Olive shoots

Gotta love moments like these (even Jayden is paying close attention:)

and these...

For those who don't recognise it - this is a Paw Paw (papaya) protective stretchy thing that becomes a favourite plaything in our house...

I must confess that these special moments are to be especially treasured in our house lately. As a Mum I am constantly crying out to the Lord to help our children to love each other more, to show thoughtfulness, to be cheerful and most of all to love the Lord. Often feels as though every moment there is a squabble to be sorted out, an unkind word spoken or someone has just had an injury and enormous bursts of tears and cries of pain are the norm... and maybe they are, for now...

So hard to see the Lord working sometimes, so difficult to deal with yet another battle (the same one we've been dealing with over and over for some time. Some days the battles really do begin from sun up to sun down... at times I believe I have even heard battles happening in sleep talk!

David and I are reminded, over and over again to cry out to the Lord - in our despair, to do a work in our children.

Mother's Day craft

I like to make something little for Mothers on Mother's Day ... just something to let all those Mammas out there (at church) know they are loved and appreciated. Some years the ideas seem to flow other times I think of an idea but it changes 3 or 4 times before I find the right prototype to suit. Well here is this year's craft...

I started with... cork circles... I picked these up at Reverse Garbage (one of my favourite hang outs:) for $12/kg (I cannot remember how much it worked out each but pittance really because cork is quite light weight)

Some other things I used:

Mod podge - a type of decoupage glue - love this stuff

white paint

Tissue paper flowers (I think I could now do them in my sleep after making 30)

Double sided tape

metal screw in eyelets

keyring and small rings to attach to eyelets

Punched out flower pictures

Ribbon to match

Double sided tape

Shiny rhinestone stickers

Cello bags

Firstly I painted the cork circles white. It took quite a few coats to get a finished look as the cork seemed to absorb much of the paint.

I screwed small eyelets into the top (easily done with cork). I then attached my little pre-punched shapes, rhinestone centre, keyring and tied ribbon to the top. I gave the whole thing a lick of Mod Podge. I also turned them over and did another flower on the other side. Ta- dah...

I then roped my Joshua into helping me bag them up with a couple yummy Aldi chocolates in each (the incentive for Joshua was having a choc. sample when finished:) and tied them up with a tissue paper flower on the front:

Then arranged them all in a basket ready for all the beautiful Mums young and old at our church

I had myself a lovely mother's day - a lovely posie of Aussie flowers from hubby and spent the day enjoying my handsome young nephew's dedication service and scrumptious lunch to follow... enjoying lots of cuddles with my young uns'

Plumbing

David's Cousin and his wife (newly weds) have come to stay with us for about a month so he can get some more work in the big smoke. They live remotely and are fixing up an old house, gardening etc. etc. in between a few plumbing jobs. We have managed to keep Uncle C busy with some plumbing jobs at our house for a while, then after a few other local jobs she will be flying down to Melbourne where they will meet up again and she will have their baby in a couple of

months.

The trench diggers hard at work. David dug a big trench along the fence line so we could replace some faulty/old pipes.

Aunty S getting plenty of practise before her little bundle arrives (this was actually taken a month or so ago when they popped in) so her bump is much more ripe now...

The view of the neighborhood is always quite different when you gain height:) David had Uncle C take some pictures when climbing up on our back patio roof:

Rosa and Owen enjoyed some new play equipment:

As for me, I have been enjoying some adult female company - lots of chats about giving birth, parenting, etc. etc. I have been spoilt having Aunty S around - I have recently been running around taking Joshua to his NAPLAN test to come home and find my washing done and folded and my dishes washed and kitchen clean (and I know it is a woman who has done the job because it is definitely done with detail and a woman's touch:) I have been spoilt.

I think that the greatest thing I have enjoyed/been challenged about, however in having Uncle C and Aunty S staying with us is their dedication and devotion to studying God's Word. Even plumbing jobs fit around midday worship. They guard their times of study and diligently study the Bible and it is precious to hear them singing songs of praise as I go about the house.

Water!

Have you ever thanked our Jehovah for water? For rain, maybe? But the fact that we have clean water when we turn on our taps?

Rosa was thrilled when I asked if she wanted a turban on her head after she had a bath. A little hard to balance a towel which is about half your weight on top but she was enjoying it.

This will be her last bath at home for a couple of days because we are having a major plumbing job done. We have some corroded pipes and which are causing drainage problems. David's cousin who is a plumber, and his wife who are staying with us for a while will be tackling the problem. I think we might be bucketting water from our Rain water tank for a couple of days. I am sure it will give us all a new appreciation for water supply (and it's usefulness for potty training :) So it is back to prehistoric living in the Campbell house. May visit our local swimming pool for a swim (and shower:) in the afternoon...

I think I will have a new appreciation for water, water that flows from my taps

after this job is finished....

Anzac Day

I just love getting away with the family. Love the time to sit and chat to my hubby (when I can get a word in:) , or just soak him up a bit outside of the regular four walls we call home. I love driving some place new. So ANZAC day was a lovely out-of-the-ordinary treat for us all. David drove us to Fernvale, to a lovely little creek which comes off the Brisbane River. Josh went there with Dave and Boys Brigade recently and thought they'd show us this gorgeous little tucked away spot.

Most of the time was spent doing this:

... and it got the wifey tick of approval:)

Feeling Cheesed!

Two things that have cheesed me lately (just in case you are interested:)

The first - a reminder of the horrible world we have brought our children into...

Whilst travelling to Owen's school one morning Rosa declared that someone had ' had a finger sticking out'. After a couple more questions I discovered someone on a bus that had passed had decided that they would be obscene to my three year old when she smiled at them through the window. That, along with some words Josh has privately asked me about - as to their meaning only to find that some peers (from church:( have been passing around a few obscene words, too... I know we cannot escape to the hermitage to avoid the world but honestly, to a three year old?

the second:

'Free photo' which (as expected) is really just a way to try and get you to buy a whole pack of photos (cheapest deal being $150). Now, that is not the part that annoys me. I quite expected to pushed and shoved and made to feel like a nasty mother unless I bought them. It was the comment, "surely you wouldn't need to ask your husband to spend only $150!"

Now that cheeses me! I managed to avoid further guilt-trip/marriage wedging type sales techniques but am not sure I will ever get my 'free' photo...

Now to calm down... :)

PS - I didn't double-book after all ! Yay!

Muddle headed mother

My hubby brought a big smile to my face today with a funny link he emailed me.

Let me explain... I guess I have a bit of a reputation for forgetting to return library books on time. I am not too bad now that the library sends out automatic reminders a few days before they are due - (bless their hearts!) On one occasion the library computers must not have worked and so my reliance on this system failed and so I received the important email a little too late. I managed to speak to one of the few soft-hearted librarians who let me off with a talking to and a reminder that next time that wouldn't be an acceptable excuse - the scolding 'I must not rely on technology!' ringing in my head all the way home...

well this is the link my hubby sent me with the subject of email: it happens to the best of us:)

At least the librarians were a little more kind-hearted back then:)

ps - just realised I double-booked two very important events on the same day....eeekk! I do actually have a calendar, I just forget to put information into it:) :) LOL

anyone have a remedy for muddle-headed/scatterbrains like myself?

be kind now...

Jay's Dedication

Children truly are a gift and a heritage from the Lord. On Sunday 11th April we had a dedication service for Jayden and three other babies at our church. It was a great service and a reminder to teach our children the ways of the Lord from the time they rise in the morning until they sleep at night. A reminder that they need to hear and see the love of God in our lives. A reminder that we cannot save our children but we can plead for their souls in prayer.

I especially appreciated the letter that the pastor wrote to each child, a letter for them to open when their parents feel they are old enough to take seriously and understand. The letter explained to the child that their parents have made a commitment to train them in the Lord's ways but that their desire is that their child will grow to have a personal faith in Christ.

We enjoyed some time with family and a few friends for lunch afterwards.

It was very special to have my Mum able to fly down for the occasion.

and to let the kids indulge in some very cute cupcakes made by Aunty A!

but the day must have proved taxing for such a young chap:

Easter

Easter weekend has been quite an event for us this year.

But first a photo from last Sunday - Palm Sunday

On Easter Sunday:

Our church combined Easter service with the Tongans and Congolese congregations that use our church building (exciting that we had to dust off piles of chairs in the back room to make room for so many extras).

The Tongans sang incredibly - I could imagine being surrounded by their choruses back on an island in Tonga - just so beautiful and 'islander-like' (is that a word? Not sure that really describes it well - but it was just beautiful and very harmonic - so many different harmonies at once. I managed to catch a glance at their music sheets and wondered how long it took to write up the various harmonies - looked quite complex from where I sat.

They used a big mat to put down the centre isle of the church. I wonder what traditions we have that cause them to smile or snicker (politely of course:). Perhaps our lousy singing has them buckling over with laughter - we really do fairly whisper in comparison :)

I had to smile at some differences in customs/denominational differences. The Congolese pastor finished every other sentence with "Amen, Amen" often followed with a question mark, waiting for the congregation to reply "Amen!".

Many of the Tongans wore hessian-type mats around their waist, held up by a belt. Other women wore woven or carved thin timber decorations hanging from a belt around their waist. A group of young ladies and another of men arrived about 30min after church had started (not easy to enter subtly when you have dingle dangles on your belt:)

In the afternoon/evening we were invited to an African Easter event (really it was more of a meeting up of Acholi people from various states of Australia). I did feel, being white, that we were somewhat of a spectacle, but was good to learn how they must feel at times amongst so many pale faces:)

Owen felt right at home amongst all - even decided to do some negotiating...

And I was pleased to find he stood out in an otherwise dark crowd and could be easily found:)

And there was absolutely no question that this is our baby:)

We learned more about our friends - a dear family that come along to our church. After chatting to Mr. S above, David learned that he had lost both of his parents when he was 15 and was then left to raise his brothers and sisters. He attributes this to keeping him out of the drink/drug issues that many of his peers were beginning to explore at the time. He, and his family are now highly respected amongst the Acholi people.

Joshua spent the weekend with Grandma up at Mt. Tamborine Easter Convention. As usual he made a stack of friends... We decided to drive up to Tambo. on Monday and catch up with the excitement. Was lovely to see Grandma make new friends, too and even managed to meet a few lovely people myself between nappy changes and looking out for wandering tikes!

So our weekend was a very multi-cultural one. A precious reminder that the Lord is worshipped by people from all nations - that he draws so many to Himself! Amen Amen!?

Looking outward

I used to feel angry when I discovered that our suburb opened a brothel. Can you imagine it - a brothel in our suburb - not way off in the distance, or in the Valley where you might expect to see one.

We frequently drive through industry and commented a couple of times on a particular run down looking building on the corner. Some time later that shed was renovated - an amazing transformation. What was once quite an eye-sore was tidied up, painted and made to look presentable... Being somewhat curious I wondered what company was now occupying the place. The name of the new "company" was not particularly insightful - though it did seem opened unusual hours and was well lit. Then, quite by accident I spotted the name of this "company" in our local paper and saw the ad. that followed. I felt sick. I think my feelings were particularly related to bringing up my kids in a world filled with this sort of sin so out-in-the-open...

Now I just feel sad - my thoughts ventured on to the damage that the promiscuity behind those doors brings to families - to loved ones - the betrayal, the lack of trust, the loss of a precious bond... Now as we pass by I am reminded to pray - to pray for those who work there, for those whose lives are damaged by the sin committed. I think my change of focus came through some Christian literature I picked up at church which mentioned some particular organisation (name escapes me) that ran a valentines dinner for prostitutes - with a real focus on letting these women know they are loved and that someone wanted to have them come for a special dinner... Got me thinking about our Lord and his love for sinners, his compassion and his nature. Not, of course that he ever condoned the sin - but that he loved those so lost in it.

And then my thinking focused on the repulsiveness of my own attitude, my own sin and selfishness (where my focus should have been in the first place) and how easy it is for me to feel repulsion towards another's sin and yet tolerate my own selfish tendencies, sins and attitudes... etc.

So, no, I am not impressed to have a brothel down the road, but I think it has caused me to remember that there are needy souls all around me, that I shouldn't be complacent and that I have something so precious and that I ought to share more with others. Others, right here in our very own suburb.