Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Friday Dec 18, 2009
This was one activity that surprised me in Manila…..
Manila is not known for rich tourist attractions despite it’s cultural idiosyncrisies and diversities which are fascinating
The money is not there to spend on such things
But the government is realising the lucrative tourist market is waiting to be tapped and have built this surprising and beautiful Aquarium which focuses on the ecology of the Island’s rich tropical aquatic life…it is actually a National Park in the Philippines (the sea that is)
Fascinating and extremely stimulating
To my upset I only had a mobile phone camera…..but you get the idea anyway
The tunnel was my personal favourite!
Enjoy
There were literally hundreds of these smaller tanks with the BIGGEST specimen’s of tropical fish I have ever seen!
Exotic and beautiful!
Cheeky Boys
The BIG tanks chock full of amazing fish!
Look at Esther! These tanks are huge!
Monster Fish!
This is for my dad giant Travali Fish (not sure of spelling)
Now I could have sat there for hours!! Amazing feeling!
The teen and preteen bored look, but I think they liked it!
You walked under this BIG tank filled with hundreds (literally) of stingrays of all sizes!!
Of Course the Aussie Sharks!! hundreds of them too!!!!
Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Tuesday Jul 21, 2009
Did you know that today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon?
Why do I blog about it? Well it was just one of those LIFE STOPPING moments in our parent’s era
Everyone stopped and watched their Black and White TV (or found someone with one) and watched as these REAL astronauts bounced across the surface of the moon. Amazing really
I was 2 at the time and although I have no memory of the day itself my mum and dad said that I watched the TV and quipped….
“LOOK MUMMY!! BUNNY WABBITS!!”
????????????????
In my defense I was only 2 and they were white round bouncing things!!
It was a significant in our “earth man’s” history….to actually be in SPACE and get home to talk about it
I also have a memory of being walked around Junior Primary School with my Dad’s collated records of the day, cut out newspapers (original) and mounted on paper….dad was a social studies teacher and collated LOTS of world events and dated them and mounted them on paper…I still have them. I was so proud of my dad that day!!
That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.
Neil Armstrong, Upon landing on the Moon, July 20, 1969 US astronaut (1930 - )
It was a significant day, what were you doing??
I bet some of you if you were born that is have some memory or story about it???
Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Tuesday May 12, 2009
I have just finished watching one of my favourite movies
AMAZING GRACE
I have finally captured some quotes that always impact me, but why does this movie stir me so?
William Wilberforce a Christian man, he was a man inspired and anointed by God to change his world, it cost him his health, his freedom, his money, his time, his reputation and nearly his life.
He had choices, even as a Christian, he could have become a Missionary, a Preacher or a Pastor…..but God wanted to use him where he found him and powerfully used William to change the political world and social world of England, the force of which we still feel today.
I have heard this hymn Amazing Grace played in almost every realm of society, Weddings, Funerals, Church, Memorials and Services. It has echoed around the Red Square in Moscow the humanistic capital of the world, why is this hymn and the story so powerful? It transcends religion, politics, gender and time!
Why? God inspired this song and the fulfilment of His dream on earth through it, and the abolition of the evil and demonic reign and oppression of slavery. It is a powerful testimony that God is real and will free those who are in bondage.
William Wilberforce was a normal man, with a passion…. ignited, inspired and sustained by God
My God, give me passion to change my world permanently and leave an indelible mark for you behind me.
Love Cathy
Some of my favourite quotes
On Wilberforce’s confession of his new found faith and subsequent confusion of roles to his servant, his servant said…
“ “It is a sad fate for a man to die too well known to everyone else, and still unknown to himself” Francis Bacon. I don’t just dust your books sir!!”
When Margaret and Wilberforce begin to talk, he is hesitant to share and express the extreme disappointment and despair over his continual rebuffs and failures to change the slave trade in Parliament. She said this to him…
” “Tell me about it…….[silence]……it seems to me if there is a bad taste in your mouth you spit it out!
You do not keep constantly swallowing it back.” “
Billy (now the Prime Minister) is having a race with Wilberforce on the lawns of his grounds, begin to talk about the abolition of the slave trade…..he made these comments to Wilberforce……
“ “You were born for this Wilber……”
“Sometimes I feel giddy….” says Wilberforce.
As they start to walk on the grass Billy says ” Why is it you only feel the thorns on your feet when you STOP running?”
“Is that some heavy handed metaphorical advice from you Mr Pitt?”
“Yes, yes I suppose it is! You must keep going, keep going fast….” “
Wilberforce’s Prayer and Vision
“Africa, your suffering has been the theme that has engaged and arrested my heart.
Your sufferings no tongue can express, no language can impart…..
God has set before me two great objectives,
The suppression of the Slave Trade
and the reformation of society…………..”
Charles Fox addressing the British Parliament after the victory of the Abolition of Slavery Bill
“ “When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon…..Men of violence.
Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles…..Napoleon will arrive in great pomp and power, a man who has achieved the summit of earthly ambition.
Yet…..his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war.
William Wilberforce however will return home to his family and lay his head on his pillow and remember the slave trade is no more!” “
Postscript/ trailer at the end of the movie
“William Wilberforce continued to battle injustice for the rest of his life. He transformed the hearts and the minds of his countrymen on education. healthcare and prison reform to accomplish his second great dream- of making a better world”
Truly it is Amazing Grace that He would use such frail and untrustworthy vessels to do His will on earth
If only we will believe He wants to do the same with us!
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Thursday Nov 6, 2008
There are many things that i want to do with my little homeschool and a full blown play was one of them…so I found a little outline of a play which i thought would capture the many facetted needs of a multi age group and set to work…..hired a hall and planning has begun.
Master 15 is writing the script, refuses to be part of it happy to work back stage….ok at least he is at home and wanting to be with us!!! (we should always count our blessings….when I was 15 in a non-Christian home I gave my parents the rebellious flick and was going to pubs dressed like a …….and my friends were skinheads…..it could be a LOT worse)
Miss 13 is a creative springboard and organiser and has ideas for sets and scenes that inspire me….the other kids well….they are waiting till we pass planning and get our hands and acting abilities dirty
There are fires, squatters, bushrangers and soldiers in this play, wow and it is only about 20min long!!! Amazing what you can squish into a short time.
November is going to be a busy month……numerous Christmas pagents that the boys are marching in (3 or 4) then they will be performing in the majestic Andre Rieu concert in a massed band! Displays, old folks homes and a trip to Burra and more….Dec believe it or not slows down….so that is when our play TAKES OFF.
I did lots of stuff like this with other chn during the years, so it is great mine are old enough now to do it with them….I really get convicted that I spent the best years of my life teaching and spiritually building other peoples kids NOT my own…hmmmmm
So it is my own kids time (yes I do include other families, but it is our baby really) I just wanted to share my last few plans for the months of 2008….I wanna leave with a bang, not a smoulder!!!
Bless you lovely people as you embrace this last term of teaching, mothering, mentoring and loving…..may this term inspire you as well as your children.
What we do must bring life to us, make our heartbeat stronger, put a smile on our face, and give us hope for tomorrow…..otherwise we must really ask ourselves why are we doing it??? God is a good answer, but I have found that school is not just about them it is about ALL of the Troups, me included!
Growing expanding and learning together with God
Love always Cathy
PS Did i tell you that in 3 weeks James is going on a Missions trip to Manila in the slums for 3 weeks (leading worship for meetings too) so I will be alone during this flurry, phew God had better be on tap during that time!!!
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Wednesday Oct 1, 2008
Today I again am thinking of our Grand Day Out…
This time in the Cities, the great Edinburgh and the bustling Glasgow ….
Sigh there are some memories that I will never tire of, In Edinburgh, Scotland where we saw the first of our castles, we explored Edinburgh Castle and marvelled at the small courtyard where the Tattoo was performed (compared to The Red Sqaure it was teeny!!! We explored Linlithgow Palace the residence of Mary Queen of Scotts…..we saw the turret she climbed 100’s of feet in the sky to watch and await and pray for her husband to return from battle with the English.
We explored the Dining Chambers and the great Banquet Hall with the Fireplaces as big as 2 carport roller doors…and there were 3 of them!!!! Imagine cutting the wood just for that!!! Oh my it was astounding….
We climbed the circular winding stairs, cold stone with no handle rails and imagined the poor queens and princesses climbing them in billowing dresses and shoes made out of slippery satin or the like. We saw there bed chambers with secret passages that led to the outside in case the King’s life was in danger.
It was the first castle that I saw (or imagined) the expense it must have taken to run a place like that….just the servants needed to chop wood and serve the royals, dress them and feed the royal court….it really amazed me…..and there was nothing left except stone and wood, but I could see!!!
I saw the hardship of medieval living, the coldness of the stone walls (even covered with expensive tapestries and HUGE roaring fires, it would have been a cold atmosphere) The courtyard plain but a respite from bitter Scottish winds on the banks of a river……the sun was warm….but the stark square nature with a gothic type fountain in the middle could only depress! The threat of war and the grief of a queen waiting for a King to return. Truely hard and harsh times.
We tasted Mill life in Scotland, saw where David Livingstone lived with his devout parents in a small room where children slept in a box….I saw his home and where his parents worked, I saw the hill his father walked up to take his son to the boat in Glasgow, going to Africa NEVER to see his son David again…. We stood and had a photo under the enormous statue of Livingstone and his African friends being attacked by Lion…..with Esther then 2 years screaming “KAWEY” (scarey) “LION” and refusing to go near it (it was huge though!!!)
We saw the slums in Glasgow where James Parents immigrated from….we saw the still standing Tenament Buildings where his Aunty lived in, and James when his parents were alive visited…..what an experience.
Too much to write about, the Farms where we saw Scottish Black Face Sheep for the first time, the HUGE and ugly Highland Cow with mud caking its feet and snot dribbling in its hairy face….but in the calendars they looked so sweet!!! We tasted IRN BRU fizzy drink for the first time YUM, we had Scotch eggs, i bought clothes from Mothercare and George….shopped in Testco…..wow i loved it!!!
Anyway, I am a Scottish fan so this just whetted my appetite for more YES LORD!!!!!
Bless you guys sorry if i have bored you but I just need to talk about it…even just for me!!!
Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Monday Sep 22, 2008
Feeling a little travel home sick now……we would now be in our traditional homeland Scotland, last week we travelled up to Wick to see the still standing cottages of my ancestors….what an experience. Although Scottish roads were a bit scary. Especially coz they do not have Catseyes like Aussie roads do.
We explored Loch Ness…the monster in all of his glory, Urqhart Castle, the deep and huge Loch Ness itself (we had a cottage on it’s banks) The mist in the morning, the jets that skimmed the surface of the lake for training (!?) purposes…the croft which we explored that was 400 years old……Aust has not even cracked the 300 mark…history…beauty….heritage….there is a lot to say about touching your roots…knowing where you came from.
The beauty of history and the foundation of history…..I know what the Jews must feel to know your ancestors walked the same soil, breathed the same air and saw the same sights. it really inspired me and almost took my breathe away.
God is good, gracious….who would have ever thought theTroups with 6 chn would travel to faraway lands…..this is what home education is about…..freedom liberty and experience.
Only believe!!!
ON A LIGHTER NOTE….
Travelling with 6 kids was novel too….2 cars, I had to drive with a little girl in a red car seat screaming if she had enough of that seat!! So it was exhausting fun! In Edinburgh we stayed in a gorgeous farm cottage…2 stories very pretty .
We tasted Scottish Iron Bru for the first time, bad for health but yummy….we had a family night on Fri with pictures of holidays and 3 bottles of Iron Bru to wash popcorn and choccy down! Sounds unhealthy YES but it will be a family memory that will be talked about for years I promise………..
We had out share of flesh moments especially me!! I am a photo lover, but when you are a driver you rely on kids!! Hmmmmmmm how many out of focus piccys can you collect….NEVER MIND!!! But what really freaked me was when oldest lad would FORGET TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES…..a true test of my faith……I felt like Mutlly the hound in that cartoon Wacky Racers….”shusser , frusser rushere mrusher………” beacuse we all know good Christians do not swear……….on the outside anyway. I am just honest, from 20 years in the world of drugs alchohol and wild party living, swearing was my 2nd language literally. So internal lapses after 18 years I think is a VAST improvement.
Praise God…….I never manifested that bad in the car!!
I love Scotland , the green lush land, the stone walls, the black faced sheep, the hairy Highland Cow……what a treat for this mum of 6!!!
Travel sick, but content…..if I was not a Homeschooler that holiday would NEVER have happened, school fees, uniforms, tuition…..etc. Would have never allowed it. Praise be to God. i love him so much, he saved me from myself. If I did not get found I know I would be dead.
If you read this do not be harsh……from a heart to heart….I can only be ME. Faults, tears, smiles, giggles….headaches too.
Must go, have Bagpipes and Pipe Drums reverberating in my ears….chn Dancing the Fling is really cute. But the bagpipes can be a bit hmmmmmmm….especially lots of times in a day, but i NEVER fail to enjoy watching them jump and extend their arms to the sky…
Here to is Heritage alive and well in the family, do real men wear kilts? Well in my family ALL of my Boys Hubby included do….their roots and genes. No shame or embarressment.
It was a significant day, what were you doing??
There are probably more but I cannot remember EXACT names!! They are also not in order of preference coz I just spat them out!!
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