Author: Amanda Viviers

Place: Home

Poison: Diet Coke

Favourite Things: thinking about all the people coming to Perth for my birthday!! oh WOW…

I know there is nothing worse than spending an evening with an immature, self centred person. However, I think its even worse to do life with people who are so meditated and so planned, so intentional, so flippin intense that they loose the freedom and beauty of spontenaity.

I am all for planners, outlook and living a disciplined life, but the innocence of a childlike heart is so refreshing. Someone who believes the best not the worst in friends. (I am seriously chatting to myself here) Someone who seizes the moments and allows the wind of change to breathe liberally on their page.

Somedays I wish that life didn’t force me to grow up quickly, and I could have remained a child longer. As I am growing older, (30 very soon! aha moment) I am realising that niavity and a fresh belief in the good in people is not a bad trait to have.

The older I am, the more gentle I want to be. I don’t want to be a cranky, old granny. I want to be one of those marshmellow types, who sees the world through pink glasses, sharing her wisdom liberally with the world.

Innocence and purity, is not such a bad thing. (i know some of you are wanting to throw up right now…sorry)

Living light is a beautiful way to travel this earth.

A

Place: Milkd

Poison: Water

Favourite things: book mark from miss kym…

When excercising or in the heat of the summer sun (so want to write ‘oh baby dancing with you in the summer rain’ aka belinda carlisle right now, but won’t go there, umm looks like I have!) lack of thirst is not a great sign.

If you can go through an entire day and not feel thirsty it actually shows a sign of unhealthiness. When we are thirsty and quench that thirst with the right nutrients, water and vitamins, you will end up being more thirsty.

Are you confused? I am nearly…

Anyway I was thinking the same deal about life and creativity.

When you are in a dry place, the arid landscape breeds aridity. Lack of inspiration breeds more lack of inspiration. But the more you drink, could be reading an inspiring book, randomly meeting a friend like polly that just came into milkd or smelling a big beautiful oriental lilly, it breeds inspiration and you will become thirsty for more.

Simple but random thought, drink more, look more, inquire more, love more, live more, your thirst will not be fulfilled, you will just be thirsty for more.

Same deal with God and spirituality, the more you seek him, the more you will thirst after it!

Thirsty?

A

Place: Milkd

Poison: Long Mac

Favourite things: Claudine on the phone

John Mayer’s new album ‘Continuum’ is inspiring. I love his lyrical content, the bluesy, jazz, accoustic vibes but most of all the creative picture that the whole package unveils.

Music is something that totally unravels the tension in my being from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. Some days you just need to turn on some tunes and dance in the dark!

Some people freak out at the thought of dancing. What if someone sees me, what if I look dumb, seriously what if…But dancing for no reason whatsoever in the privacy of your living room is one of lifes simplest pleasures. I remember so fondly the years where I taught dancing, in random outback halls, basket ball courts and church common rooms. I think I enjoyed myself often more than the kids.

Growing up we were a family who always put on little performances and created a stage out of our sunken living room. Dressing my brother up with oranges and my mums bathers was something we thought was just so hilarious esp when he let us get the lipstick out as well.

Today in the midst of Christmas production auditions tonight, The Big Weekend around the corner, Church Together on the horizon, I turned the lights off in my living room, swirled my ipod onto John Mayer’s new tune ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning room’.

Praying my neighbours werent peaking through the fence.

Gold!

A

 

Place: My house

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: Ipod with John Mayers new album downloaded! (NICE)

With our biggest events of the year a few weeks away, we are on the volunteer bandwagon again…When we ask people to sacrifice their already precious time, often its done with much reticence, as we are so sober about time and its value in our society.

I have been thinking though, when I volunteer, when I give of my time for no expected return, I am always the one who recieves. Its the paradox of servanthood. Serving others seems like such a sucky way to live your life, but the more I serve, the more I give away, the bigger and more meaningful my life is becoming.

Self centred, self consumed, self orientated people are so frustrating and boring to be around. Those who continue to think beyond themselves and generously give of them selves are so INTERESTING because they stick their finger up at society and its percieved cultural norms!!

Life is not just about you and your pursuits, your plasma and its remote control, give your time away for another and that is the true meaning of fulfillment.

Volunteering for a local community interest group, for a church, for a cause is an amazing way to pass away the hours. Wherever you are in the world, right on your corner there is someone doing something that needs your help!

In humility walk over to them, ask what you can do to help and then do it with all your might.

I will make a bet with you, that if you do it with the right spirit, you will be the bigger for it!

Generousity rules…

A

Place: Milkd (where else?)

Poison: Long Mac

Favourite Things: my pencil case…

I heard a speaker at last weeks ‘Leadership Summit’ say, ‘Greatness is not a function of your circumstance, it is the result of your disciplined choices…’

Wow, what an amazing statement. So often I say, Oh that’s not happening because…Oh I can’t do that because…Oh well thats how the cookie crumbles…I cant fulfill my dreams because…

But this statement kicks me in the butt, with a big, its not about what happens to you, its how you respond to it. Thinking about it late last night, I want to live a great life. Not because I want to be a rockstar or famous, I want to live a great life because I understand the priveleges that I have and want to reflect them by my choices.

People who I believe are living a great life: My Mum and Aunt Eileen, Elaine Fraser, Aidie Warrilow, Mrs Chis…Women that you probably don’t even know, but I do, and I so believe they are living a life of greatness, serving their family and their God but also living the life of their dreams…

Am getting ready for a HUGE event manaegement month, and my simple prayer is ‘Lord help me to make GREAT choices’

Choices in the way I speak to others when stressed, Choices in how I steward my time to be effective and love those closest to me at the same time. Choices of who I spend time with and who I don’t, not because I want to be clicky, but I want to be around people who speak life. Positivity and great conversations are a gift that I don’t take lightly.

Miss intense this morning needs to chill out…intensity and peace the tension between greatness.

Much Love

A