Somehow I managed to delete 10 000+ emails (of varying importance) this morning. Yes, I know I need to sort out my inbox. Just not like this.
I did get them back, but the whole of last year’s email list didn’t go back into their folders. My morning/midday(ish) was spent trying to get things where they should be. I think it’s as good as I can get it. And I know that today didn’t happen at all the way I thought it would.
At this end of the year, I do a bit of a change-and-tidy – sorting out the remains of the previous year, setting up the new year in whatever way seems best. One of the things I do is pray over a “word” for the year. It’s not in a weird way -just asking God what He wants me to focus on. Sometimes the word is clear, sometimes a bit maybe/maybe not.
This last Sunday we broke up into little groups, to be prayed over by older/wiser couples in the church. We were asked to briefly explain what we wanted prayer for, and had a bit of time to ponder that before the groups got together. I was pretty set to ask for clarity for the new year…maybe healing – all the good stuff! And then, I felt the word “challenge” drop down in my spirit.
That’s one of those words, really. You can decide that you must have heard wrong, and pretend it never happened. That never goes well. Or you can take a deep breath, and go for it.
So, I asked for prayer, and there was good feedback to ponder on. Some things aligned with what I already knew would be in focus this year. Some I’m still thinking about. I was excited, if a bit unsure of details… Monday morning, I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. This was not the challenge I was looking for!! 😆 No, I don’t subscribe to magical thinking. The most likely scenario is that I’ve been doing a bit too much overall, and it’s caught up with me. Made me laugh, though! 😀
I’m not sure how the challenge is supposed to look. I feel it will be a “good” challenge. There are steps I’m taking while I’m waiting for some things to coalesce – just one thing, then the next, then the next. One foot after the other. I know there is something to do with writing, and have some ideas about that. There are other creative pursuits to…pursue 🙂 And all wrapped up with rest times, meditation, prayer… I will be using my art room more effectively, and at different times of the day.
To that end, I have obtained a duck. A pastel lit, resting duck, by which to dream.
Behold – the duck!
May your year be restful, and may you find your own pastel duck to dream by. ❤
Well, here we are again, in that weird in between week. It’s New Year’s Eve, and the rain is cascading down outside. We spent part of the morning talking over the year just finishing, and what we’re looking at for the year to begin. I’m not big on New Year resolutions, but it is an opportunity to rethink and reset…
I’ve been working my way through the Christmas food. One of the things I indulged in this last week is Reindeer Bao Buns.
Cute. Quite tasty (vegetables in hoisin sauce). They’re meant to look like reindeer – the brown things are antlers. I just can’t help seeing them as very cranky reindeer! 😀
I went for a wander the other day. Just down the road and back, which I’ve been meaning to do since we moved here (5 months now!), but haven’t got around to. I still miss the cold, dark Christmas days of the U.K. – hot sunshine still feels a bit…wrong. I do like that we can sally on into the new year with sunshine and flowers. The neighbours have provided a variety of flowers to enjoy 🙂
It was a hard weekend. Being reminded of the darkness (again)… The hatred bubbling over into terrible action. Choices – actions – that are hard to understand – and some reactions that inflamed rather than soothed.
I don’t know what to say, really. This is a season that heralds peace. Joy. Hope. But it has always been in the context of a darkened world.
And so, I will pray. Because I believe that to be a powerful place to start. But I will also pay attention to the marginalised, and oppressed. The ones who don’t live in the same level of ease and safety as I do. I will question the tendency to blame a whole community for the actions of one. Look for what is true, and challenge unthinking reaction – whether mine, or others’. And remember the words of One who came as a baby, to bring reconciliation.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Not so much the house (although we’d have to think where we would put more “stuff”). I went to put together the previous post and found, when I tried to upload photos, that I’ve run out of media storage space! Just before Christmas – there will be photos to share!!
It’s been 18 years of free space, so I suppose I can’t grumble. I’ll be looking at a paid plan to upgrade, although I might have to wait till the new year. Possibly delete some of the older media? Not sure yet…
I’ve been a bit off colour the last couple of days – not The Virus (or flu), but enough to feel a bit wonky – not being sure what day it actually is, and randomly falling asleep. Even while reading! We’ve still been able to get the necessary things done. I just don’t want to tackle taming my media library just yet.
Thankfully, I can still add some music 🙂 This is for those who have had too much Mariah Carey, but still sort of like the song.
😀
And this is those who are leaning in to quiet joy.
The smoke alarms seem to be fixed, so no more overnight vigils for us! I slept very well Thursday night, but it’s been a bit patchy since then… I’ll keep trying 😀
I’ve finally got the tree decorated, and the other bits and pieces in the lounge.
It’s snuggled up next to the wifi modem (router?) My lovely Renaissance angel is back in place.
This is her 32nd year at the top of our tree. ❤
Snowmen hang around the big TV cabinet.
…and gnomes check out some classic mysteries.
Bits
and bobs!
And the centrepiece – including a tiny nativity scene that fits into a matchbox. A miniature snapshot of the Christmas story.
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 