If ever you worshipped..

Good morning dear ladies..

sending a little musical encouragement for all the loving and hard-working mothers out there today!

Sometimes it's hard to feel the blessing or worth of the many things we do for our family,

but if we choose to see the hum-drum daily service we offer them as
our act of worship to God,

we'll discover joy and find contentment and deeper purpose in it all.

Shifting our perspective off our own comfort and needs, in order to care for others is a sacrifice of love.

As godly wives and mothers, we are used to "doing" for others and hope that we do it with grace..

but we also know that it can sometimes wear us down a little bit.

God understands!

Relying on His help and appreciating the opportunities He gives us to 
 serve Christ through serving our loved ones

is a powerful spiritual key which can turn our grumbling into gratitude!
It blesses and strengthens us and greatly pleases our Lord!

And even if they don't tell us quite as often as we'd really like to hear it, deep in our hearts we know our family truly does appreciate us and everything we try to do for them.
That in itself is a sweet reward!

After all, we don't take care of them just so as to get constantly complimented on it, but simply because we love them so very much.

Isn't that what makes it all worthwhile anyway?!

Yeah! ...I knew you'd agree  :-)

***

My son is here!

Hello friends - at last!

Blogger would not let me post this week :-(

I was thinking I might have to move to Wordpress like others have been doing.

Anyway...it working again now, thank goodness.

I hope you are all well today and feeling blessed.

 I am having a wonderful time with my eldest son who is here for a short visit.

It's been 18 months since we last saw him, and we are making the most of every  minute that we have together!

Family is so precious!

And time goes by so fast..much too fast when you only have a limited amount to spend with someone.

But it's such a joy to have our little family together again this week!

I am very thankful and praising the Lord for this beautiful grace.

Especially for the gift of having him here next Sunday which is our wedding anniversary :-)

This year it will be an extra happy one!

While he's here I will probably make his favourite meal for him.

It's nothing very flash - just plain family cooking.

Mashed potatoes, spinach, sausages and gravy.

That's it!

Both our boys settled on that as their favourite dinner when they were small, and they love the memories it brings back when I cook it for them nowdays.

Do you have special family dishes that have become a tradition in your home?

It's intriguing how food connects with emotion.

It doesn't need to be elaborate or gourmet to make a lasting impression.

In fact, the most ordinary and mundane meals are often the ones that have the strongest emotional connections in our lives.

We remember them affectionately because they represent the rhythm of daily family life.

You know how it is..

Some folks eat a certain meal on the same day each week, and everyone knows what's on the menu for that night.

Perhaps a little boredom creeps in with such regularity, but it's amazing to see how even that can be recalled with humour in later years.

A little predictability in life is a good thing and helps to foster a sense of stability and peace.

You know what to expect at a particular event and can feel quite 'put out' if the pattern suddenly changes!

As we are now in the liturgical season of Lent, there will be special foods that either will or will not appear on the table in many homes.

Some families fast from meat, dairy, sweet or rich foods during this time of introspection and reflection on the Passion of our Lord.

Come Easter Sunday..they break their fast with special celebratory food and this cycle repeats year after year.

Passover and indeed all the biblical feasts of the Jewish people have their connection with pertinent food dishes to be consumed in very particular ways to mark the occasion.

It all serves to cement the event in one's mind.

In our home, mashed potatoes and spinach with sausages and gravy have become iconic of the simple but very happy days of our sons' childhood.

And although they are both young men now they still love it, and I look forward to sharing it with them for a long time to come and (God-willing) eventually with their children too!

Some Sad News

My very aged Aunty Edna finished her race this morning.

She passed away peacefully in the nursing home that she recently moved to earlier this year, after becoming too frail to stay at home with my cousin any longer.

My sweet mother has been very blessed to have had her big sister for such a long time.

She was 100 years and 10 months old!

A strong character and family matriarch..

who will be sadly missed.

Simple steps~ Chooks

I have been wanting to get some chooks for quite some time now, and finally this month we were able to install a hen-house in a corner of our yard and set up home for 4 chickens.

I am very pleased with them and happy about how they came into our possession.

We got them by old-fashioned bartering!

My hubby will be repairing the timber frame on a friend's sofa in exchange for these chickens and their coop.

Over the years he has been able to use his skills in this way to provide us with a number of things for our home.

It's the way we like best - no money - just sharing!

Our new hens give us at least 3 eggs per day which is ample for the two of us, and leaves some to give away to friends and neighbours.

Besides that, they provide us with much entertainment and company - they really are funny creatures with sweet personalities!



I think they're bound to live out a long life here; none of us has the heart or will to turn them into a chicken dinner any time soon lol!



We are much more into pet-cuddling than culling :-)



Speaking of cuddling - my son's girlfriend and I are cuddling up to my 94yr old mother in this photo.

She has just left today to go back home after spending the past week holidaying with us.

I am so blessed to have such a healthy and spritely mother still with me at her advanced age!

She had a ton of fun watching the chooks and all their antics - they brought back many memories for her.

Mum's parents were country folk and always had hens running around the house.
She and dad also kept chickens while my siblings and I were growing up.

I was raised with the iconic backyard chookpen and vegie patch, and I have hankered for my own for ages!

Now I have both at last :-)

I am spending lots of contented moments throughout my days watching and tending to them and thanking the Lord for His provision.

Slowly but surely, my hubby and I are taking more and more small steps towards a simple life - and that makes me grateful and very happy indeed!



Window on my day..

I've been doing a fair bit of this today...standing on chairs!

Being on the short side, I find a chair mighty handy for getting up to clean those high spots that I normally can't reach.

So I haven't been merely watching the pretty birds outside the window, even though they do divert my attention quite a lot lol!

No - I've been sprucing up my house from top to bottom and getting ready for my visitors who arrive tomorrow.

My dear mother,  my sister and brother-in-law are coming to stay with us and I am so excited about it!

But it has meant a lot of re-arranging of rooms in our small "Darby and Joan" cottage.

Beds needed to be sorted and made up, cupboard space made for their clothes and personal things,  the seating changed around in the lounge-room so we can all sit together in comfort etc..

You see, when my sons left home their rooms became extra storage space for hubby and me, and I have had to revert them back into decent sleeping quarters this week.

Now, I don't know about you..but when I start to move one piece of furniture around, I tend to have moved the whole room by the time I'm all done!

Got a bit of a reputation for it, actually ;-)

Well, today I have managed to re-arrange 5 rooms - a brand new record for me lol!!

 I'm "bushed" and "plum-tuckered out" now -BUT- so glad and happy too :-)

When they all turn up after lunch I'll be ready to give them a nice hot cuppa and just sit and enjoy their company without worrying about the house.

A good week's work has sweet rewards.

And what could be sweeter than a visit from family who live far away?!

Tomorrow I'll be watching out my windows for their dear faces to appear - just like a kid again!

Thank You Lord, for all your grace today, and answered prayers for the strength and energy to get all my chores done well and finished up.

*

Happy Mother's day ~Mum

In All Honor

*

Every man, for the sake of the great blessed Mother in Heaven, and for the love of his own little mother on earth, should handle all womankind gently, and hold them in all Honor.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

"Once in crossing a meadow I came to a spot that was filled with fragrance. Yet I could see no flowers, and I wondered whence the fragrance came. At last I found, low down, close to the ground, hidden by the tall grass, innumerable little flowers. It was from these that the fragrance came."
JR Miller

* * *

              Like shy violets scenting the shade.. 
The sweetest love grows humbly in a gentle mother's soul..

Love and blessings for a very Happy Mother's Day, to my beautiful Mum!!
* * *
...and to all my mother-hearted friends :-)

Simple Pleasures~Family and Faith

Melech haM'lachim Yeshua

Hallel hallelujah

Melech haM'lachim Yeshua

Hallel hallelujah

Yeshua Sar haShalom

Hallel hallelujah

Yeshua Sar haShalom

Hallel hallelujah!

King of kings and Lord of lords

Glory hallelujah

King of kings and Lord of lords

Glory hallelujah

Jesus Prince of Peace

Glory hallelujah

Jesus Prince of Peace

Glory hallelujah!

Chicken and Matza Ball Soup for dinner.

Chocolate for dessert.

Husband and son playing praise music.

Hands clapping.

 Voices singing.

Laughter.

Family.

Joy!

Resurrection Sunday evening ....a precious Simple Pleasure.

giving simple thanks for family and faith with  Dayle at A Collection Of This And That



What are you saying..

It’s not so much what you say

As the manner in which you say it;

It’s not so much the language you use

As the tone in which you convey it;

“Come here?” I sharply said,

And the child cowered and wept.

“Come here,” I said-

He looked and smiled

And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair

And the tone may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer air

But the tone may break my heart;

For words come from the mind

Grown by study and art

But tone leaps from the inner self

Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not,

Whether you are mean or care,

Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,

Envy, anger, are there.

Then, would you quarrels avoid

And peace and love rejoice?

Keep anger not only out of your words-

Keep it out of your voice.

Author Unknown

My friends, the words of this poem speak truth and we would do well to take heed of it's message.

Too often, do we find ourselves using harsh and rash speech when dealing with our own loved ones.

Family members are God's gift to us, and a symbol of the Holy Trinity in which Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwell together in unity and peace. 

Their Hearts and Words one.. inseperable in Love and Truth.

Though we are marred by our fallen human nature, we can still aspire (with God's help and grace) to emulate the loving relationship of the Three-in-One Who only speak in pure charity.

Words are powerful!

As Jesus said "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh", revealing the true intent of the soul and mind of a person who speaks either in anger or love.

When interacting within the family it often happens that disagreements arise and feelings are fueled which lead to raised voices and injured egos.

If these are allowed to become the 'norm' in our conversations, we are headed downwards on a slippery path to a home filled with hurts and discontent.

The tone of the voice and the look in the eye express the heart just as much as the words themselves.

Bitterness and sarcasm, grudges and unforgiveness have no place in the heart of a christian family.

The temptation to give in to these worldly and ungodly emotions must be addressed and dealt with swiftly in order to dislodge it before the root grows deep, and hardens our hearts toward each other!

It can begin with a 'harmless' joke, an off-hand comment, a raising of the eybrows or curling of the lip.

Over time..these things can wear away trust, love and affection.

Like water falling on a rock..eventually a hole will appear which may pierce right through the stone.

Let us therefore be wary of our words, that they be channels of healing and love and not destruction!

The reason I am writing like this today is to encourage you to make the most of the bond of love within your families. Love them..appreciate them..forgive them when wronged or hurt. Life is far too short not to!!

Yesterday afternoon my elderly cousin passed away.

She was also my godmother.

Sadly, she never showed any evidence of a deep relationship with the Lord.

But she displayed a hardness of heart toward her brother for events long past and as far as I know, died unreconciled to him.

My aunt too, at 100 years of age stills counts her son as dead and has cut him off from the family, though he has tried to return to her. 

It saddens my soul so deeply.

And I take it as a warning to guard my own thoughts and words and attitudes to my loved ones, lest I be called home to God unprepared, bearing an uncharitable heart towards another soul, whom He loves with the utmost forgiveness and compassion!

Life is indeed too short..

grace to you..Trish 

L.A.C.E. ~ Family

Oh my friends, I've had a wonderful few days with my visiting  family this past week!

What a blessing it was to have my mother and sister staying here with me :-)

We spent most of the time chatting and catching up over a cuppa at home.

I loved every minute of it!

And seeing as I am outnumbered by the menfolk at my house, I relished the chance to spend some"girly" time with Mum and Barb.  I took them window-shopping to see some pretty local shops and we had fun browsing through all the lovely things together.

It was so good to have them gathered around my table for mealtimes.

Here they are having a quick pizza lunch with my brother-in-law and a family friend before they left yesterday.

Of course I wanted lots of photos!!

Here are 2 of my favourite people who are very graciously posing for me :-)

And I know I might be just slightly biased..but I think my elegant, feminine mum looks pretty good for 94!

Family.

There is nothing to compare to a close and loving family!!

I am abundantly blessed to have one.

I am so thankful for the time we had together this past week, I only wished it hadn't gone so fast lol!

 I'm hoping to tempt them back again in the warm Spring or Summer.

The camellias and rhododenrons will be flowering outside the windows then...all pink and cheerily waiting.

And I will be here waiting too.. praying for their return with the warm-weather blossoms.

Hello dear friends,

A warm Wednesday welcome to L.A.C.E.
Just a reminder of the rules for this weekly meme based on Philippians 4:8 :
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phil 4:8
I am looking for posts that encourage us as godly christian women to embrace the beauty of our vocation as homemakers with joyful femininity.
Whatever is..Lovely Admirable Cheerful Encouraging ~ LACE
Link to the actual post you are submitting and not to your homepage.
You are welcome take the button on the sidebar.
Please leave a comment after linking, and visit each other.
My thanks to all the sweet ladies who make this such a lovely weekly gathering :-).
blessings..Trish





Happy Birthday Queen Edna!

On Friday the 18th of February, my elderly Aunty Edna celebrated her 100th birthday!

As well as a beautiful tribute from her loving family,

she received the congratulations of Queen Elizabeth and other government officials.

Here is 'Queen Edna' presiding over her birthday ceremonies!

A gorgeous arrangement of  pink flowers in the shape of 100,

and a very feminine birthday cake made a lovely centrepiece on the table.

My beautiful 94yr old mother was so happy to be with her older sister on this very special day!!

Both sisters are living at home and are in pretty good health, and very alert and strong in mind and spirit.

They are inspirational to their loved ones and many friends.

We praise the Lord for them and feel so blessed to still have them in the heart of our grateful family. 

God is so good!

All's grace..Trish