Wow!

Isaiah 65:24 

 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

 

Doesn't it just give you goosebumps!

update

So I just finished reading John. I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it! Though it seems whenever I sit down to read that the kids will come up and whinge and whine at me to do something or other. That has been driving me crazy.

Next? Who knows. I am still praying, but I suspect it will be another gospel. I feel I need to learn more about the Holy Spirit since I grew up in a Bretheren church  (no, not those weird exclusives..) when practically no attention was given to the Holy Spirit for fear of turning into one of those frowned-upon charismatic types. So I will be heading to Acts soon, but I think I need to get more Gospel into me first. Surround myself with as much Jesus as I can.

Did I mention how much I am loving this??? I REALLY AM!

The post with no title

I figure it has been nearly a week since my last blog, so it must be time to write another. But I am all out of ideas for what to write. So this is going to be a little bit of this and that :-)

A few weeks ago while in the turbulent midst of my thyroid-caused-anxiety-stress-mess (I'm hoping to be at the tail end of it now...) I discovered (with the help of my wonderful counsellor) that I am at a crossroads. I know that seems pretty obvious - you don't have mid life crisis' or bouts of nervousness when things are peachy.. Anyway, part of this *crossroad* is related to my christian beliefs (should that be a capital C???) and how seriously I take it.

Sure - I love God. I try to be a good christian and do the right things. But oh my how I fail. Not that I do anything about it other then hide those discrepancies away and pretend they don't exist.

Yeh, I am sure you can see where this is going...

Eventually my brain said enough. I am back on the antiD's and seeing a lovely lady who also loves God!

Aforementioned lady has helped me see some pretty big flaws in my methods and is challenging me to change. One of them being my wanting to be a godly woman and yet I only seem to cling to Him during the really difficult times (those I'd-rather-forget-they-happened bouts of depression) and when things are fine and dandy, well - there's church on Sunday... that's surely enough?!

From this I am hoping to learn my lesson.. (I REALLY don't want to have to cover this ground again) I prayed for inspiration for where to open my Bible and woke in the middle of that night with a need to read the Gospel of John. That was a couple of weeks ago now and I've been very slowly plodding my way through it. I don't want to miss anything.

and

I've really been enjoying it! I'm already excited to see where I am supposed to read next. Initially I was expecting some lightening bolt moment of epiphany to come from reading the Bible (and then I'd be healed) but the more I read, the more I am realising that just the act of reading my Bible and being open to the Holy Spirit is enough.

I wont say that I'm out of the woods completely in regards to my anxiety, but I am a whole lot closer than I was. And I really don't want to go back to being that person anyway - I am learning to love change and the exciting journey God is taking me on!

Confessions from the heart

I often wonder how people really are when you ask them and they reply *fine* or *not too bad* or *good thanks*.

I often wonder how they really are. But I guess it isn't politically correct - or perhaps a bit awkward to answer *a little bit crappy actually* or *to be honest I'm feeling sad / angry / frustrated / etc*.

Sure, I appreciate that the checkout chick isn't interested in deep confessions from your soul, but why do we hide it from our friends and family?

I for one am a big culprit of this.

Is it being heroic? Making yourself the matyr? Are we afraid that we'll scare people off with our real self?

But is this pretense a good thing?


I think not. I wish people would ask me *how are you REALLY doing?* and expect and honest and raw answer. Sometimes it may be that I'm doing ok. Othertimes I may burst in to tears. But you know what? It's not that I want someone to fix the way I feel, but rather to feel safe and cared for enough to get these feelings and emotions out. Just to listen. Give a hug. Tell me it's going to be okay. That is all.

You know it's been a while...

... when you come back to your blog and discover all the images have been deleted by the hosts server! Oh no dear!!

Methinks I've fixed it though.


So what's new with you?? I was planning on writing a big update blog, but little miss has just wandered up to me and she is stinky! So I might just fix that up and plop her in the bath.

x♥o

Curly temple..

For my sisters wedding in a few short weeks, the Mealie Bug is going to have curls! We had a trial on Saturday (I thought for being 15 months old she did remarkibly well!) and I can't get over how different she looks, and how CUTE she is!

See for yourself :-)

Still, she's about the cutest thing I've ever seen..

Oh, and those wedding dresses are coming along very well! Nearly done :-)

Something recent..

Have you ever seen anything as cute as this??

Well, just in case you haven't, how's this for a rival...

Yeh, I know which I'd pick too!

So I can't believe that 30 years ago I was born. Crazy

Feeling ambitious!

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.... lovely church there was:

Starwars! (A Wedding!) 

Aside from the fact that it is very nearly our 8th wedding anniversary, I went on a witch hunt to find my dress because I was hoping that some of that lovely tartan fabric was hiding in there too.

You see, my Darling Husband has significant Scottish ancestry. He tells me that The Black Douglas is a long lost relative and I'm inclined to believe him.

(See! They even wore the same clothes ;) )

Anyway. I opened the giant suitcase full of my wedding dress and remembered that I still hadn't had it cleaned. Far from being the perfect bride, I'd just taken it off and packed it away. 

So when I opened the suitcase all those memories flooded back. 

So naturally, I stuffed it into my washing machine, threw in a little nappysan and hoped for the best.

(It survived!)

Now I'm just waiting for it to dry completely, so I can try it on again. I do it each year on our anniversary. This year it will be a week early because I couldn't be bothered getting it down again after I put it away!

♥ Happy (early) Anniversary Darling Husband of almost 8 Years! ♥

Brrrrr

I'm cold!

But I LOVE IT!

♥ Sisterhood and the bestest of friends ♥

A little while ago, we had a Tea Party to take some promotion photos for our ladies ministry at church. It was a wonderful afternoon of celebrating sisterhood and the friendships that have evolved between young and old. (Shelley, your lack of presence was lamented by all).

To my most pleasant surprise, I was gifted a few of these shots on Sunday as I arrived for the morning service.

Don't they look FANTASTIC!!? I wish I had the pleasure of owning all of them!

A special shout out to 2 Little Bunnies for the photography. Highly recommended folks! In fact, I am hoping to use this talented lady for some of our own family shots in the future.

Holidays and the new 'do!

Last week the husband and I managed to escape for a few days sans the Aphids. We took the Bug and went to Worldmark Golden Beach on the sunny, Sunshine Coast. It's very close to Caloundra for those not in the know. Absolutely beautiful!

(we took the Bug because I am still feeding her... I can't wait till Hobart next year when we can go completely child free!)

As a disclaimer, I'd like to say that apparently the husband sucks, isn't as talented as your average, could do with some practise with taking photos of moi. Sorry 'bout that.

So in those pics you can sort of see my new hair cut. Much shorter again! I really like it, although for practicality methinks I will let it grow out a smidge longer. Also, you can't actually tell that I am not in focus - so all my declarations of untalented husbands look like me being overly pernickity. Humf!

And speaking of a new 'do'...

  

CUTE!!

Oups. A little late..

With the terrible end to last week that I had, I also had a lovely end to last week.

Confused much?

Happy Amélie Number 1 Day!!