Happy dance....!

It's not everyday that you visit the optometrist for your "regular" check up.  (I haven't been for 4 years - supposed to go 2 yearly).

It's not everyday that your optometrist tells you - that your eyes have actually IMPROVED. Again.  (Last time they had also improved slightly).



I've gone from needing a mild-med strength pair of glasses for close up work - to virtually not needing glasses at all.

In his words, "I think you see incredibly well - I wouldn't even give you a pair of glasses for the prescription you would need - the smallest possible."

Not a bad feat for the God who mastered the meningitis 6 weeks ago - with one of the major side effects being vision trouble.  Up until a week ago I was having vision problems.  Got someone to pray for me on Sunday - and wallah - Tuesday comes and I'm better than I was before!

My eyes also look perfect for someone who was so sick only a few weeks ago.  There are special post-meningitis checks.

I love how He works - here I am, desperately wanting my very badly short sighted husband to be healed from his blindness - all the while getting healed of my own. haha!

[caption id="attachment_337" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Happy Dance!!!!"][/caption]

The funniest thing about it is - I actually like wearing my glasses on occasion!!  Oh well, will only be very 'special' occasions now....  you'll know it's a bad day if you see them on my face.

x

I ♥ autumn....

First I must apologise for the some weeks in between my last post and this...

I have been deeply overwhelmed with compassion by the devastating earthquake in our Nation, that I haven't been able to think of much to say.

My life seems all a little trivial when faced with such a catastrophe.

I encourage you all to pray for Christchurch, and give however you can - lets not forget in the wake of more recent news pouring in - because those people are still broken and hurting.

Thank God that He alone can put them back together.



I am really LOVING this cooler weather we are having.  I secretly love the cool mornings and evenings - and I love them even more while pregnant.  I have even been getting into exercise again now that it is not scorching in the middle of the day!

The thing I love the most about autumn though - is the beauty.  The streets around our neighbourhood are lined with maple trees.  In autumn, they are magnificent.



It is not too cold that you can still get outside, breathe the fresh, crisp air, and take in the wonder of this amazing world.  The colours of the trees, their fallen leaves crunching under your feet.  The warm sun, just right.

Hope you find a little bit of time in your busy life to do - well, just that!



And I love scarfs, hats, warm jackets and slippers!  And dressing my little lady in them!

Enjoy... x

My Playcentre ROCKS......

So, this year I've been decluttering my life...  I just felt the need - and now that is significantly more clutter free - I feel more on top of things.

I was doing so many activities with miss 1 I felt worn out.  2x coffee groups, a course for new parents, not to mention all the other stuff. 

If I wrote a list of all the different activities and groups there is available for mum's and babies/toddlers nowadays - I'm sure it'd have over 100 things on it.

Sometimes I think we do too many things with our kids - instead of just 'being' with them.  We come out of careers, and get bored of just being at home.  Activities are good - as long as they're not at the expense of your time with them.  You are your child's best teacher.

I cut out most stuff I was doing, and loved spending time at home - just building relationships with people I wanted to, and enjoying my sweet princess. 

I decided recently that I would join the local playcentre.  After all, I can't bear to watch princess stare through the fence watching the kids play - longing to be a part of it.  Yes, it is next door.

Summary of my first month:  day 1 - really hard.  Knew one person briefly.  Felt really awkward.  Day 2: felt more a part of things.  Day 3 onwards - I feel like I'm an old hand.  I'm loving holding all the new babies we have!!

Today was my first PC meeting experience.  Topic: Christmas party.... Just a few parts of our discussion...

"lets bring presents for the the Salvation Army..." yea, for Christmas we'll teach the kids to feed the hungry.



"And lets make nativity scenes with the kids! I just love the baby Jesus in a manger..." - not a Christian speaking...

"What day shall we have our party? saturday, nah, sunday - when do you ALL finish church?? Ok so 2pm is good?" - yea, there's a fair few Christians at my PC.

Oh, and don't forget - the last day of our term - we're having a BIG birthday party - for JESUS.

Complete with cake.

[caption id="attachment_145" align="alignnone" width="259" caption="wonder if it will be as delicious as this looks....."][/caption]

"Shall someone dress up as santa?? oh, yea I suppose we could do that...."

Santa was the last thing on the minds of my 'new-found friends'... How I love that in a public arena, Jesus is still cool at Christmas.

[caption id="attachment_144" align="alignnone" width="240" caption="Even Santa bows before Him....."][/caption]

I always wanted to dance....

When I was a young girl, I always dreamed and hoped, that one day I could be a ballet dancer, or be good at gymnastics.



I totally love shows like dancing with the stars.  I love the rythmic gymnastics in the Olympic games - I could watch people dance for hours.  Modern dance has lead to hip-hop, and jazz and other genres - and I certainly love watching a good, clean dance piece.

Well, in my recent 'journey' - I realised that not having the opportunity to dance as a little girl - (the finance being one reason, and having an 'unlikely' dance figure being the other) - had actually left a bit of a hole in me.  Quite a big one.

A part of me, in need of redemption - by the Lover of my Soul.

Now I'm a rather out-going person, but to frollick unskillfully and prance around 'dance' where others can see me (apart from husband and child) is TOTALLY out of my comfort zone.



So in this journey of freedom finding - I have discovered something - I can dance like a six year old - in front of my Daddy (Jesus) - and He thinks I'm LOVELY!!!!!  (Even if every other human being thinks I'm nuts.)  And you know what - if I'm dancing for Him - I don't really give a stuff what anyone else thinks.

I have long thought that if the church could just get FREE and dance before our King - maybe we'd do better than the night clubs at reaching people.  We need people who are FREE, (who don't need a dose of liquor in them) - just loving God and loving themselves & each other. 

Young people just LOVE to dance.  Most people just LOVE to dance.

Friday night youth - yes - I danced...

Sunday morning church - yes I danced...with ribbons!  mind you, I had two beautiful, FREE, 6 year olds standing beside me, ribbons in hand, not caring what the 300 or so other people in the room thought.

Was it fun - HECK YES!!!!  Did it make my God smile - HECK YES!!!!  and I couldn't help but laugh when I got a very approving grin from the other side of the room - my Daddy in law.

So God is redeeming this area of my heart - where this unlikely young woman in the eyes of the world - looks at the face of my Creator - and JUST WANTS TO DANCE.

 

I am DANCING - and loving every moment.



Perhaps my next shopping expedition will be looking for tights & a tutu.

For all the joy....

Learning I was going to become a mum in a little less than nine months came as a surprise.  It was a big deal to me... a real big deal.

Look at it like this - career sorted > my choice of promotions laid out before me > big money > big opportunities > pay off mortgage before 30 = kids come later.

[caption id="attachment_80" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="not to mention getting "fat""][/caption]

Any woman who has ever had the surprise of being pregnant will know what I mean when I say I had some crazy thoughts.  All of a sudden I could sympathise with women who have abortions - though I don't think that "option" is the right choice.  I felt like I was losing my life.  I grieved for what my life was before - before this little life in me became such a part of me.



So my baby was born, all 7lb 7oz of her in naked splendour - and her mummies life just changed forever. 

[caption id="attachment_81" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="God is good"][/caption]

Two years on, that little life - the one that in the early months I forgot was in me (until the next bout of nausea) * the one I saw on the scan - at just 12 weeks - moving, kicking, sucking her tiny thumb * the one the Father named and prophesied over while I was grieving about my life * the one I felt move - which re-assured me "she's alive," * the one I bore in pain, with water and blood.....

She serves as a great reminder to me.  A reminder that Jesus bore me - in pain, with water and blood.

[caption id="attachment_83" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Girls just wanna have fun"][/caption]

She is the delight of my life.  She brings so much joy.  God gave her to me, to remind me that I had dreams long before I had a career and opportunity on a platter.  Dreams that far surpassed the boring life my "career" could offer me.

According to wikipedia:  Lily of the valley is considered the sign of Christ's second coming. The power of men to envision a better world.

In the "language of flowers", the lily of the valley signifies the return of happiness.

 

Life for me in the few years leading up to the birth of Lily, was pretty dull.  Plagued with depression, stress, sickness, misunderstandings and many other difficulties.  It was much like a valley - a deserted one.  Not much grows in valleys or deserts.  Not much grows in a life full of deep pain.

I have realised a few things in my almost 18 months of motherhood:

• I expect far too much of myself


• I let others expect far too much of me


• I shouldn't read 'all those books' on parenting, before I'm a parent


• Babies don't do what 'all those books' say they will or should


• Next time round I will read less, and rest more


• I don't have to please anyone but Jesus


• Not everyone understands the choice of being a 'stay at home mum'


• Not everyone needs to understand


• Mum's are amazing


• Becoming a mum changes your friendships


• Love people and let them go


• Don't sweat the small stuff


• Let the children play - in the mud, puddles, dirt, rain, pantry....


• I can be a child again


• Mother in laws are amazing women, who should be loved, treasured and discovered


• Have hobbies aside from being a mum


• Jesus remembers our dreams and will get us back on track when we forget them


• Jesus heals depression, He wants us to be whole and FREE


• Love Jesus with everything


• Enjoy the moment

 

Recently, a man of God - and also a great friend - (you can read about him here http://www.symondrake.com/) - he had a word from God for me.  That was - "this is your happy season".  He didn't know how right he was.

Lily of the valley = the return of happiness

I'm on a journey.  Being stripped of all the stuff I've allowed in or filled my life with over the years, that just wasn't "me".  Being reminded of who I am, because of who He is.  It's a painful process, but I'm being made FREE. 

FREE = HAPPY

And tonight, the two of us sat in front of the mirror - with a camera, and squealed and fussed and had fun - just me and my girl, my Lily.  I'm so grateful for her - I wouldn't trade this for anything...



You can be FREE too.