tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22506328607280845002024-02-20T01:33:59.140+10:00Peculiar TreasureLizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-6851207737987290422017-05-08T15:45:00.001+10:002018-03-02T00:51:59.172+10:00I Will Lift Up My Eyes<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">For the most part I’ve accepted that CFS is just something I
have to deal with. I take each day as it comes. Until I don’t. Until I find
myself struggling with low to no energy for too many days in a row. Until my
emotions end up scraping the bottom of the barrel as well. Until I’m crying out,
begging for healing. Asking how this or that is supposed to happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Each and every time I come to this place he asks me to trust Him.
To rest in the knowledge that he’s got this and he’s got me. Though I can’t see
the bigger picture, he can. Just believe. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I realised the other day that it’s nearly the anniversary
again of when this all began. 23 years ago. It’s been an emotional week as I
process how I feel about that. But it’s also been a time of renewed hope. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Realising what the date was didn’t come on its own though - It
came wrapped with memories of his faithfulness. When I was tempted to overthink it all,
finding myself focused on the waves instead of Jesus’ face, he spoke a Psalm to
my heart. Returning to that place of acceptance once more he brought me full
circle (undoing me again) with the same old hymn that he used way back at the
beginning as I came to grips with it all for the very first time. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I suspect I’m not on my own with these struggles. So I’d like
to share a sample of where my head’s been at. I pray, if you’re reading this,
you’ll find encouragement too…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr3g3VwLeG3wZM_eMuTGQH1k7CRf6M7LjLOkhFK2hTc9w_78j2J_oBdhyphenhyphenFfCvvFl1ycCe1dpOYW39cGCyq2gs_YSJ92QLem3SzLpFSE2urDM1af_6_BlvsmGtLU4SzRmShNUVYnEzZ8SV/s1600/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr3g3VwLeG3wZM_eMuTGQH1k7CRf6M7LjLOkhFK2hTc9w_78j2J_oBdhyphenhyphenFfCvvFl1ycCe1dpOYW39cGCyq2gs_YSJ92QLem3SzLpFSE2urDM1af_6_BlvsmGtLU4SzRmShNUVYnEzZ8SV/s400/sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">May the grace that sought my heart on that
first day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Be the grace that binds my heart to stay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">May the truth that opened up my eyes on
that first time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Be the thoughts on my mind that never go
away<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For you are a lamp to my feet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A light to my path<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You’re the hand that’s holding me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faithful God, every promise kept<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Every need you’ve met, Faithful God<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All I am and all I’ll ever be is all because you love
faithfully. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faithful God. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">May the love that caught my heart to set it
free<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Be the love that others see in me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And may this hope that reaches to the
depths of human need<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Be the song that I sing in joy and
suffering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For you are the love that never leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The friend that won’t deceive<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You’re the one sure thing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">How deep how wide the love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">That pierced his side, the love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Redemptions mine, O Love that will not let
me go<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Laura Story – 2011)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
will lift my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
will not allow your foot to be moved;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
who keeps you will not slumber.” (Psalm 121: 1-3)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: 12.0pt;">...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And
that, <i>that</i><b> is well with my soul.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-45341728223281360852016-07-24T23:56:00.003+10:002018-03-02T00:50:52.696+10:00Sometimes It's Okay If The Only Thing You Did Today Was Breathe<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I've been gone a little while... I'm not sure that I'm completely back. But writing has been calling my name again and I think I'm finally ready to take a great big breath and try once more. Even if it's only intermittent for now...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Much has changed for me since we last spoke. I've had a lot of healing to do. It took me thirteen years to gather up all the <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/getting-my-joy-back.html" target="_blank">pain</a> and one blessed year to hand it completely over to The One and leave it there. It's been a time for quiet. To take thoughts captive. To release them once and for all. To forgive. To find joy. To heal. To breathe. I can honestly say I've moved on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now I wonder, 'What's next?'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I can't answer that question fully, I feel deep within that something new is waiting just over the horizon. He hasn't lit that part of my path just yet and I'm quietly trusting Him with the few puzzle pieces I do possess. For now I need to focus on the physical. The CFS has flared and it's unwise to attempt to move forward without facing it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hadn't made it to church the last couple of weeks and was determined to get there today. I feel challenged to trust for healing of late. The exhaustion of the last few weeks in particular has left me frustrated with bodily limitations. But God in his goodness saw fit to undo me tonight with the final song. I hate crying in front of everyone but am so very grateful He spoke to my heart. </span><br />
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<img height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/6e/cb/8b/6ecb8b93767af719de21be405fcb1c0d.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<a href="https://au.pinterest.com/pin/166070304983682557/" target="_blank">source</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hillsonglive/cornerstone.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Listen to the song here)</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 Corinthians 12:9 </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">But he said to me, </span><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">“My grace<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29032P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29032P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> is sufficient for you, for my power<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29032Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29032Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> is made perfect in weakness.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29032R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29032R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><i>Because He is Lord. Lord of all. </i></span></span></h3>
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<span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>And perhaps that, right there, is the very first gem to collect as we set off hunting for peculiar treasures again.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-2391911945281600302015-01-05T00:23:00.000+10:002015-01-05T00:26:11.510+10:00Getting My Joy Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQZC4O8dhkkGf8CW6a00YVZvTed7SnoNSxcUm-_1yhuDwNFr9J4eKWtcBdINTdj1eOhY0QmCov8_2Idk8UrSmwe9JGQbBO7ta8Bnw-SFXesqzPpHgTkZbYOmyB3ZsYJNBIFLeXoO_Gs4F/s1600/get+your+joy+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQZC4O8dhkkGf8CW6a00YVZvTed7SnoNSxcUm-_1yhuDwNFr9J4eKWtcBdINTdj1eOhY0QmCov8_2Idk8UrSmwe9JGQbBO7ta8Bnw-SFXesqzPpHgTkZbYOmyB3ZsYJNBIFLeXoO_Gs4F/s1600/get+your+joy+back.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you’ve been following along the journey here, you’ll know
that we’ve had an extra soul living here the last year or two. That hasn’t
always been an easy thing for me. I’ve known a spot (alright it was more of a
huge blotch) of desperation or two. A striving towards the light. A failing and
falling. A grasping onto hope. A quiet clinging to the One who covers the whole
sticky mess with Grace. Because without that? I hate to think just where we’d
be.</span> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While I consider myself one who tries to look for the good in
things - to spy that speck of joy in the<a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/the-view-from-here.html" target="_blank"> muddy puddle</a> - I have to admit that I
lost my way somewhat this past year. Hope was always there but I’d conquer the
darkness and then it would conquer me. And round and round we went. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Desperate for some me time, I stayed up far too late recently
and caught up on my favourite blogs. Thank you ladies for putting your
imperfection out there. I love you for it. So much. In the midst of the quiet I
found myself relating all too well to a post about depression. One thing led to
another and there I was staring at a list of possible symptoms able to tick a
good three quarters of them. There is a healing of sorts in such a moment. A dawning
of realisation that the emotional exhaustion, general ‘just over life right
now-ness’, and the barely coping with a certain situation that has carried on
much too long- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are all just signs
pointing to the fact that the puddle may actually be more of a bog and a little
help and self-love are very needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You see, I know that things haven’t always been too pretty
here. I’m quite aware my attitude has downright stunk at times. If the
situation wasn’t enough to weigh me down, the constant nagging thoughts in my
head certainly have. Difficult decisions have been made that left me feeling
compromised one way or the other. What if the choice I made wasn’t the best? The
alternative still had its issues too. Impossible to win. Looking back I wonder if
I enabled that which frustrated me. Did I put in my best effort? Could I have
exercised a little more grace? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In the end there’s nothing to do but <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/where-im-at.html" target="_blank">be still</a>. What’s done is
done. Now we wait for the miracle where He works it all out for good. This is
also time for the f word: Forgiveness. And that starts with myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 36pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“He
offers us forgiveness for every intentional sin, every accidental one, and even
the ones we have no idea we’ve lived out. Nothing we have or haven’t done in
our lives-or for or to our special kids-either merits or disqualifies us from
His love for us (Romans 8:28). The only aspect that hinges on us is this: will
we receive it? Because that’s what “forgiving ourselves” is all about.” – </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Laurie Wallin</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I feel deep in my soul the need for joy. The timing of Laurie’s
new book couldn’t be more appropriate. I’m not quite sure what the journey will
look like in 2015. But I know it begins with a step towards healing. With <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23&version=NKJV" target="_blank">goodness and mercy following me</a>, I’m getting my joy back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Are you a special needs parent? Or maybe just struggling with
a difficult child? Need a dose of joy yourself? Join me in reading “Get Your
Joy Back”. Get your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Joy-Back-Resentment/dp/0825443393" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-20995064472746487482014-12-06T01:15:00.002+10:002014-12-06T01:55:05.593+10:00Where I'm At<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Lord will <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">fight <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">for
you, <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">you
need only <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">be still</span></i></b><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> -</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Exodus 14:14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Shhh! Don’t
tell the kids. Mama’s been drawing on the walls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">In big blue
chalky letters. Right next to the bed. So she’ll see it every morning when she
wakes up, every afternoon around nap time, and in the evening before she closes
her eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Because the
anxiety gripping her heart didn’t belong there. Because she tried and tried to give it to
Jesus, but couldn’t let go. Because she
asked God for wisdom on the matter. And He saw fit to plant this verse in front
of her one morning - in a way that it struck her square between the eyes and
she finally got it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">Be
still</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You don’t need
to do anything. Quit your worrying, the what-if’s, the could-have-beens, and
what-would-have-been-nice-s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
battle belongs to the Lord</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Just hand it
ALL to him and be still. Be still and know that <i>I Am</i>…</span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2014_07_01_archive.html" target="_blank">difficult chapter</a> is drawing to a close. I am grateful
for the challenges, the lessons learnt, and the opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am also grateful to be at the end. Mostly that His grace
is all sufficient. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUE_j5M2Hxy1uvplrJTIXriMkPBFCDGGrucpV6FoXQl6nA_8CR06UWoQqF00ZT2B9XoIl-qGbwsBXZhB8dLkCrKAHYWIzg5Cq-4KUTx_SMCuGTK76xeQA23fV9MPeTQmmPeS4WyOwKm0Q/s1600/fbpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUE_j5M2Hxy1uvplrJTIXriMkPBFCDGGrucpV6FoXQl6nA_8CR06UWoQqF00ZT2B9XoIl-qGbwsBXZhB8dLkCrKAHYWIzg5Cq-4KUTx_SMCuGTK76xeQA23fV9MPeTQmmPeS4WyOwKm0Q/s1600/fbpic.jpg" height="135" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 20pt;">…</span></b></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There is a lot to cram into the last few weeks of this
year yet. My body is done. I’m taking it one step at a time. Then resting.
Practicing <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/nifty-notion-1-sweeping-room-with-glance.html" target="_blank">the fine art of being still</a>. So very necessary right now. Not always easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve decided that as much as I love making my Grandma’s
Christmas pudding, it’s one task I don’t have to do this year. The teachers?
Store bought presents will do. If you normally get a card from us? This year
you won’t. What energy I do have is going into making my home beautiful. This
year we are going to have decorations up well before <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/a-breath-of-christmas.html" target="_blank">Christmas Eve</a>. I am determined
to spread a little cheer for my family where there is usually just last minute
hurry. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s all that matters to me right now. It’s what my
being still looks like for the moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A beautiful friend posted these lyrics on Facebook the
other day. I don’t recall the last time I sang this hymn. How very relevant
though. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.85pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art;<br />
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.<br />
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul,<br />
For by Thy transforming power, thou hast made me whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.85pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background: white;">Jesus, I am resting, resting,</span></i><i><br />
<span style="background: white;">In the joy of what Thou art;</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I am finding out the greatness</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Of Thy loving heart.</span></i><i><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.85pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">O, how great Thy loving kindness, vaster, broader than the sea!<br />
O, how marvelous Thy goodness, lavished all on me!<br />
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved, know what wealth of grace is Thine,<br />
Know Thy certainty of promise, and have made it mine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.85pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art,<br />
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart;<br />
Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need,<br />
Compasseth me round with blessings: thine is love indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.85pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ever lift Thy face upon me as I work and wait for Thee;<br />
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth’s dark shadows flee.<br />
Brightness of my Father’s glory, sunshine of my Father’s face,<br />
Keep me ever trusting, resting, fill me with Thy grace.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">-Jean
Sophia Pigott<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></i></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-90165376992312156862014-09-05T16:58:00.003+10:002014-09-05T17:18:28.664+10:00A Drop of Sunshine<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Why did God
create flowers, fluffy clouds and good picnic weather?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Why? </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Because He
loves us</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">They are a
gift. Simply to be enjoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
lover’s note whispering sweet nothings on a gentle breeze, which is absolutely
something to the deepest depth of our soul</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The exuberant
bees hanging out in my overgrown pak choy patch? The essence of sunniness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Perhaps you
need some joy today friend. This post is dedicated to you. I’m passing on a
hug, a smile, a drop of sunshine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Wherever you
are, whatever you’re going through right now… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">He knows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">He sees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">He
loves you</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 16.0pt;">May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that
you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-Romans 15: 13-</span></sup></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></sup></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></sup></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textrom-15-13"><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: 'Courier New';">Linking up with: <a href="http://essentialthingdevotions.com/" target="_blank">Essential Fridays</a>, <a href="http://christianmommyblogger.com/" target="_blank">Fellowship Fridays</a></span></sup></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-60981540703819500102014-08-15T13:16:00.001+10:002014-08-15T17:38:15.781+10:00A Smashing Time<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched in
dismay as one of my pretty blue mugs fell from the bench and shattered into
uselessness on the hard tiles below.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Hubby broke one
of his favourite cups in a similar fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">One of the kids
knocked a parcel of delicate glass candle holders onto the floor. You know- the
ones I was just about to wrap for my secret prayer friend at Church. When the
shops are closed and I need to have it ready for first thing in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The theme has
continued…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Stuff keeps
breaking, like the light bulbs I never saw sitting on the bench. Until they no
longer were. Becoming quite useless
after a split second trip to the floor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Or the car
yesterday. Not its first ride home these past few months on the back of a tow
truck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Broken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The word seems
to be shouting at me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I feel it
inside myself too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The longing to
connect with a certain young man who moved in with us last year. The realising
just how hard that is going to be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The need to
help another one understand that we really are just trying to help. Please
don’t think of us so, dear child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The messes and
lists that go with them. Aware of my limitations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The tiredness
we feel as the year marches on. The exhaustion that sets in, at times making
relationship at home strained and awkward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">My seeming
inability to relate to those in the world around me too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I remember reading
about a broken window once (or twice – I loved this <u><a href="http://www.koorong.com/search/product/living-spaces-marlee-ledai/0800758897.jhtml#ipadAvailability" target="_blank">book</a></u>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://m4.i.pbase.com/g3/42/443742/2/53650884.BrokenWindowDSC_0008.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=broken+window+picture&FORM=IQFRBA&id=2134BD799F0E8B635F23270741C594730D4B33EF&selectedIndex=0#view=detail&id=2134BD799F0E8B635F23270741C594730D4B33EF&selectedIndex=0" target="_blank">image source</a></span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">“Most significant, perhaps, is my twelve-paned
bedroom window installed in the front wall when remodelling the room from a garage.
The lower left-hand pane was broken when my ex-husband was moving a large
mirror shortly before he left our home. The mirror shattered. As for the broken
pane, I never had it replaced, because after our divorce I never had an extra
fifty bucks. Yet I’ve thought a lot about that smashed windowpane with its
spiderweb appearance. It became a symbol of our broken home, and I was forced
to come to terms with its cold, sharp edges and tacky appearance. Perhaps I
never had the window fixed because somehow I knew things need time to be what they are.”<b> </b></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 8.0pt;">–Marlee LeDai</span><b><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b>What we are.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Maybe I just
need time to appreciate where things are at. Not because they are beautiful
right now. Rather what they have potential to be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I have to the
see the blemishes as something more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">When we go
treasure hunting for vintage finds, it is not the perfect pieces we are drawn
to. The stuff that comes home is often tattered, well worn, and tells a story
in the scrapes and bruises it bears. Sometimes we leave it as it is. Other
times we administer a dose of TLC. But we are careful to never strip a piece
completely of evidence of the life it has lived. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Because this is
where the beauty is found. A beauty that is not so much about perfection as
realness. A beauty that draws us in and
fascinates us with its character. Beauty that stands tall despite (or because
of?) hardships and difficulty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Beauty that
says, “Me too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Two thousand
years ago, a wee babe entered into this world. The conditions were hardly what
we might consider ideal. Just a dusty stable full of animals and a makeshift
manger cradle. Why? Because he was
willing to enter into our mess. Our brokenness. He was willing to take it all
on. To get to know us. On our level. To be real. To be able to say, “Me too.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">To love us
where we are and invite us to so much more… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">All that
shattered glass cannot be mended. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme
of things anyway. The brokenness inside us does. I’ve puzzled over this
recurrent theme trying to make sense of it all. I’m not quite there yet. I’m
handing my pieces to the master craftsman though. Trusting him to work it all
out. In his way. In his time. Hoping that one day the beauty will be revealed.</span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">“Windows may not be fixed right away, but that does
not mean they will never be mended. Everything may not become clear in a
twinkling. It takes courage to begin to think in different ways about anything
that gives you pain. It takes courage to see the possibilities in disability or
disease or divorce. But that doesn’t mean that you and I can’t live with style,
dignity, and intention.” </span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 8.0pt;">– Marlee LeDai<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Linking up with: <a href="http://christianmommyblogger.com/fellowship-fridays-32-gods-mercies-are-new-every-morning/" target="_blank">Fellowship Fridays</a>, <a href="http://essentialthingdevotions.com/holy-moments-essential-fridays/" target="_blank">Essential Things Devotions</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-29699899088745041832014-07-18T15:14:00.001+10:002014-07-19T00:03:04.564+10:00Blooming Sunshine<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Bloom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img alt="Five Minute Friday" src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">‘</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bloom where you are
planted</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">,’ they say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">But what if you don’t?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">What if I watch
you and all I see just makes me sad?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">What if you
have just shriveled instead; refusing to bloom because the flavour of the dirt
here isn't quite to your taste?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">They also say
that </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">it
takes both sunshine and rain to make a rainbow</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">My heart has
been so heavy with the rain. It hangs over you when you walk in the door.
Sometimes I think I will go crazy with that cloud of gloom you cling to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Though it’s not
my cloud, it still obscures the light at times. Gives me a cloud of my own
to carry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">But He has been
showing me that I need to lay aside the burdens I feel for you and somehow
sparkle in the dark shadows. To show you something that shimmers instead of
watching me battle my sad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Because if
there’s to be any blooming, you’ll need rain-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">and</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;"> sunshine</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-12219068176398182202014-07-16T14:34:00.000+10:002014-07-18T14:32:54.131+10:00On Gardens and Second Chances<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">Once
upon a time a garden grew</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">in my heart</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">. It had to grow there because we didn’t
yet own a place of our own to make it a reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">That’s not to
say that we didn’t have a go at gardening. It just had to take the form of pots
and little patches that landlords were willing to allow a daisy bush or two to
grow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The day finally
came that we spent a ridiculous amount of money (who knew seedlings could be so
expensive?) and went to town planting out daisies, cornflowers, society garlic,
lavender, chrysanthemums, lobelia, alyssum, salvia, agapanthus and other pretty
flowers we’ve long since forgotten the names of. It was a very special thing to
finally plant out the potted roses that had moved around with us to each town
also. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The garden grew
and flourished. A place of quiet beauty. Admired by many as they walked past.
Commented on occasionally too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And then it
<u><a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/soggy-prayers.html" target="_blank">rained</a></u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And rained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And rained some
more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">In all the
wetness, the weeds grew big and strong. So did the grass. Try as we might to
conquer the jungle, it conquered us. We gave up in a way. Lost our ‘oomph’. Let
the wildness win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">There it sat.
For a year. (Okay, it was a bit longer than that).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">When we could
stand the depressing-ness (someone please tell me the correct word here?) no
longer, we vowed to make it delightful again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Much hard work,
and several physiotherapy sessions later, the weeds and grasses were gone. All
that remained were a few brave survivors. The rest, a blank canvas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Again we went
crazy at the nursery buying all our favourites. The neighbour watched on
(somewhat amused I think – he’d hadn’t seen the garden before) at the planting
frenzy that followed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">A couple of
months on, those little seedlings have grown some. The flowers smile and nod in
the breeze. It is a pleasure to just ‘be’ out there…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank
God for second chances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWSHXN6heXFysh8GpURyBp1-1xqaur3ohzVhLKVLA_dUhRNF46umBLzwlDZNzxzOWvJQO9OgwvJa6iBwCvyEILT8ayUZ-z1ekY7hCPnUzVPlTiXcBtP8u2V2gvdh_pUktVjDwZyBdDSdf/s1600/secondchancegarden5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWSHXN6heXFysh8GpURyBp1-1xqaur3ohzVhLKVLA_dUhRNF46umBLzwlDZNzxzOWvJQO9OgwvJa6iBwCvyEILT8ayUZ-z1ekY7hCPnUzVPlTiXcBtP8u2V2gvdh_pUktVjDwZyBdDSdf/s1600/secondchancegarden5.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank God that messes and mistakes are not permanent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku3t6YE5avtA49o-L8P5_aZV7WueQOtBPP0S9-pXfHLeOY6m4T_2cRa-j60K5vuSJi4PnQ9ac3AUyqItYvkxJa-Qe5qSawVeWb6nn6HA59R0cX0kLO8FTtDWxsw_GfnatOlvlXovblnL8/s1600/secondchancegarden3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku3t6YE5avtA49o-L8P5_aZV7WueQOtBPP0S9-pXfHLeOY6m4T_2cRa-j60K5vuSJi4PnQ9ac3AUyqItYvkxJa-Qe5qSawVeWb6nn6HA59R0cX0kLO8FTtDWxsw_GfnatOlvlXovblnL8/s1600/secondchancegarden3.jpg" height="296" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank God that He is the tender gardener of our souls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9OYxumCinm5MTOcEtMVyL_X2vkWjTMPNP1-h4olpTYgCt8VsFLsqOn7LjF9DxEI0mEqH3Y1Dn4ZtK0siJeaezxee4iwsubCBw-FRHa-nNBvHo4mWuYuhwxflmrMhYoFF1XZMmLEpdsf_/s1600/secondchancegarden2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9OYxumCinm5MTOcEtMVyL_X2vkWjTMPNP1-h4olpTYgCt8VsFLsqOn7LjF9DxEI0mEqH3Y1Dn4ZtK0siJeaezxee4iwsubCBw-FRHa-nNBvHo4mWuYuhwxflmrMhYoFF1XZMmLEpdsf_/s1600/secondchancegarden2.jpg" height="296" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank God that weeds <i>do</i>
come out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZhudETWg_iaor0FrAgZbUnw03dcmU5Qz7oWYMptoKiBK6fPqk6a01SxExpYWkgfNAQc4V5tMb1AUcB5n-KqE582Ama1-IZrIpgRHgV5X-MG21L1eHir8RfxBQyTIp7aJ8rhCPXBxUu0_/s1600/secondchancegarden6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZhudETWg_iaor0FrAgZbUnw03dcmU5Qz7oWYMptoKiBK6fPqk6a01SxExpYWkgfNAQc4V5tMb1AUcB5n-KqE582Ama1-IZrIpgRHgV5X-MG21L1eHir8RfxBQyTIp7aJ8rhCPXBxUu0_/s1600/secondchancegarden6.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank God that He is willing to start over in a surrendered
heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLkNl32P-7hLpLgF3AQr44-AvokmvBTWc5x4peoFAfnVIsu4fT7GzjIupCVQONTJSALoW4dpeNqL8Dh5WHxSX08eXVv1XpPgiMURH5SNWpFilvro196QToYSV3DOZ73GGCpd_fuKtomTL/s1600/secondchancegarden1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLkNl32P-7hLpLgF3AQr44-AvokmvBTWc5x4peoFAfnVIsu4fT7GzjIupCVQONTJSALoW4dpeNqL8Dh5WHxSX08eXVv1XpPgiMURH5SNWpFilvro196QToYSV3DOZ73GGCpd_fuKtomTL/s1600/secondchancegarden1.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank God that He is not finished with us yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1q1V8u1s6YcmyENA8vVm_jJRLBPpp9XQBecWGzhhWzVm-DcVkhBewnwbuGkhpgMA15DpFho9v0HEMF0s6POpYwkBXsDehydhVns2qgn7hCehlf2qgUYbS6ma0Kd3ig8BLbd3vduclD4l/s1600/secondchancegarden4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1q1V8u1s6YcmyENA8vVm_jJRLBPpp9XQBecWGzhhWzVm-DcVkhBewnwbuGkhpgMA15DpFho9v0HEMF0s6POpYwkBXsDehydhVns2qgn7hCehlf2qgUYbS6ma0Kd3ig8BLbd3vduclD4l/s1600/secondchancegarden4.jpg" height="278" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Amen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Amen!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /><br /><br /><br />Linking up with: <a href="http://christianmommyblogger.com/fellowship-friday-31-blog-hop" target="_blank">Fellowship Fridays</a> </span>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-76784289638631891352014-06-19T03:10:00.000+10:002014-06-19T03:10:06.285+10:00A Really Sparkly One<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Dear Sweet
Child of Mine,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Only the good
Lord knows how much I have to choose to love you some days. Only He knows the
full extent of the guilt I have felt for my (lack of) feelings towards you.
Only He knows what really goes on in that head of yours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And He knows
the desires of this heart to appreciate you better, to see the real you, to
look beyond <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/p/more-about-asd.html" target="_blank">Asperger’s</a> and see the beautiful, loving person that you are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Some days, many days, it is hard. I have wrestled mightily with my heart over you, dear child.
Often I have prayed, begged even, for just a glimpse beyond the surface. A
precious moment where we can connect, even if it only lasts five minutes. When it
comes, it’s a truly sparkly treasure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRKbq2rb7jOoydC_YucfImwNmonBmj8oprfgNRAiSpyV6boHJtEnqwf81yXntn_jYUZ5zDjf0zf8RPuCOz22W7ggkgSpiBVSfPBjc7nu7vDVZPxj32KolEFrc3bz3tbqJDTO68CE4-J2Y/s1600/dew+drops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRKbq2rb7jOoydC_YucfImwNmonBmj8oprfgNRAiSpyV6boHJtEnqwf81yXntn_jYUZ5zDjf0zf8RPuCOz22W7ggkgSpiBVSfPBjc7nu7vDVZPxj32KolEFrc3bz3tbqJDTO68CE4-J2Y/s1600/dew+drops.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Tonight though,
He orchestrated something just beautiful. So very exquisite. My eyes are still
leaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Pastor was
asking for volunteers to pray for folk in the church who struggle with health.
I was a little unsure when you accepted his request to pray for me. I never
quite know what to expect from your lips. I needn’t have worried. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">First, you felt
the need to explain to the congregation that your Mama struggles with more than
Chronic Fatigue – she has two boys who have their moments too!!! Oh dear child,
you do indeed know <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com/2013/01/mah-dom.html" target="_blank">how to make me laugh</a>! I needed that reminder. So much. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Before we knew
it, eyes (not just mine) were welling up as you declared, in your <a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com/2012/10/rec-button-faith.html" target="_blank">childish faith</a>, that your Mama was a blessing and you thanked God and led the
congregation in a sweet, sweet prayer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">My son, you are
so, so much more than Asperger’s, and quirks, and a child trying figure out a
confusing world. Please forgive me for failing often to see beyond the daily
mud we get mired in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Thank you for
letting Him work through you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">So much love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Mama xx <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-40886867402065307132014-05-09T16:24:00.000+10:002014-05-09T16:24:07.423+10:00Grateful<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><img alt="Five Minute Friday" src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Ever since I
can remember my mission in life was to grow up to be a princess. Just like so
many other little girls. But we didn’t have the money to spend on fancy toys.
And it never occurred to her to promote these things in a big or overly
meaningful way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Obviously she’d
been reflecting on the way things were for us as kids, growing up. I know this
because a year or two ago she apologised. I wasn’t looking for or expecting it.
It came as quite a surprise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Every now and
then that reel runs through in my mind. In the middle of creative pursuit, just
the other day, something hit the play button again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Because see, the
sticking point for me is this - as a child I didn’t miss what I didn’t have.
I’m pretty sure I was oblivious to the fact I never owned a tiara. I was
however fully aware that I’d been thought of when she brought me home the book
about a real princess. For me. Just because that was my life’s dream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Back to the
creativity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She may have
never bought me fancy dress ups and the like – but she did hand me a needle and
thread. There was a bag of fabric scraps I was allowed to raid just whenever.
There was always paper, scissors, crayons, and glue. The most used book on the
shelf was the ‘make and do.’ I was happy with that. Satisfied to the full. I
didn’t know I was missing out – because I wasn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">How does all
that impact me now? I still love to create. I love to be resourceful. It’s such
a big part of who God made me. I’m pretty sure He knew that when He provided
for our needs. I am grateful for those days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And the
princess thing? Well, once upon a time a girl met a boy. He called her his
Precious Princess (and still does)… But that’s a whole other story! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-46379638768899861172014-05-02T14:22:00.000+10:002014-05-02T14:22:46.323+10:00A Beautiful Mess<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><img alt="Five Minute Friday" src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Have you seen
my house lately? No? Let me sum it up for you in just one word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">We’re good at
that round here. Experts even. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The back end of
the house has tools and wood and this and that just everywhere. Renovating is
either in full swing or waiting patiently to be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The kitchen
shows evidence of the last meal we ate. Pots and pans with last scrapes. A pile
of dirty plates to prove we are well nourished. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The lounge room
- overtaken by an odd mixture of toys and too many games pulled out of the
cupboard, combined with evidence of Mama’s last three sewing projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">But you know
what? It’s okay. Really. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Because this
mess means life. This mess means blessings. This mess will clean up.
Eventually. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Jesus did not
come to this world because we have it all together and just needed the cherry
to go on top. He came because we’re all pretty good at this mess thing. He
knows about our mess. The ones in our homes and the ones in our hearts. And if
we’ll let him, he wants to show us how to make it beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-91725349509788047242014-04-29T00:51:00.000+10:002014-04-29T00:51:56.199+10:00A Very Belated Response<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You may have
noticed very few posts lately. In fact there have been none. It’s not that I
didn’t try to write at first. There were a few attempts at putting thoughts
down. But they never seemed to take the turn I’d hoped they would. Instead they
looked a lot (an awful lot) like somebody, a little lost, just trying to make
sense of her world and her muddled head. They never really reached a point that
felt worth sharing. Or became too raw and too personal to splash about. (Maybe
one day I’ll dip into them – who knows?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Then there was
a whole lot of nothing. No inspiration would come at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And since this
writing thing is done because I believe He would have me do it, I asked Him
what should be said. He was very quiet on the matter. I sensed the need to hush,
<i>be still</i> - not put so much pressure
on myself. To trust that when the time was right, the words would come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">There was one small
word that came and sat. It seemed to disappear there for awhile. Though if I
think about it, it never really did. I’ve opened my eyes and noticed it quietly
peeping round the corner at me lately. Winking, willing curiosity to come and
see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: #f3f4ee; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: teal; font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s always so hard for me to
start again, to find my rhythm. When I do not know what to say or how to feel,
I write a letter. The music always finds me there. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<em><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: #f3f4ee; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: teal; font-family: 'Courier New';">-<a href="http://texasnorth.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">KatieMulder</a></span></em><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">…and so…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dear Sweet You</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You asked us,
the other month, if we had a word for this coming year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You had one –
and others in the conversation had one too. I was happy for you all,
really. But I didn't. At least, not yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">At the end of
last year a different somebody asked me what I wanted from the New Year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">My honest
answer? To survive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Said out loud
it sounded so hollow and sad. But what I really meant was, I’d like to get my
act together. To actually put in place a little daily plan. To feel as if
something has been accomplished. To cope. To rise above. To find joy again …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The more I
thought about it, the more I envisioned myself doing these things. The more I
wanted to do these things. The more I allowed myself to believe in the
possibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I dared to
dream once more - for more than survival. I wanted to live. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Life got in the
way. I dropped the vision somewhere in a rut. It all seemed too hard, too much, too
unattainable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">But I haven’t
given up. I can’t. I won’t. Sometimes, I am learning, I just need to rest. In the circumstance
– and in Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Slowly but
surely progress <i>is</i> happening. The
difficult is becoming easier. Or at least making more sense. I am learning new
things, I am growing, I am in fact more alive than I had realised…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">and, I have</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <b>hope</b></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><i>Thank you so
much for asking!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><i>Lizzy xx</i></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-17982388364792370782014-02-12T14:19:00.000+10:002014-02-12T14:19:26.469+10:00A Little Reminder<span class="text 2Cor-4-16" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0tec54vh_dMJY_iCP87C-26Qvt-eCZf3szNdZpRoADNdIeORX1GvO3l-u59741HuP4sU_duPaVg1NZZzvIKKTI9_8X2sD076kSGWwgfMcFccpC9f_FZsww7-slkjCityp1BxUlAGQjaU/s1600/do+not+lose+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0tec54vh_dMJY_iCP87C-26Qvt-eCZf3szNdZpRoADNdIeORX1GvO3l-u59741HuP4sU_duPaVg1NZZzvIKKTI9_8X2sD076kSGWwgfMcFccpC9f_FZsww7-slkjCityp1BxUlAGQjaU/s1600/do+not+lose+heart.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" id="en-NIV-28877" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="font-size: large;">...</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">For our light and momentary troubles </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" style="background-color: white;">are achieving for us an eternal glory </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" style="background-color: white;">that far outweighs them all.<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28877AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)"></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" id="en-NIV-28878" style="background-color: white;">So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" style="background-color: white;">but on what is unseen,<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28878AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></span> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" style="background-color: white;">since what is seen is temporary, </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" style="background-color: white;">but what is unseen is eternal. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text 2Cor-4-16" id="en-NIV-28876" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="vertical-align: top;">2 Corinthians 4:</span></span><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" id="en-NIV-28877" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="vertical-align: top;">17-18</span></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text 2Cor-4-17" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-44899684725159618022014-01-30T22:26:00.000+10:002014-01-30T22:26:22.462+10:00Free<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><img height="300" src="http://nadineleenutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/beautiful-sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><u><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=sunrise+photo&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&imgil=OfTmSojGsHnmAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcTnQtfkYzGc58QpqP0Z-pLGpw-6owFefte8RcayqD8vYSmd92al%253B1600%253B1200%253BN1NfFUtX1aX3tM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fnadineleenutrition.com%25252F2325%25252F7-tips-to-creating-a-kick-ass-morning-ritual%25252Fbeautiful-sunrise%25252F&source=iu&usg=__DZJMNme3Vl3gtE5eS2ed5w9Oo60%3D&sa=X&ei=wkHqUtqgLYjNkwW45oH4Dw&ved=0CDEQ9QEwAg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=OfTmSojGsHnmAM%253A%3BN1NfFUtX1aX3tM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fnadineleenutrition.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F10%252Fbeautiful-sunrise.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fnadineleenutrition.com%252F2325%252F7-tips-to-creating-a-kick-ass-morning-ritual%252Fbeautiful-sunrise%252F%3B1600%3B1200" target="_blank">source</a></u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free, she
who haunts my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She who stifles
my joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She who would
tread me down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I cannot free
you from his mind,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">But He can free
mine from you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I’m on the
winning side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Oh don’t you
see?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Darkness will
not triumph. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">For ears to
hear and eyes that truly see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Embrace His light
and be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be free.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">John 8:36</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So if the Son
sets you free, you will be free indeed.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-57278367657316113342014-01-09T00:25:00.000+10:002014-01-09T00:25:14.531+10:00Just Keep Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Just keep writing," she said.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">At a time when I doubted my ability. Wondered if anybody
actually read what I had to say. If it ever encouraged anyone. If it really
mattered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On occasion I find myself circling that crazy place.
Teetering on the edge of giving in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then I am reminded; there is a bigger picture. Perhaps
today I am called to share my heart for just one other. Past comments have confirmed
this. I am humbled. Sometimes I wonder if that soul might maybe possibly, that day, be me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Just keep writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the audience of One who called me to it in the first
place...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="224" src="http://www.wishyouwouldhear.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/write-on-november-is-national-novel-writing-month-a5349cc216.jpg" width="400" /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-small;"><u><a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=writing+picture&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&source=iu&imgil=1G_0gQNTe7lZBM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcQ7sHTDhPC7NE76CMYlEhUSwtuC2w9qej7EtFf5mx-sdJDLLXjo%253B1600%253B1067%253BRSLoBWmaQBmFpM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fjoshspilker.com%25252Fwriting-or-what-am-i-doing-again-the-powre-writing-strategy%25252F&sa=X&ei=qlrNUqWtDIm-kgWu9IHYBA&ved=0CD8Q9QEwBw#facrc=_&imgdii=1G_0gQNTe7lZBM%3A%3BtmS-KHo3rqjd0M%3B1G_0gQNTe7lZBM%3A&imgrc=1G_0gQNTe7lZBM%3A%3BRSLoBWmaQBmFpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fjoshspilker.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F10%252Fwriting.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fjoshspilker.com%252Fwriting-or-what-am-i-doing-again-the-powre-writing-strategy%252F%3B1600%3B1067" target="_blank">source</a></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Just keep writing,” she said. So unaware.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And that was all the encouragement I needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><i>1 Thessalonians</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> 5:11</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Therefore
encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(ESV)</span></span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-86185934548905326022013-12-25T16:12:00.000+10:002013-12-25T16:12:53.873+10:00How to Have A Merry Little Christmas<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Finish up the school year frazzled
and well and truly ready for it all to Just. Go. Away.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Spend the next week getting
woefully behind on your to-do list whilst procrastinating every day and
generally just relaxing because, well, you desperately need to.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The weekend before the big day
decide you had really better get organised. Go shopping to grab last few
things. Don’t end up getting all of them because car decides to break
down.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Once you finally make it home,
spend the afternoon getting very sticky making Christmas treats with the
kids while hubby stays with the car and organises a tow truck.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You really, <i>really</i> need to clear out the rumpus for the renovating. So
spend the next day washing like a mad woman to clear <i>that</i> pile (hint: this requires 5 loads). In between, sort and
fold like your life depends on it. The <u><a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/i-have-piles-how-about-you.html" target="_blank">Mt Foldmore range</a></u> will miraculously
diminish before your very eyes. Also, take note how cute the five year old
is helping carry pile after pile of clean towels to the linen cupboard.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Flop into bed at the end of the day
satisfied but utterly worn out.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Wake the next day not sure that you
feel one hundred percent. Soon realise it’s because you seem to have
gained a UTI overnight.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Try to carry on as normal because
after all, this is Christmas Eve now and there is much still to do. Like
decorating and rediscovering the lounge room floor. Do not even look in
the kitchen.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="9" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Do not panic either - just imagine
your perfect children helping clear it all away in a matter of minutes.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Get a stronger grip on reality.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="11" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Come to the understanding that your
pounding headache might need some attention. Take your temperature and
realise it is slightly higher than is considered normal.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="12" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Ask <u><a href="http://www.incourage.me/" target="_blank">online friends</a></u> for prayer.
Thank God for such amazing women.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="13" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Take next round of medication. Put
yourself to bed and rest. Thank God for hubby willing to take children out
for a while to make this possible.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="14" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Scan the scene and concede it is
just not gonna happen how you had planned.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="15" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Have brilliant idea. Glean ideas
from <u><a href="http://www.homelife.com.au/magazine/country+style" target="_blank">favourite magazine</a></u>. Release the stress.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="16" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Feed and bathe children. Put them
to bed. Relax with husband and a movie.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="17" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Go to bed.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="18" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Wake up Christmas morning. Have a
lazy breakfast with family. Put roast on. Put dishes on.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="19" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Choose to ignore horrid mess of a
house. Gather simple yet beautiful things, from around your home, that you
love. Take these outside to gazebo hubby and kids are putting up in the
back yard.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="20" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Lose yourself in a moment of
creativity as you arrange them wistfully. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjeQiMpT_mcxmX6pJWd66k6LUUS-q1U1TqnWbvGe1-rq8cSs5OtaED32444UPuR9TMDL4mGQxPnKXM-RZPmnrUOiTa3KyfJLvnrxe6HPE27Rgu-VvaG2S5XiMOv_fwep8eB-CtpmgtNi2/s1600/christmas+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjeQiMpT_mcxmX6pJWd66k6LUUS-q1U1TqnWbvGe1-rq8cSs5OtaED32444UPuR9TMDL4mGQxPnKXM-RZPmnrUOiTa3KyfJLvnrxe6HPE27Rgu-VvaG2S5XiMOv_fwep8eB-CtpmgtNi2/s400/christmas+2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">21. Invite the family to join you. Acknowledge
that really this is all you need. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">22. And have yourself a Merry little
Christmas!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Edwardian Script ITC"; font-size: 36.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Wishing you</span><span style="color: teal; font-family: "Edwardian Script ITC"; font-size: 36.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hope in our Saviour</span><span style="color: teal; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Peace in your heart</span><span style="color: teal; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">and Joy in the little things</span><span style="color: teal; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Edwardian Script ITC"; font-size: 36.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Happy Christmas!</span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-44741009065503509942013-12-06T19:06:00.001+10:002013-12-06T19:37:15.759+10:00Four and a Half Years<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Reflect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Four and a half
years ago a tired Mama dropped her second grader at school for the day. Babe in
arms she decided to stay for the school assembly. She was trying to find her
way in a new community. A place she now called home but barely knew. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">It had been a
rushed morning and breakfast had been little more than a mouthful; just to put
something in her stomach and keep it quiet until she returned home. In the
hurry and fluster she had quite forgotten the new playgroup starting up that
day. Until the kind teacher asked if she was planning to stay. Her first
thought was breakfast and that maybe next week would be better. But something
inside made her stay…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Today, at home
time, three of those babes linked arms and smiled for their last ever
photograph at playgroup. The final three to graduate from the original group. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Thank you for
the memories boys. The smiling faces each week. We have watched you grow from
chuck cloths, wipes, and bottles. We have steadied your first wobbly steps and
together you’ve learned to play and share. Because of you we got to spend some
‘mummy time’ and find ourselves in others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">This season has
come to a close. It is time to move on. As I look back, I cannot help but be
grateful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-20729844485621443692013-11-01T23:45:00.000+10:002013-11-01T23:55:33.466+10:00On Eating An Elephant<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The piles pile
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The mess
gathers round.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I am tired – at
the most inconvenient of times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The pinching
nerves in my shoulders keep a steady stream of ache in my arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I feel like I
have been served more than I can chew some days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And yet…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">This is all
part of His plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">He has allowed
these things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">He has blessed
me with these things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I do not mean
to complain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I want to enjoy
what I have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">To live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Fully alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">My kind of
adventure is probably not the same as yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Neither are my
victories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Life has taught
me to celebrate the little things;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">To see, and to
seek, the beauty in each day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">And as I learn
to love myself and others where we are at-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">To extend grace
to each moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I am grasping just
how <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">To eat an
elephant,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">One small bite
at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-9159871464112014092013-10-18T14:32:00.001+10:002013-10-18T23:11:42.058+10:00I Have Piles - How About You?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Laundry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Confession: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My brain is off with the fairies - but I had a go at FMF anyway. I started out with deep thoughts. I really did. But no editing right??!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What a relevant topic right now. Which angle would you
like me to take? From the top of Mt Foldmore or the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">peak</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Mt Washless</st1:placename></st1:place>?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Actually Foldmore is more of a mountain range. There are
five of us and so very conveniently five seats on the lounge next to the washing
machine. (No my laundry isn’t <i>that</i>
fancy – just situated in one end of the rumpus). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But just like those dirty dishes, the laundry piles are a
constant reminder of our blessings. We have enough clothes for there to be a
dirty clothes pile. We have enough clothes for there to be a clean pile too. We
have enough that we have these piles simultaneously. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We are blessed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Who’d have thought that having piles was so good? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s laundry piles folks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Piles of blessings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">Count
your blessings, name them one by one,</span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Count your blessings, see what God hath done!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Count your blessings, name them one by one,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And it will surprise you what the Lord hath
done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;">-Johnson Oatman, Jr<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-19747131755916442502013-10-02T23:39:00.000+10:002013-10-02T23:39:27.593+10:00Nifty Notion #10: Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Today's Nifty Notion is brought to us by the lovely Rebekah at <u><a href="http://weliveinspired.com/" target="_blank">We Live Inspired</a></u>. Thanks for coming over and helping me out today! If you haven't yet visited her pages of inspired living be sure to do so. You will find lots of great tips, money saving ideas, amazing poems, and stories that will warm your heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Without further ado, here she is to teach us a new recipe...</span><br />
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<br />
I am happy to be here at my dear friend Lizzy's blog today! The way we met was one of those serendipitous things where we both happened to be in the same place at the same time in an online forum. We were both brand new bloggers at the time, and we have so much in common that we became fast friends! I am blessed beyond measure to have Lizzy as a friend, as she is one of those true blue people you can count on. You may already have gathered this from reading her wonderful blog posts that are filled with so much heart :).
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Today I am sharing a garden fresh healthy recipe that is easy to throw together for those days where you just can't be bothered (as Lizzy often puts it). Our new neighbor has a vegetable garden and he was kind enough to give us some fresh ripe tomatoes right off the vine. We only had 2 large tomatoes, (a perfect dinner for 2) , so this was the perfect way to use them! My mom made these for us during the summers when I was growing up.
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes</span></strong>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Ingredients: </strong>
</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> 1-4 tomatoes (depending on size you will be able to stuff up to 4 tomatoes with this recipe) - 1 tomato per person you are feeding :)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 can of flaked tuna fish (I like the kind packed in water instead of oil)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2-3 Tablespoons of salad dressing or mayonnaise. (I use a salad dressing called Miracle Whip-it's popular in the USA) If you are on a health conscious diet , use lowfat.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">chopped onion-however much you like. I typically throw in a couple of Tablespoons. Any variety of onion works well (even green onion), but I used a regular onion for this recipe.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chopped celery</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">coarsely ground black pepper- I like using a pepper mill with pepper corns in it, but any pepper will do.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Parmesan Cheese ( I used the pre grated powder like Parmesan cheese, but you can use any kind you like)- I add about 1 Tablespoon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shredded cheese of choice-I used colby jack</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">lettuce or fresh spinach leaves-optional</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is so simple! All we are essentially doing is stuffing fresh tomatoes with tuna salad. If you REALLY can't be bothered ;) , you can make your tuna salad very basic (no chopping needed) and just use the tuna, mayo/dressing, and salt and pepper to season if you like.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Directions:</strong> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With a knife, carve a circle off the top of each tomato and remove. (Think of when you carve a pumpkin to make a jack o' lantern and are carving the top off to take the filling out.) Scoop out the core and seeds. Set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<a href="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0021.jpg"><img alt="002" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2642" height="300" src="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0021-600x450.jpg" width="400" /></a>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Making the tuna salad-</strong>
Drain can of tuna. In a small bowl add the tuna, chopped onion and celery, mayo/salad dressing, pepper and parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined. Fill tomatoes to overflowing with the tuna mixture.
While I didn't use lettuce today, it makes a nice presentation to serve the stuffed tomatoes on a bed of lettuce or baby spinach leaves! Top each tomato with shredded cheese. Now it's ready to eat! I find it to be pretty filling and will eat this dish by itself. Surprisingly, my meat and potatoes guy even liked it! You can't normally get him to eat tomatoes unless they are on a hamburger :D.
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<a href="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/008.jpg"><img alt="008" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2644" height="600" src="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/008-450x600.jpg" width="450" /></a>
<a href="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/008.jpg"></a><a href="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/006.jpg"><img alt="006" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2643" height="300" src="http://weliveinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/006-600x450.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>What is your favorite way to use garden fresh tomatoes?</strong>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u><a href="http://peculiartreasure73.blogspot.com.au/p/nifty-notions.html" target="_blank">Click here for more nifty notions</a></u></span></div>
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Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-30793132957963132202013-09-25T16:58:00.000+10:002013-09-27T16:35:16.508+10:00In His Time<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lately it seems I'm back on the road of learning (again, and again, and again) the need to go easy on myself and rest in God's good timing; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the fact that he holds the bigger picture; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">that he knows where I'm at; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">that he's okay with that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<br />Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-292829988311035752013-09-20T15:01:00.001+10:002013-09-20T15:01:18.259+10:00She<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: She.</span><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She is tea cups
and lace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She is plain
paper plates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She is softly
spoken words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She can yell to
the herds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She is quiet
and serene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She’s not
afraid of a scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Pink apricot
sunsets will lift her emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Under the
moonlight, she’s as deep as the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She daintily
dances to a classical tune.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She let’s rock
‘n’ roll move her all over the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She likes meals
presented with an arty touch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Or if it
sustains her, then that is enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She sews and
makes the most fabulous craft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She revels in
hiking and rowing a raft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">She is unique;
she is playing her part – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Doing what God
has placed in her heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-83572304904530136652013-09-20T01:11:00.000+10:002013-09-20T09:18:26.338+10:00Dear New Mother Me<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Dear New Mother
Me,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I've traveled
the road you’re on right now. The one you’re just beginning. It’s a crazy
journey with some high highs and low lows - mixed with cherished moments in
between. Oh you may not recognise them all for what they are at first, but
eventually you will be able to look back and smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzZ66iD6ASOO5wLS9NddGDhXAQbZ0XPm84KfYKuLOKq-OXOtTfNv0VUN2bLIwr1ZBrDf2VBTXJO5sFQagW8porQwrGVBps9GxuDUH0kqnKQ1g3rR3F7GPc3J7gC3xNXlBbUfFun5psET8/s1600/newmotherme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzZ66iD6ASOO5wLS9NddGDhXAQbZ0XPm84KfYKuLOKq-OXOtTfNv0VUN2bLIwr1ZBrDf2VBTXJO5sFQagW8porQwrGVBps9GxuDUH0kqnKQ1g3rR3F7GPc3J7gC3xNXlBbUfFun5psET8/s400/newmotherme.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The beginning
had its terrifying moments. Going through that little process called labour.
The pain, the tears, the discovering how much you really can bear. And then the
exhilaration, the relief, the first snuggle – so precious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Exhaustion sets
in and the body longs for rest but you can’t have it. Not yet anyway. Holding
this crying bundle, not knowing how to make it calm. Desperate, desperate for
some peace and quiet to be able to rest. If only the nurses would understand
that and stop trying to make baby feed – again!! Somewhere in the blur you find
yourself wondering how long it will take for things to return to normal. What
if this is the new normal? Heaven forbid! Then at last a nurse has a heart and
takes baby for a couple of hours. Sleep, precious sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The third day
blues arrive. Oh the third day blues – hormonal rivers pouring down
your cheeks for no apparent reason. It’s the day they’ll send you home too.
Home to a comfy bed and a proper meal that’s actually appetising. Home to do it
all on your own. You’ll be engulfed in overwhelm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Bed time
arrives and baby’s little bed is set up at the side of your own. But after an
hours inconsolable crying (his and yours!) you’ll bundle him up and move the
bassinet to his room just a few feet up the hall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You wake the
next day in a pool of milk. Eventually your creative self will find a solution.
(Hint: it involves a singlet and a cloth nappy). It’s your first day at home and you’re not
convinced you want to spend it on your own while hubby goes to work. You’ll
gather your belongings and what you think you’ll need for baby and head off to
visit your parents. They’ll know what they’re doing and can offer some sound
advice. You nearly cry with relief at hearing mother’s advice on feeding. A
great weight is lifted from your shoulders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">How to explain
though to the excited Aunt that no, she can’t pick baby up from his carrier.
Despite her pleas you remain firm as you experience the first glimmer of connecting
as you adore his perfect little face calm and quiet and asleep. This is not
something you have words for right now. You've looked forward to meeting the
little chap yet find yourself battling the emotions swirling about within. He’s
your child and for that you love him dearly. Right now, that is more of a
decision than a mushy feeling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">You’ll long to
bond with him. And feel somehow broken for not being able to. Be patient with
yourself. You've been through a lot this past nine months. An unexpected
pregnancy so soon after marriage. You had antenatal depression, though you
won’t find this out for several years. The guilt for the feelings toward the
unborn child within you - that lasts until almost his sixth birthday. The
knowing that it wasn't right to feel this way but too ashamed to tell anyone. This too shall pass my dear and you will have
a precious moment at Jesus feet when he lifts this heavy burden from your
shoulders. Don’t give up hoping and praying and looking to Him for your answers.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Perhaps the
picture painted so far seems a rather dismal one. Although you will find things
overwhelming at first, things do eventually settle into a routine. Believe it
or not baby will learn to sleep through the night and you’ll laugh at the memory
of waking in a panic and checking on baby (imagining the worst) only to find
him sleeping peacefully in his cozy blankets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">When you’re up
to it, go out. Maybe it won’t be for very long at first but it’s so important
to have community. Despite the novelty for others of meeting your precious new
addition they’ll eventually settle down. It can even be nice to hand him over
to a friend and take a break for a few minutes…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Be kind to
yourself. Loving this child will grow your patience, your temperament, your
wisdom, your resourcefulness, your trust, faith and hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Some moments
will be doozies. Learn to forgive yourself, look for the lesson, and leave the
rest in the past where it belongs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Some moments will
be dazzlers. Celebrate these. The big, the bold ones – make just as loud a
noise. There’ll be quieter ones too (though no less shiny), that only a Mama’s soul
will understand. Tuck them into your heart for the quiet later with
a simple ‘thank you’ offered upward. For heaven sees and is cheering you on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">Lizzy xx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">-------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">If you
could write a letter to your past self – what would you say?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-6421200385691859642013-09-13T22:22:00.003+10:002013-09-13T22:22:48.624+10:00Five Minute Mercy<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Join me in the
Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none; color: #743399;"><span style="border: none;">Lisa-Jo Baker</span></span></a>. Participants write for 5 minutes
with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Go)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">So I did something
the other day I shouldn’t have. I read a blog post. Yup. Guilty as charged. It
was in fact a very good article - about how this particular lady organises her
afternoons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">I won’t say who
she is or provide a link for you. Not because I don’t want you to read it.
(There <i>were</i> lots of great tips) But
rather that it just wasn’t a good choice for me. I generally avoid
conversations about housework and what others can achieve in a given timeframe
as I just can’t. I find it disheartening to know that what would be considered
a good week for me, is somebody else’s afternoon. Not even a whole day! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">It really
didn’t help. It was the final shove I didn’t need to push this exhausted,
inadequate Mama over the edge and into depression. I have no-one to blame but
myself. And I have spent a good chunk of the week battling those inner voices
and struggling to smile much. So I let myself be sad. My eyes persistently
leaking as I once again mourned what doesn’t belong to me; deciding that I
might as well embrace my feelings and acknowledge them instead of wishing them
away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">The beautiful
thing in all of this? He met me there. Held my hand. Let me cry for a while.
Then a bit more. Gently lifting my chin He offered to take my pain, my
frustrations, my shortcomings. Reminded me that it’s okay not to be perfect…
That I am loved in spite of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textheb-4-15"><b><i><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">Hebrews 4:15 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textheb-4-15"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">For we do not have a high priest</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;"> </span></i></span><span class="textheb-4-15"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">who is unable to
empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every
way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;"> </span></i></span><span class="textheb-4-16"><b><i><sup><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">16 </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="textheb-4-16"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">Let us then approach</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;"> </span></i></span><span class="textheb-4-16"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">God’s throne of grace with confidence,</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;"> </span></i></span><span class="textheb-4-16"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia;">so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (NIV)</span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia;">(Stop)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Now, your
turn…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2250632860728084500.post-28621224195912472332013-09-05T14:19:00.000+10:002013-09-05T14:19:17.012+10:00To Start Over <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Here is a story I wrote earlier this year. Some </i></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">parts are based on reality</i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 150%;">. Other </i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">parts are exactly as they happened</i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 150%;">. All of it is true. </i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">----------------------------------------------------------</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Courage
does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the
day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher</span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The shrilling alarm pierces
through her. Dazed she fishes around on the bedside table until the stop button
mercifully comes out of hiding. Lingering in the quiet a few moments, she knows
the day must eventually be faced. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Bones creak and limbs ache as she
makes her way to the refrigerator. Bending to retrieve the juice from the
bottom shelf, something odd on the tile beneath catches her eye. At first
glance it looks like a dirty mark. She makes a mental note that the floors are overdue
for a mopping. Slowly the realisation dawns on her that most tiles bear the
same peculiar little smudge. On closer inspection the spots are not dirt. They
are, in fact, lead pencil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The guilty party is stood trial
and given a chance to explain. Because goodness knows she is baffled and
requires an explanation. His rationale reveals the observation of small white flecks
that do not belong in the chocolate brown. It was urgent that he remedy, what
to him was, a grand issue. Thus the day begins, not with juice, but a lesson in
scrubbing the floor – and why one must not draw on it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The situation would almost be
comical if it were a one off. But it is not. This is far from the first time such
a lesson has needed to be taught. Most likely it will not be the last. She is
weary of going through these motions day after day; trying desperately to get
through to a child who does not understand. Not because he means to be
difficult, but rather is ignorant of the fact that he is. To him these actions
make perfect sense. The puzzle is hers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With bladder demanding attention, she
retreats to the serenity that is a small room with a locked door. Or rather it would
be if the floor underneath were not victim to a large puddle. The growing aroma
does little for relaxation either. Semi-resigned to the facts she takes a long
strand of paper and begins the clean up. At floor level another test awaits.
Scrunched up, peeking out from behind the toilet bowl, two pieces of soiled
paper announce their presence. He cannot see the problem with this picture. Her
composure is beginning to evaporate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With breakfast over, the next challenge
comes into view. Pushing down growing resentment, she arms herself with his
toothpaste and brush. Left to him, the paste would soon be discarded down the
plughole. Bristles and enamel would remain strangers. There is little
satisfaction to be had in watching him squirm and cry out at pain the majority
of folk would not even feel. Some things just need to be done whether appreciated
or not. His yellow teeth are neither attractive nor healthy. This is no time to
let emotions rule. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Grateful to be done with that
exercise, she busies herself with the day’s tasks. Withdrawing to the bookshelf
in the corner of the room, he is content to sit and take notes about his
favourite vehicles. The book already has a contents page but not nearly as
detailed as the one he is constructing. For now calm is back on the throne. Perhaps
today will be better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The illusion of peace is shattered
upon stripping his bed. Hidden in the
pillowcase is a conglomeration of all sorts; toy cars, strange messages
scribbled to who knows who, bits of junk, and in the middle of it all a twenty
dollar note. She wants to be sick. Her skin crawls to think that her own flesh
and blood is capable of such sneaky theft. Every time something has gone
missing lately - he has stolen it. Only two days ago he had vehemently denied
knowing anything about the mystery of the missing money from her purse. She had
pressed him and provided ample opportunity to confess. Though she suspected guilt,
there was little choice but to offer the benefit of the doubt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Fighting the urge to slap, she
hands him a wooden rolling pin - to be held out, at arms length, for five
minutes. Wailing and gnashing of teeth ensue. Two minutes later he is begging
to be granted reprieve from the consequence. What is this for? His mind genuinely cannot fathom how the
penalty will prevent a repeat offence. Weary from all the drama she reminds him
that stealing is wrong, desperately hoping that maybe this time he will comprehend.
He wants to argue and insist that she does not love him. He would be better off
dead. Hope is at an all time low. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Emotions twisted like an unsolved Rubik’s
cube she feeds him a sandwich and sends him outside to play. He stubs a toe on
the door frame, crying out in angry pain. Rushing to help and offer sympathy,
she is rewarded with a low growl. Shoved away to be the helpless witness of
self injury and hurtful, degrading words turned inwards. The irony of how one
so needing help can fail to see the love extended to him. A riddle she has no
answers for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Trapped in a cruel maze without an
exit, will she ever be able to relate to this foreigner who is her own flesh
and blood? The question grates at her very core. This does not belong in dreams
of motherhood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">An hour passes. It is time to come
in. The strong scent of urine enters the kitchen before he does. Surely not
again! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Good emotions, like patience and
love, are all but used up. She takes a deliberate breath, in and out, big and deep.
Mustering up the strength to make what little is left last until bedtime.
Putting it out there, it is spread incredibly thin - painfully full of holes
and so very fragile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The child is sent for a shower. A
check up, ten minutes later, finds him naked, unwashed, and perched atop the
bathroom basin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Eyes wild, voice strained, the
tension tumbles out at frightening speed. She knows she is saying these things;
it is her voice doing the screaming. Able to hear it all but so powerless to
make it stop. Eyes stinging with backed up moisture she runs away. Anywhere
will do. Crouching down in the solitude with her back against the cool metal of
the laundry tub, the salty torrent pushes through the dam wall around her
heart. It comes so quickly, the intensity catches her off guard. She presses
her face into her knees in a futile attempt to stifle the hacking sobs. At last
she must come up for air or be suffocated by the sheer emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Quieter now, breathing steady, the
tears slow to a trickle as she offers heaven a desperate prayer. Finally able
to admit out loud that she does not even like this child called her son; much
less herself for her seeming inability to love him. Another wave hits hard… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking up a silent figure stands
watching. How long has he been there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I love you Mum,” he says. “I
don’t know what’s making you cry or why you’re so upset.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The blank expression on his face
confirms this fact. And then he is handing her a piece of roughly folded paper.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“To write what’s troubling you
down. When you are finished you can give it to me and I’ll help you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a rare moment he comes and snuggles
in close. Offers his favourite cuddly friend; the keeper of his secrets with
threadbare patches to prove it. It is the most loving gesture he knows. These moments are rare treasures. They are precious
pearls to be tucked away in the heart for later - for the gaping of the in
between.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Singed emotions melt. Hope sprouts
in a bruised spirit. This mess called motherhood is worth the struggle after
all. It matters little that she does not yet possess all the answers. Glory
waits patiently for those wading through the mud. For now grace is enough.
Tomorrow will bring a fresh sunrise. A chance to start over - to begin again.
Taking each day moment by moment, if necessary, she will triumph. Just as the
child deserves a hundred second chances, so does she.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br />
<br /></div>
Lizzy http://www.blogger.com/profile/06473932416557982729noreply@blogger.com5