…and peace has come!
A Complex Party
Last week we had a Christmas party for the complex we live in. We got platters of food (and a huge chocolate mud cake!), soft drinks, chips… there were sparklers and glow sticks in there somewhere as well.
It was originally organised for the week before, but had to be postponed because of the storms. What had been planned became just sort of put together. We had good food, but the decorations were forgotten…
I took some of our decorations from home down to the pool area, where the party was, and some of the other neighbours brought theirs as well.
It wasn’t the most spectacular of light shows, but we all pitched in and had a great time!
It’s nearly Christmas Day. Our family party will be on Christmas Eve, and we’ve been cleaning, shopping, mentally organising… I have to ration my energy output these days so I can get stuff done, but we’re on schedule. I’ve done pretty much everything I wanted to.
And again – it won’t be spectacular.
But it will be enough to have a good party.
It won’t matter, in the end, if I don’t get everything cooked, cleaned or decorated to the standards I’ve held myself to in previous years. We’ll have the parties and eat Christmas food. We’ll also take time to remember Whose birthday we’re celebrating.
And it will be enough.
Good Morning…
Another voice from my past was lost to COVID-19 over the weekend.
Charley Pride was part of the soundtrack of my childhood – Mum and Dad had his albums, and I remember putting them on our big old wooden record player/radio cabinet (a huge piece of furniture, where I encountered a variety of old music). I remember the deep sweetness of his voice – beautiful!
Thank you for the music, Charley.
Kiss an angel good morning…
Sweetness In The Air
Went out for breakfast the other day, the first day when we were both free from appointments. There were other things to do, but the place we go to opens early, so there’s time to indulge in a big breakfast before the day starts properly…
There’s a series of planting boxes outside that you have to pass to get to the doors. At the moment there’s an abundance of a plant with glossy dark green leaves and small white flowers. I’ve never been quite sure what it is, but a brief google indicates that it’s mock orange (Murraya paniculata) It smells beautiful, and the scent seems to float around you as you walk past. We had some near the gate at the old house, so it tends to make me a bit nostalgic…
We’re hopefully heading into an easier time overall, but some things are still hard. Sometimes seemingly insurmountable. A tiny scented flower won’t change that. It does seem to lighten the air, though – point to the things that are still growing and working the way they should be.
There’s a sweetness in the air.
Close your eyes.
Breathe it in.
❤
Drained
…and refilled.
I went to my first carol service of the season on Saturday night.
It started just before the sun set, and was a surprisingly cool evening.
There were carols, testimonies…kookaburras laughing raucously in the trees. Ice cream halfway through. Got the chance to chat to some people I haven’t seen in months.
It’s been so hot lately, hasn’t it?
I have my good days and bad days – according to the last doctor, that’s because of fibromyalgia. I know that’s a real thing, but the way it was presented to me, it felt like “don’t know what’s wrong with you go away”…
At this time of the year a bad day is not helped at all by the heat of the day, which makes it feel like your body is slowly boiling from the inside. Drains energy and motivation, and there’s not much respite at night! I’ve spent a few afternoons lately under the fan, draped in wet cloths, hoping to cool down. Yes, we do have air conditioning, and have been using it when absolutely necessary, but not all the time.
When the weather is not co-operating, it’s good to have other ways of being refreshed. This time of year, a good carol service is one way for me! 🙂
I’ve been watering the garden as much as I can, and it’s holding up well The sunflowers are blooming all over the place! The biggest bush looks a bit like I feel, though – sometimes fresh and bright, but other times wilting or shriveled 😆
There’s apparently a cool change coming this week.
Until then, here’s a verse from my reading today –
“The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
– Isaiah 40:8
Here’s Looking At You, Kid
😆
It’s been one of those days where the success of each activity depends on everything being on schedule – if one thing’s a bit late, everything else just goes out the window…
We got everywhere on time 🙂
The last thing today was a catch up with our area teacher. Classes finished last week, and we’ve been enjoying holidays this week. This meeting, and Awards night later in the week, are our last school things to do. We talked through what’s needed for next year, and what’s been good this year. Sweet Bean has done very well (99/100 for his final physics exam!). Next year may not be so hectic, or it may just be hectic in a different way… it’ll be interesting, either way!
It struck me today that next year will be my last year with a school child in the house. It doesn’t seem quite so long since we were learning ABCs and counting/simple maths with rocks or Legos. Soon Sweet Bean will be in the next phase of his life, as I will be in mine.
Who knows what’s ahead?
Onwards and upwards!
😀
Pausing The Adventure
Last day of this school year for Sweet Bean.
He’s happy! It’s been a hard year for him in a lot of ways. Time to stop for a bit and breathe more freely…
This is (I think) our 13th year of home schooling. There’s one more to go, and then the grand adventure will move further out still, at least for Sweet Bean. Both boys are pretty much adults now, and I’m so proud of them both!
❤
Time to pause, and rest.
Soon it will be time to run forward again…
Sunflowers!
Well, one anyway…
and there’s another one on the way.
A lot smaller than I thought they’d be, but I don’t mind – I’ve been waiting a long time for these to flower!
❤
Sky Confetti
The other day we were driving somewhere, and suddenly there were hundreds of butterflies drifting across the sky, like confetti… not all at once, but they just kept on coming.
Of course, once I stopped to film it, there weren’t so many. You can still see some fluttering past. Otherwise, enjoy the music – it’s one of the free background clips YouTube provide for use in your uploads. It’s called “Wandering Soul”, which seemed appropriate!
It’s spring, although today feels a bit more like summer. Everything’s greening up, and I’ve been adding to the succulents in my pots and gardens. Things are springing from the soil that I’d forgotten about, or didn’t even know were there.
The earth always renews, whatever the preceding blessing or disaster…
I tend to forget that.
When things go wrong, I sometimes forget that there’s capacity for renewal. I see the barrenness, and feel like that’s all there is or will be…
When my plants die (because I’m not a natural gardener!) I think there’s no point trying again. When I feel ill, and everything drags on, I feel like I’ll never be well again.
There is room for renewal – even if not for perfection.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
– Lamentations 3:22-23
Even when lamenting there is room for hope!
I have great hope that my new plants will survive. I’ve kept some of them alive for a while now, and they seem quite hardy. Here’s my new garden…
…and my new pots are now filled.
😀
