Why me?

When my Dad died I remember seeing the daylight dim like someone had flicked a dimmer switch. Mum had just returned from the hospital, to our grandparent’s home, where we were staying, safely wrapped in love with our Gram and Grandpop. We were so excited to have her home, John and Paul had been doing cartwheels and tumbles on the lawn; I was doing a concert recital, dreaming I was the most beautiful ballerina in the world. We had no idea; no way could we have anticipated the news she’d give us as she called us, one by one, to sit beside her on the back veranda. For the first time my world stopped and then headed at speed in a completely different direction.
It’s always easiest to give a nod to God when the days are rosy and golden and good. It’s so much harder to look at the darker days with the same acceptance. How can a God who loves us so, let bad things happen?
I have always understood there is a plan, a method to the madness. When I consider the person that I am now I know it is all the layers of all the experiences I’ve had in my life that make me ,ME! They’re the building blocks of my value and belief system, my sense of humour, my sense of honour and justice and the foundation of the way that I will react in any set of circumstances.
From our earliest memories we recall heading in a direction, only to have circumstances bring us to a halt and then to hurtle us in another direction like a pinball machine. Each direction brings us joys and sorrows, moments when we are wise and moments when we are foolish and from all of them we grow and change and turn into the next version of ourselves.
Our lives read backwards like a resume, a curriculum vitae of our humanity training. This is where I learned about compassion, this is where I learned of betrayal; this moment is where I learned of joy that makes me weep with remembering, this is where I learned of grief. And this training is particular only to me, as yours is to you.
The story of our lives has many plotlines and the highs and lows can lead us to a single moment in time, so small we may not recognise it, but its ripples will echo in eternity. An example? My life has made me who I am. It means that when I parent its unique to me and it makes my boys unique, their life experiences making them think and act in a particular way. Perhaps one day because of my parents and my life’s journey and my boy’s journeys; a moment will appear where their children (or even their grandchildren) will need to make a split second decision, a heroic rescue, or to stand up as a world leader or more humbly and without thought, to give up a crust of bread to another who needs it more? Can it be that in anticipating what reaction we’ll need to make in that moment; all of our joy and suffering to that point may have been a requirement, a necessity?
Those are the moments when from the greater distance of time we recognise God’s hand; and looking back through the generations we note the milestones, the moulding, the guiding, the tragedy that hasn’t harmed us but made us stronger. A full and rich life journey that has bought us to this moment. A good life, well lived. Just a thought! Jeremiah 29:11

Dad Jokes in celebration of Fathers day!

IN THE CAR
When driving past a cemetery, 'You know, that is the dead centre of town!'...
When driving past a cemetery, 'That place is pretty popular, people are dying to get in there!'...
When driving past a cemetery, 'They put the fence up to keep everyone in!'...
When driving past some black and white cows, 'Boy it must be cold out there, those cows are Friesian!'...
'Where are we Dad?' .... 'In the car'...
When there is a slow driver in the way, 'Come on!! What are you waiting for? Christmas?'...
When driving past a woman, 'ahh, she was good from far, but she's far from good.'...
When driving past a woman. 'Marks out of ten? I'd give her one!'...
When an emergency service vehicle goes past with siren blazing, 'You'll not sell many ice creams going that fast.'...
When driving past someone washing their car, 'you can do mine next, if you want!'...
When reading from one of those information signs out in the countryside..."The rocks you see before you are 26 million years old...""Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you..."

IN THE HOUSE
'Pull my finger!'...
If someone coughs, "It's not the cough that carries you off, it's the coffin they carry you off in"....
When squeezing past in the hallway and saying "excuse me please" - the reply from Dad will be to lock you in a bear hug and shout "I thought you said SQUEEZE ME"....
Before retiring to the bathroom for a 'number two', 'give the sewage plant a ring...let them know there's one on its way!'...
'Dad I'm hungry' ... 'Hi hungry I'm dad'....
'I'm proud of you son, I'm a wit, but you're still only half as good as me!'...
'I´m off' ... 'I wondered what the smell was!'...
After you are struggling with something for a while, your Dad asks "Can I give you a hand?" You say yes and then he starts a slow clap....
When phone ringing Dad says 'If it's for me don't answer it.' ...
Me: I'm thirsty.Dad: Hi, I'm Friday!...
Me: I'm hungry.Dad: I'm Germany, pleased to meet you....
Me: It's going to a cold night tonight.Dad: Yes, and a dark one too....
After watching you fall over: "Have a nice trip!"...
When an attractive woman appears on TV, 'Ah, She's got a nice set of.....teeth!'...
Mum asks Dad to 'put the kettle on' and Dad replies 'I don't think it will fit!'...
'Put the cat out' ... 'I didn't realise it was on fire'...
Answers the phone by saying 'Hello, Statue?'...
AT THE RESTAURANT
Upon hearing someone in a restaurant dropping glasses or crockery - "Sack the juggler!"...
Upon hearing someone in a restaurant dropping glasses or crockery - "Taxi!"...
Upon hearing someone in a restaurant dropping glasses or crockery - "It wasn't me!"...
Anywhere with stuffed and mounted animal heads - "It must have been going pretty fast when it hit that wall!"....
'I'll be your waiter tonight' ... 'I'll be your customer!'...
At the Greek Restaurant, the waiter hands your Dad the menu, and he says. 'Can you recommend something. This menu's all greek to me.'...
When the waiter mentions on of the specials tonight is chicken, Dad says 'none for me its foul!'...
When being offered a hot towel in a Chinese restaurant, Dad says 'No thank you, I'm full!'...
Trying to order soup in a basket....
Mentioning to the waiter that, 'I'm on a special seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.
AT THE DINNER TABLE
When asking to pass the pepper or salt, Dad will move as though to pass it, then continue his arm in a circle, returning the aforementioned condiment to its original resting place. So the salt has gone past you....
When Dad drops a pea off of his plate 'oh dear I've pee'd on the table!'...
Me: I feel like a sandwichDad: Funny, you don't look like one.......
When eating mushrooms Dad will always make a remark about how he'd like to eat more but he doesn't have mush room....
"Do you want some food to go with your gravy?"...
After a large meal Dad says, "Well that was nice, what's for dinner?"...
Me: Please may I leave the table? Dad: And where are you going to leave it? ...
After a meal Dad says, 'good thing we ate when we did, because I'm not a bit hungry now

DON'T ASK QUESTIONS
Me: Is it Wednesday today?Dad: All day......
Little Boy: Dad, can you put my shirt on?Dad: No, it doesn't fit me....
Me Shall I put the kettle on?Dad: You think it will suit you?...
When rubbing your eye Dad: What's up?"Me: "There's something in my eye"Dad: "Yeah, it's your finger"...
Me: Can you make me a cup of coffee/tea?Dad: Waves his hands over your head and says 'Poof! You are now a cup of coffee/tea!'...
Me: Where's the bin?Dad: I haven't been anywhere!...
Me: How Long's Dinner?Dad: ... about 9 inches.....
Me: Hi there, is Monica around?Dad: No, she's more of an oblong shape......
Me: What's on the TV?Dad: Just some dust....
Me: Can I have 50 bucks?Dad: Forty dollars? What do you need thirty dollars for?...
Me: How is that water?Dad: Wet....
Me: Can I watch the TV?Dad: Yes, but don't turn it on.

FART GAGS
Dad farts and says, 'speak up Mr Brown, you're through.'...
Dad farts and says, 'Better out than in'...
Dad farts and says, 'Phew - I'm glad I'm up-wind of that one'...
Dad farts and says, 'Ooops, I think I've had a slippage'...
'Pull my finger!'

Travelling lightly.

The other day I sat next to a lady I know who also has arthritis.

Like me she doesn't carry it like a heavy weight on her shoulders that she has to burden others with. She carries it under her arm, lightly and just keeps on going.

We gave updates on how each of us was travelling; the Doctors,the medication, dodging the flu while having a life etc. We see each other often but seldom "catch up" so it was nice to chat for just a moment.

And as we talked about taking care of ourselves it occurred to me that here was another blessing. (Yep another nutty Linda idea.) Getting arthritis has been a blessing to me. Its changed my whole outlook on life. I see the world and other people with the knowledge that underneath that facade they show to the world there maybe a whole lot more going on.

Now I look after myself. I eat well, sleep well, any stress in my life I HAVE to let go of or it'll make me unwell. I'm becoming very good at managing my time as I get tired easier than most and because I manage my time I get so much done. I also plan on time to do nothing. Sunday is my rest day to read or knit or snooze or watch old movies and generally charge my batteries. Yes I'm taking much much better care of my self.

My friend Diane sent me an email that evening. She is always good for a little inspirational something to read and I loved this little list of how to "be" in the world. We're getting too busy being busy, will fill our heads with noise and take away our precious moments of silence. We take silence away from ourselves as if it was an empty wasted thing, those precious moments when we can just be still and quiet, and relish the stillness around us; to be alone with our thoughts just to think or to pray or to listen to the sound of life around us. (Its 6am. How many birds are there out there at the moment! Awesome!!!!)

Let me share this list of things to do daily.

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say no to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more ( although one is often not enough , two are often too many)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time: don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety...If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it!
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have back ups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps etc.
14. K.M.S ( keep mouth shut)This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the kid in you every day. (At daisychain when we see Dawn's car drive in we all hide from her, even the customers...its hilarious!)
16. Carry a bible with you to read while waiting in line. ( or a book to help you grow spiritually...I'm reading some of Sheila Walsh's books at present...fabulous!)
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organised so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving to help improve your quality of life (i'm learning italian! Bellisimo!)
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day find time to be alone.
23. Having problems ... talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud, don't wait til its time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favourite scriptures and quotes on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "thank you Jesus!"
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Develope a forgiving attitude. (most people are doing the best they can)
30. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most)
31. Sit on your ego.
32. Talk less; Listen more.
33. Slow down.
34. Remind yourself that you are not the General Manager of the Universe.
35. Every night before bed, thing of one thing your grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. God has a way of turning things around for you.

"if God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

We're now portable...

Long time, no blogging.
maybe this will help......
Russ and i are now the proud owners of a wee little computer ( netbook) Nothing as terribly fancy as some that are out there and definitely one for the budget conscious. Our aim is to get fairly proficient at it before we head to italy in November. We can gtalk with the boys and i can blog a little each day. we can save our pictures as well but mainly it will to communicate with home. I'm looking forward to lots of McCafe visits to "practice"before then.
Love it!
PS My Mum Moment...when jake told us it had built in wireless and i asked was that am and fm? Don't be silly of course i knew.......or did i?

Our family reunion

My family( minus Paul, Hilary, Alison and Lewis who couldn't make

the reunion)

The whole family (minus a few)

The toothy kids!

My cousin Vicki fixing up my do!

My beautiful Aunty Heather. Love her to bits...

This was the loveliest time. To catch up with family that I haven't seen for many many years. To introduce my boys to their massive extended family and watch them just blend in as if they'd known these people for all their lives. I laughed and cried and was hugged and kissed to bits. Such good good medicine. Sometimes we forget just how blessed we are to have people who love us. How can get so caught up in our worlds that we forget that?

I took a bag of novelty joke false teeth to give to the kids at photo time. Its especially hilarious as I didn't have enough for alll of them. Pick which ones are pretending they have joke false teeth.

from this newsletter

Oh the shock and horror when I looked closely at photos from our family reunion that Russell had taken with his new camera. There I am with my head thrown back, laughing at some obviously hilarious joke. My hair is lovely, my skin is glowing and there in all their glory on my chins (?) are a cluster of hairs. Curse those extra mega pixels and digital zoom and other complex features…Did I really need to know? I zoom in, just out of curiosity, and yes there they are bigger than ever. My chin looks like Phyllis Diller.
It’s confirmed. I’m on the slippery slope of my summer years and the autumn ones are about to hit me in the face. We chuckle among ourselves we women, at our funny little ways. That errant chin whisker that you can feel but can’t find, the occasional sugar bowl in the fridge and milk in the cupboard (who did that?) and where the heck are my car keys, only to find them exactly where you left them. It always happens when the teenagers are around to laugh hysterically at poor old mum. Shame they’ve outlawed beating oh sorry I mean spanking children. Sigh!
Oh the dilemma of needing to read a label in the kitchen only to discover that someone has wandered off with the kitchen glasses, or the bathroom glasses, lounge room glasses, computer glasses; telephone glasses, sewing glasses and realising you need glasses to help you find the glasses. There is also that big step when you brave the optometrist and emerge with your first pair of prescription glasses. Apart from the fact that you instantly look so much more intelligent and suddenly everyone wants you on their trivial pursuit team, there is however that small adjustment period as you get used to travelling life with your first pair of optical aids. We thought Janelle was being particularly agreeable as she nodded her way around the shop learning to wear her new bifocals.
I love my age and when ever I reach a new milestone I delight in the riches that open up for me. Where I may a littler vaguer, I think I’m a lot wiser.
I’m more patient and happy to agreeably disagree in a discussion. I delight in all the different kinds of people in the world. You can’t make fruitcake without a few nuts and mixed peel. I may be ready for bed closer to sunset, but I relish the early mornings when I have my little chat with God. I was lamenting the other day that for all the exercise I was doing, my arms and legs were getting thinner and my middle was getting rounder. I worried that I may be turning into a chupa chup.
“Don’t worry” Janelle reassured me “at least you’ll have great legs!”

sick days

Here I am, sitting at home slowly recovering from a tummy bug and wishing like crazy that I was at Daisy's ( Hey that rhymes...)
Its very hard to stop when you are used to being busy, busy.
Because its taking me that little while to get my stamina back I have the joy of watching DAYTIME TV!
what a joy!
Its like being trapped in the pages of a New Idea magazine.
No, I'm pretty sure I've found Mr Right, thanks for the quiz though!
The Steam mop looks marvellous , and only four easy payments!
About losing those baby pounds though....Alex is nearly 16 do you think the Abtastical Super Gut-tronic will really give me a tummy like the girl in the picture? Perhaps I can conceal it with the amazing compact that conceals all and replaces seven other make up products ( I didn't know there were seven makeup products...lets see mascara, lippie, foundation, eyeshadow....?)

There is something nice about being at home on a sick day though. No guilt about the housework, lots of snoozes in front of the TV. Staying in your pyjamas, wooohooo what a devil!
I'm missing all my friends though and having a good laugh as we tend to do at our work.
Maybe its time for a prank call....now who can i be this time?????

A little red boat.

Consider a little red boat at anchor. It’s so bright and fresh and enthusiastic in its little boat world. Over time it happily bobs and bounces to the waves and the wind. It gathers barnacles and its paint weathers and peels.
Out of ignorance, to keep it safe and sound, we may try tying little strings to the shore, to overhanging branches, to nearby rocks and our little boat will seem to be secure.
Then one day the weather may turn nasty.
Some of the strings may snap and start the little boat pulling and tugging at the other strings until they too begin to fray and snap under the sudden extra stresses. This is more than the little strings were meant to do. Some of the strings will hold on for as long as they possibly can until finally, reluctantly they snap. And the little boat is adrift without anything to depend on.
If only we had realised sooner that a good sturdy rope and anchor, secured to the river bed would have held the little boat in place through the mightiest storms and most turbulent waters.

Consider then that you are the little boat.
You have gathered around you dear ones ( friends and family, your little network) who are there through the bobbing and bouncing of the wind, each giving you their portion of support that adds up to make you feel safe. They are your strings.
But a storm arrives. Some of your friends for all sorts of reasons can’t continue to steady you. They pull away. The other friends have to work so much harder, they may have frayed from some of their own battles. They struggle so hard but in the end they unravel, fray and sometimes even let go to protect themselves.
Right when you needed them the most, at the height of the storm. You are alone.

Now…
Consider then that God is your anchor. Constant, strong, holding you firm and steady. With that anchor digging into the riverbed, any storm is able to be weathered.
And the rope holding us to the anchor? The only way to be able to connect to that protection, that safety. That would be Jesus Christ. The only way to the anchor.

The knowledge of that security, being able to completely trust in the anchor and the rope and the acceptance of the storm and that eventually it will pass. That would be the Holy Spirit.

Consider in a quiet moment…do you count the strings that keep you safe, or do you know you have an anchor.

Merry Christmas

Its been a funny old lead up to Christmas this year. Still all the madcap craziness, but also there's been in me an enormous sense of peace.
We've been on holidays since midway through the month and so have had time for the usual preparations, and also a few lovely days camping by the seashore, with my darling family. That was the most important time for me. The days were just glorious, perfect sunshine, warm water, good company. It gave me time to clear my head and have a little chat with my Father.

Its taken me a long time to realise that the inner monologue that i have in my head every day, whenever i'm awake is me chitter chattering to God. And I always have! People would say that Linda is such a worrier" and I couldn't understand it. I'm not fretting over something , i'm processing it. Those times when i feel a nudge to do something, even when its stepping out of my safety zone, making me uncomfortable; I know its a nudge from God. I have learnt to trust that sometimes i don't know best.

When I see someone who is struggling and my God nudges me to go over, start talking , give a hug, say the uncomfortable words, I generally do. I fret when i miss that nudge, or I'm too chicken to act on it. (rest assured this works in reverse too, stay away, back away, disengage can also be my instinctive prompt and my personal favourite that comes to me very very often "be quiet, just Listen!" Its taken me years to heed that one. LOL)

I relish those moments when my world is quiet around me. Here I am early early Christmas morning , i've popped the turkey into the oven and I have time to sit and give thanks for all i have been blessed with. I won't list them for you, you can imagine as they will be similar to yours.

Time to go, the house is stirring.

I'm very grateful to you my dear friends. I wish you all a blessed Christmas. Remember to celebrate his birthday. Its our yearly reminder of how much God loves us and wants us back.
God Bless
Love Linda XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ps Don't try and steer the rollercoaster, God is doing that; sit up the front and throw your hands in the air and go wooooohoooo!