Nesting....And A New Hobby

Frozen in Time

Inda drew this amazing picture of a whale the other day and I was so excited I decided to put it onto a singlet for her using the freezer paper method. And better yet she wants to wear it because she drew it and it's purple!

Rainy Day Washing

Homemade Washing Powder Recipe

- 1 cup of Borax (found mine in Bunnings but should be in the drain

cleaning section of your local supermarket)

- 1 cup of Washing Soda or Soda Ash (found in local Woolworths

supermarket)

- 1 cup of Baking Soda

- 2 cups of finely grated, pure castille soap ( I bought Dr Bronners

organic castille soap. Am trying out both the Peppermint and

Eucalyptus bars. I got these from my local organic supermarket).

Had to remind Inda that we were not cooking and that this was not edible!

Today Inda and I attempted some homemade, eco-friendly, fresh smelling washing powder after being inspired by Naomi on her blog (http://omi-creates.blogspot.com). On a gloomy and rainy day where the indoors was sending us all a little stir crazy, it was a satisfying and enjoyable project. I am yet to test it out but will let you know how it goes!

Inda and the Bear

Amazing Grace

After a conversation with a human who i dearly love, i was prompted to flesh out with words what my faith in Jesus Christ actually means to me. And so here it goes... Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Before i made any kind of decision, before i made any kind of choice, God through Jesus died for me. Knowing full well who i was, my innermost thoughts, my most private frail moments, he was willing to give up his life for me. There is nothing i can do to surprise him, to shock him or to make him love me more or less. The hard work has already been done by him. And so out of a sincere and thankful heart i come back and sit under the rule of the thoroughly good king that has always and will always be. My trust in him may waver at times but he always brings me through because he is faithful and he will always do what he promises. The God revealed in the Bible is a relational, loving and incredibly good God who allows us the privelege of prayer which i find invaluable. Trying to sum up the God of the universe in a paragraph is impossible. He cannot be contained in a box but this i know full well: "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, i once was lost but now am found was blind but now i see."

Pray Without Ceasing

The power of prayer is incredible. God allowing us to talk and plead and request things before him is a great and profound mystery. It is a safe blanket wrapped around me as I come before him with the life of our baby girl.

Lord I pray that our little girl would be kept safe and secure. I ask please that you would remove the cysts on her tiny brain and that it would not indicate any further problems. Thankyou Jesus that you are always good and that all life is yours. We now hand her over to you. She has been and always will be yours and I ask that you would please bring her into this world completely healthy and without complications. Thankyou x

Circular Motion

I am in such a strange stage of life. Moving from a dependant child to a mother herself has been a hard adjustment and a complete shift in perspective and understanding. Looking through my parents' photo albums of us as kids, I was struck with awe as I realised that I am now making these albums of my own family. Life does seem to have a circular motion about it. There IS nothing new under the sun and as you age you begin to realise that human beings have indeed been the same; made the same mistakes, experienced the same joys, wrestled with the same questions as our ancestors before us. As children you grow up thinking your parents know nothing about your experience of life and are the disconnected ones, when in fact they were you not too long ago. It is taking me awhile to get my head around but I am having to accept and hopefully embrace the fact that I am indeed a fully fledged adult entering a new stage of my life.

Tree Climbing

I placed my foot in a cup- like groove and pulled upwards. The unmovable and masculine base of this gentle giant was soothing. Encouraging me on my journey heavenward, its rough edges and stern feel couldn't deceive me. My map had already been set out before me. Like so many in the past, my fear of falling was reassured by the sudden jut in its skin, allowing me to maintain my grip. Up and up and up I went, higher and higher until I had reached the top of my new found friend. Holding me close on its shoulders I could feel the cool breeze wash across my hot face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in. Removed from the chaos of the world below I felt powerful and majestic. Just one stretch and I could have sworn I had touched the big blue sky itself. I nestled myself back into its strong branches and smiled. I had found my secret hiding place and it was wonderful.

Harris Happenings

Blank

Writers block is a frustrating phenomena. In trying to correct it i am writing but about what i cant really tell you. I am in a good place at the moment. Feeling safe, content and i guess... happy (whatever that really means?) Am discovering more and more everyday that God is good even when life seems bad. The Exodus is a great way to see the great hand of God at work. Everything is done with purpose and reason... often times beyond our comprehension. A strangely comforting and yet congruently humbling revelation is that human beings have been the same have been the same have been the same...


So there you go a ramble from a blocked writer's mind.

New Life

It has been awhile since my last post and much has been happening. A new life is currently being created inside of me by a wonderful God. Chris and I are so grateful. We are expecting this baby at the end of November and looking forward to becoming a family of four. Your prayers for safety and care over this tiny bundle is received with much gratitude.

It is well with my soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio G Spafford, 1873.

Forgiven

Thankyou that when I doubt, I am forgiven
Thankyou that when I lose perspective, I am forgiven
Thankyou that when I fell purposeless, I am forgiven
Thankyou that when I am deceived, I am forgiven
Thankyou Jesus that I am forgiven

In The Stillness

A quiet heart is rare to find,
It's strength is subtle and its security free.
With nothing to prove, it is bound by no burden.
It soars through the sun with an envious ease, falling and flying through the warm red, yellow and orange mixtures, blissfully thankful.
But when it storms and the waves threaten to sink, it sleeps soundly, safety assured, knowing him from whom it comes.
A quiet heart is rare to find
I pray oh God that you would make it mine.

Confrontation

The sound of my heavy footsteps echoed through the silence of the deserted alleyway. "Home is only a few blocks away," I thought as I raced through the heavy darkness of the night. I was running through a dark alleyway lit only by a distant streetlight, causing eerie shadows to fan back and forth across the bare brick walls either side of me. I was panting hard, noticing the cloud of smoke exiting my mouth with each exhalation. "C'mon you can do this," I kept repeating to myself but the pain in my right side continued to grow.
Suddenly I felt myself thrown to the ground, though I was not sure by what. Gripped by fear and unable to move I kept my face to the gound, sweat dripping slowly into the muddy puddle only inches away from my face. My mind was racing. Whatever had thrown me to the ground was there, I could hear it but was frozen stiff, unable to look. I didn't want to look.
After some time spent lying face down on the cold concrete, I mustered the courage to turn over to face my opposer. As fast as I could I jumped to my feet and swivelled around on the spot, "HA!" I shouted with my arms up ready to fight. But it was gone. I looked up and down the dark and empty alley.. nothing. My enemy had left. I had finally confronted it.

Mind Games

The internal battle of the mind is for the most part unseen unless you choose to make it otherwise. The same lies and deceit being fed to you day after day is exhausting. But to avoid it means to give up and be prepared to spend the rest of your days running. I dont want to run. I am ready to face this demon. Because it is for freedom that Christ has set me free and capturing that real joy is power enough to overcome any evil.

Baptisms at the Haven

Eternal Armour

'Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorites, against the powers of this dark world and aginst the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.'
Ephesians 6:10-20

Thankyou Jesus.

Sangria and Lace

My good friends Amy and Nicole are part of this lovely art and wares exhibition tonight. Come along for some refreshing beverages whilst you browse some local art and beautiful handmade trinkets.
4 Hawke Street, Kincumber

The Art of Written Articulation

Writing is something for people who cannot articulate with their mouths what is happening in their heads. It is an art of perfectionism. Being able to express yourself at your own pace, deleting and correcting mistakes as they occur and being able to write for different people whilst still remaining yourself is a whole lot easier than translating that into spoken words on the spot in a social situation. Lets just say that writing is for the socially retarded like myself.

Last Days of Summer

My sister Bec took Inda on a great shell finding adventure. It was beautiful to watch Inda faithfully following Bec around wherever she would go.

Many Apologies

My family is such a precious gift to me. But realising that and having immense gratitude for them means that I am also very frustrated when, I take them for granted simply to accommodate for the many other things that seem to bombard me on a daily basis. It is so sad when I realise that the people God has given to me as love and support in this life, the ONE he has given to me in order to understand the intimacy of his relationship with us, is shoved into the back corner to come out only when I have ticked everything else off my list. It is not right. It is very wrong and I am very sorry.

And to you too my Lord and Saviour...

The Complexities of Love

I don't want to feel because it hurts too much
I don't want to care because it causes me to feel
I don't want to love because it causes me to care
But without love I am nothing

Simple Beauty

The Mark of a Follower

John 13:34-35
" A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
What a wonderful God.

Creative Canvas

Surf Sufficient- Canvas Board Bag from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo.

See You Soon Action Master...

We said goodbye to an amazing man and friend today. Foz was a man after God's own heart and lived his life for the Jesus he knew to be real and true. I thank God for the enormous privelege of knowing him and greatly look forward to the awesome party to come. See ya Foz. We will deeply miss you. Thankyou for your love for Jesus and the infectious fearlessness with which you lived your life. See you soon.
Looking forward to it...

Makeshift Ocean

Kuroshio Sea- the second largest aquarium tank in the world.
Song is 'Please Don't Go' by Barcelona
Wow. The serenity and calm of the ocean still evident behind a glass screen...

Red Harvest

Inda reaping the benefits of our first homegrown tomatoes.

A Brand New Day

I woke up early this morning to do exercise with a friend. I am normally one of those people who find great difficulty in emerging from slumber and stirring up quality enthusiasm for the day ahead. However as I drove down to the beach this morning I was taken by the enormous beauty of the sun rising over the vast horizon. There is something about the innocence of the morning that charms me. It is still, it is quiet, it is peaceful and it is so worth the effort.

Start at the Beginning

I have never attempted a 'blog' before nor strived to become a 'blogger.' However it is here that I find myself. I am a wife, a mother, a surfer, a writer and a dreamer. I would like to become an expert at many things but am currently an expert on none. I enjoy the close intimacy of the water and its restorative effects on my mind. I am continually doing my best to keep a quiet heart amongst the chaos. But apart from all of these and also in all of these, I am most importantly a child of Christ, aiming to put the creator above the created. I am no longer lost but found in him.