paths

I've been thinking a lot about paths lately. I'm approaching an ending of sorts and am looking for the next direction to go in. I think I'll have a better idea after Monday. On Monday I'm giving my testimony at a Gideons International dinner. This is a huge deal for me. I hate standing up in front of crowds and speaking - I blush, stammer a little sometimes, lose my place, and generally feel incredibly nauseous. But I have come to a place in my journey where I know I have to do this; that the Lord has changed something in me and I need to act on it. Monday's dinner will be a turning point. I just don't know what I'll be turning towards. 

Serendipitously, I've reached the verse in Psalm 23 that talks about paths of righteousness. It's a comfort to me to know that wherever God is leading me, it will be on a righteous path.

Where is life leading you at the moment?

close-up of sheep and a tree that I was particularly pleased with :)

Dog days of (summer)

Here in the southern hemisphere the dog days of summer are both a distant memory and a future hope as we endure the winter months. 

I long for the time when I will exchange the wriggling of my toes in the sheepskin interior of my Ugg boots for the feeling of sand between my toes on a summer’s evening walk on the beach. 

For when the sound of rain on the tin roof will cause me to throw open all the doors and windows to allow the cool breeze to flow through the house and chase away the heat, bringing the temperature down to a balmy 35℃, rather than have me running to the back garden to bring in all the washing. Again.

For the time when I will be able to do four loads of washing and have them all dry before lunchtime and bring them in from the washing line smelling of sunshine and holding as much heat as if I had just ironed them.

For turning a corner and being greeted by an avenue of riotous purple jacaranda trees looking like something from a Dr. Seuss story.

For the time when I won’t have to mow the lawn.

For early morning walks before the heat of the day sets in.

For visits to the beach where I can stand on the jetty and watch the dolphins frolicking just feet away.

For the vast blue sky that remains unclouded for weeks at a time.

The same blue that it is today.

Maybe - just maybe - spring is on the way.

He restores my soul

After being led into green pastures - fed - and beside still waters - being given peace and quiet - He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:3a)

What does that mean?

I like to think about it like a phone or computer. We personalise them with photos, ringtones, address books, but at any point we can return them to the factory settings.

It's a bit like that with life. We live it, we become damaged, we wander away from the path we're supposed to be on. Having our soul restored by spending time with God is like being returned to factory settings - being straightened out and lined up with Him again.

Take time to have your soul restored today.

green pastures and still waters

Green pastures and still waters. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

Green pastures are like a banquet to a sheep. And sometimes they don't know when to stop. God makes us 'lie down' when we have had enough. He gives us time to digest.

And then he gives us peace and quiet to reflect and listen.

There are times when we need to stop and reflect on how far we have come and wait to see where we are to go next.

the path

What does your path look like at the moment?

For me, it is a little like this one - I can see a little way, but not too far. I'm not quite sure where the path is leading me, but I can see that I will be moving further into the light. I can see that the trees that are obscuring the view are going to open up and I will be able to see a little further.

I don't know what is over the crest of the hill, but I trust that God has it covered and is equipping me as I walk in trust along the bit of path that I can see.

What about you?

Psalm 23

'Want' is an interesting word. In this psalm it talks about not wanting. It isn't to do with not desiring, but not being in want. God knows what I need and makes sure that I have it.

It's just that sometimes what I think I need is different from God's idea of what I need.

At times like this, I must let go of what I want, trust that God knows what I need and go with it. It's not always easy. Sometimes the grass looks greener on the other side. Often we have to make the mistake of tasting it several times before we realise that, actually, what we have is exactly what we need.

So when there is something that you want, let God be the judge of whether it is actually what you need.

Tags

Working on the packs for the ladies who will be joining me on Saturday for the women's retreat. These are the tags that will go on the front of the info packages and will also act as place cards for the table.

Almost done now with the prep. Looking forward to the actual day now.

Psalm 23

I've started on a book on Psalm 23 to try to remove some 'sameness' from my pages. Here I've used colours that are not usual for me and hand lettering rather than stamps. The background is made with masking tape laid on in torn strips and then painted over.

I like the shape of the pages, too. It's funny how something as simple as a different shape or dimension can break you out of a rut.

I've also been busy making hand-bound journals for the women's retreat I'm leading on Saturday.

Blocked!

What do you do when you're blocked?

I don't mean that I'm not creating anything. At the moment I'm knitting, writing the programme and preparing the elements for a women's retreat, preparing to give my testimony at a dinner (aaaagggghhhh!), and writing some stories.

I'm not blocked completely. I just feel that my journal pages have become a little samey - I reach for the same media, the same colours, the same shapes.

I've reached the end of a particular part of the journey and not found the beginning of the next bit.

So I'm starting an art book on Psalm 23. I'm going to deliberately choose techniques and colours that I'm not that familiar with. I'm sifting through my books for inspiration and moving out of my comfort zone.

So what would you do?

Know when you are finished

Sometimes I look at a page I have been working on and know that it needs some words on it. This time I was staring at this and thinking it's done. There's nothing else I feel I need to add.


How many times do we continue with something even when we have gone beyond the end of it?

There is a need to know when something is done. When it has come to the end of its life. I know that often in churches programmes go on even though they are no longer effective. Sometimes it is because so-and-so needs to feel that their gifts are being used, or 'if we stop this there will be nothing for such-and-such a group of people to do.' Or even 'we've always done this. It's tradition.' Are those good reasons to keep on with something that has so obviously done its time and is now finished?

Yes, it can be scary looking at doing a new thing - you don't know how well it will work, if at all. You don't know if anyone will support it. But that is no reason to keep on with something that is over and done.

We need to learn to end things well.