One thousand gifts

I follow Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience.  In today's post - How Do You Find joy? she shares a DVD series that she has put together to go with the book.  So I took the opportunity to finally purchase the book.  I have been on and off writing my gifts.  Time to make it more.

It starts with this.  The dare to live fully right where you are.  To count gifts.  Not the gifts that you want to receive but those you have already been given.

What a difference a day makes

Sunshine. It does wonders to the soul. 

This may look just like a pile of washing.  But, do you see the sunlight?  It brings new life and joy.  It may seems simple but the act of getting washing out, in and folded and away in the same day is bliss.  It has been so long wet, windy and grey I had almost forgotten what the warmth of those rays can do.

When life gets chaotic and I struggle to find breath for even the basics of life I take hold of what I can control.  Embrace the imperfection and instead do enough to make it better.  There are so many things that I want to improve around our place.  If you check out my pinterest page you will find many beautiful images that I would love to have in my space.  Until then I am content with what I have.  It is not an easy choice.  I am learning to find joy in the scratches and dings and the brokeness by holding on to what has already come to be, through time and hard work and saving for better things.

So yesterday I set about making some changes {sorting again as my darling husband calls it}.  I started with the car.  It is well used and needed a clean.  Heading in to summer calls for beach gear and hats and sunscreen to replace the beanies and jackets of winter.  It was getting into a shambles so I added a bucket for the new found bits and pieces and tidied away the old.
 

Spare clothes bag.  A set for each boy plus spare hats etc 

so we can enjoy wherever we go without fear of getting dirty or wet.
Bucket with sports gear, towels, hats, sunscreen and a picnic rug.

On to the pantry.  If you look closely into the back you will see that my pantry is actually the hot water cupboard. One day I will have a pantry.  Till then I was sick not being able to get at things and everything tipping out so I pulled it out and had a rearrange.

Lying around the kitchen I have had several boxes and bags of goodies - chilles, grapefruit and more.  So I tidied and squeezed and cut.  Now I have bench to work on again and nothing to trip over.

It may seem like a lot but it didn't take too long and everything I used I already had on hand.  When all was done I was even able to bike to the park on the way to kindy for some time with my little helper.

Even better is that today I am having a great day.  The morning get up and off was the best it has been and the cupboard is now full with groceries.  It feels good to be sorted.

A new beginning

It has been sometime since I wrote.  Where have I been? On Sunday September 16th, 2012 my world was changed forever when I got the news that my Dad has passed away suddenly.  It has taken some time to get back to routines and do more than just going through the motions of life.

Yesterday was the first day I have felt the heaviness lift.  I heard this line in a song - Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, and read this post - How to Handle Losses at A Holy Experience.  I choose to praise Him.

Through it all I have learnt much. Even as I write this post I found these posts How to Live the Really Best Bucket List and How to Live, Blog, Write.  I know that I have more to say.  It is just going to take some time.

For now here is the poem that I wrote for Dad.

 

There are not enough words

Or pages I can find

To write a fitting legacy

For you are one of a kind

But the words they start to come

And the memories overflow

The stories keep on coming

From the lives you've touched of those you know

At the place that we call home

Your fingerprints are everywhere

There's not a place I can look

That doesn't radiate your care

You always had the time

No matter how long it would take

You knew what was important in life

It's not things, but the memories you make

You always taught us to be our best

In your quiet way

I'm proud, stand tall, be true, be you

Do what you've set your mind to is what you'd say

The greatest gift a father can give

You proved time and again

Is to love their mother

You were her soulmate and her friend

You are our rock of strength

A solid stone beneath our feet

You gave us roots and wings to fly

And touch the lives of those we meet

You've laid your tools to rest

Hung up your rod and hat

Your hard work is now done

Put your boots down by the mat

The time has come, it is too soon

I still can't believe you're gone

It is good night and not goodbye

In us your legacy lives on

With hugs and kisses I know full well

He's waiting for you there

So into the Father's arms

I dedicate your care

Now to those of you who knew him

There is just one thing I ask of you

The love he shared, please pass it on

One of the greats has gone, but it's time the ripple grew.

Colleen

The last verse of the poem refers to the stones that we used in the service.  When you throw a stone in water the ripples that result radiate outward.  Dad was our rock and in memory we can carry on the love that he shared.  So everyone was invited to take a stone when they came to put a flower on the casket.  The idea was to throw it into water or place it somewhere as a reminder of how Dad touched their lives.

Till next time

To the power of three

To the power of 3

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

A car is made to run on gasoline and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is not any other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way. God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. CS Lewis

Whatever you think of me and what I do. It is not about me. For everything I do there is one thing I changed to make it happen and several things that I choose not to do. Since making the date for the night  I originally shared this message,  I had been so challenged about what I  shared. I had nothing else booked for that week. As it happens things changed and I had had more than I could possible imagine fitting in. That day alone I prepared for the night, went to the school cross country, visited my son's intermediate open day, and had soccer practice on top of what I already do in a day {which always seems like not much when you have a 3 year old helping}. At every turn I have met with struggle. 

But I am always reminded that He has overcome the world and I need to press on.  Phil 3:14  If God can handle eternity then I can handle today.

There is something powerful in meeting with someone and sharing the journey.  Why wait for the next big thing, inspiring speaker or programme. I believe we have what we need, we just need to access it. We as a group of women have the opportunity to do more than has been before. To define our lives not let life define us. To stand together to be enough. Confident with where we are, yet fighting for who we hope to become. And pass it on.

There is so much more but for now - enough said

but keep watching this space..........

Plus One

+1

Ever said to yourself I will do............. when I …............ but, I am not there yet. Something I always said until I discovered there is no there. There will always be something else. Life is continually changing. Even with a destination it is not about the arrival but who we become. We get so overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done we do nothing. The phrase that women can do anything has been misinterpreted as women can do everything. We can do everything................. we are supposed to do................ but not all at once.

In my previous enough posts I outlined how we need to see who we are, what we have and what we do, as enough.  God loves us just as we are but he loves us too much to leave us this way.

We all have to do lists and things we want to improve on.  What if instead of trying to do it all we chose one thing that would make a difference and do it.  I always ask myself 'how good would it feel if I ...........' 

I have been really challenged by the Faith at Home series that the church has put together. There are a number of things that I have been meaning to do. My Faith box is collecting dust, we really only say grace on occasion. So I was inspired by something I saw on the internet. A family basket that had prayer sticks and study notes and children's bibles. . Til then I had put the bibles by the childrens beds thinking we would read them more. So I put it together and put it on the table. No we didn't do anything with it. It sat. The boys asked questions. I told them what it was. We eat meals to nourish us and give us energy for living. We read the word – the bread of life to give us food for our growth as a Christian. I have been reading my word for today more. At the end of meals we have read one or two stories and studies. All from doing one thing. 

If I know where I want to go then each step I take towards it is a step in the right direction. I remind myself how good it feels to be where I want to be. As much as I love achieving something I am enjoying what happens along the way. Something my boys have taught me. Riley loves to stop and smell the roses.

You have to know where you are headed. What is your purpose?  What is your one thing? I read this post just the other day from Brave Girls Club

Dear Seeking Girl,
So much of the greatest joys in
life come from moving something out of the way so we can see what we are
intended to see. Often we focus on a problem or an issue, sometimes doing it to
ourselves, and sometimes allowing someone else to keep putting something
stressful in front of us over and over again. And then it grows so big that we
can not see everything else around it, behind it, above it, below
it.
Everything has a place. Everything has a time. Everything has a
season.
When we allow something to consume all of our thoughts, all of
our vision, all of our energy, to suck up all of our joy, all of our heart, all
of our goodness, we are not letting anything else in our life have its place,
its time or its season.
If the issue that is causing you to struggle was
written on a tiny piece of paper and you put it RIGHT in front of your eyes, it
would make it so that you could see nothing else. It wouldn’t MEAN that nothing
else was there, it would just mean that it is not in its place. Take that “piece
of paper” and put it down on a table where you can see it with everything else,
how small it is, how much surrounds it, how much bigger the sun and the sky and
everything good is, how it does not deserve as much attention from you as it is
getting.
Dear friend, beautiful girl, take that worry from in front of
your face and see the people who love you, the way things keep working out, the
way the sun rises each morning. Hear the sounds of your life, taste the tastes
of your life, remember the things you have already learned and been through.
Remember how you want to feel and where you want to be. Pick it up as needed and
deal with it as needed, but then put it back down and live your life. Life is
meant to be joyful.
You are so loved. There is a better way. Always go
where the peace is.

What change could you make that would make a big difference to how you live your life?

I am happy. Not because of my circumstances but because

I do not do this alone. 

To be continued.....

Wardrobe Wednesday

Such a great post today.  Miriam gave some great thought into how we play the numbers game. I love the fact that by linking in at Wardrobe Wednesday we are keeping it real. I found this verse via pinterest. 

1 Peter 3: 3-4

A great reminder to keep things in perspective when it comes to fashion.  We shouldn't be obsessed about it but neither should we be so unconcerned that we don't bother.  I am enjoying putting together different pieces that I have and finding gems at pre-loved clothing stores.

Last week at Wardrobe Wednesday I mentioned having a pattern for a wrap that I wanted to make. Well I found the perfect material and got onto it last week.  My first attempt at creating something myself.   So here is me in some of the different styles you can wear it. Still getting used to how it works. Definitely have my favourites. Still thinking that I put too much material in the back piece as there seems to be a lot to gather.

Turtleneck

Blouse

Cardigan

Poncho

Tunic

Joining in at Create Hope Inspire

I do enough

I do enough
You have probably already heard - Take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else and 'They grow up so fast' meaning leave what you think you need to do and do what you ought to do. Its just not always easy to just leave everything that needs to be done. While the washing will still be there tomorrow so will another couple of loads to add to it. It would be great to be able to prioritise what needs to come first and leave all the rest.  I can't do that.  I find it really hard to focus on what I am doing when there are other things to be done.  I wrote more about this in the She Will Run study - Guilt. You can read it here.

In short I have certain things that I do so I know I have done enough.  My solution is to simplify what I do so I can do what I was made to do. For every task required there is a simpler way to do it.  And there is always more to do

You do enough

Heard it all before?  

Are you saying to yourself.......

I could never..........

Its all very well for her she.......

that is just the point - the equation is I not her.

I don't think we need to learn anything new. Rather we need to acknowledge what we already know and do something with it. It is about making a start. Even if a little imperfect.