repost-but still a beauty

“By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I've committed myself and I'll never turn back from living by your righteous order. Everything's falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your Word. Festoon me with your finest sayings, God; teach me your holy rules. My life is as close as my own hands, but I don't forget what you have revealed. The wicked do their best to throw me off track, but I don't swerve an inch from your course. I inherited your book on living; it's mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me! I concentrate on doing exactly what you say— I always have and always will.” Psalm 119:105 MSG

A Beautiful Exchange

"Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions." 1 Thess 1:2-5

More sharing:

Nov 8

Who ever lived here before me, blessed me heartily.
Loving these roses in my garden x

Nov 9

My son. Always up for a photo shoot,
though not always with Mama

Nov 10

I like the texture...

So In Love

I love this song. I think it will be my summer anthem x

It's been so long since a 'feel good jam' was released, this song is a breath of fresh air to me.

Quick gym update - I have been going for about 3 months I think and it just keeps getting better and while I have actually only lost about 5kgs in weight, I lost six centimetres from my butt (OMgee!) and more from my waist and thighs (but the six of my butt alone was pretty shocking) I was upset at first saying "Oh no! I still wanna be bootylicious..." she glanced back and said to me "Oh, you're still bootylicious." Praise the Lord! Hahaha. So I do Step, Pump and Kick Boxing - it rocks!

I love the Lord. I gotta say.

Psalm 20:4, 5, 7

May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. 

May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory 

and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. 

May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, 

but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

Just a collage of beautiful Aotearoa skies - I love where I live.

I Want You Back

It's been forever!

I got a call from a girlfriend saying "You haven't blogged in a while..." so here I am.

I killed both laptops via someone else's disease ridden external hard drive :( they stopped scanning my husbands laptop at 8500 odd viruses found. Needless to say, I will not be doing that again.

I've had wonderful weekends with some of my beautiful nieces. My Dad recently travelled down for our Men's Conference and he and Ma brought three of the girls down - it was the best weekend!! (in spite of the lost hours of sleep)


They're so full of life!! I loved the squealing, (but not the screaming) they were so cute with the whoppee cushion. And the dog. Emptied a brand new bag of dog food, right in front of his run (I don't know how they got it out there!) and then proceeded to throw them at him handfuls at a time.

This beauty needs at least a day to warm up to me. The Big Fella too. She adores her Koro and her favourite word is "no" 

She loves her cousin like crazy so being his Mama plants me on pretty good standing, but doesn't give  me the Golden Ticket Access to kisses and cuddles as I like! 

And we got to celebrate this little cherubs third birthday! Nothing spectacular - she wanted to go to Church for her birthday! We wanted to take them to Maccas for lunch but Ma and Pa got lost (I know - there's like ONE main street here, but anyway) so we had hot chips, cake and milo at home. 

She went home singing "You Are Good" by Planetshakers! Neither of her parents are Christian, but now want a copy for her to listen to! Praise God!

She looks super bored! Haha!

This one's better!

 

I can't believe how fast the year has gone. You may already know The Big Fella was ordained in February, it has been all go ever since. 


I feel like I have more time and yet I don't, I'm not even sure how that makes any sense :) but I am loving the change. The journey is fun. God is so SO good.


Autumn has come and gone. My favourite season. 

Love the richness of colour and that it seems to linger even as Winter takes over. 


Bed seems snugglier and the couch seems comfier. The sun seems to set more radiantly. Lots for me to photograph anyway - loving the iPhone gifted to me!

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A musical interlude, my new favourites: The Civil Wars

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Psalm 103
  ¹¹ For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
      is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
 ¹² He has removed our sins as far from us
      as the east is from the west.
 ¹³ The Lord is like a father to his children,
      tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
 ¹⁴ For he knows how weak we are;
      he remembers we are only dust.
 ¹⁵ Our days on earth are like grass;
      like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
 ¹⁶ The wind blows, and we are gone—
      as though we had never been here.
 ¹⁷ But the love of the Lord remains forever
      with those who fear him.
   His salvation extends to the children’s children
 ¹⁸ of those who are faithful to his covenant,
      of those who obey his commandments!


Still praying God's wisdom will be my wisdom. Praying that my legacy will be beyond my years. Praying that God will take hold of this region. Praying for Partnership. Praying that "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."


Thanks for reading x

No Monday-i-tis for me!

Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." 

Psalm 8:9 "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

This could quite possibly be my Wordless Wednesday equivalent seeing as 

Monday is my day off!

I always forget about Wordless Wednesday and miss it.

Anyway today I did "nothing much"

I lay in bed till mid morning.

Had pikelets for breakfast (YUM) 

And watched a movie.

Then goofed with The Boys:

(Hmmm, young fella doesn't look sick does he... I think it was a father-son scam...)

Haha - he just loves the camera! 

Behind it, in front of it - he doesn't care as long as he's got it.

(I, on the other hand, prefer to be behind it)

Oops - clearly I missed the wordless part of Wednesday posts!

Ah - I'll try it next time!

Jesus: Change My Life... please

I love my God.

I cannot tell you how much I heart this post... my life has become simpler since reading it.
I have, for a long time, been stewing on John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  mostly, I've been trying to figure out how I can live my abundant life. I still don't know BUT I am toning down the drama. (!!) I wouldn't have considered myself high maintenance however I am more than qualified in making life difficult and have been busy putting my qualification to good use! Naughty. Life has not been easy and I have not made wise choices or contributions.
How do I stop being so selfish? Do I immerse myself in all that is unfair in the world to sweep me out of my inward view? Do I pray it out? Do I decide it out? Is it as simple as a choice? Am I not busy enough? Am I too busy?
I KNOW; put God first and everything else will fall into place; but imperfection being what it is, I struggle so much, especially when I think I am always right and can fix all that is wrong with the world if only people would listen.
Again, cannot say it enough, I am so awfully grateful that God is God and I am not, He is grace when I need it most. He doesn't judge me as cruelly as I judge others.

___________________________________________________

Love our youth: This chap in the middle is Dalen.

He is Year 9, goes to an all boys school, predominantly PI and Maori, got a mouth on him like nothing else! (Makes up for his stature I'm guessing) You can hear him clearly in the above video, singing out of tune, but loving waiata with the boys!! I'm gonna miss hanging with these guys. My husband is stepping out of Youth into a new direction. I'm gutted actually. I have been so selfish and precious with my family time in my struggle to find balance and I haven't appreciated what was always in front of me. I do think I had a lot of growth on the cards - I was a lot grumpier as a Youth Leader than I am now, leaning more towards the love and less toward the discipline and structure. (Though... I am still grumpy - had a kid say the F word right in front of me while sitting in my lounge - BOY did he get it! Same kid actually.)

I will miss the vibrancy. The life. The laughter. I will miss the free way they live life, old enough to make their own decisions, too young to carry any real responsibility.

Still I need to ask God how we channel all that life into Him!

Blurry pic but it is clear our lounge is full... 

When we serve such a great God who does so much for us how can live life and not be CONTAGIOUSLY filled with Him.

How do we show the love of the Creator to those who need Him and don't know it yet?

God who intricately created each spot on each bloom of this flower

Each little knuckle on the toe of this foot....

He created this moment for my eyes to see!

How do I live life with such a wonderful God, and become so good at containing His splendour

When I should be letting it all out.

He has His best work on display for me daily...

And yet I feel like I keep Him locked away for none but me.

Job 26:7-10 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness.

I've ended up on a tangent. 

Still... any ideas.....?

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Would you keep a friend around who lied to you all the time?

Seriously - what is with the mind and the things we tell ourselves, the things we take seriously and the things we ignore.


I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say here.


Ok, I'll start with me. Everyday I have to tell myself: I'm awesome, I'm funny, I'm good at my job, I'm not a d!ck, I'm loved, I'm valued, I'm kind. Because everyday I forget. Seriously. I'm 32, and the only thing I am certain of is that Jesus Loves Me as I am and He created me for greater. Yet, still, with the everyday reminders. What does it take to get to that space of absolute confidence? To live in that space. I just wanna be there.


I'm sick. I think that's why I am so BLERGH (you have to make that sound aloud to know exactly what I mean by it) 


It's actually pretty straightforward Romans 12:02 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Am I being dumb? Should I paint it on a canvas and hang it next to my mirror so I see it everyday, is that all it's gonna take? Or is it a work I am desperately in need of (the answer is 'yes' isn't it?) Is it a work in progress?


Oh Jesus, I'm glad you have me.

Yes sir!

I am a daughter of The Living God!
________________________________

I'm not letting go!
I'm holding on for more!
I'm living what You've got for me!
Pushing through fear
Shaking off all doubt
I'm ready now!
Knowing You're with me to the end

I'm gonna live for You!
I'm gonna live for You!
I'm moving forward!
I'm breaking ground!

Knowing You're with me, Lord
I will run the race of my life
Never losing sight of who I am
In You

I know

I can

Live a life of Overcoming
Live a life of Victory
Live a life of Freedom
Live a life of Joy
Live a life of Peace
Live a life of ... everything You have for me....

I'm gonna live for You!
I'm gonna live for You!
I'm moving forward!
I'm breaking ground!
________________________________

Thanks for making me a fighter!
________________________________

Sometimes life and everything in it seems so....... AGH!

I remind myself WHO I AM.
Ever thankful that He loves me still.
So pleased that He has not given up, like I often want to.

Thank you Lord.
________________________________

"Makes me that much smarter

Makes me work a little bit harder

Makes me that much wiser

Thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster

Made my skin a little bit thicker

Makes me that much harder

Thanks for making me a fighter"

Thinking aloud

Breathless - I love the ease of this song, carefree and sweet. 
Loving the first two lines of the chorus:

"I get so breathless when You call my name

I've often wondered do You fell the same?"

I don't know - are all songs written for me and God? Maybe :o)

A Hawkes Bay sunrise. An Artist at work.


...................


So I suffer some serious craft envy!
I want to be a photographer, a painter, a knitter, a sewer, a poet, a songwriter...
Agh! The list is endless!
I am enjoying the cruise around Blogland and checking out the recommendations of my fellow BlogBella's. I love seeing what has been cooked or cleaned up, painted, found, MADE with their own hands. The things that have caught their eye as being beautiful, in places I would never have thought to look! Or a song that makes me weep for it's simplicity.

My boys looking for sea glass.

Somehow I've convinced the Gents in my life to look for sea-glass - we don't find much, have managed to find bits of teaspoon and random stones. LOTS of smashed bottles - on their journey to sea smoothed brilliance - poxy stones, pumice, shattered shells. In my head I am creating something incredible from scraps, someone elses rubbish, but in reality my hands cannot translate what my mind dreams up.

Too frustrating, but I just keep dreaming. One day it'll happen!

We are doing a Winter Challenge at Church this month.

(pushing your boundaries a little you are challenged to do something that causes a stretch - it can be anything, spiritual, physical, mental etc) 

I am challenging myself to create. I am hoping to make one thing a week for the month of August but I'll be happy if I make only one thing for the month! I am a pretty harsh critic of myself so my goal is to make something that I am happy to gift. 

(Egad! Causing me to palpitate already!)

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Check out these shoes! They are my favourite colour and look so cute on.

Actually it has a matching pair at my girlfriends house. It is a rule of mine not to own shoes that I know someone else has but I could not resist these.... I have rarely worn them but they are from No1 Shoes, so I don't feel so bad about it :)

Well.... I am going to post this now. Hope/trust you are all well.

Til next time...

Jehovah Elyon

"My hearts aches for you my God

My soul waits for you my God

I've come far to find you here

In this place will I draw near...

And your spirit soars with me

To the highest heights

From where I'll not look back

I'll keep trusting you

For I know

You are faithful

My God

For I know

You are faithful

My God"

(I cannot explain or begin to describe the absolute adoration I have for my God!)

Not a lot too say but I felt like writing something :)

I... have been restless.

Like I am on the edge of a 'Faithcliff' but am not sure where or when I am supposed to 'leap' and I am excited and anxious and nervous and... restless.

Pray for me. I'm also a little scared! 

Confident that I am in the palm of my God, it is in me that I lack confidence. 

Do I have it in me to achieve what He has prepared?

I know I do. I know it. He would not have called me if it were not mine.

So what am I freaking out for?

Fear of failure

"...for I know, You are faithful my God..."

"...and your Spirit soars with me, to the highest heights

from where I'll not look back

I'll keep trusting You..."

Oh, man! It is a scary place for me.

Here we are!

^{Psalm 139: 07-18}

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—

    but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

   To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body 

      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

      Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it.

 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, 

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

 You saw me before I was born.

      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

   Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

      They cannot be numbered!

I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!

   And when I wake up, you are still with me!

I AM SO BLESSED! 

Beautiful nieces who adore my son and love having a giant for an Uncle.

 

(Oh I love that frown!)

Our little Diva! She is a package of exuberance and life of the party. Creates her own fun, independent. And yet she is also happy to sit and draw and wait...

Keeps us all on our toes! Adorably loving she greets you with an excited squeal before throwing her arms around your legs. Premature birth hasn't stunted her capacity to love!

Chocolate Muffin - a sweet surprise, too cute for words, she does not hold onto her affection, she will shower you with giggles and cuddles (well - sometimes she needs a little persuading!)

                                                        

My big brothers littly, I donot know her so well but I love her just the same.

She is beautiful like her ma but loves to chat like her pa. I love to see traits.

The newest little beauty she is incredibly observant and again sooooo loving. I shall call her a snuggly monster, she is deliciously cuddly, moreishly kissable.

These two are my cousins! Quite different from each other, the oldest loves to learn and values order. Her sister is a mama's girl. Again both are loving, generous and kind with their time and with their affection.

On the right is my cutey cousin - growing up with the nieces, another sweet addition to the whanau, these two and the youngest above are all the same age.

We also have a male addition (same age as the three girls) but I can't find any photos of him :o(

Oh here he is... not the most flattering. I don't really know him either.

Every life a miracle. I am thankful because for a long time there was only one. My son.

Slowly but surely God has blessed us with increase, and it is a joy to behold!

Truly makes my heart glad! Gorgeous little versions of us, only better!

I believe that God would pour only the best of us into new life. These honeys are testimony!