Not Done Yet

But wait! There's more!!!!

In my last post I mentioned a few observations I have made through personal experience in the past month. So as not to be considered too shallow and living my life by cliches, here's a bit of flesh on those observations. Please feel free to join in and comment on lessons you may have learned...or relearned...recently.


* disappointments happen.....When you have your heart/mind set on something and it doesn't pan out, that's disappointment. It's also potentially grief and bitterness and regret and disillusionment and despair. But letting it move from disappointment to those other more 'nasty' feelings is my choice. And I want to choose life and courage and peace and love and faith instead. It's a lesson I am sure to learn again and again, but each time I am faced with disappointment I want to see it through eyes of hope.

* there are always opportunities to help others.....Yes there are and it takes time and energy and sometimes costs financially. But it is the life I am called to...to LOVE others in words and deeds. I need to ensure there is enough flexibility in me and my planned life to see and take these opportunities. 

* self-sacrifice is so very hard....hmmmmmmmm. As a first-time Mum this has been the learning theme of my year. I started thinking about this so many months ago and it has been at the forefront of many thoughts since then. And I don't think that all my thinking about is has made it any easier to do:) But I know it is the example Jesus set, so it needs to be the walk I walk too. And the more I do it, the easier it might get. Or not....but at least I know I am living right, even if it hurts a little.

* there's more joy & frustration to be had in a day of playing with a toddler than I ever thought possible...Thankfully the joys far exceed the frustrations. So many new things with little j this year that have blessed my socks off. Firsts everywhere....first teeth...time sitting alone....steps...sounds (not quite words although 'Da' and 'tractor' have been pretty clear)....p** on the potty....hand clapping....cuddles and kisses (full of sweet baby sloppiness)...etc...etc.... So many little wonder moments to treasure. Thankfully, I have captured plenty of these moments on film so will have them always to remind me of the joy of baby/toddler j.

* Central Qld summers are so very sticky....I laughed at the weatherzone.com.au weather report on my town the other day. Temp - 29 degrees. Feels like: 35 degrees. Then, the temp. went up just 1 degree but the Feels like maxed out at 38 degrees. Uuugghhh! But I do have cool running water, an ice machine, air con and the anticipation of a cooler summer on the hill next year. So no more complaining!

* the internet can be such a time waster....Which is part of the reason I have backed off Facebook of late. There are way too many times in a day when I am sitting right here and not doing other things that would be infinitely more beneficial. And I hate the idea that some days j sees almost as much of my back as my smiling face:(

* plans change....Another reason why determining NOW how I will react to disappointment is a must. And another reason why flexibility is so important if I am going to stay sane.

* farewells are not always sad....I said goodbye to some people this year and there were no tears, which is extremely rare for me. I guess it is about perspective to some degree. And gratefulness for the time we had together outweighing the loss of parting.

* self-absorbtion doesn't really help anyone....Really? I feel strangely better...but that is only in the midst of the pity party. As soon as I start the clean-up though I realise how pathetic I have been.

* parents are lovely.....mine have been especially good to us this year and I am grateful. It is so wonderful to have them come for visits and see them in action with their little grandson and have them bless us with gardening and painting and advice and Aldi nappies! (BTW, my parents-in-law are lovely too:)

* op shopping is fun.....Particularly if you go without any expectations and then BAM! you discover a bargain or 3. I have had lots of fun hours book and toy and kids' clothes shopping and spent a grand total of about, oh....$34.70!!

* pork crackling is so yummy....Especially when it is cooked on the bbq by your husband.

* Christmas carols lighten my spirit....I love the tunes, I love the lyrics. I love the meaning....'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men....Do not be afraid....The Saviour has come!...Emmanuel, God with us.' Got goose bumps now!

* teenagers are capable of so much good stuff.....I have taught and loved a bucketload of wonderful teenaged girls (and a small handful of brilliant boys) this year at my school. I have been challenged and blessed by them...enormously. I am excited about seeing them in action again next year.

* waiting can be tiring.....And that's why I try to do it wrapped in faith, with my eyes on the One who promises to walk the journey with me.

* living with hope is essential....And that's why I try to do it wrapped in faith, with my eyes on the One who is ALWAYS good, who never leaves me and who gives me contentment and peace for each moment. 

There's been more than a few days between my last post and this one...and no real reason.

Here's a few observations from my past month:

* disappointments happen.....

* there are always opportunities to help others.....

* self-sacrifice is so very hard....

* there's more joy & frustration to be had in a day of playing with a toddler than I ever thought possible...

* Central Qld summers are so very sticky....

* the internet can be such a time waster....

* plans change....

* farewells are not always sad....

* self-absorbtion doesn't really help anyone....

* parents are lovely.....

* op shopping is fun....

* pork crackling is so yummy....

* Christmas carols lighten my spirit....

* teenagers are capable of so much good stuff.....

* waiting can be tiring.....

* living with hope is essential....

Nothing groundbreaking here...but just a few thoughts that may resonate with you. I have learnt to trust God more in the past month and know that His plans are to teach me and help me to become more like Jesus....even through the everydayness of life.

So I am grateful for it all.

Waiting...

As November arrives, I am sitting in my house. That's the problem...it's my house....not my NEW house.

We signed the contract on the land over a year ago and the contract with the builder back in June and here we are in November....still in our house. I had thought we might be in by Easter...make that September...how about December....Easter next year???

On the block we do have a nice big shed...and a pile of road base where the slab will go and the promise of the concreter heading to the site this week.

There have been days in the past couple of months where I have struggled to be patient. Some days I have quietly muttered threats. Some days I have forgotten we even have dreams of a new house on acreage.

And do you know what, all my threats and impatience and forgetting mean nothing in the light of the fact that we have the finance to even attempt this project.

I am reminded that so many people in the world do not even have a home. Some cannot afford a place. Some live in one room shantys with their entire family. Some are still waiting for cyclone and flood destroyed homes to be rebuilt. Some have homes that are filled with pain and anger and grief and loneliness.

I have a beautiful home right now. I have a beautiful new home just waiting to be built. I have 2 lovely men to share those homes with. And I have a gracious, trustworthy and generous God who in ALL things is good.

Trust

Last Thursday I lost my beautiful eternity ring. The one given to me tied to a rose in the swishest restaurant in town on our first anniversary. *sigh*

I noticed it was gone after my late evening shower. There were tears. There was frantic searching. There was a sick feeling in my tummy. And my mind raced....where could it be? What have I done today that could have pulled it from my finger? Could it have flung off when I was throwing those silly pine cones? Would it be tangled in j's clothes or sheets? We travelled most of today but stopped for groceries and a loo stop....maybe it's in the public toilets at Gin Gin? Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Somewhere in the midst of the crazy responses to my loss, I heard God remind me...."Trust."

I have been reading a great devotional book given to me for my birthday by a special friend. It has been challenging me in terms of security and identity linked to where my trust is. And it has also prompted me to continue to think through what is really important in life.

So with God's voice echoing in my head, I lay down to sleep, with this prayer: "God I WILL trust you with this situation. I know You know where the ring is and if you want me to have it back, you will provide it for me. But even if I don't ever see it again, I trust You to remind me that I don't need to continually think about it because there are more important things in life than my little ring."

Well I had to keep praying that prayer through the night, because I woke a number of times and always my mind went back to the lost ring. I prayed that prayer throughout Friday as I back-tracked over places I had been and things I had done on Thursday, always looking down for that little glint of gold or sparkle of diamonds.

By Friday night I had a peace about the ring, even though I thought I would never see it again. Trusting God had not been the easiest thing, but it certainly was the best thing.

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, after a trip to Brisbane on Saturday. We were packing the car for our drive home and in the midst of that job, J walked up the stairs, got down on one knee, took my hand and slid my eternity ring onto my finger! He had found it in the back of the car!

Yes...again...God had given me a huge blessing! I was so thankful...both to Him and to J. And I was very grateful for the lesson in trusting...it really is the best way to live.

Bliss

I have been trying to snap a photo every day or so of things that make me smile. I have published over 100 of these photos on Facebook under the heading Project 365. A couple of friends have been doing the same...and keeping up much better than I have I might add.

But last night I had a smile moment that I didn't snap...but I do want to share it, because again it is a reminder that the simple, small things make life oh so sweet. We just need to make sure we are living in the present, watching...listening...loving and taking the time to appreciate the good things.

Last night when J got home from work he suggested we head out to our house build site to check on any progress made while we were away last week. I was eager to do just that but after a relatively crazy day in which I had taken little j to work with me and a mountain of unpacking after our 10pm arrival home the night before still graced more than a few surfaces and a long grocery list was still to be filled  coz there was nothing to eat in the house and a dinner was yet to be prepared, I was a little hesitant. But I said yes and away we went.

On the way out to the block J suggested we pick up the groceries together while Mr Eagle Boys cooked our dinner. That sounded great to me. How thoughtful J can be. And funny how 2 little suggestions that offer help and an easing of the load in a small way can make all the difference to someone's sanity!

Well the best bit was not that we did the shopping and picked up the dinner, it was the smile moment of pulling up under the street light at the bottom of our block and eating dinner on a picnic rug in the back of the ute with my boys. Ahhhhh....bliss!

PR

Personal Responsibility....or the lack of it... is one of my bug bears.

I walk a 3km circuit around our block almost every day and I shake my head at the amount of dog poop on the footpath. It amazes me that someone would walk their dog in a public place, let it deposit its business on a very well-used walk way and leave it there. It's your dog, therefore, it's your poop people! Please pick it up!

Yes I can sure get on my high horse about PR....I do to the teenagers I teach...I do to my husband about all sorts of things...I do to just about anyone who will listen. "I don't understand some people," I moan and groan. "Why don't they just take care of what's their's to take care of?"

Well as logical as my thoughts and questions may be, I was challenged in this in the past couple of days. Instead of always looking to point the finger at someone else's failure to be personally responsible, I faced a situation where I totally let go of PR. In fact, I totally lost it...'it' being self-control...my brain....my cool....anything that looked like sense. I won't go into the details, but it did involve a kitchen utensil and a baked item.

It was not pretty and I am not proud of my display. In hindsight, I can certainly think of at least 3 good reasons for my 'unhinged' moment. Yes it's true, it's always so easy to cast blame elsewhere rather than take PR.

But in a lucid moment in the midst of my carry-on with the baked item and kitchen utensil, I distinctly remember thinking, "What I am doing is stupid...just get a grip woman!" But I didn't....why is that?

Anyway....my thoughts are still on this issue and despite seeking forgiveness of those involved - namely God, J and my sister - I am still embarrassed and more than a little disappointed in myself.

However, I have been prompted to see that my criticism of others shirking what I see as their PR may simply be smug self-righteousness. And instead of looking so long and hard at what others are doing, perhaps I should concentrate more on what is happening a whole lot closer to home?

Hip Hip Hooray!

In our little family of 3, we have 3 birthdays in September. It's certainly a month full of happies!

J made comment on his birthday eve this week that as you get older, birthdays just don't really seem to matter. That may be how most of us aged 30+ feel, but I wonder if it should be?

I wrote in his card yesterday a one-line wonder that I am so proud of. And it's the reason I am writing today's post....

"You are so worth celebrating!"

And therein lies the reason why birthdays should be delighted in, celebrated, worth getting excited about and the birthday boy/girl honoured.

Because each of us is so worth celebrating!

We were designed and created by the Master Craftsman. God breathed life into us and set a plan and purpose for us to walk this life in. He says we are made in his image and He loves us with an everlasting love. We all have immense value. That's worth celebrating!

We are all different shapes and sizes but we are creative and compassionate....likable and loving....beautiful and brainy......daring and decent....generous and gregarious....forgiving and fabulous...tender-hearted and thoughtful....That's worth celebrating!

Simply by being us and loving those around us, we are making a difference in our worlds and the lives of others. We are a blessing. That's worth celebrating!

So if you know someone having a birthday sometime soon (and just coz I am in a few days this is NOT why I am writing this now!)...how about reminding them that they are worth celebrating and do something a little bit sweet to let them know that they are special?

When We Assume

After writing yesterday's post I have been thinking lots about this bad habit I have developed called 'Assuming.'

Here's why it's BAD....

1. I usually assume THE WORST...this does nothing to help create a peaceful mind focussed on ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) And it means I am thinking the worst of others. And usually, that 'others' is a man who has a heart of gold and loves me lots. How unfair to him!

2. I usually assume WRONGLY...and in being wrong I create angst when there has been reason for it and I have to apologise because I have thought badly of people for absolutely no reason. And usually in my 'mode of angst' I have been short-tempered, cranky and snappy....oh great! More things to apologise for.

3. I fill valuable HEAD SPACE with RUBBISH.....as girls we have enough buzzing around in our heads without adding junk to the mix.

4. By making assumptions, I am saying "I KNOW EVERYTHING" which is living a lie and creating an ugly, oversized ego. Who wants to live with that?

So...rather than assuming, and thereby creating a 'yucky me', I hereby declare that henceforth, I will try very hard to "Never assume anything.' (Especially when it comes to my wonderful husband.)

BTW...I must also try very hard not to assume the worst when my Mum says.. "Kirsty......." (with a downwards inflection and long pause.....)

Deee-licious!

Humble pie tastes great doesn't it? That moment when you realise you have gotten it wrong...again...and need to confess and seek forgiveness really can be so very challenging and well...humbling.

My pastor's wife...a wise and lovely lady...offered this gem before I married J:"Kirsty, never assume anything." Simple words, yet so incredibly hard to do in the heat of the moment when I feel wronged or misunderstood or upset or disappointed or frustrated.

Sadly, last Sunday saw me 'assume' two things about J's actions - wrongly - in a very short space of time. And when I realised my mistake I felt terrible. I felt like I had not been the wife my husband needed, certainly not the helper I am called to be.

I guess the beauty in this ugly situation was that I realised my sin and asked God for forgiveness. Actually, in thinking about it...I should have sought forgiveness from J too. I will do this tonight!

Anyway...at least my eyes were opened to the failure and my heart was soft enough to feel remorse and seek forgiveness and restoration.

Which, thanks to God's graciousness and hopefully, my husband's too....leaves the slate clean again and the words 'Don't assume anything'....resounding in my head.

How much better to live those words than have to eat humble pie.

One!

Little j celebrated his first birthday this week. What a special occasion...not just for him, but also, for his Mum and Dad and his grandparents too. We had both sets of grandies visit with us this week...makes for lots of cuddles, plenty of playtime and some fun conversations.

The value of family really can't be under-rated. As we move into our little boy's second year, I look back over the first 12 months and am so grateful for the support of our wonderful families.

They have called...visited...written letters...sent texts - to stay in touch.

They have baby sat, hung washing, swept floors, taken washing from the line, cooked us dinner, ironed uniforms and so many other housework tasks.

They have welcomed us into their homes for visits.

They have hugged j and told him he is wonderful.

They have hugged me.

They have continued to show us what God is like....faithful, generous, loving...

They have done so much to make the last 365+ days do-able and I just wanted to pay tribute to them today. Thanks so much to all our family...we really do appreciate you.

If you are being blessed by your family...please, don't forget to say 'Thank-you.' And if there's not much blessing happening...I am sorry.

But may all of us value our families, and never take them for granted.

Failure is NOT an Option

So...my last blog post outlined my resolutions...all 3 of them...that would help me be healthier and happier.


[My plan.....stop the chocolate...eat fruit for snacks (bread is banned!)....exercise every day.] 


5 days on and I am not sure I am either!


A friend of mine said starting an eating and exercise regime on a Friday was a dumb idea....turns out she was right. Friday came and went and of my 3 point plan, I compromised on one...accidentally broke another and outright failed the third. Not a great start.


Then there was the weekend...no more needs to be said there.


Monday rolled around and all would have been well except I forgot to take my lunch to school. But here's where there is a glimmer of hope.


So with no lunch (a freshly packed salad left on the top shelf in my fridge!) I looked around school for something to eat. We have chocolates and soft drink on sale in the staffroom. I didn't have enough for a drink but I did look in the chocolate box. Yep...3 left. But all were Crunchies...of which I am not a great fan....so I kept my money in my pocket and drank water instead. A vast improvement over what I might have done a week ago. 


I also exercised on Monday and did not snack on bread....so 3 ticks...yay!


Tuesday dawned as a promising day and within an hour I knew I had a dreaded tummy bug. So that means I couldn't exercise (needing to always be within mere metres of a loo) and I couldn't eat either. Nice balance.


Now Wednesday has dawned. There is no chocolate in my house...I have plans for a 40 minute walk with j at lunch time and there is no bread on the menu for me today, at all.


Things are looking up.


BTW...is anyone out there having a pre-spring red-hot-go at making changes to anything in their life?? If so, let me know about it:)

I Think I Can I Think I Can...

One of my blogging heroes, B, posted a funny little 'letter to self' recently which I read yesterday. You can visit the original post at bbeingcool. She reminded me that the 'battle of the bulge' is so often a 'battle of the mind'.

And as I have thought about it for the past 24 hours, a few thoughts need to be penned...or is that typed?

I struggle with eating right and exercising and buying clothes and feeling like I look good and....yes, all those things we girls seem to struggle with.

I have flabby bits and saggy bits and wobbly bits that don't bring me much joy and I try to ignore them as I eat another row of that yummy Bubbly chocolate.

I detest clothes shopping...there is so little that fits and that breast-feeding chest doesn't seem to look good in anything. I also HATE the idea of buying clothes with BIG numbers on the tags.

I have an elliptical walker AND an exercise bike in my spare room but have I been on either in the last month or 2? No....my silliest excuse is: "I forget they are there," even though I walk past them at least 8 times a day. I have a little boy who loves to be in the pram so I could walk morning and afternoon, but do I?

So enough with the silliness.....the laziness...the disappointment and the 'beating up of self.'

I CAN and I WILL do something about this. You heard it here first and I am putting it out 'there' in the hope that it will help me to be more accountable.

My plan.....stop the chocolate (a Swiss coffee each morning really should be more than enough!)...eat fruit for snacks (no bread!)....exercise every day (be it in public or private). There you go...3 action points for each day of the week ahead....starting Friday!

And if I can do it for one week...I can do it for another and then another and then.....

PS. Any tips or encouragement most welcome...thank-you!

Colour in Your Life

What things make your world bright? Colourful? Wonderful?

I sometimes get so rutted in routines and house work that I fail to look beyond both to see and appreciate things of beauty.

Today I had a few moments of deliberately doing that and taking a few seconds to actually think about what was happening and enjoy it.

And you know, it was again, the simple things that have added colour to my world today....

.....looking at the cute little smiles of a 3 month old and remembering when j was that small...

.....a kind message from a friend......

......a quiet 20 minutes in my room with a Bible and my best friend.....

....writing a spicy text to someone who wears sexy small black running shorts.....

....visiting with a new friend.......

Lots of colour, especially considering the day is not done yet.

But as I look at that list I am also reminded that in the routines and house work that just has to be done, there is also colour...

...how thankful I am that I actually have a house to clean...and the gear that makes it easy to do so...

....how nice that a routine of afternoon sleep for j actually happened today...

....it was a delight to cut my homegrown pumpkin up to prepare for dinner....

.....my little one is alive and well and creating mess for me to clean - again - as I speak (see 99 Balloons on youtube to fully appreciate this one.)

Can I encourage you again this day to take time......get perspective......and realise you have so very many colourful blessings to count?

A Heart of Compassion

I once heard the definition of compassion as: Love in Action. I love that!

We can say we have compassion for others, especially those less fortunate, but the proof is often in the action that follows.

One obvious way of showing love and compassion is to sponsor a child...something I firmly believe EVERY Western Christian should be doing....in fact every Western citizen should be doing.

Last night I had the privilege of hearing Satish Kumar speak about his life in India as a child sponsored through Compassion. Learn more about Compassion here.

Satish is now 22 and working for Compassion, in the same project he was sponsored through for many years. His story is quite incredible, but sadly, not unusual in India - or many other developing countries.

Satish spent his early years selling vegetables on the streets with his father, who would then spend all he had earned on alcohol before heading home to beat his wife. Satish's mother worked in a hot, small shed for 9 hours a day packing pickles into jars and labelling them. For this, she was paid less than a dollar a day and subjected to more beatings from her husband who was embarrassed by his wife working...something that culturally in India was not acceptable. The children often went hungry, resorting to picking through rubbish in the streets or stealing from others. They wore torn clothes, had no shoes and could not afford schooling for all four children.

Satish's father committed suicide when he was just nine, burning the family shack and all their possessions in the process. By then Satish was attending a Compassion project and the staff and local pastor promised to help Satish and his family at this extremely difficult time.

True to their word, they did and with the added sacrifice of Satish's brother quitting school to work for the family, Satish was able to continue at school, graduating first in his class. At 14 he had also given his life to Jesus and noticeable changes were happening. Eventually, through working voluntarily at the project, Satish's mother and sisters became Christians too.

With the grades to go to university but no funds to pay for tuition, Satish looked to find a job after school was finished. But Compassion sponsors again stepped in to provide a 'miracle' for Satish.

I love this part of his story! Through Compassion's leadership development program, a 19 year old girl in the US sponsored Satish through his university studies. 19!!! And phenomenally, this 19 year old was working for 4 years to pay for the cost of Satish's sponsorship, rather than going to university herself. Her plan was to begin her degree once Satish had completed his and she could then afford to pay for her own studies. Now THAT is COMPASSION!

Satish graduated with Honors in a business degree and worked with 2 large companies, where his wages far eclipsed anything he had every seen or earned before. But God has called Satish back to his home community to work with Compassion to love and encourage and help children.

His story is powerful. It is challenging too. It reminds me that around $40 a month makes an astounding difference in the life of a child, his/her family, community and nation. $40....a haircut, a new shirt, 2 movie tickets with popcorn and a drink, weekly 'treats' in the grocery trolley....

I urge you to consider joining with Compassion or like-agencies to sponsor a child. Your love, money, prayers and letters won't cost you much time, effort or energy, yet they will have an impact for Eternity.

A heart of compassion.....how's your heart rate today?

The 4 Ws

In preparing for Biblical Studies classes in recent weeks, I have been garnering some inspiration from Max Lucado's book: Just Like Jesus. The unit I am teaching is called 'A Heart Like His' and it's all about looking at the life of Jesus and what the Bible says about Him and seeing how we can develop and live those attitudes and actions ourselves. I am enjoying it...hope the girls are too.

Anyway....in the 'God-intoxicated Heart' chapter, Max suggests we can practice living in God's presence by weaving the 4 Ws into your daily lives. I wonder if some of you do this already? If not, perhaps an outline of the W's may help you today to connect with Him and 'just like Jesus'....walk in His presence this day.

Max says we need to talk to God often throughout the day....not just in 'saying our prayers' as we drift off to sleep. A helpful reminder for doing that is found in the 4 Ws....


Give God your Waking thoughts.....as you open your eyes in the morning...pray! Greet God....tell Him how glad you are for the gift of today....tell Him about your plans....ask Him what His may be for you. I did this in a really concerted way today and I left bed with a smile. And that's really something for someone who is not a fan of mornings!

Give God your Waiting thoughts....Max says we need to be silent with God and allow Him to speak. He talks about waiting on God, rather than always rushing ahead with all we have to do and praying that God tags along with us. I also link Waiting thoughts in with the Whispering ones below.

Me in a period of 'waiting' when lots of 'whispering' was happening:)

Give God your Whispering thoughts...the quiet 1 or 2 sentence prayers I can pray anytime during my day, but especially when I am still and waiting, make up my Whispering thoughts.  This 'waiting' time is the time when I am in line...on hold...driving to a destination.... It's anytime I am not especially active...just waiting. It's probably a better use of my time to talk to God at that time, rather than spend time stewing on how annoying waiting can be and wishing the person in front of me didn't have quite so many groceries in their trolley.


Give God your Waning thoughts....as you settle into bed after your day, talk to God. Thank Him for all that was. Commit into His care and keeping those things that are concerning you. Pray for rest and peace. And then....sleep easy.

So....there you have it...the 4 Ws that might help you walk more closely with Him today. I am trying to be more conscious about being aware of God's presence and just maybe, remembering to give God my thoughts in those W moments will help.

Do Everything

Yesterday I posted on the little things my life consists of and how so much goes unnoticed....by humans. I fully believe that God sees it all:) Oh my, that is a scary thought!

My sister sent me a link to Steven Curtis Chapman's new song Do Everything.

How timely that this song fell in my lap to remind me that there is purpose in all that I do and the result is so worth the effort.....I can make Him smile.

Have a listen (click the link in the song title above)....read the lyrics...and be encouraged today that what you do matters...all of it!

And if you want to hear where the idea of the song came from, have a listen to SCC himself! he reminds us that there is no separation between secular and sacred.


When we walk with God He makes it ALL matter.


So today, as you wash and cuddle and cook and post and catch-up and read and help and rest and drive and clean and.......do it with eyes and heart open to hear God speak and see Him smile:)

Today I.....

...cleaned the bathroom and toilet. I mean really cleaned them...even scrubbed the floor.

Five hours later though....you really can't tell I out in all that effort.

Today I.....

...washed a load of our clothes.

But now that they are dry and off the line; folded and in the cupboard....you really can't tell I did the washing.

Today I....

...prepared an early dinner for j.

Within a few short hours, there will be no evidence that I made a meal.

So much of what I do in a day goes unnoticed....and I am happy with that. So much of what I do in a day has no real impact on anyone except my family.....and that's okay. So much of what I do in a day is a labour of love.....without any recognition from anyone.

Today I.....

....went the library and struck up a conversation with a total stranger.

That stranger is now a new friend and I even found a way to help her and her boys.

Today I.....

.....hopefully made a difference, a positive difference, in the life of someone....more than one.

Today I ....

.....put a smile on His face.

What Do You Do When It's All Too Much?

Don't get me wrong....this post's title is not meant to be a cry for help. I am fine.

I am just pondering life and the way we fill it with 'good' busyness. But even as we do, we have a sense that we are doing too much and feeling overwhelmed....frustrated.....anxious.......

A wise man today reminded me about Mary and Martha - 2 sisters who did things a little differently the day Jesus came to visit. You can read their story here.

One fussed and fretted over all she had to do and the other sat with Jesus, listening to Him speak. Jesus commended the one who was still and listening, not the one who was 'too busy' serving to spend time with Him.

That's one teaching of Jesus that I still need to learn well. But it did prompt me today to consider my response to His call to spend time with Him....daily.

And to think about how my family's schedule looks in terms of busyness.

And to consider my response to those feelings that so often pop up when I do have too much 'busyness' in my life.

Today I give myself a little pat on the back. Rather than continuing to ponder the long 'to do' list and start to stress and rather than crying or quitting or calling a sister or Mum or friend to vent.....I simply talked to God about it. I told Him how I felt and I asked for His help.

And as I said at the beginning, I am fine.

24 hours to help

Hi readers.

Crystal from MoneySavingMom is doing something pretty amazing. For every person who changes their computer homepage to Yahoo for 2 days, she is making a $1 donation to Compassion. Seems like they're up to over $600 already and that's on top of the $10 000 Yahoo gave to Compassion last week. Yay!

If you'd like to be a part of the giving, all you have to do is visit this MSM post. Crystal has easy to follow instructions for changing the home page and "voila"....you have helped children in crisis.

Please consider.

Sick

Being sick is nothing like delightful. It's just plain hard.

What's harder is when the one who's sick is your little nearly-10 month old.

Little j has woken up this morning....mega early.....with a runny nose and cough and that look of  generally feeling miserable.

And there's nothing I can do to make him all better...now!

So in the midst of snot and tears and eye rubbing and nose wiping, I think PATIENCE and CUDDLES will be the best medicine.

I can do cuddles, but I struggle with patience. I like things done...NOW! I like things done...MY WAY!

So in this little season of sickness, I will ask God to give me patience. And I love that He answers those prayers.

To me, that's one of the very best things about being a Jesus-follower....He sets the example but He also gives us the power and ability to do like-wise.

So....if today your challenge is not a lack of patience, but a lack of peace or joy or courage or self-control or goodness or.......don't stew on your 'lack' but go to the One who has it all in abundance and ask Him to share.

He'll be delighted to.

Love Changes Everything

I spent an hour or so this morning getting pretty worked up in a lighting and then a tile shop.

By worked up I mean.....stressed, tense, frustrated. And that's not good when you are trying to make rational decisions about lighting and flooring for a new house.

The tension and frustration were coming from knowing I had a tiny window of opportunity to shop in....j was sleeping at home but not for long...and from the fact that in both stores there were soooooooooooooooooooooo many options....what to choose? And how ridiculous are those prices? And why would anyone want those colours...ever? And why is that salesman being so pushy? And.....

Anyway, a short time later I was home again and j was fed and I suggested we try again. Not because I had dealt with any of those 'issues' I had mentioned, but because on the way home J had said, 'Thank you. It's great to be taking on this big project with you my beautiful wife.'

Appreciation......a compliment.......a look to the future.....a reminder that I don't do life alone and an expression of love.

5 precious gifts all wrapped up in 2 short sentences. That's all it took for me to change my perspective, get a grip and move forward.

How powerful our words and actions can be. Will you remember to use them wisely and well today?

The Photo Challenge

Via Facebook, a few friends and I are doing the Project 365 challenge. We are attempting to take a photo a day of a moment that made us smile. I am finding it super easy to do and more often than not, I have trouble deciding which happy moment to record as a happy snap.

It's a nice problem to have.

Something else the challenge is doing is making me more aware during the day of the things that are a blessing. My goodness.....there's heaps. From kitchen appliances that make life simpler to simple daily routines with a 9.9 month old to beautiful things I can see every day to moments that I will never have again.

Prior to Project 365 starting on June 1, I was finding the days going by oh-so-quickly and great moments being lost in the jumble and then quickly forgotten. But the simple act of snapping one photo a day is reminding me to slow down......concentrate....enjoy and be ever so thankful.

Perhaps it's something you'd like to consider and take up the challenge of...whether you publish the pics or not.


Afterall, learning to see and reminding yourself to be grateful is a life-long project we should all be undertaking.

Some of the photos I have snapped are shown below....I hope some of them may make you smile too.

My brilliant blogging friend B has done a similar thing for the month of June and her photos not only inspire...they tell a great story. Perhaps you'd like to visit her at: bbeingcool ?

The Card

After fun at the library and buying a pumpkin from a roadside stall yesterday, we arrived home in time to get a 'hand delivery' from Mr Postie. And right on the very top of the pile was the cutest little bright orange envelope addressed to jjvi.

Inside, we discovered a little treasure from j's Great Nanna. At 90+ she is still taking the time to pray for her family and make sure they know they are loved.

What a priceless gift! What a remarkable lady! Thanks Nan....you set a mighty fine example for us all.

So a challenge for today....pray for someone and then let them know they are loved.

THE Gift

Today....can you see the cross as a GIFT?

The biggest, best, eternity-changing gift ever given.

And it's a gift for YOU.

Way Back...

...I posted the lyrics of Third Day's Love Song.

Here they are again...and this time you can listen as you watch the Love Song clip.

This song never fails to bring to tears to my eyes. Why? Because it is the ultimate love song...."Just to be with you, I would do anything." What a promise. And one we humans make often, but as the song suggests, we rarely follow through. Jesus made the promise and fulfilled it....in spectacular, painful, bloody, grief-stricken, loving style....for you and for me.

"Just to be with you, I've done everything....there's no price I did not pay." What a sacrifice....what love Jesus and the Father must have for us. That they would pay this price to be with us is astounding.

Won't you take many moments this long weekend to remember...to be grateful and to share that same love?

Again....I marvel at your love Jesus. Thank-you seems so inadequate, but it's all I have.

ROMANCE.......God's Way

Whether it looks like his vows on your wedding day, an unexpected gift or a call from work to see how you are travelling, we girls love romance.

That feeling of being special to the man in our lives is priceless. And when he takes the time to romance us, the feeling is unbeatable.

Yet anything our boyfriends or husbands might do to 'romance us' pails into insignificance in the light of what we remember later this week.

No night off cooking, red rose or weekend away can compare with the ultimate acts of love God the Father and Son performed for all of humanity 2000 years ago.

They planned a dramatic rescue in order to secure an eternal relationship with the ones they love. They paid the ultimate price - separation from each other. They endured rejection and pain, loneliness and immense grief. They gave and gave, but never demanded anyone receive their precious gift. What vulnerability!

Their Easter sacrifice that secures us real life and real relationship with them is the ultimate gift.

It is a precious thing to be loved with an everlasting love by the One who made us and paid the highest price to prove His love.

No earthly romance can hold a light to that heart and soul winning gesture....and that's worth remembering this weekend.

I Need Jesus

The Jesus I read about in the gospels is the Jesus I need.

But I am not talking about needing a miracle worker who can bring healing with a word. Or the Son of God to offer forgiveness and grace. Neither am I talking about needing a Saviour who died and rose again. (I only say that because He has already done those things for me.)

The Jesus I need today is the One who has seen it all, experienced it all and now sits beside God, speaking on my behalf. He is the One who understands.

In reading the gospel of John, I am amazed at how many different experiences and emotions Jesus has. From joyful times of celebration with family and friends right through to total rejection by the same people. From times of feasting to times of utter desolation and loneliness.

Jesus experienced it all, as a human, so He could offer us understanding and encouragement as we journey through similar experiences in life. I am so grateful to have One who sympathises with me, was tempted in every way, felt pain and sadness, endured trials and now goes into bat for me with the Father.

That's the Jesus I need.
He is One who....

• explained the same things over and over....and was still misunderstood.
• loved people so much....but was hated by so many.
• spoke only words of truth...but was accused of being a deceiver.
• was passionate about life....but had His taken from Him.
• gave the greatest gift ever....but has had that gift rejected so many times.
• saved others.....yet walked each day under the threat of losing His own life.
• offered hope and healing....but was continually questioned about His motives.
• spent time with a loving Father at night.....but faced angry 'Father followers' each day.
• needed rest and peace and 'time out'....but was followed and watched and demanded from continually.
• knew the end of the story was good.....but lived hard days along the way.
• was light....yet surrounded by constant darkness.
• had it all.....but gave up everything in order to rescue me.

Jesus...THANK-YOU!

Jesus....My King

A few years ago Pastor Shadrach Meshach Lockridge (you would have HAD to have grown up to be a minister with that name!) preached this 6 minute description of Jesus called 'That's My King!'. (The edited version runs for a little less.)

It's worth watching, via the link above, but here's the transcript of the entire message from 1976. I was going to highlight my favourite bits and made a start....but pretty soon realised I was highlighting every key phrase! Yep! That's my King - Jesus! Worth highlighting!!!

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. 

My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King.

He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . .but He's indescribable. He's indescribable. That's my King.

He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the 'ever's, then . . .Amen.

The Jesus I Never Knew

Two Jesus' thoughts today....with thanks to Philip Yancey.
In a chapter on miracles in The Jesus I Never Knew, Yancey makes two statements that struck me. Once again, reminders that my perspective is sometimes so narrow and so wrong.

1. 'Some see miracles as an implausible suspension of the laws of the physical universe. As signs, though, they serve just the opposite function. Death, decay, entropy, and destruction are the true suspensions of God's laws; miracles are the early glimpses of restoration. In the words of Jurgen Moltmann, "Jesus' healings are not supernatural miracles in a natural world. They are the only truly 'natural' things in a world that is unnatural, demonized and wounded."'
Yes...the world is a mess, but it was never meant to be that way. The problem and consequences of sin are real and huge and ugly. What an astounding contrast to heaven that all makes earth. Take sin out of the equation and add God's permanent physical presence and what do you have? Indescribable!

2. In talking about the death of Jesus' friend Lazarus, Yancey says: 'Jesus knew, of course, that Lazarus was now whole and content, in every way better for having shuffled off this mortal coil. Martha and Mary knew as much too, theoretically. But unlike Jesus and unlike Lazarus, they had never heard the sounds of laughter from the other side of death.'
What a beautiful concept. One to hold onto as we farewell friends and family members who know and love Jesus. While we may be overwhelmed with grief, feeling loss and pain, they are being welcomed with open arms, their arrival is being celebrated and there is laughter and joy on the other side.

Anyway, 2 little (maybe huge really) thoughts to encourage you, stimulate your thinking today and perhaps, challenge your perspective on what we see while we await His glorious return.

Jesus....My Night Light

At the moment, I sleep with a night light on in my bedroom. I prefer total darkness to sleep, but with j waking up during the wee hours of the morning, the night light is a great help. It means I can stumble safely round the bed end and dresser to get out of the room with my toes intact. It means I am slightly coherent and awake by the time I reach a crying baby, so I am better able to determine what to do with said crying baby. And it lights my way back to the warmth and comfort of my bed after the prior interruption to my delicious slumber.

Jesus is called by John (in Chpt 1) the 'true light that gives light to every man.' Earlier John says Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness.

In a much bigger, better, grander, life-changing way than the tiny bulb radiating a dull glow in my bedroom, Jesus is my night light.

He lights my way through the darkness that so often is life. There are times I am likely to stumble or lose my way. Situations arise that darken my view of what I am here for. Challenges come and I can't always see past them. But looking to Jesus, following His example and teachings, I can safely navigate around and through the tough stuff. I can come out the other side intact.

His light also wakes me up. When I look at Jesus, I see much more clearly. He gives me the right perspective on life. He reveals answers. He directs thoughts and actions. He influences decisions and helps me make wise ones. He is such a contrast to this dark world that I can't help but take notice of who He is and what He says.

And like that guiding light back to bed, Jesus is the way to our ultimate place of comfort and warmth and rest. In Him I find peace. I find purpose. I find my destiny. I find refreshment and strength to keep on going. In His presence I feel loved, accepted, valued and valuable.

May the light of the world pierce your darkness today. May You look to Him, not the 'father of lies' who masquerades as light, for direction. May you know His peace in the midst of dark moments. May you walk in His light, following the path He has planned for you. And may His light warm your heart and bless you as you do.

Jesus

We aren't too far away from Easter...again.
How about this year we ask for a real freshness to this special season.
"God....would you allow us a fresh glimpse of yourself and your awesome son as we head towards a time of remembrance and celebration?"

In the coming days over the next couple of weeks I hope to look at Jesus with you and together, hopefully, we'll see our Saviour.
The journey starts soon.....

Perfection

Bam!
Matthew 5:48 hits hard.

Part way through His very first sermon...delivered open-air style to masses of people...Jesus calls those who would follow Him to 'be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.'

A tall order, don't you think? Particularly considering the teachings that sandwich this idea earlier in chapter 5 and then into chapters 6 & 7.

We're called to love our enemies and pray for them....challenged about how we look at others...told sin is extremely serious and we need to deal with it in radical ways....taught to give secretly....reminded not to worry....and not to judge.....all difficult things to do.

In fact the standard of God, being perfection, sets me up to fail. There is no way I can meet God's standard.

But God knew that and that's why I say 'Thank God for Jesus.'
It is His perfection that God sees when He looks at me.

So in God's eyes, once I have believed in Jesus as His Son and turned from my sin, I am perfect.

And in His strength I can have the best go at living the way that pleases God (loving my enemies, not worrying or judging, etc...) and creates for me 'my best life.'

Tired?

Having just returned from our first family holiday...which was soooooooo much fun......I have been reminded of the saying..."Divert Daily, Withdraw Weekly, Quit Quarterly and Abandon Annually." I'm not sure who said it first, but I do know Rick Warren said it was a good formula for surviving ministry.


I think it's a great formula for surviving life.

I don't know about you, but I have been feeling a little disaster fatigued lately.....every time I turn on the TV I am bombarded with terrible pictures of nuclear reactors melting down, people being shot in Libya, destroyed homes, farms and livelihoods and that's not to mention all the other snippets of 'good' news that gets beamed into our homes every evening.

I have also been feeling somewhat work fatigued. As the teachers out there know, it is a l-o-n-g term and with 3 weeks (4 for some) still ahead, it is difficult to maintain anywhere near that 'first week enthusiasm' we all had way back in January.

There's a little wife and Mummy fatigue in there too. Busy days and sleep interrupted nights.....housework, new house planning, yard work (that just doesn't seem to get a look in), numerous invitations and of course, the added challenge of preparing interesting baby meals all had me feeling like I needed a break.

Thank goodness my husband (who had been anti the idea of a holiday only a couple of months ago) came home a few weeks back and suggested we book a little break away. The anticipation of 'time out' proved to be almost as good as the real thing. And despite coming home to thick, long grass....mountains of washing (funny how that's the one constant in life!), steamy, warm weather and first days back at work, I do feel rested.

The TV news hasn't changed.....I still had to get up to a baby in the night.....and I am collecting student assignments from my class today....BUT I feel in a better head space. I guess that's one great advantage of a break.....you get to rest, relax, regroup.

And as I think about the "DD,WW,QQ,AA" idea mentioned above, I am challenged to do better in this area. Pace myself. Get a bit more balance. Realise that not everything needs to be done perfectly and NOW. And yes....I can say 'no.'

I can also, take a few seconds often during the day to just STOP! I can make sure I divert my thinking and my actions so that I factor in some down time. This week I can ensure that there is a little bit of 'me' time, an hour or so of 'withdrawing' from all that seems so pressing and urgent. I am already looking at the calendar for our next term's little escape....perhaps just a long weekend away as a family this time....and maybe in a tent?? And the annual abandonment for 2011....well that's still in the works, but it probably involves saying 'bye' to this house and 'hi' to our new place.

Of course this can all apply to giving ourselves a bit of space and having a holiday, but I guess it could also apply to dealing with problems or issues in our lives too. Or even commitments and routines.

Perhaps it means we all need to take just a little bit of time off or out to reflect on the 3 months that have just passed by in such a flash in 2011. Three months that have seen the world shake and change. Three months that have reminded each of us of our own mortality and the immense value of life.

Yes, maybe we all needed the reminder that life is precious and we need to enjoy the journey.