I haven't read all the replies, so forgive me if this has already been posted. The blog 'Visionary Womanhood' by Natalie Klewja deals with a lot of these issues - divorce, abuse, the church's repsonse - from a christian point of view. Well, her interpretation of it anway, but generally I have found it's a very informed, educated view. I personally have found it a great blog for thinking about my own thoughts and responses in what can be pretty difficult situations. Maybe it's a helpful resource for your friend to read through, and get some alternate views on Christian and divorce.

It's even down under....I have a mop of unruly kinks - not quite curly, and not straight. I spent thirty years of my life not really knowing what to do with it, hurtling from one terrible style cut to the next. Eventually we moved to new area, and I was chatting with the neighbour...who happened to be a hairdresser, I mentioned that I never knew what to do with my hair, and she just sort of looked at me with a glint in her eye, and said "come over for coffee". Then she CHANGED.MY.LIFE. Gave me amazing cuts, colours and told me the products I needed to use. I had ​fabulous hair for the first time in my life, and we became great friends. If I was ever famous, I would hire her as my personal hairstylist. Then we moved and I had to find another one...I was miserable and refused to just try out any old one. In the end, I was in the supermarket, and there was a lady who had a great cut, and what sort of looked like my hair so I just asked her where she got her hair cut. Weirdest thing ever to do at the checkout - wouldn't really recommend it as it became a bit awkward, but I did find a new hairdresser who is ​almost as good as the previous one. I did find that it still took a little while to work it all out - its a bit of trial and error. But she is always happy for me to pop back in if it's really not working and she'll fix it. ​

As far as classic Aussie literature, as a child I loved Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, by May Gibbs, although it's about the natural environment rather than the peoples of Australia. I would have to probably add in there 'My Place' for history by Nadia Wheatley - although I think its more of a childrens book. There's a TV series on it too, but it's not great at all. I've not used either in a teaching situation though. Looking at what you've said, I would pretty strongly recommend 'The Rabbits' by John Marsden and Shaun Tan. It's a modern picture book, but tells the story of how 'the rabbits' (Europeans) arrived in Australia and the impact they had on the indigenous Australians and the country - all through allegory. It's fantastic - very rich, hard-hitting and absolutely phenomenal illustrations by Shaun Tan, who I am obviously a big fan of. Not a child's book, so don't get scared off by the picture book aspect of it, especially if it's just part a set of books you would use. I personally think it's one of the best for presenting an alternate view of the colonization of Australia, addressing the 'dynamic tension' you are looking for.

I think it's worse at night time. I have to physically make myself think that whatever regrettable episode is on my mind, its bugging me because because I am tired and not thinking as rationally about things. After that, I have to picture myself apologizing, and then if the feeling of regret is still there the next day, I actually do need to deal with it. But I hate the whole feeling of regret - and sadly, it happens far too often.

Best idea ever.

Both of them have 'spin-offs' in them, which you could use if you need some extra time. They aren't completely open-and-go though - I'd say that each lesson is, but you would need to work out the overall direction you wanted to go first. Does that make sense?

Depending on what you want to actually teach, you could also look at "Reviving the Essay" or "Story of my life" by Gretchen Bernabei. I did it once a week with a group of different ages - we did the structure and a few writing activities during lessons, and the kids finished their writing poeces at home. It is quite different to other programs around, so it might not be what you are after.

Thankyou all for your replies - it made my heart be glad this morning when I woke up! I think I was just looking for some recognition and validation for my pity party. :D I know I have a problem with 'I should...' and 'I have to...'. It's funny how I can recognise it so easily in other people, but still really struggle with managing the thoughts in my own brain. I'd like to learn how I get rid of that, but really - that would be one more thing to add to my to-do list!! LOL. I also knew that when I woke up this morning everything would seem less overwhelming, but I did take a multivitamin last night so it would start to kick in when I got up. This morning I took time out from everyone and everything else and got the house under control first, which helps me feel more on top of things and relaxed in my home. I also handed out 'infraction notices' to my kids for not doing the jobs they are meant to do, and docked their pocket money. Made some hard decisions and will say no to some things that I would have really liked to do next week - I know that if I do them, I will just be stressed all over again. Someone has also come forward to help on Sunday night. I had reconciled myself to 'just doing it' - in the end, I did commit and say I could do it. I'm still disappointed in the situation, but as alisoncooks pointed out, if everyone just dropped the ball, the whole thing would fall apart and the coordinator would be completely nuts. I'm very thankful that someone has stepped forward, and now I can firmly say with no guilt that I just cannot take any more on - to any roster or obligation. Thanks again...it's lovely to have a place that I can just vent it all out and hear both sympathy without judgement and wise words to help me deal.

This is the ONLY place on the internet where i know no one in real life, so its my safe place to just let it all out. Vent start: Last year, all 3 of our kids were homeschooled. I was involved with church, filling in for sunday school coordinating while the coordinator had a baby. I play piano and saxophone at church. I helped because I was one of the few (if not the only one) of the team who actually had the time to, and i saw that there was a need I could fill. I could easily juggle what my kids needed, and even when my husband was away for work (he works away for a few weeks at a time), I was happy to help out others because I knew I had the time. We always knew that this year would be different - I have my final year of my teaching degree to finish, which includes a practicum/interniship for 3 months. So, i did things in preparation. I enrolled 2 kids in school. The last kid is on the waiting list for the school, so I switched to straightforward workbooks that require little to no work from me. I handed back the reins to the sunday school coordinator and pulled back on music commitments. Generally did everything but make a public announcement that I just would not be able to help out this year. I did think that I would be able to cover 2 weeks (this week and next) of sunday school - its just preparing some activities for 1/2 hour on a sunday night. I was sure I could do that - because, well, someone else had pulled out so they needed someone to do it. Obviously, i totally underestimated the situation. I am soooo busy. I am doing both the extra events to make sure my yougest-still-homeschooling-extrovert is still socialized (sport and girls youth group) while doing all the outside school events for the older two, who now have to fit in their activities (sports, music and youth group) in the hours after school. I live 20 minutes out of town, so usually that means getting the kids from their schools (they are at different schools), and then staying in town to do activites and then head home later in the evening. Because we are out so much in the afternoons, mornings are spent keeping on top of basic housework (like laundry), cooking a meal so that there is food to eat when we get home, and any extra appointments that need to happen - we've had dr appointments (30 minutes drive) orthodontist appointments (20 minutes drive) at least once or twice a week. On top of that, the stupid dog had knee surgery, so there's been vet visits added to that as well. In between all that I am trying to fit in my own study for teaching as well - its meant to be 24hrs per week spent on the study, but thankfully i'm getting through it in about half that time (for now-its only week 1!!). Husband has just left for a few weeks away at work again as well. My kids are teens and almost-teens, and they are hormonal, busy and tired from long days at school. We are all slowly adjusting, but it hasnt been pretty. So, just today, I decided (prompted by husband, who had his head bitten off when he reminded me of yet another thing i had to do) that enough was enough. I cant change everything thats making me busy, but certain things I can. And sunday school was one of them-i felt terrible, because I hate being flaky. But it was just taking up brain space i dont have, plus I found out my son has a semi-final game that will finish at about the same time as I need to be at sunday school. So, i emailed the coordinator and the second in charge. I apologised profusely, but just said I could not do it because life was nuts. Then I apologised again. Now, the second in charge has emailed me back, and told me to find someone to replace me. Half of me gets it - she also works and has her own family, and probably doesnt have time to chase down someone to fill a roster because someone else has flaked out. But SERIOUSLY? By the time I organize someone, i may as well have done the stupid prep myself anyway. I've posted on the team's web page asking if anyone is willing, but the way the team is, no one is going to offer to fill in for me, especially as I can't really offer to swap another night with them. I would have thought that the entire 3 years that I have helped out - and never flaked out - would show that really, i would not do this unless I really had to. I dont even really go to this church anyway (we have different services - I go to morning and occasionally to night, which is when sunday school is on). I can list off a bunch of people who do NOTHING on church rosters from that church, and while i am happy to help out, i am pretty grumpy that me asking for a time out requires me to organize it all - I have enough crap to organize in my life. I am over it. I totally get that I am also stressed and tired, and probably over reacting - i know my life overall is good, and I dont have even a tenth of the stress that other people go through everyday. I know that some of you are probably thinking that I should just put on my big girl panties and deal with it. And I will. By the time I wake up tomorrow I will be in a better frame of mind to deal with life, laundry and all that junk. Maybe i'll be surprised that someone will have stepped up an offered to help. I think i'm disappointed in myself because i cant just say what i really think (because it would not be considered very christian....although that would get me off Sunday school!). I know I am pulling out so i can look after me and my family - its the right decision. Why am I so stressed about this? Even thats bugging me! I just wanted a little bit of understanding and support - i dont ask very often, and I'm a bit grumpy that its not given by members of a church. Vent over. Thanks for listening.

I picked up this one for my 11-almost-12 year old. We are doing solely a workbook approach to everything else this year, so I wanted something for bible/devotions/sort of creative stuff that was much more relaxed and easy. She really likes it - we did the whole 'set up a quiet time basket' for her as well, which was pretty fun and cute. She is a slow starter in the mornings, so it's a really nice way for her to start the day with a bit of Bible and creativity before launching into the harder brain-strain schoolwork. We are very structured in our schooling, so as much as I like the idea of these books I don't know that I'd b brave enough to go with these for a larger range of subjects - but that's probably more a reflection on me than the product itself.

Once you are all done with watching the British Bake-off, Australia's made a pretty good one too - it's called (surprisingly) The Great Australian Bake-off. I loved the British one, and I thought the Australian one was a pretty good effort as well.

I thought the Nanny Piggins series was quite similar to roald dahl, but i think maybe they are Australian, so I dont know how easy they are to get elsewhere.

You know, I have seen the 'pie pumpkin' in the store just this year - I think they got them in as marketing for Halloween. Which of course I scoffed at, because we don't really do halloween here as much. Now that I know I can use that for pumpkin pie, I will try one! We definitely can get butternut pumpkins here too. I'll accept your challenge and make the pumpkin pie though! Thanks for the offer for sending it - but it will be cheaper to source it here. A quick check on google tells me there are a few online stores here I can get it from. Do I buy the Libby's pureed pumpkin? Or does any brand work? And I need a great recipe...who has a great recipe? I'm pretty certain we can get cranberry sauce in a jar at the local store, and I have an excellent source for canadian maple syrup as I adore that stuff - I have a few bottles in my fridge.

Maybe you just have Australian DNA...Turkey's not really huge here, stuffing is usually left on the side of the plate, I've never seen green bean casserole in my entire life, nor fresh cranberries, and pumpkin and sweet potatoes are vegetables and are roasted with salt and garlic. Well, that's in my house, anyway. I do like dried cranberries though, especially in biscuits (cookies) with white chocolate. One day I'll find an American friend who can make me sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, just to try it.

Oh my goodness! So, I googled trypophobia, which was an epically stupid idea seeing as it's almost midnight here and now i feel ergh from looking at revolting photos. But then i started reading an article that said people who react to photos of holes also can react to photos of bumps - i very clearly remember as a kid seeing a photo of a huge cluster of ladybirds. I remember it because I thought it was gross, and then thinking, "who thinks ladybirds are gross? They're so cute!" - and I always felt I was weird. Now I know...i'm not weird at all! Life changing. :)