Washed In The Stream

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

These photos were taken from the window at the Stamford Plaza Hotel last year when Tom and I were staying there.  The sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

I would like to think that when if comes to talent, I am quite a creative person.  I have a great imagination and fortunately have the ability to play music by ear.  Years of music lessons just doesn’t make up for what comes naturally.  I was fortunate enough to study piano at the conservatorium of music when I was younger but reading music just doesn’t come naturally to me, my eyes see one thing but my ears and hands want to do another.  Some of us have a natural talent for things and others have to really work hard to achieve the same results.  If I studied art or photography or design for the rest of my life and even had a natural talent towards it, I could not even come close to Gods craftsmanship.  Who can design a sunset like this?

Psalm 65:8New Living Translation (NLT)

• Awhile back Tom and I went away for the weekend.  We drove over a number of beautiful little creeks where the water was crystal clear and the rocks were beautiful and smooth. As I started to think about the sheer beauty of it, God started to point something out to me. One the sides of the stream were small cliffs and larger rocks that were sharp and jagged but the further into the stream I looked, the smoother the rocks became.
• I realised that is what our life is like when we live outside of God, we can have sharp edges that damage other people and can become quite abrasive. You see God doesn’t want us just dabbling around the edges with him, he wants us to jump into the river and fully immerse ourselves in Him. He wants to smooth over the rough edges, He wants to wash us clean and make us new creations.

When water is used to smooth something out, there is no friction it is a natural process that happens over time. God is like that, He is a kind and loving God, that wants to smooth out your life. He wants to help with the bumps and the jagged edges and help you to become more like Him if you’ll just immerse yourself in His river.

Psalm 65:9  You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.

Have a blessed week

M

This is my baby boy Oscar at 5 weeks of age, just before we picked him up to bring him home to live with his permanent mummy and daddy.  It seems like just yesterday but it is actually 18 months ago and he looks nothing like this now.  His colouring has changed completely and he is about 10kg heavier.  When we first brought him home  he was a timid little thing, following me around and crying if I walked into another room.  18 months later and he rules the house, no longer timid but quite independent.  As I pondered upon how much he has grown, it got me thinking about a friend of mine.

As a fairly new christian she sometimes feels like she is getting nowhere and that there is still so much to learn compared to others around her.  I would say it is a safe bet never to compare ourselves to others as we don’t really know what other people have been through or where they have come from.  Also we don’t see ourselves grow.  Even though I would spend every day with Oscar, it is only when I look back at photographs that I see the real differences.  It is the same with us in our christian walk, we can’t see ourselves growing but when new situations arise and we find ourselves dealing with them differently, we realise perhaps we are not where we want to be but we are not where we used to be either.

Zechariah 4:10New Living Translation (NLT)

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

So, driving home on Tuesday afternoon, I was minding my own business and stopped at a set of traffic lights when suddenly out of nowhere someone ran up the back of me.  It wasn’t a huge smash, just a bit of a push and it caused very minimal damage but it got me thinking.

A couple of years ago I received one of the worst phone calls I have ever had.  A close girlfriend of mine for almost 30 years had been in a car accident.  The next couple of hours went by in slow motion as I continued to get updated reports from her family, first from the roadside and then on the way to the hospital.  Finally the call I had been dreading came, she didn’t make it.  I felt like my world turned upside down, how could she be here one minute and gone the next?  In an instant, just like that.  Gone, forever.

Life is like that, one minute we are here and next we are gone, in fact the bible says it like this.

James 4:14   Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

We never know what tomorrow might bring, so treasure your loved ones and be grateful for every moment.  Try not to go to bed angry or hold onto grudges because in an instant things can change and tomorrow isn’t promised.  When things are too hard, hand them over to God and be quick to forgive.

Be Blessed

M xx

I lived with my grandparents for the first 5 years of my life.  My grandparents would have been in their mid fifties back then and it was a different generation.  Life was much slower.  I remember Sunday mornings spent on the verandah after church drinking cups of tea and eating freshly baked scones that my grandmother had baked.  Neighbours would give us a wave or drop by as they too were heading home from church. Read More

This week has been one of those weeks where I just feel like I am starting off on the back foot.  We had a crazy weekend with lots of running around, which I love, but unfortunately working full-time doesn’t always allow for a busy social life too many weekends in a row.

My husband Tom just bought a new motorbike so we have been out and about getting used to the feel of it and just enjoying the feel of the wind in our faces.  Who would have thought at 46 years of age I would be jumping onto the back of a motorbike.  Never say never!

Now, last year we invested in this little beauty and I absolutely adore it.  Unfortunately we also live in Queensland and the weather doesn’t really get all that cold so we don’t get to use it as much as we’d like, but finally the nights are starting to cool so this weekend we are having dinner outside by the fire where we can cosy up and then toast marshmallows for dessert.  As you can see I am just a wee bit excited about that.  It’s nice to just have some down time at home after weeks of running around, my favourite place to be is curled up at home with a good book and warm cuppa.  It’s refreshing for the soul to just sit and relax, even when everything around you is crazy and chaotic, we need to take that time to just chill and remember what and who is important in our lives, the rest is just stuff.  Trust me I know, I have lots of stuff!

I like to take heart in the fact that there were times when even Jesus felt like he needed to just get away somewhere secluded.  I figure if Jesus done it, then it must have been important, so don’t feel guilty about taking some time out to refresh and recharge your batteries and while you’re at it maybe just say a quick hello to God, after all, that is all prayer is.  He might just surprise you with His answers.

Mark 1:35-37  (Message Bible)

^35-37 While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”

If you have young children, you will definately relate to the second part of this verse.  Quiet time doesn’t always last as long as we’d like before someone needs us but hey, don’t give up.  Even a small amount of quiet time is like water for the soul.  Refreshing!!!

Have a blessed day.