Finding joy in the everyday

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Who is a time waster? Lets be honest with each other? I am and I am sure you are to.  I am very good at checking my mail, popping onto Facebook to say hi (I am a friendly gal), visiting Pinterest (someone might have posted something new), reading the next chapter of my book, day-dreaming, talking to Ruby (the cat!), wandering around the garden all because I don't really want to clean the bathroom.   I know every trick in the book to avoid doing something I don't want to do and I doubt I am NOT alone with this one.  Wasting time doesn't always mean I am not doing something - it just means I am doing something  else instead of what I should be doing! I am finding other more interesting things to do to avoid doing the ones that aren't very exciting i.e. cleaning the bathroom!! Sewing instead of making dinner.  Reading instead of vacuum-cleaning.  Surfing the net instead of  dusting. Watching TV instead of cleaning th...

Art Friday: Fancy frocks Last week we looked at hats, this week its all about "fancy frocks" that ladies of the past (rich ones only) use to wear.  I am so glad I never had to wash these dresses  - it must have been a nightmare!!  I did read somewhere that the outer frocks were rarely ever washed, only the undergarments and special linings around sleeves (the areas that would get smelly) were washed. However can you imagine trying to manoeuvre around with some of these frocks (and their many layers), just going to the bathroom much have been hard work. And what about the seamstress making the frocks with no sewing machines!! Self-portrait with Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet (1761–1818) and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond (died 1788) Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (French, Paris 1749–1803 Paris), 1785 Princess Dagmar of Denmark, future Marie Feodorovna of Russia is posing with the bust of her father.  Joséphine-Éléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de ...

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40-42) Mary and Martha welcome Jesus into their home for a meal, Martha does what so many of us would do -  jumps right into the kitchen to prepare the meal - not any meal, something special as she has a very special visitor to feed. How many of us would do just the same? And how many would complain that Mary wasn't helping. All of us if we are honest!! How many us worry and busy ourselves 24/7 thinking we are doing the right thing, to only find that we are neglecting the very people we should be concentrating and spending time with. And far more, not spending enough time with God ...

A few weeks ago I spent a week with a lovely Christian family of four in Queensland. I have included a map for those unfamiliar with Australia. I live way down south in the A.C.T (where it is cold in winter and hot and dry in summer) and travelled north 1,258 kilometres (or 781 miles) where it is warm and sunny (and tropical) making it a very popular tourist location for those of us who live south in much more wintry climates. And you can tell that I am in the tropical north of Australia as the flower above is the Poinsettia growing wild, isn't it just beautiful. One of the places we visited was the village of Montville, high up in the hinterland overlooking the Sunshine Coast.  The first white settlers to Montville arrived in 1887 and the town was later named by Henry Smith after a suggestion by his mother (aren't mothers so helpful!), as it reminded her of their early years in Montville, USA (Connecticut) - how about that for a US link in my story!! This sho...

That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.   (1 Thessalonians 4:11) There are two groups of people in this world: The quiet workers — those who go about helping others without asking for recognition and wanting no awards or pats on the back for their work.  Then there are others that make sure the media know about their work, get themselves on TV to share with the world their achievements and often make a lot of money as a result. They are also willing to expose their families as part of the package. Both Sir Nicholas Winton and Irene Sendler did amazing works during World War Two but both choose to slide into anonymity once their work was done. They got on with their lives and asked for nothing in return. Both saved many many Jewish children during the war and asked for nothing. Their achievements only became known many years after the event thanks to others who disc...

Art Friday: Hats Here is a fun collection of hats from the past. Some are lovely and look very comfortable, some are works of art, others I think would blow off in the slightest breeze!! Most are feminine, some are pretty (but not all!!) others are rather ugly.  . . . hats use to be worn whenever you went out, sadly that doesn't happen any more . . but it doesn't mean you can't wear a hat if you want to. Why not start a new trend!! These are a mix of paintings and photos - a selection to show the different styles of hats that women once wore.  This collection is for Roxy from " Living from Glory to Glory " , who especially requested a Hat Friday!! If you have a request, just let me know :)) *****