What happened to May?

Here we are mid June fast on the horizon and winter upon our door step. I love the cold weather for everything except arthritis :) . The pumpkins from our orchard are plentiful along with the passionfruit whilst i begin to rebuild my new vege patch. I transplanted a tomato from our little farm and am joyed to see just yesterday the new green shoots of new life after a great many weeks where it struggled alone in the elements......I couldn't help but liken it to life in my mind,however we are not alone we are blessed to have a much more - the presence of God in our lives!
During May I had both my Mum and my Father- InLaw (Pa) visit. It was a busy time of tourist things and sewing things, jam making with our home grown 'rosellas' but best of all my lovely hubby progressed in Priesthood so now he can give us blessings as a family amongst many things!Very special! I kind of feel blessed just thinking about it...having more than just a main stream typical bloke(which he is) for a husband and a father is worth every challenge to become all that we can become. Having all living 3 generations of males gathered during all this made it all the more memorable.
One thing our recent branch conference taught me was "No man is an Island - it has a ripple effect!....Let your ripple be for good not bad" Elder Dirk Smibert June 2010
I have reflected on things that have strengthened me through trials in my life .....and without listening them all (as everyone has them)...I have come to know it is in the trials we grow 'not just in the good times! So true was this revelation to me I was reminded that often in the pitfalls of my life I had moved further and further away from God in my life...maybe i skipped Church for a week or two before it became a habit, maybe i stopped with prayers and reading my scriptures daily until that became a habit........I know that God never left me- I left God during these times. I am glad that..."there is no habit,no addiction,no rebellion,no transgression, no offense.......exempted from forgiveness"Elder Boyd Packer
Well, as a family we began to try to improve in our daily prayer times and scripture study as a family.......i share this not as an advertisement of "We are so GOOD"...quite the opposite "churches are full of sinners not saints- that's why we go!"We are just simple people trying to live a better life in these times when so much in our world is the opposite to good. We are blessed to have found many like minded people at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
ok back to why i am telling you this - a great website which i have a link to on this page 'scriptures4kids' is holding a BOM scripture reading challenge for families...now most people have a bible..........well if you read as a family 8 pages a day I know your family will be blessed.....if you wish to read the Book of Morman which is a book written many years after the bible(new testament) ( a bit like the time gap between the old testament -like Moses times stories and the new testament - Jesus times stories) i know that if you read it the Holy Spirit will reveal to you that it is in fact a true record of God's Word and promise available to us......the Book of Morman is illustrated on 'scriptures4kids website' or if you would like a free copy you can order it through any Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day saint Church or buy a copy through Deseret bookstore = DeseretBook.com
One thing about this Church when we joined 12 months ago is I was blown away at how many kids and young teens came along to Church with their families....not just to be a spectator at Church but how active they are in all Church activities. It is not a Church for the faint hearted- it is based on the life and teachings of Christ so - I guess like him we too are not meant to be passive spectators but active participants . All ministy is laity , all unpaid,some say we are conservative- but we prefer to think of it as "Being In the world not Of Worldly things" i hope that makes sense.
Ok so i have rambled today, what can I say...but May came and went but I know if we plant spiritual seeds in our lives that great things will grow and bring 'fruit' in our lives and family. Looking forward to that harvest whilst labouring in the trial of planting and change..........we begin again to read our Scriptures and to grow stronger as a family and individuals. Happy Gardening to you one and all!

Perfectionist Derailed

today has taught me how to let go of things, of people, of memories,of pains...........and although i may struggle to achieve this process all in a day.......i have begun. I am trying to 'let go ' of being or striving for perfectionism........it is at the root of controlling behaviour and a key to my unhappiness, weight battle, loneliness....and much more.
you see an example of this is I would love more visitors/friends.........but i don't ask them over as my house may not be perfect enough! i self-sabotage....sometimes i try too hard- not to try to out do someone else but to try to live up to my own unrealistic expectations. These traits are 'learned' from one generation to the next- i want to re write the script.........i want friends to love me as i am even if i am in a mess.

Wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Today is a rather usual day in paradise.........we began the day however with scripture time as a family...and it was wonderful. i discovered a website with lds scriptures animated,read and pondering questions...i will try to get a link on this blog to it as a favorites button. scriptures4kids.com



Anyhow, ready to face the day after that.........kids sniffling, lessons waiting, dogs barking,crock pot loaded, washing drying, then it's raining,hubby driving (i worry about road safety),folding to be done,must find where they have taken my mop.........the floor is crying "mop me-today please",phone rings,mail to fetch and send,goal to keep unpacking the sewing room,home-storage to rotate,bin needs emptying,put couch covers back on cusions,mark boys assignments to post,and the doctor says REST hahahaha



Of course i will - I wouldn't have it any other way!

A Credo -For my relationships with others

You and I are in a relationship which I value and want to keep. Yet each of
us is a seperate person with unique needs and the right to meet those
needs.
When you are having problems meeting your needs I will listen with genuine
acceptance so as to facilitate your finding your own solutions instead of
depending on mine. I also will respect your right to choose your own beliefs and
develop your own values, different though they may be from mine.
However, when your behaviour interferes with what I must do to get my own
needs met, I will tell you openly and honestly how your behaviour affects me,
trusting that you respect my needs and feelings enough to try to change the
bahaviour that is unacceptable to me. Also,whenever some behaviour of mine is
unacceptable to you, I hope you will tell me openly and honestly so I can change
my behaviour.
At those times when one of us cannot change to meet the other's needs,let us
acknowledge that we have a conflict and commit ourselves to resolve each such
conflict without either of us resorting to the use of power to win at the
expense of the other's losing.I respect your needs,but I also must respect my
own. So let us always strive to search for a solution that will be acceptable to
both of us. Your needs will be met, and so will mine - neither will lose, both
will win.
In this way, you can continue to develop as a person through satisfying your
needs, and so can I. Thus, ours can be a healthy relationship in which both of
us can strive to become what we are capable of being. And we can continue to
relate to each other with mutual respect, love and peace.

by Thomas Gordon,PH.D.
Founder & Effectiveness Training,Inc.

HOMESCHOOLING - One of the best decisions ever!

2010 began with a jolt like no other....we began to home-school our family, through 'distance education' along with over 3000 Australian families!!!I believe we are growing together more as a family by being 'with' our kids as they face learning and lifes challenges.What's more we now have more family time....HOORAY FOR HOMESCHOOLING!!!

Family is..... a work of HEART!!!

Somedays my life is like a base thread in a good stitchery, it weaves and winds it's way amidst family life...I think that gradually I have come to realize the true purpose in my life....

FAMILY CAN BE......

FOREVER!