Saturday Snaps

I haven't been doing a weekly roundup post, since I have started my Bible Challenge on a Sunday, but I miss looking through my camera roll and finding the special, ordinary moments that make up our week. So, here it is on a Saturday. Over these last six days of Ferbruary I have enjoyed:

:: A breezy beach walk

:: An 80th birthday tea party for a neighbour 

:: Sheep sheltering from the hailstorms

:: A wee quick crochet project

:: Blood oranges

:: Seeds to sow this year.

Wishing you all a happy weekend xxx

Corners of my home: Upcycled

Do you like my latest upcycling project? It's only taken me - ooh - 6 months, but that's ok, it's done now and I am really, really happy with it!

Back in September, I saw an unremarkable, rather scruffy bookcase in our local charity shop for £8, I had been looking for something to fill a space in my kitchen that would actually be useful, rather than a space where junk collected, and this seemed promising. I brought it home, stuck it in the space, and immediately it became a place to store junk. But I had big ideas for it, and they wafted around in my mind. I wanted something bright and colourful - somewhere accessible to store dishes. Finally in those couple of weeks leading up to Christmas - you know, when there's nothing much going on, I cleared the junk from it and sanded it down.

Then I gave it a coat of duck egg blue gloss. I made a good job of it too.  I love duck egg blue, and I thought it would look perfect in my kitchen. But there was something not right. It was too pale - bland even. It didn't give me that pop of colour that I expected. And then, Christmas preparations became the focus, and the shelf unit got pushed back against the wall, and filled up with bits and pieces once again.

Then, after the holidays were over, I took a trip to the paint store for some poppin' turquoise paint. That's more like it - but still something missing. Ah - Ebay to the rescue.

Half a roll of 1960s vintage  kitchen wallpaper duly arrived in the mail. I love this - it reminds me of the kitchens of my childhood. Lots of measuring, some precise cutting and a bottle of mod podge  later, and....

Ta-da!!

Just how I imagined it - the perfect pop of colour I was looking for. I could hardly wait until the paste had dried properly to start filling the shelves.

Yep - pretty pleased with that.

Sunday Reflection

Then The Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, The Lord.

Exodus 34:5

The first time I properly read the book of Exodus, and this story of Moses meeting God on the mountain, I felt my jaw drop. Even reading it now  I feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. The thought of meeting God face to face like that - well it is beyond amazing. 

This verse makes me think of the sheer magnificence  of the Glory of God. No wonder Moses' face was radiant after meeting The Lord  -the  real, actual God, as my grandson says. I can imagine the scene - really feel the awesomeness, and it is good to be reminded of that. 

Wishing you all an awesome week. 

This moment

Sharing a moment that I want to remember. No words, just a single special image. Joining in with Soulemama for This Moment. Wishing you all a precious  weekend. xx

Holiday Postcards: Skye

We hopped on the ferry and took a quick trip down to Skye to visit  the delightful Miss Breagha, and her Mum and Dad. It was a perfect break - just hanging out, enjoying each other's company, and the scenery. John and I even managed to celebrate Valentine's night with a romantic dinner at this lovely hotel. Back home now, suitably refreshed, but missing those little girl cuddles.

Sunday reflection

This week I want to share one of the first Bible verses that really meant something to me.  Matthew 28,20 - specifically the second part:

Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the world. 

I grew up in a Christian home. Not overtly so, but it was there - Sunday School and Church were a constant part of our lives. It had never occurred to me not to believe. Then, as a teenager, I went out with a boy who was recently converted. I remember how enthusiastic he was about his new found faith, and this made me look at my own relationship with The Lord in a different way. In fact, it became more of a relationship, rather than Him just being in the background of my life. This verse was one which my boyfriend was particularly keen on, and I remember talking about the reassurance and comfort in these words. 

As the years went on, this verse became a touchstone for me. My faith journey has taken many twists and turns, and I have slipped away on more than a few occasions, but these few words have kept me going through some difficult times. 

You can imagine how much I have thought of them during the last year. 

There are so many similar promises made by God all through the bible: 

"Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you" Joshua 1,9

"Be strong and courageous. do not be afraid or terrified, for The Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31,6

and I find comfort in these verses too, but somehow these - the last words spoken on Earth by The Lord Jesus Christ hold a special promise.

Lo! Listen! Attend! I AM with You All the Days even until the end of the world. How awesome is that? xxx

Sunday Reflection

So - what do the following have in common?

Robert Frost,  the colour green, Princess Leia,  a popsicle, a swan, a dragon, Vermont,  a hot buttered roll.

They are all me - apparently. Don't you just love those silly quizzes that pop up on social media - "What kind of bird/mythical creature/food/US state/whatever -  are you?"  Secretly, I can never resist answering them. I guess we are all on some sort of journey to self-discovery - to find out who we really are. And it's important work - we have many choices to make as we go through this life, and the more we understand ourselves, the easier it is to make appropriate decisions - those that feel" right" inside.

But, fun though these quizzes are, they cannot tell us about our true nature, and they are another note in the endless online muzak - like, share, retweet. There are so many petitons, causes and challenges of one kind or another vying for our attention. As I type this, I have my facebook page open on another tab - during the last few  minutes of my timeline I am being asked to share a picture of Snoopy, if I am an organ donor, like a bizzarre video of a couple playing tug of war with nylon stockings over their heads, which has been viewed over 2 million times, and sign a Greenpeace petiton to save narwhals.

I don't routinely take part in these knee jerk reaction kind of things - remember the ice bucket challenge? I tend to use facebook to see what my friends and family are up to. In fact, I have just had a hilarious exchange with one of my daughters about panko breadcrumbs (don't ask), so I do appreciate the chance to connect. There is, however, one meme going about right now that has piqued my interest. The Bible Challenge. For seven days, participants are asked to share verses from scripture that are important to them. People take up this challenge in different ways - some simply quote the verse, others write mindfully about the reasons they have chosen this verse, other still write mini-sermons. It is interesting to see, and I like the idea of sharing God's Word in an accessible way. Who knows where the seed will fall?

So, I am going to take up this challenge - here on the blog (shared on facebook, of course). Over the next few Sundays, I will share a verse from the bible, and talk about why I have chosen it. Maybe by the end of this I might even find out who I am!

My first verse is from  the Old Testament  - Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"

That is just an extraordinary, powerful verse, and gives me chills just reading it. God knew me before I was even born. Just wow. It makes me feel so loved - so unconditionally loved. Even though I have failed God in so many ways during my life, this verse reaffirms his love and brings me back to Him. I loved my own children before they were born. I was excited -  planning, hoping and dreaming what they might become. Once they arrived, well,  things didn't work out according to my plan, there have been challenges, adaptations and compromises, but I have always loved them. And so it is with God - He loves us, no matter what. He has wonderful plans for us, and though we might stray from His path, there is always a way back to Him. He doesn't need to see quiz results to know us  - He formed us before the world was made, and brought us here to the right place, at exactly the right time - He set us apart. This is Who I AM. What an awesome thought!

Feel free to join in with this if, and when you would like to. Leave a link in the comments below. Wishing you an awesome week. xxx

This moment

Sharing a moment that I want to remember. No words, just a single special image. Joining in with Soulemama for This Moment. Wishing you all a peaceful weekend. xx

Still in hibernation

The early days of 2015 have been quiet ones for us here. Its all about the weather - gales, snow, hail and oh - so cold. I get outside every day if I can, even if it is a quick dash down to the pier with Mick, dodging the stinging hailstones that come scattering  over the hills. Then it is back home - a warm drink by the fire, a spot of crafting, a filling meal.

Not much has been happening, really, so I haven't had anything to post. Still, it's February now and the evenings are definitely getting lighter, reminding me that the busy-ness of the long daylight will soon be here. Hmmm - I think it is time to throw another peat on the fire and enjoy just a wee bit more of this hibernation. xx