enough

Time for a rest

It is no coincidence that I read this on the Bible app verse for today

Isaiah 40:31  

But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.  

They will fly high on wings like eagles.  

They will run and not grow weary.  

They will walk and not faint

and this from Brave Girls

Dear Gorgeous Girl,

Chances are, you are needing some rest right now...after all, being brave is hard and exhausting work.

Would it be so bad it you took a little break and let yourself recharge? Of course it wouldn't be a bad thing....to the contrary, it would be a VERY GOOD thing for you to do, especially if you can't even remember the last time you let yourself rest for a little while.

Choose a good, uplifting book and let yourself read it without interruption, take a hot bath....get under the covers for an afternoon nap. You've got to recharge or you will burn out...it's just a fact of life. This doesn't mean you are weak, it means you are human...and little breaks here and there are an essential part of a productive life.

Enjoy some time to yourself...you deserve it. You are loved.

xoxo

and this at the word for today.

'To know whether something is right or wrong for you, 

you need only ask one question: 

'How will this affect my confidence before God?  

I have been weary of late.  The reminder that winter is a time to hunker down and hold fast during the storm.  It is grey and there is lots of washing to cycle through, that never seems to dry.  The nights are cold and all I want to do is snuggle up with a good book or watch a movie by the fire.  The boys have continued to switch up a gear in what they eat.  I feel like I am always in the kitchen fixing another meal to fill the hungry tums. What follows of course are all the dishes.  So today was a time for me to rest.  To slow life down.  I stayed home and took each moment that I had to do the next thing that I wanted to do.

Feeling recharged and ready to go on.

In Memory of Nana

Olive Beatrice Mae King

17 August 1927 - 21 June 2012

You slipped away that night

beneath the moon, twas but a sliver

painted in the sky

a message you wanted to deliver

as I drove away

it was the sight I saw

a last glimpse of you

before you knocked at heaven's door

while I didn't want to go

I had done my part

in writing your last chapter

it will remain forever in my heart

though the bindings cracked

and the favourite pages seem to bend

your life tells a story

worth reading to the end

as the memories overflow

what first comes to mind

was the times spent as a family

these days that's something that is very hard to find

we would pile round to your place

whatever the occasion

for wonderful food and staying up late

seemed it never took much persuasion

there was cotton reels to play with

and sliding down the stairs with cousins

board games and hide & seek

fun and laughter by the dozen

BBQ's a plenty

and fishing at the beach

then of course a fry up

at a level the shops just couldn't reach

Christmas was the best

with presents and food piled high

the chance to share this last with you

something we couldn't let go by

who can forget the hours

we put in at the farm we called our second home

there were carrots, parsnips and pumpkins

all scrubbed and tossed until they shone

I've never come across a strawberry

that is quite the same

countless dagwood sandwiches

with a cuppa for smoko to keep up our game

every school holiday

after grocery shopping with our Mum

we'd end up at your place with a donut

after hot chicken and coleslaw on our bun

the times when we were sick

it seemed we always knew

we could make a bed on your couch

and watch you sew as your pile of curtains grew

each time I went to brownies

you were always there

my proudly sewn on badges

a tribute to your hard work and care

you were always so proud

of the young ones as you called us

you were always the first I called to share results

a hearty congratulations was the chorus

and so the tale is almost told

this life we are passing through

the memories are so very near

of special times with you

but, the stars and moon are gone

seems all that's left to do

is take my rest

and the time to cry over losing you

Yet they are tears of joy

though not without its trials

we celebrate a life well lived

saved by grace you wear a smile

And know that God works it all for good

It's part of his amazing plan

so for now it is goodbye

till we meet again

By Colleen

Taking time to remember a loved Nana and Great Nana

A time to pull weeds

I have been putting it off.  The wet cold weather a very good excuse for not getting into the garden which so badly needs weeding.  Funny enough it actually looked like rain on Saturday when I donned a coat and beanie and headed out thinking I might get a bit done before it starts.  As it happened the rain never came, it was the lack of light and a need to cook dinner that called me in.

We had harvested the pumpkins and tidied the herbs and then life took over as it does and the garden was left.  As I weeded I found myself thinking how often I have had to weed this garden and vowed that I wouldn't let it get so bad again.  How much I actually enjoy growing things and how great it would be to make use of the garden that we have.  But, with the everyday, full on life of raising four boys and running a household the addition of two acres of land gets to be too much {even just this little patch of garden on the driveway}.

I wonder just what I signed up for and how great it would be to have a little quarter acre section.  Just for a minute.  I only have to look around and realise just how good we have got it and what lies ahead if I just keep moving forward. Our piece of the country right in town.  Because amongst the weeds there is goodness.  Plants have held on and are pushing through.  It just takes the time to clear away the things that hold them back.  We have done a lot in the five years that we have been here.

So it is with me. I have many seeds of thought that I have planted but they struggle through trying to grow amongst the noise that is my life.  The more often I weed the things that hold me back from doing what I should be, the more I grow.  As I caught up with blogs that I read I came across this post.  While the content caught my eye as I had recently written a similar post it was the quote in the picture that held me for longer -  'she loved life and it loved her right back'

To love life is a choice not a reaction to the circumstances I find myself in.  Time to pull weeds.

I choose - June

I choose

Only half way through the month.  I realised as I reflect on last month and look ahead to what I wanted to focus on this month, I have unintentionally achieved what I wanted to look at for this month.  It just goes to show that when you place things visibly before you they are more obvious.

My intentions from One Little Word for June is 'enough faith'. So many self help books and goal setting advice strives for a balanced life.  It was life changing when I came to the knowledge that to live fully I need to embrace the different elements of my life, not try and fit them into a certain time slot in my day or week.  In Stephen Covey's book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People he highlights the 4th Habit - Put First Things first as setting what is most important and putting it first.  To know what is important we need to look at what we centre our life on.  In this post from my series enough I touched on what that looks like for me.  Not Christ first - but Christ centred.

So I look back to look forward.  Last month's intentions will filter through to now as I continue with what enough faith looks like for me.

Choices for June

 Take part in study groups at church
Take Hello Mornings to the next level
Pray like I mean it

 Worship more than just on Sunday

I choose - May

I Choose

A change of season and I need to remember just what the cooler weather brings.  I can see why animals go into hibernation.  I have struggled to be motivated towards doing much of anything.  Combined with weekend's taken up with conferences, starting soccer and sickness I just haven't gotten to it.

I have found setting my goals each month really worth while.  I have had in mind the focus that I want to work towards.  This blog is certainly a great tool in keeping me on track..... when I write.  As I look back at April's intentions I see that one of my choices was to write the blog posts that have been waiting to be written.  I have so many ideas that I want to put here.  I need to take my own advice.  Instead of looking at all of it and doing nothing I need to look at one thing I can do and just start.  One of the best pieces of advice that I have taken from this class is the beauty in setting new choices each month.  You can look at what you put and discard it or move forward with it.  No sense beating yourself up about not achieving what you wanted.

I was able to pack away the summer things, reorganise and mostly clean the house.  I set up things for the school holidays.  They turned out quite differently though.  I have been thinking more about the plans for the studio.  It seems to be quite far down on the list.  As for setting some dates for more social events I have ideas in the pipleline.  The next thing is to actually book them in.

My intentions from One Little Word for May was 'enough play'.  I wanted to focus on having fun and enjoying time with my boys.  To do this I can see that I need to look at my fitness and am wanting to get moving more so I have the energy to keep up with the boys.  I also want to be sure that I am doing something for me.  I know that when I do it re-energises me.

Choices for May

Make dates for social events

Buy shoes suitable for walking

Use opportunities for playtime with the boys

Organise the big things so I can do the little things that matter

Get crafting at least once a week