Sunday, June 29, 2008

Disarmed.


I have started to do something different in my prayers with my children recently.

I have felt the need to open my hands out as I pray instead of holding them together which is how I was always taught.

We had an extraordinary priest come to visit our church a few months ago. His name was Father David. He was visiting from Zimbabwe where he helps run and orphange for children whose parents have died, usually from Aids related illnesses and a house for lepers. His place is called Mother of Peace and there is a link to it on my sidebar.

Father David spoke about a little baby who had been brought to the orphanage in a terribly dehydrated condition. The little baby had no one left to care for him. He didn't even have a name. Father David cared for this child as he died. Loved him as he passed from this world to the next.

And when his tiny, malnourished body was laid to rest in his little coffin Father David laid his own rosary between his little, limp hands.

On the child's little wooden cross they had carved. "God knows" And Father gave the child his own name "David."


Everytime Father David prayed during mass he invited the congregation to lift their open palms as we prayed with him.

This felt very special.

As I raised my hands I was aware of the emptiness I found between them. Yet there was presence also.

I guess the emptiness was mine and the presence was God's.

I was also aware of how the the action of opening out my arms left me disarmed. I was vulnerable.

I was offering something of myself. From my heart.

Yet I was embracing something also. As far as I was giving, as I was opening my arms, disarming myself, surrendering, I was also recieving. My hands were cupped to drink life and at the same time except the nails of the cross. My heart was exposed to except God's loving embrace, his strength and warmth yet also the wounding of love, the sorrow of love.

This must be a daily disarmement for Father David and other's like him. As he bathes lepers and feeds malnourished, abandoned infants. The wound of love in his heart can only be healed by trying to heal others.

By the emptiying of open hands, cupped to give in the same way they recieve.



http://www.motherofpeace.co.uk

Friday, June 27, 2008

A time to be still.


"Stand in awe, and sin not.

Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."

Selah.


Psalm 4:4


I'm taking a break from my blog for a bit.

Blessings and love to all &:0)

xxxx

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

fLYING KITES





Being a Kite


Jacqueline Sweeney


If I were a kite

I'd kneel,

stretch my skinny arms

out wide,

and wait for wind.

My yellow shirt would

fill up like a sail

and flap,

tugging my criss-crossed

wooden bones and me

towards seas of cloud.

My rippling paper skin

would rustle like applause

as I inhaled,

gulping one last

gustto swoop me giddy-quick

above the trees.

My red rag tail

would drift

toward everything green

to balance me

so all day

I could

loop and climb

loop and climb

and soar

into pure sky.

Monday, June 23, 2008

ThankFULLNESS


"All our life is a celebration for us; we are convinced, in fact, that God is always everywhere. We sing while we work, we sing hymns while we sail, we pray while we carry out all life's other occupations. "

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) Theologian

It started with the small things, like buds bursting. I began to notice. More and more. The light and shade of life. All beautiful in it's own way. Each thing unique and purposeful, somehow.
Life. This messy, beautiful, chaotic, painful, ordered, blessed, life.

Redeeming praise.


Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
Praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

*


"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
Genesis 2:7
*

A breath of life,
a gift of life,
given back to life in praise and thanksgiving.
*
I'm breathing thankfullness today
in...
The way a few brief notes of music, can bring tears to my eyes without warning,
The blue and purple petals, delecate as butterfly wings, of the sweetpeas, we sowed from seed in early Spring. Now just beggining to blossom in the garden,
Times of reflection,
*
For...
The grace of every day blessings,
Gifts of joy through children's innocent eyes,
Laying close to the green grass,
Making shapes out of the clouds
*
with...
Being "undone" and yet knowing it's not something to be " fixed" just surrendered to in faith.
The honesty of my child's laughter and tears,


The growing depth of love and understanding between me and my soulmate.
*
Through...
Flying kites and blue and stormy skies.
Reaching across distances,
Words, and gestures.
Vulnerabilities that kindle compassion and friendship.




Part of The Thousand Gifts list @ Holy Experience
Just click Gratitude on my labels list for more posts xx

THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK

The Simple Woman

Outside my Window...

A new Rosebush just bought and planted in. Pictures tomorrow maybe ;)


Golden marigolds, blue and purple sweetpeas just bursting into bloom and my favourite, translucent blue delphiniums bobbing their heads in the breeze.


I am thinking... The girls are playing in the sandpit and the baby just fell asleep, which gives me a few moments to myself :)


In the kitchen... Ploughmans! Perfect English summer food. (i.e) Fresh baguettes, with mature Cheddar cheese , pickle, chutney, onion, ham and salad, fresh from the garden. Mmmm! Simple, easy for littles to eat , healthy = it works for me ;)


I am creating... A pink gingham Summer dress for my 10 year old.


I am wearing... Blue jeans and a chocolate brown Cotton top.


I am reading...The bible, children's picture books with my girls, the poems of John Betejamin with my 10 year old.


I am hearing...my baby snoring softly. My husband playing guitar in the other room. My oldest daughter scratching around, cleaning out and feeding her rabbits for the night, my middle two girls chatting in the sandpit at the far corner of the garden.


Around the house...There is a big pile of laundry in my big girls bedroom that I'm trying to forget about for a few more moments heehhee!


One of my favorite things...Sharing a coupla glasses of wine with my husband in the garden on a beautiful Summer evening.


A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Try to remember to build as many memories as I can with my girls, to make every interaction a blessing. Not to let other things take priority.


Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...





a LEAF bOO BROUGHT IN FROM THE GARDEN ON fRIDAY. aPPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO bOO, IT IS A MAGICAL, JEWEL, SPARKLE LEAF.

i THOUGHT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND TOOK A PICTURE!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Some children's books we love



I thought it might be a fun idea to share some of our best loved children's books


These are probably the books that are the most well read and well worn on our children's book shelves!

Feel free to browse :)



Prayers for Children (Little Golden Book)

Beautifully illustrated prayers for even the littlest ones.





Make Way for Ducklings (Viking Kestrel Picture Books)

A fun heartwarming classic that I love to read just as much as my kids do!

The Snail and the Whale
We just love this one! It's so fun to read and the illustrations are bright, cheerful and amazingly detailed!



Mary, Mother of Jesus

A carefully written portrait of Our Lord's life through the eyes of his beloved Mother.





Pumpkin Soup

The characters in this book are so wonderful, the pages are very creative in design too.




This Is the Star


Amazing illustrations and beautiful poetic text describing the Nativity Story.



Unicorns! Unicorns!

Another beautifully illustrated book ( we love our illustrations :) Telling of the Story of Noah's Ark.













A great way to introduce older children to the way different people of different cultures live and survive day to day across our planet.













A comprehensive account of the way families live in various countries across the world. This book is utterly fascinating!



















Saturday, June 21, 2008

:)




Look at these two. :)



Bujana and Tilly love sleeping together. I think it's so nice when they are small for them to have the same room, even the same bed! They seem to get so much comfort from eachother. I'm so sure it has helped closen their sisterly relationship. They are so attached to eachother!


Aren't they adorable, :)




And BTW) Yes that is my four year old still attached to her bottle heehee!

Deep Peace


Deep peace of the running wave to you,

Deep peace of the flowing air to you,

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,

Deep peace of the shining stars to you,

Deep peace of the gentle night to you,

Moon and stars pour their healing light on you,

Deep peace of Christ,

the light of the world to you,

Deep peace of Christ to you.


FROM THE CELTIC TRADITION

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Purity of heart

*

To see the best in another,

Ignoring other's flaws,

And acknowledging my own,

Seeking sincerity,

In my own thoughts, words and deeds,

While assuming sincerity in the words, thoughts and deeds of others,

Purity of heart...

Simplifying instead of analysing,

Encouraging instead of criticizing,

Reaching out in friendship to all,

Excepting the imperfections and limitations of both myself and others,

Knowing I can do nothing in myself,

But turn my eyes to the kingdom first.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008





" lOVE.


THEN DO AS YOU WANT."

Monday, June 16, 2008

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap...



"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap,
but by the seeds you plant."
~R.L.Stevenson


When I'm tilling the soil, planting, scattering seeds across the earth. How can I imagine the green shoots and pink blossoms that will emerge? At times the earth seems too dry. At othertimes, to wet. Seasons of growth are subject to many changes.

The waiting part lies in the darkness. It lies in the ground of faith.
Before the growing part can reach tentivley for the light. Where it may inhale a breath of hope.

But still, it's the first part that is the most important of all. It's the planting of the seed. That lies in my own hand.

Every gentle word,
Every time I smile,
Or fall down laughing beside you,
Or learn the words to another song,
Count your fingers and your toes,
Every story I read aloud,
Every time I listen as you talk away and really listen,
Every time i look in your eyes and really look.
Hold you close and wipe away your tears,
Or take your hand and walk with you, to someplace you want to take me to.
Or lift you up and dance with you.
Kick up the leaves in the park with you,
Stop what I'm doing and simply "be" with you.

Another seed is sown.
*
*
*

Drumsound rises on the air,
its throb, my heart.
A voice inside the beat
says, "I know you're tired,
but come.
This is the way."–

~Jeláluddín Rúmí

A distant sound, beneath the ground. Within my pores. Under my skin. Inside my heart. A soft, still voice. In broken chords. A trembling string. An aching song. That brings me in.


Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day!!!










HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TANI!!!

You truly are a wonderful father, (yes it's mushy, sorry blog readers, but hey, you know it just had to be said.)

Here is a poem Emmy wrote in her homemade card for her Dad:

To the most brilliant Dad,

When you're around I'm never sad,

Happy memories of being with you,

Lie in my head, ( I hope they stay too)

Thankyou very much,

Your love really does touch.

FROM EMMY

Lord I thank you for...


Knowing Jesus is close,
Even in the storms of life,

Knowing that there are friends close by,

To share warmth and light and insight,

The grace of sunlight both in the morning,
And at the days end.

Food in the cupboards,

A Song I love that makes me lift my baby up in the air to dance around the room,

Recycled furniture,

A chance to help somebody,

A chance to except the help of somebody,

A life that feels like a vocation,

A pair of arms that hold me tight, when I need reassurance,

A little face to greet me with a smile,

Little hands to hold,

Little feet to tickle,

Little bodies that wriggle,

A chance to get to know another better,

A chance to say thankyou.


Just click Gratitude on my labels list for more posts xx

pICTURE of bluebell AT THE TOP by my daughter Emmy

Homeschooling, holistic living, Simple living, and other random thoughts :)

Doing or Being ? What has that question got to do with the title? Well sometimes life can seem a little out of balance when we place emphasis on doing either to much or do to little.
A time for everything right !
I've come to realise that in this season of my life when my children are small I have to concentrate on the being part a little more than I realised. Which is strange when you consider how many practical needs, small children have.
And Preschoolers love to do it's true. Whether it be rolling down a grassy hill, trying to pull out all the cd's in the rack or raid Mummy's makeup bag ;0)
...They like to keep busy.

However I'm kind of coming to see that whether homeschooling or not, kids, especially young kids are too over scheduled these days. There is so much pressure to organise activities for them, get them enrolled in different programs or simply make them fit into a ciriculum.

I remember as a child it was the small, intimate moments, the pauses, stillnesses and happy interactions with other's that made memories special.
A plant needs space to grow, and children do too. An Inspiring Home for Learning, #6

And I also remember I used to feel so guilty that my children were missing out because our pace of life was so much less active than other's. Less well, um, organized anyhows ~ smile :).
This was due mainly to 3 pregnancies in a row, ill health, on my part and no car for half the time. Yet God had a purpose.

I like to over organize, it's a part of who I am, it makes me feel in control of life lol ~ (as if :) Yet I was forced to oversimplify. Forced to let go and totally deconstruct my routine. And I realised that I over valued some parts of my life such as keeping an ultra tidy house and I was missing out on the most important things. What immediately springs to mind as I write this is the washing of the outside of the cup instead of the inside :) I will always consider it a blessing that I had to go through what I did through that time to be given that gift.

As time has worn on a little, our life has pretty much kept to this new way of being first, doing second). As a family we tend to take plenty of rests. We also tend to keep programed activities to a minimum ( my daughter takes piano lessons and goes to a drama group during the holidays, While the little ones go to a playgroup one morning, once every two weeks) Apart from that there are no other programmes.

We also do many of our activities together as a family. Things such as painting, crafts, music time, taking walks, reading, reading the bible and praying. Through this we have shard some very special moments together.

My four year old has started to read and write yet there has been no special program or great endeavor on our part. We simply read aloud a lot as a family and take a lot of trips to the library. Plus we have a very worn book shelf located, maybe unwisely for the books but definatly wisely for the kids, in the children's main bedroom. Many a night I have found all three of the older children asleep with books still open in their clasped hands :) A natural love of books has developed, well... naturally, I think.




Saying that our two year old barley speaks! Well she does, quite a lot actually only it's all her own language heehee:) But that is, I suppose that's the point. Each little plant grows a little differently. Needs a different soil, different climate, different handling. To be honest I don't worry about milestones, children will only talk and walk and read when they are ready.

One idea that has really worked it's way into our world is growing our own vegetables. This started out as a practical solution for trying to feed healthy, organic "ethical" veggies to the girls. Yet it has become a real learning opportunity for the girls, who absolutely love to watch the plants grow. They really tuck into produce they've actually sown themselves from seed too.





The same with sewing. I' have the oldest, most beat up sewing machine ever. But the girls love to watch me sew on it and by watching have picked up so much themselves with little structured effort on my part.

As for developing their imaginations, well a lot of it has been down to unstructured play. Being outside, letting them explore the natural world on walks in woodlands, parks meadows, fields.
Making tents, dens and the like.

I also have a big cake tin full of its and bobs, paper, tin foil, wool, bubble wrap, wrapping paper, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, fuzzy balls, felt, fabric and lollipop sticks and I just let them loose with a pile of card and lot's of glue in the kitchen ( washable surfaces)

Also, have you noticed how babies love to play with lot's of random mismatched clutter. Well I have a clutter box filled with varied things such as building blocks, Lego, play mirrors, bouncy balls, small dolls, cups, saucers, spoons, homemade rattles and such which keeps the baby busy for ages and ages.
See I love to keep order, yet order, a peaceful baby does not always make, lol:)

Another thing that comes to mind actually is cooking. I have always involved the kids in food preparation. My ten year old happily makes meals by herself ( with a little supervision of course) While the four year old can fix herself a sandwich, and the two year old can chop up soft fruit such as ripe pear halves and bananas for a fruit salad with her small blunt kid's knife. All this has helped them take an interest in all kinds of different food. Although as with all kids they'll never turn down a plate of fish n' chips or a bowl of ice cream lol!



Bible time is very important to us too. The girls often make a little alter on our fireplace with candles, holy cards and flowers. It makes them feel like they are really involved. My oldest also often chooses a reading which is special. We also try to include hymns which the youngest ones really enjoy :)

Lastly one of our very favourite things ( and by the way I recommend it for all families, it can end up so fun and silly)is probably music time. My husband plays guitar, the babies grab various shakers, rattles, tambourines, drums, etc, and Emmy sings. It's such fun! A little noisy, but fun. It is also an activity which involves both the youngest and the eldest members of the family. Which is a big bonus for me as I have a big age gap between daughters 1 and 2.

Left to my own devices our family life would have evolved differently. There would have been more structure, planning and scheduled activity. I would have taken control lol! Arming myself with a thousand perfectly bound binders full to the brim with lists, and lists of lists probably heehee:)

Yet I was, (and am) forced to be still. And listen. Just wait. Just be. And life kind of grows naturally out of that quiet place. Our garden is less of a formal garden and more of a country garden I guess. It's beautiful in a way and I could never have cultivated with all the plans and ideas and instructions in the world.
And It's beautiful mainly cause the gardener wasn't me ~ smile.

Mmmmmm, so while I'm on the subject of schooling, simple livin' and the like. I'll just post a few links to some great posts on the subject. There are some great ideas here, Take a little time to visit.
Blessings xxx

The Fadiman Way of Raising a Reader...

An Inspiring Home for Learning, #7

An Inspiring Home for Learning, #6

One Piece Life

Seven Daily Rungs,

http://www.tn-heart-and-hearth.com/Keep_a_Quiet_Heart.pdf : Elisabeth Elliot

A stellar Parenting resource

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Boo makes Jam Tarts




Mmm just a little taste to make such it's just right ;)



Deeeelicious!!!


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

From the Ground


You know how sometimes you think your have it all figured out. Then suddenly life pushes it up a gear and you realise it was never you who was in control. It was God's strength and guidance all along.

Sometimes we have to face a broken reflection in the mirror. Love does not always look pretty. Sometimes it is messy. It does not come bound in a beautifully organised binder. Sometimes all the plans and schedules are laid to waste. God alone is working his plan through us. Broken branches falling back to their roots.

I am learning I cannot "organise" God out of my life. His plan is greater than mine. Sometimes a life airbrushed to perfection is more to do with outside expectations than God's will.

Christ lives through the broken, the hidden, the forgotton and the messy, difficult relentless trials more often than through the strong, showy, well presented, respectable, success stories.

It doesn't all come down to the end "result", the checked list, the achieving of every aim I think I ought. It's about accepting the times when my plans fail, however hard I try. Allowing these times to reflect my pride, self assurance, true weaknessness, so that I may grow closer to the truth. My design is not always His design.

For it is from the ground that we are raised up. To touch that ground is to touch the debris of stars. I am close to my saviour here.