End of term & time to...

...

Today we have finished term 1 of Ambleside online's Year 3, exams and all.

You may think that it's not really a cause to break out into dancing but that is exactly how I feel. 

Every season brings new wonders and new trials and this last terms trials have made me think some days - how am I going to get through this storm without completely losing it? 

I think I would of behaved like the disciples did on the boat when the storm came up and Jesus was sleeping soundly and all they could focus on was the actual storm around them and completely freak out about it and wondered why Jesus was resting. 

Sometimes I feel that way during some heavy storms in life and I wonder why my God is silent no matter how much I pull at His cloak, I still don't get the answers I'm wanting. 

It's such a good lesson though of just 100% trusting in His awesome word, knowing that His word doesn't return void, that He is faithful, good, willing, loving, gracious and caring. 

I love my Heavenly Father and I 100% trust Him with my life no matter what is going on around me, on Christ the solid rock I stand.

We are all so ready for a 2 week break, my children have worked extremely hard this term and after my husband sat through the children's exams he said it is so impressive how much they have learnt and that he is immensely proud of their progress this year.

What a wonderful encouragement and such words of blessing for my ears. 

It makes the 'staying at home educating your children' all worth it.

Praise God!  

Hotchpotch

Don't you feel really annoyed when you pick up your cup of coffee or tea that you were just so thoroughly savouring to find that it is finished? That just happened to me and I was impressed to tell you about it.

So it Friday and we have just finished our 11th week of our 1st term of Ambleside Online Year 3 and I feel as though I am coming to an end of a very exhausting race. Not because it's not enjoyable, but because AO is FULL on in every area of being full on, in a wonderful satisfying way though.

This term my husband has had the privilege of being a part of a few of our read alouds like, An Island story, The story of the ANZAC'S and The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe. He is loving being a part of our rich education so much that he now tries to plan bush BBQ's where we can relax and bring our read alouds, I think that is so adorable.

We went on a spontaneous bush BBQ last week, where we sat around a fire, ate Aussie sausages and I read for an hour to my family.

Thank you to Ruby, Jeanne & Rosemary for the very lovely birthday messages you all left on facebook. I was extremely blessed by your words.

I have decided to have all the month of May OFF face book, so you won't see or hear of me for all this month. 

Have a wonderful weekend all.

Sunshine in an open aviary

Right now I am basking in this morning's delicious sunshine and sipping a delicious cup of coffee.

I wake up and sometimes imagine that I live in one massive aviary. I can hear about at least a dozen different birds songs, now wouldn't Miss Mason be impressed if I could name each sound, unfortunately I can't, but I think my children would, especially my 12yo son who is such a nature lover. 

I have my children helping me, let's have a try, here it goes-

Kookaburras (me)

Lorikeets (Joshua & Grace)

Honey eaters (Joshua)

Currawongs (Grace came riding on her bike to tell me & Joshua)

We love when the Currawongs come back for winter

Wonga Pigeons (David & Joshua)

 Wattle bird (David)

I thought I could hear Black cockatoos

Finches

Galah

Bower Bird

I've added this very delightful bird as they are 

prevalent everywhere at this time of year, so you see 

them but rarely hear them

Bell Bird

We couldn't hear these lovely one this morning but

they are everywhere in our national park

Wren

Also everywhere but hard to hear with all

the lorikeets

Grace came out and told me straight out that she could hear Lorikeets, then my son walks out and tells me that the majority of the bird noise is Lorikeets because they are SO NOISY in the morning. 

They have outdone me again, I couldn't even tell you that they were Lorikeets.

Actually I am right, I just saw a black cockatoo...YIPPEE!!! 

Joshua (in his own words) is describing today as -
"spectacular, magnificent, gorgeous and prettiest day ever with the little birds chirping and the big ones screaming all through the morning until it clicks over to 9.00am. The morning dew falls over the hibiscus  and looks like it's raining. There is a beautiful dog named Maggie and there is a magnificent coloured blue-tongue lizard who's name is Sophia, I hope you have enjoyed this story, bye everyone, have a lovely day".


p.s none of the above pictures are our own, I do have a lot, but to save time I conveniently used google images. 

Giving honor where honor is due

At our local Anzac Dawn service… 

Today remembering our fallen heroes and what would of been 

my beautiful Nanna's 97th birthday…

LEST WE FORGET the legacy left by the diggers of old, for their 

sacrifice in the service of Australia and 

LEST WE FORGET the wonderful Christian heritage that Violet Young 

(my Nanna) has left behind in her family and beyond. 

We remember them.

'The Good News'

What better way to end week 8 of AO year 3 for us than swimming at the beach? That is exactly what my two children did, they body surfed the waves and made new friends.

My beloved husband and I sat on the beach enjoying the scenery and watching the joy on our children's faces immensely.

There are snippets in life when you look around you and just sense the blessings from Jesus that overflow, that was one of those moments for me. 

I was overwhelmed with His presence, His joy and love.

Whilst sitting on the beach we were watching a young lad start drifting out in the waves due to being caught in the rip. I was watching and praying that he would catch the next wave in, but he was getting tired from treading water and because waves don't break normal in a rip he was struggling. 

His Dad was watching and took him about 5 minutes to go in after him. By that time, amazingly the boy caught a wave in and all was fine.

As they walked past we started talking to the Dad & boy about the rip and what to do in that situation and this opened up conversation.

The Dad began to tell us what a hard year he has had with going through a separation with his wife and what a battle his three sons have had. 

We talked and David shared his testimony in how Jesus came to him in his home. I shared how Jesus loves him and said that He has come to heal the broken hearted. This man was like a sponge and wanted to hear more.

This is the good news - that Jesus came to seek and save the lost and I live for these moments. Nothing brings more joy to me than to see a life hunger for God's love and hunger to know more. 

I encouraged him to read 'Mere Christianity' by C.S Lewis and he said sincerely that he will.

Praise Jesus for His never ending Love, Grace & Mercy.

Quote about Easter by C.S Lewis

“There is a stage in a child’s life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Christmas or Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began ‘Chocolate eggs and Jesus risen.’ 

This seems to me, for his age, both admirable poetry and admirable piety. But of course the time will soon come when such a child can no longer effortlessly and spontaneously enjoy that unity. He will become able to distinguish the spiritual from the ritual and festal aspect of Easter; chocolate eggs will no longer seem sacramental. 

And once he has distinguished he must put one or the other first. If he puts the spiritual first he can still taste something of Easter in the chocolate eggs; if he puts the eggs first they will soon be no more than any other sweetmeat. They will have taken on an independent, and therefore a soon withering, life.” 

~C. S. Lewis

Chariot Press HUGE Sale!

Hey all, 

Chariot Press are having a 

MASSIVE closing down sale.

Just thought I would share.

You just might find a bargain!