It is a beautiful December afternoon and as I sit here pondering the many twists and turns our lives have taken in the year of 2017, I feel incredibly humbled...
The Lord has been so gracious to us in keeping us from harm in the face of danger and providing for our family every step of the way...
Truly, my cup overflows with joy and my heart is filled with thanksgiving...
This Christmas was somewhat different to those of previous years with our dad being in China till the end of January.
Praise the Lord for technology...we were able to video chat with him whilst opening gifts and again after Christmas dinner.
I was delighted to have a much simpler meal to prepare this year as we chose to have a quiet day by ourselves...
On Christmas morning I decided to ask my mom about moving into the little outside flat. This room was first our schoolroom and more recently, our sewing room. However, having my bedroom inside and my sewing room outside wasn't working too well... My mom readily agreed, thinking it would be lovely for Nancy as well as she would have her own room and a place to work too. We also moved the piano into her room so that she can practice without disturbance...{{winks}}
Thus, Christmas day was spent moving my things into the flat and organising myself which was wonderful as it took my mind off the fact that Dad wasn't here to celebrate with us. I love my new little ''house'' and it appears to be working out very well for everyone - Caleb loves to come over for some special sister time and I am already planning some fun things to do with my sisters over the next few weeks... Sometime I will do a little house tour for you...I am hoping to decorate a bit first...
I intend to grow my sewing business in 2018, so having a workspace all to myself will be fantastic! {{smiles}}
This week I allowed my mind to drift back over the things I used to love so much...
There are so many aspects of country life that I greatly miss...
The space and freedom of living on a farm...my big vegetable garden and literally having free rein to do whatsoever I wished with it, provided I did in fact grow vegetables for my family! {{Smiles}}
Tea parties under the trees...hours spent in the kitchen preserving fresh produce... Taking photographs of the beauty surrounding me...very little to no distractions...
Old fashioned simplicity...
I miss those things...I realise that in an attempt to block out the pain of losing our simple way of life, I became distracted with various social activities...outings...anything to keep my focus off the things I used to love and hold so dear to my heart.
I lost sight of who I was and what was most important to me...
My family...
My home...
And serving my Jesus in the small things...
The girl who used to delight in the simple things got caught up in the hustle and bustle of town life...
I have allowed my tears to bottle up for months upon months, but now they are beginning to well over...slowly but surely I am allowing the memories to come flooding back, allowing the Lord to minister to my hurting heart.
This week I have been reminded of the importance of my role as a daughter at home...the blessing that comes with submitting to the Lord in His plan for my life and seeking to serve Him each day in the small things.
Washing dishes...folding washing...reading a story to the toddler...
Lately I have been resentful of these precious things, thinking there were much more exciting, gratifying things for me to be doing with my time.
I believe that there is a time and a place for enjoyment outside the home...but this should not take the place of my family and the pivotal role the Lord has given me to play in the lives of my sisters.
Surely they are the most important people in my world?
Dear friends...I am learning a great many things at present. The Lord is working in His quite way in my heart. It has been painful indeed to have to reflect on certain things I have allowed to take precedence if my life, even if they are good.
I have come to the conclusion that I am still a country girl at heart and even though it broke my heart to leave the farm, I realise that this is a season of new beginnings and that the Lord has a special plan for us as a family. I know I can trust Him to reveal this plan to us in His perfect time.
I also have come to realise that I need to be more intentional in delighting in the simple things in life...it is still possible to enjoy a quiet life whilst dwelling in the city!
And hopefully with this change of focus, I will have more inspiration for writing about the things I love once again!
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways..."
~ Psalm 139:1-3
Dear friends, thank you for being such faithful readers throughout this year...each of you have been a precious blessing to me and I cannot thank you enough for your prayers, love and support...
I pray that this next year will be a truly blessed one for each of you and that we will all continue to grow closer in our relationship with the Lord and trust Him wherever He leads us.
You are all very close to my heart and I praise the Lord for His grace in allowing me the incredible privilege of sharing this journey with you...
With love and blessings in Christ,
Kelly-Anne
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
~ Jeremiah 29:11
The Lord has been so gracious to us in keeping us from harm in the face of danger and providing for our family every step of the way...
Truly, my cup overflows with joy and my heart is filled with thanksgiving...
This Christmas was somewhat different to those of previous years with our dad being in China till the end of January.
Praise the Lord for technology...we were able to video chat with him whilst opening gifts and again after Christmas dinner.
I was delighted to have a much simpler meal to prepare this year as we chose to have a quiet day by ourselves...
On Christmas morning I decided to ask my mom about moving into the little outside flat. This room was first our schoolroom and more recently, our sewing room. However, having my bedroom inside and my sewing room outside wasn't working too well... My mom readily agreed, thinking it would be lovely for Nancy as well as she would have her own room and a place to work too. We also moved the piano into her room so that she can practice without disturbance...{{winks}}
Thus, Christmas day was spent moving my things into the flat and organising myself which was wonderful as it took my mind off the fact that Dad wasn't here to celebrate with us. I love my new little ''house'' and it appears to be working out very well for everyone - Caleb loves to come over for some special sister time and I am already planning some fun things to do with my sisters over the next few weeks... Sometime I will do a little house tour for you...I am hoping to decorate a bit first...
I intend to grow my sewing business in 2018, so having a workspace all to myself will be fantastic! {{smiles}}
This week I allowed my mind to drift back over the things I used to love so much...
There are so many aspects of country life that I greatly miss...
The space and freedom of living on a farm...my big vegetable garden and literally having free rein to do whatsoever I wished with it, provided I did in fact grow vegetables for my family! {{Smiles}}
Tea parties under the trees...hours spent in the kitchen preserving fresh produce... Taking photographs of the beauty surrounding me...very little to no distractions...
Old fashioned simplicity...
I miss those things...I realise that in an attempt to block out the pain of losing our simple way of life, I became distracted with various social activities...outings...anything to keep my focus off the things I used to love and hold so dear to my heart.
I lost sight of who I was and what was most important to me...
My family...
My home...
And serving my Jesus in the small things...
The girl who used to delight in the simple things got caught up in the hustle and bustle of town life...
I have allowed my tears to bottle up for months upon months, but now they are beginning to well over...slowly but surely I am allowing the memories to come flooding back, allowing the Lord to minister to my hurting heart.
This week I have been reminded of the importance of my role as a daughter at home...the blessing that comes with submitting to the Lord in His plan for my life and seeking to serve Him each day in the small things.
Washing dishes...folding washing...reading a story to the toddler...
Lately I have been resentful of these precious things, thinking there were much more exciting, gratifying things for me to be doing with my time.
I believe that there is a time and a place for enjoyment outside the home...but this should not take the place of my family and the pivotal role the Lord has given me to play in the lives of my sisters.
Surely they are the most important people in my world?
Dear friends...I am learning a great many things at present. The Lord is working in His quite way in my heart. It has been painful indeed to have to reflect on certain things I have allowed to take precedence if my life, even if they are good.
I have come to the conclusion that I am still a country girl at heart and even though it broke my heart to leave the farm, I realise that this is a season of new beginnings and that the Lord has a special plan for us as a family. I know I can trust Him to reveal this plan to us in His perfect time.
I also have come to realise that I need to be more intentional in delighting in the simple things in life...it is still possible to enjoy a quiet life whilst dwelling in the city!
And hopefully with this change of focus, I will have more inspiration for writing about the things I love once again!
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways..."
~ Psalm 139:1-3
Dear friends, thank you for being such faithful readers throughout this year...each of you have been a precious blessing to me and I cannot thank you enough for your prayers, love and support...
I pray that this next year will be a truly blessed one for each of you and that we will all continue to grow closer in our relationship with the Lord and trust Him wherever He leads us.
You are all very close to my heart and I praise the Lord for His grace in allowing me the incredible privilege of sharing this journey with you...
With love and blessings in Christ,
Kelly-Anne
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
~ Jeremiah 29:11
