but that's only because God's planning on doing great things this weekend!! but I'm going to make sure that they don't affect me. Praise through the storm, right? Yeah, that's right =D All we can do is pray pray pray and pray a bit (well, a lot) more. This is battle we're fighting and we might as well claim victory in the best of manners =)
Oh and I found this with a quote that really hit home..

Now when it comes to the weather, it's going to be something that NON of us can avoid once we're going to be exposed to whatever God gives us. I kinda hope that it does rain because that would really be an amazing experience though it would be nice if the sun came out.. Ahh! Look at what I'm doing, I'm dreaming about the weather that I want not God, but ME- SELFISH!!! That's everyone's problem; if only THIS would be like THAT and THAT like THIS.. Wow, God has so much patience with our petty minds =P
I think that's all for now. Blessings =)

Isaiah 42:13
The LORD will march out like a mighty man, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.

AHHHH!

Ok ok I just posted the slum survivor thing and tadaaaaaa... my blog is working again =D wow everything is in it's original place and looks so pretty and yey I'm happy.. Oh yeaaaas Jesus =P
Keep praising X)

Slum Survivor

Hi guys,
I can't sleep =P Ok I'm suddenly really excited for slum survivor =D You see, yesterday, well two days ago once it's past midnight, I realised how cold the air can actually get in malta at night (very, very cold =P). I was at work and the host stand is close to the door so whenever anyone opens the door, a gast of utterly freezing cold wind just swept by me and I couldn't exactly go and put on my jacket haha. Well, that made me think about the upcoming weekend. You see, if we get wet- tough! And if we get sick- tougher!! *glee* it's going to be such fun =P Basically, what we're going to be doing is just living on baystreet terrace and facing challanges in order to 'survive', following a diet of one or two cups of rice a day and being deprived of all comforts. There is always going to be, like a great grey cloud looming above our heads, the risk of our shack being torn down. In doing this, we hope to open people's eyes to poverty all over the world as well as fund raise for an orphange in Kenya and obviously get closer to each other and to Jesus =D Oh and the photo of the guy in the tent thing is something like what we're going to be living in.

There's only one con in the whole idea; we know that we're going to go back to living a normal life, with a warm bed and food and showers (God, I'm going to miss being clean =P) by sunday evening, but these guys who really do live in slums, all one BILLION of them, don't have that consolence (oh my, I forgot how to spell that =/)
Well guys, maybe I should go back up and try to get some shut eye =)
Good night and God bless you all

Oh and here's the flyer.. I don't have a picture of the banner (which is way cooler but oh well)

true love waits =)

Ok I've come to terms with everything and this is what I've come up with.. here it goes:

"On my honour, I vow, to blog at least twice a week until death do me part"

Slightly corny but I took the "on my honour" part from something that I remember doing when I became invested as a real scout, "I vow" because it's a promise, "twice a week" because .. because =P and "until death do me part" from a marraige vow. Add all those up and tadaaaa "rache's blog-vow" XD
Ok here's what my post is about.. I'm sure that all of you who know me have got to know how INSANE my dreams can get.. well I think (I'm not sure, it's really weird) I keep dreaming of finding my true love. It's as if I know the dreams but I'm not sure if I'm actually dreaming them when I sleep or if they're just a faint picture of true love really is in my brain (oooooh =P) I'm sure you all know how, well erm, anti touchy (in that way) I am.. All the "eweeee" little-girl-reactions that I tent to give out is kinda lame but, yeah, it's me. Well all of a sudden I just want to find mr prince charming (oh don't we all =P) and hopefully he'll come with a black horse that ISN'T called destiny *enchanted lool* But that will take time, and I'm fine with it..
Now the whole 'commitment to not dating' is something that I'd never do, but ahhhh I just want mr perfect to keep forever and everrr (yes, I'm in a mood) this post doesn't really have a destination, I'm just letting a few emotions out haha. It's just that yesterday I was going through my documents and I found my TLW plegde. So for anyone who wants it, here it is:

TRUE LOVE WAITS
THE TLW PLEDGE

“Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I celebrate the sacrament of marriage.”


Signed……………………………………… Date…………………………………

Read it, print it, fill it in, obey it and treasure it =) ajma guys.. God's great =D maaaa I sound so so so loony.. I don't think many of you know about this, but let's say it was sometime in december (yeah I think it was) when I dreamt that I lost my virginity and got pregnant and everything was so messed up. I really remember crying and praying in my dream and when I woke up, for a split second I still thought that I was pregnant =S Around a second later I realised that it was just a dream and I praised God so much for my virginity that day (they must have been the funniest prayers that He received in 24 hours =P) The point is, when I made that pledge I knew that it would be hard (it's not hard yet, but eventually I'm sure it will be, especially if I get ingaged) I'm going to make sure that I stick by this, really, I am =) Oh and if you look at the picture, the ring's shadow is a heart and it's got purity written on it for a reason =)
That's about it I think. Oh wait, there is something else. We've just started ethics in philosophy and just in case you don't know, my brain rushes from one thing to the next. Just as today we spoke about test-tube babies, I know that we'll soon have a discussion on abortion. In that case, my arguement is ready =P
1- If you actually do believe in God then you would not be able to kill the baby inside of you (you're conscious would KILL you)
2- Even in cases of rape, it's not the babies fault (there's what is known as an orphanage if worst comes to worst)
3- If it's an 'accident' then the couple should have thought of that before they slept with each other [to every action is an equal and opposite reaction *physics*]
Then all the other pro-life issues will come up and after posting on the y4j forum and even blogging about the subject, yeah, I think I'm very prepared for battle =P *I'm going in* XD
Yeah I really do think that that's it now haha.
God bless you all =)

Oh and a friend of mine just sent this to me, so here it is- thanks friend =D xxxx
Fight until your death to keep what is of one man and one man alone. For lose it and you will shed tears beyond compare, regret that you will have nothing to give.
So out of love and sacrifice for your loved one, from now on, my dearest that one day you will smile and say "it was worth the wait"

I'm back; again *muahahaha*

Hello world =)
Ok I know, I know, it's been an AGEEEE!! But I know vow to blog as often as possible (to be added to one of my "new year's resolutions" haha!) I just want to say that through all the crap, I'm fine again =) Oh yeah baby, God's got me through the storm.. AGAIN =D Ha ha please excuse my hyperness, it's a side effect of 'a good day' (which is incredible once today, being a thursday, is possbily the worst day in the history of Junior collage =P). Well, here it goes..
God's shown me the light again, and I feel incredible. Oh and some of the credit has to go to all of my friends especially rob for really being there, and yes (I admit), lending me the book ;)
It's like I've been let out of my cage- what a great way to start lent! It's a new chapter in the book of my life, a bright white page. My last chaptet ended on saturday night when I decided to surrender completely and let God heal me once again. Now I'm being healed and, wow, it feels great! I'm not saying that everything is peachy keen, believe me- it's not, but it's all in God's hands and I've obeyed a few of the thousands of Christian songs that I listen to such as:
"let Him pull you, let Him take you in"
"there's one thing to be alive for, and that's to take up my cross and follow You, Lord"
"everyday you hold on to your lonely broken heart, God is calling out to you just let the healing start"

And oh so many more haha =) well, what you listens to influences you and the lack of being my usual happy self was killing me even more so knowing that God is the only solution, I pushed aside all my fear of letting go and just, well, did it.
Oh and when it comes to the picture, I was walking home from the bus stop and if any of you have EVER walked on one of the pavements in swieqi, you'd understand me when I say "yuq!". Let's just say that they're all dog shit and moss and random litter like EVERYWHERE. But whilst walking home from the bus stop, something caught my eye. I really don't know what it is, it kinda reminded me of something I'd expect to find in rivendell or something =P It's just there to show that even in the worst of situations, there is still beauty somewhere. I feel like a broken, stained glass orb that God is slowly and carefully repairing. It takes time, sure, but in the end it will look better than ever =)
Soo, to all of you having a bad day, and I know how it feels (hell I do), you're not the only one going through it because Jesus is going through it with you so just keep praising and obviously praying and dont forget to hold on to His love as well as His word (yeah, that really does help!!)
I think that I'll stop now though I promise that I'll post tomorrow, even if it's at school just to catch up on my first lesson or something lame =P
God bless you =)