Finding joy in the everyday

Art Friday: Marjolein Bastin I make no apologies for selecting the cutest, most adorable art this week.  These are oozing with sweetness and I love them. I particular love the mice in these paintings, they remind me of my cousin who has sadly past away, when young she was often called "mouse" Happy Friday, may you all have a wonderful weekend. And if you are new to my blog or visiting from Grow Your Blog , welcome. For those who are new to my blog, every Friday I do an art special, I selected an artist from the past or present that impresses me. Sometimes I pick a theme and find art that matches the theme. I love art and love to share it with others. ****

When your mother asks,  "Do you want a piece of advice?" it's a mere formality.  It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no.  You're going to get it anyway.  By Erma Bombeck ***

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We all need a hug from time to time!   Source When my children were growing up I wanting to teach them the importances of caring for others, being kind and generous, reaching out to help, showing compassion. To learn gentleness in a world that doesn’t value gentleness. My youngest was always a very caring child so it wasn’t difficult to teach him these  values.   However I noticed that as he got older he would take on the problems of others and want to solve them. This meant he carried the weight of other people’s problems on his shoulders when he didn’t have the skills or strength to do so.  You cannot do this for very long before it starts to having a major impact upon your health.    Whilst I still think it is important to teach children these things, it is also very important to watch out for signs in those children and young adults who “care too much” (and as someone  described  to me "the recusers").  Its important for them to...

Dear bloggers,  I have decided to join   Grow Your Blog  being organised by my lovely bloggy friend Vicki from 2 Bags Full. Thankyou Vicki for making this possible, you really do have a heart of gold.  To introduce myself, my name is Joluise and I live in Australia.    I am married to one extra gorgeous husband. We are proud parents of two adult children, two cats, two dogs and three fish!! I would love to be parents of just one more kitty cat but husband says "no" (he says two cats are enough, no idea why) !  I work full-time (in an enjoyable job) however I love being a home-maker and enjoy nothing better than pottering around our home creating that homely cosy feel for my husband and I.   My cats love what I have done with the pillows and throw rugs and find them very cosy indeed. I love to sew and would really like to learn more about quilting. I enjoy cooking from scratch and I love eating even more! Reading is one of ...

As we grow up, we realise it is less important  to have lots of friends, and more important to have real ones.  Friends - we all need a friend: To talk to To hug and keep us warm To explore with To play with To comfort To cook with To share a book To knit with To love To make a homecoming worthwhile We all need a special friend or two. If you have time, here are 15 unusual animal friendships that will melt your heart. http://www.boredpanda.com/unusual-animal-friendships-interspecies/ Waiting for a new friend ****

Thought we all needed something funny today! Have a lovely day. ***

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these thi...

If I had my life to live over by Erma Bombeck If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the ...

My favourite drink on a very hot day - icey iced coffee with lots of vanilla ice-cream! Hot Hot Hotter Ok, it is summer but 40C (102F) or thereabouts for the entire week is no fun at all. But after looking at the weather forecast I know that just around the corner (Monday) it will be down to a glorious 25C (77F) which will be more than welcome.  The poor pets have really been struggling, Ruby (one very fluffy black cat) has spent much of the week lying on the bathroom tiles getting cool, she hasn't been impressed. However, I thank the Lord as the nights haven't been too bad and I have been able to get a reasonable sleep and the cooler air has cooled the house down a little by morning.  Thunderstorms are on their way this afternoon, not welcome as thunderstorms without rain is a recipe for disaster as we are currently seeing in both South Australia and Victoria with the many bush-fires started as a result of thunderstorms. I pray that we don't have th...

Art Friday: The older woman Once-upon-a-time we looked to our older wiser women for advice and for guidance, now we simply scoff them.  The bible teaches younger women to listen to the words of the older woman as she does have something worth saying.  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be no blasphemed. Titus 2:3-5 Today's art is to honour all the older women in our lives who have taught us so much. When women get older they often become invisible (fading into the background).  When a young woman is in a store waiting to be served and she is standing next to an older more mature woman, in many instances the younger woman will get served first. I ha...