Hillsong | 1000 Fields of Roses

Gondolas On My Mind

I was dreading the advent of the hot weather this week.
I did have trouble yesterday – maybe hanging the washing in the sun (without a hat) wasn’t the best choice – but today has been on the right side of sunshine.
I’ve spent the first part of this week mulling over life, and living. A great evening service on Sunday night, and an inspiring Zoom call last night, have got me fired up for…something. Not sure of specifics yet! But I’ve been taking my time, and thinking through, and reading some books I’ve had waiting for a while.

The Sisterchicks book is one I bought a few months ago. The book series involves women (friends) coming to some sort of crossroads in life, and working out where God wants them to go next. They always involve travel 🙂 This one is set in Venice. The two women are middle-aged, and looking back on their lives, in order to go forward.
I thought I could relate.
The other book is one I’ve had for thirty years, but haven’t really used yet.I originally got it to put prayer requests in, and there are a couple in there – both long answered ❤ I’ve started writing in it now – I keep it with my daily devotional/writing books.
There’s no publishing date in it, but Google tells me it was published in 1870, and my copy has a newspaper clipping in it from 1869. I found it in a little second-hand bookshop in St Mary’s, Southampton (on the 10th May, 1994). And the preface is by J.C.Ryle, which I hadn’t noticed before now…

I feel like it’s been a good week so far!
I spent most of the afternoon in my cosy chair in the art room, with the windows open, an incense stick burning, and looking through papers while listening to old CDs.

Well, that’s a blast from the past!
Makes me feel young again 🙂

Also –

It also reminds me that I’ve been around for a while.

The sun is setting.
In the grand scheme of things, I don’t have too many years left.
Just enough to bring beauty,
add colour,
and let incense rise.

❤

Published in:

on August 28, 2024 at 6:06 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Hillsong, Sisterchicks, Soul Survivor

Where Beauty Began

Lately I have been reminded
of the artistry woven into the fabric of life,
the tapestry of existence on Earth.
The delight in the small things,
tiny details,
discoveries for every moment of our days.

I have been reminded
that we are created
by a Creator
to be creative –
each of us having a part to play
(and all our pieces are needed for the full picture!)
We can bring our unique gifts
to help hold back the darkness,
and uncover the Light.

All of us
artists,
born for community,
to navigate the hard times together,
and together, to rest.

Published in:

on November 24, 2021 at 9:22 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Hillsong

Lifting The Heavy

There’s been some beautiful heavy rain today. It’s made it easier to do the housework that’s needed doing – cooler days make the heavy work bearable.
The end of the school year means doing the more in depth cleaning that doesn’t get done so regularly (although much more often than once a year!) At least I can use the conversion chart that came with my virtual races to add some more distance to my challenges… the housework I’ve done today converts to around 10km. This gives me a sense of achievement, but I can also say that I felt every one of those kilometres!

Sweet Bean is embarking on his new adult life. Today was spent changing various accounts over to their adult versions, and was also the day to start applying for jobs. It won’t be too long before I have to start doing that as well, but I have a couple of weeks yet.
Everything is new and fresh, for the moment.
That sense of accomplishment is satisfying. Unfortunately, there is always more to do…

I shall bask in satisfaction until then, and enjoy my soundtrack for today!
😀

Published in:

on November 23, 2021 at 12:32 am Leave a Comment
Tags: Ellie Holcomb, Hillsong, The Conqueror Challenges

Looking Up

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on October 31, 2021 at 11:04 am Leave a Comment
Tags: Hillsong

As The World Darkens

I wasn’t planning to write today…
I’ve been catching up on some online things, which included checking out some folklore songs, and this song popped up on the YouTube side bar.

It’s getting colder here, and there’s rain this week. That’s a good thing, but it’s… still cold. It’ll get colder now, possibly fairly quickly, and I’ll bring out the snuggly blankets and socks. Right now I’m still in short sleeves and trying to decide if I’ll get too hot if I put socks on! 🙂
Some landscapes are breathtaking, and make me think of heaven – I don’t know what that looks like, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these earthly places are echoes. I didn’t, primarily, enjoy this clip for the lyrics, although they’re good. It’s the mountains, and the majesty (I had it on full screen, and there’s a bit at 4:18 where I just said, “Wow!”). There doesn’t seem to be an English word for that indefinable longing for a place that you’ve never been to – that sad sweet feeling of nostalgia, or possibly anticipation. Other languages have words – fernweh in German, hiraeth in Welsh – that approximate the yearning. In Ecclesiastes it says that “He has set eternity in our hearts“.
Different people will probably have different sparks that set off that light of eternity. For me, one spark is majestic mountains combined with cold, rainy weather 🙂

“Lord, You’re with me either way it goes.”

…and that’s the truth!

Published in:

on March 17, 2021 at 3:42 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Hillsong

Colour, Intensifying

I love bright colours. I wear them, and often surround myself with them.
Last week I finally got around to redecorating my armchair – I’ve had a brown woolly blanket on it for a while, but treated myself to a purple cotton throw a few days back. I bought it, brought it home, gave it a wash… and then put it to one side and forgot about it.

Here it is in full colour, with bright(ish) selfie 🙂

That unicorn cat type thing in the corner is lovely and squishy. It also came with a name, which I can’t quite remember…

A few days after this, my lovely friend came over with a bright watercolour hummingbird cushion for me ❤ so now it’s even more purply/pinky in my corner of the lounge room!

This weekend I’ve been attending the Colour Conference online. I haven’t been in quite a few years, for various reasons, but this year it cost less (no venue hire needed?) and I could log in from home.
Loved it! 😀
I’d forgotten how inspiring it is – worship, teaching (my hand aches, after scribbling notes all weekend at the speed of light!), and being reminded, again, of who I really am.
I have access to replays and bonus material until the end of May, so may see if anyone else wants to watch with me 🙂
I’ve already signed up for next year!

Here’s a couple of songs to enjoy ❤

Published in:

on March 13, 2021 at 9:08 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Colour Conference, Hillsong

Remembering Where The River Runs

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on March 12, 2021 at 9:36 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Hillsong

Communing In An Age Of Corona

We went to our church service on Sunday – the second time we’ve been since in-person meetings started up again. On other weekends either I’ve not been well, or we’ve missed out on tickets (there’s a number limit because of distancing). That’s OK – we enjoy the online service, and I’m happy to go less if it means somebody else gets to go instead.
I did want to be there this weekend, though, because it was Communion Sunday. Previously, we’ve participated at home with our bread and juice (or piece of muesli bar and apple juice with a bit of beetroot juice, on the week we forgot what day it was…). This time I just felt like actually being with other people.
I must confess, I hadn’t really thought how it would work in a time when too much handling is discouraged. Corona restrictions have caused problems, with activities we take for granted no longer being available. It’s also brought about innovation!
As we entered the sanctuary we all took our “bread and wine” in one package.

Sorry it’s blurry – it was a bit dark! That’s a sealed cup with grape juice, with a separate sealed wafer on top.

I’m not crazy about all the packaging re:wastage – hopefully it’s recyclable – but I’m impressed that someone saw the need and created a solution 🙂

I’m glad we went. We’ll probably stay home for a week or two and leave room for someone else. I know that some people have been having difficulties with not being able to meet in person for church services. It is a strange year, and everybody has different circumstances and needs in their lives. I do know that we are one body in Christ, wherever we are – important to each other and to the whole, whether we think we are or not! Having Zoom and Messenger Chat capability has been wonderful this year, but even if that has been difficult, you are included, and you are essential 🙂
I’ve always had a mental image of the global church as a series of lights, connecting across the world, shining out for the world to see…

If you’re feeling drab and light-less, look around and see where someone else is shining. If you’re shining at the moment, see who needs a bit of light!

We’re meant to go through the seasons together…
❤

Published in:

on November 10, 2020 at 5:29 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Communion, Hillsong

Worship In The Stillness

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on June 21, 2020 at 12:32 am Leave a Comment
Tags: Elevation Worship, Here Again, Hillsong, P E A C E

Waiting For The Day

…or – “The Flower Lady Strikes Again!” 😀
There’s a lady at church who hands out flowers every week – birthdays, anniversaries or when someone just needs cheering up. Some are planned (she must have a list of special days somewhere) and some are given to people she feels God is leading her to. It’s an amazing and important ministry!
Tomorrow is my birthday (yay!) so it was my turn this week. Sweet tiny roses, in beautiful pinks and oranges – just what I wanted ❤

Aren’t they lovely?

My Babe is out all day tomorrow, so he took me out for breakfast this morning at our favourite place.

Looking around the place this morning, it felt almost like I imagine a run down, but formerly genteel, stately house in a jungle would look like…

…with added fairy lights.

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Also hearts…and dragonflies!

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It’s nearly midnight now.
I’ll finish with a song we sang last night – went with a friend to a church service, where we were replenished and inspired.
I think I may take this as my birthday song! 🙂