Monthly Archives: April 2015

GOOD MORNING MONDAYS LINK PARTY

GOOD MORNING MONDAYS #27

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Here we go again, welcome to another Good Morning Mondays update and link up. I am amazed at how quickly the weeks are passing and we are already half way through April.

As I sit here writing this I am glad that I keep a daily diary because I can’t really remember what I did this past week :-).

My husband had another appointment with the dentist and all is good with his tooth now and he hasn’t any more pain. (Yay).

Our no 2 son was able to spend a morning helping his dad on a job up in (what we call) the bush. He had a great time and loves spending any time he can with his dad. I did warn his father though that he talked a lot, and that was one comment I got when they got home. Phew can he talk.

I suppose the more he talks, the more he asks, the more you tell and the more he learns.

We have been working really hard on their piano this week and their teacher was really pleased. I am amazed how repetition really works.

Friday night we had our granddaughters 2nd birthday tea. It takes us about 2 hours to get there but it was definitely worth it. We all had a great time and she is such a blessing and really cute.

She blew out her candles without too much spit and opened her present with such joy.

We actually arrived just as they were getting out of bed after their afternoon sleep and once she realised who we were she was so excited to see us. It brings such joy to my heart.

My daughter did a great job of cooking us all tea. There was 13 of us and the first dinner we have had like that with the other set of grandparents. There was also a few aunties and two uncles there too.

Here she is in her sparkly dress, her aunty ( our no 2 daughter – 9 years old) helped dress her.

DSC_1269She got a variety of presents and it was just fun watching her open them. Her parents have taught her well and she always opened the cards first, had a look inside, handed them to mum and then opened the present.

DSC_1273Here she is opening her new wheel barrow. She then used it as a rubbish bin and put all the scrap paper in there. She is going to be such a help out in the garden now.

DSC_1268Here is granddad with our youngest granddaughter.  I think it was all a bit overwhelming for her but she enjoyed sitting there and taking it all in. It is her birthday next month, so now she knows how it all goes.

We got home quite late but it was well worth it, we always enjoy getting together and family times are so special.

We then had to get up to go to music lessons but we were able to put them off a couple of hours, which was nice.

So that’s about it for me, now onto our link up.

Our top three posts this week were

thmb552b44a792499Children, Just Obey! God Says So by Aimee at A Work of Grace

thmb552c0c9cb2abdSewing a Modest Swimsuit by Jeannie at A Family, A Cabin, an Adventure

thmb552b65f05aa3aMy Bookshelf by Rebekah at Ready to be Offered

and my personal favourite is…

thmb552baa78e1ca6The Grass Is Greener and New Curriculum by Sara at Classically Homeschooling

Thank you ladies for taking the time to link up and thank you to everyone else. You are such a blessing to me.

I think I am home every day this week, which I am really looking forward to. I have some bedroom curtains to make and the children need some new home clothes, jumpers etc. I have everything I need to make these items, now I just need the time.

I am amazed at how God uses the every day to open our eyes to His glory and I am so grateful.

May God bless you all this week as you focus on Him, your family and those in need.

Blessings to you all dear friends.


Kitchen Diary

PASTA SALAD

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When our friend had her 60th birthday the other week we were asked to bring a salad or something for sweets. I chose a salad and I really wondered what I would take.

I decided to make a pasta salad using my own sourdough pasta and my daughters home made corn relish made from our own corn.

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I made the pasta first (go here to see how to make it) and then I cooled it under cold water.

Once it was cooled I added the jar of corn relish and some home made feta cheese (go here to see how to make this). I fried up some bacon and mixed the whole lot together.

It was delicious and was great heated up the next day as a side to go with our steak.

The pasta is really easy to make and doesn’t really take that long, but you do need to mix it in advance.

You could really add anything you like to this pasta and it is a great base for any salad or casserole.

ENJOY!!!

 

Diaries of the Heart

HOW DO YOU REACT…

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How do you react when someone tells you they are having another baby.

Do you react with excitement or with “Oh dear not another one”, or “you’ll be busy” or “are you trying for a boy/girl”.

After our first two children were born I was guilty of these statements. I truly believed that two children were enough. I am so thankful that God changed our hearts and blessed us with more children, we would have missed out on so much.

Our son-in-law and daughter are having their third child in September, this will be 3 in under 2 1/2 years. We are so excited and can’t wait for the new arrival.

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Our oldest granddaughter
When I tell people that we are going to be grandparents again I get asked how old the other children are and then when they hear they are two and under the next comment is “oh your daughter will be busy”.

Well of course she’ll be busy and have her hands full but they will be full of blessings.  Just because there will be heaps of work to do doesn’t mean that the blessings stop.

After discussion with my daughter on this issue I wonder why people are so negative. They don’t have to be kept up at nights or have to wash any nappies (diapers). It won’t cost them anything and no one is asking them for anything or have any expectations on them.

Come on lets get some excitement here.  Another child raised in a Godly home can only be an incredible blessing to our Lord and to those around us.

Yes raising children can be hard work but it is the best hard work that we will do.

Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

We didn’t get a quiver full but our home is full of joy, noise, mess, washing, ironing, cooking and cleaning, but also children with a heart for God and a heart to learn and help.

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Our oldest daughter with her youngest
GOOD MORNING MONDAYS LINK PARTY

GOOD MORNING MONDAYS #26

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Hey there everyone, welcome to another Good Morning Mondays Link Up. We have now reached our 6 month anniversary of this link up and I am so blessed at how it has grown over the past weeks and months and the new friends and developing relationships I have now.

I want to thank you all again (I know I thank you every week) because it really does mean that much to me, you all bless me so much.

This past week has been quite quiet here, which has been wonderful. Unfortunately No 2 son has been down with a cold which quite quickly turns to asthma. He has been inside most of the week, getting heaps of piano practice done and Lego building. Dad even had time to work on their big crane which he got for his birthday last year.

Our son just loves this time together and looks forward to really wet and cold days in winter and really hot days in summer because it is most likely Dad will be home and then out comes the Lego.

My husband has also been helping our No 1 son rebuild his ute (a 4 cylinder pickup truck). They have had the motor rebuilt and now they are fixing up the tray and will hopefully have the motor back in by the end of the week.  It is a big job but they enjoy working together and are creating great memories.

I have been enthused with all of you in the Northern Hemisphere doing your spring cleaning and although it is autumn here I have been having a bit of a clean up.

When we had lunch with friends on Easter Sunday we were so impressed with the fact that the television wasn’t the centre of their living area. They have a lovely uncluttered living room with a computer screen off to one side as their television.

Both their family and ours only use the television for watching DVD’s but ours is still a big set and almost the focus of attention when we sit in our living room. So I moved things around a bit and got rid of an arm chair (old and had it) and made it so that the television was not right in our line of view when we sit together.

We did have piano lessons on Saturday as their teacher was a bit concerned about how they were going and the number of lessons between now and the local eisteddfod.  I like to think that she just loves seeing us and missed us 🙂

Sorry not a very exciting week here but being home is just great.

Onto our link up.

Our top three posts this week were…

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Families come in different shapes and sizes by Jo at Stop Have a Chat
thmb5521fcb6b8d87Organize Your Life with These Amazing Free Printables by Kathy at Cornerstone Confessions

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We Really Really Want Your Kids in Church So… by Rebecca at Mary and Martha’s House

and my personal favourite is…

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Giving Everything You Have by The Farmers Wife at Growing In His Grace

These posts were great and I encourage you all to have a look at them if you haven’t already, you will definitely be blessed.

My husband and I are off to the dentist tomorrow to check out how his tooth is going. Praise God for sorting it out and he hasn’t had any pain for ages now.

Our oldest granddaughter is turning two next week so we are having a dinner this Friday night to celebrate her birthday. I am not sure whether we are staying the night or not yet, but it will be just lovely to be together and it isn’t often that we catch up with the other set of grandparents so it should be a great evening.

I have been thinking about our friends lately and how we can help them when they are going through tough times. Sometimes I think it would be easier on our hearts to not have friends because it is really hard when they are facing difficulties, but that is just a cop out.

God has placed us in a fellowship of believers to be a family and to be there for each other and I pray that God will lead and guide us to do this.

I hope you all have a great week and that God will bless you abundantly.

and don’t worry I will have heaps of photos to share with you next week…


Diaries of the Heart

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US….

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We received some sad and disappointing news last night.

Last year I asked you to pray for a good friend of ours Mr H as he was going into hospital to have a cancerous tumour removed from his liver.

The operation had been a success and his test results in the New Year had been clear and favourable, which was such a blessing after two years of fighting the cancer.

During his follow up tests this last week Mr H received news that there was more cancer in his lymph node and possibly another spot on his liver.

Understandably both Mr H and his wife and family are very upset over this news. They all thought that he was on the mend. He was looking much better and was getting his cheekiness back, we were all positive he would receive a good result.

So I must admit I was feeling rather down and sad this morning during worship, but it never ceases to amaze me how God speaks to us at just the right moment, how he can take away our fear and give us peace.

Our first hymn this morning was

nothing in all creation

What a comfort this was this morning to sing this knowing that even though we are facing difficult times that nothing can separate us from God, not even death.

Mr H has no fear of death and he definitely isn’t worried about dying but naturally he is concerned for his wife and grown daughters and leaving them behind. His faith is a wonderful example to us.

Thank you Lord that you hold us so close to you thank you that you love us that much.

7448835930_92db32399b_qIf you can please pray for Mr H and his family, he has three grown daughter, two of whom are married.

 

Pig Diary

DOWN ON THE FARM – PIGLET UPDATE

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Our piglets are a few weeks old now and I thought it was time to show you some more photos of the little darlings !!!

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Here are half of them trying to get a feed. When the mother is finished with them (not the other way round) she sits up and tucks her teats underneath her.

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The piglets are a little hard to contain at the moment as they are small enough to get through the panels on their pen.

They enjoy roaming around and seem to do this on mass. When one goes all go.  They wander quite a way too.

I am just glad that they are not into digging up our back lawn yet!!

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Here are the bigger ones in the pen behind. There is going to be a big butchering day hopefully later this month, so our freezer will be full of sausages again.

My husband is keen to make bacon and do some curing / drying of meat, so I will keep you updated on how that goes.

Until next time….

Diaries of the Heart

A CHILD’S FAITH…

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When we had our weekend away our children had the opportunity to have a fly on some high ropes, it was basically a big swing in the air.

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Here is our youngest son (7 years old) in his harness ready to go. He wasn’t afraid at all, he trusted that his father and brother and the other men on the end of the rope lifting him up and letting him down were going to look after him.

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These are the men who kept him safe, they are taking their harnesses off after they swung him. My husband and his father is on the left. He’s the handsome one along with our no 1  son on the far right.

Below is our son up in the air about 10 metres (30 feet).  He even let go of his harness at one stage and put his arms out.  He really enjoyed this. DSC_1109

He did admit later that it was a bit scary when he first went up but he thought it was great fun, and would have done it again if we would have had the time.

I want that type of faith. The pure swing me in the air God and I will trust you although it may be scary type of faith.

I want that simple trusting faith without all the baggage that comes with being an adult.

What lessons we can learn from our children.

Matthew 18:3  and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

Kitchen Diary

MY SCROLL RECIPE

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Scrolls are one of my favourite bread items, they are just yummy and so easy to make.

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (or honey – soften in the warm water)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon of bread improver (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 cups warm water (not hot)

This is my basic bread dough, you can use white flour or wholemeal or a mixture of both if you prefer.

This is so easy, mix dry, mix wet and add together and mix into dough ball.  You may need more water but you don’t want the dough too wet.

Turn ball out onto floured bench and knead until smooth. Roll out into a rectangle and spread whatever ingredients you want down the middle and roll up.

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This is chutney spread down the middle, to which I added cheese before rolling up.
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Here is the roll before I cut it up.

Slice up and place scrolls into a paper lined baking try. and bake for 35 minutes at 180 degrees C.

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When done turn out onto a tea towel and wrap around until cool.

IDEAS FOR FILLING MIXTURE

SAVOURY

  • chutney and cheese
  • bacon, onion and cheese (fry off the bacon and onion until soft first)
  • shredded ham, olives and mushrooms and of course cheese
  • corn relish and cheese
  • vegemite and cheese

SWEET

If you are making sweet rolls add a little more sugar or honey to the dough mixture.

  • jam
  • cream cheese and sultanas
  • stewed sliced apple and cinnamon
  • tahini and honey

The options are only limited to your imagination, use your favourite flavour combinations.

 

Diaries of the Heart

JESUS KNEW…

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If you’ve been around here since Christmas you will know that I am following  Soul Survival’s Bible in a Year reading plan and commentary.

We are now up to Luke in the New Testament and I know that I have read it before but this morning it just jumped out at me.

Luke 5: 17 – 26

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.[a] 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them,“Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Jesus saw the faith of the men who lowered the paralytic man down through the roof – what a lot of work to do that. Imagine lifting a man and his bed up onto the roof and then making a hole to lower him through. This wouldn’t have taken 5 mins.

But this really isn’t my point.

What stood out to me this morning was JESUS PERCEIVED THEIR THOUGHTS.

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them,“Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

Jesus knew what they were thinking, he knew what was in their hearts, whether good or bad.

Just imagine that, think about it, has it changed today?? Although Jesus isn’t here in bodily form, he still perceives what our thoughts are and what is in our hearts.

So although others may not know and maybe we don’t talk about it out loud – Jesus knows.

JESUS KNOWS OUR THOUGHTS – mmm just think about that, I know I am.

Blessings

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GOOD MORNING MONDAYS LINK PARTY

GOOD MORNING MONDAYS #25

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Welcome to another Good Morning Mondays. I hope you all had a happy and blessed Easter and that you are all rejoicing in our risen Lord.

What a most wonderful gift that we have been given by God, and what an awesome sacrifice that Jesus made just for us, just because He loved us. May our feeling of gratefulness not pass away as Easter recedes from our memory until next year.

We have had a busy weekend and I am feeling quite tired at the moment and I am looking forward to a few days at home to catch up on house work and music etc.

Mid week we went back to the dentist for my husband and they have finally sorted out his tooth issue and he is on the mend. It is amazing how debilitating pain can be and it is wonderful to see him get back his sense of humour which we all love.

It was such a warm day on Wednesday that after the dentist we took the children for a swim, most probably the last one for the year as it has cooled off again.

DSC_1159They had a great time and got wet and sandy. This time we took them to where the river meets the sea and there is a sand bank between the two, so the water was quite calm. Below is a view from the lookout above the river.

DSC_1167I spent a bit of the week getting ready for a market that our daughters and I went to on Saturday. So I was busy sewing and No 2 daughter was making birthday cards.

DSC_1187Above is a picture of our stall. We had aprons and bags and cot quilts and ponchos and seedlings and cards and headbands.  A lot of these items we had made before our No 1 daughter got married so we just added a few more things. I won’t say we made a heap of money but it was wonderful to spend time together.

The men came home and did another couple loads of wood and then spent the afternoon putting plastic over our aquaponics system, so they were very productive too.

Sunday we went to church and then had lunch with some friends of ours. It was a lovely afternoon of eating (too much) and talking the time away. The children had a lovely time together too.  It was great also to spend the weekend with our son-in-law and no 1 daughter and our grandchildren and it is just so nice when they arrive to see our oldest granddaughter get so excited to see us, it just warms the heart.

So enough about me let’s get onto our link up.

Our top three posts this week were….

thmb5518612bc5304Why Do I Work? by Jo at Stop…have a chat

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The Hardest Prayer by Cheryl at Homespun Devotions

thmb5518616495d3cA Brief History of Women and Work by Jo at Stop…have a chat

Congratulations ladies on being our top three and thank you for linking up.

Thank you also to everyone  for taking the time to stop by and link up.

I need to apologise to some of you because I haven’t had time to read and comment on all your posts this week. I really want you all to know that this isn’t the way I want it to be but it all just got away from me this week. I will hopefully be back on track this week so please continue to link up because I and others are so encouraged.

This week isn’t so busy, which is great. We have a 60th birthday party tomorrow and then my daughter and I have a sewing day on Thursday but that’s it – yay.  No music lessons this week due to school holidays so I get to stay home all day on Saturday. We may have someone for lunch on Sunday but we will see how the week goes.

Our no 1 daughter brought me 50 bottles of stewed apples for my pantry. She did a great job and did well over 100 bottles for her family as well. We picked more apples this last week and I am going to try and bottle some apple juice as well as some for pie fillings.

I have a prayer request and I ask that if you have time if you could pray for a lady at church who has breast cancer. The chemotherapy has really been hard for her and she has been in hospital a lot.  Mrs C’s daughter died of breast cancer about 18 years ago and Mrs C and her husband raised their grandson after his mother died.

May you all have a great week and may we remember to keep our eyes looking outwards to how we can help others and not inward on ourselves.

Blessings my friends.