On our way back from New South Wales last weekend, we stopped off at Maclean, and had a cuppa at the teashop there, Ripples on the Clarence… I’d had a look through the window when I was there with my friend a while back, so it was nice to go in. I chose a hot chocolate, and was offered a choice of dark, milk or white, using real chocolate… that’s my kind of teashop!
Some of the lovely and unusual teapots on the wall..
Close up 😀
We’re back after a busy weekend checking out a Christian Community in New South Wales… we went to have a look at how things are run, and get an idea of issues that might need to be looked at when we eventually set up our community… it was very interesting, and we met a lot of lovely people..
We turned up on a weekend where the local Timber Festival was happening, so it wasn’t the average schedule… I found out how to make fence posts, though.. There was a barbeque on the Saturday night, where anyone and everyone can drop in, and church (in Coffs Harbour – an hour away) and picnic on the beach on the Sunday. It’s interesting to see the balance between community togetherness and the need for quiet, personal time..
Our original plan was to go for the weekend, with the view to go back this weekend for about four weeks… that’s not  going to work out at the moment, but we’re looking at Christmas/New Year.
Morning visitors..
Hi, joey!
This was the view from our doorway.. each dwelling is different – the place has a bit of a “cobbled together” look 😀
The dining/food prep etc area… those are railway carriages connected together, roofed and with the middle section built in, with tables etc..
The dinner bell, which can be heard wherever you are in the community.. the chair is so that the children can ring it (Littlest Bean had a go!)
The fire pit, where everyone gathers for the Saturday evening barbeque..
The view of the cliffs from the car on our way home.
It was a good weekend.
We’ll be back…
Sorry.
Not feeling well today.
A pun seemed the best solution….
Here’s the photos of our felt making workshop a couple of days ago… the process seemed quite simple, but still a lot of work (lots of rolling/agitating). I like the results – there’s a lot of potential there 😀
This was Biggest Boy’s piece –
He mumbled and grumbled before we started, then decided he’d “messed it up”… I thought it turned out well..
..as one of the instructors said, “In felting, there’s no mistakes – just opportunities!”
Littlest Bean had a great time!
He wanted to include Blue Bear on his piece, so it was an experiment for all concerned..
(Blue Bear was very excited to be immortalised in felt..)
I wanted hearts and flowers on mine.. it sort of worked.. lots of lovely colours, though! 😀
On Sunday afternoon there was a free workshop in town, so of course we were there 😀 It was basic weaving, with branches and vines… we did wreaths, but I saw others with big branches, weaving wool and fibres between the branches. It’s interesting to try some new skills, and we can expand on them later…
This was Littlest Bean’s.. he made the basic wreath, with a tree woven into the middle…
Biggest Boy made three wreaths, interwoven together… each is made woven through the other – he only twisted the sides together for stability..
This is mine.. I kept finding bits of wool that were so lovely, I wanted to use them somehow… it’s a sort of “tree in grass with a cloudy/overcast sky, with the sun shining through”…
We did felt making today… will post on that later! 😀
Littlest Bean went to a fancy dress party on Saturday. It was Disney themed, and he chose Dash from The Incredibles… we had to rustle up a costume that would withstand at least a bit of running around. It’s amazing what you can achieve with scraps of material, thread and a bit of glue 😀
Here’s our Superboy…
… and the action shots…
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We used a pair of his pyjamas, which had to be turned inside out to hide the tags/images (they were Batman pyjamas) but I think it worked OK..
I like gypsy caravans. They look beautiful, and seem quite romantic… probably a bit small for a family of four (quite expensive, as well)
Nevertheless, I’m going to indulge my romantic sensibilities (or not-so-sensibilities 😀 ) with a post about gypsy caravans…
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Look at the little birdhouse! 😀
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Putting the kettle on…..
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… and sitting down with a good book..
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Not too sure about the authenticity of this one!
Some interiors… lots of rich colours and fabrics..
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Happy travelling! 😀
We need to move out of here soon… not sure where we’re going to..
There’s options.. (well, one 😀 ) We’ll be packing and praying..
I feel like we’re moving off again into the unknown.. it’s all good (and even exciting!) but I would like a copy of the divine schedule sometime..
I thought I’d type in “into the unknown” into pinterest… I was a bit surprised that it brought up anything!
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This is how I feel sometimes.. complete with floaty skirts..
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Sometimes the journey seems a bit endless..
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..can’t see too far along the road..
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There’s a map?!?
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Open the gate..
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In the end, we just keep moving forward…
The Olympics are coming up….
RBC Ministries (who publish the daily devotional I use) offered a free DVD a couple of months ago, on the life of Eric Liddell. You may recognise the name from the 1981 film “Chariots of Fire”, about two runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Liddell is remembered as the dedicated Christian who refused to run on Sunday, but still went on to win gold medals in events that were not his favoured races… what is less known is that he went on from there to become a missionary/teacher in China, where he had been born to missionary parents… He was still there when the Second World War broke out, and Japan invaded China. He was interned in a Japanese prison camp, where he died of a brain tumour in 1945.
The DVD covers his life story, with personal recollections from friends (colleagues and students), and quotes from his writings… what struck me was that here was a man who achieved great fame early in life, but was content to give it all up in service to God… he was not remembered for his Olympic glory, but for his love and commitment to God, and his love for his neighbours, whoever they were – person after person remembered his ability to inspire joy and hope, even in prison.. they spoke of him as someone who would go to great lengths to help others, and to give all that he could… He was a man who lived out the Sermon on the Mount..
Early in the war he wrote a discipleship manual for the Chinese Christians… here is a quote –
” Victory over all the circumstances of life comes not by might, nor by power, but by a practical confidence in God and by allowing His Spirit to dwell in our hearts and control our actions and emotions.
Learn in the days of ease and comfort, to think in terms of the prayer that follows, so that when the days of hardship come you will be fully prepared and equipped to meet them.
Father, I pray that no circumstance however bitter or however long drawn out, may cause me to break Thy law, the Law of Love to Thee and to my neighbor. That I may not become resentful, have hurt feelings, hate, or become embittered by life’s experiences, but that in and through all I may see Thy guiding hand and have a heart full of gratitude for Thy daily mercy, daily love, daily power, and daily presence.
Help me in the day when I need it most to remember that:
‘Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen.”
Here was a man who lived as he believed. Although he was not to see his family again (they were evacuated earlier in the war, and he never saw his youngest daughter), he still knew that God was in control. There was a Salvation Army band in the camp, which played outside the hospital twice a week. A few days before he died, Eric Liddell sent a request for a hymn – Be Still My Soul
He ran well the race set before him.
By God’s grace, may we do the same..
I went to a Missions conference yesterday, where I heard a lot of things… challenging things, exciting things – heartbreaking things..
We were shown a couple of clips to start the day off.. this is one of them –
It’s a series of questions… what would your answers be?
Did your heart glow, while pumping a metaphorical fist in the air?
Were you offended?
Scoffing?
…or just plain puzzled?
Whatever your response, ask yourself the questions…
I would be interested to know your answers! 😀
Have been battling a monster headache today… feeling lethargic but lucid at the moment, so will share some sweet pinterest images to brighten your (and my) day 😀
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Good night! 😀
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...
