Remember this?

I need to remember this now, more than ever.

I just want to hear from him. 

Speak to him.

And yes, be with him.

But the truth is, he never was mine.

image via weheartit

Advent: A time to prepare the heart.

How do you celebrate Christmas?

What does it remind you of?

During my time in the Uniting church I was introduced to the season of Advent: four weeks before Christmas to prepare you for that day.

It is something that I bought to my ministry in my current church, and each year endeavour to make a more central part of my Christmas preparations. I find that I get so busy leading up to Christmas that I don't get to do any of the enjoyable preparations for this event until the last days before Christmas.

I am determined to change this, this year. I want to enjoy the baking, the crafting and the decorating that comes with the season, but in doing these things preparing my heart for the coming of the King. Mayhaps it  will also place a salve on my wounded heart.

The first Sunday of Advent is tomorrow. In this first week, we celebrate Hope. Hope in the coming Messiah (as was long anticipated 2000 years ago and anticipated today, in his return to Earth). 

There truly is no other Being that can give the Hope that God does. He loves us so dearly, that he always has our best in his heart. Through great pain, he holds us, carrying us towards his glorious future.

In these last days, I have felt Him holding and sustaining me. He has placed friends around me, continually calling or offering to spent time with me. It has alleviated the pain in my heart when it has be broken most. Surely this is a practical expression of God's life-giving hope.

Look at your own life. Seek the moments God gives you each day that give you hope. 

See these moments as gifts from God, 

a practical

life-giving

gift!

HOPE

images via weheartit

RIP

Yesterday, at 6:10pm, I watched a man I've loved and care for, for many years drive away from me for the last time.
It has broken my heart.

I need God to find a way to mend it.

ROARRRRRRR!!!!!

Ok, so I might not be feeling that great today, 

but as I was going through my emails and deleting them I found this photo I was sent a little while ago. 

She thought I like it - and I do!

Birthday Fun-ness!!!!

It was Vicky's Birthday on Saturday ad I had the privilege of organising a party for this special friend!

She loves to be crafty and has a kind and generous heart, so she put these two things together deciding to create hanging owl decorations, that would be given to an orphanage to decorate for Christmas! Isn't she special?!?

So her friends came and enjoyed in lots of crafty goodness, lots of chatting and sharing afternoon tea together. Vicky and I made Hummingbird Cupcakes (from my crabapple bakery recipe book) and all her friends kindly bought lots of scrumdillyumptious food to eat!

Happy  Birthday Vicky! 

You are such a special person. 

Love you HEAPS!

Reminiscing

I visited Grandad last Wednesday.

We spent much of the day together in small moments which reminded us of Grandma.

I wanted to share the last moment of our day together.

As a child, I would go and stay with my grandparents for up to a week at a time. Grandma always had Nasturtiums in the garden, and I would bring in a bunch to give her.

Grandad has a couple of photos of Grandma around the house. He puts flowers in front of them. He allowed me to put a bunch of Nasturtiums in front of her photo as I left.

Weigh-In #6

A quick log in to say I lost 2 kgs over the last week!!! YAY!!!!!

So that is 8 kg over 7 weeks!

Ok, back to work.

Green with Envy

Ok... it isn't that serious - but I do love these chairs and their shade of green!

Image via Brabourne Farm

A Quick Post

This coming Sunday is Sunday School Anniversary at church. It is a time when we celebrate what the children have learned and they have the opportunity to worship with the adults. It is always a great day, but requires a mass of preparation to get everything ready. I actually feel ok this year. I still have a long list of things to do, but that list is shorter than the previous years as I've been working away at it for the last 3-4 weeks.


So as much as I would like to be on here posting what God shares with me in my life, I just may not get time to do it right away. So, apologies in advance and I hope to have some special things to share with you at the end of the week.

Images from home

My dancing orchids are sitting on top of my tallboy; perfect for me to view from my bed.

I woke up to this, this morning. 

Tarquin was sleeping next me - head on my pillow, paw resting on it.

So beautiful. 

I love Tarquie!

Dovecote sweetness

image via Brabourne Farm

Weigh-In #5

This week hasn't been great. It started off well. I did some really heavy and physical gardening. But I think the fact that my PT didn't want me to count it as cardio really made it hard. Anyway, I ended up having 5 days where I just didn't want to get out of bed and had absolutely no inclination to go and exercise. I also had Belgian waffles, bacon and maple syrup for brunch on Tuesday.Really bad. So... with all that, I should tell you that I didn't put any weight on, but I didn't really take any off. Apparently I lost 50 grams (amazing that the machines can weigh that).


So there, I've kept myself accountable to you.

I need to remember this one today

One of those days

It's one of those days again. 

It's been threatening for a few days, but today I just feel really low. 

I was even bad enough to throw the diet out of the window and have my favourite Belgian waffles with bacon and maple syrup for brunch today. 

I also splurged and bought a couple of stems of dancing orchids.

I'm looking forward to taking them home, to dance on my dining table and make me smile.

Replanted

I replanted my pot garden this afternoon. 

I wanted to plant some veggies, but knew that the next few months are going to be really hectic and in reality I won't have time to tend my little garden well enough to grow veggies well. 

So instead I have some double petunias and white lobelia seedlings. 

I can't wait to see them grow and bloom. 

I should end up with a feminine display outside my bedroom. 

My herb pot is looking well established. 

The oregano is starting to flow over the edge of the pot and the thyme is flowering. 

There is a gorgeous weeping violet like plant next to my herb pot that adds a lovely splash of purple.

It's nice to know that while I'm busy preparing for 

the Sunday School Anniversary, Advent Program, Summer Program and Kids Fun Days, 

I will have a lovely garden to come home to. 

One that doesn't need too much care, but will 

continually remind me of God 

and all the wonderful things 

he has created 

and 

given me.

I need some flower-lovliness to keep me going. 

I haven't go any fresh flowers on my work table at the moment, so thought I'd post some instead...

I have to admit I've been a little in love with the bouquets that small stump + studio choo are listing on their blogspot at the moment. 

Take a look!

images via small stump + studio choo

Weigh-In #4

Ok, so I'm a couple of days late... but I've been crazy busy.


This week I lost another kilo!!!!! So that makes a grand total of having lost 5.8 kgs in the last 4 weeks. I'm not planning on going looking for it either :)


This also means that I have achieved my goal weight for the 9 week program I am on. So my personal trainer and I decided to decrease the target weight by another 5 kilos. So that is 5 kilos more to lose in 5 weeks.


Keep giving me encouragement along the way and if you find any deliciously healthy foods or places to eat out there, let me know! (I'm not allowed to eat rice or pasta at the moment though... :( )

Vase Box

Look what God's been growing on my kitchen window sill. 

I've had it two years and this is the first time its flowered since I first bought it.

Miniature African Violets

Elegance and Beauty

So feminine...

So elegant...

So beautiful...

There isn't anything more to say...

images via Brabourne Farm

But it is so hard...

via weheartit