tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67024450990767205512024-02-19T00:55:05.913-08:00happy at herbgullyGod breathed ~ Day dreaming writer ~ Intent on planting seeds of love ~ Desiring to live life beautifully and slowlyhappy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-72881591630169198852020-08-22T22:55:00.004-07:002020-08-22T23:02:00.603-07:00A great wind has been blowing<p>How has this windy wind been making you feel?</p><p>Yesterday I spent the whole day bemoaning the wind and how it unsettled my soul, and I basically refused to go outside. Today however I got out there amongst it and it felt fabulous. Stepping outside this morning into the wind, with my lovely woolen beanie on, it simultaneously felt like old ways of thinking and being were blown away to make room for the new, and that the dull embers of my soul were being flamed. What currently feels like a dim light raged red with energy and excitement out in the wind.</p><p>I have worked very hard to build a nice, safe, comfortable life. If it is hot I put the air-conditioner on, if it is cold I put the heater on and generally if it is windy I stay inside, no reason to not be absolutely comfortable at all times right? We all love comfort. Most of my working life I have worked for other people, investing my creativity and passion and determination to make others money whilst I receive a lovely safe and sensible wage. I have my favourite television shows that I love to watch every week and we tick along in a pretty steady routine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a comfortable life, in fact it is a blessing but not if the comfort is killing me softly.</p><p>It feels like the wind has fanned the hot coals of the much larger furnace burning in my soul, the energy, the passion, the desire all being swirled around and like with a real fire it is hard to contain and control once it gets a new energy source. It is the wind today that made the fire flare up. It is fear of the unknown, fear about what people will think, feelings of unworthiness and comparison that keep the fire under control and me sitting pretty in my comfort zone. </p><p>However, the wind stirred up an underlying knowing deep inside of me and raised it to the surface. A big part of my day, each day, is spent settling for the mundane and I think it may be slowly robbing me of my physical health. My physical body and intuition is shouting at me yet I still I struggle to listen. Today's wind seemed to amplify the voice and the feeling to a level that was hard to ignore. Sure I felt very unsettled, and initially I didn't like it much at all, but then I could hear the whisper of God. That call to be courageous and strong and accept the invitation to step forward in faith and I know God rewards the brave, not only are there A LOT of Bible stories that feature bravery in seemingly very dire situations, but I have also witnessed it just in my own small life. </p><p>It is strange that I am dragging my feet so long on this because to change the current situation isn't even that hard, it just takes a huge leap of faith and some time and money but most importantly belief in myself. I actually want my girls to see that it is absolutely alright to take a risk, to step out in faith without any guarantee of the end result, to go on a journey of discovery and learn all the lessons along the way, and I think it is a lesson best learnt if you can observe and experience it, not just read about it on blogs or hear about it on Podcasts.</p><p>I would love to hear how you feel on windy days/weeks, and if you have any encouraging stories of when you were brave please share.</p><p>With much love on this windy day</p><p>Justine xx</p>happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-90846943047378958822020-08-15T22:59:00.022-07:002020-08-15T23:31:28.237-07:00Fly like a bird released (obligatory Coronavirus blog)<p>The world pandemic that is Coronavirus has made us cling to safety and control much tighter than ever before. Keeping our job seems to have become more crucial and trying to save and plan for a really uncertain future has escalated in priority. Shaking hands or hugging anyone outside our own household has become a fineable offense, staying home in lock down, not crossing state borders, sanitising before you enter any building, registering at every venue you visit, staying seated when you go to a Pub or restaurant ... we are living in truly strange times. The rules are currently endless, and constantly changing, and all are designed to keep us alive and well, so it seems like a good idea to follow them.</p><p>With all these rules it is easy to feel trapped and controlled which for me can trigger anger and the strong desire to rebel. Looking in from the outside it would seem I live a super conservative and comfortable life so why would a few more rules really matter, but being told to stay home and stay safe and keep your job and put more money in your superannuation account makes me want to sell everything, convert a bus into a really cool home, and run away with my family to become a full-time gypsy (check out @runningwld_mama on Instragram). For me this would clearly be a flight response. You know in Braveheart when William Wallace says "They may take away our lives but they'll never take our freedom", well that true sense of freedom speaks to my soul. From when our girls were very young they have had an artwork on their wall of a bird cage left opened and all the birds flying free, freedom is important to us all.</p><p>During this time of small time struggle Jesus has definitely taken the time to tinker (thank you Ps Shane for this great word) with my soul and prepare my heart to view the world, and the current situation, a little differently. For most of us being brave right now is more about staying physically put but not giving up, giving in or quitting. It is less about moving to a new town, starting a new job, travelling to an exotic country, selling everything to start a new business or abseiling off a cliff. It is more about being spiritually and personally brave in this very moment, it is about turning up and being authentic, now more than ever we need to remove the superficial masks and let our true 'child of God' self rise to the surface - which is probably the bravest thing any of us can ever do. This strange time is our personal invitation to be courageous, dig deep, and as Ps Bobbie Houston says "step out, press in and press on". This kind of brave will not give you an Insta worthy picture to share, which can make it seem a little less appealing, but it is possibly a million times more important than anything else, ever.</p><p>There are endless stories of how the current pandemic has made people realise how important their spouse and or/children are to them, how much they have enjoyed exploring their hobbies again, how crucial their faith really is during times of struggle. Many people have experienced an unraveling of what they had previously believed to be important. Researcher and Author Brene Brown explains when you have a life crisis it is "an unraveling - a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you're 'supposed' to live. The unravelling is a time when you are challenged to let go of who you think you are supposed to be and to embrace who you are".</p><p>Spiritual freedom is a concept that I have been contemplating. Living through a historic moment in time, like we are right now, gives all of us much more time to ponder, to consider what is important, what triggers us to respond in a certain ways, what stories we are telling ourselves and where true north is on our life compass. What makes us creates a "nice, little, safe, comfortable, complacent, ordinary life instead of pursuing a wild faith adventure?" (Christine Caine). The Bible tells us repeatedly to be strong and courageous, and this is the perfect time to consider what this truly means, what does strong and courageous look and feel like, right now, when the rubber hits the road.</p><p>So now that I have stopped raging against this perceived idea of control and lost freedom I have immersed myself in exploring the concept of spiritual freedom - how do we get it and what do I need to release from my life to truly experience the freedom that God promises us. Rather than feeling indignant about the Government telling me where I can and can't go, and seemingly gaining more and more control over our every day lives, I am trying to adjust the perception to consider what freedom really means. </p><p>Whilst we have lost so much freedom due to COVID-19 for us personally we have gained the freedom to plant a lot of trees on our little farm. This does not seem like much now but in 10 years time I can guarantee it will mean a lot. Considering the idea of freedom raises so many ideas, long held beliefs and thoughts within me, I start to think about what I have lost in the short-term and then what I have gained, and then when you extrapolate this out across the nation and globe it starts to blow my tiny little mind.</p><p>I would love to hear what the Coronavirus pandemic has challenged you to consider and think about?</p><p>With much love</p><p>Justine x</p><p>PS Just for the record I do think the time will come, sometime in the future, when we may need to fight to get some of our freedoms back but we can cross that bridge when we come to it, and this may call for a whole new level of courage and strength.</p>happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-55888088827230972742016-07-14T01:52:00.002-07:002016-07-14T01:52:31.856-07:00Earth wisdom<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Throughout
the tapestry of her life there had always been a thread of loneliness, in every
relationship, encounter and memory, for as long as she could remember. She felt
a deep yearning in her soul of a great purpose but the specific detail eluded
her. Her purpose in life was something she couldn’t grasp. This knowing without
really knowing kept her feeling slightly aloof from those she loved and liked, until
she met him.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Together
the loneliness dissipated and the need to understand the greater purpose no
longer seemed quite so important. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Let’s
just do it Lach, come on it will be fun,” Jas excitedly declared into the still
and peaceful room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It was
a sleepy Saturday afternoon in a quiet country town. Lying together they could hear a housemate
doing some dishes, the churning of an overloaded top loader washing machine,
the occasional car driving past, the sound of a lawn mower in the distance and the
high pitched protests of tired children fighting. Then of course there was Costa, breathing heavy
next to the bed, as he patiently waited for somebody to
stir and maybe take him for a walk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Do
what?” Lach sleepily murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Travel
around Australia together. Let’s just quit our jobs, sell our stuff and drive
around Australia,” in that moment, right then and there Jas thought it sounded
so easy and brilliant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lach’s
practical brain still worked well even in a relaxed and semi-sleeping state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“What
would we travel in, how would we pay for it, where would we go first, where
would we work?” he rattled off a long list of practical and perfectly
legitimate questions, while Jas who was getting overly excited by the idea was
waving her hands around saying “Oh I don’t know, let’s just do it”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lach,
trying to hide his own excitement at the idea, conceded “Righto, let’s save our
money and plan to leave in a year, on one condition”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jas was
still caught up in her own fantasies, planning more persuasive arguments and
nearly missed the fact that Lach had just agreed. The conversation had just unexpectedly, and
positively, accelerated and Jas wasn’t keeping up, she didn’t know what to say
next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Did
you hear me Jas, on one condition,” Lach repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Oh,
sorry babe, what is the condition,” she said, still stunned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“I want
you to marry me before we go”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jas
prided herself on being a level headed, sensible, educated and fairly rational
young woman but in that moment she forget herself and squealed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">She sat
staring dumbly at Lach, she was thinking to herself “This sort of thing does
not happen to me. This is what happens to beautiful people, or rich people, or
interesting and famous people but not me. Is it a joke? He wouldn’t do that,
would he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Before
she could still her racing mind and gather her thoughts enough to speak Lach
reached over with a big smile and playful pushed Jas onto her back, looking
intently into her face, his eyes filled with laughter, love, hope and a bit of
fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jas,
trying to gain a little bit of control of this situation, used her hip to rock
Lach upwards and pushed him onto his back. She looked at him and asked
earnestly “Why, why would you want to marry me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Because
I love you and if I have to carry this ring around in my bag any longer my
nerves will give me a bloody stroke”, Lach hopped up and in one step was over
at his bag reaching in for something. He knelt beside the bed, opened the ring
box and revealed a sweet diamond cluster ring. Jas cried, taking the ring, she
slipped it onto her finger and she kissed her fiancé.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">After
nine months of living like hermits and scrimping and saving every single cent their
trip was finally a reality. At work Jas had printed and laminated the
motivational sign “Laugh more, live longer”, and arriving home with a bottle of
chilled champagne, she grabbed three glasses, raced out and stuck the sign inside
the bus and declared “Now it is ready”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lach
and his Dad, Bede, stood back from the now complete project and shook hands,
and then reluctantly and awkwardly embraced. The father son duo had worked on
renovating the bus and the end result was terrific but Bede knew his
beloved son would be driving off into the sunset with no real plan to return. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Meanwhile
Jas excitedly opened every cupboard, sat on every seat, opened the microwave
and loudly announced “This is more exciting then when I got Strawberry
Shortcake for Christmas”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“What
about when we got married”, Lach retorted and Jas dismissively and playfully
said “Oh yeah and that too”, giving her husband a sideways grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Just
weeks later, after most of their possessions had been sold and the rest placed
in storage, they turned the key in their brand new home. It was the most
surreal feeling and amongst the excited goodbye hugs, calls of good wishes and
teary waves that feeling of loneliness began to creep into her consciousness
once again. However, t</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">he
anticipation and excitement on their very first night of camping alone was
exhilarating and enough to overshadow any feelings of doubt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Well Mrs Milton, I am off to catch you a fish
for dinner” and then in his very worst Neanderthal impersonation Lach added “You,
woman, must prepare vegetables”, and he walked, more quickly than usual, towards
the river.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Whatever! I’ll wait and see if you catch anything first Rex Hunt” Jas yelled after him,
as she reclined in her swanky new camp chair to read her book, and she
cautiously opened her heart just a little more and let the feelings of
happiness and joy wash over her soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Only
minutes later she looked up to see her hunter-gatherer husband wrestling with
his line that was very obviously snagged, and giggling to herself she thought “It
will be sausages for dinner tonight”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Not too
much later Lach returned heading to the back of the bus and loudly pulled out
the old gas barbeque, but after a packet of matches and still no flame he
banged around in the bus for a while. Jas then heard him open the microwave and
soon she smelt the familiar scent of cheese and chives pasta and sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">She
couldn’t help it, she laughed at him, Lach leapt out of the bus and picked her
up, carrying her towards the river pretending to throw her in. She laughed loud
and big and again let the love wash over her completely and the quote “I just
wanna go on more adventures, be around good energy, connect with people, learn
new things, grow” raced into her head and tickled all her senses. Right now
life was better than she ever imagined possible and their journey was just
beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Each
day of bliss was followed by another and another. The sense of freedom and excitement
at the start of each day never got boring. They created and shared wonderful
moments and memories together. Days
spent swimming in crystal clear beaches on the south coast of New South Wales,
riding bikes through the historical regional townships of Victoria, stopping continuously
to admire the endless beauty of the Great Ocean Road and surviving restless
nights in the potentially murderous roadside camp sites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It was on
the Nullabor Plain that the spirit of the country started to become undeniably noticeable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">One
night, not far from the West Australian border she stood barefoot on the earth.
A surge of ancient and wise energy came from the dirt and moved through her
body. She had never experienced such raw spirituality, especially not generated
from the ground. In that moment an appreciation of the spirit of the country began
to awaken in her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In the
setting sun Lach was walking towards her, she wanted to tell him that she had a
revelation, that she felt so loved, deeply loved and accepted by the land but
before she could speak Lach had his own announcement to make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Don’t go to the toilets, they are chock a
block of crap, stinks to freaking high heaven in there. You’ll have to pee behind that tiny bit of
scrub over there”, which for some reason he thought was amusing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jas
smiled to herself , up until that very moment she always assumed spiritual
awakenings happened in Churches, or at retreats, or at the very least in a room
with some incense, but no, wisdom can come to rest on your soul in the
most unusual and unexpected places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It was right
there that her thinking shifted forever. The barren and relentless Nullabor
Plains had tugged on her heart and pulled a thread in what she had always held
as true. As her feelings of loneliness started to unravel she caught a glimpsed
at the truth. Life really could be good and abundant and fun so long as she always
kept her feet firmly planted on this great and ancient land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-30720216211040572222016-06-03T18:51:00.002-07:002016-06-04T21:52:00.425-07:00What if my life is a direct result of lyrics from songs of the 90's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W1Cj1lCeH7dbgKJ_VavqDYnj58N1ALzK_h50ccnjF9b1VkL6PHGsQp1a1v0lvzoBsVbapAkNIO2PWR0KE0BPHObgUGXREOFYOjIDmpro2-ldELqe6GDqds_AUq9wJ_sn362qSRcgrks/s1600/IMG_5596%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W1Cj1lCeH7dbgKJ_VavqDYnj58N1ALzK_h50ccnjF9b1VkL6PHGsQp1a1v0lvzoBsVbapAkNIO2PWR0KE0BPHObgUGXREOFYOjIDmpro2-ldELqe6GDqds_AUq9wJ_sn362qSRcgrks/s200/IMG_5596%255B1%255D.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
Maybe it wasn't Mum and Dad, or the schools I went to, or my childhood experiences that have made me the adult I am today.<br />
<br />
Just maybe I am the direct result of a bunch of lyrics from the songs I listened to for a decade, or more.<br />
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Last night I had a revelation that the music you listen to really really matters, so this morning I woke up and deleted most of the current pop music off my daughter's iPod and replaced it with great classics to help guide her in life. She is only eight so I got away with it and she thinks ABBA is cool so we are sweet, for now.<br />
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I went to the school musical on the weekend and the basic premise of the play is the 'popular' senior girls at a high school form a pop-band to win a Talent Show title and a three year music deal and when the boys find out they form a rival pop-band. It was set in the 1990's - awesome!!<br />
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As the music played out I knew all the song lyrics, word for word (I was in High School and University in the 1990's so a huge part of my life), it was such fun. I began to think these songs may have played a major role in the formation of my thoughts and beliefs and possibly influenced some major decisions in my life.<br />
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Can't Fight the moonlight for example, could be responsible for my great love and respect for the power of the moon, check out these lyrics:<br />
Underneath the starlight - starlight<br />
There's a magical feeling - so right<br />
It'll steal your heart tonight<br />
You can try to resist<br />
Try to hide from my kiss<br />
But you know<br />
But you know you can't fight the moonlight<br />
<br />
My addiction to self-discovery and self-love, constantly improving my understanding of how my mind works and trying to be my most authentic self, probably comes from Mariah Carey and the song Hero:<br />
There's a hero<br />
If you look inside your heart<br />
You don't have to be afraid<br />
Of what you are<br />
There's an answer<br />
If you reach into your soul<br />
<br />
I like to talk waving my hands around and adding expression and emphasis for effect, I like to tell stories with just a touch of exaggeration and I think, for that, I can blame Boyz II Men, how dramatic is End of the Road:<br />
When I can't sleep at night without holding you tight<br />
Girl, each time I try I just break down and cry<br />
Pain in my head oh I'd rather be dead<br />
Spinnin' around and around<br />
Although we've come to the end of the road<br />
Still I can't let you go<br />
<br />
I live fairly independently, we live a long way from family, I like to think I can do most things on my own, I find it hard to ask for help sometimes, often to my own detriment and if I don't want to be somewhere or do something then I am gone, I think MC Hammer might be behind this:<br />
I told you homeboy (You can't touch this)<br />
Yeah, that's how we living and you know (You can't touch this)<br />
Look at my eyes, man (You can't touch this)<br />
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The idea of settling, of this being as good as it gets, frustrates me, I feel we are always stretching, improving, growing and check out the lyrics to Moving on Up:<br />
Cause I'm moving on up, you're moving on out<br />
Movin' on up, nothing can stop me<br />
Moving on up, you're moving on out<br />
Time to break free, nothing can stop me.<br />
<br />
I also believe that little by little, step by step, day by day if each one of us does good we can change the world, through constant commitment small actions lead to big changes and what if this 'wisdom' comes from New Kids on the Block:<br />
(step)<br />
(step)<br />
(step)<br />
(step)<br />
(step by step)<br />
Step 1: We can have lots of fun<br />
Step 2: There's so much we can do<br />
Step 3: It's just you and me<br />
Step 4: I can give you more<br />
Step 5: Don't you know that the time has arrived<br />
<br />
Then of course I love to laugh and have fun, there were so many good fun songs in the 1990's like Teenage Dirt- Bag, Too sexy, Who let the dogs out. Songs that don't take themselves seriously and are sung and danced for fun, pure fun and silliness.<br />
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I am writing this a little bit tongue-in-cheek and just having a bit of fun, but maybe you might like to check the music you have playing in your office, home and car just to be on the safe side!!<br />
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I'd love to know some of your favourite songs from the 1990's.<br />
<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-26468313839515940862016-06-03T16:48:00.000-07:002016-06-03T17:09:54.996-07:00I got highlacked by anger but laughter grounded me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh my goodness, I took life way too seriously this week and it hurt my soul and made me tired.<br />
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When my life motto comes from planet Sark "Saunter slowly in the sun, eat chocolate cake, and carry a blanket so you can nap", seriousness just doesn't sit well with me.<br />
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I know life is serious sometimes but I am a little bit embarrassed about the issue that made me take life so seriously. The school Principal announced he was cancelling school girl netball ... and we love netball and we love(d) our school.<br />
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We love the game, we love the community, we love playing for our school and it was unceremoniously being taken away without consultation and that made me really mad and deeply sad.<br />
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It seemed like a great injustice was taking place and resistance was called for. It was a terrible decision that impacts not only our school community but the health, social and economic fabric of our wonderful district. School girl netball is a forty year tradition in this district, it is inclusive and it is very affordable, it is really really fun, and the decision maker(s) didn't seem to give two hoots.<br />
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For me life is about relationship and netball was a place where many great and diverse relationships were formed and strengthened. I could not find peace so I did what I do, I wrote a lot of letters to the Principal, the Mayor, the newspaper, the local member, and shared my concerns on Facebook.<br />
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Writing always makes me feel better but not this time, the fury kept rising. Even after an hour and a half of Radiant Light Yoga I could not find peace. I think I contaminated the energy in the yoga room too with my negative vibes ... oops.<br />
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However as the sun rose this morning my soul felt lighter. The problem is not solved but last night we went to the school musical and as four big-hearted, semi-talented teenage boys stood on stage singing and dancing to "I'm too sexy for my shirt" the anger faded, when the senior teachers sang "Teenage Dirt Bag" my spirits began to lift.<br />
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I was reminded again that life is fun, being funny is awesome, light-heartedness is a good thing.<br />
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Smiling and laughing centred me, it gave me a bit more clarity and perspective. Feeling part of our fun school community again made me happy. Seeing students shine joy and fun was fabulous.<br />
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There is always going to be seriousness in life, it is absolutely unavoidable.<br />
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We are called to stand up when we see injustice and wrong-doing.<br />
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We are called to be the light of this world and it is our intent to fight the good fight and finish the race.<br />
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We are called to use our blessings to bless others.<br />
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But seriously, I don't need to take life too seriously because none of us get out of here alive.<br />
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I need to remember to laugh, and find joy and look for the miracles and the magic and the kindness and the softness because these are the things I love.<br />
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So even though I am still really mad about school girl netball being dumped, and I really do not agree with the decision, I am choosing the higher perspective. I will be part of the solution with other proactive and passionate members of the community and I will probably make fun of the Principal behind his back, because it will make me feel better because I am a mere-mortal after all, and surely Principals are totally accustomed to that :-)<br />
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So as I skip off merrily to enjoy today I am sending you all loads of light, love, laughter and blessings<br />
Justine x<br />
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PS If you agree with the decision to dump school girl netball please do not comment on my blog ... it will cause me to judge you unfairly and unkindly and I don't want to do that!!</div>
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happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-28390443584390442016-05-18T18:40:00.001-07:002016-05-18T19:10:43.351-07:00Go with the flow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I often run out of puff ... today is one of those days.<br />
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Like everybody living in a busy world I have a million things circling around my head, a long list of 'to-do's' and the spinning merry-go-round of life keeps on turning.<br />
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I love my life. I am proud of how we live.<br />
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We try hard to live with intention and we try to make conscious choices all the time, and try to avoid living on auto-pilot.<br />
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We are conscious and committed to learning new and better ways to do life, to help make the world a better place, but the journey is slow and continuous.<br />
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Often what is important to us as a family, and me as an individual, is at odds with what our society tells us is important, It takes constant energy to stay true to what we believe, and to also let our knowledge and beliefs continually evolve and grow.<br />
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We have clear goals that we are working towards but sometimes it is tiring and feels like too much and not enough all at once.<br />
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In order to live the life I want, I require quite a lot of rest. It appears I need more rest than my husband, children and most people I know. But that is okay I think.<br />
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We live in a world where rest equates to laziness and I feel this. I often feel guilty about the amount of rest I need so I tell myself my body needs to rest on a biological or chemical level so my cells can keep doing what they need to do so I won't get cancer. Disclaimer this is based on no medical knowledge at all. This is just how I justify my need to rest, to myself ... so silly but it works so hey.<br />
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At the beginning of the year I chose a sacred word for 2016, a word that would help me set my intent for the year ahead, and after much prayer and meditation my word was <i>flow</i>.<br />
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This year I want to go with the flow more, listen and respect the rhythm of life, let go of constant expectation and to discover the joy in the moment.<br />
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I have not done this exceptionally well in every instance, I am still me after all with a lot of learnt behaviour under my belt. However I have honoured my 2016 sacred word and intend to do so even more as this year continues.<br />
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This morning I took some time to rest, and the word <i>flow</i> rested on my heart again. Despite the massive list of jobs I 'should' be doing, I went with the flow and listened to a fantastic talk by Tsh Oxenreider on the art of simple living, living holistically with your life's purpose. I am super keen to read her book "Notes from a Blue Bike" which will require me to rest even more so I can read it. Yay!<br />
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Now, almost three hours later I think I am almost ready to brush my hair, clean my teeth, get out of my track suit pants and head into 'the real world' to complete at least three tasks on that pesky 'to-do' list.<br />
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I would love to hear your thoughts on rest and its value and importance in your life.<br />
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With much love<br />
Justine xhappy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-90899863847230233062016-05-16T21:10:00.003-07:002016-05-16T21:16:21.314-07:00Time is the most precious gift<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOjGnJvLaIe-pVsABWWquoeKn1u7zKJ3ltTqb2sie8vy24qtRHeyMdzQXc8hrKko68S4YQTdXZzn9cdD9tAEBnvQ3g5JBo9WmwRo8v8r9hsMOuDMMWiv25wHjAO3DFRkC4DbdZvVdGXU/s1600/IMG_5341%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOjGnJvLaIe-pVsABWWquoeKn1u7zKJ3ltTqb2sie8vy24qtRHeyMdzQXc8hrKko68S4YQTdXZzn9cdD9tAEBnvQ3g5JBo9WmwRo8v8r9hsMOuDMMWiv25wHjAO3DFRkC4DbdZvVdGXU/s320/IMG_5341%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our free range chickens and our first ripe orange in 2016</td></tr>
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Time is possibly the one thing each and every person on earth has an equal quantity of.<br />
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The number of minutes and hours in each day does not change no matter how wealthy, how important, how old or how tall we are.<br />
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No matter where we live, how many children we have, the colour of our skin, our level of education, nothing changes how much time we have in each day.<br />
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The saying "The best things in life are free" is not entirely true because the greatest gift in life is time and it is priceless.<br />
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When somebody spends time with you, or takes time to do something for you it is costing them their time that they can never recoup.<br />
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No matter what they do they can never get that time back again.<br />
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Time is the most amazing and generous gift.<br />
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I saw something recently on Instagram that said "I have never bought anything with money. Everything I have was bought with pieces of time I sold from my life to a job that will never have paid enough when my time is up".<br />
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Time is this uber valuable commodity that we have limited access to, who knows when our time will be up, and we choose what we do with it each and every day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRrjQ_RA1IeBhMnvFa26O2l45zU_3_nHEiZcQXEqmPuqyp9Fb7iPtQRu3Minheffy33Zjbb4SduMwj9cfPhAgLnHycmuxBAUtL9QARvcLXhQIH_1TDVgdb4JqNsjYreboYUIhcwql7nU/s1600/IMG_0679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRrjQ_RA1IeBhMnvFa26O2l45zU_3_nHEiZcQXEqmPuqyp9Fb7iPtQRu3Minheffy33Zjbb4SduMwj9cfPhAgLnHycmuxBAUtL9QARvcLXhQIH_1TDVgdb4JqNsjYreboYUIhcwql7nU/s320/IMG_0679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very first trees being planted in our orchard in 2012</td></tr>
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Our little family dreams of living a more sustainable low impact life together, building this takes time.<br />
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We are trying to take time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. To live in peaceful dwellings, creating an undisturbed place of rest, sowing our seeds and letting our animals range free (paraphrased from Isaiah 32:16-20).<br />
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In hot old dusty Roma growing anything takes a lot of time, but we are certainly making progress and it is so deeply rewarding and it is a fun way to spend our time on earth.<br />
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We have helped and witnessed hundreds of trees grow, and we have seen many many hundreds die.<br />
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The sense of achievement we get when we harvest anything we have grown is overwhelming, and therefore must be shared on social media.<br />
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We eagerly await the day when we can share our produce with friends and family and when more people can come and share in this amazing place to draw near to mother earth.<br />
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The capacity to grow and eat our own food, a practice that would have been part of every Australian life until maybe a generation ago, is exhilarating.<br />
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We are learning new things, appreciating new things and witnessing new things everyday on this little journey of ours.<br />
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Like today for instance, when I went to buy a cauliflower from the supermarket and it only cost me $4, it blew my tiny little mind. For us to grow our own cauliflowers from seed takes many months and daily love and tender care and here is one for $4. If I calculated my time into the production of our half a dozen annual cauliflowers they would cost approximately ten thousands dollars!! If I had never grown a cauliflower it would not be possible to recognise how insanely cheap this was.<br />
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Time is a marvelous thing.<br />
Don't take time for granted.<br />
Time spells love.<br />
Don't sell your time too cheaply.<br />
When you say yes to something, you are saying no to something, or someone, else.<br />
Time is limited.<br />
Love is all that matters.<br />
Time waits for no one.<br />
Enjoy your time.<br />
Recognise the true value of time.<br />
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I would love to hear your thoughts on time.<br />
Much love<br />
Justine xhappy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-78229958779677243622016-04-14T20:24:00.001-07:002016-04-14T20:24:55.411-07:00Life is good<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is our dog Minnie Mae and she is filled with joy, it is like she literally bounds around all day projecting the positive affirmation "life is good" into the universe. As a result she does so happen to live a good life.<br />
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I don't bound through life with the same unbridled enthusiasm as Minnie Mae but whenever I utter the words "life is good" to people outside my little tribe I often get a look suggesting I am less intelligent, and perhaps uneducated to hold such a childlike view.<br />
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<br />
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I get responses like these:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Oh yeah, maybe for some</li>
<li>It is alright for you to say that, you aren't dealing with tragedy or grief or homelessness or depression or illness or domestic violence</li>
<li>Really, yeah it might be alright for you </li>
</ul>
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No matter what I see and hear I just can't help but feel in my heart that life is good.<br />
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I am not denying bad and evil exists, it does, in bucket loads, bad things happen to good people, I know that and it saddens me.<br />
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Yesterday I saw a little girl at Breakfast Club eating her free cereal and drinking her milk with such ferocity, it left me wondering how hungry she must feel most of the time if she comes to school with no breakfast.<br />
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Or knowing that there are small girls and young women trapped in sex slavery, kidnapped or tricked, beaten and raped until their soul is destroyed at the hands of heartless, awful greedy people. Life is not good to those poor sisters.<br />
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When I think of the massive number of worldwide refugees, people forced to flee their country, or the asylum seekers locked up on a Manus Island, living in fear. The disturbingly high rates of domestic violence, child abuse, drug and alcohol dependency, increasing suicide rates, the list goes on.<br />
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There is so much bad in the world, terribleness at every turn, on the radio, on the television, on social media in the newspapers, in our neighborhoods, schools and on the lips of people we talk to.<br />
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So why do I still feel that life is good.<br />
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God says "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". We have all been born with this knowledge coursing through our viens and it is in worship, prayer and living life in constant relationship with God that this knowledge grows and strengthens.<br />
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I am confident nothing good can come of focusing on the bad, it will make your heart harden, you will become a bitter, cranky, withered up person with all the joy and energy sucked out of your soul.<br />
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You know that song "Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones" ... I don't want dry bones.<br />
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To love magnificently in the face of all the bad is surely powerful and wonderful.<br />
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"The tallest oak in the forest was once just a little nut that held its ground", I want to be a little love nut holding my ground and eventually become a big oak, surrounded by other big oaks that have all grown from love. <br />
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Surely this will make a better world, if more of us believe life is good, if we feel safe and loved we will all make kinder and better decisions and choices that in turn will make life good, not just for us but those around us.<br />
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So are you a love nut that will hold your ground, do you want to live life like Minnie Mae, full of joy and wonderful anticipation of all the great blessings that may be coming your way today. I'd love to hear from you.<br />
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With much love<br />
Justine x<br />
<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-42042990816102082852016-04-06T00:23:00.000-07:002016-04-06T00:23:00.518-07:00The loveliness of holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" Psalm 19:1</div>
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We have just had a week holidaying in Brunswick Heads NSW and it is spectacularly beautiful, it is easy to appreciate and acknowledge the handiwork of our creative and artistic God when beauty abounds so profusely.</div>
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When the waves break on the edge of the water and stir up the sand, it honestly looks like golden glitter. The water is so clear and warm and the waves so soft that as you dive beneath the surface it is easy to imagine you are a mermaid. Everybody was happy and friendly, there were smiles galore. The diversity of delicious food created from fresh, local and organic produce was simply breathtaking. The live comedy show we saw had us laughing until it hurt, you know that almost out of control, tears streaming down your face, child like amusement. </div>
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Get this, they even have wine on tap at the very awesome Hotel Brunswick. Every day we spent at The Bruns was magnificent and every experience we shared was memorable.</div>
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After this perfect time of bliss and happiness I took some time to reflect on what I had learnt over the week so I can bring some of the wonderful joy from holidays into my every day world.</div>
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<b>Friendly people are awesome</b></div>
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Do you know the saying "Life in an echo, what you send out comes back", well obviously I was deliriously happy while I was on holidays and it felt like absolutely everybody else was too. It seemed everybody wore a smile from ear to ear, every person seemed friendly and chatty. Was this just how I was seeing the world through my rose coloured glasses, was my heart so full of love that it didn't really matter what anybody else was doing because all I could see was joy. or is everybody just genuinely happy at Brunswick Heads. </div>
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Either way it proves how important it is to be aware of your own state of mind, and the benefits of surrounding yourself with happy people and enjoyable experiences because it really does impact on your perception of reality. </div>
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<b>Live music, local beer, sea breezes and dancing children are a wonderful combination and a fabulous way to spend a Sunday afternoon</b></div>
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Hotel Brunswick is set outside under enormous poinciana trees surrounded by lush green hedges, and there is wine on tap, say no more!! We had a wonderful afternoon, however it is just one of the many reasons I could not live in Brunswick Heads, I think I would quickly become a regular at that pub.</div>
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Some things just happen on holidays, and that is okay.</div>
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<b>Beach towels are no longer cool ... apparently</b></div>
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We watched in awe as we saw beautiful people, both men and women, gracefully walk from the water to simply pick up a wrap of some description off the sand, skilfully drape it around themselves to become a stylish dress or masculine scarf and then leave smiling and laughing together.</div>
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Us on the other hand arrived at the beach with two beach umbrellas, four beach towels, sand toys, snacks, sun screen, drink bottles and a whole lot of noise. Nothing happened gently or delicately and we left as chaotically as we arrived, but with a few extra special shells.</div>
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It really is nice and fun to see how other people do things. Maya Angelou said "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better". There is always so much to learn, experience, observe and enjoy and going away on holidays often provides a wonderful opportunity to expand our minds and see and experience new things that will help us do better in our own day to day life.</div>
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<b>Everybody really is beautiful</b></div>
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Sometimes I can forgo getting into the water because it just seems too hard by the time everybody else is in, plus my swimmers are just some bargain bikini I picked up last holidays, they don't really fit properly and I need to apply so much sunscreen before I go swimming ... blah blah blah. This year I got in the water, repeatedly and thank goodness I did, it was supremely divine. It made me relax and cool and happy and as I looked around everybody on the beach did look beautiful. No matter what their body shape, or swimmers, or hair colour or skin tone ... every single person who was enjoying the water and the sun and living in the moment radiated beauty and joy. </div>
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I am sure there are plenty of other things I avoid in life because I think it is too much effort or I'm not good enough or I don't have the right clothes. Whatever, such lame excuses and I am just robbing myself of joy. When you jump in, experience all that is on offer, it really does not matter your ability, you outfit none of it ... when you are being true to yourself and having a red hot crack you are beautiful. "To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others, You need to accept yourself" Thich Nhat Hanh</div>
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<b>Even if you don't post it on Facebook it still happened</b></div>
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Say what now ... I do not believe that!! I tried so hard to live in the moment, not take too many photos, just share and experience with those I was with, without any need to share it with the world. FAIL ... I failed big time. I really truly tried and did not post anything on social media whilst I was on holidays but the minute I was home I just had to brag, I had to show my photos ... sorry.</div>
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Thank you Brunswick Heads for the wonderful holiday, we absolutely loved it, we felt truly blessed to visit this magical part of the earth and God willing we will be back again, soon xoxo</div>
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<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-86848332199160574822016-03-22T16:48:00.001-07:002016-03-22T16:48:11.005-07:00Celebrating Jesus, love, girl power and the moon this Easter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzYQDPjKLrtpM5w2mwY2yPDAPQxU5CHLomh69gAc9IFycxwWBhMxK3BhiXfuY2K5rK7q59AgTiZovfeKHYjWFkEtUlqeEMRpxynKdEf5rUyMtu-VVox_PtLOnHv1I7fXRg09Gq6IPYMc/s1600/Easter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzYQDPjKLrtpM5w2mwY2yPDAPQxU5CHLomh69gAc9IFycxwWBhMxK3BhiXfuY2K5rK7q59AgTiZovfeKHYjWFkEtUlqeEMRpxynKdEf5rUyMtu-VVox_PtLOnHv1I7fXRg09Gq6IPYMc/s320/Easter.JPG" width="225" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">I love Easter for so many reasons, it demonstrates the intense love God has for us and it represents forgiveness and hope like nothing else I have every experienced.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">I love the 'Journey to the cross', it is deeply powerful. Starting with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday followed by six weeks of readings that focus on the vital ministry of Jesus while he walked this earth. Then Palm Sunday, the Last Supper all as we move closer and closer to the profound moment of the resurrection. Each individual celebration having its own meaning but together they culminate to a crescendo-building occurrence, when it is announced "He has risen".</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">Secondly, I love that women feature significantly in the Bible at Easter. In our culture the women’s stories in the Bible have taken second place to the interests and needs of male biblical writers and male leaders in Christian churches, but at Easter women feature prominently and that makes me really happy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">The Gospels agree that at the most difficult moment in the Christian story, when Jesus hung on the cross exposed and suffering, it was his women followers who remained with him when everybody else had left. Then they helped Joseph of Arimathea take down his body and lay it in the tomb before dusk fell. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">The Gospels agree that, at the cross, there was a collection of women who had followed Jesus, some who had followed him all the way from Galilee.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">It was women who came to the tomb first, the angel spoke to Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, and said "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen".</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">Then in Mark 16:9 "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared to Mary Magdalene". God does nothing by accident, so the fact that women played such a vital part in this world and life changing moment in history is very pertinent and profound.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">I also love how the date of Easter each year is based on the first full moon after Equinox. Perfect balance between heaven and earth, a beautiful unison between spirituality, nature and mankind and a sign of respect for</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: notonashkarabic, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"> the astrology elements</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: notonashkarabic, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">. It is wonderful, everybody can look up at the sky each night for the week leading up to Easter, seeing the moon get bigger, creating anticipation for Easter Sunday. It is all inclusive and just magnificent.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">I love listening to the beautiful and powerful songs of Worship about the Cross, Calvary and forgiveness, I adore having an excuse to eat chocolate and it makes me smile big as I watch our children excitedly hunt for Easter Eggs.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "notonashkarabic" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">My prayer is that each one of us, no matter where we are, how we celebrate, or who we are with, that we will all experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ this Easter.</span></span>happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-4432246868334150772016-03-19T00:00:00.001-07:002016-03-19T00:09:34.843-07:00It's the vibe ... no that's it ... it's the vibe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">You can relax, sit down, take a breath and seriously don't worry ... be happy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">Take time to smell the roses, slow down and look at rainbows, stop and hear the birds singing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">Laugh, smile, let the tension be released from your shoulders.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">Rest assured all is well.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">When Dennis Denuto says in The Castle "it’s the vibe, and…no that’s it…it’s the vibe. I rest my case". This one statement "it's the vibe" was a profound insight about the meaning of life.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">Life ... it's the vibe, I rest my case.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">Recently I have attended the funerals of two beautiful women who lived long loving and fruitful lives. At both funerals the thoughts and memories shared by their relatives focused on what the women loved doing, the funny and quirky, the loving and kind, the exciting and fun, the memorable moments of their life.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px;">The people who attended were a reflection of the kind of relationships they had nurtured and treasured in their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Neither funeral focused on the mundane tasks of life, nobody mentioned the things these ladies couldn't do, nobody talked about the people who didn't love them.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">Nobody mentioned the size of their house, or the type of car they drove, nobody mentioned how much money they had in the bank. At both funerals the careers of the women was mentioned but in relation to how their healing and teaching qualities featured in all aspects of their life, not how many hours they spent earning money. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">The Committees both these women served on were mentioned, but not the hours they spent at meetings or fundraising but rather the valuable contribution they helped make to their community.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Nobody mentioned the lawn mowing, the dishes, the washing, the vacuuming, the bill paying, the crying, the worrying, the days nothing got done, the bad fashion choices or the bad hair days ... nobody. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">It gave me great hope that on that day, when our friends and relatives gather to celebrate our life and share their memories of us, it is all about 'the vibe' of our life. The guiding principals we use to make choices, the way we treat people, the way we love and what we do for fun and the trips we take and adventures we have.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">People remember us when we are happy, doing the things we love, being with the people we love and when we are being our most authentic self, this is memorable. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">It is our hobbies, our creative pursuits, what we do with our free time, how we speak to people, the kind and generous things we randomly do, these things are what are remembered.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">So if we want our funeral, and ultimately our life, to be good we need to spend time investing in the things that matter. Do more of what makes us smile, do more of what makes our heart sing, spend more time with the people we love. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Use our time on earth to plant seeds of love.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">In the Bible, Jesus says "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly", John 10:10. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">So there you have it, live your life abundantly, love deeply, have fun, be silly, dream, imagine, do all you can to enjoy the gift of life, for it is a gift.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "gudea" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">It's the vibe that matters, everything else is subaltern, inferior, lesser, petty. I rest my case.</span></span></span>happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-76212891813777184992016-03-06T18:29:00.000-08:002016-03-06T18:44:58.537-08:00A life well lived<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today our family mourns the loss of a wise, loving Grandma and Great Grandma, a beautiful lady who loved her family and lived her life well.<br />
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Kindness, love, gentleness, patience and peace were her trademark traits and the seeds she has planted live on, not only in the hearts of her decedents living now, but those not born yet, those who will follow us. Is there anything more beautiful or meaningful than to pass down such worthy attributes to those who are yet to come.<br />
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It raises the question of what does it mean to live a life well?<br />
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I have been blessed with a depth of amazing role models, so I have witnessed lives lived well.<br />
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For me a life lived well means to live in loving peaceful relationship with God, my family, my friends, my community and my world.<br />
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For me, the fruits of a life lived well are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Gifts bestowed upon us by God and lived out, little by little, each and every day.<br />
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Knowing what it means and looks like to live a life well does not mean it is easy to do.<br />
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No siree.<br />
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It takes every day bravery and courage to live a life well.<br />
<br />
It means not quitting, it requires staying in the arena even when you want to run. It means you need to keep dancing even when the music changes, and it changes regularly without warning.<br />
<br />
Little by little, step by step, building strength, gaining wisdom and increasing faithfulness is what creates a life well lived with eternal worth and lasting contributions that benefit future generations.<br />
<br />
In my life the people who have lived a life well have all had a profound relationship with Jesus Christ. This faith has meant they have walked through pain, joy, tragedy, triumph, heartbreak, terrible mistakes and wise choices, soul penetrating love and despairing loss and the whole gamut of ups and downs that life on earth gives us.<br />
<br />
It means that at times they celebrated and other times they just survived, but they did it and they did it well.<br />
<br />
Step by step, little by little they did it. They lived life well.<br />
<br />
I am proud to love, and be loved, by amazing people, who I admire and respect and who I know have prayed for me, and my family, in the dark of night when everybody else is asleep, so thank you, thank you, thank you.<br />
<br />
Today our minds rest on Grandma, on all the wonderful times we shared, the cups of teas, the biscuits, the unconditional love bestowed upon each one of us. <br />
<br />
We give thanks that her soul will rest in peace, she is reunited with Cec, and she no longer feels pain or sheds tears but rejoices knowing that she will share eternity with Jesus.<br />
<br />
To a life well lived, in loving memory of Granny xoxo<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-55814789975983698172016-02-29T03:02:00.002-08:002016-02-29T03:02:57.203-08:00That in itself is a tremendous thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsGB5gJDF5jmALX1x_Y8DMMC-oWCfJTXVzfrZFAhbJFECms2YKKHEr-zFh7oxOqk9IXxqJTHzemjZXQs0VDyWlpqZTtvnpuAKcU__GoZFP6ojfAYvWqHZvkxLxa1kpo2B-hd2RyUMjWQ/s1600/Anne+and+Diana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsGB5gJDF5jmALX1x_Y8DMMC-oWCfJTXVzfrZFAhbJFECms2YKKHEr-zFh7oxOqk9IXxqJTHzemjZXQs0VDyWlpqZTtvnpuAKcU__GoZFP6ojfAYvWqHZvkxLxa1kpo2B-hd2RyUMjWQ/s320/Anne+and+Diana.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Friendship, I am blessed to have known it and I treasure my friends. To me the value of my friends is far above rubies.<br />
<br />
I grew up loving Anne of Green Gables.<br />
<br />
In real life, our beloved dogs are named Gilbert and Minnie Mae as a testimony to my love and devotion to Anne and one of my all time bucket list wishes is to visit Prince Edward Island.<br />
<br />
An aspect of the early Anne of Green Gables stories that I adore is Anne's loyal friendship to Diana Barry. She loves Diana with her whole heart, she is her bosom friend. "A bosom friend" Anne explains to Marilla is "an intimate friend, you know - a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul".<br />
<br />
I never thought Diana was good enough for our Anne, but after Diana is invited to tea with tragic results and the girls are forced to say an eternal farewell there is no denying their love for each other.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
----</div>
"Ten minutes isn't very long to say an eternal farewell" said Anne tearfully. "Oh, Diana, will you promise faithfully never to forget me, the friend of your youth, no matter what dearer friends may caress thee?"<br />
<br />
"Indeed I will," sobbed Diana, "and I'll never have another bosom friend--I don't want to have. I couldn't love anybody as I love you."<br />
<br />
"Oh, Diana," cried Anne, clasping her hands, "do you <i>love</i> me?"<br />
<br />
"Why, of course I do. Didn't you know that?"<br />
<br />
"No." Anne drew a long breath. "I thought you <i>liked</i> me of course but I never hoped you <i>loved</i> me. Why, Diana, I didn't think anybody could love me. Nobody ever has loved me since I can remember. Oh, this is wonderful! It's a ray of light which will forever shine on the darkness of a path severed from thee, Diana. Oh, just say it once again."<br />
<br />
"I love you devotedly, Anne," said Diana staunchly, "and I always will, you may be sure of that."<br />
<br />
"And I will always love thee, Diana," said Anne, solemnly extending her hand.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-----</div>
<br />
Are you crying .... oh my goodness I am!! The point I was trying to make, before getting deliriously swept away in the beauty and romance of Anne of Green Gables, is friendship is such an important aspects of life.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I find my life quite repetitive, very similar tasks over and over.<br />
<br />
Also my life feels quite mundane, I am committed to loving my God, husband, family and planet but there is nothing headline grabbing about this, it takes a lot of small acts of kindness that I hope will one day add up to a life lived with love.<br />
<br />
However, if I were able to line up and parade before you MY friends well .... I know you, and in fact the world, would be impressed.<br />
<br />
My goodness, the people I get to call friends are the finest folk you could ever hope to meet. They have strength of character and determination of iron, their hearts are as big as the ocean and they love beyond belief. They are passionate and caring and kind and funny and hard working and beautiful and I love them so.<br />
<br />
Yes, I am bragging!!<br />
<br />
My friends include my husband and children, my Mum and my sister, my nieces and the crazy people that choose to love me even though they really do not have to ...mwah xx<br />
<br />
There was a time in my life when I was reckless with friendships but no more. My friends do truly mean the world to me. They shine bright sparkly glitter on even the dullest day and I feel truly blessed and to know and love them.<br />
<br />
I do not want to give the impression that there are hundreds of people in this clan I talk of, probably be lucky to be pushing twenty and some friends I see daily or weekly or monthly or annually, but this does not have any effect on the depth or importance of our friendship.<br />
<br />
So I would like to make a toast to all the Anne and Diana friendships out there, may your friendship live long and prosper.<br />
<br />
Your friends should<br />
motivate and inspire you.<br />
Your circle should<br />
be well rounded and supportive.<br />
Keep it tight.<br />
Quality over quantity,<br />
always.<br />
- simplereminders.com -<br />
<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-61228635260542759382016-02-20T23:01:00.002-08:002016-02-20T23:05:00.239-08:00Come, sit a while, and listen to your soul speak<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyIIWiuG5bxHX_TQMIiQrZVXe8PLwvPFbupk-z10MYU_0oMoA6R0S30Ao1r9pPiQiiDMtUidGTHavsExXm6J2H-vB4lZ4Hhqykr6JQ7LMtvxjhugkJbK7KyzG0l4gbNjKxVxt6ThmOiM/s1600/IMG_4366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyIIWiuG5bxHX_TQMIiQrZVXe8PLwvPFbupk-z10MYU_0oMoA6R0S30Ao1r9pPiQiiDMtUidGTHavsExXm6J2H-vB4lZ4Hhqykr6JQ7LMtvxjhugkJbK7KyzG0l4gbNjKxVxt6ThmOiM/s320/IMG_4366.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Hello sweet souls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“In the beginning, God created the
heavens and the earth ... And the spirit of God was hovering over the face of
the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This is how the Bible starts. God
spoke everything into existence ... 'and God said' ... from animals to oceans,
from stars to humans, and the moon and the sun. Then on the very last page of
the Bible Jesus says “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end” (Revelations 22:13). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This, to me, demonstrates that there
has always been, and will continue to be, a spirit element to absolutely
everything. The Spirit of God is in every single thing and every single person,
from the very start until the very end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This spiritual wisdom is ours for the
taking, it is free for us to receive, if we quiet ourselves enough to hear it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I absolutely love the spiritual aspect
of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">In my Applied Science studies I had the
opportunity to learn about Indigenous cultures, and I found the spiritual
aspects of cultural studies fascinating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="background: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Indigenous people
across the globe believed that animals, plants and everything else possessed a
spiritual essence, and this belief was so fundamental to every day existence it
was taken for granted and so they often didn’t even have a word to describe it.
</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="background: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">In Hawaiian Mysticism
mana is a life energy that flows through all things and is highly individual
and the Arapaho Indians<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>believed
all plants are our brothers and sisters and they talk to us and if we listen,
we can hear them.</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Today at Church I witnessed the Holy
Spirit working as members of our congregation were incredibly encouraging
towards each other. There was a lot of ‘Great work’, ‘I really love how
you...’, ‘Thank you’ and this isn’t really a common occurrence in our small
country Church and it was beautiful and uplifting to witness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I witness the Holy Spirit whenever I
see somebody doing what they truly love, whether it is teaching or preaching,
creating or growing, encouraging or loving, nurturing or providing. When
anything is being done with great generosity and kindness and love you know it
is the Holy Spirit, because the fruits of the Spirit are ‘love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’
(Galatians 5:22-23), without the Spirit these things are incredibly hard if not
impossible for us humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I feel the presence of the Spirit in
many ordinary moment, whether I am in nature, when my bare feet or hands
are in direct contact with earth, sand or sea; or when I am with those I
love most or at Church or when I pray, meditate, or when I am smudging our home
or at any time at all really. Yet when I am stressed, worried, fearful,
scared, angry or tired the Spirit seems much harder to hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">My hope is that increasingly more of us
will open our hearts and minds to the power of the Spirit, more of us will take
the time to be quiet and listen to our souls, that more of us will be able to
live our abundance and all of this will soon come to influence the way we
manage our environment; the way we love, raise and educate our children; the
way we build our economy and the way we interact and exist together locally and
globally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Poet nayyirah waheed writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">do not disrespect your heart, by<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">hearing what it needs, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">giving it the opposite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I have much hope for the future, I hope
this era of denying the Spirit is coming to an end, and my prayer is that we
listen more closely to our heart, and have the courage to acknowledge the power
of the Spirit in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Written with much love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Justine xx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-49774643412382651252016-02-18T18:51:00.002-08:002016-02-18T18:59:54.424-08:00Love the one you're with<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Gui3-0cO70JOgfvHi_Rp4hN4aHKYTDQzmZpTnYk7J1SsWn7Cc7Fq5KxMlVtJUU4iHCHhYTZtaNXo3oRuyHW8k4V5xT5miK3csk9xNNTKYEv1ImZ_Y-_sOZweslaGAIJbfMnEedHE0gw/s1600/IMG_4570-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Gui3-0cO70JOgfvHi_Rp4hN4aHKYTDQzmZpTnYk7J1SsWn7Cc7Fq5KxMlVtJUU4iHCHhYTZtaNXo3oRuyHW8k4V5xT5miK3csk9xNNTKYEv1ImZ_Y-_sOZweslaGAIJbfMnEedHE0gw/s200/IMG_4570-001.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Hello sweet angels of the earth<br />
<br />
My mind is all higgledy-piggledy so I go outside and walk on the earth .... and unexpectedly the thunder rumbles and the rain falls ... a passing thunderstorm and I run in the rain and stretch my arms up to the heavens and I let the fresh sweet smell of rain on hot earth fill my senses and it is a beautiful unexpected gift.<br />
<br />
My heart is filled to the brim with the message of <i>love the one you're with</i>. Love the earth you are standing on, love your body, your skin, your thoughts and love your partner and your children and your friends and your community and your Church and unreservedly love this time right here right now. Love the one you're with, cross the line, reach out, open up and love where you are right now. <br />
<br />
I don't think this means <i>settle for where you are</i>, I don't think this message equates to <i>this is as good as it gets,</i>i t doesn't mean <i>don't question the status quo</i> absolutely not.<br />
<br />
Be thankful today so you can appreciate all that is still to come. It means if your heart is filled with love you can appreciate all the good in your life, you can make good choices and sound decisions. It means you will feel good and people you meet along the way will feel good for spending time with you. It means the world will be a better place.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvajgWgx_36AzvlO_QAPfVILtvxiGWDyjV_HFLbJiW2W86HGWXNU9CeB-ckY_ovJ_EilFXTApduXG3RXY0lQg1N5RZV7Il4eMpoLCWOLR_NzKOBquOchUo60z4T5mgMXy6ZFs-6Gy9u5g/s1600/IMG_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvajgWgx_36AzvlO_QAPfVILtvxiGWDyjV_HFLbJiW2W86HGWXNU9CeB-ckY_ovJ_EilFXTApduXG3RXY0lQg1N5RZV7Il4eMpoLCWOLR_NzKOBquOchUo60z4T5mgMXy6ZFs-6Gy9u5g/s200/IMG_4427.JPG" width="200" /></a>Our time on earth is a passing gift, a time to live and grow and love and enjoy. So many people have trodden on the earth before me and they will continue to after me and I don't know how long I have, nobody does. I want to spend my time planting seeds of love and joy, because I know these seeds will grow and the harvest will be reaped for generations to come. Galatians 6:7 "Don't be misled -- you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant".<br />
<br />
Every time I watch an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? an Australian television documentary series on SBS I am astounded at the effect the experience has on all involved. All of the celebrities are deeply moved when they uncover the actions and life experiences of their ancestors, many of whom lived hundreds of years ago, still impacts on the everyday life of people today. Not only do we reap what we sow, so will our future descendants, what you think, say and do really does have long lasting consequences.<br />
<br />
Feelings of inadequacy still creep in for me, I feel like I should do more, my house should be tidier, I should work more hours and earn more money. Sometimes I get filled with fear about silly things like superannuation and university fees for our children and needing more clothes or shoes or a new car but this is just the message large corporations and the government are compelled to relentlessly repeat so they can make money - it is not a message coming from love rather it comes from greed and fear.<br />
<br />
So on this beautiful Friday can I encourage you to catch your thoughts and words, and take time to love the ones you are with today, tomorrow and every day there after. If you are in a place where this seems excruciatingly impossible call on the Lord as Psalm 34:18 says "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit".<br />
<br />
May you experience an avalanche of ordinary moments this weekend that fill you with love, and may you take the time to appreciate and treasure each one.<br />
<br />
Written with much love<br />
Justine xxhappy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-10427859960332347422016-02-14T17:45:00.001-08:002016-02-14T19:58:22.320-08:00The beat of angel wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love!! I love love. I love to surround myself with love, people I love, places I love, I feel incredibly blessed, and sometimes deeply drained, because I regularly feel overpowered by feelings of love. I love!! I also get furiously mad, I get filled with such anger and frustration. Sometimes I want to yell or push or smash or retaliate or hurt but thankfully mostly I don't because love triumphs, mostly.<br />
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I genuinely believe we can live a life overflowing with love, God chose to create us out of his great love "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Love can hurt, badly, when we have it, when we give it completely and it gets snatched away, and out of fear of loss or hurt or pain or of the unknown or of rejection we simply withhold our love, we try to keep it on a tight tether, maybe try to keep the upper hand, try and stay in control, maybe we hold back as a survival mechanism.<br />
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Love to me is soft and gentle and good, and should not need to be withheld ever. It brings with it joy and sadness, it brings with it triumph and loss, it brings with it a myriad of feelings I am unable to articulate but each one worthy of being felt and treasured. I have witnessed the deepest heartache and pain the loss of a child has caused, but would that parent ever wish they never loved with their whole heart, never. I have seen a devastated spouse bury their true love, on bended knee crying and wishing for just one more day. Do they regret one ounce of the love they shared, I doubt it.<br />
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Has anybody ever said "My greatest regret is that I loved too much"?<br />
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I try and imagine love as soft and gentle as a butterfly, it can not be captured or held against its will, it can not be manipulated or bought or sold, love is in the rhythm of our bodies, it is the beat of angel wings, it is not of this earth, and it is magnificently gloriously wonderful and bold and ever present.<br />
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I am loving the poetry of Nayyirah Waheed and one of her poems reads<br />
if you are softer<br />
than before<br />
they came<br />
you<br />
have been loved.<br />
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We are loved, it is infinite, we are surrounded by pure loving energy, each one of us can access and live in this love we just have to want to feel it. To be vulnerable, to open our hearts to it, to speak it out over our homes, lives, family and friends, it is free for us to share and give and gracefully receive, it is in words and deeds, and in places and things, it is abundant. It is a choice, love is a choice.<br />
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So my prayer today is that all of us choose love, set it as our highest goal, our most revered ambition, that we let go and fall into the loving arms of our Creator, that we see love swirling around each one of us, being breathed in and out, opening out our chest and letting love flood in to fill every part of our physical being and to just be a little bit softer, on ourselves, on those around us and on our planet.<br />
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Go softly my love xohappy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-23972187768963633172016-02-05T16:41:00.005-08:002016-02-05T16:41:53.511-08:00Five things I have learnt this weekMahatma Gandhi said "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever".<br />
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My sister, a teacher, is always telling me about how anything in life is possible if you are committed to learning. She is not necessarily talking about studying a structured course or the type of learning that will get you a certificate to frame and hang on the wall, rather the every day learning that comes from having an open, interested, alert and engaged mind.<br />
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Twenty-sixteen is shaping up to be a turbulent year for me in terms of spiritual growth, breaking down long held and unhelpful paradigms and planting the seeds of my dreams in the soil of reality. So it seems it will be the perfect opportunity to track some of my learning along the way.<br />
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1/ Psalm 34:3-6 says " Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! <b>I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears</b>. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles".<br />
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I am not sure I had read this before this week but I love it ... there are so many more beautiful lines in the Psalm "Seek peace and pursue it" and "The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit", 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good", it is full of love and hope and reassurance and it has been a real blessing for me this week.<br />
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2/ I attended <b>Radiant Light Yoga</b> for the second time and it was truly amazing. I have never experienced anything like it. For just a few minutes in the 90 minute session I felt a soul soothing happiness, a total release from the pressure of life and it was magnificent. I can't wait until next week.<br />
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3/ <b>Rain makes us happy</b>. It truly does, it is renewing and uplifting, it brings hope and joy and the promise of new life and prosperity and abundance. It cools everything down and settles the dust of the land and the spirit. Awww sweet sweet rain how we love you so.<br />
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4/ Wise and kind friends are golden. This I already knew but I was reminded of it this week. Proverb 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another", who we spend our time with can deeply enrich our lives and kindred spirits are nourishing soul food.<br />
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5/ When you photocopy documents to be certified make sure it is an absolutely <b>true and correct copy </b>without even a full stop missing, otherwise you will not get your document certified.<br />
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Life is more exciting and interesting when you are always looking for new things to learn ... my sister is definitely right.<br />
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Have you learnt anything this week you would like to share?happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-77254158295011120992016-02-02T04:27:00.000-08:002016-02-02T04:27:06.870-08:00You can't handle the truthTonight after the rain, the stars were out, the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking, I walked up our driveway crying out loudly because the words my daughter said to me before she went to bed were straight from my heart and I hated hearing them from her.<br />
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At dinner tonight I asked our eight year old if she had been asking another little girl in class for answers.<br />
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Well what followed was a bunch of excuses, tears and dramatics about not being able to concentrate, not knowing enough big words to answer the question, not being allowed to go on the computer all the time ... she was obviously getting desperate to avoid being blamed for something.<br />
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I tried to explain she wasn't in trouble I just really wanted her to answer her own questions and use her own mind. I didn't care if her answer was wrong or right just so long as it was hers. I went on to say she was amazingly clever and creative and thoughtful and could answer any question any way she wanted to. Please I begged just use your own mind. I believed every word I was saying, I was speaking absolute truth.<br />
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A lot more tears and hugging and she said 'I am not clever Mummy, I can't answer the questions, I won't get it right' and at that she sobbed rolled over and went to sleep.<br />
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I tried to shrug it off, that she was just tired and emotional but five minutes on and I was crying. All the time I tell myself, I am not clever at anything, I can't do it, I can't do life as well as those around me, I am a failure and I am worthless. My own insecurities that I try so hard to hide and mask I have inadvertently, through actions and deeds, passed them on to our precious daughter.<br />
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I walked up the drive crying, looking up to the stars, calling out to God about all my failings as a mother, wife, individual and I cried really really hard and hoped for answers. After a lot of wrestling I turned and walked home and I knew, the only way she will ever feel worthy is if I feel it and demonstrate it first. No matter what I say to her she is somehow seeing straight past the words to my thoughts and heart and she is cutting straight to the crux of it.<br />
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I don't know how to feel worthy, I try genuinely hard, I have every single day of my life, I have tried but I just don't feel it. I do know I am God breathed, I know that Jesus loves me, I believe I was created in God's image and I am somehow part of His perfect plan. I know these facts in my head, but I still do not feel worthy, it is not a truth I can easily accept but tonight demonstrated how absolutely crucial it is otherwise I am going to accidentally burden our children with similar unhelpful and untrue worries about their worth.<br />
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And so this parenting journey continues ... it is so raw and honest and soul wrenching and challenging on every level and I just need to be real with myself before I can pass on any real wisdom to our babies and it scares me because I don't know what real is, what if I can't handle the truth.happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-56705446840024843662016-01-29T18:26:00.001-08:002016-01-29T18:26:04.288-08:00May this home be firmly built upon faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have spent these past summer holidays in some beautiful parts of Australia with people that we love dearly. Now we are firmly deposited back home in Roma and I must admit I sometimes ponder why we love living here so much, and a lot of people ask us often 'Gawd ... why on earth do you live in Roma' {grimmace face}? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is remote for us (I don't think we have another blood relative within about 800kms and it is hot a lot of the time, really hot and dry. Our garden has a lot of fleabane weed which is proving near impossible to kill, we have planted hundreds of trees which take ages </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to grow</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, if they survive, because it is so hot and dry and freezing cold in winter, and we still have so much work to do on our little property to bring our dreams to fruition. The vision is GRAND!! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicBAtvwxd2sG50LHeMNh6zFhgaxHFbLItIg4ZMiJdkuwhElHehSfS9RMHyoJJVFEZ_rMYo0TiLfZYyk5FSvD7L7hofUMFeLC1yytR5J3cq_Jkuu54Ise92H_mWFQKka3BvdDX2prbZoE/s1600/IMG_4219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicBAtvwxd2sG50LHeMNh6zFhgaxHFbLItIg4ZMiJdkuwhElHehSfS9RMHyoJJVFEZ_rMYo0TiLfZYyk5FSvD7L7hofUMFeLC1yytR5J3cq_Jkuu54Ise92H_mWFQKka3BvdDX2prbZoE/s200/IMG_4219.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I admit to dreaming about living in a cute cottage in the breathtakingly beautiful hills of Bellingen, or just somewhere that is a wee bit cooler and greener and within maybe 200kms of the beach. Why do we feel most complete and happy living at Herbgully in Roma? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl9mQavH8voXbbWoYEKv_xSPz8c8zh6w3HBa9YhJycLiL1AufHB-PUUqbjoW9tMSz64bI2zM515slH6BQj-kaCvRke2_rcElFSRaygybFhgt2D9033zDQfFfwM987hv9Iwd0wThkxv2o/s1600/IMG_3331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl9mQavH8voXbbWoYEKv_xSPz8c8zh6w3HBa9YhJycLiL1AufHB-PUUqbjoW9tMSz64bI2zM515slH6BQj-kaCvRke2_rcElFSRaygybFhgt2D9033zDQfFfwM987hv9Iwd0wThkxv2o/s200/IMG_3331.JPG" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are so many reason we continue to happily live here, the gorgeous country school our girls go to, the passionate, kind and very proactive teachers and parents, oh and the girls dance teacher and singing teacher are both overflowing with kindness and talent and give of their time so generously and the volunteers who teach them touch football and netball are the best. They have so many opportunities to learn and grow and express themselves freely and they are loved. Our Church, oh my goodness our Church is beautiful and the Church family that exists within its walls we love with all our heart. We have celebrated numerous baptisms, Christmas and Easter Services and birthdays together. We have been through pain and disappointments and frustrations and grief but we keep doing life together, it is real and hard and teaches us about faithfulness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />The people we have met during our time in Roma are some of the most inspiring, kind, loving and funny friends we have ever met and just this week I have met two more beautiful souls who are sharing their knowledge and wisdom with me. People come and go from Roma all the time, which has caused us much heartbreak because we have loved many of them deeply (you know who you are) but we will be friends for life and we look forward to meeting those who we will cross paths with this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beauty of Roma is not instantly apparent, you need to look for it, you need to slow down and feel it, you need to take the time to love the people, you need to choose to see the good and the positive. This tough climate breeds tough people so it can seem harsh and off putting to begin with but the strength of spirit is second to none. The circumstances that bought us to Roma twelve years ago are funny and very hard to explain and I believe it was deeply spiritual. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know much about the ancestors of this great land but I think they were probably very happy, strong, healthy, wise and content here before the invasion, and I think they may have lived good lives and their energy remains in the earth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then there is the town name itself, Roma. Roma was named after Lady Diamantina Bowen (Contessa Diamantina di Roma), what a magnificent name that has great and powerful energy. Diamantina was described as "pretty" but tempered perhaps by the remark "her beauty being in her expression rather than her features", just like Roma the town. She was described as slender but graceful and coming from an aristocratic family she had a privileged well-educated upbringing. She could play the piano and sing well. Diamantina spoke English well but with a slight accent and it is claimed she spoke with her husband at home in her native Italian. All these wonderful qualities have been bestowed on our town because of the name.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Considering only about 8000 people live in Roma obviously a vast majority of people do not feel the same as us, we love doing life in Roma and feel incredibly blessed.</span><br />
<br />happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-82850160288271319842016-01-24T22:11:00.001-08:002016-01-24T22:16:28.927-08:00All my possessions for a moment of time"Enough is enough" I declared as I looked around the house at the end of school holidays, "We simply can not fit anymore stuff in our house and we are drowning in books, DVDs, clothes, craft supplies, pens, pencils, hair ties, necklaces, shoes and loads of little tiny things and it is painful. I am throwing it all out". My family just stood by in stunned silence wondering if they too may get thrown out.<br />
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Our pantry is full, our closets are full, the toy boxes are full, the bookshelves are full, the jewellery boxes are full. Every conceivable cupboard, drawer, shelf and bench space in our home is full. It burdens all of us with a huge responsibility to look after, pack away, maintain, use and appreciate all of these things which is increasingly more difficult. Each birthday, Christmas, Easter, trip to town we get more and it is unsustainable.<br />
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In my infinite wisdom I was going to introduce a moratorium on all presents whether it be clothes, books, craft supplies, ornaments, decorations, cards anything at all, it was all going to be prohibited from Herbgully. Our new family motto was going to be 'Stop buying stuff and start doing things' and our hashtag was going to be #stopthestuff. It was all perfectly planned.<br />
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However, I had dinner with a beautiful and wise friend who suggested maybe I was being a little too extreme, that same night another dear friend just said 'well I will still buy you stuff anyway because I love you'. The very next day we went to Eumundi Markets and saw so many beautiful hand crafted, clever and amazing things designed and made by creative artisans and my moratorium would've meant my home and life could never be blessed by any of this gorgeousness....EVER.<br />
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Further adding to the situation is that we live a long way from all of our family so the giving of gifts is a wonderful way to show our love, our children are loved deeply by many and they are often given gifts as a sign of love. I recognise that gift giving is a love language and it is how some people show their love, including myself. However we have run out of room. Short of extending the house we just do not have the necessary storage space for anymore of anything.<br />
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As I wrestled with how to move forward I turned to the Bible and in Luke 12:15 it says "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" and this brings me some comfort because my life does not consist in the abundance of my possessions, Life was not breathed into me so I could spend my days picking up, packing away, tidying up, yelling and feeling exasperated by all that we own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Edn_-e8qs13N6ni7sFLwzIIbVDLfYWAuwkdgEbroxE0gc4DUWCZ0CP929T-JuN_DZGRvv7r1NWc4zk-dMNXhgXUpDBGoS4P-uwQgY79Uz84ca4DKiafZ7VbBxZKE0eUY73DrjOnYZsE/s1600/possessions+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Edn_-e8qs13N6ni7sFLwzIIbVDLfYWAuwkdgEbroxE0gc4DUWCZ0CP929T-JuN_DZGRvv7r1NWc4zk-dMNXhgXUpDBGoS4P-uwQgY79Uz84ca4DKiafZ7VbBxZKE0eUY73DrjOnYZsE/s200/possessions+blog+2.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
However I do live in a beautiful world. The universe was created by the word of God and just in the past six weeks I have been to some of the most gorgeous wonders, including beaches and water falls and mountain streams and it is obvious God withheld nothings from His creation.<br />
<span style="color: black;">He poured beauty into it. When I look into the faces of my children and feel the intense love I have for my husband I know that God adores beauty and splendour and abundance. Even strolling around Eumundi Markets admiring the works of so many talented and creative souls, God created them to bring beauty into His world.</span><br />
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One's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, it has never been and will never be about the stuff but it doesn't mean having lovely things is bad, because lovely things make us smile and bring us joy.<br />
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We are going to try the process of holding everything we own near our hearts and determining if we love it, 'no love no stay'. Once we have more space to think and breathe we can be much more conscious about all future purchases and gifts and I really do think wonderful and unique experiences will make for some beautiful presents in the future.<br />
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It is just about being thoughtful and purposeful and intentional in all that we buy so we don't accidentally end up living a less than satisfactory life but rather so we can truly enjoy this life the way God intended.<br />
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Do you have any good tips of trying to reduce clutter from your home?happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-52048980017976916442016-01-19T01:40:00.000-08:002016-01-19T01:40:35.117-08:00Believe and do not doubtI have spent much of January at the beach, hanging out with some of my most favourite people in the whole wide world. I have spent many hours writing out my dreams and hopes for the year, doing up dreamboards for 2016, selecting a word for the year and really trying to surge into the year full of hope and optimism, using the wonderfully inspiring <a href="http://leoniedawson.com/" target="_blank">Leonie Dawson</a> resources. I have no end of great ideas and dreams but since returning home and with the practicality of life becoming a bit more real I am riddled with doubt.<br />
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This isn't a mild case of doubt but kind of severe, leading to a bit of self-loathing and overwhelming feelings of uselessness, despite starting each day with a brisk walk and a positive affirmation my mind has those little niggling voices saying 'ha as if you can do all that', 'oh Justine you are so silly getting your hopes up, you can't do anything let alone that'. Mean huh!!<br />
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The Bibles says, in James 1:5-6 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind".<br />
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I can relate to that. These dreams that I have written down for 2016 are not new, some of them I have been carting around for a decade, most others about three years. Too long. For some obscure reason I sabotage myself, I doubt that I can really do these things, I get tossed and blown moving erratically and definitely not strategically from place to place and let self-doubt win every time.<br />
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We all have these days, don't we, when we doubt ourselves and think everything we do is crap, and we feel sad but then we also have those days when we feel like Superman (these are the moments we share all over social media) and I guess it is all just supposed to balance out.<br />
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But I am tired of being tossed and blown like a wave, and I'm sick of waiting for it all to just balance out in the end, it is bullshit and 2016 is the year I draw a line in the sand and say 'no more', I sound big and tough but I'm not really, it is a much more timid murmur from the safety and security of my lovely comfy bed, but I mean it, I really do. I get one life, that is it, and next year I turn 40 so I am kind of almost half way through this life so it is time to get going.<br />
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Quite literally the only thing standing between me and my dreams is the self talk going on in my head - which I can control! One of my motto's for this year is 'When in doubt do it' so it is settled, I must do it!<br />
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What are your dreams and goals for 2016? Is the talk in your head helping or hindering those dreams?happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-13611079946760211392014-08-10T01:11:00.001-07:002014-08-10T01:11:22.011-07:00Holy joy-balls!!The title of this blog has been placed on my heart for some time but I have been reluctant to write it because I was afraid it might sound a little bit blasphemous, but I intend to sing the praise of God so hopefully all will be forgiven.<br />
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It is impossible to ignore all the terrible news in the world at the moment. My goodness, I try not to watch, listen to or read news but in this connected world we live in it is not possible to avoid it. My soul is continuously troubled by the Israel/Palestine conflict and I have cried for the innocent victims of the MH17 plane crash and their devastated loved ones. Locally stories of beautiful, long awaited babies being born sleeping never to go home with their Mummy and Daddy or innocent children having to fight for their life against some rare form of cancer or the sweetest little girl being placed in foster care again, all wears you down. It is hard to cope and it makes you wonder about what is truly important.<br />
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Each week the hum-drum of daily life is also tiring, even without drama and tragedy. Going to work, paying bills, packing lunches, meeting commitments, doing the dishes, cooking meals, watering plants and on and on it goes and really what is it all for anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDNu-5liuF5dlCOCsKLUJh_rjmUMcO03GpzBPpDTyPzMXnUviE_KJWKfjsScY-Azf2nwvOgUB7ku7n7tfabfpmFKCaGalmYqN-If_TSYaERpj3bIG7HkVhH1mveqpyhhe_6vlZhU5p-Q/s1600/IMG_4365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDNu-5liuF5dlCOCsKLUJh_rjmUMcO03GpzBPpDTyPzMXnUviE_KJWKfjsScY-Azf2nwvOgUB7ku7n7tfabfpmFKCaGalmYqN-If_TSYaERpj3bIG7HkVhH1mveqpyhhe_6vlZhU5p-Q/s1600/IMG_4365.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTVKUYWH4g7j04X6j6A51tAVM7lxtVyv4z2IJtENWusU4HfJR8KwNxu78ewcaYeJJfPWbtAYaXyxhMKb9s1_BezGE3TKP-380W7vB_0D7ONAO1c6VhcjRse08A53ALPSs-2bUsMgaj5c/s1600/IMG_4363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTVKUYWH4g7j04X6j6A51tAVM7lxtVyv4z2IJtENWusU4HfJR8KwNxu78ewcaYeJJfPWbtAYaXyxhMKb9s1_BezGE3TKP-380W7vB_0D7ONAO1c6VhcjRse08A53ALPSs-2bUsMgaj5c/s1600/IMG_4363.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>Then nearly every single Sunday I am reminded of what it is all for. I do not intend or specifically set out to discover the true meaning of life every Sunday but somehow God repeatedly reveals it to me. He slows me down just enough to feel the spiritual rhythm of my life. I know the spiritual realm is always close by but in the busy-ness of life the beauty, wisdom and peace of it seems to get swept just out of reach. The meaning of life for me is a feeling that I experience from time to time. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrP3TC7z2fJqXluzHmYruPTDEy1hQ6lbnf_gok2oXZxtLSz7FAA3NqFp-suxnu3Uhsa3KFKf0YZqerYC9BlOklcev0IAauFYlrjlcBelsmfKLk2RykTN8D4qr4uGXezyrIETFUOYTFcI/s1600/IMG_4366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrP3TC7z2fJqXluzHmYruPTDEy1hQ6lbnf_gok2oXZxtLSz7FAA3NqFp-suxnu3Uhsa3KFKf0YZqerYC9BlOklcev0IAauFYlrjlcBelsmfKLk2RykTN8D4qr4uGXezyrIETFUOYTFcI/s1600/IMG_4366.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a>It is really hard to explain what it feels like when I am existing in the awareness of the Spirit. When I can feel it inside and out, when I breathe it in and it moves through my entire body. It is peaceful and loving, it is all about simple pleasure, gentle kindness, it is colourful and comforting, it brings me joy and I love it. <br />
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This Sunday I felt the Spirit in the warm sun on my back and in the cold wet mud as we planted our first ever potato garden. I can see beauty and hope in the full moon as it rises in front of me as I write these words. I saw it as the butterflies fluttered around my beautiful flowering lavender and as I heard our girls sitting up in the tree chattering together. It is magical and magnificent and it brings me great great joy. It is this joy that I think is the purpose of life.<br />
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I don't willingly accept that what brings me joy is so simple. I often grumble that my life is dull, lacking in excitement and no where near as glamorous as I had planned when I was younger. I never dreamed that being a mother and wife, a sister and friend, an active member of my Church community organising great local events, an RI teacher and living in this dry and isolated place would be good for my soul. I never thought this would be the meaning of my life, but right now it is and it feels so right and very often it brings me great joy. <br />
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I thank God that he reminds me regularly that the meaning of my life is joy and love, and nearly always that looks and feels different to what I imagined, but I try to embrace it, experience it and appreciate it as it happens. It is this joy and love that makes it possible for me to walk on this Earth with all its pain and suffering and hopefully make a small difference in the lives of the people I know and love.<br />
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So holy joy-balls I say go and do what makes you joyful this week, do it in the name of God, no matter what it is, enjoy it, try not to over analyse it or judge it, but just let it be, experience it in all its glory, don't rob yourself of it. Joy is not an indulgence or a luxury it is vitally important and necessary if we are going to survive and thrive in this often tragic world.happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-91137622026745825912014-07-24T17:54:00.001-07:002014-07-24T17:59:47.562-07:00Tempo's lost loves<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is hot,
where is the breeze, it is a little hard to breathe, if only there was a breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen looked up at the bright, clear full moon and
listened to the crickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got the hose
and began to water the frangipani tree that was continuing to punch above its
weight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you fighting a losing
battle little buddy, with enough water and tender loving care can you harden up
to the unrelenting summer sun and the harsh winter frosts and prove all the
experts wrong?” Jen spoke to the precious tree, she waited a little while as if truly expecting a response but there was no audible
answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen hoped against the odds
that it just might be possible that a sweet, gentle pretty tree could survive out
here in this harsh climate, one day they might smell the soft aroma of
frangipani flowers and she could stop buying the fragrance in a bottle for the
oil burner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>looked up to the clear night sky, enveloped in
the smell and sounds of water hitting the hot dirt and the faint aromas of basil
and lavender from the garden and the cherry blossom soap on her skin from a
recent shower, enjoying the overwhelming feelings of love and contentment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonight the
serenity was broken by the mournful bellow of the poddy calf, “Oh Templeton”
Jen whispers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is calling to his three
friends who went on the cattle truck, or beef bus, yesterday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen tries not to cry, but tears spike her
eyes. She knows it is the circle of life, but she thought cows were dumb, who
knew they loved the other cows and missed them when they were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Templeton had been pacing their small block
since yesterday morning, occasionally calling out for Harry, Tim and Craig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today he caught sight of a cow in a
neighbours paddock and went straight over to see if it was his mates, but to no
avail, he came back, head lowered, disappointed and sad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The mournful
bellow reminded Jen of a time when her soul was lost and lonely and called out
into the seemingly empty night sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
makes her think of all the other relationships that we give no thought to, have
no respect for and the understanding we lack of the importance of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen thinks to herself how much importance is placed on money each and every day, yet it is some kind of peculiar cow love that is making poor Tempo bellow loudly into the night. Love, it always always comes back to love. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cow is persistent, the cry is desperate and loud and each time he pauses in hopeful anticipation that his friends will call back and they
will be reunited. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> She slumps her shoulders knowing that they will never be reunited and wondering how long Templeton will exist in this sad, but slightly hopeful, state.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her husband,
Chris, steps into the garden and startles her at first, but then she says “Oh
my goodness Chris listen to Tempo, he is till calling out to the other cows, and
he is just a simple <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cow, his sole
purpose to provide us with food but he is sad, he is broken hearted.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris was
sad too that the poddy was so distraught but he said nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jen
continued, getting quite upset “His cries make me think of all the people who
are deprived of love their whole lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Walking through life, bellowing just like Templeton, calling into the
darkness hoping against all odds that somebody they love, and who loves them
back, will call back, offer security, friendship, comfort and joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time he calls out my heart breaks for
the lonely, the scared, the heart broken, the deprived, the hungry and the
vulnerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even help this poor
cow, I cannot bring his friends home, how can I help anybody else who is suffering?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris is quietly
mumbling something in agreement but has wandered off to move the sprinkler, he is
reluctant to get caught up in Jen’s ‘we should change the world’ scenarios. He
can not understand why she has to read so much into a basic reality of
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would never say that out loud
again, he did that once and still regrets the sermon he received how justice
will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who
are.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before the misery gets too overwhelming Tempo
thankfully stops bellowing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and they are
both distracted by the other shapes,
noises and smells and enjoy the quiet evening in the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris
and Jen soon head inside, ready for bed, it is still too hot to sleep but the whirring
sound of the ceiling fan is relaxing and comforting and sleep will not be too
far away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-4732245514755600752014-07-22T05:00:00.001-07:002014-07-22T05:00:26.830-07:00We are all so fragileI love the song Breakable by Ingrid Michaelson, the chorus goes "And we are so fragile, And our cracking bones make noise, And we are just, Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys". It is a great reminder that we are all so fragile, sure some people might hide it better than others, but each one of us is a breakable boy or girl.<br />
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I don't love this because it makes me feel vulnerable, trust me I don't need a song to do that, I love that it reminds me to be more gentle with everybody, the people I love and the people I don't. I can quickly and effectively convince myself why I shouldn't extend the hand of friendship or just offer a gesture of kindness to some people, the fear of rejection or embarrassing myself is often the prime deterrent, protecting my pride, but this really isn't a good enough excuse. Laziness is another excuse, some people are hard work and exhausting so withdrawing from them is an easy option. Other people make me feel more vulnerable and fragile than I am comfortable with so avoiding them in the name of self-preservation makes sense.<br />
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To remind myself that each one of us is fragile, we are just breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys might help me overcome these barriers. Tonight with all these thoughts whirling around in my head, I was helping to put pyjamas on our 6 year old daughter when she said "Mum we are given life so we can love people" and then kissed me. Instantly tears welled in my eyes, and I hugged her and said "Yes, that is right".<br />
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We have been created to love people. It can feel like loving people makes us fragile. It is hard to love, to see past people's faults, to remain loyal in the times of trials, to stop judging for 5 minutes and just love. Loving without any expectations of how people should love you back. <br />
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I am blessed to know a couple of people who love unconditionally and you can not help but love and admire these people. Sure they would not be described as 'high-achievers' by earthly standards, and people don't always treat them right, but I admire them and aspire to love like they do. There are also people in my life who I love more than they love me, and it hurts. They aren't bad people but I can't help but get angry and resentful, it isn't even their fault, they didn't make me love them I just do. There are others still who probably love me more than I love them back, it saddens me if I hurt or disappoint them.<br />
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There is no doubt that lately I have been a little frugal with my love and I am feeling disengaged and a little more vulnerable than usual. I need to lift the lid on my love, stop holding back in the name of self-preservation, it is stupid and unproductive, it is arrogant and resentful and it makes me feel unpleasant. Today at work a super sweet work colleague gave me a little book entitled "His Princess: Love Letters From Your King" and I am sure this is a little source of encouragement God has placed on my path to help me re-connect to Him and to love.<br />
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People can think it childish and whimsical to talk too much about love, it is a thing for Mums and small children, little girls and fairytales but the reality is it is everything. In 1 Corinthians 13:7 love is described this way "She bears up under everything; believes the best in all; there is no limit to her hope, and never will she fall", isn't that so beautiful.<br />
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I have such a clear image of when I have passed away, my lifeless body is in a coffin, in a fairly empty, light filled room and all I can think, feel, see, comprehend is a voice saying "The only thing that matters is who you loved and how you loved them". You cannot love properly if you just love the people you want to, or the people you like, or the people who are of some benefit to you. You can only learn to love, truly love, when you practise on everybody, including yourself!<br />
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What do you think? Are you good at loving and being loved or do you think you have some work to do?happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6702445099076720551.post-46954997410020367072014-07-17T21:40:00.002-07:002014-07-17T21:40:59.135-07:00A burst of limeI recently saw an advert for Colorme Temporary Hair Colour, it states "Introducing a fabulous way to temporarily colour your hair ... Change your colour and your look at a moment's notice without commitment ...Create a burst of lime in your hair without fearing the worst". I related to this instantly, but not about my hair, just my life and my moods. I'm sure my husband would agree that I can change my colour and look at a moment's notice! The burst of lime reflects the little bit of crazy running through my veins.<br />
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Yesterday was one of those burst of lime, or Eeyore, days. You know how it goes "Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it is a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he. <br />
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My beautiful best friend asked me what was the matter and I replied "I don't know, everybody is giving me the s*^ts" and she said "What even me" and I replied "Yeah, a little bit". It was the burst of lime, sorry.<br />
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I tend to get angry and disappointed in myself when I feel this way. I know I have so much to be grateful for but on these days I have an urge to change everything in my life, I want to move towns and get a new career (everything gets considered from being a Priest or a teacher to a naturopath, I think I might have even considered becoming a Police Officer). Everything looks more exciting and interesting and wonderful compared to where I am standing. <br />
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On these burst of lime days my first impulse is to see the dead and frosted trees and grass, all the bills, the dust on the cabinets, the long days, weeks, months and years of cooking tea for my family and having to do the grocery shopping and all the washing and the minus something mornings and the lack of rain.<br />
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Thankfully though, despite my tendency to be a little inconstant, my God is not, Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever". It is His Word that is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 199:105) and I am ever so grateful for that. It is the shining light of God's love that helps me to see the flowering lavender in my garden, the ripening lemons on the tree, to appreciate looking out my window to see my daughter up the tree. <br />
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It is He alone who renews my desire to write, to stay firmly planted where I am. I hear His promise<br />
"Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12). <br />
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Burst of lime moments can be equally exhilarating and exciting as they can be gloomy and glum. I can have lime mountaintop experiences and lime valley moments, and this can all be within one hour :-) Without the consistent love of God and His constant presence in my life this emotional rollercoaster we call life may be overwhelmingly exhausting.<br />
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I take great comfort from the saying <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>"Ups and downs show signs of life. The day it becomes smooth and straight ... life ends".</em></strong></div>
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<span class="versetext" id="jas1-13" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"></span></span>happy at herbgullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16209479961336951684noreply@blogger.com0