Farewell

The well of inspiration has run dry.
And rather than beating myself up about it, I have simply decided to 'keep it real' and say it out loud.
And bid my little blog farewell....perhaps for a season or 2, perhaps for longer.
Many thanks to those who have read the many and varied posts and those who have encouraged me through comments.
God bless.
Kirsty

The Curve Ball

Sometimes in life, you get thrown a curve ball. (Does that analogy hit home in a 'mostly' non-baseball playing country??)

But you know what I mean. There are things that happen that you just don't see coming......that you're not prepared for....that are shocking, surprising, unexpected.

It's what you do in that moment when the curve ball hits....and the many moments afterwards when its effects are felt, that says an awful lot about the person you are, what you believe and determines what happens next.

Some people I know and love have faced HUGE curve balls lately.....major operations, massive personal challenges, ends of dreams.

And some have faced smaller ones....like yesterday.

I had arranged to meet two friends and their littlies for an hour or so of fun at the local Under 5s day. But I was late and then couldn't find either friend at the meeting place I had designated. Not that it was an ideal meeting place anyway. So I went on my merry way back through all the tents and activities, hoping they would find me. 15 minutes later, one did. She had been waiting down the other end for an hour!!!!! for me and another friend. She'd now found me, but her friend was still MIA....and there was no phone reception to try and track her down. As she was telling me the story she dropped her phone.......it did not bounce. As it hit the concrete path, it cracked and chipped in a couple of places. Hmmmmm....another curve ball. She left Miss T with me while she went to find her aforementioned friend.
Another 5 minutes later, the 2nd friend I had invited found me. She was carrying baby S and 2 yr old T was looking a little pale as he walked beside her. Seems 2 minutes before she pulled into her park, T threw up (in a brand new car). So she left him with me while she went back to the car to clean up the mess. So for the next little bit of time the 3 little ones and I had great fun exploring and playing while their poor Mums dealt with the ripples caused by the curve balls. One Mum caught up with us half and hour in and still got to have some fun, the other found us about 80 minutes later, just 5 minutes before we had to leave.

It was all a bit CRAZY! Unexpected...surprising...a little bit gross....frustrating....time wasting....annoying.....stressful......you get the picture.

But the responses of both girls in the midst of things not going to plan spoke volumes to me. They were matter of fact....gracious....forgiving.....calm.....collected.....and just got on and did what they needed to do. 

I do hope their days improved, but I am glad I saw how they reacted to those curve balls. It made me proud to know these women and have them in my life. It challenged me to consider how I would have responded if it had been me in those situations.  It reminded me that the way they chose to react was the best and the wisest way to face a curve ball and smash it out of the park!

Covered in Yuck

A couple of the little people in my life had lots of fun playing with shaving foam recently. It got everywhere....despite the fact that I only put it on 3 trays. But man! The fun they had!!!

But it got me thinking about how I get myself covered in 'yuck' ...and it's not a fun yuck.

When I deliberately avoid eye contact with someone so I don't have to talk to them....when someone tells me a story and I have to top their's with my own rather than just listening and letting them have the limelight...when I lose my temper over something very trivial....when I judge someone before I have even heard their story...when I am fearful....when I speak before thinking.....when I make a snide remark - and that's just this week's YUCK!

How easily we weigh ourselves down with YUCK....with sin.

But how thankful I am that I can go to God and seek forgiveness and ask for His help to do better. And how gracious He is to answer that prayer with love and patience and His divine power.

As the week heads to a close and a new month starts, I pray there will be less YUCK covering me.

T-H-A-N-K-S

I am thinking and writing about thanking people this week....and have appreciated the kind feedback from a few of you about the posts. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment - it is an encouragement -  and for reading the blog.

Being the creative writer I am (not!) I came up with an acronym to help us do thanking better.... 

Thank God....each morning and night and anytime in between. He is the One to whom we have the most to be thankful for, so don't allow Him to be the One who misses out on well-deserved thanks. He's also the One who can help us pay more attention to 'thanks opportunities' throughout the day, so ask Him for help to do that too.

Have a goal of 5 "thank you"s a day. Ann Voskamp from A Holy Experience talks about thanking your husband 4 times a day, so those of us who are married only have to look for 1 other 'thanks' to utter each day...right? I say 'wrong' and reckon 4 'thank-yous' to our husband = 1 out of the 5 (but then I have never been good at maths!) Anyway, get creative with the thanks. It could be face-to-face, or via phone or a text or an email or a card or aerial sign writing or....

Attitude of gratitude - develop one. When we are wide-eyed with wonder at the good stuff in our lives, it makes saying thanks easier.

Notice what people are doing and acknowledge it. We get so busy...so self-focussed...so tired...that we sometimes miss the gifts we are given throughout the day. So make the effort to see the small stuff too. Things like....

• a friend who calls to say hello ('Hey...thanks for the call. Good to hear your voice.') 
• your son taking out the bin ('I appreciate your help honey...thanks.')
• the parcel delivery man ('This is hard work in the heat...thanks!')

Kind words are not easily forgotten but sadly, they are not often used. Be different in this world that says 'Get what you can, your way and too bad about the rest.'

Set the example for others, especially your kids. I am really conscious with this in raising Little j and so I say to him as we leave the grocery shop, "Say good bye to the lady and 'thanks for helping us'." Yesterday I thanked the video shop lady like this too....and she looked at me funny, but I don't care. The library lady liked it! And so did the postman.

Feel free to develop your own acronym....and if you do...let me know what it is...thanks!

What 'Thanks' Says

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, 

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.  

~G.K. Chesterton

Well said G.K.! I agree whole heartedly.

Here's why....

When we thank others we are saying - (read these slowly:)

• You are appreciated...valued...worthwhile 
• Your contribution to my life is important, meaningful, a gift  
• Your effort is appreciated, and so are your thoughtfulness and kindness, your hard work and creativity 
• Your generosity is a Godsend 
• I have noticed you 
• I value you 
• I love you and your work.

Our thanks can encourage, uplift, settle, rescue, bless and honour others. We have the power of life (and death) with our tongues so how about using thanks genuinely, frequently, widely and graciously? Today.

A Bug Bear

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you may have come across a post (or 2) with thankfulness in it. It seems to be a theme of my life and something I like to hear (and let's hope, do.)

I have a couple of precious teenaged girls who take 3 seconds to thank me after every lesson I teach. That's so nice.

I have a dear friend who says 'thanks so much' often for things I think mean little, but to her they have been a Godsend.

I have a husband generous with gratefulness and wow! that makes a huge difference in my day. To know that I am appreciated (and the things I do are too) by the one I love, is very sweet.

I have a little boy, who with a fair bit of coaxing, can say a 'ta' at the right time. It's cute...and he's going to get better at it...I hope.

So I do have many 'thanks-yous' going on in my life. But perhaps that's what makes the absence of a 'thanks' so obvious to me....and sadly, so annoying.  There have been a couple of situations in the past month or so when there has been a distinct absence of 'thanks' despite a big effort from me. And I don't like it. 

Yesterday I was about to launch into a diatribe to someone about the failings of others to say 'thanks' but I held my tongue. And as I thought about the situations over the past 16 hours, I realised I don't have to gossip about them....and I don't even have to let them get me worked up. I can just 'let it go.'*

And here's why.....because the One I follow and want to be like, faced this same situation - day after day after day..... And I am told that anything I go through that He experienced should be considered 'pure joy.'

Think about it....Jesus spent His life GIVING to others - giving time and effort and energy and emotional strength and healing and miracles and wisdom and and and..........and the ones He gave to, on the whole, never said thanks. In fact many that He gave to were the ones calling for Him to be crucified!

So I am thankful that being spit on or ignored or killed are not what I have experienced from the ones who neglect to say thanks.

And I am thankful that God is refining me in so many ways....including this one of gratitude.

But stay tuned....I have to more to say...thanks:)


* Hey...this is GREAT advice for all the struggles, dilemmas, annoyances I face!!!

Well Said

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.....

Hmmmm...sad to say that it has been a lean season for patience of late.

I think I am one of the most impatient people I know...hang around me long enough and you'll probably agree.

My latest battles with impatience have been over our house building epic (not quite to lock up yet) and dealing with a toddler who has authority issues (okay...so I am prone to exaggeration, but it does try my patience when Little j does not listen to Mummy.)

Anyway, I have moaned and groaned and whinged and whined and expressed my frustrations to God...to friends....to family...really to anyone who stopped still long enough to listen.

But is was a sweet, smart Godly lady who I have only spoken to a handful of times, who gave me the timely reminder in the middle of Best & Less the other day.

I was venting and saying how God obviously thinks I need more patience and she simply said, "Well anything that helps us become more like Jesus..."

She's right! That's the point, purpose, plan of my life. To become more like Jesus. And you know what, the easy-peasy seasons are not the ones where that happens. It is the seasons where we have to cling to God and rely on Him for wisdom and patience and peace and self-control and love and ......

And so in this season when patience seems to be a virtue I am sadly lacking, I need to remember that the One with bucket loads of it, is wanting to teach me, train me, change me and see me become more like His Son.

Taking J for Granted

One of the many challenges I face in doing life well is.....not taking my husband for granted.

He is such a good and kind and loving and fun(ny) man. I need to tell him so...often.

He is a generous and gracious man in so many little (and big) ways. I need to remind him how much I appreciate those qualities.

He is responsible and sensible, thorough and organised. They are qualities I admire and certainly ones that help keep home life running smoothly.

He is trustworthy and faithful. What a blessing that is to me, his wife.

There's plenty about J that is to be respected, admired, appreciated. Plenty that I can say 'Thank-you' for. But sometimes, in the busyness of life...in the late afternoon moments when he arrives home and dinner is a mess and Little J is tired (and so am I)....in the evenings when the dishes and ironing and tidying are heavy loads (both physically and emotionally)....in early mornings when that alarm goes off way too early for my liking....in moments of selfishness and impatience, I take him for granted.

I have certain 'expectations' of him and when he meets those expectations I just think 'so he should' rather than 'thanks so much.'

I discovered Ann Voskamp's blog 'A Holy Experience' in the past couple of days and found a life transforming post (all about loving better). You might like to take a look at the 4s she recommends.... focusses, embraces, affirmations.

I have been much more conscious of these three things in the past couple of days and as I do them, it is helping me be more grateful, loving and affectionate towards my wonderful husband. So the challenge of not taking him for granted, is slowly being overcome.

Will you give them a try?

A Fresh Start

I love the beginning of a new school year. It is a joy to work where I do and so today, after a 2 hour stint of PD (the benefits of working part-time) with my vibrant and thoughtful and fun colleagues....I am excited!

I am excited to plan for a new term. I am excited to start teaching next week (even if it is only 1 afternoon a week). I am excited to put on my new uniform. I am excited to take the Wednesday afternoon journey with 20 delightful teenaged girls. I am excited to share my faith with them in Biblical Studies. I am excited to be teaching alongside of some of the most talented and nicest people you will ever meet.

No doubt some of the excitement will have abated by oh, about week 3 when we get into assessment. But I will try to remember this feeling of anticipation and joy. I will try to remember the reason I plan and prepare and teach.

What excites you? And how do you sustain the joy and excitement when the going gets a little tough?

Legacy

I want my life to matter. I want to make a difference in the lives of those I know. I don't want to be famous or rich or remembered by the masses. I want to live to inspire rather than impress. 

One little old lady I knew well...my Nan...lived that kind of life. She stepped into heaven early on the morning of December 28th, 2011. We farewelled her with a 'Celebration Service' on New Year's Eve. Here's what I wrote as a tribute to Nan on behalf of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren...of which there are plenty:)

Life is………..How would you finish that thought?

In light of today’s events, life is obviously a gift…and one to be shared and celebrated and honoured.

As we grandchildren and great grand children of Pearl Litzow stand before you today, we do so to honour a life well lived…that of our Nanna. We honour her for running the race well….with perseverance and courage, with joy and faith, and with love.

And we share a few simple thoughts and memories to remind us of good times. And to pass on to our children and hopefully they to their children, the importance of living life well.

In The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, he explores life through the lens of three metaphors…life is a TEST, a TRUST and a TEMPORARY assignment. If that is true, then Nanna Litzow excelled at life.

If life is a test than she passed with flying colours. Many of us appreciate her incredible courage to keep on keeping on with life despite trials and pain. As she was tested with the loss of Grandpa, the grief of saying farewell and then having to embrace a totally different life alone, she did so with determination and a matter-of-factness that we all can learn from. Mowing acreage and learning to drive are 2 rather large hurdles to overcome especially when you are in your late 60s and early 70s. Many of us admired Nan’s strength and courage at that time. Just as we admired her grace and patience during her time of illness. Shortly after her cancer diagnosis last year she told us that whether she lived or died from this thing, she would be happy, because she would either live, and still be here with us or she would die and be with her Jesus. To her it was a win/win situation. The test of sickness and pain, of disease and discomfort was passed by Nanna with faith and pure grit. And in doing that, she set a fine example for us.

If life is a trust, then she was one of those ‘who to much was given and much was expected.’ And she delivered. She may not have had great wealth, but what she did have, she shared with all of us. She shared her time – so many of us remember visits with Nanna years ago and more recently too where she would take the time to teach us how to crochet, or cook, or play dominos or….. Brett especially appreciates the 10 years of  Friday lunchtimes he shared with nanna when he worked in the Lowood branch.

She shared her food – lots of delicious, yummy home cooked goodies we will never forget. Her special sponges and her tomato, onion and cream dressing for the Sunday roast chickens. Her bottles of apricot jam that you had to write your name on because it was such a precious commodity and we didn’t always like to share it. Her white and blue lolly jar on the bench at the Lowood house. And of course those cold, refreshing iceblocks she would give those of us stupid (or brave) enough to accept big cousin Brett’s dare to eat nanna’s chillis straight of the bush.

She shared her gift of sewing and crafting….with lovely clothes made and all of us girls recipients of a beautiful hand-pieced patchwork quilt. She shared that mower…some of the boys remember burning holes in the backyard and their bottoms after lapping the backyard with one driving and 2 on the hessian bag being towed behind.

She shared her faith – there’s no greater gift than to pass on your knowledge of God and your love for Him to your family. And that’s what Nanna did. Through her prayers and her conversations and even through her cards and letters, she reminded us of the things of eternal value and how they are to be the foundation of our lives. Isaac says “I always remember that whenever asking nanna a question totally unrelated to God she would some how turn the whole conversation around and by the end be declaring Gods never ending love for us.”

We are very thankful that nanna was a lady who took what God entrusted her with and blessed others with it. She was a good steward of the gifts she was given.

If life is a temporary assignment then Agent Nan is back at base, enjoying the praise and presence of her ‘handler’. Her time with us was fleeting as we consider that none of us grandies will have any more than 41 years with her, but she lived well during her time and she leaves a legacy that will far outlive her. And that’s the best way to live. She leaves memories of funny comments and cooking delicacies like the best ever roast pumpkin….of camping adventures in her 70s including being the 5 foot lady with the 7 foot fishing rod….of being the domino queen and the tennis addict….of a warm delicious smelling kitchen and even warmer hugs. She leaves all of us an example of how to live life with a great love for family and a deep, strong faith.  She leaves the reminder that the greatest treasure in the world is peace with God…and we are excited that at her passing, this peace with God just took on a depth, intensity and joy that we can’t even begin to imagine. A fitting reward for a lady who has completed her temporary assignment and can now look forward to her permanent and eternal one.

There is much more we could say and share but we will save that for our own times of remembering and reminiscing.

So to finish, we simply say ‘Thank-you Nanna…you were a blessing to us all. And we look forward to seeing you again. So in that home in heaven, stock the fridge and open wide the doors. And give Grandpa a hug for us too.”

2012

This morning I was reading little j a couple of Jesus stories during breakfast. It's a part of our morning routine. The book is simple with cute pictures of puppy dogs and fluffy lambs on every page...okay, they're not exactly a true representation of Bible times, but they sure keep little ones interested.


Anyway, the stories we were reading were from Jesus' last week on earth. And as we read them, I was again reminded of why I follow Jesus. Look what He offers and promises....

But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. (Luke 22:32) 

Jesus wants our success in faith, and He prays for just that. His greatest desire is for His brothers and sisters in the faith to be strong and courageous, to be faithful and to persevere. And not only does He set the example for that, but also, He prays on our behalf for God to allow it to be so.


In the garden on that terrible night of His betrayal (at the hands of a friend) He reminded those who followed Him to not be afraid. John 14: 1-7 tells us: 

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him 

and have seen him. 

Jesus has our future in His hands...trustworthy, open, generous hands. When we follow Him we follow the Way...the way of plans and purposes, of meaning and significance. He brings Truth and gives us Life.

So as a new year gets under way I am reminded of the One I will be following throughout 2012. He is good...He is truth and life....He is for me....and He is God. And that's more than enough.