Sorry it’s been a while

Here’s a quick update on my art! It’s going amazing! I am so happy with how well it’s going.

Lesson 8 was”Lady of Shallot”Teacher was Deanna Strachan- Wilson. Subject- John Williams Waterhouse loved it!!

I love how sad the Lady of Shallot looks my favourite poem, song and painting.

Next lesson number 9- Teacher Juna, Subject- Rembrandt and we used Charcoal.

I was a little disappointed with how she turned out until l looked at her again the next day. That chin! Beautiful!

Lesson 10- Teacher was Sharon Harkness-Dobler. Subject- Henry Ossawa Tanner, and l copied Henry’s original painting and l had a ball! I love this one!

Henry’s original painting on my computer screen, Sharon’s on the wall in yellow and mine next to it! First time doing a still life!

Lesson 11- Impressionists are here!

Teacher- Kara Bullock, Subject- Mary Cassatt, loves this lesson too and lm going to frame her!

Mary Cassatt l used her face to recreate her painting, happy with how she turned out. I almost gave up!

And then there was lesson 12- Teacher- Lucy Chen, Subject- Matisse we had to do a Fauvism style painting a selfie! Not my favourite!!

I don’t love this but l did it. I’m finding when l push past “I don’t like it” l feel prouder of myself for having done it!

So that brings us up to date on my “Let’s Face it” course!

I am currently away camping in Brim Victoria, we are doing the Art Silo Tour, it’s over a 200 kilometres stretch and the unused unloved wheat silos are being transformed as giant canvases! Here is the Brim one!

I’ll come back tomorrow and post some more of them.

Happy Easter everyone and spare a thought for the reason behind the season. Jesus died for our sins.

I almost forgot to write a blog…

Its been a busy day!

6:50am- Studying the Book of James, today we did verses 2:14-17 and then we colour code and S.O.A.K it.. So that takes a while.

Then I read half a chapter of my book, checked my online things like my emails and Facebook etc.

8:00am time to get up and get the Star Son off to School, by the time he leaves I’ve usually started a load of laundry, made the bed and done the dishes. So by 8:45am the house is clean, the Galah Charlie has been fed and entertained.

Each morning I start a fresh journal page and put a check list of jobs or things I want to achieve. It looks like this…

• Bible Study- James 2:14-17 
• Art-
• Crochet-
• Book-

Then as I have done the thing I make a note and tick it off..

Art– Yesterday I did a Bible page from Rebekah R Jones series called “Heaven is Calling” I am really loving the way Rebekah breaks down each lesson and shows us how she did her page and also breaks down the scripture so that we understand it more, LOVE that! 

And today I finished the page I began preparing yesterday, we had to do two layers of base coat and allow to dry then go over it with water colour which absolutely soaks the page.. While still wet we had to lay some cling film on top and smoosh it all around and then leave it to dry. I will confess that I was nervous about that process because let’s be honest I am yet to find a bible that has thick pages, so I waited with baited breath to see how it would turn out.

Cling wrap over wet water colour, a few nervous moments…

This is the final result. This was lesson 5 in Rebekah R Jones series “Heaven is Calling” we discussed how an Angel came to Gabriel and spoke to him, but he doubted that it was a message from God because “Why would God talk to me?” Well, now OUR God as I am getting to know him, and knowing how much he loves us, my question for Gabriel is “Why NOT me?” 

Anyways.. As you can see the cling wrap came off nicely and I am totally in love with how this background turned out, in fact, so much so I will definately be using that technique again. In Rebekah’s instructional video, she used a rubber stamp with white ink to make the word “Healed” I didnt have either of those so I hand wrote it and used a white posca pen, not the best choice, Im not happy with the “whitenes” I really prefer Rebekah’s brilliant white, but hey, we work with what we have and so overall I love this page! Yesterday I also started prepping todays page, again, another two coats of sealer were required. 

Today’s “Heaven is calling” lesson was anout Mary and Martha. When they met Jesus, Mary dropped at his feet and listened intently to all he had to speak of, but Martha, poor, Martha was side tracked preparing the feast and looking after everyone and so she asked Jesus “Lord, dont you see what Mary is doing? Leaving all the work for me to do? Are you not going to tell her to come help me?” (side note… I can hear MY voice coming out Martha’s mouth!) Jesus gently rebuked Martha and told her that Mary was doing the right thing and that she was having doing a good thing and he would NOT rebuke her and that Martha should “Choose the good portion” hmmm, something to think about next time I am wanting to moan about having to do all the work. Here’s what my version looked like…

So my Bible art is well and truely back on track and I am loving it and realising I have been missing my small bite sized chunks of art!

I am also working on a FREE art journaling class with Allyson Bright, she also has us in a FB group, so we can add our work there and ask for feedback if we want it. So here are some of those pages… Today was lesson number 5- the prompt was to do a page about an animal we love, we we have plenty to chose from but I found this lovely photo of my poodle Ambrosia so I did a page on her.

Yesterday- I did day 3- “What is your Name?” Now since no one uses my name much, I chose to honor the other names I am called. Mum, Marley, Mumsy, Mumma from my children. Grandma and Me Maa from my Grand babies, amd my husband AKA “The Bloke” calls me “His Sheila” so this page represents all that. 

Also yesterday, because the boys were at late football training and I had some spare time I did another page, this was for day 4- a list of “Things that make me happy” .. I love lace, pearls, glitter, chocolate, coke a cola, roses, my Bible study lots of things! 

Next on the list is crochet, I am currently crocheting a blanket for my soon to be born Grand daughter, and I chose to do it in chunky wool so it’ll be nice and warm and quick to make. I am doing corner to corner again, since my daughter loved the last blanket I made for my niece’s baby due in November. 

Then we have reading.. Well I have to schedule that in as well or else it doesnt get done, so I am currently reading yet, another Di Morrissey book, this one is called “The winter sea” I love that most of her books are set all in Australia or at least partly Australia and partly another country. So I got a chapter and a half of that read.

So that brings me up to fate. i thought I would share my arty stuff only occasionally so you dont all get bored.

My Faith is His Joy or Que Sera Sera!

I will keep on expecting you to help me. Psalm 71:14 Today’s Food for Thought: This simple phrase, these few words: I will keep on expecting you to help me. They hold great power. The power o…

Source: My Faith is His Joy

If you have time to follow the above link to read the whole post PLEASE DO!!!

Yes! again, I am sharing a post from Cooking up Faith. I feel that we seem to be on the same Journey or wavelength and I find myself saying “Yes! me too” to her posts, today is no different and let me explain why…

Faith… Hebrews 11:1 says, It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

Even before I started my journey with the Lord I knew that “Someone was watching out for me” how else could you explain the things I’ve done in my life? I used to think that is was My Dad watching out for me… he died when I was 24 and 3/4’s before things started to go wrong. So when I winged my way through tricky situations and make decisions that were good but I didn’t know where they came from I would think “Thanks Dad for helping me” and now I look back and realize it was my “Dad” helping me but it was my “Heavenly Father” and not my earthly one.. makes total sense now.

In the above Post Cooking up Faith mentions “My husband is in a line of business that holds many possible projects at any given time, yet not all always pan out. We never know which ones for sure will come through.”

My Husband is the same, but recently his company decided that they would be asking people to take “Volunteer redundancy” packages. My husband has been at this company for 20 plus years and so he wanted to find out “what his worth was” so he asked the HR lady to tell him the figure. She explained that in order for her to give him that information he had to sign a form “expressing interest in taking the package” he argued he DIDN’T want to take the package he just wanted to find out the figure. It went back and forth and in the end he reluctantly signed the form.

A week went by and she came back with a figure. It wasn’t what we were expecting. Another issues being that as he has just turned 60 he is not eligible for the “Aged Pension” until 65 yrs. So we would have to both go looking for jobs to be able to get a part payment. Anyways…. LONG Story cut short… I got a bit worried.

I have been a stay at home Mum for 25 yrs. I went back to work briefly when Daughter number 2 was small but hearing her screams following me down the street on the way to work made me realize it wasn’t worth the money. So I became a stay at home Mum and have been since. I did offer when Master 14 started Secondary School to go and get a job, but the Bloke pointed out that we are OK, we own what we have, we don’t owe anyone money and we have a nice life. I have never been a clothes horse, or shoe freak or handbag collector so we don’t have huge bills. He wanted me to stay home and be a Stay at home Mum, but now suddenly that might all change.

So I did the only thing I know to do, I went to my Heavenly Father and explained the situation to him and said “If you want me to have a job please help me find one I am qualified for” that’s the problem! 25yrs of raising children and now Grand children doesn’t pay in much except endless love, but what skills do I have to offer? All the “jobs” I have done over the years have all been Volunteer. So even though I was a Secretary and a Treasurer for a Rock n Roll club, I didn’t get paid, I also didn’t get paid for the articles I wrote for the magazine, and I didn’t get paid for the weekly radio program we ran. All those skills are un paid, can I use them in a “real” job? So I went to God and I prayed and I am praying still, if I NEED to go get a job and let me be clear I am WILLING to do that to make the Bloke’s life easier. Please Lord, help me find something that I can do and that I will be capable at.

It’s that faith, that lead me to a Facebook page that helps locals find jobs, and within a week I found three jobs part time that my Husband would be suitable for.

It’s that faith, that tells me it’s Ok it will work out, don’t get worried, and keep HIM calm too. My Husband is a NON Believer but that’s OK I pray for him each day, on his behalf, and so though he doesn’t know it God’s got this under control.

So far my Husband’s Redundancy request has not been accepted, and we both think that if it’s going to happen it’s going to happen and though he FEELS a bit stressed about the whole thing, I feel calm and secure in the knowing that whatever happens God’s got this covered.

As “Cooking up faith” says “Did you know that we give God joy when we expect Him to take care of us?”

Because It’s that faith, that makes me confident that though our daily lives might change a better version of our lives will come from it. So we might need to tighten our belts and maybe take a few less plane trips, (My Husband will LOVE that, he hates to fly!)  use some more “plain label” shopping goods, cook more meals in bulk and freeze for another day, I’ve been through that before, I can do that again!

I can’t see the future, it’s all in God’s timing, but I KNOW that he loves us and wants us to be the best “US” we can be.

So “Que Sera Sera” whatever will be will be!

Happy New Year!!

Here we are at the start of another year.

I have been taking a break from blogging and journaling since I got back from our Big Lap.

So many things have been happening, I just didn’t have time or energy to blog and even my poor journal has fallen by the way side.

So here is a quick update….

We got back in November and hit the ground running…

November 21st Sweetpea turned two and we had an afternoon tea, in the meantime we started cleaning the back deck which needed cleaning and finished the garden boxes which have been nick named “garden coffins” they are that shape.. we planted them with Daphne, a tomato plant, a gardenia and an Australian native I am still to get a rose for the other Grand daughter.

We had Wedding rehearsal on the Wednesday which was the 25th and had a final look at the space where we would be setting up the reception etc. I also got my eye brows waxed and tinted and my nails done, a little bit of spoiling after roughing it in tents for two months.

Sunday 29th November 2015.

Still cant quiet believe I haven’t written about this yet, I am guessing after my Grand babies births this was so far the greatest highlight of my life. My first born got married. We still don’t have the wedding photos back yet but I’ll share a few of the ones I do have.

The Bridal party,

Left to right… Stewie, Bride-Jasmin, Groom- Brett and Ella.

My new Son-in-law Brett and my beautiful girl.

 

“Aunty Jazzy” and flower girl “Sweetpea”

I’m not sure what she was doing here but I love that face!!

 

Mother and Son dance.

 

Page Boy, and Son of the happy couple
“Squishy”

 

This is my cousin and her family and my first ever photo bomb, taken by the photographer!!

 

Escorting my girl down the aisle.

This is going to be a wall shot!! taken by our photographer Gabbie Hine.

I escorted her down the aisle and I don’t know how many people I had telling me what a blubbering mess I would be.. I shocked them all and even myself when I didn’t cry, not even during my speech which actually made a few people laugh! I made it through, my goal for the night was to do my speech without A- crying and B- inserting umm or errr in too many places In fact I didn’t stumble at all! I was so proud of myself and then my Brother Bill made me cry before the night was out but that wasn’t about the wedding so it’s not counting!!

After the Wedding we had Squishy’s 2nd birthday party and then fast came upon us Christmas.

Christmas…. hmm, if you were reading my posts in 2014 you might have read that I do not like Chrtistmas, I don’t like the commercialism of it all.. you stress and worry and within minutes it’s all over and the day goes on. But this year I decided to embrace the festive season and even suggested we have lunch at home… *sigh* sometimes I’m such a fool and this highlights it all.. Next year (or this one anyways!) I’m not having Christmas in fact plans are being made to go away for a month to Tasmania camping.

We decided to have lunch at our house, so the Bloke cooked a turkey our first ever and roast pork. My cousin and her family came and brought chickens and potato salads. We also had hot vegetables and roasted potatoes and pumpkin and gravy, and then the weather heated up to 39C and we all baked along with the food!! There was a wild fire about 1.5 kilometres away and e sat on the back deck, fighting away flies and fanning away the smoke.

The turkey and roast Pork were a huge success and we were happy with how they turned out, but the rest of it I didn’t enjoy! I find that you rush around waiting on everyone and making sure the house is clean and the presents are wrapped and then the whole day is over and you rush around doing the dishes and the floors and getting rid of a mountain of wrapping paper. I “tried” to embrace it and failed I don’t enjoy it, I’m not doing it again!!

As soon as all that was over we took off to Bel Far Niente for a few days to unwind from all that madness… which lead us to New Year EVE!

This year we went camping with some good friends to Ballarat. We have been to Ballarat a gazillion times and so I wasn’t terribly excited to go camping there, but it just goes to show be careful of judging, because we had a great time. The caravan park we stayed in “Goldmine” had a great solar heated pool which we gladly spent a lot of time in and out of. The bathrooms were clean and well cared for, there was a camp kitchen and  plenty for the kids to do, so My Bestie and I were able to sit and crochet and chatter or read our books or just lounge around, it was HOT!! We stayed there until Sunday 3rd January.

So that brings us up to now and New Years Resolutions.. I make them each year I kind of look at them as “goals” and I check back on them often. So this year I made three.. easy ones…

1. Gain my diploma in Biblical studies. (I need to do 144 units, so far I’ve finished 3)
2. Become a vegetarian ( we had raw roast lamb on 1st Jan 2016- normally I don’t mind it a little bit rare but this was too much blood and it made me feel quite ill, and then I got this thought it my head a snippet of some bible verse about God being the lamb and the blood of the lamb.. and that was enough for me.. I quit meat on the spot!)
3. Read 50 books for the year.

In 2015- I did a challenge with Reannon and Pip Lincoln  to “Read Australian Authors” and I did and I loved it I only read three non Aussie books all year, but I found I have a huge pile left still of Australian authors so I am continuing that on again this year. So I’ve made a Good reads Goal to read 50 books… here is what last year looked like.. 2015 in books

Anyways so that brings us up to date and hopefully I’ll be back into regular blogging to keep you up to date with whats new for 2016…

 

Lots of stuff…

Last week I went to the Doctor for my yearly check up.. seriously I never get sick enough (usually) to need a Doctor…Each year at the start I get my blood work done just so I know what needs attention.. there’s a history of liver (well, in their cases it was self-inflicted) and Diabetes type two.. which got my Dad in his early 50’s and because I’ve had two “Gestational Diabetic” pregnancies they say if I don’t watch out I’m in line for it as well… Umm… NO! I love chocolate too much!! Of course these days they have sugar-free everything but that’s not the point I don’t want to be restricting myself. I want to be healthy enough to jump on a pane at any age and go overseas without worrying about which medication I’ll need at what time… especially if it’s avoidable!

So last Friday I had the blood work done and went back yesterday for the results. Because as you might know I’ve been doing “the Daniel Plan” more details  http://www.danielplan.com/  And in November I went “cold turkey” on Coffee, Sugar, Dairy and gluten…. I didn’t read it right.. too much speed reading.. you were only supposed to do that for four weeks and then re-introduce things.. I went for eight weeks… I’ve brought back in breads in small quantities.. as for the coffee and sugar I don’t miss them as much as I expected.. yes I miss the “habits” of having a cup of Coffee.. but not the taste or sensations.. I’ve introduced “Green Smoothies” every day and that means plenty of greens back into my diet. And I make healthier eating options. My weight has stalled at 70 kgs (154.3 pounds) but that only means that I have lost 5 kilos and that’s a good thing. So anyways my problem has been tiredness.. I go to bed tired, I sleep like the dead, I wake up tired and by mid afternoon I need a nap.. so I wanted to see if the blood work would tell me something, maybe I need some iron?

The Blood tests came back perfect! and not only that, it’s been two years since I’ve had them done and it tells me that they are even lower than they were two years ago.. so the Daniel Plan is working. As for the “Spare tire” she reassured me that “menopausal woman” I HATE that word.. usually gain up to 10 kilograms and no matter how much you diet and exercise most won’t lose it until the “change” has passed… I wonder how much longer I’ve got to wait? I do remember however at my engagement party to my first husband how big my mother was, she had stacked on heaps of weight, and had to wear a size 16… and then five years later when you see her with my first born, she is slim to the point of skeletal.. so obviously that’s what was going on there.. According to the blood work I have been in “active menopause” since 2011, that’s four years… I wonder how much longer?

So Yay! all the bloods were good and she said “Whatever you are doing.. keep doing that EXCEPT!” and here’s where things get bumpy.. my leg has been doing this weird thing, throbbing and painful and it gets really hot.. so I asked her about that and she asked “Is there a history of blood clots?” well yes because my sister had a blood clot in her leg years ago. So she looked at my legs which (to me!) looked normal.. but she said “I’ll just measure I think one of fatter than the other” hmm… yep! a whole centimeter bigger.. how did I miss that? So she’s sending me off for ultrasound on my lower leg, but then she asked “if I do THIS, does it hurt?” As I almost hit the roof YES that hurt…” Oh okay, well maybe it’s your Achilles tendon then?” Since I was going to Physio next anyways she wrote him a note and asked him to look at it.. and off I went with an order for Ultrasound.

By the time I got to Physio which is for my shoulder.. (headaches be gone!) he said “it’s your left leg isn’t it? I can see it’s fatter than your right?” Self conscience much?!

He measured it and suggested that it could be my Achilles but unlike the DR he didn’t touch it..he’s given me some exercises to do for four weeks, and then if it’s still painful I’ll go back and he will work out a plan, but he did say to go do the Ultrasound anyways to rule that out and ask them to send him a copy as well.

But the BIGGEST Blow for the day was.. the only way to heal this is to rest it and it could take months! M-O-N-T-H-S !!! well I don’t drive I walk everywhere.. this is not good.. then stupid big mouth me told him, “You know last week between Monday and Friday I walked 54 kilometers” (33.55 miles) he was typing and he stopped and spun around and asked me ” you did WHAT?!” so I repeated it and he shook his head “NO Kim! that’s far too much walking!” but then he softened the blow with “You are looking great I can see your new plan is working but that’s too much!”

So I am housebound for a few days to rest it up and then off to Ultrasound and we shall see what happens.

Oh the joys of getting old huh??

 

Spiritual Sunday.. Exodus..

Hey this is like three weeks in a row that I’ve done my Spiritual Sunday actually on Sunday, yay me!

This week we were doing Exodus 21 through 25.

 Monday- Scripture- Exodus 21:12-16

Personal Injuries

 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.  But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

 “Anyone who attacks^[a] their father or mother is to be put to death.

 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

Application-

• These laws are to do with killing other people, it’s a pity they are not still in place today.
• Anyone who attacks Mother or Father shall be put to death (Emotional death in my case)

Tuesday- Scripture 22:28

 “Do not blaspheme God^[a] or curse the ruler of your people.

 Application-

• Blaspheme- The action of speaking against Lord our God, profanity, sacrilege, disrespect, Do not do that!
• Do not curse the ruler of your people (a solemn utterance intended to invoke supernatural powers, do NOT do that!

Wednesday- Scripture- Exodus 23:20-22

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.  If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.

Application-

• God looks after you always, even sending Angels ahead of you when he feels you need it.
• When you are a believer God supports you in good and bad times.

Thursday- Scripture- Exodus 24:15-18

When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,  and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.  Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Application:

• Do not fear the Lords commands he has good plans for those who believe
• When the Lord makes commands follow them.

Friday- Scripture- Exodus 25: 1-7

Offerings for the Tabernacle

The Lord said to Moses,  “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.  These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;  blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;  ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather acacia wood;  olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;  and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece

Application- 

• Do things as directed  and to a plan
• God gives us directions to follow them, he wants things exact.
• Tabernacle -residence or dwelling place. A portable altar for the Lord.

Blogging through the Bible

So now we are about half way through the book of Exodus, and God is telling Moses the Commandments he was us to live by.

Find out more at Courtney’s site: http://womenlivingwell.org/

Spiritual Sunday.. on Sunday! Surprise!!

Monday – Scripture- Exodus 16:28-30

“Then the Lord said to Moses “how long will you refuse my commands and my instructions?Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath: this is why o the 6th day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where thy are on the 7th day: no one is to go out? So the people rested o the seventh day.”

Application:

• The Lord says we should work hard and gather supplies for six days and on the seventh day we rest.
• Just as God created the world in six days and on the seventh he rested

Tuesday- Scripture-Exodus 17:14-16

“ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Application;

• Keep a record of your doings, do not attempt to argue with the Lord
• The Lord is the LORD, no other discussion is needed

Wednesday- Scripture-Exodus 18:24-27

“Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.  He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country”.

Application:

• Instead of wearing oneself out doing all the chores.. delegate! Let others help with the load,
• I can be the overseer of chores!

Thursday- Scripture- Exodus 19:23-25

“Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”So Moses went down to the people and told them.”

Application:

• be faithful to the Lord and he will look after you.
• The Lord will use you to speak to others.

Friday-Scripture- Exodus 20:24-26

“‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.  If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.  And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.”

Application-

• Make an altar to the Lord, as naturally as possible… no decoration.
• Sacrifice burnt offerings in God’s name, by blessing the Lord he will come and bless you.

 

So that is my take on this week in the Bible. I am loving this new bible study method, I am Really enjoying it.

 

Blogging through the Bible

NaBloPoMo- Day 30…Resolutions…

Friday, January 30, 2015
Are you still keeping the resolutions you made at the beginning of the month? Why or why not?

Ok, I had to go back and read what I’d written, it feels like a life time ago when I wrote that post and yet it’s just a month.. what a busy month it’s been.. so here is what I originally wrote:

• Go “deeper” with the Lord
• 2015- Aussie author reading challenge (Thanks Meet Mike for this idea) http://meetmeatmikes.com/2015-a-year-of-australian-writing/
• 2015- The Year of New recipes I will try a new recipe every two weeks (maybe every week we will see if I can involve the family) Thank you to “She who rambles” for that idea http://shewhorambles.com/2014/12/09/the-year-of-new-recipes/
• Continue with “The Daniel Plan” http://danielplan.com/

 

How am I going?

I am STILL going Deeper with the Lord. I am loving it too.

I have finished 5 books for the “Aussie reading challenge” and onto my 6th… as well as reading my Christian books as well.

The year of new recipes… I’ve made one new recipe so far, but as things start to calm down a little bit in my house I will revisit this goal and get back to attempting them fortnightly.

The Daniel Plan– has been half-hearted although I am still loosely following it.. I am STILL off coffee and tea. It’s been about 15 weeks. I re-introduced my soy linseed bread, but not to the level I was previously having it. I am still choosing “Gluten free” products when I need to. I have also upped my walking so that I am doing more steps. I am maintaining 70 kgs, I have three to lose to get to my goal weight and I will re-start The REAL Daniel Plan on 1st February. The good thing I’ve been doing through is “Green Smoothies” which I started as a “Green Smoothie Challenge” and found them a nice easy way to eat so much fruit and veg, well drink it really, and since I’ve always struggled with breakfast the Smoothies are great for that hurdle as well.

This prompt has been great to remind me of my goals…

 

 

NaBloPoMo.. catch up… day 27

Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tell us about your morning routine. What is one thing you want to change?

my morning routine consists of waking up between 6.40 and 6.50 am, once my eyes can focus I start my bible studies… at the moment we are doing Exodus and so I read that and then use the S.O.A.K method… (stands for S-Scripture, O-Observation, A-Application and K-Kneel in prayer.) Thats get written in a small ring binder. Then we use a colour chart to colour in the chapter, so my bible is getting very colourful and at the start I found it to be “time-consuming” but now I am enjoying it because my word for 2015 is “Deeper” and with this method you really have to pay attention to whats written there and use different colours for different things.

What is one thing I would like to change? Maybe to have a bit more time to soak deeper.. but I get my studies done and then I have to get the rest of the household into their morning routines.

NaBloPoMo– Habits.. One book?! say it isn’t so!

Thursday, January 15, 2015
If you had to read the same book year after year after year, what would it be?

If you asked me this last year I would have said “Gone with the Wind” I love the book, I love the history and I just love all of it.

but then In July last year I discovered the Bible, and Jesus, and began doing Bible studies and reading different bits, the challenge I had previously with the Bible was that I would pick it up and “attempt” to read it cover to cover… I never got far and always threw it away… and then I had a good Christian friend who explained to me “oh NO! you don’t read the Bible like a normal book” OHH.. “OK so how do I read it?” those seven words changed me! Because her answer was so thorough and helpful (Oh and I was trying to read the “wrong” sort of Bible, you know the ones with “thee, thou, shalt” etc ect, so she suggested NIV and start from there,) I brought myself a pretty little green bible and then I was too scared to mark the pages.. in my next letter from my pal I received a hand written sheet with verses and chapters to read for different things, and THAT begun my love affair with the Bible and the stories it held within. I have read a portion of it every day twice a day since then!

Along came “Good Morning Girls” with Courtney’s challenge to “Read the Bible in a year” so I signed up for that and have been working on her plan ever since. I know I have read some parts of the bible in other studies because the pages are highlighted (EKKK you HAVE to write in the Bible it’s mandatory.. that was a hard lesson to learn!!) but then I read it again in context to what I am studying and it seems to read differently.. so I am still learning from stuff previously read..

That is why if I can take ONLY one book, (and even typing that makes me feel nervous!!) I would choose the Bible.. as long as I could have my highlighters and crayons to colour code!!