Inner Pearl

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Broken.

(Go)

An unplanned trip to the beach. Jeans rolled up so as to get nearer the water. Water that is not as close as usual. It is low tide.

Shells, rocks and miscellaneous pieces in abundance. Fascinating things to get down and study. A wave comes in and rolls a pretty white sun bleached snail shell to me. Reaching into the water I miss and have to try again. Eventually the prize is mine. It is beautiful.

Periwinkles. So many periwinkles. My favourite. Soon I have a handful of varying colours and sizes. The patterns on each one are intricate.

But the ones that fascinate me the most? Those with holes – or windows as I like to think of them. Tiny glimpses inside these curious little spiral houses from a different world. The broken ones that reveal the central spiral staircase capture my imagination the most.

My husband brings me a piece of an oyster shell. The outside is lumpy and rather ordinary. I turn it over to reveal the beautiful pearly inner.

A beauty that would not be visible, if it were not broken.

(Stop)

Now, your turn…

 

The Heavens Declare

Today I'm linking up with Create With Joy for Wordless Wednesday. Here we share our favourite photos with or without words...



Today's picture is a follow on from yesterday's post.

Creativity

I love to create. It’s who I am. It’s what I do. It’s how God made me. I am happiest dreaming up new ideas and then trying them out. Most of my creations end up living with someone else. Some are sold for a bit of extra pocket money. Others are given away as gifts to friends and family. I love knowing that what I have enjoyed making can bring a smile to somebody.

The downside is that I rarely get to see the item again. Unless that special something is made for a special someone who shares a roof with me. Today I got to experience that pleasure. I made the kids a cubby house. Not your standard bed sheets and kitchen chair variety either. Though there is nothing wrong with those. I grew up on that particular style and it holds a soft spot, and many happy memories, in my heart.

This one though, is a little fancier. It is still made from a bed sheet but I got the scissors and sewing machine involved too. It has a roof, four walls, a curtain door, and two cute little windows…I digress…

My heart thrilled to hear my children’s laughter as they crawled inside. I was delighted to know that this is not a one off experience. And the whole thing made me wonder how God feels about us enjoying his creation.

When I put the finishing touches on a project, the very next thing I do is sit and admire it for a moment. God did the same thing when he made the world.

^{Genesis 1:31} God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…(NIV)

Consider this…

He could have made the world with the basics. One all nutritious food that had everything we needed. One kind of material good for building, another good for clothing.

But He didn’t.

He gave us variety. Colours, smells, sounds, shapes, breeds…I’m only just getting started – we could go on and on here, right?!

God wants us to get pleasure from his creativity. To delight in it. And I think he likes to watch. To enjoy us enjoying it. Giving the glory back to Him.

^{Psalm 19:1} The heavens declare the glory of God;

    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;

    night after night they reveal knowledge.

³ They have no speech, they use no words;

    no sound is heard from them.

⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

    their words to the ends of the world. (NIV)

Soul Rest

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Rest.

(Go)

Whether I like it or not I get to rest a lot. My body craves rest. But just because I am lying down does not mean I am resting. Often times my mind is working overtime; thinking up brilliant new ideas; deciding what to create next; mentally writing to do lists; worrying how I will get them done; wishing things were different.

I really have to get a grip when I find myself wandering this path. It’s just not healthy to compare what I can do with somebody else. And so again I must make peace with my abilities. Choose to focus instead on my blessings. Do what I can and then rest - body and soul.

Psalm 91:1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (NIV)

(Stop)

When I saw what today’s word is, the first thing that came to mind was ‘Rest my Soul’ by Michelle Tumes. It is a great reminder to rest and what that really means. May it bless you as it does me.

Click here to listen. 

Nifty Notion #7: Cleaning by Number

No doubt you’ve heard of painting by number - a handy little kit that tells you where to paint what colour. You barely have to think but soon have a masterpiece.

This is cleaning by number. A handy little tip that helps you to clean a cluttered room. You barely have to think and soon have a clean area.

Here’s how it works…

Option A: Good for days when you lack motivation but must. Days when you can’t see the wood for the trees.

1. Pick a low-ish number. No more than twenty.
2. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
3. Pick another number (or if you really liked the previous one stick with that).
4. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Option B: Good for when you’ve really neglected an area. You don’t have the energy today (or tomorrow) but want to get started. A slightly longer term plan for dealing with the messy mounds.

1. Pick a bigger number. Somewhere between twenty and fifty.
2. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
3. You’re done in this room for Today.
4. Tomorrow (and the day after, if needed) – rinse and repeat.

  

I have had to employ these methods this week to deal with a certain sewing area and the attached lounge room. Some days you can, some days you can not. The point is to work at a pace that suits. We’re not talking running, or even necessarily walking; crawl if you must. Just do something. You will feel better for it.

And here's some extra encouragement...

^{Isaiah 40:28} Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

For other nifty notions click here

Where Home Is

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Home.

(Go)

I’ve moved around a bit. Left a piece of me in each town. Got a piece of each town in me.

As a child I always thought of my birth town as home – even when we lived one thousand kilometres away. Home then meant family; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. As an adult, I’ve done the same thing – lived one thousand kilometres away (in the other direction this time). For a while home still meant roots; parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.

I still haven’t moved back home. To that town at least. I’ve found a new one. I’ve found a new me. Home is the place where I create a reflection of that.  Home is husband and children. Home is where you will find a collection of things that we love - displayed in a way that expresses who we are. Home is where I can be myself. Home is a safe place to land.

Home is my home away from home – my forever home in glory.

(Stop)

Now, your turn…

New Every Morning

Today I'm linking up with Create With Joy for Wordless Wednesday. Here we share our favourite photos with or without words...




Here's a snap I had fun taking one morning out in the rose garden. (Hint: Click on the image to see a larger version)

Ordinary Treasure

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Ordinary.

(Go)

It was an ordinary day. Out digging in the dirt. Building a garden to cheer the yard up. It soon became obvious that the ground around here is full of glass. Bits and pieces of this and that. Fragments of many colours and thicknesses. We set each piece aside. Initially because we didn’t want a garden full of sharp pieces - and then because we were becoming intrigued by it all.

Wanting to be clear of the grass roots we dug a little deeper. The shards of glass became recognisable bottle necks and bases. Our digging had ceased to be about creating a flower bed. We were hosting our own private ‘Time Team’. By the time we were done we had a few whole bottles, and a couple of other mostly whole pieces to add to the collection.

After a little research we came to learn that our ‘new’ treasures had been somebodies rubbish pit. Somebody in the 1880’s.  

Do you think they would be amused to know that their ordinary is now on display in a cabinet? Would they laugh if they knew it began our vintage bottle collection?

Revelation 21:5 Behold I make all things new

There are treasures to be had in the everyday ordinary. It all depends on the way we choose to view them.

(Stop)

Now, your turn…