Giving thanks_01

I am uber blessed in soooooo many ways....
every sabbath I will try to show you 7
(cause I reckon that is His favourite number)
things that I am thankful to Him for...
Enjoy...

#1 I love that I have a sweet daughter who picks flowers for me on her own accord

and places them in water on my bedside table....xxx


#2 I am thankful that my son shares my love of the creative side of life and creates things like this...


#3 I am thankful that I have the best hubby who will fit in my little tasks that will make my day tidier and more organised...xxx
like this latch..
and this boot holder...

#4 I am thankful that the sun has been shining all week and washing has been dried...fun in the sun has been had for the last week of holidays


#5 thankful that my children can experience this kind of fun on a daily basis..


#6 I am thankful for someone to love, and be loved by and most importantly someone I can laugh with...you rock babe..xxx


#7 I am thankful that in summer i have a pool and am 5 minutes from the beach to cool off...



Psalm 107:1 (NIV)
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

WWH_03

In "walking with HIM" I would like to share with you ways that I and others have shared their faith with their family and or friends...in the everyday, special occasions, whenever, where ever....I ultimately want to encourage and inspire you to walk with HIM...Therefore, cheer each other and encourage one another in the faith...1 Thessalonians 5:11

Sorry guys I have been slack this week on the blogging side of things but have found a willing helper...Lou...for this weeks Walking with Him feature post. This girl is one of my special peeps and man does she know her bible....I can only aspire to know mine as well...one day I will...enjoy peoples...



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Traditions

As a child, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother & my fondest memories are going to Church with her. My Grandmother had a lot of traditions surrounding Church so I’m really excited to be able to reflect & share them with you.



If I could use three words to describe my Grandmother, they would be strict, compassionate & loving. The matter’s she was most strict on was always in regards to Church & Family-time. There was no distinction between Church & Family time & what I remember most is being together.

As I lived so far from my Grandmother most of my holidays were spent with her as I grew up our traditions never changed, I guess that’s the wonderful thing about traditions is that as you grow up they are passed down to you without you even realising.

On Sabbath days, we always went to Church, then, at lunch, spent it with family or out in the community & then in the afternoons, if the weather allowed we always went walking along the beach. I always collected shells, but it was what we did. Sometimes it would be just my grandmother and I and sometimes it would be with everyone. Regardless, it was a time that she spent talking to us about Gods love & speaking over our lives. Back at home before Sabbath Closed, we always had visitors and we sat in the lounge and listened to stories on ‘old times’.

When I could start to read and write, I would always sit in my grandmothers room on her bed & help her with her bible study pamphlet. She did it everyday & I loved being able to look up bible texts & write down answers for her, it was our time together & I LOVED it!!

If I rattle off what I remember most it would be, the beach, studying together, always with family, being quiet in Church, not playing in church, walking along the beach, no sports on weekends & praying at every meal.
How I thank my grandmother now, the things she did with us, as children were her traditions that she has now passed onto us.

When I think back and reflect on how strict she was in regards to Church & Sabbath, I realise now with a daughter of my own, that she was never punishing us. She was preparing me with traditions, morals & laying a Godly foundation in our lives for the time, that she would no longer be with us.

Those traditions have now become my own, along my journey there have been many struggles but I believe that my Grandmother has given me a great fighting spirit.

So I’d like to share a new tradition and hopefully you will try it with your family & friends...
After Church & the day is almost over & if you are with family or friends ask them “What did you enjoy most about your day?”. They may answer what the sermon was in regards to, reflect on their life, or spending time with friends. Whatever the answer is, by asking this simple question, you will know it & can start a family tradition of your own.


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Thanks Lou...shall do this tomorrow...think I know why you know your bible so well...thanks to your grandmother...wish I could have met her....xxx

Aussie Day_2011

What a fun day...had loads of fun...great company...yummy Aussie food....sun...bikes...buggies...pool..what more could one want...I am so blessed to live in this country...Aussie Aussie Aussie...Oi Oi Oi ....here are some shots...enjoy

WWH_02

In "walking with HIM" I would like to share with you ways that I and others have shared their faith with their family and or friends...in the everyday, special occasions, whenever, where ever....I ultimately want to encourage and inspire you to walk with HIM...Therefore, cheer each other and encourage one another in the faith...1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tonight I want to introduce to you a friend of mine from way back. We have recently reconnected via facebook after many years...JOAN...she has a been a inspiration to me in her faith...she lives in the remote far northern regions of Queensland...this is her story...enjoy...

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Hi there Good People,

My name is Joan, I am Seventh-day Adventist, let me share with you how I got this far as a Christian, “it’s easy.”
In the 70’s both my parents (of strict Roman Catholic up bringing) emigrated from Uruguay, Sth America to Sydney Australia, to start a new life. Thanks to 2 Seventh-day Adventists knocking on doors spreading the news of our one & only God of this earth, they were soon attending church with very young talented singers who later became “Endless Praise.” With the idea of needing to make changes from their upbringings my parents were baptised in the SDA church which is to be submerged entirely into the water. Read Romans 6:1-6, Colossians 2:12-13, Matthew 28:19-20

We grew up the East Coast of Australia always heading north from Sydney to the Gold Coast. I had visited 16 countries around the world by the time I turned 20. In my travels, no matter where I was, I would always ask people if there was a SDA church in the area. I would find the location mainly by foot, there always seemed to be one nearby where I was “I can only thank God for that”.

One time I was in Peru visiting the Incas, when I came across a Peruvian Adventist Family on the same bus tour. You would not believe it, but they knew the Chilean / Australian SDA Song group Endless Praise (from the church my parents first went to) and I stayed for a Sabbath lunch at their home as he was the pastor of that church.

Another time in a village west of Costa Rica I woke up one Sabbath morning to the most beautiful hymns sung by the locals at their church in the local Latin Language, “right next door”. At the time I didn’t ask if they had a church as it was only a small community and to hear those words in my ears up lifted me, I feel I can conquer another day in His light.

When I was old enough I got baptised in my Redcliffe Church in Brisbane, Australia.

I have never really liked suburbia so I soon found myself where I have always felt to be, in the outback. It is isolated but God is not ever away from me, “He loves me.”

We all share our times of ups & down, I am a person that seems to do everything wrong before ever getting anything right, believe me, but just with a pray at night before the day is through I go to sleep knowing that He loves me & it does not challenge Him to answer my prayers.


Thankfully, the Lord has given me a wonderful & respectable husband. We have two healthy children and we have been sharing Gods word with a SDA Torre strait family for almost 2 yrs now.



We get together most Sabbaths at each others places during the wet season & meet up at a sunny location during the dry. Altogether there are about 11 of us including children (numbers go up & down with Adventists families in our remote location due to the work). We sing together with an acoustic guitar. We are blessed that our sista Pele & her son Wapi can play the songs we sing to on the acoustic by ear. Pele has been flying in & out for her college studies in ministering for approximately a year now to Perth. We are always glad to see her for her pack of new studies / songs & what the ABC shop has in music, posters, latest Veggie Tales shows or whatever she can bring up to us.

“I love you Father for no matter when it is of where we are, you will always find us there and because you live I can face tomorrow.”

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Thanks Joan for your encouragement...We are never alone...He is always there no matter how remote or isolated we are...

Despicable me...NOT!

Now I dont know about you, but struggle sometimes to find a decent movie for my children in the movies that dont have a darkside that either freaks them out or shows them things they dont need to see....for this reason I try not to go to the movies with them unless it has been previewed by myself or my hubby.

One good movie though....in my opinion...is Despicable Me...I love the story that it tells.
That a sad, lonely bordering on evil man can find happiness when showed love.
Now thats a message I want me children to learn....by showing love to someone you can change their heart.

DIY Perpetual Calendar

okay peeps here is my take on the UBER talented Ashleys' DIY of a perpetual calendar. God definately put this womans blog on my radar...did I happen to say she is talented....you can check out her DIY here. I have used my computer and designed then printed mine...Ashley shows you how to do it easier...I also have done 2 days per card to cut out how many I had to print and cut...just call me lazy...lol

Anywho...I think this is such a great idea for mums to see how life changes... the blessing and trials and how prayers are answered to...think the kids and I will look back on this calendar in years to come with pleasure

Thanks again Ashley for the idea.

WWH_01

Well this is the first of one of my planned regular feature posts...I will post every Friday. Every now and then I will have guests give us their words too...In "walking with HIM" I would like to share with you ways that I and others have shared their faith with their family and or friends...in the everyday, special occasions, whenever, where ever....I ultimately want to encourage and inspire you to walk with HIM...Therefore, cheer each other and encourage one another in the faith...1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Okay well this week I thought that I would just share with you all how I worship in the mornings with my children.

This has been a fairly new addition to our routine but the kids love it and if I forget they soon ask me why

Every morning I make it a must that I eat breakfast with bubba and chicken...I used to swan around the kitchen making lunches or general cleaning while I watched them eat....and while we eat I pause my breakfast to read from the Bible

I have the Bible and lesson pamphlet (for our children sabbath school lesson) in a basket on our dining table****




After we have read a story or section we discuss it and work out together what we think God is trying to tell us from the story and what we can take from it
Some discussions have been priceless but I never tire from their pure thoughts of Gods word
The other day we were discussing how God is coming back one day to take us back to heaven to live with Him....chickens response to this was "(sigh) He's taking so long to come and get us already"
love love love


Now some tips for you if you decide to do this in your household ...

1. Get up early and have all chores done before they get up (things like school lunches, dishes, uniforms ironed and ready) otherwise you can get side tracked and things could run late and you may get tempted to throw away the tradition for the day and do the beckoning chores instead...believe me it has happened in this household.

2. Get a Bible that is written so that your children can understand it (or swap the bible with a children aimed bible story book if they are very young) I have a 4 & 6 year old and they are able to understand the language now. We read from the NIrV version.



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I hope I have both inspired and encouraged you today. If any of you would like to do a guest post just leave me a message. Go and enjoy reading the word of God together....xxx

**** You may have noticed the cards in my basket as well. They are there for us to pray over the families and people who have sent them to our family. Every morning we pick one and try to remember that family in prayer for the day. Such a great idea hey...I got it from here. I plan to do it with all cards that come in over the year.

NY weekend fun

Okay we have had so much rain of late that is ridiculous...but we managed to get some sunshine enough over the weekend for the kids and their cousin to go for some fun on the new tracks at our place on the quad.



I got to enjoy some photography time and seeing this face light up in excitement...



Whilst waiting for a ride the mud became too enticing and war paint was applied...she was self-named as "red feather"



Then gumboot were discarded....nothing better than mud between your toes....tis the simple things of God's creation that sometimes gives us the most enjoyment....I truely think they enjoyed the mud play more than the quad...



Of course bubba had to join in the fun...yes that is his hands in it too...



Chicken even found some time to 'cook'...see the fruits of her labour...



I turned around to take some more photos and bubba couldnt resist....





Cheeky but adorable....God is so good to allow me the pleasure of this place, this family, this amount of LOVE...

These two things have been used immensely these last few days...I have a cold and while the hubby was away!!!!
Talk about bad timing...but things could be far worse...on the upside today I actually felt better enough to get out of bed and caught up on the housework...tis amazing how it piles up over a few short days...

The Lord blessed me with sunny skies today, something that has been a bit scarce of late, and hubby home safely.

On another note I have started on my way to a healthier me...this quote is helping me today despite my sickness...

Discipline begins with small things done daily