Finding joy in the everyday

I do not go all out at Christmas . . . but I was sent this the other day (thanks brother) and I really liked it. Forget about Santa . . . the Lord Jesus Christ is what is important . . . celebrating Him every day of the year. Santa lives at the North Pole. JESUS is everywhere. Santa rides in a sleigh JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water. Santa comes but once a year JESUS is an ever present help. Santa fills your stockings with goodies JESUS supplies all your needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart. You have to stand in line to see Santa JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap JESUS lets you rest in His arms. Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?" JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and ...

Is handwriting a dying art? And does it matter? I no longer write letters (I use to be an avid letter writer), I don't write a diary (I did once), I am not a student (and most of them use the computer these days) so there isn't many opportunities to write the "old fashion" way.  Perhaps the only thing I write on a regular basis is my shopping list or instructions for my son such as "vacuum the house".  According to a newspaper article I read: Ample research coming out of the US and elsewhere supports handwriting for improving brain development, forcing children to write in full, cogent sentences and assisting with memory development. Yet in spite of the research, about 40 states in the US have adopted a national curriculum, known as the Common Core State Standards, that dumps mandatory teaching of longhand. The onus is now on individual schools to decide whether or not to teach handwriting. ( link ) Fortunately (but for how long) longhand is still taught...

painting by Sasan Rios I asked my mother to name one of her favourite hymns and this was one of them.  It maybe short but the words are powerful and carry such wonderful message.  I remember singing it as a child and I too love these words. The hymn was written by Joseph Hart in 1759 and even though it is over 250 years old, the words still carry such relevance today. How good is the God we adore,  Our faithful unchangeable Friend. Whose love is as great as His power,  And knows neither measure not end! 'Tis Jesus, the First and the Last, Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home; We'll praise Him for all that is past, And trust Him for all that's to come. ~oOo~

Lakes Entrances, Victoria My son is currently travelling to Melbourne with his partner to spend Christmas with her family. Knowing that I am one of those mothers who worry about their children driving - he kindly sent me updates of his trip, posting them on Facebook as he went.  As Kat doesn't drive, my son does all the driving - and before he left we gave him the "little" talk about no speeding, taking lots of breaks, assume everyone else on the road are "stupid" and DON'T SPEED!! Not only did I know he was safe, I knew where he was and I could "enjoy" the trip with him. Including what he ate for breakfast and lunch. He wasn't always useful in telling me the location!! But it looks quite pretty. Before they left, they came around last night to say goodbye and give us our Christmas gifts.  My dear son is so thoughtful, he gave me a bottle of my favourite perfume and my favourite Chai tea and he bought his father a large bottle of chilli ...

Sometimes when I am wandering around the web I come across websites that I think other people might enjoy, here are a couple that I wanted to share. Christmas pudding - did you know that this was once cooked in a sheep's stomach lining just like haggis! I have just finished watching the Victorian Farm: Christmas DVD, a great series (along with its companion DVD series "Victorian Farm").  In the three part series they share a bunch of ideas in regards to making homemade gifts and cooking Christmas food.  If you don't have access to the DVD, here is the website and the clips to these homemade goodies:  link Australian Woman's Weekly from the 1940's Did you know that the Australian Woman's Weekly has been digitalised and can be accessed for free from the National Library of Australia - by anyone!  They have all magazines from 1930 through to 1980. Here is the link .  If you are a keen knitter, dressmaker, love cooking old recipes, interested in ho...

My great grandparents - Anna and Heinrich with their 10 children. In the back row, 5th from left is my grandmother Luise Maria. I have been working on a photo album for my parents, bring together all the old family photos. In doing this project I cannot help but think about the lives of the women in my family:  my great-great grandmother Christiane, with her husband left her homeland of Silesia in Germany (now located in Poland) knowing they would never return, or Anna, her daughter-in-law with her 10 children to raise on a farm or Anna's daughter, my grandmother Luise. What was their lives like?  How did they cope when times were tough, money was short, the crops didn't grow, no rain . . . It was tough. Then I look at my life and it realise isn't tough like these ladies endured, it might be busy and we might complain, but it is certainly not tough, I don't think we understand what the word really means. When I hear women today saying they are exhausted or stresse...

Today's "art" is just for fun as I feel in a fun mood, probably because it is summer (not that it feels like it) and getting close to holidays. Is this art? Its creative, imaginative, requires a level of skill (I can't do it!) and we enjoy it so yes it is! So for something light and fluffy (that tastes good to if you like coffee) enjoy a mug of coffee art:) I watched a cooking programme on TV the other day and the barista demonstrated how to create "coffee" art and it was quite difficult and required many hours of practice.  The next time you make a latte, give it a go. All source from: link How to make coffee art: link Let the children play with their milo or hot chocolate to create some art!! ~oOo~