Faith VS Life

So here's my latest canvas. It's a scripture that ive had on my mind and my heart for awhile. It came up again while watching 'Courageous'. And i thought i'd paint it.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:14

But what does that actually mean? What does that look like played out in life. I mean: It sounds good, its poetic, heroic, & catchy. I wonder if it means abandoning home comforts for a foreign mission field, or can it possibly mean living a normal life.
I don't consider myself religious. Religion to me is a set of rituals you do over and over, losing the meaning or the emotion behind the actions. I have a relationship with God, and also Jesus, who is my Saviour, and who laid down his human life for me to have my life.
I attend church regulary. For teaching, inspiration, fellowship. But most of all, because its my favourite place to be in the whole world. I look forward to Sundays. I feel out of sorts when i don't attend. I acknowledge that God doesn't live in church. 'Church' isn't the building. Church is the people that go. People that have become my family.
If i didn't ever go to Sunday worship again, i fully believe God wouldn't disown me.
So church attendance isn't serving God.

I wonder if its all the little things that make up daily life, and if so, i know i have to pick up my game. There are great big grey areas that need some serious light shining into them, before they fall into line with serving God.
The children, were interested in what i was painting, and when explained...balked at the word SERVE. It is an 'outdated' word in a me-first society. Media will tell you, 'Do what you want to feel happy. Thats the most important thing. Your choices aren't mine, but they are equally valid.'
In that climate, servanthood has no place.
The bible calls us to lose our life, in order to gain it. To empty ourselves out in order to fill ourselves. To offer the other cheek to a person who just slapped our face. Its a shocking revelation. It was when Jesus announced it. It is now.
But, the truth of it is undeniable. In a culture where depression is the norm, Putting ourselves first is not working for us.
Solomon, the wisest man ever to have lived, on his death bed states' Vanities of vanities!' and then chastises himself for his obsession with material possession. Solomon claims to have never denied himself a single pleasure.

I tried to explain to my son, that perhaps serving God means not walking away from a teacher when they are talking to you, deferring to the biblical principal of honoring those in authority. For another son, it meant getting baptised, publicly taking your stand for God.

I think it may mean different things for different people at different times. And i hope my life reflects a servanthood for Christ. I know that when the race is done, i hope to hear my Father tell me, Well Done good and faithful servant, in whom i am well pleased. And i hope my family strives for that goal too.

More Cards

I'm pleased to announce that so far i have kept to my New Year Goal of making cards one month ahead for special birthdays. Here are my March birthdays, minus one, still in the works.







~*~Valentines Day Afternoon ~*~

I came up with the idea to have Catey host a Valentines Day afternoon tea for two reasons. One was that i wanted an opportunity to meet some of the kids she'll be hanging out with this year, and the other is that Caitlin was going into a class with children lots of kids she hadn't met and it was a good chance to make some inroads with some girls before that clicky thing that girls do kicked in.

I enjoyed collecting anything heart related, and trying to think of heart themed foods. Here are the results:
Heart Invites, each one was different, but made with the same elements.





We had heart biscuits, a heart cake, cupcakes with heart toppers and candycane hearts!!

I decorated the table with heart balloons too.

We also did a wee craft. Heart related, of course! We did handprints in the shape of a heart and footprints, which is a nice momento for parents.







Another Painting Idea

Although Coby's enthusiasm for painting has waned, I saw this on the net and it was such a good idea, i wanted to share it.
Basically, you get a muffin tray and spray shaving foam into each hole.

Then you add a few drop of food coloring to each one, and stir it in. It doesn't go watery and holds its consistancy really well.

Once you've made your 'paints', you can just paint it onto paper like a normal pot of paints, but i decided to put it into an empty bath and let Coby paint a wall. I needed him to take a shower anyway, so it was win-win!

And it washed off the wall as easy as pie when i switched the shower on. Totally recommend for a good bit of fun.

Crafty Stuff

Craft. I've always loved it. But just lately i've really got into it. Into all sorts of different mediums. Ive tried knitting, sewing, cross stitch, painting, ploymer clay, baking (its a craft!), jewellery making, crystal hangings, card making, plaster of paris sculpting.... you name it, ive tried it recently.

I can't claim to have any real talent, but what i lack in that department. I make up for in raw enthusiasm. I seem to have quite a few projects in my head too, that are aching to be tried out. For instance, i want to make a sisal lampshade for above my dining table. (That is next on my project list!)
I also want to make some fabric roses to embellish some clothes. Wheat bags...i want to make them for Christmas gifts. Oooo, Christmas... Christmas ornaments, i have some in mind i need to make! i saw some salt dough gift tags, they look great.

As you can see, i have enough 'wants' to keep me busy for some time. Heres some of the projects ive got through.

I made this out of two pieces of fabric i found in our local sally's store for $4. i took off the existing curtain and pilfered the tapes off the top to hang it with and then i sewed it togethher and fashioned it into a curtain. It took me a couple of hours, but i was really pleased with the result.

Heres my owl canvas. I have a real obsession for owls at the moment. But not the actual birds. Im really liking the cartoon version, especially in a zany or vintage print. At some stage i want to make a sewn toy of one, And ive just made a polymer clay one. I just think they are delightful.

Here he is, and hes come out exactly as i had planned. Boy i love him! I keep sneaking a peek at him. Im going to get a long piece of leather and wear him as a necklace. Working with polymer clay was one of my New Year Goals. Im pleased to say ive made a start! I definately want to make some card toppers with the stuff.  I made a pink one too for Caitlin. He wasn't as good. The pink clay i bought was hard to work with, it may have been old stock? the other colours however, were really easy to mold and shape.

I have a plaster of paris volcano on the go at the moment, i need to get the right shape, which is proving difficult. Then will add baking soda and vinegar to show Coby.

Paint!!

Coby is currently into painting. He is spending a good couple of hours a day creating 'masterpieces'. For now, its all about the process and not the end product. But we are certainly enjoying watching him learn.

Today, we tried something a little different...

Fingerpaint!!

Fingerpaint Recipe

5 Cups Water

2 Cups Cornflour

Food Colouring in different colours

Pour the water into a pan, and begin to heat.

Put the cornflour into a bowl and add enough water from the pan, to the bowl to make a thick paste. Continue to heat the water in the pan until just before boiling, add the cornflour paste, and stir until thickened. Add your food colouring and transfer to paintpots. Let the mixture cool down before giving it to your children.

Ta Da!!



2011 in review

Like one of those corny award shows that run at the end of the year, I have found myself of late reviewing 2011 as my annus horribilus, or whatever terminology the queen used for her worst year. Maybe 2011 has shared top place of crappy year charts with the year i got divorced.

2011, it seems, was the year that chewed me up and spat me out. A constant rollercoaster of challenges, that kept coming and coming. Heres a selection of them!

New Years Day 2011: Regan and his mum have a bad word fight. She didn't speak to us or the grandies for 3 months. Yes, It was March before we were allowed back!
The Big Fight with Kerry, I'm not sure what month....Going back to church knowing that probably everyone in there knows your business and that you certainly aren't that perfect family you hope people think you are!
(Spin off, silver lining, I wonder if you can actually call someone your friend until you've had an argument and patched things up?)
Holding my dear friend Wiremu's hand as he passed away, while Regan attempted CPR on him after a massive heart attack witnessed by Kieran.
The whole ADHD thing - Trying to navigate the muddy pathways of ADHD diagnosis, and not getting adequate support from school or friends!
(Silver Lining - I learnt opinions are like assholes - everyone has one)
The rising cost of living. Wow - I cant believe how prices have jumped. We've had 4 overseas visitors this year, and all have been disgusted about the cost of living here. SAHM-ing sure is a luxury.
Tristan's teacher. Mrs Howie. Blergh. Burnt Out teachers should leave and retire. Instead, they victimise the children in their care. Tristan first year of intermediate ruined by her. Tamatea better pull their socks up this year, or i'm pulling him outta there.
Caitlin and that 'thing' with the school and CYFS, if you don't know about it, i aint telling ya.
Adri leaving us.
How intense things got with Jenniah and Mike.

See - These are just thing as they come to me. The day to day stuff was just as bad. There were good bits though. The slightly shorter list would have to include:

Mike and Ebonys wedding. What a great day! It was great having something to aim for and buy outfits for, and finally having a night off from ALL the kids. Yay Us!
Watching Daniel be born in February. Possibly my all time lifetime high. How this little creature can not be there one minute and here the next was amazing! Profoundly spiritual. I'd so love to do that for a career.

So 2012, you had better have your party outfit on and be ready to give us a stella year! We deserve one!


New Years Resolutions? 


I don't go in for them myself. Too many cliches and not enough willpower.
Although i have set myself some small short term goals for the year. I will put them here to serve as a reminder to myself!

Learn Polymer Clay modelling. I'm already a step ahead at this, as i bought some today. My main intention was to learn to make card toppers for my cardmaking. Turns out - thats really hard and will require some serious upskilling. However sculpting wasn't that hard, and i have a wee piggy in the oven as we speak.

Set Up a Homework Box. Ok, So i hate homework as much as the kids do.I mean, my opinion is that we tell our husbands not to bring work home, but we make our kids do it instead? Who wants to put in 6 hours of schoolwork and then come home and continue. That said, this year, i will try and get a homework box made up with all the cutesy stationary bits that entice small children into working.

Mark Special Peoples Birthdays. This one i'm also already ahead on, as i did all my January birthdays in December. If i keep a month ahead, i might manage this one. (Oh, i should have said, i want to send a handmade card to each one)

And so Goodbye 2011 - Don't let the door hit you on the arse on your way out!