A-D Libbing

Sweet Solitude, Muffin Mix and Love notes...

2012-01-30T13:47:00.000+10:00

Today marks an anniversary of sorts. We drove into Malanda on a Monday three weeks ago, with all our worldly possessions packed tightly into our Troopie and Camper Trailer. Three days later we moved into the timber house on a green hill overlooking Dairy Cattle country. With the children all attending school in nearby Atherton, I am relishing a little solitude. The first few days they were at school I wasn't entirely sure where I could best utilise my time. Those first few days were more about giving me a little head space than anything else. That moment when the Troopie drives out the driveway, transporting my family to school and work, and silence settles upon the house is bittersweet. Yes, I am a sook....I miss my family. After 2 years living in a one room camper trailer, in each other's pockets 24/7, who wouldn't miss them??? Yet the chance to sit and soak uninterrupted in the presence of my Lord and Saviour is so very sweet. This morning was especially lovely. Let me back track a little....I have been feeling a bit down. Nothing major just a longing for female companionship. I am blessed to have some beautiful friends who know and love me for who I am. It's just that geographically I am very much alone and lonely! (It has been this way during our travels as well, unless of course we were in a MOPS town :) This morning sitting there with a coffee, reading, praying, singing and soaking in God's presence has taken the sting out of how bereft I feel. I am not alone, He is with me....He is right here! I was encouraged as I read this morning...

"Our heavenly Father is the Creator of all, and the Giver of all good gifts. His children should bear His likeness, which means they should be creative."

I spent quite a bit of time just sitting in silence, letting it settle in upon me, listening.... It is such a cool thought that we are to be creative to emulate the Master Craftsman. I have so much mundane stuff to do today...washing, cleaning, cooking, preparing..... I asked for His help to get creative, to find joy and meaning in the works of my hands, and mostly for motivation. I was feeling so tired..... I decided that if my work was to glorify the Lord today I had better get moving. So I put on some upbeat Praise & Worship music (I started with "Make Way For The King" available through Victory Life Church, Perth then flowed on through a Hillsong album - "Saviour King Live", and a Wow To Worship compilation CD), plastered a smile on my face and I haven't looked back! Although I have paused many times just to join in with the various songs. It has been a balm for my soul. I attacked the washing pile. I mixed and baked some chocolate mini muffins for the children to take in their lunchboxes to school. I planned Dinner : Sundried Tomato Chicken Kebabs with salad. I have re-arranged some of the minimal furniture in the house. I have hung out the washing around the house, swept and cleaned up. It's been full on! But I feel so much better for it. A lot can be said for music therapy!

Mum & Dad ROCK (from) Rosa

Mum & Dad love me (from) Rosa

I was walking through my room, pondering creativity when I discovered these two little sticky love notes from Miss Rosa. How special. She had at some point decided to pop these little notes on the swinging doors in our Bedroom. What a cutie.... It got me thinking..... Maybe I should arm myself with sticky notes and go attack the house.... Leaving random little notes here and there for my family. They should know they are loved both by their Mum and their Saviour.....

But first, time for a cuppa, a muffin, 15 minutes of a good book and a killer view!!!

Home - a timber house on a green hill…

2012-01-27T15:18:00.000+10:00

Well it’s official, we are putting down roots!

We are settling down, pertaining to Geographical location, as opposed to calming down our exuberant personalities!!!

We have moved out of our camper trailer….that took all of hmmm, 2 hours! And we have found places for all our bits and bobs and managed to spread out! The children have unpacked their toy boxes and rediscovered all manner of treasures they had hidden away. I have tried to fill the new kitchen but the fact of the matter is our stuff is very minimal. There is just soooooo much space! It’s wonderful to have room to swing the proverbial cat after living in a 1 room tent all together for the past 2 years! We are so thrilled to be living in this little green patch of paradise. The children each have their own Bedrooms! Wooo Hoo! Daniel and I have privacy! Wooooo Hooooo! The Fantastic Four even have their own Bathroom! Bliss!

This beautiful property we now call home is nestled amongst the greenery (did I mention it’s green???) of a nature reserve. This means we are not permitted to have pets. Oh well…who needs pets when you have children, right? There is a rainforest and trickling creek down the back and we do share the property with a neighbour although we have not yet managed to cross paths. Her house is right along the creek and we are a whole house block up the hill. I do hope we get to meet soon. I am a big believer in getting to know your neighbours! The house water is pumped from the creek, so we are adjusting to all this means for a family of 6. There is no rubbish disposal, so we are adjusting to that as well, Saturday is currently “Dump Day”. The house is a 2 storey timber home, with lots of wide open space. There are high ceilings and no hallways! And wait for it……there’s even a stage! I know……random! We fully expect our family will make use of the stage! At this stage it has been set up as a creative corner! All manner of creative resources are just begging to be used…. We have quite a collection from home-schooling during our travels. Paints, watercolour pencils, wax & oil crayons, textas, coloured pencils, glitter glue, coloured paper/cardboard/wrapping paper/crepe paper/drawing paper…. There does seem to be a lack of glitter though. And since we moved in I have had to buy glue or sticky tape, or both, every time I grocery shop!!! Clag is my friend! The beauty of having a creative corner is that it is always in use! They have been busy creating Art work to personalise their Bedroom Walls! Some really Beautiful work too! The down side I guess, is the mess. Honestly though I am loving seeing The Fantastic Four busily creating after so long of constantly travelling and the restrictions of that lifestyle.

The view of the house from the driveway (it’s pretty steep that driveway!)	The road where we live…it’s so very green!
“Creative Corner” set up around the edges of the stage area!	This is Josie’s Bedroom. She wanted to be able to look out over trees…well she has trees one way and rolling green hills the other way.
The sleep-out upstairs! Mostly used for playing games!	This is my Bedroom
The Kitchen…is enormous!	The Dining Table is in the middle of a very wide, open space
A broader view of our space…	We call this ‘the road to nowhere’ it’s directly above the Dining Table!
The ramp that’s being built into the top level of the house	My sister Kris, her kids: Benji, Zoe & Kita and The Fantastic Four standing on the bridge over our little creek in the rainforest down the back!

The weekend after we unpacked everything into the House, I looked around and wondered how on earth we were going to do this? Re-establishing ourselves after selling and giving away everything we owned to travel Australia 2 and a bit years ago!!! There are all sorts of hurdles to be jumped and obstacles to be navigated. Mostly though it feels like we are on holidays in someone else’s home. I am sure that will pass. Isn’t it funny, I have happily used our plastic plates, bowls and cups as we’ve travelled but now I long for the day we are financial enough to purchase a Dinner set. I have my eye on one already. I have been content with making do with an 80 Litre fridge freezer, and now I am eagerly anticipating storing such decadent things like ice-cream and ice-cubes in a much bigger receptacle! I have used a great variety of washing machines as we traversed the continent but I long for the day we can bring home a washing machine that is all ours! I have been enjoying a little reprieve from Home-schooling the Fantastic Four. It has been wonderful to start over at a new school, but also quite daunting. The uniforms, the school bags, lunch boxes, the shoes, the hats….the great influx of “stuff” that comes with that territory. It has been great to hear their daily reports, and a great relief that they’re enjoying their new school. I pray they will make good friends. It’s early days yet and I have to say it’s been a struggle for them in the “making friends” department. I am sure that with time and a good deal of prayer that will happen As Daniel is working, he takes the car, drops the children off to school in Atherton and continues on his way. The kids are loving this time with Dad. However it has posed a problem for me in that I am “stuck” at home. I don’t mind really, it has been nice to potter around the house, I have even managed a little sketching (watch this space). We had to find a way for the children to get home from school, and thankfully there is a bus service that will pick them up from the front of their school and deliver them safely to Malanda. As a result I am getting my daily exercise walking the 1.5kms down our hilly road, across the dodgey 1 lane bridge perched nonchalantly across the swiftly flowing creek, to meet the Bus and then the 1.5kms back across the dodgey 1 lane bridge perched nonchalantly across the swiftly flowing creek and up our hilly road home again. Quite an adventure, especially in the rain!

The dodgey 1 lane bridge perched nonchalantly across the swiftly flowing creek	The walk is quite pleasant really!
Nearly Home after an afternoon stroll!	Settling down in North QLD means MANGOES! Yummo!

It has taken quite a lot of getting used to living in a nature reserve. It’s not all that different to living in a tent really. “Nature! It’s all over me!!!!” The thing about wildlife….they just don’t respect Human boundaries. We have been amused by the buzz we have created in their Habitat. There is an abundance of brown Beetles here, I have no idea what they are….but come nightfall they fly in through the windows (forgot to mention, we have no screens!) and proceed to re-group and play the latest Beetle Game. Last night’s game was how many walls can we fly in to!!! A very rambunctious game! I have to admit quite a few Beetles were harmed in the proceedings . There are an abundance of Butterflies, and yes we regularly see the beautiful Blue Monarch Butterfly flutter by. The other really cool thing we see are Fireflies! They like to provide a twinkling fairy light effect around the Gardens after dark. We’ve seen a few inside the house after all the lights have gone out as well (thanks to the screen-less windows again). Every night this week I have done the washing up with my mate “Kermit” the green tree frog perched on the windowsill. Daniel informs me that Kermit is an unoriginal name for a frog, but it works for me. Last night must have been ‘Bring a friend night’ because there were two green tree frogs perched there. Now I have to come up with another name, something original…..got any ideas??? Talking about names….there is apparently a timid tree Kangaroo living somewhere around the creek down the back, and his name is Bruce! We have not yet had the pleasure of seeing Bruce. Perhaps the cacophony my four children create has kept him away. We have marvelled at the little antics of the Firetail Finches. The critically endangered Star Finches are so cute! I have also spotted some Red-browed Finches as well. Suffice to say, there is an abundance of birdlife to be observed. We have been woken every day by the morning Gossip amongst the bird community! I believe the collective noun for a group of birds should be a “Gossip of Birds” as opposed to a “Flock”. Hmm, just a thought. There has been the odd arachnid, yuck! And we discovered a snake skin on the bricks on the driveway (as in very close to the front doors) the day after we moved in! Eeeeek!

As I sit and write this we are coming into our 3rd weekend in a timber house on a green hill in Malanda. The last few weeks have been quite tricky at times, and yet we feel so very Blessed. God is amazing! I am so thrilled He has called us to settle here. It hasn’t been easy, in fact it has been a whole other adventure! We still feel a little clueless as to why here…? But that’s okay. We hold a few small pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and we’re seeking the other pieces. Just as it takes time and a few failed attempts to put together a jigsaw puzzle, it will take us a bit of time to re-establish our family and find what it is God would have us do here. In the meantime we are looking at the big picture (the one that the Designer displays on the jigsaw puzzle box lid). We may not know “what’s coming next” but our Lord and Saviour does and I’m okay with that! We’re just praying for that next piece in the puzzle…

Settling in, and simple pleasures!

2012-01-14T10:53:00.000+10:00

Taking a few minutes to share shome thoughts.....

After being on the road for 2 years....living in a house again has been an experience! It's so weird to hear the rain on the roof and not on the canvas just inches from your head! It is so nice to be safe and warm inside as the thunder and lightning roll around the hills. It is absolutely amazing to have our own flushing toilet, to not have to re-pack all our shower gear every time we have a shower... When we unpacked our 80L fridge/freezer into the Fridge/Freezer (on loan form my sister) it was just comical how much room there was. We all celebrated by making up cordial and placing in the fridge so that we could drink it chilled! Imagine that....chilled drinks after drinking cordial at room temperature for 2 years! This is so appreciated! The other thrill has been to utilise the oven. It has had quite a work out! From Roasts to Cakes and Bickies. Everyone is enjoying having an oven again. Can't wait to make a Quiche in it :) I had to rediscover all our old favourite recipes. I have carried only 2 Cookbooks around Australia with us. The "MBC MOPS Family Secrets Recipe Book" and Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen's "Classic Country Collection." Amazingly, that has been all we have needed on the road. I have used both regularly. Practical recipes. Flo's book has the best damper recipe! But that is another story. My family have enjoyed coming home from school to home-cooked goodies. I thought I'd share one of the recently enjoyed favourites....

My favourite recipe for an easy Chocloate Cake...
1 Cup Self/Raising Flour (I use White Wings Gluten Free)
1 Cup Castor Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3 Tablespoons Cocoa
3 Tablespoons Butter (I use Nuttelex as we are Dairy Free)
1/2 Cup Milk (I use Zymil Lactose Free)
2 Eggs

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl for 4 minutes. Pour mixture into a well-greased 20cm cake tin. Bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes. I use good quality baking paper as I can't be bothered to grease and flour cake tins, and much prefer less washing up anyway... I am wondering if this mixture will make good mini muffins for lunchboxes. Hmm will have to experiment. As for icing, my Mum (Bless her) taught me a simple icing recipe when I was a young girl making a mess in the family kitchen. It is a keeper, I encourage you to try it out. Simple, but functional.....

Mum's Quick Fail-Proof ICING
2 Cups Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon Butter (again, I use Nuttelex)
2 Tablespoons of either Juice, Diluted Cordial or Water. (Any flavour of juice or cordial will suffice, although Raspberry cordial is awesome with Chocolate Icing....Just saying!)
[For Chocolate Icing : add 1 Tablespoon of Cocoa and a drop or two of Vanilla Essence]

Combine all ingredients and mix to a smooth consistency. You will need more liquid, so add more 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency. Yummo!

The Art and Science Of...Me

2010-10-22T13:22:00.000+10:00

Who am I?

That The Lord of all the earth,

would care to know my name...

would care to feel my hurt...

If you really knew me...you wouldn’t like me. Do you ever catch this thought beetling through your head. Usually followed closely by the troublesome: Am I good enough? Am I worthy? Or recently thanks to the popular rock song.... Am I pretty enough?

When I was a little girl I used to spend hours pretending to be somebody else...not just anybody, specifically those I perceived to be beautiful, attractive, successful, even fascinating. I was often frustrated by my gawky self, my unruly straw coloured hair, my voice that was just lacking “something”, my freckly face, chubby body and totally un-appealing flat chest!!! I longed to be as sensual as Sandra Dee (Olivia Newton-John in “Grease”), as beautiful as Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady”), as free-spirited as Maria (Julie Andrews in “The Sound Of Music”) and I’m super embarrassed to say....as voluptuous as Dolly Parton!!!

With these beauties of stage and screen to compare myself too, I never really stacked up! I often felt awkward and uncomfortable with my body, my singing voice, my “self” and my um lack of a bust! And then I stumbled over Psalm 139. And over time have come to accept the “me” that God made! It didn’t come easily! I didn’t wake up one morning and suddenly think “I’m gorgeous – strike a pose!” Quite the opposite actually. It took me a while. I would take all my insecurities, stinging comments (like “do you have a baby in your belly” when I wasn’t pregnant) to God and pour out my heart in prayer. There, curled up in a tight little ball in the arms of Jesus, repeating all those hurtful, critical remarks and comparing myself to someone else’s beautiful outsides....God slowly began to reveal to me just how carefully he put me together, how dear I am to Him, how He deliberately wired me for His plan and His purpose! And each time I come back and sit in His presence I am reminded that it only matters that I’m His! He knows me, He sees my very thoughts, He thinks about me more often than I can even comprehend....and He loves me just the way I am! Of course it helps that I married an Electrician, a fella that really sees me...and likes the way I’m wired!

God is with you and rescues you from your troubles. You are not alone in this world, quite the contrary actually. The one who lovingly pieced you together, who knows your very thoughts; has a plan and a purpose for your life! You are not some random collection of cells coming together unexpectedly...you are a delicate framework, put together with great care and consideration, knit together, formed in His image! I love that song that goes... “You made everything Glorious! You made everything Glorious! And I am yours....what does that make me?” He walks with you and calls you His own...How blessed are you to have God as your companion in life! Cling to that thought...God is with you! He will not forsake you!

“even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:10

Read through Psalm 139

Take a moment to capture your thoughts; the verses that speak to your core and the areas you feel need ACTION

1) What jumps out at you?

2) How are you wired? What specific gifts and abilities has God given you?

3) Psalm 139 speaks volumes of a Father’s love...I love the verses about how His thoughts towards you outnumber the grains of sand. (vs 17-18) Take a moment to tell your LORD and Saviour what it is you love about Him? “How do I love thee...let me count thy ways”

4) SEARCH ME: Read Psalm139:23-24 Ask God to show you where you need a little “tweaking?”

Application verses:

Joshua 1:5

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”

Psalm 103:1-5

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Psalm 103:12

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”

Proverbs 20:24

“A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?”

Proverbs 31:30

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Turn your mind from Churn to Burn...

2010-01-22T21:27:00.000+10:00

My family are living on the road permanently these days... (see our BLOG over at a-dventure.blogspot.com)

It's been quite an experience packing up all and sundry...and hitting the road. We now have no official Home, no stuff left to store, all we have is what is in our car and camper trailer.

Life is...an adventure!

It's funny how a few weeks living in close quarters affects you.

Our white shirts are no longer white.

Our shoes are very grubby.

I have not slept through the night since we left as now I have to escort little people to public toilets for that urgent call through the night!

Our meals are very simple, we have no microwave and the only Dishwashers we have are the ones on the ends of our own arms!!!

Our children have limited toys but a whole wide area to play in...unless it's raining! They each have their own small toy box. And since the twins have already had a Birthday, whilst we were on the road...their boxes have been re packed numerous times to accomodate their pressies! christmas saw all 4 pulling their boxes apart, cos they knew....if they can't fit it in the box...it goes!

And being a typical Mummy I'm programmed to feel guilty about the slightest thing....

Does that happen to you?

I churn over stupid things like...

Are my kids going to be worse off for this round Australia experience....having had to leave their closest friends, give away all their toys away, down size their clothing to a handful of sets....? I hope not.
Are we even going to like each other at the end of this? We've had many a Raarrrrrr over simple things like..."backing a trailer", being too exhausted to get up during the night and "could you please go"....? Who's washing up...? Dumb stuff you know. I guess after being together 24/7 a couple of dumb blow ups when we're tired are fairly normal.
Will I ever get to dye my hair again?
How on earth am I going to manage teaching my kids and travelling and keeping them fed, clothed and bathed...?

Sigh.

I have, I confess, had a few nights, and days, when I've cried out to God in total desperation....

Lord I need you!!! I can't do this!!!!! Lord, are you there? Can you hear me? Am I just being dumb? What were you thinking sending us around Australia? How on earth are we going to afford this? I miss my family...I miss my Church family...at least they sang songs that I know.... I miss my MOPS groups....I miss my Neighbour! I'm cold!!!! Are we ever going to get off this Island and back to Mainland Australia? Sob....

And you know what... Every Time!

Not some of the time...but EVERYTIME He has provided for our needs...

We have had money turn up unexpectedly in our Bank account, just when a Big Bill came in...We've had people offer Daniel work when he desperately needed it. We have been kept safe and secure, our tent got twisted and blown sideways and nothing broke! We've heard people speak in Church that were Missionaries in PNG and wouldn't you know it but they were from the same Church that a fellow MOPS Regional Coordinator attends And the lady was a MOPS Mum...coincidence...hmmm I think Not! The message that day was on: being a part of a Church Family and...wait for it....Doing something Radical in your Christian Walk!

God has been with us every step of the way...
He has been there with me, when I'm bawling my eyes out...as well as when i'm cracking up laughing....
He is with me...
His still quiet voice is the voice I so desperately crave, and when I spend time seeking him....earnestly....somehow the pop and crackle and white noise of my crazy mobile life fades into the background and He comforts me...with quiet assurance that He is with me...I am not alone... He will strengthen and Protect me and He will provide for me....

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

I am quite sure that I will have more days when I lose the plot, and when I wonder how on earth we're going to manage... Life on the road is fraught with a miriad of problems to solve. I just pray that in those moments, I will be able to step back, take a deep breath and get His perspective on things....

Teary & weary!!!

2009-12-28T22:41:00.000+10:00

Well it's official... I'm EMOTIONAL!!!

I'm not sure why I'm on this emotional rollercoaster at this particular point in time...I just am!

Teary, over sensitive, and tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddd!

I know that it's normal for us gals at certain times to get a little, well....tense and twitchy! But this is ridiculous!

I hear a sweet story and I cry!

I open and read a Birthday card from a dear friend and I cry!

I can't get rid of the ants for the kitchen and I cry!

I go on a beautiful mountain drive surrounded by vistas that take your breath away...and I CRY!

What is with me?

Hmphf.

And where is the CHOCOLATE???

Oh it's alright, I haven't lost the plot for at least...hmmm, 5 hours (when I was perched on the edge of a high free fall; had this crazy idea that today was the day I could confront my fear of heights! WRONG!!! It just left me a sooky, shaky mess, embarressed and dissapointed with myself. I think it was made worse by the fact that I had an audience. Yep, my 4 precious children were watching me to see what I would do. And I blanched, I choked....I, you guessed it...CRIED!).

Days like today, when I've tried something scary for me...

when I've been sitting on the edge, CRYING...

They are the days that not a single tear falls to the ground without notice.

I know that as lousy as I feel, those tears are serving a purpose....they are like a pressure valve going off...and they are catching the attention of our LORD and Saviour who is diligently collecting them.

Why?

Because he cares so much about us. Because each and every tear that rolls down our cheeks are worthy of his attention. The King of Heaven is not only interested in our tears...His concern for us goes much deeper than tears...He loves us. He longs to comfort us and give us peace.

I think after today's harrowing experience I have nothing left, so I'm going to crawl into bed.

I'm done! I'm over it! I'm....tired.

As I drift off to sleep I choose to focus not on my shortcomings, or my leaky face....but on my Lord and Saviour. And the knowledge that I am His, set apart, and loved no matter what! And this verse is playing through my mind...

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Hobbits and Eggs ...

2009-11-15T16:37:00.001+10:00

It seems bizarre to me that after being out of the House all week at School come Saturday morning all my kids want to do is lie around INSIDE and not "DO" a whole lot.

As they are up first, they help themselves to their first Breakfast...(I do believe I gave birth to Hobbits!) then they either play or watch Saturday Disney.

Daniel actually blesses us with a Saturday morning tradition: cooking a Hot Breakfast. The contents of which are usually determined by what is present in our refrigerator at the time...Short Cut Gluten Free Bacon, Eggs (whichever way we want them), Tomato, Hash Browns (on the odd occasion), Mushrooms (I know others like them but seriously....YUK!) all served with a cool glass of Orange Juice and just for me a steaming cup of coffee. He insists that the adults are to be served first...then the Kids all line up for their Second Breakfast!

It's a simple tradition in our family, and one that I really appreciate....

I love Saturdays. It is one of the only days we start all together. That time together as one family is so precious to me. I love it!!! I crave it!!! I neeeeeed it!!! It helps me to feel that we are in this together. We are a Team....and quite often it is a time when we get to talk. The children inevitably wander off to do their own thing and I have my dear Hubby's attention, all to myself! Well for a little while. He works Saturdays. But for that small window of time not even Hannah Montana can compete for my attention! I secretly love that show!!!

We seem to have more and more demands on our time, running this child to violin, this one to cello, these two to Cub Scouts, dragging myself to Book Club and MOPS (nothing gets in the way of attending those invaluable head space creating events) sharing Daniel with the men's ministry he is involved in, work...not to mention clearing out the house in preparation for leaving in 29 days to travel around Australia permanently! Think Gypsy lifestyle, although I don't think we'll be Singing or Dancing for our supper, no-one would pay us.... So any time I can get with my Husband is like gold to me!

Thank you Lord for blessing me with a man who works so hard for his family. Thank you Lord for our special Saturday morning tradition, for hungry little Hobbit like people who eat well and for time to just "be together". Please help us to appreciate each other and enjoy each other's company, no matter how brief those moments may be.

Rotten Eggs, Kidney Beans & a dash of Perspective...

2009-10-05T00:14:00.002+10:00

When I was a baby I crawled under a table and rubbed golden syrup all though the wiry leg hairs of my dear Uncle Ted.

When I was a toddler I drank kerosene whilst our remote western property was flooded in.

When I was a little girl I cleaned my pet cat’s teeth with my Uncle Jack Back’s toothbrush! (Not my most endearing moment)

When I came across a big egg in the reeds one day with my older sister, we decided to take turns sitting on it to keep it warm and make it hatch. The egg was rotten which is why it had been discarded from the nest, but we thought we were hatching a baby. Mum told us to get rid of it so we hid it in our pantry and it eventually exploded. (again not my most endearing moment)

When I was in primary school my mother went on a health kick and grew weird so-called healthy things on the kitchen bench, we thought they were disgusting…and she seasoned every meal with a disproportionate serve of kidney beans! To this day I am traumatised at the very sight of them… We detested these beans and went to great lengths to avoid actually consuming them. My sister and I came up with this plan- we set the table with paper napkins, discreetly spat the kidney beans into them as we “wiped” our mouths and then passed them to the Jackeroo under the table and unbeknownst to Mum, he would feed them to the dogs after dinner. All went famously until he got sprung and myyyy mother made us eat a whole bowl of kidney beans for punishment! Uuurgh!

And now I have children…

The ultimate pay back for my childhood misadventures

Children who: have vomited in my husband’s armpit, have rubbed mashed banana onto my sister’s neck, have mopped the walls and every surface imaginable with a sodden mop – even the toilet paper was mopped! Have “washed” their toys in the toilet bowl, have decorated their bodies with my makeup, have drawn on each other with permanent marker, spread self raising flour throughout the house, decorated the walls with my expensive face creams……

Can you see a common thread here?

I am sure we drove our mother to distraction at times. But my Mum bless her heart always seemed to understand that she was “raising kids” not rushing from one disaster scene to the next. She had a long term view, an idea of where she wanted to grow us to. So when I feel like I’m running from disaster to disaster….. It helps me to think that this thing that's happening is not permanent, my children will survive childhood, because I did. And some things are just not worth getting upset about. Ask yourself “will this matter in 5 years?” and if it won’t, let it be water off a duck’s back. Jesus parents you with a long term perspective, follow his example.

Oh, and just a wee tip: kidney beans make kids rebel!

Love your neighbour....she might just save you!

2009-08-05T21:40:00.002+10:00

I love my neighbours! They are the best! Always there to help me in a cooking conundrum with recipe advice, cups of flour, packets of rice or a bag of potatoes! They have sat vigil with me whilst my children have been very sick and they have picked up my kids from school when I couldn't. They are just the best!!!!
At the moment, My neighbour is going through a tough time. She has one child in Hospital, her Husband is with him and she hasn't slept for days....So I gave her a call tonight just to check up on her and see how things were.
What started out as an ordinary conversation quickly escalated into a series of squeals and then full blown hysteria! It seems the family cat had very dutifully brought home a little present. Now my neighbour, bless her heart, is terrified of mice! Interestingly, the technical term for this phobia is Musophobia or Muriphobia! So, not being able to get any sense out of her on the phone and knowing her chief rescuer was away I offered to come and catch the errant rodent!
It was hilarious!
My 4 children and I marched across the road sensibly armed with a lunchbox (cos that's what you do....and I needed to catch the poor wee thing somehow) only to find the offending animal had already been apprehended by a tea towel bearing teenager. I already suspected this because of the random shrieking that was drifting up the driveway! (It's a teenager thing!!!) Unperturbed and armed with my trusty lunch box I entered the house only to find it wasn't a mouse, but a baby bat!!!
Then I realised that my neighbour's 4 children were accounted for but she was conspicuously absent!!!! It was at that moment our eyes locked.....She was outside having run for the closest exit leaving her 4 children shut inside!!!! I caught sight of her through the glass door, eyes wide, face flushed, mouth open & in shock! Apparently in her haste to escape the great vicious mouse-like beast...she had completely forgotten to save her children, and was horrified! Her children on the other hand were totally amused....it was funny!
Eventually the poor stunned critter was released onto a citrus tree from the back verandah, which again illicited much shrieking and squealing from the tea towel bearing teenager....And all of us had a good laugh.
The Bible says to love your neighbour as you love yourself... Well I took that very seriously tonight...because I know that there will come a time when some large hairy legged arachnid or slithery slimy serpent is going to scoot across my floor and my chief rescuer is going to be away. And I know with absolute certainty that my neighbour will do what any other sensible mother will do...
She'll send the tea-towel bearing teenager!!!!
But only if her chief rescuer is not at home!
I just hope, when that creepy crawly hightails it across the floor and I am in the grip of the flight reflex....that I remember my children!!!! :)
Thank you Lord for the blessing of wonderful neighbours, for tea towel bearing teenage rescuers and for belly laughs!!! :)

Some times you just have to blow it!

2009-08-01T10:13:00.004+10:00

Well it started out as an ordinary family meal...
We were doing the normal Tea-time routine...you know: "eat with your mouth closed" "Use your cutlery" "No, don't wipe your face on your shirt!" "Ask for things to be passed to you, don't just grab it..." "Sit on your chair properly"
Annnnnd it all changed in an instant!
One minute the tension was rising, the frustration was palpable, the conversation had trickled to just about nothing....
Then the unexpected happened.....
Connor had picked up a pea examined it and decided it fit perfectly inside his right nostril!!!! He then expelled it with great force, and blow me down if that pea didn't fly out of his nose and bounce across the table!
Ppppfffft!
Now I don't know about you but there are some times when you just have to laugh and it's really not appropriate, but you can't help it nor can you stifle it. The more you try not to, the more likely you are to explode in fits of mirth!!!! And when that green pea came flying out of his nose and bounced across the surface of the table....my Husband and I locked eyes and he said "Don't! Just Don't!!!!" But it was too late, no amount of pretend coughing was going to disguise my shaking giggling shoulders!!!! Hee Hee. I mean seriously...the pea bounced across the table!!!! Very Funny!
Thank you Lord that sometimes I just have to blow it out...and Laugh! Thank you for the faithful instruction you give me for the day to day "stuff", and thank you for the curiosity of little boys!!!!

Make a joyful noise...just not near me!!!!

2009-07-29T22:32:00.003+10:00

I thought I'd share one of the humorous moments of my week with you :)
The other day I was chauffeuring our four children to School with the music up loud and overcome by the moment I burst forth into song....

At this point Josie, Miss 10, turned the music down and very seriously said... "Muuuuummmmmy! That's not singing!"

I replied that "the Bible states that we should make a joyful noise unto the Lord"

Josie didn't miss a beat....she simply stated. "Mum that is NOT a joyful noise!!!!

A Mother's Code...

2009-07-29T22:13:00.003+10:00

My 9 year old is learning about Medieval times with her class at School.

How fascinating... As a result today she wanted to know exactly what people wore in medieval times (as an aside I remain convinced she will be a fashion designer one day...). So after some diligent Internet research, we came up with all kinds of things Medieval! Everything from how to make Medieval food to Shields, Lances, Parchment, Hats, Footwear, Music...and one of the coolest finds was how to make a catapult out of paddle pop sticks some wooden pegs and a plastic spoon.

Anyway....at some point we stumbled upon "The Knight's Code". And read it with interest.... If you haven't had the pleasure...here's an example of one (there are other versions but this is the gist of it)... If you Click on it, you will be able to read it...

Reading this got me thinking...

Do we have a Mother's code?

A code calling us to a higher purpose. Overflowing with Integrity, Honour, and Gracefulness... Then I had a single profound thought....Perhaps, I could write one...No pressure! So strap yourself in, here goes...

1. Be always available to your children, and forget about the "rest" part until they're at least 9!
2. Stand up for your Children, you are as soft as a Kitten & as ferocious as a Lioness!
3. Be a good example with your actions and your words.
4. Be prepared to GRRRROWL when you have to.
5. Carry out your daily routine with great purpose, you have been chosen by God to raise these precious lambs. This is your mission field! He has a plan & a Purpose for you...
6. Always keep your word. A promise is a Promise! Let your Yes be YES and your No be NO!
7. Be a person of good character! Do the right thing, and apologise if you stuff up.
8. God will bless the work of your hands....whatever that may be. Each chore you do for your family you are also doing for Him.
9. Laugh often! Give Generously!
10. Speak words of Kindness and affirmation.
11. Anything that is in your power you can do to help another...Just do it. Give of yourself, your family, your time, your resources....
12. It's never right to do wrong and it's never wrong to do right!

Refer to the book of Proverbs Chapter 31 for more details.....so that you too can, as Lysa Terkeurst says... "Let God write your Motherhood story"

Hang in there Honey... You're doing the greatest job in the world!

Once upon a time there was a busy mummy...

2009-07-24T07:47:00.003+10:00

I wonder sometimes just how my four perceive me???
Do they see me as a stressed out Psycho-Mum?
I wonder....

Once upon a time there was a stressed out Mummy who was always busy. Her favourite thing to do was have her turn on the computer. She didn't like mess, always wanted us to help clean it up, especially when someone was coming over to visit. She often rang her handsome prince to find out exactly when he would be home and then kept looking up expectantly as cars drove past. And spent all her days doing the washing although she never did actually get it folded and put back into drawers. She loved us, cleaned us, fed us, fixed our sores and wiped our tears and our snotty noses. She tucked us in to bed, came running when we called out in the night, gave us ventolin when we were having asthma attacks....!

Sometimes, it is a delight to have a snuggly wiggly bony bottomed little one on your lap reading to you.
Or to have a cuddle under the covers on a chilly morning before getting on with the "to do list".
Or to go for a burn on the scooter in the driveway....just because.
Or to make choc dipped strawberries for dessert, and use the last of the chocolate to cover 4 large marshmallows as an extra treat for 4 precious little darlings.
Or to warm up the day's clothes in the drier on a cold morning so they're snug and warm and sooooo nice.
But sometimes I forget. I get tied up in the crazy paced day to day survival that belongs to working Mums. You know what? I wouldn't be surprised if my kids missed "their Mum" sometimes. I certainly miss them. I feel so overwhelmed with love for these four precious people and their Dad....but sometimes I just wonder...am I always to be a busy Mummy?

Lord help me today to take time to play, to laugh and slow down and hold hands and appreciate the children that you have blessed me with. Help me to relax in your sovereignty, help me to be a better Mum, help me to spend time on the things that really matter today. Thank you for your advice to "come away with me to a quiet place...." Now I know you have kids too!

We come to him broken and empty...

2009-04-17T02:20:00.002+10:00

I don't know how you celebrate Easter. But in our family as much as we try to make it about Jesus, the little furry visitor always seems to illicit unparalleled excitement or should I say Eggscitement.
So the dilemma becomes...how do we return the focus to the real reason we celebrate Easter?
I'd love to hear what traditions you have.
Our family seems to tweak our traditions every year. One of our traditions is to make resurrection cookies, looking at the Bible verses as we go.

Easter Story Biscuits (aka Resurrection Cookies)
Preparation Time: 20 mins / Total Time: 1 day
Ingredients:
1 cup pecan nuts
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Tools:
large plastic bag
wooden spoon
sticky tape
Bible
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F)
2. Place pecans in the plastic bag and let your children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into
small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman Soldiers. Read
John 19: 1-3.
3. Let each child smell or taste the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when
Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19: 28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us
life. Read John 10: 10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own
sin. Read Luke 23:27. Beat mixture until soft peaks form.
6. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves
us. He wants us to know Him and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34: 8 and John 3: 16. Beat mix for
another minute until sugar dissolved.
Explain that the colour white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1: 18 and John 3: 1-3.
8. Fold in the broken nuts.
9. Drop a teaspoon-full of the mixture onto non-stick, baking paper on a tray. Explain that each
mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27: 57-60.
10. Put the baking sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off.
11. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read
Matthew 27: 65-66. (be careful when putting the tape on the oven - it'll still be hot!)
12. Go to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave them in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers
felt despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
13. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a biscuit. Notice the cracked surface and
take a bite. The biscuits are hollow! Explain that on the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed
to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matthew 28: 1-9.

This year we tried to do something a little bit different.
We encouraged the children to make their own nests for the Easter Bunny (an activity guaranteed to occupy them for an entire day). Then before they went to bed we asked them to take these plastic eggs and place them in their nests broken apart. This is when we asked them what Easter was really all about. I took a broken egg, held it up and told them that we are like these eggs. We have an empty space inside that can only be filled by Jesus; that though we have sinned and fall short time and time again....he takes it all away and fills up up with hope and a future; though we are broken and empty he completes us and improves us and makes something wonderful out of our brokenness. On Easter Sunday when the children awoke they found their eggs filled with treats and surprises. And the eggs were whole.
I pray that your family has had a Blessed Easter. And that you have too have found a way to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and to intentionally teach your children.
I wonder what did your family do?
And, how has he put you back together, filled you up and made you into something very special, whole and complete.....?

Crazy Last Day Of Term 1...

2009-04-17T02:16:00.003+10:00

The last day of School for first term was one crazy day indeed. After a week filled with tummy bugs and an attack of the grumps, we were thrilled to find ourselves on the brink of 10 special days together to rest, recuperate and recharge for next term.
With much delight the children dressed in plain clothes for "free dress day" and then we got down to business..."crazy hair-styling". No Easter bonnet parades at their School, just "crazy hair and free dress day".
Having won the previous 4 years Josie (Miss 10) insisted she wanted to look crazy but not win this year okay Mum! Leisl (Miss 8 & 3/4)was determined to go to school even though she was feeling a little off, so I did her hair to match. Rosa (Miss 6) wanted to look like a Princess (of course!!!!) and Connor (Mr 6) well, he just doesn't have much hair! So after a bit of effort on my part with the girls we dashed down to the local shops to search out some coloured hair spray for one little man. Armed with said can we arrived at School, and under pressure applied it artistically in the car park, as you do. Here are the results (P.S if you click on the pics they will open up much bigger):

Josie's "zzzzzz zzzzzzz do"
was twisted and spiky and whacky.

Leisl's was quite pretty at the back but very unusual at the front...

Rosa was quite beautiful... a true Princess!

Connor was short, and swirly! And we plaited his little Rat's tail....

All in all it was a lot of fun, and four happy littleuns headed into the School eager to show off their new "dos".
It made me think though...it doesn't matter if they win, or if their Teachers and Peers like their hair-dos...at the end of the day the pins will come out, the dye will wash out and the ribbons will be put away...but they will have yet another memory to hang on to. Another story about their whacky Mum and the crazy creations she came up with. And how we scoured the local shops for coloured hair spray (even considering for a brief moment using crazy string!) The perfect end to a topsy turvey first term for my two Grade one-ers, one Grade 4-er and one Grade 5-er. One that often left me scratching my head trying to figure things out, or yanking my hair out as I tried to come to terms with the frustrations of Bullying, or the many moments of stress and borderline hysteria as we negotiated the thrills and spills of 4 little people trying to make sense of their ever changing world. I love that at every moment God has walked with us...gently coaching us, providing for us and smoothing out the bubbles. I love that...when I find myself in the thick of it and feel like I'm going a little bit Psycho-Mummy Crazy he is there...helping me to take a deep breath and brush it off.
Sigh. I often catch myself repeating "I love my kids! No, really, I LOVE my kids!!!!" Just to remind myself that when things get a bit sticky..."I really DO loooooove my Kids!"
I can only imagine how much my God and Father looks upon the tangled, tousled mess of our crazy mixed up world and says..."I LOVE my Kids! I really Loooooove my kids!"
Let's face it, he's crazy about us too!

5 Minutes To Decadence and Belly Laughs!!!

2009-04-17T02:11:00.002+10:00

Leisl recently had some time off School with another bout of Tonsillitis. Another day off work for me, part of the joys of juggling children and part-time work! But it couldn't be helped, she was sick, she needed her Mum and that was all there was to it.
Well, knowing that she loves to cook, I thought that she and I could try out this Mug Cake recipe that I had been emailed. (Thank you to the numerous people that emailed me a copy of this - you know who you are and you are sooooo in trouble!!!!!)

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT!

Well we dutifully followed the recipe. Note the part that says "The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!" Well this is what happened...
When I read that note, I was certainly not expecting it to rise over the mug that much!!!!
What do they mean don't be alarmed??
Leisl and I got a good belly laugh out of it, she was more than a little tickled by the whole episode and happily sat down to eat it.
I, on the other hand...thought "mug cake hmmm I don't think so!" And proceeded to transfer all the contents into a large pasta Bowl....
The end result was absolutely delicious! Definitely large enough for 2 people to consume and very yummy! I did what any woman in my position would do...I rang my neighbour and invited her over to "help" me eat it. Which was just lovely. And very funny!
Isn't that typical, what we expected and what we ended up with were vastly different realities, despite our careful adherence to the instructions provided. Life's a bit like that too isn't it. We kind of have an expectation for how things are going to go, we carefully follow the instructions we've been given and what do you know the cup overflows and it gets kind of messy for a while but it's still good.
Worth the effort and so worth the belly laugh!!!
Enjoy, with Leisl, and my, blessings!

Are You Inspect-able?

2009-02-19T22:59:00.002+10:00

I have had a week of cleaning, tidying, sorting....etc. And I'm sooo over it!

It's sort of confronting to have somebody come through and inspect your house every 3 months to point out what needs maintaining and what is not up to scratch. That, apparently, is the joy of Renting!

I do what I have to do but boy do I struggle with it. The very receipt of the 'notice of intention to inspect' letter sets me into a spin! Grrrrrrrrr. I start my downward spiral then, and only regain the surface when it's all blown over.

I sometimes wonder if we personally could do with a regular "inspection" too. A once-over a couple of times a year to see how we're going internally on a spiritual level. I mean am I really okay?

I may seem like I have it together. Yet I often feel alone and disconnected. I may seem like I have lots of friends, and in reality I know a lot of people, but can only count a couple who seem to love me warts and all. I may even seem busy to other people, but most of my running around is tied up with an opportunity that presented for our oldest daughter. And we took it, knowing that this year may be her only opportunity to participate seeing as we're hitting the road to work & travel around Australia for an indefinite time frame...for possibly 2 years or more. She is quite the violinist and deserves a chance don't you think? Not much opportunity for that in a caravan whilst Home-schooling... I'm sure we'll face that challenge when we get to it.

But seriously...how am I going? Let's take a walk through shall we? And see what jumps out.

I'm carrying a little more weight than I'd like....think soft as a marshmallow....cuddly!
I'm due for a haircut.....or should I grow it longer......? Don't know, perhaps the budget will decide.
I'm physically worn out.......too many late nights, not enough bedtimes before midnight. I'm positively orange and pumpkin-like now.
I'm feeling like the money runs out before the end of the week.........and mostly due to older children doing more activities and camps and cubs and and and....Or perhaps just sheer numbers....there are 4 of them!
I'm loving Book Club, what a breath of fresh air.....Kid free time to hang out and learn more about God from some of the Coast's most wonderful God Chicks over seriously goooood coffee. What a blessing they are!!!!
We've had some of the most inspiring sermons at Church this year. Wow! I've sooo loved hearing the message......Well most of the time. Sometimes I feel like God uses this time to convict me of some of the areas I need to trust him for....like provision for going away in a Caravan and 4WD (which we actually do NOT have to do things we Don't know and to meet people we Don't know, for HIS purpose...which as you can probably guess....we don't know yet!!!) So Yes love going to Church but sometimes struggle with the messages God relays to both of us whilst we're there.....
I'm really seeking God this year.....feel like I've been totally slack in the area of personal devotion. I mean I pray all the time, and do read the Bible sometimes...but need to do so more.........I seem to get to bed too late, up too late....put my "face" on, make the lunches, rush to School/Work...rush to the next thing...rush home, hear the twins' Grade 1 readers, listen to Leisl practice Cello and Josie Violin, empty out the lunch boxes, pop a load of washing on and make the evening meal, clean up, check my emails, and then do it all again....

Sometimes I feel too busy to pay attention to myself let alone God. Thank goodness he can see my thoughts and my heart at all times, as intimidating as that can be.... In our Book Club we have been reading "The Organic God" by Margaret Feinberg, and she describes this perfectly on page 36....

"God's bigheartedness leaves me speechless, motionless. I can't quite explain it, but deep down inside, I feel afraid. I am scared that if I get too close to the light of God's love, it will expose all the areas of my life which are not only unlovely, but unlovable. I fear his love, but at the same time I am drawn to it. I want to know the love of the Organic God. I want to explore the boundaries and beauty of his bigheartedness. I want his love to saturate my being. My soul craves it."

I am still his! He knows me and he loves me....and he is with me! And he is with you too....in his eyes you are nothing but a beautiful and totally lovable child of God.

So, how about you?

How are you going?

Any maintenance required?

Feeling a little exposed?

I encourage you to get out your "Life Maintenance Manual", the Bible, and see how to really live!

The Next Chapter...

2009-02-07T18:50:00.003+10:00

Here I was thinking with no small degree of nostalgia, that the chapter had closed on my little ones' infancy... Only to find we have begun another adventure. One that often takes me by surprise and completely blows out my previously established sense of order.

I just found a trail of Rice Bubbles trickled randomly down the Hallway, even though breakfast was hours ago! When I was washing earlier I discovered not one, not two.....but six favourite small toys buried in pockets accompanied by rocks, leaves, grass clippings and one screw. I went to check on the children who were all suspiciously quiet to find Leisl and Connor "bathing" midget teenage mutant ninja turtles on the back verandah (hey, at least they were outside!). Rosa was just beginning to dress up...she is a Princess after all!!!! And Josie was sitting happily drawing.

Some noticeable changes that accompany this particular stage of the Parenting adventure I shall affectionately call.... "The Primary School Years"

More washing to deal with (after all they are bigger, and Leisl has to wear...oh I don't know....at least 3 outfits in 1 day!)
Kids that can take their own baskets, fold and put their own clothes away (as long as I don't watch how they go in their drawers)
more food consumed (Bigger tummies)
Higher grocery bills
More lunchboxes to pack (although they are packing their own)
More books to read (Got to love those learner readers)
More hair to do (was so much easier when they were bald!)
More ummmm intentional stimulation
A house that is no longer baby-proof
Glasses on the table instead of plastic cups
Kids that can pop their own dirty dishes in the dishwasher (I love that)
After school activities
Children learning Instruments
Cuts, scrapes, bruises...more injuries!
Head Lice! (Feeling itchy yet?)
Worms! (eeeeewwwwwwww!)
Teeth falling out and leaving Gaps! (amazingly Connor still has all his Baby teeth!!!!)
Visits from the Tooth Fairy
Homework
Sleep overs!
Kids that can click themselves in, in the car, clean up their own rooms, brush their own teeth (well my 8 and 10 year olds do)
Very interesting prayers
Lots of laughs together
Kids that can wipe their OWN bottoms....Hallelujah!
Lots of singing, especially songs from School that we never expected them to know!!!!
Long Legs that dangle down to touch the floor when you pick up your kids for a cuddle!
Training wheels off their push bikes.
I'd love to say a clean and tidy house, but that would be getting your hopes up! (I heard that sigh of relief!)

Suffice to say, this period of parenting is in it's early stages for us...and we are enjoying it immensely. I love that new found independence (well some of the time) and I love the extra helping hands (most of the time)....I still haven't figured out the total prevention of Head Lice or discovered exactly why there are Rice Bubbles trickled down the hallway....

But we so appreciate the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1...

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven...

I hope you are enjoying the chapter you are in.....it will be over before you are ready for it.

Blessings

Suck it up Princess!

2009-02-07T18:05:00.002+10:00

I came out of the Office today to find our four precious, delightful children all bickering, so I did what any Mother worth her salt does...I retreated and waited to see if it would all blow itself out.

Ha!

The tempest raged for some time and there's only sooo much time you can spend on Facebook! So, I intervened...sending them all to their respective beds. A very noisy process! But essential...

Time out is as crucial for them as it is for me...it makes me a better Mum. I am always so much better equipped with a self-imposed breather to get a handle on my frustrations. Sometimes much to our amusement Rosa (Miss 6) takes herself to bed, loudly, but without our intervention. She knows she needs to get it together so she storms off to bed.

I wonder where you go? Or what you do in that brief breather?

Me?

I go outside! Breathe in Breathe out... And having a beautiful view out the back really helps. Somehow being outside takes the edge off. Other times I go check my emails, send a text message, read a page or two of our Book Club Book or the MOPS book for this year "The Mommy Diaries". No matter what I do, I pray!

It's funny, the other day we were having one of those episodes with Miss Rosa, and in a flash of frustration this wrung out Mummy inappropriately quipped "suck it up Princess!" To which she ceased raging and delightfully replied...."Mummy..., you just called me Princess!"

That made me laugh!!! All tension dissipated...

Apparently being addressed as the royalty she KNOWS she is was enough to pull her out of her stormy emotional outburst!

I think I might just use this amusing reminder for myself.

All of us can do with reminding that we are adopted daughters of the KING!

Annnd when life spins out of control emotionally, as it inevitably does during this crazy Adventure in Mothering, I hope he whispers loudly in our ears...

Suck it up Princess!

So...play Possum!

2009-02-06T14:00:00.003+10:00

I woke up this morning with one little possum snuggled up against me. I have no recollection of her coming in, hence I have no clue how long she was there. I squished down the little flash of annoyance that ran through my head as I realised she was cutting off the blood supply to my arm...and wiggled over a bit. Then I watched awash with Mother love as, suddenly cool from the gap I'd created, she squirmed over to nestle against me again. All whilst still being asleep.

It's a lovely feeling to have someone warm and soft to cuddle. How can I begrudge my sleeping princess that need for her mum's comforting presence. She didn't know that her twin brother had been playing tag with her in sneaking into mum's bed for a cuddle during the wee small hours. She didn't know that I had crawled into bed exhausted much later than intended. She didn't know that her Dad had lost all claim to his side of the bed and was perilously close to falling off.

She didn't know....and if she did it wouldn't matter.

She just needed the reassurance. The comfort and peace that a loved one's embrace yields. She needed to feel safe and warm. And she needed to go back to sleep.....

I am no different really.

I had a stressful day on Wednesday, one that saw me turn into Psycho-mum...the proof is in the yelling!

It was just one of those days when stuff went wrong...I had to be somewhere by a certain time, which allowed only a brief stopover at home to bathe children, dress them, cook Dinner and exit poste haste! Annnnd I had an unexpected visitor, the phone rang and kept on ringing, the children didn't want to have their showers early, the older ones didn't want to help me prepare and cook, they all just wanted some time to play...My husband was going to be late home...I wanted to scream! I came home many hours later....feeling exhausted, drained and soooo over it! After going through the motions, teeth, toilet, tucking little ones into bed etc I sank into a chair and poured out my heart to God. I sat there feeling a fresh crop of tears brewing....and thought to myself...."How did I get so out of control? why did I lose it? I feel like a lousy Mother....please Lord what do I have to do?"

It was then that these soothing words sprang to mind...

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul..". Matthew 11:28-29

I felt the gentle nudge to ring my dear friend and cancel our pre-arranged get together for the next morning, and then to subsequently cancel all other "outings" for the day... Instead I spent the day seeking out my Father's embrace, snuggling in close to hear his still small voice. Seeking out the reassurance, comfort and peace that spending time in his presence brings. And you know what? It was goooood!

Be encouraged, when the ground falls from underneath you and you find yourself tumbling out of control...it will all be over soon! Just close your eyes, pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father....and press into him...for he is gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul =]

So....Play Possum!

Sweet Soft Sophie...

2009-02-06T00:07:00.003+10:00

"Sweet Soft Sophie"... the tag clearly read!
It was a nondescript box about the size of a telephone book...but boldly emblazoned across the top were the words "To my Sweet Soft Sophie" and the address.
I suddenly had a flashback to the days when I used to write love notes to my Husband.. and address them to:

"The chunk in my custard"
"My Stud Muffin"
"The love of My Life"
"To my Darling Daniel"

And then I got thinking....do I dub the children other names?
Miss Josie has been dubbed "Our Honey-eyed girl"
Miss Leisl as a baby was dubbed "Leisl the Loud" from the moment she was born...but has gradually become "Lovely Leisl"
Miss Rosa has always been called affectionately "Belle" which is her middle name...Nothing clever and catchy there.
And Master Connor has always been "Mister Moo"
I picked up the nickname "Poss" from my own parents owing largely to a love affair I have with fruit and nuts. (I thought that was alright actually). My older sister Kristin was always "Krist a Belle" or "Kristy", my younger brother Ross was "Rosco" or "Gungadin", Geoffrey was "GJ" or "Boogle" and Jennifer was "Jen" or "Jen wren". I have a funny relationship with my sister in law...I always call her "The Old Girl" (she's 6 weeks older than me!). Everything I send her has those very words emblazoned across the top....
But something about the parcel had piqued my curiosity... Who was Sophie? Was she a sweet little girl, or a dear friend to the sender? Or perhaps this was a far more intimate term of endearment for a much loved woman....? I placed the parcel on the shelf and hoped that I would be the one to hand it over to the mysterious "Sophie" so that I could check her out....
The lady came and collected the parcel, she didn't explain the name, nor did she deny it. She simply smiled radiantly and glowed. There was a hint of blush on her pale cheeks but I never did get an answer to my pondering.... However I could tell without a shadow of a doubt that the woman was loved dearly by the sender.
I wonder if we could be prompted to share our hearts with those dear to us through endearing words and phrases? I challenge you with the next letter, parcel or card that you send, to address it intimately.
The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24....

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

I am sure that it's irrelevant to "Sweet Soft Sophie" what the contents of the parcel actually were, the gift of love and affection was abundantly clear from the moment she read those 3 simple words....

Why is it.....?

2009-02-05T22:58:00.002+10:00

Why is it that the little people in the household have the loudest voices?
Why is it that it's excusable for small children to have meltdowns when they're tired/stress/cranky/overloaded/caught out...but the Mum is expected to be patient and kind and sooooo calm?
Why is it that the children come to my side of the bed?
Why is it that I handle all manner of tears...but Daddy is the "fun" one?
Why is it that my kids seem so surprised if I know something they have learnt at School?
Why is it that I'm chief in charge of all extra curricular activities and Dinner menus?
Why is it that nostrils are large enough for picking fingers and sleeves on shoulders are perfectly placed for wiping grubby mouths?
Why is it that I can't have a phone conversation without one child coming to interrupt me with a question?
Why is it that going to bed is not synonymous with going to sleep?
Why is it that I can't even (to borrow a term from a good mate)..."poo in peace"?
Why is it that when I wear a dress....my skirt is an instant play area for hiding, flicking, lifting and twisting?
Why is it that sharing a toilet with a child is always LOUD and embarrassing?
Why is it that sticky tape and staplers solve all creative dilemmas but when I need them I can't find one that works?
Hhmmmmmm!!!!

When the Fish are jumping...

2009-01-31T00:55:00.003+10:00

When I think of adventure I think of doing the daring things that make your stomach drop to your kneecaps and cause an adrenaline rush that keeps you going for hours! The oh my goodness you've got to be kidding me kind of things.

Some of our most memorable adventurous moments have been born out of seemingly ordinary situations. There we were plodding along when out of nowhere Whammo! We found ourselves in an adventure guaranteed to curl our toes or at the very least fall about laughing hysterically! Amazingly that is a common by-product of the A-D family's adventurous escapades. The laughing!!!!

Before I had children I was a Cub Scout Leader, looking after a Cub Pack of 20 or so boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 11. My Husband at the same time was a Scout leader. When we found ourselves expecting our first child, we continued to do all the things we did previously with scouts: abseiling, canoeing, bushwalking, mountain climbing, camping etc.

When the opportunity came up to take 30 kids and a few adults NIGHT canoeing we both jumped at the chance, despite my being nearly 8 months pregnant. And it was amazing. So beautiful out on the water and peaceful....well as peaceful as it can be with 30 kids. I am so glad that we did it because it was truly memorable! The water was a wash of silver in the moonlight and our canoes were the only boats on the river. All you could hear was the happy banter between kids and the splash of paddles, all under a blanket of glorious stars. It was just magic.

The thing is...when you are 8 months pregnant you do tend to be quite big, and wouldn't you know it but a mullet (startled by the ominous black shape of the canoe) jumped into the canoe landing immediately between my legs and flip flopping madly around my nether regions!!!!! Might I remind you that at that point in my pregnancy anything below my burgeoning belly was out of my immediate sight and reach. What ensued was nothing short of hilarious...a life and death struggle for the fish and a logistical nightmare for a very pregnant woman in an unstable canoe with two 10 year old boys too polite to even go there!!!! Eventually after nearly capsizing multiple times I managed to flick the fish back into the water, but not without quite a lot of excitement and noise and side splitting laughter! It was sooo funny, I still laugh out loud even now as I recall that moment.

In this case the adventure whilst quite startling, was absolutely hilarious! And I have discovered that whenever we have been faced with anything that's even remotely adventurous...or frightening...it ends up being hilarious!

I have been caught in a flash flood whilst driving through a causeway, mock-charged by an African Elephant, nearly lost my Husband after an extreme 4wd adventure thanks to Google Maps, I have been all over the Sunshine Coast with the Cub Scouts with my babies in tow, I have abseiled with my two eldest girls when they were tiny tots!

But nothing compares to the daily adventure of being a Mum. From the first moment you find out you are expecting, to the 40weeks of carrying that little miracle around inside you, to the moment you hold your precious child in rapt wonder...Now that's an adventure. The adventures in Mothering will curl your toes, give you a surge or two of adrenaline when you least expect it and turn your hair gray! I encourage you to celebrate the fun in those daily adventures and earn your stripes as a Mum. Stuff will happen anyway so strap yourself in and hang on!

You are in for the ride of your life!

Here's to another year of "Adventures In Mothering".

The chapter is closing...

2009-01-26T12:28:00.002+10:00

My twins have turned six!
SIX!
My babies are starting Grade one! I feel like a whole chapter of my life has come to an end. Gone are the days when I had four small children under the age of 4! Now I just have 4 children aged 6, 8 and 9...doesn't sound anywhere near as impressive .
Gone are the days when I nursed them in the wee small hours to sleep. Now I just guide them to the toilet and back to bed, or quiet their fears of scary things in the dark of the night with a cuddle and a kiss and a "just climb into bed with me for a while" (at least until my arm goes numb and I rouse myself enough to guide them back to their own bed). Gone are those moments when I wore their food as they discovered new textures and flavours. Gone are the times when we coaxed them to smile, to giggle, to wave "Bye Bye", to say "please" or to blow kisses. Gone are the days when I rocked shopping trolleys to sleep and swayed from side to side whilst standing regardless of whether I had a child with me or not. Gone are the days when the "nappy bag" the keeper of all things necessary for every occasion accompanied the family on outings. Now I struggle to carry all the water bottles hats etc, and still get caught out at times with wet children in desperate need of a towel, or a jumper or a wet wipe.... Gone are the days when Playschool dominated the TV, and The Wiggles were cool. Gone are the days when my answers were accepted no question. Gone are the days when we took the twin pram everywhere!!! Gone are the days of all in one pajamas and lazy days spent playing on the floor. Gone are the days when I had them all to myself. My wee ones are now venturing out into the world, starting a new chapter of their lives. Meeting new friends and learning new and exciting things.
And I'll be right beside them initially.
Then I'll be around...
Then there when I'm needed.
A new chapter has begun.
I may not be able to pry the door of their infancy open again, but I can certainly look back in wonder at the moments that defined them.
I pray that this new adventure they are embarking on will be full of excitement and more defining moments. I pray that they will be kept safe from harm. I also thank God for giving me a front row seat, so that I can watch it all unfold.
That reminds me of Erma Bombeck's "When God Created Mothers"...

When God Created Mothers

When the good Lord was creating mothers He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said, "You’re doing a lot of fiddling around this one."
And the Lord said, "Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; Have 180 moveable parts... all replaceable; Run on black coffee and leftovers; Have a lap that disappears when she stands up; A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair; And six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands... no way."
"It’s not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord. "It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."
"That’s on the standard model?" asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, "What are you kids doing in there?" when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, "I understand and I Love You" without so much as uttering a word."
"Lord", said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, "Come to bed. Tomorrow..."
"I can’t," said the Lord, "I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower."
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It’s too soft," she sighed.
"But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure."
"Can it think?"
"Not only think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator.
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There’s a leak," she pronounced. "I told You. You were trying to put too much into this model."
"It’s not a leak," said the Lord, "it’s a tear."
"What’s it for?"
"It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."
"You are a genius," said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. "I didn’t put it there."

For all those Mums with little ones starting School this year...remember..
Mothering really does matter!

Do-Overs =]

2009-01-26T12:08:00.003+10:00

I have just been reading an article on perseverance.
It went a bit like this...
read a line....get part way though a sentence..
enter one 6year old...

"Mummy....can you do up my necklace.... Mummmy....mummmy... excuse me mummy....can you do up my necklace....cos I want to wear it today...(+ a stream of rambling chitter chatter)"

I stop...do up the necklace.
Find my place again, am partway through the next sentence....
enter the other 6 year old.....

"Excuse me mum, can I ride my bike please? Mum. Mum Mum!!!!!! Can I ride my bike pleeeeeaaaasee?" He places his little hands on my cheeks and turns my head to face him....

I agree with conditions.
Now I've totally forgotten where I'm up to, and decide to start over. Get two lines into it, and ....
Sense a presence behind me... One 9 year old reading over my shoulder (instead of helping her sister clean up their room for the approaching School year!!!!)
I growl.... she exits hastily.
Think in hindsight letting her read the article on persistence would have been a good idea.... sigh.
Start over again. Halfway through it.... when the 8 year old and the 9 year old start bickering. I can clearly hear them from my seat... hmmm.
Pause....
Listen...
No tears, no blood....
no intervention required.... I finish the article.
Thank goodness for "Do-overs!"
Do you ever feel like you need a "Do-Over?"
You know, when you try and try to accomplish something and it just doesn't get finished... I read a wonderful quote once, although I can't remember the author...

"cleaning the house before the children are grown is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing"

I would like to alter it to say:

"reading an article before the children are sleeping is a fruitless exercise that can leave you weeping"

Getting away to find perspective

2008-12-07T17:42:00.002+10:00

My children have succeeded in driving their mother crazy. So complete is their success that I find myself frequently uttering these once unthinkable words:

"Honey, you need to get out. Go ahead, call a friend and escape for a while. I'll take care of these---things."

With that, she's out the door in 2.5 minutes. She called me from her mobile phone shortly thereafter,

"Hi, Honey. What time would you like me home?"

"Anytime," I said. "Just have fun."

"OK," she said excitedly. "See you Sunday."

Spray, Pray and Play Today!

2008-11-08T11:14:00.003+10:00

Just a few quick thoughts running through my head at lightning speed....

My wonderful husband came home this week with a new 100ml bottle of my favourite perfume!
How delicious!
And I've been spraying every day!
There was a time when I would keep the really nice stuff for just special occasions....but not anymore.

Today is an occasion! It doesn't have to be the same mundane stuff every day!

By jingoes if I'm going to attack the 3 day old dishes stacked up with milky residue, I NEED perfume! Or something to remind me that I'm really Living!
When we lived in North Queensland we had sunshine 360 days a year! And that means it was hot most of the time! I kept my makeup in the fridge, seriously! And perfume exposed to heat goes bad, seriously! I'll never forget pulling out my candelabra only to discover all 3 long slim candles bent over in perfect "J" formation.
Wouldn't happen now.
I make a decision daily to use the really nice candles, the nice makeup, wear the nice underwear, the nice dresses, the nice shoes, the special expensive perfume my lovely fella blessed me with. What's the point of having it if I don't use it anyway?
I choose to live now, to enjoy now, to be a better person, wife and mother!
I may be wiping snotty noses, cleaning up vomit, treating for head lice AGAIN, but I'm doing it with a nice fragrance.....
I hope that in some small way I leave a lingering reminder of the fragrance of Christ as well.
I try to press into him daily, much like I used to when I was a lot younger with the nice perfume samples in girly magazines. I used to open the sample and rub it on. I'd like to think that I don't just give him the "normal day to day mundane" stuff in my life but make each time we meet an occasion.
I have to say at this point that the fragrance of Christ does not completely obliterate the B.O. of life, but it does make it heaps more bearable!

Press into him today. Because Life is an Occasion!

Isn't this an amazing photo

2008-09-05T11:58:00.002+10:00

If You click on it, a larger size photo will pop up on your screen :)

When you're lonely...

2008-09-05T11:55:00.002+10:00

A friend of mine has recently left after popping in to visit.
And my heart feels heavy.
I have no logical reason to feel this way…..it’s just that I get a sense of the deep loneliness that she is feeling. It seems unbelievable to me really. Others would perceive her to be totally together and not in the least bit “lonely”.
Yet she is.
She told me that she feels like she has no friends.
And it got me thinking…I often feel like that. My daughters, aged 8 and 9, often feel like that. Nearly every young Mum I have spoken to, has at some point felt like that.

I feel like grabbing these special girls and yelling:

“Do you know how precious you are?!”

Why is it that all the females I have come in contact with feel so alone?
So cut off from everyone else?

I heard Pastor Lloyd say one day…

“When you’re feeling down, go and make your neighbour a batch of pikelets”

Here are some of the things that I do when I feel lonely or I’m feeling cut off from others…

I pick up the phone (squash down all those reasons why I shouldn’t ring…ie. Cos they’re busy, cos they’ll be eating dinner, cos they won’t be able to talk) and I ring my mate….even if it’s just to leave a message on her answering machine. At least she’ll get back to me when she can.
I invite my neighbour over for a cuppa
I write a little note to someone who I care about
I sms/email/blog/skype….
I hop on Facebook and write on everyone’s wall
I bake bickies with the kids and talk with them about who we’re going to give a batch to
I Invite someone over for a meal or arrange to meet up in the Park
And when I feel really really down and out, cut off and isolated…I pray!

I pray that God will send me a friend. That God would help me to be a good friend to those close to me. That God would take away the emptiness and loneliness that lies heavy on my heart like a cold flinty stone. That he would fill me up to overflowing with joy. That he would blow the cobwebs out of my head. That he would be with me, encourage me and guide me.

Do you remember that song “what a friend we have in Jesus….”
It’s so true.
There have been times I’ve felt like “there but for the grace of God go I.”
God is more of a friend than any one person could ever be. I wonder…do you know him? Have you asked him to come into your heart? Have you crawled into his loving embrace and sought out his heart?

Know this:

You are unique
You are not alone
You are very special
You are one of a kind
There is no other exactly like you
You are valued and loved for who you are
You are the adopted daughter of a sovereign King
You have all you need inside to be a friend to others

Be strong and courageous
Seek and you shall find
Ask and the door will be opened to you
Practice Hospitality
Be encouraged….sometimes we seem to be looking so hard for something we don’t realise it’s right there in front of our very eyes.
Love you mate xx

Time to heal....

2008-08-14T22:03:00.002+10:00

My poor little 8 year old has got a nasty case of tonsillitis. She is very crook. I feel so sorry for her, she is very uncomfortable. This is the child that never gets ill. This is the child we often say has the "constitution of an ox". She is usually a beautiful, strong, healthy red-headed little girl.
Consequently she has missed a whole week of School, even being sick on a pupil free day! Which she assures me is most unfair! I have had to change my schedule this week to accommodate her illness. But it has been a blessing in disguise. We have had the opportunity to hang out together, to yell at the TV together as we've watched some of the Olympics whilst she's been unwell. We've talked and cuddled and laughed and eaten cool jelly, consumed fresh juice and the biggest navel oranges I've ever seen in my life! When she's had spiking temperatures, I've stroked her little brow and gently tucked her in to bed. Brushing my lips over her forehead, all the while aching inside. I wish there was some way I could take the pain and discomfort away. Some little thing that I could do to make her feel better. But of course there's not. She just has to fight the infection, with the assistance of some antibiotics, to rest and recover. She needs time to heal.
So I have had time to pause and reflect.....
I'm sure that the Lord aches for each of us the way I do for my little girl. I know that he is with me and that with him no matter the result I have no need to fear. Yet sometimes I just want to fix the problem area or throw a balm on it...but he has a broader perspective. He sees that deep within each of us lies an ache. A deep seated hurt that we can do nothing towards fixing or healing on our own. We simply need time to heal. Time to soak up the warmth of His loving embrace. Time to sit at His feet and listen to His small still voice. Time to rest in His promises for our lives. Time to recover with the soothing words of His truth. Time to deal with the consequences of our bad decisions. Time to seek forgiveness for the hurts we have caused others. Time to lay our prayers and petitions on His shoulders. Time to trust that He knows what he is doing, and he just needs me to let him.

Thank you Lord for your perfect timing, and for your gentleness towards fallible me. Thank you for giving me time to heal.

The Toileting Saga continues....

2008-08-01T00:58:00.002+10:00

My 5 year old princess has done it again!
She's taken a stand against the unfair tyranny of her parents, who have committed the worst misdemeanor ever - they've enforced her toileting independence!!!!
The poor wee thing has decided this toileting thing is wayyyyy over-rated. I mean "how icky, you don't expect me to put my hands near there?"
Bless her heart.
When one first becomes a parent, thoughts of toilet training a sassy little 5 year old and her (ever so willing to help, Bless his caring heart) twin brother, do not enter your mind.
Actually, do you have any advice on the subject as I'm fresh out of ideas, not to mention toilet paper! We are going through heaps of the stuff!!!!
We are nearly a week into this "enforced toileting issue" and lets just say it's been a Looooong week!! There have been many tears shed, many lengthy visits sequestered on her throne, and many frustrated family members owing to the fact that we actually only have one toilet!!!
In her most recent episode, madam caused a plumbing disaster! She for whatever reason....I'm sure you can use your imagination here to fill in the blanks...decided to use 2 whole rolls of toilet paper!!!!!!
I'm serious!
She didn't have a problem until her attempts to flush turned into an overflowing, soggy disaster area!
Lets just say we were not impressed!
My darling husband visited all of our neighbours only to discover none of them own one of those toilet plunger thingies. We really are getting to know our neighbours.....
Madam in the meantime decides that she is in big trouble.
Hubby is entirely frustrated
and me?
Well I confess it actually entered my mind that we should look into one of those bidet thingies!!!!
They say that necessity is the mother of all invention. Yeah that's probably right. Or could it possibly be a family survival instinct?
I digress.... Madam has flat out refused to play the game with the parents' rules. And she's tenacious alright! She could out sit a brooding hen! I'm sure that later in life these traits will be great strengths! (Well that's what I keep telling myself) I take some encouragement from Dr James Dobson's "The Strong willed Child" particularly the part where he says...

"Treat that child with sincere love and dignity, but require him or her to follow your leadership. Choose carefully the matters that are worthy of confrontation, then accept her challenge on those issues and win decisively. Reward every positive, cooperative gesture she makes offering your attention, affection, and verbal praise. Then take two aspirin and call me in the morning."

But more encouraging is the prayer he closes the book with... I have racked my brain as to what is the best approach to deal with this precious child who is obviously struggling with a very necessary task. I've questioned our decision, her physical capabilities, whether it's necessary......so these words are a balm to my very tired parenting heart....

"Lord you know my inadequacies. You know my weaknesses, not only in parenting, but in every area of my life. I'm doing the best I can to raise my kids properly, but it may not be good enough. As you provided the fish and the loaves to feed the five thousand hungry people, now take my meager effort and use it to bless my family. Make up for the things I do wrong. Satisfy the needs that I have not met. Compensate for my blunders and mistakes. Wrap your great arms around my children, and draw them close to You. And be there when they stand at the great crossroads between right and wrong. All I can give them is my best, and I will continue to do that. I submit them to you now and rededicate myself to the task you have placed before me. The outcome rests securely in your hands"

Right then....better buy a plunger!

It's just too much...

2008-07-26T12:30:00.002+10:00

Do you ever have those times when it's all just too much? You know, when you're just "Over It!"
I had a day like this recently.
Sometimes it seems that no matter how late I stay up just to get something done, or how many times I do the washing or vacuum the floor or clean the toilet, or get up early just to get ready in time so that we can leave that few minutes earlier....I still can't quite get on top of things. I still don't manage to get to school/work/mops/church/book club on time. Oh the stress and disappointment associated with that. It can become so depressing that I confess these words fly out of my..."why did I bother?"
Everyone struggles at some time. We can't always be upbeat and happy and have it all "together". I certainly try very hard to be "real". But occasionally the fear of what others might think of me invades my fragile head space and I see my home with critical eyes. I literally see problem areas everywhere I look, cobwebs hanging from the rafters, washing piled on the lounge chair, food on the floor, weeds in the garden, spots on the carpet, fingerprints on the windows. I enter into a manic cleaning frenzy, usually after the kids go to bed, that runs late into the night.
I remember this one time I had a bunch of women coming over for morning tea and Bible study and this feeling came over me, so I set to work like a madwoman cleaning scrubbing, hiding all the "mess" so that they wouldn't think badly of me. I rationalised these actions with comments directed to my perplexed husband like "they have babies, that need to go on to the floor, so the floors need to be clean" or "they actually need to sit somewhere so we need to clear that couch" or "we need cups for hot drinks so we need the dishwasher emptied and those dishes off the sink to make room for the next lot...." Get the picture. They sound like plausible reasons for my manic cleaning effort.
Looking at my enormous pile of clean washing, I thought...

"I know I'll move it once rather than make several trips...so thinking I was particularly clever I spread out a king sized quilt cover and proceeded to pile every last sock, jock and towel onto the cover, bundled it all together, went to throw it over my shoulder casually and walk down to pop it on my bed.
One problem that thing was heavy!
Okay Plan B, drag it.
This worked for a little while but I forgot about the hallway. doh!
At this point I was beginning to chuckle at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Plan C squish the sides into the hallway and puuuuuuuuullllllll!
Phew this is hard work.
Get to the bedroom, laughing uncontrollably at this point, squeeze through the door, pause to catch my breath....Look from the bulging bundle to the bed.
Re-assess.
Right, it can sit there on the floor. Too heavy to lift, too big....sigh....
Plan D close the bedroom door.

I think we have the same approach when we prepare to meet with God sometimes. I'll just get this done, and hide that mess and move that from here to here and push far from my mind that thing I should have done/said/dealt with... "Right there you go, now Lord come on over, how can I help you today?" the thing is, God is interested in the whole picture. He already knows about the "messy' parts of our lives, and he loves us and accepts us for who we are. Because we are created in his image. He knit us together, He knows the thoughts we have and the words on our tongue before we do. He hurts with us and for us. He cares. It matters to him.
You know what. There are always going to be dishes in the sink to do, washing to fold, toilets to clean, lounge rooms to rediscover, gardens that need tending and children that need feeding/ bathing/ dressing/ cuddling/ disciplining/ teaching....messy parts of our lives. We need to choose to see things with some perspective. Why not ask..."who can benefit from seeing my messy house today, from seeing that I'm not all tickety boo? Seeing that I don't have it all together and that really is fine?" Being real and transparent with others might just be the blessing they need this week. Instead spend that time sitting at the feet of the master, and open your heart to what he has to say...

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42 (New Living Translation)

Oh Lord thank you that you still cared deeply for Martha, and that you gently pointed out to her how important it is to sit at your feet.
Help me to be "real".

It's a Twin Thing...

2008-07-26T10:47:00.004+10:00

I have twins right.

A boy and a girl.

No they are not identical.

You would be surprised how many times I have been asked that question.... I actually saw a frazzled mother storming through a shopping centre one day with a cardboard sign perched atop her pram declaring these words:

Yes they are twins. No they are not identical. I know I have my hands full...I don't need you to tell me that. I don't think it's any of your business whether they were IVF babies or how many times we had sex to get them, so don't ask! And DON'T STOP ME!!! my toddler has just run off....Have a nice day.

I so understand that lady's head space.

My 5 year old twins are a boy and a girl....they are fraternal, and are in many ways just like normal siblings for each other. But there are times when their twinship is unmistakable. Think about it....they have built in play mates. Yes there are times when he uses her arms to test out his latest sword, or she dresses him up in some girly tutu, but it's absolutely gorgeous when they play "mummies and daddies" and he talks about her being his girl. And she pretends to give him a kiss when he comes home....aaaahhh. Recently we observed them holding hands whilst they ate their Dinner. How sweet.

But nothing prepared me for this....

The little girl has experienced shall we say, First Class Service in the toileting department. She just will not wipe her own bottom. It doesn't matter how much I encourage, bribe or threaten....she just will NOT do it. Well my husband and I have decided it needs to stop. We are no longer going to help her in this department... I mean does anyone else get their bottom wiped for them???? Seriously. So in a unified approach, we told her that it's all up to her. That's it. No more yelling at us to come and help, if it is to be it's up to she....

Yesterday the little princess was on her throne, in the small room of the house, yelling "muuuuuuuuummmmmmmyyyyy" and when that didn't work..."dddaaaaaaaaaaaaddddyy" over and over again until we began to wonder what our neighbours thought. So with a quick arrow prayer for wisdom, patience and confidence, I responded firmly that No it's time for the princess to do this herself, because she's a big girl now etc..etc..etc.

Time passed with tears and whimpers, all the while perched atop her throne.
Then silence....and I have to confess at this point I got distracted with cooking dinner and thought no more of it until she appeared in front of me. Wonder of wonders I thought, she did it. But when asked she vaguely said

"ummmm C (her twin brother) helped me"...

What????? You've got to be joking.... so I went in search of her brother, and asked what happened... He shrugged and said

"It's okay mum, I did half and she did half !!!!"

(Like derrr mum) I couldn't believe it. Thankfully kept a straight face and asked the next logical question..."did you wash your hands?" To which he replied

"no....cos I didn't get any on me"

(double derrrrrr mum).
It's a twin thing!

Read It And Loved It...

2008-07-22T21:35:00.000+10:00

Feathers From My Nest, a Mother's reflections

written by Beth Moore. (you can find out more about Beth at living proof ministries or bethmoore.org)
What a lovely book, it was like a warm cosy look at parenting with the perspective of 'been there done that'. I thoroughly enjoyed laughing and crying with Beth and her family as they really invited the reader in to their family. Well worth the read.

"They lifted up effortlessly into the sky and headed toward a masterfully painted horizon. Mr Sparrow glanced back one last time. 'A fine nest it was'. Mrs Sparrow was finally content to look ahead, her tears drying in the autumn breeze. There would be more tears. But there would also be more breezes to dry them. She looked to her right contentedly, thankful for her partner in this terrestrial flight. She then tilted her wings upward to gaze at her Maker, resting assured of her flight's destination. No need to look back. After all, she left nothing behind. For she had gathered feathers from her nest."

Good For A Giggle....

2008-07-22T21:33:00.000+10:00

FOLLOW THESE 14 SIMPLE TESTS BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO HAVE CHILDREN.
Test 1 - Preparation
Women: To prepare for pregnancy:-
1. Put on a dressing gown and stick a beanbag down the front.
2. Leave it there.
3. After 9 months remove 5% of the beans.
Men: To prepare for children:-
1. Go to a local chemist, tip the contents of your wallet onto the counter and tell the pharmacist to help himself
2. Go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home. Pick up the newspaper and read it for the last time.
Test 2 - Knowledge
Find a couple who are already parents and berate them about their methods of discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels and how they have allowed their children to run wild. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's sleeping habits, toilet training, table manners and overall behavior.
Enjoy it. It will be the last time in your life that you will have all the answers.
Test 3 - Nights
To discover how the nights will feel:
1. Walk around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 4 - 6kg, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
2. At 10pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 11pm and walk the bag around the living room until 1am.
4. Set the alarm for 3am.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2am and make a cup of tea.
6. Go to bed at 2.45am.
7. Get up again at 3am when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs in the dark until 4am.
9. Put the alarm on for 5am. Get up when it goes off.
10. Make breakfast.
Keep this up for 5 years. LOOK CHEERFUL.
Test 4 - Dressing Small Children
1. Buy a live octopus and a string bag.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the string bag so that no arms hang out.
Time Allowed: 5 minutes.
Test 5 - Cars
1. Forget the BMW. Buy a practical 5-door wagon.
2. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
3. Get a coin. Insert it into the CD player.
4. Take a box of chocolate biscuits; mash them into the back seat.
5. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Test 6 - Going For a Walk
Wait
Go out the front door
Come back in again
Go out
Come back in again
Go out again
Walk down the front path
Walk back up it
Walk down it again
Walk very slowly down the road for five minutes.
Stop, inspect minutely and ask at least 6 questions about every piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue and dead insect along the way.
Retrace your steps
Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbours come out and stare at you.
Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.
Test 7
Repeat everything you say at least 5 times.
Test 8 - Grocery Shopping
1. Go to the local supermarket. Take with you the nearest thing you can find to a pre-school child - a fully grown goat is excellent. If you intend to have more than one child, take more than one goat.
2. Buy your weekly groceries without letting the goat(s) out of your sight.
3. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Test 9 - Feeding a 1 year-old
1. Hollow out a melon
2. Make a small hole in the side
3. Suspend the melon from the ceiling and swing it side to side
4. Now get a bowl of soggy cornflakes and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon while pretending to be an aeroplane.
5. Continue until half the cornflakes are gone.
6. Tip the rest into your lap, making sure that a lot of it falls on the floor.
Test 10 - TV
1. Learn the names of every character from the Wiggles, Barney, Teletubbies and Disney.
2. Watch nothing else on television for at least 5 years.
Test 11 - Mess
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out:
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains
2. Hide a fish behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flowerbeds and then rub them on clean walls. Cover the stains with crayon. How does that look?
4. Empty every drawer/cupboard/storage box in your house onto the floor & leave it there.
Test 12 - Long Trips with Toddlers
1. Make a recording of someone shouting 'Mummy' repeatedly. Important Notes: No more than a 4 second delay between each Mummy. Include occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet.
2. Play this tape in your car, everywhere you go for the next 4 years.
You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Test 13 - Conversations
1. Start talking to an adult of your choice.
2. Have someone else continually tug on your shirt hem or shirt sleeve while playing the Mummy tape listed above.
You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
Test 14 - Getting ready for work
1. Pick a day on which you have an important meeting.
2. Put on your finest work attire.
3. Take a cup of cream and put 1 cup of lemon juice in it
4. Stir
5. Dump half of it on your nice silk shirt
6. Saturate a towel with the other half of the mixture
7. Attempt to clean your shirt with the same saturated towel
8. Do not change (you have no time).
9. Go directly to work
You are now ready to have children. ENJOY!!

Dust Off Your Dreams

2008-07-22T21:30:00.000+10:00

I wonder…. What did you want to be when you grew up? Or maybe I should ask what did you think you wanted to be? I had many flights of fancy in this department as I transitioned from little girl-to primary school-to high school and so on…. Having spent my childhood on a remote western Queensland Sheep property, I had ideas of being a Teacher, marrying a grazier and staying on the land…which grew into being a singer (no really I’m not that good but kids do dream!!!!), I distinctly recall loudly declaring to my parents that I wanted to be just like Dolly Parton when I grew up

(what was I thinking? You know, I never knew why a guitar was shaped that way until I saw her hold one).

I had many ideas about working for Playschool! I loved Playschool! I wanted to learn several languages, study Art, teach Art and travel the world. But always with a home to come back to….and even in my immature mind I wanted to have a family complete with a Husband as wonderful as my Dad was, and children (although I thought 2 was enough…hmmm). Ah dreams!

On leaving High School, most of us left our lofty ambitions entrenched firmly in our childhood where they belonged and set about living life on a whim. Isn’t it interesting how well-rounded an education we receive when we are doing the steering, directing and decision-making. It’s in those times that we “grow”. We tackled our new found liberty on leaving school. Some of us studied, some worked, some travelled, some completed degrees and became known by that, others have swapped from field to field doing many things. Whatever it was that you did then, it may be a far cry from what you have become. Somewhere along the way you ‘became’ something.

You are a Mother! Enter the biggest growth phase of your life! A time where your dreams/wants/desires get placed out of reach. You live life for another now, you have responsibilities and expectations and demands. You sacrifice yourself, sometimes unknowingly, for those you love dearly. You live your life “on hold”. That speaks volumes about how much you love and care for your family.

It’s just there is an innate desire in each of us for self-improvement that can’t be brushed aside.

You were made that way. Just because you have brought another life into the world that relies on you, doesn’t mean that your needs cease to exist.

“Mums, too, have a legitimate need to grow as individuals, to develop their talents and abilities (doing) as well as strengthen their character (being).” (Elisa Morgan & Carol Kuykendall)

It is possible to care for your precious little ones and yourself. So what! if something doesn’t get done, or you eat frozen veggies for Dinner, or the washing doesn’t get folded… You will be a much better person, and parent, if you take some time (even as little as 15 minutes) to nurture your self!

Ready, set, Grow!

Read, walk, write, draw, paint, sew, dance, play, type, plan, decorate, shop, cook, sing- whatever it is that you would really love to do!

Decide today to use your unique God given abilities and dust off your dreams.

Which will you choose? To be a human doing or a human being?

As Mothers...

2008-07-22T21:28:00.000+10:00

"As mothers, none of us want to look back in regret that we
did not take our children to the playground, kiss them, hold them,
and put them to bed,'

says Heather Hurd, author of A Book of Hope for Mothers.

'The time we spend with our children when they are young
is irreplaceable -- for them and for us.'"

What Do You See In Your Mirror???

2008-07-22T21:27:00.000+10:00

People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. --Lee Mildon

When you look in your mirror what do you see?

Do you notice your face or your hair or maybe how you look in your clothes? Maybe you are one of the very few who look in the mirror and think “I’m okay!” Let me tell you, you are a rare breed if that’s you.

Maybe you’re like me and kind of avoid seeing your reflection, even accidentally. Some days I feel perfectly happy and then I catch sight of myself and all sorts of things fly into my mind, making me think I’m not good enough. What happened? I started comparing myself with other’s expectations of what is “attractive”. What would it really be like to see yourself through other’s eyes? Would they even give a thought to your appearance? Or do they see you underneath. Are you judged before they get to know you, or are you seen for who you really are?

It’s been said, you wouldn’t worry about what other people think of you if you realised how seldom they did!

What matters most is what you think of yourself.

If you are struggling with that, consider: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, Before you were born I set you apart” Jeremiah 1:5. You are one of a kind! A Unique, living breathing, glorious creation. There is no duplicate of you in the world! You are truly original. Logic dictates that you have your own unique style, tastes, likes and dislikes….all the tiny little quirks that make you! Celebrate them, enjoy them. God made ‘you’, don’t spend your time and energy removing ‘you’ from your now much busier world of being a Mum. I encourage you to rediscover your style, the tastes, personality and activities that you enjoy. Then make the most of what you do have!

If someone compliments you on what you are wearing take notice of the design and colour and wear it again. I encourage you to try a few simple dressing pick me ups: for those times you want to feel feminine and attractive add a dab of perfume. Wear a soft scarf or even a bright one. Put on some lip gloss. Wear that nice underwear or delicate slip you have in your wardrobe for no special reason. Be comfortable, the discomfort of ill fitting clothing or shoes is never attractive! A smile is! Kindness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, purity and self-discipline are all admirable.

I pray you will allow yourself to BE the person you were made to be. And have some fun uncovering you! You are loved for exactly the person you are.

God Dress You

True Beauty....

2008-07-22T21:25:00.000+10:00

People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.

--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

On Money and Your Relationship

2008-07-22T21:24:00.000+10:00

“Don’t wait ‘til you’re thirsty to dig a well”

Recently I have been doing a study on God’s plan for marriage and whilst there have been many interesting areas of discovery; by far the greatest insight I have gleaned is that Daniel and I both came into this marriage from completely different perspectives.

It has been proven that when children leave home, get married start a family etc. They assume (maybe not consciously, but certainly on a subconscious level) that things will be like they were for them when they were growing up, that all families operate the same way. This creates areas of potential conflict …or growth.

For example: how you handle money, who pays the bills, how much and on what do you spend, how much you save, how much you give away, what responsibilities are you expected to carry, who empties the bin, cleans the toilet, does the laundry, gets up to the baby, disciplines the children, does the shopping… etc.

We discussed in our study group how it’s a process of taking two different “cultures” (upbringings) and blending them together to make our own “culture”. One in which we are an entity unto ourselves, answerable to God, but set apart from our families. We had to find our OWN way. Our parents provided us with a basis on which to build. Once we realised our differences and our eyes were opened to the other’s perspective it was just a matter of choosing to move forward together.

It’s the same with money!

You need to be open to other perspectives and possibilities and then choose to implement what you learn. I’m sure you will glean your own insights, and build on your own experiences. Whether that is in the area of living within your means, eliminating debt, controlling your spending or simply to prioritise and practice a little delayed gratification!

There are 2350 verses in the Bible about money, God thinks it’s worth learning how to budget too!

Money, the way it is handled can be a huge area of conflict in relationships; we need to figure this stuff out today! God Bless you on your journey.

When tears Flow...

2008-07-22T21:22:00.001+10:00

“When words fail, tears flow. Tears have a language all of their own, a tongue that needs no interpreter. In some mysterious way, our complex inner communication system knows when to admit its verbal limitations and the tears come. Did you know God takes special notice of those tears?

In Psalms 56:8 he tells us that he puts them in his bottle and enters them into the record he keeps of our lives.

David said, “The Lord has heard my weeping” (Psalm 6:8).

A tear drop on earth summons the King of Heaven.

Rather than being ashamed or disappointed the Lord takes note of our inner friction when hard times are oiled by tears. He turns the situation into moments of tenderness; he never forgets those crises in our lives when tears were shed.”

From Chuck Swindoll’s, “For Those Who Hurt”

Live A Life Of Design

2008-07-22T21:21:00.001+10:00

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. --Stacia Tauscher

We can learn much from our children. They delight in even the most ordinary things, they find ways to play with whatever they have. Whether it is a discarded box, toilet roll or somebody’s shoe….even car keys possess a little mystery and warrant a thorough inspection by the Toddler Police! Everything inevitably finds its way into the mouth; every sense is used to ‘check this thing out’.

My children at various times have conducted elaborate games with seed pods, the little dark almost tear drop shaped ones. It seems that whenever I am washing inevitably I will have to take these and a variety of other unexpected little presents out of pockets. Leaves of all shapes and sizes have been boats or stickers or baby blankets or artwork. The glittering whirlwind of dust particles that swirl around and through streaming sunlight has been glitter falling from fairies wings or simply viewed as something very magical to behold. Pegs have been soldiers, paddle pop sticks have been gloriously gowned princesses and my sarongs have been veils, painting aprons, turbans, baby slings, capes and even a running river! Radio and Television advertising jingles are great compositions worthy of singing at the top of your lungs or dancing and twirling to. I heard recently that adults laugh on average- 15 times a day; whereas children laugh on average- 400 times a day!

Who would you rather be like?

When is it exactly that a box becomes-just a box?
A jingle something to mute and toilet rolls, rubbish?

I think it’s when we start taking things for granted, when we learn to shut down the ‘think centre’ of the neck-top computer. When we have ‘system error’ and cannot log-on. In the same way that our computers pick up viruses or bugs from associating with the Internet and other people’s computers, we allow things to get us down, kow-tow to other people’s demands, start looking for all the problems and bad things in our life, start comparing ourselves to the flash new model on the market and slowly but surely become bogged down in rut Ville!

This is not the life you were intended to live! You are allowed to have joy in your life; you can see the fun in simple things again…. We get caught up in making a living rather than designing a life! Live a life of design! Not one of resign….. I heard a very wealthy man say once…

“All those little things that get to you are like tiny pinpricks that eventually let the air out of your life.”

Why not let the child within you out to play, laugh more, and seek out some fun in the everyday? Lighten up! Bring a joke to the Dining table once a week. Learn from Jesus, he wasn’t driven by other people’s demands. In Matthew 11:30, he says “Keep Company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly”.

Who Do You Depend On To Make You Happy?

2008-07-22T21:19:00.000+10:00

The Secret

One day, one friend asked another,

"How is it that you are always so happy?

You have so much energy,

and you never seem to get down."

With her eyes smiling, she said,

"I know the Secret!"

"What secret is that?"

To which she replied,

"I'll tell you all about it,

but you have to promise to

share the Secret with others."

"The Secret is this:

I have learned there is little I can do

in my life that will make me truly happy.

I must depend on God to make

me happy and to meet my needs.

When a need arises in my life,

I have to trust God to supply

according to HIS riches.

I have learned most of the time

I don't need half of what I think I do.

He has never let me down.

Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."

The questioner's first thought was,

"That's too simple!"

But upon reflecting over her own life

she recalled how she thought a bigger house

would make her happy, but it didn't!

She thought a better paying job

would make her happy, but it hadn't.

When did she realize her greatest happiness?

Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren,

playing games, eating pizza or reading a story,

a simple gift from God.

Now you know it too!

We can't depend on people to make us happy.

Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.

Trust HIM!

And now I pass the Secret on to you!

p.s I'm not sure who wrote this but it's very good......

Having Fun Yet?

2008-07-22T21:18:00.000+10:00

The ache for home lies in all of us; The place where we can go as we are and not be questioned -Maya Angelou

From Karen A-D's cluttered desk… (Because she’s out, involved in frivolous or hectic activity!)

FUN=a source of enjoyment, amusement, diversion, etc. Pleasure, gaiety, or merriment. Jest or sport. Frivolous or hectic activity.

FUN! Have you ever heard the saying that “the family who plays together stays together”…? Perhaps you’ve heard it with the word ‘couple’ substituted for ‘family’. Either way, it’s a compelling thought for all of us parents today!

How do we put that ‘Fun’ element into action?

How do we make it happen?

How do we take our eyes and ears away from the tyranny of the urgent and turn them onto our little children, and spouse?

Those very people that we yearn to know deeply and walk through life in close relationship with! I think like everything worthwhile in life, we choose to! It’s up to us! We have the power in our own hands to determine the temperature of our homes… Our Fun-O-meter responds to the choices, decisions and actions we make! We need to step up here, take charge and make it happen, it’s up to us. Nobody wants to live a life of quiet desperation or frustration. We enter into this role of ‘Mum’ to train our little ones, to guide them, to love, nurture and protect them. The best way to do that is by making it fun for them and yourself! I admit there are times when I feel so overwhelmed that the idea of adding another thing to the agenda seems crazy… but then I take in a little bit of ‘perspective’… by asking myself; is it really going to matter in 5 years if this washing gets folded today? Or if the house was tidy today? I believe it’s going to matter more then, that the time I took away from doing those things and investing in a little silliness with my kids; dancing, reading, chasing, teasing, marveling, BEING…. is soo much more important and, necessary! Our lives are so crammed full of deadlines, schedules, meeting needs etc. that sometimes we need to take stock of where we’re headed long-term. As Dr. Heartsill Wilson put it….

A New Day
This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it- or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price that I have paid for it.

The easiest and most enjoyable way to do that for everybody; is with fun! I read recently that “your home will always be the most beautiful when you stretch out your arms in welcome!” So, I encourage you to welcome your children and your partner into your home with open arms, tender hearts, and joy on your face. Plan for and set aside a regular ‘family night’. Play board games, go on picnics, play dress-ups, lie down on the rug with your baby, go through a car-wash with your toddler sitting on your lap, turn up the radio, turn out the lights and have a disco night, run through the sprinkler on a hot summer’s day, lay out your sleeping bags in the lounge room and all have a sleep over watching movies and eating popcorn…. Add your own special touches to your family.

What do you want your kids to remember about you when they grow up?

Could it possibly be that they had a mum who was willing to play? My prayer for today is put so eloquently by Emilie Barnes: “Life is about Living! Dear Lord, let me live fully each day and find time for laughter so that Your joy is always evident in my home.”

Mum = A Drink Of Water

2008-07-22T21:17:00.000+10:00

Just as I was putting my children down to bed one day, I bent over to kiss Josie goodnight and said “Goodnight Ski-jump” to which she responded…. “Goodnight drink of water”. I laughed at what seemed like a strange choice of pet name for me, and asked why am I a drink of water? Her reply floored me;

“Mummy you are a drink of water because we (referring to her brother and sisters as well) need water, we’re not allergic to it, you give it to all of us all the time and it’s good for us”.

Suddenly I realised that what started out as one of our family games had resulted in a beautiful example of what my job as Mum is!

My bright little girl had a better grasp of what my role was than I did. She chose water because it is life-giving; nourishing; essential for life; readily available; everyone can drink it, ie/they’re not going to have an allergic reaction to it and it’s healthy! The parallels here are many…. A mother gives life to her child. A mother nourishes and nurtures her child. Her child depends on her for protection and guidance. A Mum pours herself into her children and her family. She is always there for her child, to love, support and protect. Everyone needs their Mum! And mums are good for you! Mum’s even experience their own form of precipitation!!!

It’s been said; that if you wanted to see a living, breathing physical example of Jesus today…. Just look at a mother….. Jesus is the ultimate life-giver! As essential for our daily living and dietary requirements as water itself… and lets face it, we are made up of mostly that--water! He is the definitive thirst-quencher.

My prayer for you is that you drink deeply…..

Jesus himself said…. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:37-38

Mirror Image

2008-07-22T21:14:00.000+10:00

Isn’t it funny how we can just cruise on through daily life with nary a thought about those innocuous little things like the speckles of toothpaste splayed over the Bathroom mirror and then all of a sudden you can’t NOT notice.

Your reflection in the mirror seems marred by the artfully arranged spots – of, well, toothpaste spit eeeoooew- that your precious family have left there as evidence of their last several brushing episodes! Little darlings....

There’s a couple of ways to look at this I guess.

1. You have proof, they actually do clean their teeth!

2. your outward appearance really doesn’t matter that much or you would have noticed the “spots” sooner

3. or could it be more accurately said that you are lucky if you get Breakfast in the morning let alone time to put on your day face

4. you know it’s bad when your 5 year olds start playing dot to dot

5. you know who the culprits are because the “spot” line is considerably lower than your reflection

I think we are really good at going on our way, squeezing as much as we can out of each day. But every now and then the “spots” just stick out. They become glaringly obvious, and where we barely even noticed them yesterday, today we can’t stand them. Strangely reminiscent of our role as a parent. We cruise along, keeping everybody fed, afloat, organised, fed, bathed, happy, clean, wiped, fed etc and then their flaws slap us up the side of the head. Hello! You catch yourself thinking…

“Will he ever learn?” “Will they ever close their mouths when chewing their food?” “Will she ever learn to wipe her own bottom?” “Will I ever get a full night’s sleep?” “Will they just do what they’re told?” “Will I ever get on top of my washing?” “Actually will I ever get my washing sorted/folded/put away?” “Will I ever get to draw/read/watch a movie/eat my own meal/have an uninterrupted adult conversation again?”

I wonder if that is how God sees us. Are our profiles obscured by the spotty record of our comings and goings? Are our flaws more glaringly obvious on some days than others? Undoubtedly they are. However I believe that God is the only one who really sees us. Who overlooks the speckles of lingering “baggage” from our past that we insist on dragging around. And he loves us for the people we are. In his eyes you are nothing but a pure and beautiful person, and he loves you.

Psalm 139 (New International Version)

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, ^[a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to ^[b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

I’m off to clean by Bathroom mirror, to lovingly wipe away every spit and speckle left there by our children. And I’m going to do it with a thankful heart, thankful that God chose me to be their mum, thankful that they are a precious part of my life, thankful that most of the time I overlook these spots because I guess really in the scheme of things….it’s no biggie….

Thankful that you didn’t drop in today with it looking like that!!!!

Dummy Mummy

2008-07-22T21:13:00.000+10:00

I have been replaced!

I know that when you take on the roll of primary educator, sooner or later it's going to happen. You are going to be replaced! When your children are small you are the smartest Mummy in the world. It appears your IQ level and general knowledge seems to decrease proportionally as their little legs increase. I have twin 5 year olds who think I'm pretty clever, it's so lovely....That wide eyed trusting is so precious and so very short lived I can tell you.

Miss 9 and Miss 8 have taken it upon themselves to point out the flaws in my statements, correct my pronunciation and even (to my absolute disgust) argue categorically that I am WRONG!!!! Hmmmm, not good! The thing is, Miss 9 makes these sweeping statements based entirely on her opinion and wonders why people argue with her. It's really very funny when you are removed from the front line verbal assault she has launched.

My parents always used to make those really annoying yet cuttingly accurate observations, like

"it's better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt!" or "would you THINK before you open your mouth!"

I think Miss 9 has been around her Mother too long, not only have I reached my use-by date but I'm just too familiar. She is genuinely astonished when I actually know something she doesn't! And when I'm feeling particularly brave I correct her pronunciation....simple things like pronouncing "heir" "hair"....

Have you ever heard of "baby brain" or the fact that with the passing of each placenta, your brain function diminishes? I think God planned it that way so there wouldn't be one child families all over the world. We have to forget about childbirth, that hurts!!!!

Just as an aside I liken childbirth to pushing out a pineapple....

Well, I have had 4 placentas which should explain my struggling synapses! Nearly a decade has passed since my firstborn came into the world loudly declaring her opinion even at birth! Perhaps she's just one of those kids, born crying out her opinion and continuing to do so even today. It's just the details that have changed: in this case the length of her legs and my decreased brain function. Really I am still wearing most of her verbal barrages. I'm sure these attributes will suit her well later in life, and you never know maybe one day soon she'll ask my opinion.... For now, I will be content to deflect the onslaught of her newly formed opinions, reliably fielding her questions as effectively as a Google search page.

Oh no I can hear a commotion in the background Miss 9 is directing Miss 8, Miss 5 and Mr 5. Time to enter the fray I feel. Okay, deep breath, arrow prayer for wisdom...shoulders back........

Oh my, what long legs she has!!!!

Time To Take Down SuperMUM!

2008-07-22T21:11:00.000+10:00

To know me—who I am and who I am not—is to love me.

It’s time to take down Supermum!

She has to go. The damage she does to you is HUGE! You are soooo much more than the “Supermum” illusion tricks you into thinking you need to be! There is inside you a great person, a fantastic mother, a friend, a comforter, a whole myriad of beautiful and complex pieces that blend together uniquely to reveal the real you. I can hear you thinking…..

“But you don’t know me”

that’s just it. I believe that we women suffer universally from a low self-esteem epidemic. Like a virus it creeps up on us when we are feeling a bit down or lonely. We make the mistake of comparing ourselves to others when things aren’t quite turning out the way they should be, maybe we’ve lost sight of where we’re going, what our purpose is.

The way we view ourselves seems to be a transient day to day thing. Some days we’re pretty cruisey and the next we feel like absolute failures, unworthy, insecure, desperate! I encourage you to abandon the notion that as a woman you can do it all without any help! Help yourself by first admitting to yourself your role as a woman and mother is not easy. You have a lot of needs to meet, but you aren’t giving yourself a chance if you’re doing it all. Perhaps as a result, you’re not too exciting to be around either. You can’t go back and change yesterday, but today is a new day. What happens today is in your control, your thoughts, and your choices. You can do this! Focus on what really matters. Don’t be embarrassed to be who you are, there is no-one else exactly like you in the whole world! Be the mum you were designed to be, not the “ideal woman” but the real woman! God made you for this. As Emilie Barnes wrote so eloquently;

“Your life as a mother is a life of significance before the Lord”.

I know that it’s hard sometimes; I have struggled with my own self-esteem for my entire life. It seems we are indelibly programmed to think the worst of ourselves at any given moment. I know I am. However I also know that I have a loving God who knows me intimately and STILL loves me, who wants the best for me and is protecting me. Did you realise that you are worth the life of his son?

Bless you.

Weary Mummy

2008-07-22T21:08:00.000+10:00

As a mum chances are, you’re a self-sacrificing champion!

Are you looking after yourself?

Do you have time for stillness?

Time to soothe your soul and recharge?

Our lives are so filled up with “stuff” that we literally get to a point where we can’t hear ourselves think! I know for myself; when I can’t afford the time to stop or slow down, that’s usually the time I most need to. Kind of like a wind-up toy…the more I give out, the slower I get…. until eventually I can’t give anymore and I come to a standstill. Then I have to take the time to wind up my own energy reserves, so that I can keep powering on.

It’s in these times that I lean on God. I find a small window of opportunity to simply be still, let everything go and let God take over. I cling to the promise of Psalm 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” He’s got it covered! He’s looking out for me and he will keep me going, even if that means stopping for a moment. Taking my turn, before being wound up again.

Easy said, but how do we recognise those pockets of stillness to recharge ourselves? I think the answer lies in choosing to grab hold of them, wherever you’re at, with simple pleasures! I can hear you saying… “But how?”

Maybe for you it could be by; taking a walk, getting outside to breathe, lying on your back looking up at the shapes in the clouds, taking a long shower with some aromatic shower gel, painting your finger/toenails whilst the children are sleeping, ringing a friend to catch up, having a cuppa and reading for 15 uninterrupted minutes whilst Playschool’s on, praying, putting on a face masque, taking a soak in a bubble bath with only a candle for light (after the kids go to bed), having a foot spa, listening to “Focus on The Family” (on 106.5FM at 10am or 9:30pm), writing an encouragement note for somebody, getting a haircut, buying yourself something special, putting on some music turning it up and singing LOUD, going to the Gym, or for a swim, taking a nap, going out to Dinner with your Hubby, having a water fight, going away for a weekend, reading, drawing, getting down and playing with the kids, reading an Officework’s catalogue…. I mean who knows, whatever energises you!

When we take a moment to savour a few simple pleasures we might just come back a nicer “Mummy”. For each of us it’s a different thing. What recharges you? I really encourage you to find a way to find that stillness, cut the stress down to size and rediscover the fun. I really love the way Emilie Barnes puts it in her book “Keep It Simple For Mom’s On The Go”:

“I see you in the stillness of early morning, Lord. I listen for your voice in the stillness of an afternoon moment of rest. When I pause to hear the song of a bird, I am letting myself breathe in your peace.”

Tell me, are you letting yourself breathe?

God Rest you!