One Thousand Gifts...

I am naming my gifts - naming offers the gift of recognition. Now in the bible a name reveals the very essence of a thing or rather it's essence as God's gift. To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know it's place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it. Excerpt from 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp.

I am counting.

11. Sounds of early morning.
12. Mind filled to brim with ideas for my book.
13. The thought of a family filled weekend.
14. Crisper autumn mornings and more to come.
15. First cup of tea for the day.

I smile, I can't believe how much I smile.
Record the moment. Numbered. See the one at the centre of it all. Record the blessings. Enumerate the gifts, Ann reminds us.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

The way to learn to number our days is to count the moments of his grace...

16. Lemon water soothing throat.
17. Watching my baby run around, giggling, glowing with friend before school bell.
18. Sitting in the silence with my firstborn, no words necessary.
19. Whites glowing in the sun.
20. Hard working husband home while still light.

Psalm 84:5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hears on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs - they go from strength to strength till each appears before God in Zion.


Keep counting these moments of grace. Even in the midst of a deep shadow filled valley. I love that it slows me down, I recognise what is right before me and I am learning to have a heart full of gratitude no matter the circumstances...I am a slow learner but he is leading and we will count together.

The Flood of 2011

Surveying the Flood of 2011.

RSPCA to the right.

Fairfield Rd Yeronga.

A friendly Policeman offering Caleb a seat, he couldn't believe it.

Amazing sights we had never seen in our lifetime.

People at this point still trying to salvage property.

This was before the peak in Yeronga.

Debris catching on the Goodwill Bridge.

Appreciating the power of the river.

The boys check out a city cat terminal destroyed.

It was January 13th. The inland tsunami had just come through Toowoomba and we all looked on in horror. Then the news came through that the torrent was headed toward us. I was at work and the worry was tangible with many staff unsure if they would even get home. I made it home, then the panic in the community was real over probable power losses and access to petrol and food. So I made all the necessary stops even cueing for over an hour at Woolies for essentials. I had never seen the shelves so bare, it was incredible. People were chatting in the cues and aisles, I already sensed a community spirit not normally seen in a grocery store. We were braced for the coming peak. Told to stay in our homes. Well we did, but ventured a couple of suburbs over to see these levels at Yeronga before the peak. Thankfully it peaked lower than 1974. Everyone has heard of 1974. But even though it peaked less, the damage was much greater with more houses and businesses in the flood zones. The way people came together after the flood for the clean up was inspirational. It will be a very memorable wet summer.

Food and good friends and turning forty...

Six of our lovely friends joined us for a feast! A dinner to celebrate my forty years! Joseph, chef for the night prepared our amazing seafood spread.  Ros and Michael, Tami and Adam and Robbie and Paul. Gorgeous long time friends to share an all too quick evening.
Wonderful Ma and Pop cared for the boys for a sleepover and my blissful childfree ( I love them to bits of course) evening began with an afternoon to decorate the table, prepare the salads and sing and dance (by myself of course) aswell as reflect on turning forty... words that come to mind are gratitude, surrender, generosity, new opportunities and 'Your will, not mine be done'.

If I have learned anything in these forty years it is these things -  I need Him to live purposefully, I love giving and serving and it is what we were made to do, His amazing Grace covers my many daily failings and His Will is infinitely better than mine could ever be... I have learned this very thing from laying down my desire for another child, of this I am broken... but grateful, it is enough that He calls me daughter and that His plans and promises will be fulfilled in his perfect way. Thank you Father for every day you have given me and for Jesus! Thank you too my precious family and friends given to me to journey through life, with all it's ups and downs, it is a joy to travel with you. My heart is full of thanksgiving because of you xx (p.s bring on celebration no 2).

School days begin...

My two very handsome boys.

Checking themselves out in the mirror!

The end of a season and a new one begins.

Our two year homeschooling journey was a challenge in many ways, however I look back with fondness over the many delightful days we had, many of them I captured here. In fact one of the reasons I started this blog was to share with family and friends what we were learning in our days together.
It was an important time to have and I don't regret stepping out like we did...it certainly was way out of my comfort zone, but I have learned that His grace is totally sufficient for me, and I will always look upon this time as a gift I gave to my boys, it was a time to enjoy each other, to learn together, to take the pressure off and spend more time discovering nature, drawing and laughing.Throughout the journey I think I always knew it was just for a time, the constant questioning 'am I doing this right', the isolation I sometimes felt, the special needs of my son I longed for some support with, kept coming up. As I laid these cares down at the Fathers feet, He began to show me, allow me to begin to take this step of the boys entering school. Heart breaking along the way though as I totally believe in the heart of homeschooling.

So here we are day 1 and I'm celebrating - God's goodness to us as He took care of them so well that Sebastian's first comment was 'my day was perfect'! and Caleb's comment was 'I had a beautiful day' My jaw dropped as it wasn't a pretty start to the day with Sebastian falling apart the moment he entered the classroom. I cried a river for much of the day, so you can imagine my shock and relief over their responses to their days, it can only be our God.

I am six!

A day full of joy, counted down since 60 sleeps ago!
Lego building started the day, and I mean a lot, then craft making of a bug catcher.
Lone Pine for the afternoon with Nanna aswell and favourite dinner cooked, then chocolate cake.
Simple boy delights, I am exhausted but he went to bed with a huge smile on his face.

Happy Birthday my beautiful boy, it is a joy to be your mum. Your excitement for life, your affection and loving ways, your funniness and even your boy roughness delight my heart.

Celebrating Easter...

Together we went to the beach, made a cross together and shared what it means that our Lord took on our burdens that day, endured more than we can imagine all to have relationship with us, that we may be free to be who he made us to be - full of love and life and joy and hope...precious to hear the children tell the story, hearts touched as the truth is expressed from a child. May you be reminded of his deep love for you.

You are the vine...

Monday morning, new verse for the week... I love this one. It prompted a drawing to visually make impact into my boys hearts and refresh mine.

Memory Verses for my visual learners

It has always been my desire that we read the Word together each day but this year I wanted to be more intentional about memorizing and knowing, and then understanding - planting seeds of truth in them that will never return void...Amen.
I really didn't know what this would look like daily, but set out with a friend Skye to use a CD called 'Sing the Word' and then share our memorising at the end of the week.
On playing this one morning the boys said unanimously to turn it off, we don't like it!! Ok, plan B (I didn't have one) with a whispered prayer...I got out a piece of paper and I proceeded to draw the meaning of this little, but powerful truth that was our memory verse.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
and
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household. Acts 16:31

As you can see we fall short of coming to the Father because of our sin, this was also dramatised with Caleb's drawing of a saltwater croc to catch you...ouch! We then talked about the next verse, how Jesus is the bridge and saves us. Sebastian wanted to do his own version as seen below. I was amazed and still am how they quickly took hold of this truth and understood it just by simple line drawings. God so generously gives, he is so faithful in helping us on our journey, I am overwhelmed and filled with gratitude that he met our needs that morning, the fruit of which will be seen for many years to come.

A tree planted by streams of water...

A picture to hold onto for 2009. A tree, my life, sending out it's roots by the stream. Not fearing when the heat comes, it's leaves are always green. No worries in a year of drought, never ceasing to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8
This is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
A prayer, a hope, a promise.
What does this look like in my every day... a woman who laughs more, enjoys her children, worries less, seeks Him first for the day, confident of her calling of homeschooling her children, growing in understanding and patience, slow to anger and abounding in love...I'm not there yet, but it feels like hope to me.

Happy Blog Birthday to me...

A year of taking moments to reflect, be still, capture our days, express the joy, celebrate our hope, be thankful...I have loved it and for all those who have shared with me and encouraged me with your comments...Thank you!