FAMILY: Blessings and Gratitude

I rarely get the opportunity to get out to photograph sunset, or much else these days. If I do, it's a quick backyard sunset (as above) while I'm preparing dinner. I do hope to get back into more photography eventually, but right now, I am loving spending more time with family; particularly the 4 of our  9 young adult children who still live at home and love going on weekly coffee dates, shopping dates, or day trips to the mountains or the beach.
 **Apparently we are still cool enough to hang out with!! :) **

Family life has changed so much since August 2016!

My oldest son is back in our lives, (I hope & pray, this time for good), as his marriage has broken down irretrievably. He is currently living with us while he tries to get back on his feet. As all loving parents would, we have been here to support, guide and love him through the process of rebuilding his life and fighting for his 4 young children and the ability to see them. The legal process doesn't come easy when you (and your family) don't have the finances to pay for Family Lawyers but you don't qualify for Legal Aid. It's been a very hard road for him.

We have been having our 4 grandchildren (7, 5, 3 & 21 months) for the day on most Sundays, which has been a wonderful answer to prayer. We are loving getting to know our grandchildren; spending time with them each week, watching them grow and develop, and observing their unique little personalities. They are such precious little people and I have so much love for them!

We also have our 5th grandchild on the way, which is very exciting!

We've had some difficulties to deal with this year, but we've had so many more blessings. I choose to be grateful in it all, the good & the bad.

“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” - Maya Angelou



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Bless Them Anyway

A very wise friend of mine recently encouraged me to respond to a very negative situation in a different way. After sharing with her a very angry message I received by text, her advice was;

"Allow their words to fall to the ground as dead seeds that cannot take root." 

I was encouraged to look beyond the behaviour and words, to the pain these people are feeling (I was aware of their pain, but it had nothing to do with me).
As the saying goes, "Hurting people hurt people."     Isn't that the truth!

It's incredible how much my friend's words touched my heart. I was understandably deeply hurt by their message, however I chose to respond in love; I chose not to react to their anger, as it wasn't about me. Instead I chose to pray blessing on them. I chose to pray that God would soften their hearts and break down their walls of hurt. I still choose to pray blessing on them, because they need to be blessed.

 

  

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who falsely accuse you and persecute you," ~ Matthew 5:44  

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Love, Forgiveness & Gratitude

LOVE:
REAL love is unconditional, loyal, kind, honest...

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

FORGIVENESS:
Don't hold grudges, instead forgive so you can be free, so you can have peace and happiness.

"If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive." - Mother Theresa

GRATITUDE:
Finding gratitude not only in the good times, but even in the difficult times. There is so much to be thankful for no matter what the circumstances of life may bring. Finding thankfulness in the hard stuff brings blessing & joy.

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." - Brian Tracy

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy

"If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present….Gratefully" - Maya Angelou


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F A M I L Y - Over The Years

Gifted from above with these 4 beautiful treasures, I cannot imagine life without them.
I have loved being a Mum, and raising these wonderful people; I am beyond blessed, favoured by God, my heart is full!

Daniel, Sarah, Rebecca & Ben. December 1993

Sarah, Dan, Ben (1st day of school) & Bec. January 1997

In 1998 my children's father left us and we became "The Denehy 5".

Creating wonderful memories together, loads of laughter, peace, loyalty, kindness, compassion, respect, gratitude and love were our strengths.

Hastings, VIC. January 1998

Flinders, VIC. January 2000

Surfers Paradise Beach, QLD. January 2001

When adversity challenged us, it only served to bring us closer together. Knowing that we had one another, strengthened our bonds.

January 2002

January 2002 with our beautiful Border Collie, Maggie

June 2003

Together we were stronger, together we were a family.

March 2004

December 2004

 

 

December 2005

November 2006

Siblings (and friends) July 2007

December 2007

December 2008

December 2009 at my wedding

March 2010 - with my parents, at Sarah & Oscar's wedding

"FAMILY like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one."

My hope and prayer is that my children will never forget where their roots are.

T R U S T

In the midst of impossible circumstances, I have been challenged to think about how I should respond and choose to move forward knowing that I am utterly helpless in changing the situation...

I thought long and hard, and I shed many many tears... And finally one word came to mind... TRUST.

TRUST means having faith. TRUST means believing. TRUST means letting go. TRUST means being grateful.

If God can create such a beautiful and wonderful world with such intricate detail, then He surely has the power to change the impossible...

Therefore, in having faith, trusting, believing and letting go, I am also choosing GRATITUDE. 

I am choosing to slowly rise above the difficult circumstances in my life journey. 

I am choosing to be grateful for all I have and for those who have chosen to walk this journey with me. 

I am choosing to allow the difficult circumstances of life to help me grow... I cannot change the circumstances, but I can certainly choose how I respond to them. 

I am choosing to TRUST and live in HOPE that one day things will be different. 

Finally, and most importantly, I am choosing to LOVE!

**All images take in my Mum's beautiful cottage garden on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.


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"A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words"

For me, one of the beautiful things about photographing nature is that an image, or series of images, can evoke a feeling or make a statement without the need to utter words.
The old expression "A picture is worth a thousand words", refers to the belief that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image, or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does.

I have titled the above image "Where Power Meets Serenity". My hope was to convey an idea without any further explanation.

There are times I feel compelled to share some of my personal thoughts or revelations on life with my image/s...

Sometimes we encounter "storms" in our lives, and we may have absolutely no power to alter or improve the situation. It is at these times that my photography has been a welcome source of therapy; my "happy place", as I like to call it.
Being surrounded by nature and photographing its beauty has the ability to instill peace, soothe my soul and calm my mind... My focus switches from the difficult circumstances of life, to the gratitude I have for life itself, for the wonderful people I share my life with, and the blessing of God's creation.

There are other times when I enjoy the challenge of seeking out a quote that may convey the message of my image...

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ~ Denis Waitley

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