[this moment]

A day late, but yesterday was busy!

A single image capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember. 

Wee Rosie waking up from her afternoon nap.

Questions.

‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ [...] Out of his fullness, I shall receive, and grace for grace. [...] My needs are many, but my supplies are infinite. Though millions of weak, tempted, persecuted, dying believers, have been invigorated in every age by this living water, yet its streams are undiminished; it still remains as it ever was — Grace Sufficient! Sufficient to relieve the needy, to strengthen the weak, to pardon the guilty, to sanctify the unholy, to support the disconsolate, to comfort and save all, however vile and worthless; who sincerely, fervently, and perseveringly seek for it, through faith in Christ.
- Thomas Reade

If I'm living dependent on Him, can I not then do all He's given me to do? If Christ's love for me then overflows in me and onto other people as and when I interact with them, as it should, is the love poured out not limitless? Does the fact that I'm human mean I need to consider myself, and stop or slow down when I feel utterly spent, weak and overwhelmed? Is worrying about Index making it worse? (Probably.) Am I trying to be God?

It seems, no matter how much I pray for strength for the day, for God's love and grace to be shown in my life that I fail. I feel completely drained by the least human interaction with someone who is a little more demanding than the norm and retreat. Spending 7 hours of my day with 6 needy, demanding, whiny children seems to be taking its toll slowly but surely. I could do that, recharge my batteries in the evening ready for the next day, except I don't want that to be my life. So I meet up with people, I plan and organise things, and I live. But more and more, I'm failing at being like Christ to both these things. Am I doing too much? Am I putting myself under too much pressure, too many demands and spreading my emotions and energy too thin? 

I wish I knew the right, godly, wise thing to do here.

[this moment]

A single image capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember. 

An afternoon well spent at Butterfly & Insect World.

Healing

I absolutely and undeniably believe that God can heal. No doubt about it. In Biblical times and now too. I also believe that there are things that come with an illness or a dark time that are of far more worth and value than health. Things like moving from knowing the Word to knowing the God of the Word. Things like waiting on the Lord - how often do we really do this when all is well and life is "as it should be" (in our eyes at least)? Rarely is my guess. Don't just wait, wait on the the Lord. God sometimes brings you to a place where you are uncomfortable - the aim is not to become comfortable again, and as soon as possible please, neither is our focus to be one of self-pity or despair. Our focus is to be on the Lord, and on His bigger picture. Sometimes, God glorifies himself by healing. Sometimes God glorifies himself by working in our lives through sickness. Sometimes God has to bring you to a place where you will get a contrite heart and your heart will break over your sin.

PS. God doesn't show us everything. You never know how he's working in your dark time.

(A few thoughts from Wayne's talks at the Index Weekend Away)

[this moment]

A single image capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember. 

 

Prayer Walk last Saturday am - gathering around the lake.

A few things I like...

I like receiving amazingly fun and thoughtful packages in the mail.
I like that I never have to think about taking Iain's hand, because he always takes mine first.
I like Terry's Chocolate Orange. (Did you know a Terry's chocolate orange has 20 segments? Fact.)
I like browsing around second hand bookshops and charity shops.
I like cute notebooks. Especially when they're from Poundland - cheap and cute, what could be better?
I like taking photos of beautiful things.
I like finding a gem of a blog.
I like good quality conversation with the Girls Core Team.

Scrap that. I don't like these things, I love them. Love, love, love.