Just Hold On!

After a long day, the kids' bedtime had finally arrived. We were going through the usual motions. If you’re a parent you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

“Did you really wash your face? The remnants of dinner are still plastered on your cheeks.”

“Now go clean your teeth, and try not to swallow the toothpaste before you begin!”

“Please don’t forget to hang up your towel.”

Daddy was helping the youngest get dressed when he (unknowingly) said something really profound. Immediately I reached for the laptop and made note of his wisdom. Dumbfounded he looked at me, “Huh? What did I say?”

Working very hard on his balancing skills, my son was trying to get his feet into the pyjama pants held out for him. But without taking his usual grasp of sturdy arms, he wobbled all over the place and was unsuccessful. Until Daddy said, “I don’t want you to balance. Just hold onto me.”

Hmm…

I married a very wise man!

How many times do we try to figure things out on our own? How many times do we think it’s all up to us?

But God says…

^{1 Peter 5:6} Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.(NIV)

^{Philippians 4:6} Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

A very busy couple of weeks are staring me down. How am I going to get everything done? I get overwhelmed and exhausted just thinking about it. Like my son, I’ve been trying to put the pyjama pants on in my own strength.

My husband may have been directing those words to our son, but really I know that God was saying them to me.

I don’t want you to balance. Just hold on to me!

What's Your Dream?

Sitting here, sewing in lap, stitching away in the stillness that is my husband and kids in bed. The CD player is loaded with five albums I've not listened to for a while. The volume is low and in hushed tones I sing and hum along to some old favourites. I have heard these songs plenty of times before. Even belting out the words on other less quiet occasions. Halfway through a song the meaning of it really hits me. It is not that I didn’t know what it was about. Somehow though I’d missed grasping the full significance.

Perhaps it is because God has been stirring up a few long time dreams within me lately that the words suddenly have more value. A few posts ago I mentioned a desire that God had given me. So far there has been no physical way provided to move forward. In fact, some stuff has arisen which makes it even more difficult to pursue. God has brought me to a place of peace and trust with the whole thing for now. Yet I don’t feel as if He will fully allow me to shelve it again. Yes, it is resting up there but constantly on my mind too. Whenever I find myself trying to ‘put it away’ I feel compelled to keep faith about the whole thing. I still do not know what He has in mind or what the unfolding will look like. He’s given me a dream though and I need to ‘have faith in the power to believe’…

Dream

I believe there is divine imagination

Give it wings for it created aviation

Every little hope you’re holding inside

Every little gleam you keep in your eyes

A dream, yeah, a dream

Before a seed became a flower there was a vision

The dream is planted deep, He’ll shower it with wisdom

Flowing with the love that’s making you smile

You’ve waited and you’ve prayed, you’ve dreamed your whole life

Your soul begins to fly

There’s a dream in your heart

And His heart is your prayer

You can move mountains with your life in His hands

He’ll tear down the walls and He’ll walk where you can’t

Have faith in the power to believe

He’s given you a dream

I pray your dream will leap beyond your expectations

You’ll see miracles He has no limitations

Listen to his voice a spark will ignite

Let Him be the strength to carry your life

He’ll raise your spirit high

You will find the bloom beneath the sunshine

Reach inside and sail to His horizon

Every little hope you’re holding inside

Every little gleam you keep in your eyes

You’ve waited and you’ve prayed, you’ve dreamed your whole life

Your soul begin to fly

Faith in the power to believe

He has given you a dream

Faith in the power to believe

Gotta have faith in the power to believe

He has given you a dream

Faith in the power

Michelle Tumes, 2001.  

Click here to listen to this song.

^{Philippians 1:6} being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.(NIV)

Nifty Notion #2: Simple Meal Idea - Nachos

This one is a family favourite around here. Most of you are probably familiar with what’s involved. I am going to share how we like to make them. It’s quick, it’s simple, and makes minimum mess too (bonus points for that!).

You will need:

1-2 packets of plain corn chips (depending how many mouths you need to feed)

1 jar salsa (we like mild)

1 tin brown lentils

Grated cheese

Fresh herbs

1-2 Avocados

Salad greens of your choice

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 180^oC/ 350F
2. Drain and rinse lentils. Place in a small mixing bowl and stir in salsa.
3. In a large baking dish (I’m feeding a family of boys here) place a layer of corn chips.
4. Top with a third of the lentil and salsa mix. Sprinkle on some cheese.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have about 3 layers worth or have used up all the ingredients.
6. Cook until cheese has melted.
7. Top with fresh herbs. (We like to use parsley, shallots, and oregano from our garden).
8. Mash avocado.
9. Serve with a generous dollop of avocado on top and salad on the side.
10. Enjoy!

My dinner tonight. Yummo!

For more nifty notions click here.

Speckled Eggs

 Once a week my husband gets up early and goes to the local markets. There he purchases our weekly supply of fresh fruit and vegetables.  

One stall also sells beautiful quality, nutritious, fresh, free range eggs. They are a fraction of the cost of the supermarket equivalent all because they are not considered perfect - on the outside anyway. They might be a bit lumpy, discoloured, speckled, a mix of sizes, too big or too small.

It amazes me that they are not considered good enough for the shops. Internally they are perfect. The yolks are bright yellow, almost orange. The white has a thick consistency, as a good fresh egg should. Personally I think they are superior to what the supermarket has on offer.

These humble eggs have a reputation. On more than one occasion, when a friend has heard that we are going to the markets, they have requested a dozen. A word of advice though - arrive early or you will be disappointed. They are very popular.

But notice that nobody seems to care what the exterior is like. Their value comes from the inside.

Too often I worry about my outer shell and how the world perceives me. Based on that opinion I am speckled, lumpy, the wrong colour, too big or small, and even have a crack or two.

^{1 Samuel 16:7} “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”(NIV)

Thank goodness for that! But how is my yolk?

Dressing myself for the day, I am grateful for the wonders of makeup and clothing sewn just so. Cracking an egg into the pan for breakfast, I am reminded that the inside matters most. May my heart be beautiful to look on too.

^{2 Corinthians 4:16} Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV)