Farm life in July

We always jump at the chance to 'farm-sit' while my parents are away. We love the break from home and fresh farm air. We love the manageable list of chores to do and we love tasting some of Mum and Dad's simple life in Mount Duneed.

We light the combustion stove each morning and let the kettle sit there for most of the day, with constant tea-temperature water. We have rare and short showers and use hot water bottles in place of electric blankets. We head out to the chicken shed in search of eggs for lunch and drink milk from the goats, milked the night before. We bundle up and walk up the hill to my sister's house and the kids are up and down all day, 5 of them, on mini-bikes or running at top speed in search of new things to do or to deliver messages.  We graze in mum's wonderful veggie garden for good things to cook. And we settle down at night in the kitchen to play Jenga over and over and read whatever Narnia book we are up to.

This past stay was a little different. It was uncomfortably cold and the wind and rain forced us inside for much of the time. We had to look a little harder for beauty and comfort. My sister has mastered the goat milking and feeding so we were less needed, and the young ones grew tired easily from the harsh weather.

But we found delight in a day or two of afternoon sun, and the peaceful wanderings to watch the milking with my nephew in tow and the others climbing trees and playing, Scout never far behind. My sister's family are easy to be with, generous and relaxed, their children blend easily with ours. 

I played All Sons and Daughters loudly while I cooked in mum's small kitchen and sat with my cups of tea, reflecting...

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings and turn routine jobs into joy.

-William Arther Ward

xoxo

Things I'm loving

 The Autumn sun :: my favourite time of year and the best place to be is right here at Barwon Valley, a 2 minute drive from my house. We are having plenty of beautiful sunny days lately and the sun brings out the vivid autumn colors to perfection. I'll bring the girls here or a crochet project, a devotion book or just a notebook and pen and drink in the beauty.

The great outdoors :: We went camping in the Otways National Park last weekend. I expected bush and gumtrees and koalas and cold air. There were all of those things but I didn't expect the green hills and young cows, bunny's tail weeds, amazing views and even the sunshine we found too.

 

 The easy company of family friends :: No pretending, quality company, happy children, good laughs, life-long relationships.

Beautiful snippets of Autumn :: In Forrest on our way home from camping adventures, our own little piece of Autumn in the front yard, and my favourite tree next door to our home that I can't stop taking photos of.

Easter in the 'Forrest'

I've come home from two nights camping in the bush with my little family feeling all spiritually ignited. Just being away with the barest of necessities and focussing each day on His sacrifice whilst exploring and playing and eating was enough to fill me to the brim with gratitude and amazement afresh.

I love the coming home part of holidays, the feeling of relief at the thought of my own bed and our own space and belongings. We chat about our favourite parts of our time away and laugh again at the quirky, silly bits. The girls will have their first bathe in a few days and everything will be washed and put away and we'll appreciate our home again.

Forrest was beautiful.  I didn't make it all the way to the picturesque Lake Elizabeth but little Harper made it and her Dad and sister did the walk plus some twice.

My favourite little cottage (below) with its little red gate and blue hydrangeas down the side no longer boasted the blackberry bush bulging with fruit as it was on my last visit, but we found berries nonetheless on another bush walk. They were sweet and so delicious!  The ray of sunlight in the picture proves we did have fine weather  but it was chilly and wet sometimes too.  We snuggled in our little caravan at nights and were very cosy indeed.

While the two fitter ones hiked the morning away, little miss and I went on our own adventure, wandering along the quiet country road to the Brewery for tea. We stopped to talk to alpacas and a little pony and we collected leaves and tiptoed into someones sprawling backyard for a quick photo under a beautiful maple tree who's branches spread out to create the perfect canopy under which to lie and dream away the day. (bottom)

We ate too much chocolate, mostly in the mornings. (detox this week- maybe..) We played board games and went to a country market where I bought fresh tomatoes and figs, bread and goats cheese dip for nibbling on around the fire pot with my parents who popped down for an afternoon.

Blake is back at work tomorrow. School holidays will officially begin. Life moves forward again after a brief and delicious pause.

I still have some of my big Green & Black's organic chocolate egg left so maybe the detox will begin next week.....

xoxo

Hope that does not disappoint

Tomorrow is the last day of school for our Malya Hope (for the term).  Its also my last CRE class and it is the day before Good Friday when everyone heads off for a long weekend, lots of chocolate, hot cross buns and usually family time.  

When I was pregnant with Malya (pronounced May-ah, silent 'l') I was extremely unwell and spent a good deal of the nine months in bed or in a wheelchair. It was, at times a dark time for me. It ended in such joy of course when our darling was born, but it was really tough even for months after the birth.  The entire time I held solely on to the hope I have in my Saviour, the hope I have for now and for ever and I had a constant feeling of joy amidst my suffering because of it. So Hope is her middle name and hope continues to fuel my faith and my life as she is about to turn 8!

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, 1 Peter 1:3

Tomorrow I'l recap the historical story of Jesus, the Creator, suffering and dying on a cross 2000 odd year ago and being raised to life for the grade 3's at Malya's school. I'll have 30 minutes to share the reason we have an Easter holiday with each class which for most of them will be the only mention of Jesus in their lives until the next RE class.  I realise this is a huge privilege and that many do not agree with CRE in schools and the weight of this responsibility feels heavy at times. My greatest responsibility is to God, to show up and to teach well and to share the hope found only in Him.  But I also have a responsibility to the school and the parents to be respectful of the differing backgrounds of each student. Of course I make it fun and simplify the concepts of Sin and Propitiation and Forgiveness to help the eager listeners understand. And there just might be some eggs hidden in my bag for the end of class for all of them (including the small handful who don't take part in CRE).

In our family we spend Easter focusing more than usual on the saving grace of Jesus and in the hope that does not disappoint. We eat hot cross buns on Friday and lots of chocolate on Sunday and we spend time together and laugh a lot. We go to church at least once, not because we have to or to feel better about ourselves, but to gather together with our extended family, our friends and likeminded believers to give thanks and give our hearts to Him who is and was and is to come.  He who loved us as imperfect and helpless as we are enough to take all of it and die miserably so that we can live!

This is a great article to read on the history of Easter bunnies (what have they got to do with Jesus?)

A friend wrote  this on her facebook page an hour ago and I 'LIKE' it very much -

'Here's the thing: it's nearly Easter, and the story is not about a bunny. Today I read the following quote, and am compelled to share it. As is the chronic shortcoming of text, my tone here is not apparent, so let me tell you before you read it, it is earnest desperate beseeching longing imploring with heart brimful with love:

"If Jesus is Lord of the universe, and his resurrection proves that he is, and he is not Lord of your life, who do you think will win in the end?"

-Unknown'

xoxo

A weekend by the sea

No words necessary to describe the relief at having our man back for a whole weekend of family fun.

xoxo

The privileged two

 Our two girls are the most spoilt children I know.

Not literally spoilt as in 'ruined' or 'spoilt rotten'. How often we use the term with or without the 'rotten' after it without realising what it really means. If one of the girls is given a treat or gift I say 'aren't you spoilt?' What I mean is 'aren't you special (or loved)?'

So let me clarify, our girls are the most spoilt {special, loved and privileged} children I know. I'm biased of course. I hope you think the same of your little people.

I've always been so careful not to really spoil them. We don't buy lots of 'things' for them, especially plastic things. We have always been happy with pre-loved or hand-me-downs. We've managed (up until christmas just passed) to keep them 'latest free', latest technology, latest plastic collectables....etc.  Up until now its been elastics and hopscotch and paddle pools and fun with the hose, climbing trees is our favourite, collecting treasures and creating things with what we have.

But what makes them privileged is that they get to spend much of their time at my parents hobby farm 15 minutes from where we live.

Here they learn to grow things and cuddle baby goats and chickens and even ducks, cows and frogs!  There's an old quirky cubby and playground and old bikes to ride. But best of all there are Grandma and Granddad who love them and welcome them anytime for any amount of time (almost).  Grandma has oodles of patience and is ready to teach and watch and share things with the girls and with each of their 9 cousins.  She is always cooking or baking or gardening or sewing. She makes fresh goats fetta and extracts honey from her bees and when Granddad isn't at work he's milking and feeding working on new projects.

I often lament my time not spent there when busyness, energy or routine restrict it. I'll often go a month without getting down to the Mount Duneed property for a cuddle of the goats and a wander. Mum or Dad will always show me a latest addition (or sadly, subtraction) in the paddocks or a burst of growth in the veggie patches.  Its rejuvenating and inspiring, and each new season brings something different to enjoy.

I have vague memories of visiting my Oma and Opa in Tasmania when we were small and watching Opa milk his cow and drinking it for breakfast. I remember playing in a big sloping field with long grass and wild daisys and walking through long dry grass with my cousin and yelling a lot to ward off snakes.  

Our girls' memories will be just as special but far less fleeting as they grow up so close to their wonderful, almost self-sufficient Grandparents.

xoxo

Being present, in chaos.

::Being in this moment, in this place. Finding beauty in today instead of waiting for some other, better moment to come.  Being still and savouring thoughts and pictures. Having clear images and feelings  in my mind to pour over in reflection::

 January is flying by. Our grateful jar is half full. We are distracted with moving dates and renovation deadlines and plans for the girls for each day. We are anticipating our ‘new’ home and the new school and kindy year..  I’m excited about tomorrow’s hot weather and another chance to swim in the pool with friends.  And about Blake getting home tonight to debrief on today and plan tomorrow.  There is so much happening and lots of things are about to happen….

But I don’t want to miss January 2013. I don’t want it to disappear too quickly. I make sure we enjoy where we are right now even though we are in limbo a little and are waiting, and living out of suitcases and have left a trail of belongings around different places. We are together and we are on an adventure.

{Books I planned to read and only just scratched the surface of.}

 I've had very little time to reflect and write as the school holidays draw to a close. I'm glad that its been that way. I'm glad we've been busy at the beach and in the pool and spending time with friends and collapsing with exhaustion at the end of most days.  I'll have plenty of time to reflect when the girls are back in routine. And there'll be no regrets.

But I just wanted to tell you I'm still here! And next post I plan to give you a sneak peak into our almost-finished (will it ever REALLY be finished though?) cottage renovation...... Eeeek! :)

xoxo

"Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope."

 -- Sanskrit poem

Recovering from all the ‘getting’

Our seven year old daughter is tired. She is still getting over a big fourth term of grade 2, an ear infection and the excitement of Christmas.  So I’ve been gracious with her moods and lack luster attitude. I’ve been somewhat patient with her competitiveness with her sister and unwillingness to be kind for kind’s sake. And we have been waiting patiently for both girls to settle into the holiday routine and be friends again.  

But enough is enough.

We have four weeks of school holidays to go and with the magic of Christmas behind us, the wonderful distraction of Jesus’ birthday month all but forgotten for another year, I’m sensing the need for a new focus.

So while we continue to move from place to place for another month or so we are going to spend each day being grateful.

All four of us will write down on a piece of paper something we are thankful for each evening and put the folded strips into our ‘Grateful Jar’. Each morning we’ll have turns at reaching in for a piece to leave on the bench so we can all aim to be thankful for that one thing for the day.  At some point during the day we’ll read a verse or passage from the bible that will help us along the journey and ultimately to remind us where to direct our gratitude because..

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

I’m hoping that by changing the focus from what they got or what they might still get these holidays to what they already have, they might be far more content.

There are loads of beautiful quotes out there to encourage us all to give thanks. But I feel that only the bible can teach true gratitude.  What I mean is that if my family were taken from me, my home, car and possessions stripped away and I had no friends left in the world and NOTHING to be thankful for on earth (not even a bent crochet hook or a pretty tree to look at), I would still be grateful, despite being miserable.  Only because of Jesus, my only eternal gift.

It is actually pretty easy to be grateful for family and things and beauty. I hope our family can learn to live more gratefully. I hope our jar can be filled to the brim by the time school starts again.

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?  

 -G.K Chesterton

xoxo

'Start each day with a grateful heart' - [source]