Locked in Wed

Holidays where Dad is home is always very special. Each of our children has their own way of finding special time both with Dad by himself and with he and I together. Today Boof had his special time.

With his brothers occupied with a DVD they got for Christmas he saw his chance and jumped at it. With a busy home schooling life, and PJ Bear's special needs, I need to be ever so mindful to make time for Boof and, thank goodness, he is mature enough to be able to seek our attention in truly positive ways.

We have been on a mass cleanup in preparation for having tradespeople romp through in coming weeks and we had spent most of the day collecting up all the odd toys, bits and pieces with a view to getting them sorted and packed away where they belong.

We made some great in roads though I am still left with a large pile on the floor. Mid afternoon, though, my back was feeling the strain of all the effort of shifting all our furniture around to thoroughly clean and I was due for a break. In the process of cleaning, Boof noticed that I had made some games more accessible for him and as I stretched my back he picked up his favorite family game, Boggle and asked to play.

Of course, Boof is not a child prodigy, he is barely forming letters let alone identifying words. In reality he just loves shaking the box with all the letters in it. (Yes, I know the new version doesn't need a box). It is loud and when he is done he has his own pad to write on as we get to the serious task of word finding to 100 points.

It was great to be able to play without the children so that we had an evenly matched competition for once! Of course, my husband beat me 108 to 73. I am sure that it is only because he writes faster than I do as we are never usually short of word finding with only one exception this time around. It was a doosey and we were stonkered. I put it aside to show you all but, in typical fashion, absentmindedly either misplaced it or threw it out. Oh well, next time!

My Christmas wish for you is that in these festive times you can see past pain, hurts and troubles to reach out your hand. I pray that your hand will give hope to another as you reach out to help.

My Christmas wish for you is that all that you do, albeit the same as any other day, that it will be done with appreciation for all that you have that others may not. I pray that you are enveloped in joy as you serve others.

My Christmas wish for you is that you take the time to love someone else that you find hard to love. I pray that in doing so that you feel loved for just being yourself too.

My Christmas wish for you is that you can consider others with a higher regard than yourself. Then, when you arrive home safely after your celebrations, I pray that you can bring thanks to God that no one lost their life at your hands that same night.

My Christmas wish for you is that you can share the spirit of Christmas in special ways with those who see you in a faceted way. I pray that your life is a testimony of love to work colleagues and clients, to playgroup mums and to the barrista at your local coffee bar.

My Christmas wish for you is that as you contemplate the year ahead that your already laid plans clearly seen as wise or unwise. I pray that all fear, angst and stress be replaced with empowerment, encouragement and, above all, peace.

With love at Christmas

The last thing you want to hear about before Christmas is about the eggs that life throws at people. So tough luck, if you don't like it then don't read this blog post. This is, of course, Egg Splatter and is exactly the purpose of this site so be prepared I caught a few of of those eggs thrown at me and am about to throw them on our wall.

I hate it when someone says 'no' when their eyes say yes and vice versa. I hate it even more when they know that I can read them but they try it anyway. I hate the most when that person is my 'working husband'.

It hurts to see and it hurts so much more when the lie is about something serious - like your marriage. I think I have seen the truth now. His glasses provide no cover for those lying eyes.

It was clear that his heart was taken from me and put to something else a long time ago. Now, though, it is clear, the lines have been drawn in the sand. He has made his priorities clear and for the first time I know where I stand.

At first, all you can hear is your heart beating as you take in those final words that make it clear that love packed up and left a long time ago. Beyond that, it is as if your eyes are refocusing after a time with bandages over them after surgery. You blink and after a little while things become clear, clearer than they were before.

They say that love is blind. Maybe it is when the one you love is allowed to take your heart and walk all over it for days, then weeks, then months and then years of that I cannot be certain. Right now I think it is time to pick up my heart for myself and tend to it before it is broken permanently.

It is downright crap that he chose to put things out honestly just before Christmas. But is there ever a good time?

Anyway, Web Monkey has lined me up a second 'drink' button so that you can buy me a 'real' drink simply because life sucks right now or you can add a comfort food. (Yes, coffee is real too but doesn't have the same effect).

It seems of late that I have been in receipt of a load of compliments for the bits and pieces that I have been up to. In reflection, I do not understand why these compliments are coming in now because I do not believe that I have done anything more, of late, than any other time. Maybe it is just that people are actually noticing for the first time or maybe it is me actually hearing their compliments and taking them for what they are for the first time? I am not sure, either way.

Most of the things that I do are small and fall into insignificance. They are certainly not the feats that are used as testimonies of God's power at the pulpit. They are the small things like writing a roster, wiping down a table, giving a hug to someone who needs it and sharing conversation over a hot drink.

With this spate of compliments I have had to give thought as to how to respond beyond an appreciative,"Thank You". So, tonight I have drawn myself into the Word to look for how I can better articulate what I would like to say to others in response. The passage that brings words to my lips is in Isaiah.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

So, if you see me 'just getting on with the job' and are pleased, appreciative or even 'shocked' at how I fit it into my busy life I have something for you to do before paying me a compliment. That thing is to thank the Lord because it is through him that my strength comes and that I may be able to reach out and give with the abundance of life-giving, fresh flowing waters that fill my cup to overflowing. When I bring good to others, know that it is not me but He who lives in me that prompts me to live out His promises.

I know that I, too, give thanks to people regularly for things that they do and I always strive to thank the Lord for them. This week I am committing myself to thanking the Lord for people who make a difference in my days. I invite you to join along with me.

If you do not know how to start then use the words contained in the Word (NIV) to get you started:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because.. (as in Romans)

I always thank God for you because.. (as in 1 Corinthians)

Sometimes, though, we are not sure what to be thankful for because it is hard to pinpoint or encapsulate what someone has done for you or what they have done to benefit others. In this case, like me, you may find your self praying in the spirit of the words that are found in 1 Thessalonians:

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (NIV)

In addition to this, it will be my fervent prayer this coming week that the promises in God's Word will be fulfilled in their life as it is in Phillipians also:

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
- Phillipians 1:9-11 (ESV)

Please post a comment if you are committed to join with me in thanking the Lord for others this week so that they may be encouraged in their faith wanderings also.

With love
Proverbs Wife

Lately, I have been considering book shelving options as I am bored with plain bookshelves where you only see the spine. I secretly found myself longing for display shelves like those we had at Kindergarten all those many years ago.

As it turns out you will always find someone who has thought the same thing for themselves and can point you to a range of answers. There were several very cool bookshelves that I came across in my search. Like the tree that was turned into paper which was then recycled to make a tree-shaped bookshelf to hold more trees which had been turned into paper.

Image source: http://designartist.cafe24.com/web/open_product/big/tree1.jpg

Then there was one bookshelf that looked somewhat normal other than the adult silhouette that would allow someone to shuffle into the shelf itself to read. I wanted to buy it just put against my living room window with a curtain that hides me in my own nook looking out across my front garden as if I was the only person in the world. It is such a great idea!

So, as I hunted it became clear that all the great ideas were used in children's bedrooms. (Apparently, we grow out of being attracted to books by their cover). The solutions that a friend pointed me towards was the use of PVC gutters as a display shelf which is kind of nifty.
Image source: http://familyfun.go.com/

So, I have now seen dozens of pictures showing them in children's play areas:

Image source: http://www.mamanotes.com/

To fitting them into shared bedrooms:

Image source: http://raisingolives.com/ - Rain Gutter Book Shelves Tutorial

But what I hope to see is one long shelf in the Master Bedroom spanning the entire wall above the top of the bed head. I have even had a look at the Philmac web site to look at what my style options are. What do you think?