Day 4- Life..

April 2019- my 17 year old son was playing football and hurt his knee. Hurt is an understatement he did the trinity of Knee damages, his ACL, his MCL and his Meniscus it couldn’t be much worse. That simple fall in the first 20 minutes of the first game of Football for the season. Seemingly innocent and yet.. here we are almost two years later dealing with that bloody knee!

The first time (yep l said “First time” it’s getting worse!) there a blog on my page somewhere about the horror, l still feel sick when l think of it and all the emotions of those six months come back easily. He ended up having three different surgeries and then got Golden Staph blood poisoning. Horrific!

He had a pic line in his arm to deliver drugs straight into his system, he had weeks in the hospital and then six more weeks at home with “Hospital at home” nurses in every.single.day!! As a result he missed time off school and was unable to finish his final school year, another crushing blow.

April till August we dealt with his #bloodyknee as we all fondly called it. MRI’s, surgeons, Dr’s, blood tests, X-rays, heart scans, my poor boy had them all and l was with him every step of the way. My husband would drop me off at 7.00am and he’d go to work and then get back at about 6.00pm we’d supervise his dinner (or go buy him something to tempt him to eat!) and then leave at around 8.00pm and drive 45 minutes home. We were all wrecked!

Finally he was off the crutches and almost walking normally, he’d gotten a temporary job with The Bloke’s company to make himself some money and decide what his next steps should be. He decided he’d like to be a Builder and so we found him a man who was willing to give him a trial and he started working. We wondered how his knee would hold out and the answer was.. it didn’t!

In April 2020 his knee collapsed on him and he came hobbling home, it swelled up it was hot and l was more vocal this time! The first time l let my husband and my son and the football coach make decisions l didn’t agree with THIS time l did not! I called the physio and got him in l told him “l think he’s done it again” all three of them tsk tsk’ed me and said “it’s probably nothing!” Until the Physio started working on it and l saw his face fall and l knew!! He was in X-ray pretty soon after. He saw the Surgeon the next day!

This time he had torn the ACL because the Surgeon suggested that the graft had been weakened by the infection. So immediately blood works were done to make sure there was no Golden Staph present and he was booked in for surgery in March.

And then Covid came! Star Son gave up his dream job because his knee buckled as they were carrying a window and he almost dropped it! Surgeries were cancelled and then he was downgraded to “Elective” and he ended up having to wait until October 2020. And due to very strict covid conditions we had to leave him at the door to hobble into the hospital and be admitted for surgery, all by himself!! That was the hardest day of my life waiting to hear how it went. The surgeon called us to say all had gone better than expected and he would be gone in two days. My husband was his nominated visitor so he went in and sat with him for only an hour and we face timed so l could see and speak to him. I was in the car in the car park!

So from October until today he’s been back and forth for appointments and physio. He started his dream job he’s doing an apprenticeship with my Son in law as a builder and because his boss (our son in law) has followed the drama every step of the way he understands about the appointments and physio and everything needed for Star Son to heal. Today he had an appointment with physio who said he’s doing really good and a bit above where he should be. Then he saw the surgeon this afternoon he is also happy with his progress and so for now we can breath a little easier.

We went out for lunch to celebrate we had to kill a few hours between appointments.

Lunch here!

Lentil Burger and Wedges

Labyrinth at the hospital, with the constellation “the Southern Cross”

Every time we come here l walk the labyrinth and pray for good results!

As parents do we ever stop worrying about them? I think the older they get the more worried l am. Then of course you become a Grandparent and the level of worry goes up a notch!!

Family…. How do you live with out them?

Borrowed from wikipedia…

In the context of human society, a family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage or other relationship), or co-residence (as implied by the etymology of the English word “family”)[citation needed] or some combination of these.[citation needed] Members of the immediate family may include spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters.[citation needed] Members of the extended family may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and siblings-in-law. Sometimes these are also considered members of the immediate family, depending on an individual’s specific relationship with them.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. By blood, by marriage, by soul ties, by chance.

These last three weeks have really defined for me MY family.

I gave birth to four children, and I inherited our eldest by marriage with my husband, we made a deal when we blended our families and added our Star Son, that we wouldn’t say “Step son or daughter” they are our children. We have Five Children, and those five children have so far, given us six Grandchildren. Then we add in the “in-laws” we have a son in law, and a Dutch Daughter in law, and a lovely girl we call “daughter” who is dating Star Son, they are 17, still young and time to add the “In Law” to her name, but in the mean time, she is my family, and the Grandchildren call her “Aunty”

Families are such touchy things, they can work and be brilliant or they can fail miserably. I grew up with “half sisters” it was always made known, I found out on my 25th birthday I had a full blooded Brother, who had been given up for adoption at birth, we share the same blood, we grew up for the first 25 years of my life as strangers, but when we met, there are resemblances that make us “Family” as well as DNA etc etc. For me personally family has been a failure. I decided very early in, I would be a different Mother, different from the one who raised me, and I have succeeded. I have gotten on better with my “In Laws” families more than my so called “Family”

So these three weeks have for me cemented the fact that I have done something right, when stuff goes bad, family step in.

Star Son tore his ACL, MCL and Meniscus in his knee the last Sunday in April. Then started all the Doctors appointments and tests and scans, and through it all his brothers and sisters have been beside him, calling him, checking in, driving him places, baking him food, visiting him to keep his spirits up. Our eldest son is travelling and so in another state but he keeps in touch via Facetime. And Star Son might not admit it, but he loves that they check in. This past week has been extra hard for him with infection invading his knee and then his blood system, resulting in him needing two more surgeries and so today is day 7 back in hospital.

Today he and we believed he would be coming home, and so his eldest Sister had made plans to come visit so his niece and nephews could see Big Unca! Today the drips came out, the drainage tube came out yesterday, today he says “Mum lets go for a walk” and so very slowly we did stopping to sit and rest as needed.

We made it to the hospital Cafe and found a seat when his phone buzzed, Facetime with number one sister and Faerygirl and Squishy, on the way to school, they wanted to say hello! He was wrapt! He chatted briefly and then hung up, we made our way back up to his ward, the phone buzzed again, it was big brother number two, he has just started working and was on his morning break, he wanted to check in, they chatted briefly and then said Goodbye. Again, he was wrapt! Just lately, he’s been feeling like he’s been dumped in hospital and forgotten.

He had surgery last Friday and as he came out of surgery, his girlfriend and her Mum were there waiting to see him, his other family, who treat him like he’s part of their family. His girl friend, her Grand Mother even chats to him on messenger checking up on him, FAMILY, they might not be his Blood but they are in his heart! His number one Sister and her family came to visit a little while later, looking back at the photos he was pretty out of it and the told me today “I can’t really remember them being here, I was too tired” and very very sick.

Family… they’re there when the chips are down. Later this afternoon number one son, sent him a funny little video saying “Kebabs before Abs” which his beer belly hanging out and Star Son laughed out loud, a sound we haven’t heard lately, and I thanked Jehovah for one silly Son making one sad one laugh! It was a lovely sound. It didn’t last long when the lovely Nurse Demi told him “Sorry dude you won’t be going home today!” He lost the sparkle in his eye and there were no more laughs.

Friends are great if you have the right ones, I am blessed to have one who has been with me for over 30 years, and on Saturday she trekked to the hospital to see me so she could hug me, she lets me off load all my woes, she gave Star Son a hug and she left, blew in and out like a fresh breath of air and she’s kept in touch via text every day, thats TRUE friendship, I once read a quote about how “Friends are the family you give yourself” and giving myself Lady Hawk was the best thing I ever did. But friendships these days are not made equal and its showing this past week, where very few if any of his friends have made any effort to check in and see how he is. My heart breaks for him. His girlfriend and her Mum visited Friday, they visited Saturday when they heard how low he had gotten and then on Sunday we brought her in for the day with us its a 45 minute drive each way, so we brought her with us and then gave them some time to be together. She’s clever this girl. She ordered Uber Eats- Subway and he actually ate! She’s a gem! She is our Family.

I watched a series on Television, I cant recall the name of it, but the theme song touched me Family by Mother Mother it really relates to MY Family.

This morning, we had a small person climb into bed with us, she snuggled up and went back to sleep, I opened an eye and there was this beautiful little face right in front of me. Yeah it was early and I really wanted to sleep a bit longer, but then as I lay there watching this face, this second generation of my Family, I thanked Jehovah for being right where I was. I’ve been focusing on how awful all the stuff with Star Son is, I had forgotten to look at my blessings, so I snuggled that little warm person, and smelt her hair and watched her little eyes crack open and smiled as she sleepily said “Hello Grandma!” And the song echoes through my head “They is my family!”

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…

 

NaBloPoMo.. February “make” Days 17 and 18…

I’ve been stupidly busy this month.. really, and yet some days I feel like I’ve got nothing done and some days I didn’t even my blog.. to anyone who reads regularly I apologize, but you know sometimes life happens and I am actually out of the house long enough that nothing inside the house gets done… I used to be organised!!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015
What do you think of the idea “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Do you think it’s always possible to make something bad into something good?

I never used to prescribe to this way of thinking and I was walking around going “Woe is me” and then I realized what a “victim” I was becoming.. a very wise Councillor told me that if you look at everything that happens to you as a “lesson” you can usually pick out what you’ve learnt from the “mistake” or “bad thing” that happened to you. How right she was… I went as far back at 1999 and re-evaluated steps I’d made which lead to my divorce and how I had grown by making those steps, be they hard, uncomfortable or just ugly. I always learnt something either about others or myself. Which meant that the “rose colored glasses” I swanned through life wearing, were ripped off cruelly, Which meant that I grew into what I am now. I read a quote the other day saying something like “Don’t be too harsh on me, God’s not finished with me yet” and I feel like that’s my lesson, stop beating myself up I am still alive, I am healthy and I am still growing, I am not making the same mistakes over and over so I MUST be learning.. sometimes you have to rip off the band-aid to let the fresh air in and help you heal, yeah, it hurts for a while but you move onward and upwards, so yes, When I get lemons I make lemonade maybe with a little extra added sugar!!

 

Wednesday, February 18, 2015
What do you do to try to make other people happy? What do you do to try to make yourself happy?

The short answer to this is “too much” and in regards to making myself happy “not enough”

I am a people pleaser… it’s not always a good trait, because sometimes it can be translated as “Doormat” and you get walked all over. There’s a line, and sometimes you have to give yourself permission to say “NO” not in a mean way but in a firm way say “Sorry no!” Great advice, I’ve read it in a million “self help” books  rarely do it.

Especially when it comes to my children, but then I had Grandchildren and realized that I have to stop being a “people pleaser” and be real.. I baby sit for the girls one night a month, they get a “Night off” they are young, 24 and 22 and still in the partying mode when they can. But even as I write this I think to myself “that is nice, but when is MY night off?” I never get a night off. Most times it doesn’t worry me, because I escape to my room and work in my journal or my bible studies, but every so often I long for a night away from “Children” whether they are the 13 yr old, the grown up children or the grand children, a night off to speak about grown up things with grown up people which doesn’t involve being interrupted by someone who thinks they NEED you right now!

So I took matters into my own hands and on Mondays I go out of the house and I go to a “Life art Class” I’ve been two weeks now, and it’s amazing how fast that two hours slips by, and it’s amazing how quiet, peaceful and relaxed the atmosphere is. Almost as soon as I stand at the easel I can feel my shoulders start to relax and my mind goes blank and I am in a little bubble of seeing and drawing and getting filthy with charcoal and I realize I am in BLISS… there’s really no other word for it but BLISS… It’s like a shock when our teacher Sean tells us “that’s it ladies and gentlemen, see you next week” it’s a let down with a thump!

bliss (blĭs) n.

1. Extreme happiness; ecstasy.

2. The ecstasy of salvation; spiritual joy.

Phrasal Verb: bliss out Slang.. To go into a state of ecstasy.

YES!! See I did choose the right word.. its my spiritual joy to do this art class…it’s my freedom from the house, it’s my freedom from children and I am MISSING it so much having so much hands on contact with my grandbabies is great but I really miss Me time which equals Art time!

 

NaBloPoMo January 2015…

Thursday, January 1, 2015
What are your resolutions for the new year? Tell us how you picked them.

Yes! as a matter of fact I do make them and 9/10 I do keep them or make them happen. Last year was the exception but we’ve covered that in another post.

This year I made less but they will go “Deeper” which is my 2015 word.

• 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/

Go Deeper with the Lord– this one has been calling to me for a little while, I don’t know yet how I am going to accomplish this. I don’t go to “Church” and at first it worried me, but then speaking to Pastor Frank and also reading Joyce Meyer’s book “How to hear from God” they both said that going to church is not the ONLY thing to do to have a good relationship with the Lord. So I am going to have a meeting with Pastor Frank when the kids are back at school and work out “How, where, when and what?” I need to do to make this goal happen. All my studies have been great and I have learnt a bunch, made some new like-minded friends, but ALL the information says that unless you have a buddy to discuss this stuff with you are missing out, there in lies my problem, no “real life” Christian buddies.

Aussie Author Challenge– is going to be fun, last count I did of my “Aussie Author” collection was 19 books. I’m happy with that.

The Year of New recipes– Like Reannon said I have a gazillion cook books that look nice on the shelf but are not doing anything for me. So time to start using them, I have also got a few paleo sites that I want to play with and lots of “Grain free, dairy free” recipe sites.

Continue with the Daniel Plan– I feel like I need to go “Deeper” with that and it bloody includes excersize which I HATE! Not very christian of me, but I feel that my progress would be so much better if I did something more than walking, so I am thinking time to crack out the Zumba and other gazillion work out DVDs that I have collected and “Suck it up Princess” if I start now, by the time winter hits I’ll have my metabolism under control enough that I wont gain the usual 5 kilos over winter! When I hibernate!!

So they are my New Years Resolutions and I’m sure you’ll hear more about them as the year goes on. If you want to join any let me know I’d love to have you along.

 

Spiritual Sunday – last blog for 2014

 

Monday- Psalm 18:1-3

Scripture– “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my god is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my strong hold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies”

Application–

• David is singing this Psalm in praise to the Lord for saving Saul.
• he is praising the Lord for being his shield.
• God is a shield to protect those who walk with him.

Tuesday- Psalm 19:1-5

Scripture-  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands, day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends pf the world. In the Heavens, God pitched a tent for the sun.” (I love this verse!)

Application-

• God is singing of God’s glory in Nature
• “Day after Day they pour forth speech” the days turn from night to day everyday God did that.
• everything on display in nature in the natural world God made that!

Wednesday- Psalm 20:6 & 7

Scripture- “Now this I know, the Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary, with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, nut we trust in the name of the Lord our God”

Application- 

• The Lord gives victory to the anointed. Meaning he helps those who believe in him.
• David is speaking about God.

Thursday- Psalm 21:1-5

Scripture- “The King rejoices in your strength Lord. How great is his joy on victories you give! You have granted him his hearts desire and have not withheld the request on jos lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure go,d on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty”

Application-

• With the Lords blessings for loyal fellowship, we can rejoice in the Lords strength
• with the Lords blessings we can be victorious in our dealings, following the Lords ways we will have splendor and majesty, all things are possible with the Lord.

Friday- Psalm 22:6-10

JeaScripture- “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned ny everyone, despised by the people, all who mock me, they hurl insults, shaking their heads “He trusts the Lord” they say. “Let the Lord rescue him, Let him deliver him, since he delights in him” yet you brought me out of the womb, you made me trust in you, even at my Mother’s breast, from birth I was cast on you; from my Mother’s womb you have been my God”

Application-

• David is singing praises to the Lord, even though he is despised and mocked, he believes in the Lord.
• hold firm to your faith even when those around you mock and scorn. The Lord will reward you.

 

Week Four- “Peace”

Monday- Scripture- Isaiah 9:6

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.”

Application- 

• Jesus is born! The government will be on his shoulders (meaning: he will deal with decisions made by the government)
• he will be called all those good names because he is “Prince of peace” Son of God who wants only good and calm. For his children.

Tuesday- Scripture- Zephaniah 3:14-15

“Sing, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned his back on your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you, never again will you fear any harm”

Application–

• The Lord is telling the people that he will destroy Israel and when he restores the remains the rest ( followers) this is what will happen.
• He will be with the loyal followers and the need never fear him

Wednesday- Scripture Philippians 4:4-7

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let you gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts nd your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Application–

• The book of Philippians was written by Paul and Timothy.
• they are reminding us all to rejoice (be glad and happy) that the Lord is near.
• the peace of God will come into our hearts and minds when we give our worries to Jesus and God.

Thursday- Scripture- Matthew 1:20 & 21

“But after he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from sin”

Application- 

• Angels visited Joseph to reassure him that  the Un-wed Mary was carrying the Messiah, child of the Lord.
• Angels prophesied that Jesus would be the one to save the people from their sins.

Friday – Scripture- John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my people I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives to you. Do not let your hearts ve troubled and do not be afraid”

Application- 

• Jesus promises us that by following his example of living peacefully, God will give us his love.
• do not be troubled or afraid, live as Jesus did and receive the Fathers Love and protection.

 

So that my friends concludes this years Bible Studies, I went through all my notes to see what else have I done in the last 74 days since I began my “Walk with the Lord” and I was surprised at how much I have managed to fit in and learn.

Studies and Bibles books I’ve completed so far!

• The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, read the book and completed the studies.
• Wives of the Bible -Jolene  Engel book and study.
• girlfriends in God, email studies.
• 30 Days Husband Encouragement-Darby Duggar. Through emails.
• study of Psalm 139, for the entire month we had to read it and then re write it in our own words.
• How to hear from God – Joyce Meyer, Book and study session.

From the Bible studies group, we’ve done..

• Book of Genesis
• Psalms 1-22
• Book of John
• Books of 2 John and 3 John
• Book of Jude
• Books of 1 Peter, and 2 Peter
• Book of Esther.

Over all, I am really happy with how much I have read, studies and learnt. I am so excited to start the next session on January 5th when we are studying “Book of Exodus” I hope you’ll come back and join me.

for more information check our Courtney’s site : http://womenlivingwell.org/2014/12/lets-go-deeper-with-god-in-the-new-year/

 

NaBloPoMo December is Joy…Prompts…

 

Friday, December 19, 2014
Audrey Hepburn said, “If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness, not my miscarriages or my father leaving home, but the joy of everything else. It will have been enough.” Do you think you would do the same, or do the sad times stand out in your mind?

At this point in my life the good far outweighs the sad, the older I am getting the more I find I am letting go of the sad and the bad and only remembering the good. Whenever we go somewhere or do something I take lots of photos, it’s just what I do, so I have many good things to look back on, rather than take photos of the sad things. PLUS I really believe that you have to sometimes have the sad and bad to appreciate the good and the happy. If you don’t experience the sad how could you grow as a person?

 

2015 is looking good…

Many new challenges coming up..

there’s this one for health.. http://simplegreensmoothies.com/30-day-challenge

Here’s one for my mind…  http://meetmeatmikes.com/2015-a-year-of-australian-writing/

Mike says…. My version of A Year Of Australian Writing will go something like this:

I do solemnly swear to read as many Australian authored books, blogs and articles as I can over 2015.
I’m going to swear off all non-Australian fiction, just for 12 months. (I’ll catch up on those books in 2016!)
I will detail the books and things I read here on my blog (and also on Instagram under the #ayearofaustralianwriting tag).
I will regularly give away ace examples of Australian books on my blog.
I will interview interesting people about their favourite Australian writers.
I will interview Australian writers too, if they will let me.

Perhaps you would like to join in too?

+ I’ve created a Good Reads group here so we can share the books we like or are reading more easily.
+ You can follow and chat along with my posts next year, right here on this blog too.
+ Also, you can add a button to your blog – find those here. Download a button in your favourite colour and then link back to this post so people can work out what we’re doing (and maybe join in too!)? Cool!

Another health one…kind of it’s food related… from Reannon over at http://shewhorambles.com/2014/12/09/the-year-of-new-recipes/

I am going to try a new recipe every two weeks.. my family will hate me but what the hey!!

Plus in January I am doing a journalling challenge with Lisa Sonora over here : http://www.lisasonora.com/blog/root-30-day-journal-project/

Plus of course. I am planning to dog deeper in my “Walk with the King” I’ll announce more about that as the New Year comes in…

 

NaBloPoMo.. December is… Joy..

Monday, December 15, 2014
Where is your happy place?

My happy place is my favorite place. We call it “Bel Far Niente” which means “Beautiful doing nothing” when I first read the book “Eat, Pray, Love” they translated it wrong, she (in the book ) told us that “Bel Far Niente” meant “the art of doing nothing” so I was telling my Italian penfriend we named our holiday place that because we do art and not much else down there…She promptly wrong back and told me “Bel (beautiful) far Niente (nothing) so it translates to “Beautiful doing nothing” whatever it means we go there and we do nothing. we read books, we walk along the beach, I write my letters and catch up with my reading.

“Bel Far Niente” is an onsite caravan (trailer for my Overseas friends) basically it means it just stays there and we pay rent to leave it there.In a sleepy little seaside town called “St Leonards” which is about 1 hour 45 minutes from my home, so a nice easy after work on the Friday night run. We leave a supply of clothes and food there so we just have to take a handful of goodies with us and get in the car and go!

There’s a certain point somewhere between Bacchus Marsh and Geelong where you can feel the tension in your shoulders start to ease and by the time you arrive, you are already on the way to relaxation mode.

At “Bel far Niente” we sit and drop meaning we relax, sometimes we will take a lazy beach walk or a walk around the lake, sometimes we just sit and watch the world go by and it’s my happy place because I can do as much or as little as I feel the need to do. There are limited TV stations, limited Internet access, comfortable beds and couches and peace and quiet.

Usually on the school breaks “Star son” and I have been known to go down for two weeks, we spend the time playing board games, and ball games and skipping stones, and collecting shells, and I’ll read and write letters while he is playing with the other kids and we eat very simply, because we are on holidays.

We are off to our “Happy Place this Thursday night for four days, a pre-Christmas escape from work get-a-way. Even my Bloke gets to relax and read a book or two. Summer is made for “Be Far Niente”!!

Sunset on Port Philip Bay

Picnic anyone, by the pier, great snorkeling under the pier.

Overlooking the beach towards Indented Heads

Images found on Google. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Leonards,_Victoria

St Leonards is a coastal township near Geelong, Victoria, Australia, at the eastern end of the Bellarine Peninsula and the northern end of Swan Bay. Situated 33 kilometres (21 mi) east of Geelong, St Leonards was a filming location for the Australian television series SeaChange.

The town is surrounded by salt marsh wildlife reserves which provide habitat for hundreds of birds, including the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot of which there are less than 200 in the wild. Salt marshes are one of the most biologically productive habitats on the planet, rivalling tropical rainforests. The official motto for St Leonards is “Where everyday is Sunday”

Blogging through the bible.. Good morning Girls.

  

I’m bacckkk!! I had this planned so well I was going to have this all up to date last week.. well we all know how that went with the Gastro bug that got my whole family and all.. so once again I am behind.. *sigh* Do not despair.. I will catch up to date this week and then this week is the last “Official” week for Blogging and Advent studies. both complete for the year on 19th December. Of course not me.. I will continue to study, I am planning to catch up on some reading and do Sharon Jayne’s “Power of a Womans words” Study, you can learn about it here: http://sharonjaynes.com/the-power-of-a-womans-words/

I have had the book sitting here for a few months but I have been so engrossed in my other studies I didn’t get to start it yet. I am also going to start a “Book” page where I will feature books I am reading or have read and do a little book review and let you all know who I thought. In the next few days I’ll do a recap on all the Bible studies I have done this year and I am so proud of myself for taking them on and not only that actually learning things from them. If you’ve read any of my previous “bible study” posts, you’ll know I have only been doing this “Walk with the Lord” since July 1st and so I have immersed myself in lots of things to soak up as much as I can.

Monday– Psalm 13:3 & 4

Scripture- “Look on me and answer, Lord my God, give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say “I have overcome him and my foes will rejoice when I fall”

Application- 

• David is asking the Lord for enlightenment and he is suggesting his enemies will celebrate when he fails.
• If I do not seek the Lord’s enlightenment then when I am eternally dead my enemies will rejoice
• So like David I am asking the Lord for enlightenment, open my eyes to your word so that I night have eternal life with you.

 

Tuesday- Psalm 14:5 & 6

Scripture- “But there are they, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.”

Application-

• When you are overwhelmed or stressed, go to God, give him all your worries.
• Be rich on Gods word and the rest will sort itself out ( I am hearing this message multiple times over the past week)
• If you do what is righteous God looks down over you with favor.

 

Wednesday– Psalm 15:2 & 5.

Scripture- “The one who walks is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart. Who lends money to the poor without interest, who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Who does these things will never be shaken”

Application- 

• David was inquiring of the Lord “Who may visit your tent or climb your mountain?”
• “The one whose walk is blameless: ( who follows all of the Lord rules)
• The one who does not accept bribes who does these things will never be shaken ( from Gods word)

 

Thursday– Psalm 16:4-6

Scripture-  “Those who run after other Gods will suffer, more and more, I will not pour out libations to such gods or take up their names on my lips.Lord you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen from me in pleasant places, surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

Application-

• Those who serve and follow false gods will suffer for the privilege,
• There is but ONE God, wasting time following other gods will not keep peace in your heart or keep your lives secure.
• One God is all I need to keep me sustained.

 

Friday- Psalm 17:5-8

Scripture- “ My steps have held to your path; my feet have not stumbled. I call on your, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, you who saves by your right hand, those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye hide me in the shadow of your wings.”

Application-

• This is a prayer from David to God. David is laying out all his good points to the Lord.
• When we walk with the Lord and believe in our hearts, we are righteous enough to be able to call on the Lord to hear our prayers.
• God serves those who believe and shows us his wondrous love.

Week One- Hope

Monday- Scripture- John 1:1-4  “In the Beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word WAS God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made;without him nothing was made that had been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

 Application- 

• God created the whole world an everything in it.
• Without God nothing would be made, God was the light that created all of mankind.

 

Tuesday- Scripture- John 1:9-12 “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was the world. He was in the world, and through the world. And though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet all who did receive him, to those who believed his name he gave the right to become children of God.”

Application- 

• The “True light” was God coming into the world as baby Jesus.
• As a Baby the world did not recognize God.
• God sent Jesus to look like us so that we could hear Gods word.
• When we believe that Jesus died for our sins, We are being admitted to heaven.

 

Wednesday- Scripture– Jeremiah 33:14-15 ” The days are coming”declares the Lord, “When I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days  and at that time, I will make a righteous branch sprout from Davids line, he will do what is just and right in the land”

Application- 

• The Lord foretold the arrival of Jesus by saying a righteous branch will sprout from David’s line”
• The Lord rewards those who are loyal and walk with him, “I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel (Jacob) and Judah“

 

Thursday- Scripture- Isaiah 60:19-20 “The sun will no more be your light by day, not will the brightness of the moon shine on you;  for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.”

Application- 

• By being in God’s word the “sun” and “moon” will cease to shine your light will come from the Lord.
• You will not have birth and death, instead everlasting life and be free from sorrow when you “Walk with the Lord”

 

Friday- Scripture- Romans 15;12-13 “And once again, Isaiah says ” The root of Hesse will spring up, and who will arise over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope. May the God of hope, fill you with all the joy and peace as your trust in him, so that your may over flow with hope by the power of the holy spirit.”

Application-  

• Trust is Jesus and your hope will overflow by God-his father.
• Jesus and our faith in him, brings us hope, joy and peace because we know that by trusting in Jesus we are also gaining God’s love and protection.

Week two- “LOVE”

Monday- Scripture-  1 John 4:7-8 “Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.”

Application-  

• Anyone who knows LOVE is from God
• To know Gods word you must know LOVE to know LOVE you must be in Gods word
• I am loved I am in God.

 

Tuesday- Scripture- “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him ” OF all the commandments, which one is most important?” “The Most important one” answered Jesus, “Is this “Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”

Application- 

• The most important commandment is “Love the Lord first and foremost”
• put all your effort into living the Lords word and use your strength to do good and your heart to love him.

 

Wednesday- Scripture- Psalm 119: 105-106 “Your word is a lamp at my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.”

Application-

• Your word is a lamp (Brings light to us)
• A light on my path ( to lead us to righteousness)
• Following the Lords word brings brightness (awareness) to our world of darkness.

 

Thursday- Scripture- Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you, the mighty warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you, in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Application- 

• God is with me, the mighty warrior is by my side.
• He delights in ME and will celebrate over me with singing.

 

Friday- Scripture- John 12:35 & 36 “The Jesus said “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you still have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of the light” When he finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them”

Application- 

• Jesus foretold of his own death “you are going to have light just a little while longer” then God takes him home and darkness descends.
• Believe in Jesus while you have the light so that you might become “Children of the light” (GOD)

Week three- “JOY”

Monday- Scripture- 1 John 1:4-7 “W write it to make our joy complete this is the message we have heard from him and declare to you “God is light in him there is not darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet we walk in darkness, we lie, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son purifies us all from sin”

Application- 

• God is light (truth) in his there is not darkness (Evil) to have fellowship with God one needs to walk in the light (truth of Gods words)
• When we walk in the light ( Truth) we will have fellowship because Jesus blood cleansed our sins.

 

Tuesday- Scripture- Nehemiah 8:10 “Nehemiah said “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord, do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength”

Application- 

• Share with others less fortunate
• On this holy day (Christmas day?) do not grieve the Lord is your strength.

 

Wednesday- Scripture- Psalm 16:11 ” You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures of your right hand”

Application-  

• God will make known to us what his plan for our lives is.
• He fills us with joy by following his wise words and by giving us eternal life by his side.

 

Thursday- Scripture- Luke 2:10-14 “But the angel said to him “Do not be afraid I bring you food news which will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths laying in a manger” Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”

Application- 

• Jesus is born in David in Bethlehem
• Jesus is the savior and messenger of God !
• God sent himself to earth as human Jesus so that people would be able to hear and understand his words.

Friday- Scripture- Hebrews 12:1 & 2. ” Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses and the sins that so easily entangle. Let us run with perseverance the race marked for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame and set down at the right hand of God”

Application- 

• Study Jesus’ life and use him as our guidebook, the right way to live, follow his examples up to being crucified and being re-united with his father.
• Jesus endured much shame, slander, pain all in the effort to be true to Gods word, follow THAT example!

 

Are you still with me? have you fallen asleep?

I apologize for the length and I promise it won’t happen again, One more week of Blogging with “Good Morning Girls” and One more week of “Advent study” and then maybe a little break.. I’ll let you know..