G R A C E

It's been quite some time since I posted - 18 months in fact. This is why...

From the day you were born and I held you for the very first time, you were only a few hours old, my heart met yours...

Grace Clara - 8th February 2018

I didn't give birth to you, yet my mother-heart loves you as if you had grown inside me. A gift from God, we belong to one another.

My precious (grand) child, may you always know you are loved beyond measure. May you always feel acceptance, value and worth.

"Sometimes you aren’t there when a child is born into this world — but that child was born in your heart long before you can ever remember. Sometimes you belong to each other simply because you long to be with each other." — Ann Voskamp

Ann's words resonate with me so perfectly!

EDIT:
When we were asked to raise our own grand-daughter (our 5th grandchild) and become her legal guardians, we were incredibly humbled and honoured. We consider our little Grace a precious gift from God who deserves to be loved deeply, accepted  and valued for the beautiful soul she is.

Happiness & Gratitude is a Choice

I was talking with a dear friend recently about unrealised dreams and how we respond to the storms in our lives.

For me, these unrealised dreams came in the form of a broken marriage. Since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of a long & happy marriage to a man who loved me unconditionally, “until death do us part”. However, after 14 years of marriage, during which I lost 2 babies to miscarriage, I also lost the father of my 4 (+2) children to adultery & abuse.

It would have been natural, to allow negativity to overtake my thoughts and steal my joy. However, I chose rise above my circumstances; to stand and praise Him anyway through these times of trauma & loss, and to be thankful for what I have rather than what I have lost.

My friend had a very similar story to me. We were discussing how we could have responded very differently than the way we did, and the affect that would have had on our own lives and the lives of our children.

It took time to heal my wounded heart... before I found peace, contentment, forgiveness and happiness in my "new" life as a single Mum to my four young children. God carried me through, just like in the well-known poem “Footprints”.

However, it would take 12 years of single parenting until I finally met the man I had dreamed of as a child (and surprisingly, he was a man I had known since I was 6 months old)!

The biggest lesson I have learned through all my life experiences is... Gratitude in all things!
It's a choice to be grateful. It's a choice to extend forgiveness to those who hurt you. It's a choice to find joy in even the toughest situations!

Just last week, I lost that dear friend... she died from complications after giving birth to her 7th child... she leaves behind 6 young children. To say I am sad is an understatement. I will miss her terribly.

Her loss is a reminder of how unpredictable life can be. We never know when our time is up; there is often no warning, no time to prepare. I believe it is important to never leave things unresolved. My aim is to make sure that the last thing I have said to my loved ones is "I love you".

**This post is dedicated to my dear friend Vicki Leanne Butler. Until we meet again, Vicki!**


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It's The Little Things in Life

It's been a while since I posted. My husband Michael had emergency spinal surgery in early September, so blogging, day trips and photography have been put on hold.
Thankfully he got one of the top Neurosurgeons in Brisbane and his surgery has been a great success. I thank God for everything falling into place!

I decided that my first post back would be to share the importance of the little things in life and how that should always be our focus; they are the things that bring true happiness.

If happiness was determined by big meaningful events, then it would be difficult to continuously achieve. It is the small, and often unexpected, pleasures in life that can make us smile each and every day to help us build happier and more meaningful lives for ourselves and for others.

Small victories, random acts of kindness, a smile from a stranger, reading a book, laughter, a genuine hug, receiving an email or message from a friend, watching a sunset, small unexpected surprises, listening to your favourite music...

"Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset, the giggle of a grandchild, the first snowfall. It's the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events. Joy comes in sips, not gulps."
-- Sharon Draper


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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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Finding Gratitude

I have posted many times on Gratitude, and the importance of finding thankfulness in every aspect of your life. The benefits of living with an "attitude of gratitude" are many and profound. Being grateful is shown to improve both physical and mental health, psychological well-being and attitude, and our relationships with others. Practicing gratitude has even been shown to rewire our brains for the better—it is a truly powerful life-changing tool.

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” ― Randy Pausch

"To live with Gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch Heaven." ― Thomas S Monson

"The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see." ― Mary Davis

“God gave you a gift of 86 400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you? ” ― William Arthur Ward

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Autumn Hues

We are almost through the first month of Autumn in Australia. South-east QLD has a mild, sub-tropical climate, so we don't see a mass of Autumn colour like there is in the cooler temperatures.

There isn't a huge definition in our seasons, and some times I really miss the beauty of those distinct seasonal changes.

Just as the seasons of nature constantly change, life also transitions naturally from one season to the next. Some seasons are more difficult than others, but as we journey through life it is important to remind ourselves that the different seasons we experience are just as temporary as they are in nature.

The seasons in life serve to build character, help us grow, make us stronger, teach us about life and prepare us for the future. It is also important to find peace and gratitude, even through the difficult seasons...

“Happiness is a state of mind, a choice, a way of living; it is not something to be achieved, it is something to be experienced.” ― Steve Maraboli

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Storms and Sunsets

Sometimes a passing storm can deliver a lovely subdued sunset.

We can also experience this in the journey of life -- although 'storms' may hit us and toss us around, there is always something positive that comes from these experiences.

Whether we learn from them, we grow as a person, our character is tested and strengthened or our courage increased.

These storms serve to shape us, to make us the best version of ourselves -- if only we are humble enough to allow it.

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

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