Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Full assurance of hope

As we lift our heads and focus on the remainder of this year, may we believe for more... more love, joy, sweeter marriages, laughter, peace, health, deeper relationships, finished projects, glorifying Him... and mostly more of Him - because to be honest all the rest will be added as we seek Him. This week I had a situation where I thought, It's Jesus or bust! He is always FAITHFUL for He cannot deny Himself. May the best be yet to come! Lean into Jesus and His steadfast Word in full assurance of hope!


I love Hebrews - His assuring Word... our souls are only secure when anchored to someone secure... Our Lord.


"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath"

God promise:   "Surely blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you"
Our faith:    "after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise"

so that we have THIS HOPE as an anchor of the soul, both SURE and STEADFAST!!!
Hebrews 6

Monday, July 30, 2012

Spoilt girl


Spoilt... that's how I felt on my birthday, where a table had been set for breakfast under the trees.


Complete with a homemade Victorian Sponge made by my sister - my favourite cake, and Rebecca made excellent Peanut Butter Porridge (which she didn't eat as she dislikes Peanut Butter - all the better for me!)


After a beautiful fun day, supper was at a Mexican restaurant, ending with delicious, hot, crunchy Churros & Chocolate Sauce.  Memorable.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Pumpkin & Chickpea Curry


Robust but not heavy.  Just enough heat.  A great winter dish!

Monday, July 23, 2012

On my husband's birthday



I opened my devotional and found the scripture fitting... "I am married to you" ~ Jeremiah 3

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Housebound & Happy B day

Most of this week as seen us 'housebound' as Rebecca has been home in bed, and when she began to feel a little better we read loads and did some tame Decoupage to keep her occupied.

We started out again towards the end of the week, and she had enough energy for jesting... while we shopped for a present for our favourite man on the planet!!!


Today is his birthday - HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! ... as he is on a health-kick of sorts, instead of chocolate anything for breakfast he got a apple marshmallow 'cake'!


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A good day

I had a great cup of tea at my favourite coffee place.  So no matter what time of day it is... coffee in the morning or afternoon tea they have it.  Vida = a any time of day place!

Monday, July 16, 2012

A little road trip

 We left before sun-up and it was c o l d!!

 Stopping for hot tea!

Driving through our beautiful country...

with little lambs on every farm.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

A patient, steady work

"I find a good many people have been bothered by... 'Be ye perfect'.  Some people seem to think this means 'Unless you are perfect, I will not help you'; and as we cannot be perfect, then if He meant that, our position is hopeless.  But I do not think He did mean that. 

I think He meant 'The only help I will give is help to become perfect.  You may want something less: but I will give you nothing less.

God's demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good... or failures. Each time you fall He will pick you up again.

It is not idealistic... nor impossible... He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us...dazzling, radiant... a bright stainless mirror which reflects... delight and goodness.  He meant what He said."

~ Mere Christianity  C.S Lewis



God is patient and celebrates our every effort.  His eyes are on us and He is not discouraged by our weaknesses.  He is patient and kind, and teaches us line upon line, precept upon precept.  He knows our frame. 'I will not allow My faithfulness to fail.  My covenant I will not break' - Ps 89.  He does the great work within us so its not of ourselves but His work for His glory!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

My Wednesday

At the beginning... a healthy pile of FRENCH TOAST



In the middle...  we went to a midday movie, ICE AGE 4 3D - love the glasses















Towards the end... before supper we went on a long walk through THE MUDDY BANKS near our home - all attire went straight into the washing machine as soon as we arrived back home






Monday, July 9, 2012

Last winter, uh summer



Boo-Hoo, exactly a year ago it wasn't cold...nope, we were enjoying the lovely summer heat of Italy!  Bellissimo!!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Courage and Chocolate Cake

A pretty awesome day... a brilliant word breathed on us this morning in church by L Giglio about 'Clarity & Courage' and then lunch at my parents place, which momma rounded off with the most luscious chocolate cake evaar!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Lay it up


She busts me wide open... parenthood, a type of open heart surgery!

They help you come up higher...
"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart & in your soul, and ... you shall teach them to your children, speaking when you sit... walk... lie... rise..."    Deut 11

Friday, July 6, 2012

Redeeming moments

May this weekend bring Shabbat moments of peace and rest.  A time to observe and remember.  A time to breath slowly and repair... sabbath moments of rest are not about restrictions but about restoration...


Words were exchanged.  "Stand up now!" the mother shouted.  I had just walked inside and stayed at the door.  The young one, her beloved surely... was crouched behind the table trying to hide from the shouting.  She stood slowly.  My heart broke for both... I too have been so tightly coiled on the inside that when I open my mouth the release staggers me... out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  I have also been the frightened little girl wondering 'what is going on here' and wishing for truth with kindness. A word fitly spoken is like giving apples of gold... 

How often we get overcome with weariness... May we not be undone but take the necessary time to restore our soul and body so that we run strong and sure. So that when our family's needs arise we are not empty regretful vessels but there is grace enough for every heart.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Citrus season


I was more attentive to my little orange tree this year and it flourished! 


Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Posture of humility

Put in simple terms, humility means to live as close to the truth as possible.
Humility is in fact filled with power to bring forth life.
The word itself comes from the Latin humus, which means fertile ground.
As Teresa of Avila reminds us 'Humility is the principal aid to prayer'

We do not pretend to be more holy, more pure, or more saintly than we actually are. 
We do not try to conceal our conflicting and contradictory motives from God - or ourselves.
And in this posture we pour out our hearts to the God who is greater than our heart and
who knows all things.


~ R Foster - Prayer (Finding the hearts true home)

Monday, July 2, 2012

Collecting the eggs


Rebecca collected the eggs, these grand ladies are ignoring the rainy skies and laying anyway... Good, Better and (the jumbo of eggs) Best!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Big, simple and delicious! Serve plain, with ice cream or cream.

1 packet of puff pastry
8-9 apples, half granny smith and half golden delicious
3/4 cup brown sugar
about 1/2 -3/4 cup raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
good pinch allspice
juice of 1 small lemon


Set your oven to 190 deg cel. Spray your pie dish with Spray&Cook.  Roll out your pastry and line the bottom of the dish.  In a bowl place all your peeled, cubed apple with all the other ingredients and mix well.
Pile high in the dish.  Cover the top with the remaining pastry and cut a slit in the centre to let out the steam.
Bake for 45-60 minutes.  Take out once golden and crisp.  Cool a bit but best served with the little heat still on it.


Optional - Add a tablespoon of butter (just cut it into tiny blobs and place about the apples) and then cover with your pastry top, this makes it a little more rich and toffee-like.  Sometimes I cook down 2-3 of the apples so that you have different textures to the apples in the pie.  You could also use all tart or sweet apples according to your taste. 

I like the look of a high pie.  Lovely Sunday fare.