Thursday, September 12, 2013

One of THOSE days!

I had one of those days yesterday.  You know the ones where things just don't seem to be in sync?  I didn't injure myself (or anyone else thankfully) and I wasn't unwell but odd things just keep happening and I began wondering, 'What's wrong with me?' 'What will be next?'
In the afternoon I had a couple of hours free so I thought I'd get some baking done.
Without realising it I began sprinkling Milo on the apples I was preparing for an apple crumble (instead of brown sugar). I then accidentally used salt instead of white sugar and put the butter for the crumble top, still in its silver wrapper, into my microwave (causing all sorts of strange and scary noises plus a lot of sparks).  
THEN, whilst chatting to a friend after school, I felt some furry threads on my top tickling my arm.  As I looked down, I suddenly noticed that I was wearing my outer top (which I'd taken off while I'd been cooking) inside out and the seams were all sticking out and exposed!  I ran to the women's bathroom shouting, "Can you watch my kids?" leaving my friend in fits of laughter.
After dropping our kids home after their swimming lesson, I headed off to a ZOE missionary women's catch-up at a familiar location.  I was already cutting it finely but then it took me twice as long to get there when I made a crucial error and took a wrong turn sending me back on the freeway heading right back to where I had just come from.
Later that night as I was driving home, I was pondering on one of the questions that had been asked around the dinner table about our day's highs and lows.  It was about at this point that I noticed my car doing strange things and losing power.  I quickly pulled to the side of the road.  As I scurried in the dark looking for the hazard lights, it suddenly occurred to me that I had run out of petrol!  Now, in my defense, we recently purchased a second hand car and we are now (after three and a half years) once again a two-car family! {insert loud shouts of joy here}  BUT being a new car to me, I had not yet familiarised myself with all the controls and the dash board signals- meaning I had neglected to notice any warning signs that the car was low on fuel.  I then had to make a sheepish phone call at 9:45pm to my dear husband Dave asking if he'd come and rescue me.  Poor thing!  This meant carrying our three children in their deep night-time sleep one by one down stairs and putting them in the car, going to the ATM and getting out cash, driving to a petrol station and filling up a can with petrol and then coming to find me randomly positioned on the side of the road, putting the petrol in the car and then escorting me to the nearest petrol station and showing me how to fill up! I am thankful he is so kind to me... not a single complaint from him but, boy, did I feel bad!
I must say, it was nice (after we'd finally unloaded all the kids and resettled them back into their beds) to finally lay my head down, knowing that the day had come to an end.
I am so glad during times like this that I can still have God's peace through it all.  That, yes, maybe I'm getting old and a bit senile, or just rushing around too much to notice the small details but despite all this, I can come back to my Heavenly Father and know that He is the source of all my peace and strength.  I love it that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet (Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables)

And so...
"May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." (2 Thes 3:16)


Friday, September 6, 2013

Whispering Thanks

When I mentioned in a previous post that it might be a little quiet on this blog for a while, I had no idea that the very next week I would completely lose my voice.  
And now, a few weeks after that period of uncertainty and silence, each and every word that gets muttered from my lips is done with a strong sense of gratefulness and appreciation.
I mentioned in one of my latest posts that I would be helping with the teaching load at my children's school.  Well, by the end of the first week, I was voiceless!  Feeling completely useless and plagued with the doubts in my head questioning how long I would be out of the classroom for, I began a course of antibiotics and other medications along with an intense course of "prayer".
Praise God, in under a week, I was off "office" duties and back teaching in the classroom.  Another week or so of a particularly sore throat was a good reminder not to over-use it and just this week, I have felt the pain lessen and the strength returning.
School is going well.  I have increased my work load from my initial commitment, meaning a steeper learning curve to get my brain "back in the game" but also with a fresh reminder of why I love teaching.  
Those of you who know me personally know that I never wanted to home-school but this experience has been such a blessing to be classroom teaching and to have two of my own children in with me and Spencer just a few steps away in the next room.
I don't understand why this all came about like this, but I am determined to make the most of it, enjoy it and cherish this {unplanned} opportunity.
But enough about me, Dave's work at ZOE Children's Homes continues to be rewarding and an area that we are both passionate about.  He is very much enjoying teaching karate to the teenage boys as well as a basketball class twice a week.  
He has become part of a working group with the aim of strengthening working relationships between NGOs and the government which he hopes will boost Thailand's efforts as, together, we fight human trafficking.
He also recently enjoyed speaking at the ZOE Sunday fellowship.  He loves the opportunities he is having to teach the teenage boys as a part of the Friday night church service too.
With all the wonderful things happening through ZOE Foundation Australia and his ongoing Child Protection role, he is really loving all the variety in his day.
A highlight from this week was going to hear Nick Vujicic live in Chiangmai.  I heard there was about 12,000
people there and by the car park traffic jam after the event, it certainly felt like there was that many.
He was so inspirational and encouraging.  All our kids did well to focus on what he was saying but particularly Tobi could be seen hanging off every word.
I am currently doing a Christian Life and Witness course at our church on Tuesday nights in preparation for Franklin Graham who will be coming here as part of an Abundant Life festival later in the year.  I am finding it personally challenging and I hope to finish the course a different {and more equipped} person than when I began.
Eliana was pleased to have her plaster taken off a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed being back in her dance class this week.  She read a poem at Chapel this morning and continues to delight us with her love of life.

Spencer has been lapping up his "work" coming home very excited to be learning more about the alphabet and the "at" words as well as entertaining us with his repertoire of new songs.
Tobi is looking forward to his upcoming 8th birthday and hanging out at Pizza Hut with a few friends.  He is becoming quite quick with his times tables and loves getting stuck into a good book.
All three of them are very "into" Lego at the moment. They have a game that is being continued before school each morning and has been going for the past one and a half hours {giving me the chance to write this blog}.  It's so lovely seeing them all play together so happily.  I love hearing all the interesting twists and turns their "story" takes, all the while as they build new creations to go along with it.
So it is with a grateful heart, a strong voice and the satisfaction that it has been a great week, that I leave you.  
Unfortunately dinner will not cook itself!  
Much love from our house to yours.