29 December 2008

Fly Away

We are having some beautiful summer weather and the town is full of holiday makers. I was standing outside yesterday looking at the glimpses of ocean that I can see from my backyard when I heard a rustling sound. Looked up and saw this kite or kites, not sure if they are connected, flying in the wonderfully blue sky. Just wanted to share with you all.

23 December 2008

Who's Coming to Dinner


Guess who's coming to Christmas dinner at my house!

Someone who:
  • Loves me very much

  • Is kind and considerate

  • Always supportive

  • Cheers me up when I am down

  • Provides only the best-- all the time

  • Never gets tired of listening to me, even when I am whingeing

  • Has promised me that no matter what, everything will turn out to okay

  • Is a very happy person

  • Is creative and does unexpected things

  • Is the best friend I have ever had
It is going to be a lovely Christmas even though my family and I aren't going to be together in person. We will miss each other but we know our love for each other is deep and unconditional so it won't matter. Merry Christmas and blessings to : Patrick & Sue, Alex & Charlotte ; Margaret & John; Martha & Andrew; Andrew & Hannah; Brendan & Carlu; Simon & Christine.

AND WHO'S IS COMING TO DINNER???????



I'll tell you.



JESUS

22 December 2008

Can I hear your bell?

I received the following in an email this morning and thought it was so nice I just wanted to share. I have no idea where this story originated so can't give credit to the owner of the story but it has a timely message for us. Stop in your busy life and think of others. There is always someone we can help in some way. Love to you all and I wish you all "a horse with a bell".

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each looks like every other horse.

But if you stop your car or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.

His owner has chosen not to have him put down but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.

Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the

smaller horse in the field.

Attached to her halter is a small bell.

It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him,

and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is,

trusting that she will not lead him astray.

When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops

occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because

we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those

who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.

Good friends are like this .

You don't always see them,

but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

21 December 2008

Small Space--New Efficency


I wonder if having a new space will result in more efficiency. I think it may have more to do with what kind of person one is. I guess time will tell.

I am having to downsize, yet again, in preparation for my move to a small housing unit. I gave my BIG desk away to a family who are going to use it as a Christmas present for their children. In it's place I have a smaller one that my son and daughter-in-law gave me quite some time ago. I used it in another room, passed it on to my step-son. He used it while he needed it and then passed it back to me. And here I am, needing it. God really knows the beginning from the end and provision is there when it is needed.

At least it looks tidy as you can see from the picture but I have only just set it up. I still have my monitor but I don't think I will have room to put that on the desk as well and I think I can see the laptop screen quite okay. I do wish printers were smaller! These are the times when I wish my Maurice were here. He would have built a little shelf to sit on the desk to hold the printer up and then I would have room underneath for the file trays or something else. Maybe I can work on that?

Just have to pray that my unit will at least have room for the desk. I know they are very small but maybe I don't need my dining table. I will just use the desk.

07 December 2008

Have You Ever?

I found this on a blog I visited and thought I would use it for a bit of fun.

Just for grins and giggles. Copy this list and put it on your blog. If you've done it, bold it.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (and DisneyWorld!)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty ( I cheated, use elevator, great view, years ago)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill --ssshhh!
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run -- I'm guessing that one on the Wii doesn't count?
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied--most of the time
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke - if that's what you want to call it!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (not that I'm proud of it, but I have)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job --not proud of this, either!
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day -

There are many more on this list that I hope to do one day!

Why not take a moment out of your busy day to post this on your blog! Let me know if you do. :)

02 December 2008

Why



Wonder why it is that when I am leaving home for a few days I always have to leave everything spic and span. Most times nobody is going to see it until I arrive back home. This time is a little different though. I am going to Perth to spend a few days with the family and to celebrate my and my daughter, Margaret's birthday. But while I am away a couple that I know are going to have a sleep-over at my house. Just to test out my bed. I am needing to get rid of it because it will be too large for the bedroom when I move. Here in Australia none of the charities are allowed to take mattresses anymore so I have an excellent bed that one would hardly know had been slept on looking for a home. Since it is hard to know if a bed will suit, this couple are going to come and sleep in it while I am away. So tonight I am on the sofa bed because today I washed all the linen and changed the sheets in anticipation.

Also I had to make a pie to take to Perth, make some Lemon Curd/Lemon Butter because I know my mum would like some, finished off the Christmas gifts that I am taking with me to leave for Christmas, cleaned, ironed etc. I am working tomorrow so the house needed to be all finished today.

Oh Thursday I will have to have an early start because I have to make an unexpected stop in Busselton to see if I can remove a virus from a friends computer. She can't get it to connect to the internet so I have had to download some virus removal programs to my thumb drive so I can transfer them to her computer and hope that it will do the job. Spent several hours on the phone with her yesterday and although we have removed some of the program obviously it is still hiding out somewhere. Trying to instruct someone over the phone is so much harder than trying to do it yourself. Thank you Andrew for all your help in the past. Now I know what you went through and how patient you were.