Ever been asked when the last time you were genuinely happy was....
I would have to say every single day of my life. Afterall there is always something to be happy about, you've just got to find what it is and then, you will realise that every single second of life is so worth it.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
She Rescue Home
I believe we are here on earth to help those, who cant help themselves.
http://www.sherescuehome.org/
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend those who are helpless and have no hope” Proverbs 31:8
http://www.sherescuehome.org/
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend those who are helpless and have no hope” Proverbs 31:8
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The future looks bright.
I have officially made up my mind about what I am going to do with my life in 2010, here is my decision;
Work over the Christmas holidays, and try my hardest to save as much as I can. Then start University at the start of March, at USC- doing a ‘Bachelor of Social Work’, which is a 4 year full time course that will enable me to work with children and youth services, child protection agencies, rehabilitation centres, women’s organisations, defence forces, council, private practice, hospitals and many more things. Whilst I am at uni, I still want to do casual work at Flutter (and do some waxing courses) or wherever I can, so that I can keep saving money because over the summer break I want to travel over to London to visit Tara and Emma who will be living over there.
- oh i'm so excited.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Our filth
I’m lying in bed, in a pitch black room, drinking a strong hot coffee; my third one of the day actually. And I’m listening to the newest ‘Hillsong’ album, whilst writing my heart out, about so many diverse things– struggles, mercy and grace, the future, ancient Rome, obesity, goals. I thought of another analogy, that I’m about to share. Just a warning, it’s quite lame, but I don’t really care, I just feel like writing, I need to keep myself busy.
Alright, so you could almost say that dirty dishes are a resemblance of a sinner’s life, well everyone’s lives actually, after all, we all sin, so we all have some amount of filth upon us.
We all start off clean, as a baby, we are fresh, we are innocent and we are soft-hearted. As life goes on, the majority of us begin to change, we are used, abused, influenced and in return we become messy and unclean. We can so easily stay this way forever if we like, and that’s what will happen if we don’t take action and pick each other up and start to wash ourselves and others clean with our love and our forgiveness. Or better yet let God cleanse us with his unfailing love, his never ending mercy and his grace.
That’s all we have to do; stop sitting around on the edge of the sink, on the edge of breakthrough, but rather jump into it and allow yourself to be wiped over and cleaned of your sins and your struggles, so that you can then have a fresh start and live the life you were ordained to live.
Easier said than done hey.
-Olivia spies
Alright, so you could almost say that dirty dishes are a resemblance of a sinner’s life, well everyone’s lives actually, after all, we all sin, so we all have some amount of filth upon us.
We all start off clean, as a baby, we are fresh, we are innocent and we are soft-hearted. As life goes on, the majority of us begin to change, we are used, abused, influenced and in return we become messy and unclean. We can so easily stay this way forever if we like, and that’s what will happen if we don’t take action and pick each other up and start to wash ourselves and others clean with our love and our forgiveness. Or better yet let God cleanse us with his unfailing love, his never ending mercy and his grace.
That’s all we have to do; stop sitting around on the edge of the sink, on the edge of breakthrough, but rather jump into it and allow yourself to be wiped over and cleaned of your sins and your struggles, so that you can then have a fresh start and live the life you were ordained to live.
Easier said than done hey.
-Olivia spies
Without you, I am left here a mess on the floor, feeling as though the pieces of this puzzle could never be put back together. But when I turn my cheek on the world, and turn my eyes heavenward with an open heart, I realise that in the midst of this chaos you are with me. I know that you are a father of mercy and of grace. Nothing I have ever done could ever make you hinder the way that you feel about me. Your love for me and all of the people that inhabit this world is far beyond words, it is a love that is for always and forever, it is eternal.
-Olivia Spies
-Olivia Spies
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Dreams. Goals. Aspirations
I aspire to be a 'child protection' worker. There is always hope.
I know i can do this and i am so excited about the future
I know i can do this and i am so excited about the future
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Life.
Stop the entire world now
Let me hold you, for the last time, it’s the last chance to feel again
One more shot.
Find your way.
2010
What to do, what to do.
Option one:
Stay in Noosa at home and work at flutter
save money for the first 8 months
Go travelling for the last few months of the year
travel to London to visit Emma and Tara.
Option two:
Move out of home with some friends
work at flutter or somewhere to save money
go travelling later on in the year to London
Option three:
Move to Brisbane
only move to go to uni down there
get a casual job
Option four:
Stay living at home
Go to Sunshine Coast University
keep casual job at flutter
Option five:
Move out of home, down Buderim way
Go to Sunshine Coast University
get causal job down that way
Option one:
Stay in Noosa at home and work at flutter
save money for the first 8 months
Go travelling for the last few months of the year
travel to London to visit Emma and Tara.
Option two:
Move out of home with some friends
work at flutter or somewhere to save money
go travelling later on in the year to London
Option three:
Move to Brisbane
only move to go to uni down there
get a casual job
Option four:
Stay living at home
Go to Sunshine Coast University
keep casual job at flutter
Option five:
Move out of home, down Buderim way
Go to Sunshine Coast University
get causal job down that way
Tara love.
I had the absolute funniest afternoon with Tara today. We did nothing, but that’s the beauty of it, we did nothing, but it was awesome. We had general conversations about Tiberius Gracchus, acted like we were vampires that were afraid of the sun, tricked ourselves into believing a man was going to come get us and that there were ghosts in the room. Drunk a shit load of tea, ate some banana bread. Laughed for hours about nothing too funny, made suss and un necessary jokes. Days like this remind me of why life is such a random, fun, lovely gift.
x
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Catwalk Models: shaping our minds and our bodies.
This generation seems to thrive off fashion, figure and beauty. Every day young girls are aspiring to be like the models that they see on television; sexy, thin and fashionable. Fashion is like a mirror and many teenagers are trying to copy what they see on the catwalk. This presents a problem when a significant proportion of the models that are on the catwalk are becoming exceedingly thin. Not all models are undersized, however there are particular agencies that recruit models that as individuals are anorexic, therefore influencing the youth of today in a negative way. The question lately seems to be whether ultra-thin models are to be held responsible for the influencing today’s women in a negative way? If so, should there be a ban on models of a certain BMI and clothing size?
Research shows that the Australian Medical Association wants the Federal Government to adjust the fashion industry and put in place a body mass index minimum for all models. Body mass index, also known as BMI, is a ratio of weight and height. Anything below a BMI of 18.5 is considered to be very unhealthy. Many agencies have already enforced the ban on certain sized models. Particularly in Madrid and Milan the BMI testing has been introduced. However in Australia the fashion industry seems to be resisting the ban, but is saying that they will make the industry healthier; Australian Fashion Week recently announced it would introduce healthy guidelines for its models. The fashion council of Australia has recognized the need for healthy models to be on the catwalk and anorexic or sick models to be kept off the catwalk. They are imposing guidelines for the selection of models and providing more education on nutrition and the dangers of eating disorders. In July 2007 there was a new rule proposed that all models under the age of 16 were banned from the London Fashion Week catwalks. Particular organizations are currently trying to make this rule worldwide because they believe it will protect the welfare of young women and decrease the risk of them becoming one of those size 0 models that we often see on the catwalks today. Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed by any agencies or industries at all. If the new BMI rule is correctly introduced and accepted, then the beauty industry would be sending a positive message and image to all the young women in this world.
At this point in time the worrying new fashion seems to be stick thin models with their rib cages on display. Will this lethal phase outlive the generation of young women today? We can either just sit back hoping that girls don’t give into the temptation of being ultra thin or we can encourage the government to enforce a legal minimum size for models. For so many years the fashion industry was made up of super-skinny models. In the last generation the skinny models went un-noticed; it has only been in the last few years that super skinny has now been considered unhealthy. Whether the fashion industry likes it or not they have a responsibility to portray healthy body images to the members of society, especially young women. A recent survey that was conducted proves that a fair majority of women have a feeling of low self-esteem after they read magazines or watch television, and some also wish they could look like a certain celebrity. All the celebrities that were mentioned by the women happened to be celebrities who were reasonably thin and beautiful. This shows that the media and beauty industries are stealing women’s rights to be individuals and to love who they are and what they look like, no matter what clothing size or BMI that they are.
Eating disorders affect around 10 percent of young women between the ages of fourteen to twenty-four. Anorexia has been stated as the third most common disease in Australia. If all models were to be healthy and realistic looking then these statistics could dramatically decrease. If skeletal thin models are all girls ever see on the catwalk, it is what they will most probably want to become; they will begin to trick themselves into believing that this image is beautiful and ultimately the perfect look. Eating disorders can begin if a teenager is being told or socialized to believe that thin is ideal and has endless benefits. As teenage girls haven’t particularly found their sense of identity yet and in some cases they don’t have a strong self-esteem; they will no doubt look to the media, models and beauty industries to find themselves. So if they are seeing naturally beautiful or normal looking models they are likely to build up a good self-esteem and foundation for their life. If they were too see anorexic, perfect models then there would be a high chance that their vision would become distorted and they may fall into the deadly cycle of anorexia themselves. When young girls are trying to become the perfect thin models that they see in the media they unintentionally overlook the negative outcomes that can come with being anorexic. In some cases anorexia can result in drug addictions and depressions. Many models with these outcomes are not able to physically and emotionally cope with the pressure of workload attached to being a model and jeopardize their career, and their physical and psychological well being.
Careful research proves that many women in today’s society are being affected in a negative way by the media, models and the beauty industry in general. Several solutions have been proposed in order to make these three things positive influences on the women of today. However, some organizations are not accepting these proposals and continue to allow very thin young models on their catwalks. BMI and clothing size may be a criteria for models to be accepted as part of the model industry. This may then affect the image that young women feel they need to match up to and thus decrease the pressure on young women that thin is beautiful.
- Olivia
* Essay I wrote for school. But seriously its so true, media, models and just fashion in general can get into and mess with your head so badly.
Research shows that the Australian Medical Association wants the Federal Government to adjust the fashion industry and put in place a body mass index minimum for all models. Body mass index, also known as BMI, is a ratio of weight and height. Anything below a BMI of 18.5 is considered to be very unhealthy. Many agencies have already enforced the ban on certain sized models. Particularly in Madrid and Milan the BMI testing has been introduced. However in Australia the fashion industry seems to be resisting the ban, but is saying that they will make the industry healthier; Australian Fashion Week recently announced it would introduce healthy guidelines for its models. The fashion council of Australia has recognized the need for healthy models to be on the catwalk and anorexic or sick models to be kept off the catwalk. They are imposing guidelines for the selection of models and providing more education on nutrition and the dangers of eating disorders. In July 2007 there was a new rule proposed that all models under the age of 16 were banned from the London Fashion Week catwalks. Particular organizations are currently trying to make this rule worldwide because they believe it will protect the welfare of young women and decrease the risk of them becoming one of those size 0 models that we often see on the catwalks today. Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed by any agencies or industries at all. If the new BMI rule is correctly introduced and accepted, then the beauty industry would be sending a positive message and image to all the young women in this world.
At this point in time the worrying new fashion seems to be stick thin models with their rib cages on display. Will this lethal phase outlive the generation of young women today? We can either just sit back hoping that girls don’t give into the temptation of being ultra thin or we can encourage the government to enforce a legal minimum size for models. For so many years the fashion industry was made up of super-skinny models. In the last generation the skinny models went un-noticed; it has only been in the last few years that super skinny has now been considered unhealthy. Whether the fashion industry likes it or not they have a responsibility to portray healthy body images to the members of society, especially young women. A recent survey that was conducted proves that a fair majority of women have a feeling of low self-esteem after they read magazines or watch television, and some also wish they could look like a certain celebrity. All the celebrities that were mentioned by the women happened to be celebrities who were reasonably thin and beautiful. This shows that the media and beauty industries are stealing women’s rights to be individuals and to love who they are and what they look like, no matter what clothing size or BMI that they are.
Eating disorders affect around 10 percent of young women between the ages of fourteen to twenty-four. Anorexia has been stated as the third most common disease in Australia. If all models were to be healthy and realistic looking then these statistics could dramatically decrease. If skeletal thin models are all girls ever see on the catwalk, it is what they will most probably want to become; they will begin to trick themselves into believing that this image is beautiful and ultimately the perfect look. Eating disorders can begin if a teenager is being told or socialized to believe that thin is ideal and has endless benefits. As teenage girls haven’t particularly found their sense of identity yet and in some cases they don’t have a strong self-esteem; they will no doubt look to the media, models and beauty industries to find themselves. So if they are seeing naturally beautiful or normal looking models they are likely to build up a good self-esteem and foundation for their life. If they were too see anorexic, perfect models then there would be a high chance that their vision would become distorted and they may fall into the deadly cycle of anorexia themselves. When young girls are trying to become the perfect thin models that they see in the media they unintentionally overlook the negative outcomes that can come with being anorexic. In some cases anorexia can result in drug addictions and depressions. Many models with these outcomes are not able to physically and emotionally cope with the pressure of workload attached to being a model and jeopardize their career, and their physical and psychological well being.
Careful research proves that many women in today’s society are being affected in a negative way by the media, models and the beauty industry in general. Several solutions have been proposed in order to make these three things positive influences on the women of today. However, some organizations are not accepting these proposals and continue to allow very thin young models on their catwalks. BMI and clothing size may be a criteria for models to be accepted as part of the model industry. This may then affect the image that young women feel they need to match up to and thus decrease the pressure on young women that thin is beautiful.
- Olivia
* Essay I wrote for school. But seriously its so true, media, models and just fashion in general can get into and mess with your head so badly.
Monday, March 2, 2009
we are all made up of addictions.
This afternoon i was in one of my thinking moods and i got to thinking about all different sorts of addictions; good and bad. Then i was like wow if you really think about it we are all made up of addictions.
Your probably thinking "what is she talking about?! i dont have addictions". But im not just talking about the bad, dangerous, deadly addictions. im also talking about the good, helpful ones.
Addiction: an abnormally strong craving
Good addictions; family, love (agape), church, god, children, helping the helpless, friends (the ones who inspire you), husband/wife, praise and worship etc.
Bad addictions; drugs, alcohole, sex, swearing, friends (the ones who bring you down), parties, hating, unforgiveness, etc.
So we are all addicts in this world, its just the things that we CHOOSE to be addicted to that will define who we are and where our lives are heading. So its your choice, what will you choose; good or bad? will you choose the addictions that give you life or will you choose the addictions that control your life?
* dont get me wrong i havent even chosen which addictions i will continue to follow, im asking myself the same question that i just wrote down.
most people will think i am completely wrong. We usually relate the word addiction to bad things, but in this case im not.
- Olivia
Your probably thinking "what is she talking about?! i dont have addictions". But im not just talking about the bad, dangerous, deadly addictions. im also talking about the good, helpful ones.
Addiction: an abnormally strong craving
Good addictions; family, love (agape), church, god, children, helping the helpless, friends (the ones who inspire you), husband/wife, praise and worship etc.
Bad addictions; drugs, alcohole, sex, swearing, friends (the ones who bring you down), parties, hating, unforgiveness, etc.
So we are all addicts in this world, its just the things that we CHOOSE to be addicted to that will define who we are and where our lives are heading. So its your choice, what will you choose; good or bad? will you choose the addictions that give you life or will you choose the addictions that control your life?
* dont get me wrong i havent even chosen which addictions i will continue to follow, im asking myself the same question that i just wrote down.
most people will think i am completely wrong. We usually relate the word addiction to bad things, but in this case im not.
- Olivia
Monday, January 26, 2009
Bumps.
okay so, i randomly thought of this corny, but true analogy. so i thought i would just jot him down....
i went 4wdriving today and when i got home i had a headache and bruises from bumping into parts of the car from when we were going in ditches and almost getting bogged. Then i started thinking about life, and all that it is. And i put two and two together and was like wow! 4wdriving is so much like life;
Such a crazy adventure that has endless amounts of bumps and ditches, that give you temporary pain and make things harder for a while. but without all of those holes, slides, jerks, the adventure called [your] life, wouldnt be as unique and thrilling as it is meant to be.
i went 4wdriving today and when i got home i had a headache and bruises from bumping into parts of the car from when we were going in ditches and almost getting bogged. Then i started thinking about life, and all that it is. And i put two and two together and was like wow! 4wdriving is so much like life;
Such a crazy adventure that has endless amounts of bumps and ditches, that give you temporary pain and make things harder for a while. but without all of those holes, slides, jerks, the adventure called [your] life, wouldnt be as unique and thrilling as it is meant to be.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
life
There are times in our lives that we find ourselves at a crossroad, scared, confused, with no directions on where to go, left with out a map. This is where we are faced with the defining choices that will shape the rest of our lives. When we are faced with the unfamiliar, we often prefer to stop, turn around and go backwards.
During this journey called life we tend to not identify the significant moments while they’re happening, rather we grow content with the people, the things, the ideas and we take advantage of them and usually its not until something gets taken away from us, that we come to the realisation of how wrong we were, how precious that thing was, how much we love it, and ultimately how much we need it.
This journey of life brings a thing called change; Every now and then people will step up, begin to rise above themselves. They can either surprise you, sometimes they will fall short. Life can sometimes take its toll and push you awfully hard, almost to breaking point. But if you stop what your doing take a look around and listen you can find hope in the words of innocent children, in the libretto of songs and in the eyes of the people you truly love.
Throughout your journey of life there will be days of despair, days of darkness; Darkness overshadows this world every single day, does it have a name? what does it want from us? How did it get to us? Did we invite it in and grip onto it or did darkness seek us out and devour us? What’s happening to us, to our families, to this world? Where was the point of downfall, when did we loose our way?
During this journey called life we tend to not identify the significant moments while they’re happening, rather we grow content with the people, the things, the ideas and we take advantage of them and usually its not until something gets taken away from us, that we come to the realisation of how wrong we were, how precious that thing was, how much we love it, and ultimately how much we need it.
This journey of life brings a thing called change; Every now and then people will step up, begin to rise above themselves. They can either surprise you, sometimes they will fall short. Life can sometimes take its toll and push you awfully hard, almost to breaking point. But if you stop what your doing take a look around and listen you can find hope in the words of innocent children, in the libretto of songs and in the eyes of the people you truly love.
Throughout your journey of life there will be days of despair, days of darkness; Darkness overshadows this world every single day, does it have a name? what does it want from us? How did it get to us? Did we invite it in and grip onto it or did darkness seek us out and devour us? What’s happening to us, to our families, to this world? Where was the point of downfall, when did we loose our way?
Thursday, October 30, 2008
phrases for today
'oh how i love your presence my child. I have seen you in your darkness, in your hurt, in your misunderstanding. But i know your heart my child, for it is truelly only in my embrace that you will lose sight of yourself and as you look into my face the entanglements of this world shall fade away. So come into my arms beloved, run to me. My arms are stretched out to you saying; come come, run into my arms'
'Dont get discouraged my beloved, pain is a part of life but i promise you that i will turn every tear you've cried into joy and i will use your deep pain for a divine purpose, dont try to hide your hurts from me, i know everything about you. You are mine, my beloved. I'm the only one who can handle your heart and restore you too health and wholeness again. I too have felt great pain and rejection and anger but we can go through every trial together hand in hand, i will lead you back too my place of peace and joy after the storm, the sun will shine on you again and your heart will be healed. I promise you my princess that when you go through deep waters of great trouble i will be with you, when you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown. Love your King and your Healer'
'Dont get discouraged my beloved, pain is a part of life but i promise you that i will turn every tear you've cried into joy and i will use your deep pain for a divine purpose, dont try to hide your hurts from me, i know everything about you. You are mine, my beloved. I'm the only one who can handle your heart and restore you too health and wholeness again. I too have felt great pain and rejection and anger but we can go through every trial together hand in hand, i will lead you back too my place of peace and joy after the storm, the sun will shine on you again and your heart will be healed. I promise you my princess that when you go through deep waters of great trouble i will be with you, when you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown. Love your King and your Healer'
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