Another in my tribute to my friends..
Tonight is my beloved journalist friend Deb.
We met at playgroup in 2000 when our little Miss 11's were only 5&6 months old and our boys were 3. She very soon became my prayer partner and my Jiminy Cricket in the conscience department! Deb is the sort of friend you NEED. She doesn't "pussy foot" around the truth, she says it, as it is.
For example
Me "My hubby is driving me NUTS! Honestly he's not beng very nice lately..."
Deb "Are you loving him?"
Me "But he's doing blah blah blah"
Deb "Fill his love tank up and show him unconditional love"
Me under my breath "shut up Deb" out loud "hmmm, what if it doesn't work?"
Deb "What have you got to lose?"
Who knows that it works every time?!?
She is that strong voice of sensibility every time I need it.
Best of all though, she's a crack up to hang out with and awesome to go shopping with. We planned a date to Habour Town (factory outlet) once, and that morning she sent me a text to the tune of "This is the day that the Lord has made" but with the words
This is the day, this is the day
That we go shopping, that we go shopping
We will rejoice, we will rejoice
And find bargains here, and find bargains here!
Totally irreverent we know, but we both got a giggle out of it.
Oh, and we totally found plenty of bargains!
Deb is the friend who stops you when your conversation is drifting into gossip, the friend who reminds me how many years I prayed for a hubby when I'm having a grizzle about him (I adore him, truly!) She's the friend who prays over the phone with me if I'm having a moment, calls and asks my advice, or just calls and says "hey, how's things?"
We are very different in our personalities - she is vegetarian and I love my meat, she is a cat lover and I'm NOT! (whoops, there goes half my followers.......!) I'm a gardener, she wouldn't know if she had salad herbs or noxious weeds in her backyard.
Our sons are polar opposites - hers is a genius (think Big Bang Theory) and had memorised the elements table before mine knew his ABC's. While mine is Mr Sporty/outdoors.
Our daughters on the other hand are peas in a pod - ditzy, pretty little ladies. Remember the comment about the actress getting her arm chopped off to play Bethany Hamilton? Let's just say it was one of our girls.............!
She went back to Uni and did her degree in journalism while still being a wife and Mum to 3 kids. She got awards for being the best in her class (ok, so I'm such a good friend that I can't remember which award she got.......) and got the internship at the paper she always dreamed of working for. She doesn't blog - yet, but I'm looking forward to the day she does.
I love her, I'm proud of her and I'm so blessed to be her friend.
Xx
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
More bragging
Well I see that many people are doing blog 'series' on different subjects, so I'll jump on the bandwagon with my own....
I'd like to brag on a friend or two, or more.
At the risk of being accused of favouritism I thought I'd just let you know about them in order of how long I've known them - the oldest to the newest.
So here we go!
My oldest 'best' friend has been in my life since high school. We rode our bikes to school together, had sleep overs, crushes on boys, listened to music (INXS, Midnight Oil, Dire Straits - what can I say, it was the 80's). We graduated and went to graduation parties together - hmmm the less said about those the better! We chose our varied career paths, hers in office/business and mine into dental therapy. We fell in and out of love and helped each other pick up the pieces.
I'll never forget the early morning I phoned to tell her my boyfriend had died, she was at my place within minutes to be by my side. Sadly I had to do the same for her a few years later.
She was by my side at my first wedding, at the hospital as soon as I had my babies, and again right by my side when my first marriage dissolved. Well, lets say we both helped each other pick up the pieces after dissolving marriages..............
She's part of my family and even calls my grandparents 'Grandma & Grandpa'. My kids only know her as "Aunty Bindi"
She wholeheartedly approves of my hubby and they get along very well.
We don't catch up as much as we should, but when we do it's like no time has passed at all.
She's my oldest friend and I still refer to her as "my best friend from school". Love her!
The next one I've known since school, lost contact with, then resumed the friendship many years later at church. She's probably the one I get the most 'intimate' with, she's my beautician! And boy is she good at it too.... An absolute perfectionist when it comes to exact eyebrows - mine are spot on.
I call her Molekins as a nickname, but her real name is Kat. Miss 11 used to say "meow" when she was very very little if I said "Aunty Kat is coming over".
This chick is a great friend and I'm glad we found each other again.
The final one for tonight is my Tans.
Ever had one of those friendships that you totally treasure?
A rare gem that is priceless and incomparable?
That's what Tania is to me.
This woman knows me. She is the one I can totally bare my soul to, the one who will listen while I whinge or dream and who will then speak timely words of wisdom into my life. She is smart, gentle, fun, caring, wise and beautiful.
When I was on my own with my 2 kids for many years Tan and I went away on holidays together courtesy of her. We toured wineries and chocolate factories, went to fireworks and concerts together and promised that when we found our TDHs (tall, dark and handsome) we'd do it with them..... I ended up with round, grey and spunky though!
She is AMAZING at technical stuff and rolls her eyes at my uselessness with anything to do with computers, but I've worked out the best system for this ~ I cook dinner for her and she shows me what to do! Just this week she showed me how to put songs from my iTunes onto my iPhone - yay! (I have previously mentioned that I am a complete techno retard.....)
Tans is an awesome woman of God and it is a privilege to have her as a friend.
That's all for tonight, I'll have 3 more next time.
The only thing is that none of these lovely friends blog or read blogs!!!!
xx
I'd like to brag on a friend or two, or more.
At the risk of being accused of favouritism I thought I'd just let you know about them in order of how long I've known them - the oldest to the newest.
So here we go!
My oldest 'best' friend has been in my life since high school. We rode our bikes to school together, had sleep overs, crushes on boys, listened to music (INXS, Midnight Oil, Dire Straits - what can I say, it was the 80's). We graduated and went to graduation parties together - hmmm the less said about those the better! We chose our varied career paths, hers in office/business and mine into dental therapy. We fell in and out of love and helped each other pick up the pieces.
I'll never forget the early morning I phoned to tell her my boyfriend had died, she was at my place within minutes to be by my side. Sadly I had to do the same for her a few years later.
She was by my side at my first wedding, at the hospital as soon as I had my babies, and again right by my side when my first marriage dissolved. Well, lets say we both helped each other pick up the pieces after dissolving marriages..............
She's part of my family and even calls my grandparents 'Grandma & Grandpa'. My kids only know her as "Aunty Bindi"
She wholeheartedly approves of my hubby and they get along very well.
We don't catch up as much as we should, but when we do it's like no time has passed at all.
She's my oldest friend and I still refer to her as "my best friend from school". Love her!
The next one I've known since school, lost contact with, then resumed the friendship many years later at church. She's probably the one I get the most 'intimate' with, she's my beautician! And boy is she good at it too.... An absolute perfectionist when it comes to exact eyebrows - mine are spot on.
I call her Molekins as a nickname, but her real name is Kat. Miss 11 used to say "meow" when she was very very little if I said "Aunty Kat is coming over".
This chick is a great friend and I'm glad we found each other again.
The final one for tonight is my Tans.
Ever had one of those friendships that you totally treasure?
A rare gem that is priceless and incomparable?
That's what Tania is to me.
This woman knows me. She is the one I can totally bare my soul to, the one who will listen while I whinge or dream and who will then speak timely words of wisdom into my life. She is smart, gentle, fun, caring, wise and beautiful.
When I was on my own with my 2 kids for many years Tan and I went away on holidays together courtesy of her. We toured wineries and chocolate factories, went to fireworks and concerts together and promised that when we found our TDHs (tall, dark and handsome) we'd do it with them..... I ended up with round, grey and spunky though!
She is AMAZING at technical stuff and rolls her eyes at my uselessness with anything to do with computers, but I've worked out the best system for this ~ I cook dinner for her and she shows me what to do! Just this week she showed me how to put songs from my iTunes onto my iPhone - yay! (I have previously mentioned that I am a complete techno retard.....)
Tans is an awesome woman of God and it is a privilege to have her as a friend.
That's all for tonight, I'll have 3 more next time.
The only thing is that none of these lovely friends blog or read blogs!!!!
xx
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Soul Surfing
One of my closest friends and I took 6 young ladies to see "Soul Surfer" the movie based on the autobiography of Bethany Hamilton. Wow!
I did wonder if these 10-13 year old girls would be a bit too young to cope with this story, but it was spot on. What better time to sow into their lives the knowledge that you can do whatever you put your mind to, no matter what the circumstances (actually the movie even quite boldly states Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength")
My little Miss 11 has already read all about Bethany and looks up to her (mostly because they have the same name.....!) but to see her story in a movie made it so powerful. A talented young surfer, just came 1st place in a major tournament, sponsored by Rip Curl- whole surfing career ahead of her until a shark attack leaves her with only one arm.... She could have sat back and spent the rest of her life playing the victim - "poor me, I've only got one arm" but she didn't. Sure she questioned how this could possibly be the Jeremiah 29:11 for her life - "How could this be God's plan? That I only have one arm? That I can't do the thing I love the most?" But she CHOSE to make the most of every minute of her precious life and live it to the full. She got back on her board, re-learned how to surf (pushing up with only one arm and keeping her balance), refused to be labelled as handicapped and went on to not only compete but win!
Isn't that just like life?
We get all our ducks lined up in a row, then bam! Things go pear shaped.
We all have the opportunity to sit back and be victims of our circumstances or to do what Bethany did and make lemonade from the lemons life handed her.
This is the sort of person I want my kids looking up to. Good on her for being a true role model.
xx
(I have to say that 2 highlights of the afternoon were one 13 year old saying that Bethany is her new hero and one un-named little miss asking how they made the actress Anna Sophia Robb look like she lost her arm - "did they chop her arm off to play the part?".... I just LOVE this age!!!!!)
I did wonder if these 10-13 year old girls would be a bit too young to cope with this story, but it was spot on. What better time to sow into their lives the knowledge that you can do whatever you put your mind to, no matter what the circumstances (actually the movie even quite boldly states Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength")
My little Miss 11 has already read all about Bethany and looks up to her (mostly because they have the same name.....!) but to see her story in a movie made it so powerful. A talented young surfer, just came 1st place in a major tournament, sponsored by Rip Curl- whole surfing career ahead of her until a shark attack leaves her with only one arm.... She could have sat back and spent the rest of her life playing the victim - "poor me, I've only got one arm" but she didn't. Sure she questioned how this could possibly be the Jeremiah 29:11 for her life - "How could this be God's plan? That I only have one arm? That I can't do the thing I love the most?" But she CHOSE to make the most of every minute of her precious life and live it to the full. She got back on her board, re-learned how to surf (pushing up with only one arm and keeping her balance), refused to be labelled as handicapped and went on to not only compete but win!
Isn't that just like life?
We get all our ducks lined up in a row, then bam! Things go pear shaped.
We all have the opportunity to sit back and be victims of our circumstances or to do what Bethany did and make lemonade from the lemons life handed her.
This is the sort of person I want my kids looking up to. Good on her for being a true role model.
xx
(I have to say that 2 highlights of the afternoon were one 13 year old saying that Bethany is her new hero and one un-named little miss asking how they made the actress Anna Sophia Robb look like she lost her arm - "did they chop her arm off to play the part?".... I just LOVE this age!!!!!)
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bragging
When I was younger my Mum had a little flip photo album called a "Brag Book" so she could put her favourite pics of us kids in and keep in her handbag. Mostly for when we travelled interstate to visit relatives.
Nowadays we have our cameras on our mobile phones and we have our "Brag Books" with us at all times. (Go on - admit it. You show people pics of your kids. Don't you?)
Well I'm going to brag a little.....
This is my 13 year old son helping his little sister with her maths today
This is a boy, who struggled through maths all during school, but this year is FINALLY grasping math concepts. This Mumma's heart is thrilled, and glad we made the decision to homeschool.
This is my 2 blessings at craft group on Wednesday.
(Apologies for the clarity of the pic)
I made a nice healthy carrot cake to take, seeing as we'd pretty much consumed more than our fair share of food colouring eating the Rainbow cake!!
I'm so proud of these two.
They fight, they argue - so do other normal kids.
They play together, giggle, annoy me by not doing what they are supposed to, drag me from one end of Rockingham to the other for their sporting ventures every Saturday morning.
They bless my heart when they cuddle up to me and tell me something they think I might not know (because when you are 13, Mum's and Dad's don't know nearly as much as you do...........!) or just snuggle up on the couch.
Sometimes I truly want to bang their heads together and send them back to school (no point pretending it's all rainbows and lollypops homeschooling) but I wouldn't swap them for the world.
I love these two and thank God for them everyday.
xx
Nowadays we have our cameras on our mobile phones and we have our "Brag Books" with us at all times. (Go on - admit it. You show people pics of your kids. Don't you?)
Well I'm going to brag a little.....
This is my 13 year old son helping his little sister with her maths today
This is a boy, who struggled through maths all during school, but this year is FINALLY grasping math concepts. This Mumma's heart is thrilled, and glad we made the decision to homeschool.
This is my 2 blessings at craft group on Wednesday.
(Apologies for the clarity of the pic)
I made a nice healthy carrot cake to take, seeing as we'd pretty much consumed more than our fair share of food colouring eating the Rainbow cake!!
I'm so proud of these two.
They fight, they argue - so do other normal kids.
They play together, giggle, annoy me by not doing what they are supposed to, drag me from one end of Rockingham to the other for their sporting ventures every Saturday morning.
They bless my heart when they cuddle up to me and tell me something they think I might not know (because when you are 13, Mum's and Dad's don't know nearly as much as you do...........!) or just snuggle up on the couch.
Sometimes I truly want to bang their heads together and send them back to school (no point pretending it's all rainbows and lollypops homeschooling) but I wouldn't swap them for the world.
I love these two and thank God for them everyday.
xx
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Birthday girl
Well Miss 10 became Miss 11 today. A young lady, but still very much a little girl. While many of her friends are swooning over Justin Beiber, she's still watching Barbie movies and High School Musical. I am more than happy though, there's no rush to grow up, there will be plenty of time to be a teenager and an adult. I want her to enjoy being a little girl for a bit longer.
Opening presents on our bed this morning - not sure if she was more impressed with the 2 sequels to Anne of Green Gables or the gold necklace - I kind of think Anne won!
Today was a day off from homeschooling so she got to watch her movie whilst I had this beautiful friend visit.
This friend from school blogged about rainbow cupcakes last week so I figured I'd have a crack for Miss 11's birthday cake.
I made a double batch of my vanilla cake mix, split it 7 ways and coloured it (yes - I know "good grief, look at all those artificial food colours!!!" What the heck - it's only a birthday once a year!), baked each layer separately (ok, so it was raining, kids were occupied and I didn't have much else to play with today!), hubby put it together and iced it - have I mentioned he was a baker pastry cook for 20 years....?
Then some of our family came for dinner and devoured it!!
Not to blow my own trumpet, but flip it looked AND tasted amazing!
Happy Birthday my Princess.
Xxx
Opening presents on our bed this morning - not sure if she was more impressed with the 2 sequels to Anne of Green Gables or the gold necklace - I kind of think Anne won!
Today was a day off from homeschooling so she got to watch her movie whilst I had this beautiful friend visit.
This friend from school blogged about rainbow cupcakes last week so I figured I'd have a crack for Miss 11's birthday cake.
I made a double batch of my vanilla cake mix, split it 7 ways and coloured it (yes - I know "good grief, look at all those artificial food colours!!!" What the heck - it's only a birthday once a year!), baked each layer separately (ok, so it was raining, kids were occupied and I didn't have much else to play with today!), hubby put it together and iced it - have I mentioned he was a baker pastry cook for 20 years....?
Then some of our family came for dinner and devoured it!!
Not to blow my own trumpet, but flip it looked AND tasted amazing!
Happy Birthday my Princess.
Xxx
Sunday, May 22, 2011
{Almost} Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Would you believe it's finally here?
Yes, Autumn has arrived and bought with it some rain and cold weather - hooray!
We actually even had a storm on Thursday (of course I had 3 loads of washing on the line didn't I?)
I've crocheted 2 big snuggly blankets so far, one for Miss 10 in hot pink and one for Hubby which suits our lounge perfectly, we've had the heater on today for the first time this year and, as I type, I have a pot of chicken soup cooking - yum!
I was curled up in bed the other night and remembered a message I did for a ladies group a few years ago and thought I'd about blog it (I don't think any of you were in my loungeroom that winters day in 2002 so you won't mind if I'm repeating myself!)
Seeing as winter is officially only a few days away it's probably time to make some preparations for the season. Just as we don't experience glorious summer all year round, we don't always have fine weather in our lives and we need to be prepared for those darker days, those 'winters'. Here are a few tips.
Store up for winter ~ In colder climates or remote places people use store cupboards for provisions, we also need to store up in prayer and on God's Word so we have provisions to draw on when lean times strike (Prov 20:4).
In the same sense, a three course meal eaten last week won't give our body sustenance this week. We can't live off last year's three hour prayer meeting or last months revelations, we need to continually be building up our spirits - or stocking up the pantry!
Sometimes winter storms come suddenly so
Don't wait for the storms to hit before you clean out the gutters ~ (Psalm 51:10)
Just as leaves block the water flowing through the gutters, we need to clean out anything that's blocking the flow of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. If there is unconfessed sin, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness etc in our hearts, we need a clean out - now, so that there won't be problems when a 'winter' arrives.
Get dressed for winter ~ I'm pretty sure none of us walk out the door in the mornings naked, we do spend time preparing for the day - don't we.....?
We need to spend time getting dressed in the natural as well as getting our inner clothing on. Colossians 3:14 says the most important piece of clothing is love. Don't wear it like an overcoat that is the last thing to be put on and the first thing to be taken off - wear love close to your heart, like 'thermal underwear' to protect you from the bitter winds of 'winter' like persecutions, accusations and offences. Remember love covers a multitude of sins.
Keep warm ~ (Heb12:29)
When 'winters' come - (and they do) don't sit out in the rain having a 'pity party' ~ you will inevitably be out there on your own if you do....!
Come inside, into the Father's presence, sit at His feet and stay warm. Keep the Holy Spirit fire burning in your heart - Luke 24:32
One final thing to keep in mind, although we aren't even officially in our Winter yet - Spring always comes after Winter. There are times of new growth ahead.
Yes, Autumn has arrived and bought with it some rain and cold weather - hooray!
We actually even had a storm on Thursday (of course I had 3 loads of washing on the line didn't I?)
I've crocheted 2 big snuggly blankets so far, one for Miss 10 in hot pink and one for Hubby which suits our lounge perfectly, we've had the heater on today for the first time this year and, as I type, I have a pot of chicken soup cooking - yum!
I was curled up in bed the other night and remembered a message I did for a ladies group a few years ago and thought I'd about blog it (I don't think any of you were in my loungeroom that winters day in 2002 so you won't mind if I'm repeating myself!)
Seeing as winter is officially only a few days away it's probably time to make some preparations for the season. Just as we don't experience glorious summer all year round, we don't always have fine weather in our lives and we need to be prepared for those darker days, those 'winters'. Here are a few tips.
Store up for winter ~ In colder climates or remote places people use store cupboards for provisions, we also need to store up in prayer and on God's Word so we have provisions to draw on when lean times strike (Prov 20:4).
In the same sense, a three course meal eaten last week won't give our body sustenance this week. We can't live off last year's three hour prayer meeting or last months revelations, we need to continually be building up our spirits - or stocking up the pantry!
Sometimes winter storms come suddenly so
Don't wait for the storms to hit before you clean out the gutters ~ (Psalm 51:10)
Just as leaves block the water flowing through the gutters, we need to clean out anything that's blocking the flow of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. If there is unconfessed sin, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness etc in our hearts, we need a clean out - now, so that there won't be problems when a 'winter' arrives.
Get dressed for winter ~ I'm pretty sure none of us walk out the door in the mornings naked, we do spend time preparing for the day - don't we.....?
We need to spend time getting dressed in the natural as well as getting our inner clothing on. Colossians 3:14 says the most important piece of clothing is love. Don't wear it like an overcoat that is the last thing to be put on and the first thing to be taken off - wear love close to your heart, like 'thermal underwear' to protect you from the bitter winds of 'winter' like persecutions, accusations and offences. Remember love covers a multitude of sins.
Keep warm ~ (Heb12:29)
When 'winters' come - (and they do) don't sit out in the rain having a 'pity party' ~ you will inevitably be out there on your own if you do....!
Come inside, into the Father's presence, sit at His feet and stay warm. Keep the Holy Spirit fire burning in your heart - Luke 24:32
One final thing to keep in mind, although we aren't even officially in our Winter yet - Spring always comes after Winter. There are times of new growth ahead.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Apple Park
Today we left home bright and early and took a long drive down to Donnybrook in our States South West. A homeschool excursion had been organised and about 20 families from Rockingham and Bunbury trekked along.
We went to an organic orchard to learn how the apples are picked and sorted.
We then all got to go out into the orchard and pick a mixed bucket of Sundowners and Pink Ladies.
Have you ever plucked an apple straight off the tree and bitten into it? YUM!!
So crunchy and tasty!
Needless to say we bought home 5 kilos of organic apples today...
A picnic at the Donnybrook Apple Park for lunch - SERIOUSLY the best playground for all ages. The kids and I had a ball, and so did my Mum....
Yep, that's her up the top of a massive climbing frame with my son!
Her 'inner child' was released for a while today and she convinced me it would be a great idea to twist and climb through the tubes and tunnels all the way to the top of a tube slide - dopey me... I have friction burns on my bruised elbows where I tried to slow myself down! Ouch. But boy did we laugh!!!!
She then navigated us to Gnomesville - a quirky little spot amongst gorgeous dairy farms and rolling hills ("babe, buy me a farm PLEASE?"). People from all over the world bring garden gnomes here, with stories and poems. All types of gnomes as far as the eye can see, in the middle of the bush.
Good fun!
All in all a great day. A long drive and we're all tired, but great.
Have I mentioned how much I love homeschooling lately?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We went to an organic orchard to learn how the apples are picked and sorted.
We then all got to go out into the orchard and pick a mixed bucket of Sundowners and Pink Ladies.
Have you ever plucked an apple straight off the tree and bitten into it? YUM!!
So crunchy and tasty!
Needless to say we bought home 5 kilos of organic apples today...
A picnic at the Donnybrook Apple Park for lunch - SERIOUSLY the best playground for all ages. The kids and I had a ball, and so did my Mum....
Yep, that's her up the top of a massive climbing frame with my son!
Her 'inner child' was released for a while today and she convinced me it would be a great idea to twist and climb through the tubes and tunnels all the way to the top of a tube slide - dopey me... I have friction burns on my bruised elbows where I tried to slow myself down! Ouch. But boy did we laugh!!!!
She then navigated us to Gnomesville - a quirky little spot amongst gorgeous dairy farms and rolling hills ("babe, buy me a farm PLEASE?"). People from all over the world bring garden gnomes here, with stories and poems. All types of gnomes as far as the eye can see, in the middle of the bush.
Good fun!
All in all a great day. A long drive and we're all tired, but great.
Have I mentioned how much I love homeschooling lately?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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