Little Miracles.

Last night I was here and read this

Little Miracles - I think it’s really easy to take for granted the little ways God works in our lives. Small things that we think are just “coincidences” - tiny events that to us are easy to overlook or attribute to something else. But today, I’m really thinking about how those are miracles in and of themselves. No, maybe not as dramatic as raising Lazarus from the dead or feeding 5000 with a few loaves of bread and fish, but miracles nonetheless. Little moments in which God answers the prayers of His children. Sometimes in ways they never expect. I’m thankful for that.

This got me thinking about the many many little miracles that we experience each and every day and so often we neglect to see them as God's provision for us. One such miracle happened to me today. We seem to be having car drama's at the moment. Yesterday and this morning we had this happen
We had to get up specially early this morning to take this car in for a service. Steve pumped the tyre enough to get us to the garage just down the road. I took the Troupe Carrier and picked him up and delivered him to work and then took the second car to work with me.
This afternoon as I left to go race home and get Chloe for work, once again I ended up being stranded. This time our second car just refused to start. Poor Chloe, I had to ring her and ask her to walk to work (she wasn't hugely impressed as it was prety hot here today)

Anyway my wonderful man came to the rescue again only this time he could not start the car at all. Now normally when you ring the RACQ they can take an hour or more to arrive - but it just so happened that the lady directly accross the road also suffered a punctured tyre this afternoon and just as Steve realized that he was unable to fix the car, the RACQ arrived to help the her which meant that they were also able to help us without us having to wait for ever. That was the first Miracle. Second miracle was that he managed to get the car started and I then drove Steve over to pick us our other car from the garage. Anyway, we had to wait for a few minutes, and then Steve took off to take the car back to where we had paid to have the tyre repaired the day before.

I try to start the car and it is just absolutely dead - nothing was happening, and this is where the third miracle took place. We are at our garage and they are able to come take a look at the car. Well it turns out that the car is not driveable and needs to be left in the car hospital for a day or so. Our mechanic was amazed that we even managed to get the car started and get it over to them - I'm not - it was just another one of those little God miracles of which I am so thankful for today.
So today we started the day like thisand ended the day like thisand whist I could have been terribly frustrated about the inconvenience and waste of time, I am actually in awe of how God worked to provide the help we need exactly where we needed it. It was not a coincidence - it was a Little God Miracle and I am so thankfully for a Heavenly Father who loves and provides for us regardless of the circumstances in our lives at the tme.

Now I have been tagged again today by the very lovely Mel.
Here's the deal.

You just go to the place on your computer where you store your photos, then to the sixth folder, then to the sixth photo. Take that photo, put it on your blog and tell it's story!


Ok this is the photo I came accross. Not that spectatular - a photo of Chloe taken at her very last ever school dance. My baby is coming of age. She's growing up and I am not sure that I am really ready for it. It seems like it was only yesterday that I bought her home from hospital, and here she is now a wonderful caring, independant, strong young woman ready to spread her wings and fly. I am so proud of the young woman that she has become, but at the same time a little sad that it won't be much longer before she has flown the nest completely.

Anyway I need to tag six other wonderful ladies who's blogs both inspire and encourage me.

Sharmaine
Edleen
Anthea
Gayle
Nat
and Gail.

Looking forward to seeing what you find in the sixth file on your computers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND

to my Wonderful Husband Steve

He really is a very special man. Today I knocked off work and came out to find I had a flat tyre. I was parked on a busy road with cars and buses whizzing by. I walked back into work to try and ring either Steve or Chloe so that someone could come to my rescue. I couldn't get either of them. Steve had taken time off to take Chloe for an interview and then drop her off at work.

Coincidently I was feel lousy for him, because I knew he would have to come and change a tyre on his birthday. The girl I work with, offered to drop me home, as I couldn't get hold of Steve. As we approaced the corner, here was my wonderful man already on the scene, halfway through the process of halfway through the process of changing the tyre. Another friend of ours had seen it during the day and rang Steve at work to let him know that I had a flat tyre and he was out there changing it for me even before I could ask him. He changed the tyre and had it repaired.

Tonight we had planned on going to go out for dinner, but our phone just rang constantly with people ringing to wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Consequently we missed the window for restaurants and went and got Noodles instead, and went down to the riverbank to eat them and go for a little walk. Such a gorgeous night.

Got back to the car and guess what, the tyre is almost flat again. However, we did just managed to get to a garage and inflate it againg. I can guarantee you though that it will be flat again in the morning and we both have an early start. Such a pain.

Also the very lovey Sharmaine has awarded me with this. This couldn't have come at a better time. Most appropriate for this very important man in my life today.

Isn't that a cool award!

Here are the steps:

1. Say one nice thing to the man in your life:

Just want to say this to you Babe

I am so thankful that you are not only my husband, but my best friend, and the love of my life, and I have loved every minute of our wonderful journey through life together. I thank God daily for you. May this be an awesome birthday for you and I pray that you have many more to come.
2. List at least 6 ways you measure success in your life:
Having a heart for God and walking in his joy and peace.
If I can encourage and inspire someone each day.
If I can find someone each day to help.
Find something each day to smile or laugh about.
Let someone know daily how much they are loved and feel their love in return
Appreciate all that is good in my life and live each day with a thankful heart.
and Finally
3. Assign 5 other blogs this award:
Sal
Chrissy
Beverley
Lusi
Ro

Just wondering how those of you who are doing the "A Photo a Day" are going. So far I have managed to take photos everyday. It is much harder now that I am home and back at work - but I really want to do this as I really want to improve my photography skills this year. My other goal is to learn to use Photoshop for both digi scrapbooking and photo manipulation. Feel free to check out my "A PHOTO A DAY" blog - Would love to hear from you and receive any helpful tips on getting those great shots.

Dave and Katie's Wedding

We went to a wedding today - it was a lovely day and Dave and Katie looked gorgeous. Katie's mum Ann is a really good friend of mine, and she is one of my scrapbooking buddies. We scrapbook together each month and have been doing so for quite a few years now. The wedding was an all day affair, as Dave and Katie got married at 10am this morning.
Thought I would share photos of the gorgeous couple, and Katie's very proud parents. Couldn't resist taking photos of the cake either. The couple at the top of the cake were just so cute - Little replica's of Dave and Katie - just looked awesome. Have to share photos of them with the cake.

We all received these cute little candies with Dave and Kate's name through it.
Finally a shot of Katie with her bridesmaid Camille and her flowergirl Dominque, and also a photo taken with her brothers and then her Mum and Dad
And last but not least a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Camile and Ben who also announced their engagement this month - another wedding in the planning. Camille is not only my cousins daughter, but she has also been a good friend to my girls, and I have known her since the moment she was born.
Well I think this post is long enough already so will leave a couple of great quotes that I have come accross until my next blog.

Favourite Photos

I had lots of fun playing with my camera whilst I was on holidays last week. Each morning whilst the kids and Steve were out in the surf, I took my camera for a walk through the neighbourhood and along the beach and had fun capturing these different shots. One day I decided to take photo of lines, other days, it was buildings, and flora, so this post is about capturing some of the photos I liked the most. These are definately not technically brilliant photos, just shots that I liked.

"BEACH SCENES"

'SUNSET AND MOONLIGHT"


"WONDERFUL CREATIONS"
Well there is probably a few more I could share but it is getting late and I really should get to bed. I must admit I did have fun doing these shots and I am hoping that I will find more time this year to get out and about and learn to use this good camera of mine a bit more.

A Week on the Gold Coast

We have just had the most wonderful week on the Gold Coast together as a family.
We stayed here
It all went way too quickly. Our days were filled with long walks, cycling, swimming, games of hackey Sack, Kayaking, card games, shopping, movies, xtreme jet boat rides, and finally Yesterday we hired three scooters for the day, and made our way from Labrador to Coolangatta and back (over 100km round trip) along the esplanade where we could. Our kids enjoyed it, so much so that Pete didn't actually want to get out of bed this morning cause it didn't want it to end. Always good to have a holiday where it ends before you want it too. I managed to go on quite a few long walks with my camera and got to take some great shots - fun as well as family shots so will share a few.
Snapshots of the Holiday
These are a few of the shots I took on my walks each morning.
Thought I would share some photos of some of the fun things we did.You can see that my kids had heaps of fun on these scooters - they were definately the highlight of their week away - such a great way to see the Gold Coast.
Have heaps more photos to share but might leave them to the next post. Each day I took my camera out and just took heaps of photos - good exercise in learning to use my camera and also cause I am aiming to take at least a photo a day this year. You can see some of my favourite photos that I took HERE

Hopefully our internet will be working again when we get home and I can upload the rest.

Gardiner's Falls and a Photo a Day

A Photo a Day
My friend Gayle decided that this year she was going to post a photo a day so I have decided to join her in this challenge. So far I have managed to take photos everyday but then again it is easy to do that whilst on holidays. Please feel free to join us with this challenge if you like, but don't forget to let us know and link us to your blog. You can find my photos HERE - mind you the blog needs a lot of work - it is very basic at the moment. I will try and jazz it up a bit once I get home and have a little more time to play. Needed to set it up though as I just wanted to get started and I knew that if I waited, it just wouldn't happen. One of the things I want to do this year is improve my photography so this might encourage me to spend a bit more time doing this.

Today we had a family outing to Gardiner's Falls up at Maleny. Pete had discovered this water hole and wanted to share it with us all. Just a gorgeous spot at the end of a 300m walk. The kids all went swimming - we watched and took some photos. Had to jump off rock ledges - kind of figured in might be easy to get into the water, but not so sure I would have been able to climb back up - sthat's the so I was very happy to sit of the top of the ledge and just watch and enjoy seeing them have some fun. This is the difficulty getting older - the body can't quite do what it once was able to do. The water was freezing cold - very refreshing on a summer's day. The older two were also very happy to swing of the big swing. Chloe wasn't quite so comfortable about doing it.

Steve did't swim either. He visited the doctors this morning. He has been unwell almost since we arrived. Went for a swim in the surf the first day we got here and hasn't been the same since. Has an ear infection, and a very bad cough and is just aching all over and feeling lethagic. Talked him into seeing th doctor cause we both really need to have a good week next week. So far we have spent most of our holiday driving to and from Brissie and up and back to Hervey Bay so we are really looking forward to chilling out next week and just staying put.

Just a few photos from today.
Must go we are off to Brissie again in the next hour so need to pack the car. You won't hear from me now for the next week or so - we are off to the Gold Coast and it will be a computer free holiday. Just a lot of good family time and chilling out.

Cirque Du Soleil

For Christmas our kids gave us tickets to
Last night we got all dressed up and we went. Words don't even begin to describe how wonderful, stunning, amazing the whole performance was. We saw this
and this
and thisand this
and this
and thisand this
and so much more. At times it was completely overwhelming as you just wanted to take every bit of it, and you weren't quite sure where to look because there was just so much going on. I didn't want it to end. It was the best Christmas Present and I can honestly say that if you get a chance to go see it DON'T MISS it. They just made it look so effortless - it was colourful the costumes were amazing - the clowns incredible - the music was fanominal - I guess you can see that we really really enjoyed it.

Today Sarah and I spent the morning catching up with one of my best friends. We met at Garden City for coffee at 10am and we were still sitting there chatting at 12noon. We have been best friends now for 25 years and I am so blessed to have this wonderful woman in my life, love you to bits Barb.
Barb left us at lunch time cause she had to go to work - so Sarah and I did some serious shopping then. Actually were we pretty tame but did manage to take home a few bags with some pretty good specials that we picked up. We also went into a shop and came accross these masks and had a bit of fun trying them on.
Love my new camera - love that it travels everywhere with me in my handbag. Gotta go - need to pack as we need to head back to the Sunny Coast. We have an early start in the morning, it is back to Hervey Bay to pick up Chloe. Wonder how her week has been.

29th Wedding Anniversary

Today is a very special day. 29 years ago today, Steve and I were married and it has been the best 29 years of my life. I feel so blessed that this wonderful man is my Husband. We were childhood sweethearts and have been together since High School. If I had my time again, I wouldn't change a thing and I marry this man all over again.

We are not perfect and at times don't always see eye to eye on everything, but one thing I know is that he has loved us all deeply and he has been my rock. His deep love for God and for us has been something we all have been able to depend on. Just want to let you know Darl how much I love you and how very blessed I feel to have you in my life and I pray that we have many many more happy years together.

We've had a great day together - nothing terribly exciting,

We went here

to see this
afterwards we met up with my parents and went here

for this

they were delicious

then tonight both Steve and I went down to Mooloolaba beach and had a picnic in the beach and went for a nice long walk before coming home. We will continue celebrating tomorrow because we are off to Brisbane to see this

we have only heard really good reports about the show so are really quite excited about another night out together. No scrapbooking done yet but my computer was fixed today and I now have Photoshop loaded again so hopefully in the next week or so I might get to have a bit of a play with some digi scrapbooking.

Well it is getting late so am off to bed.

HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY TO MY MUM

Today is a special day - my Mum celebrated her 75th Birthday today and unfortunately we didn't all manage to take her out to lunch (maybe tomorrow). We had to take Chloe to Hervey Bay, and my sister and her family had a wedding to attend here on the coast.
I want to wish a very special MUM a very special birthday. I have been so blessed in my life to have a Mum as wonderful as mine. She has not only been a wonderful mum, but a wonderful friend, a mentor and a wonderful role model of a beautiful Christian lady and if I can be half as wonderful as she is I would indeed feel blessed.

We have spent most of the day today on the road driving Chloe to Hervey Bay and then back home again. She is heading off to Camp Pialba for 5 days with a group of her friends from Rocky and other friends from Brissie and Bundy. This is the last chance she will get to attend this camp as she has finished school now and is about to start her working life in a couple of weeks time.
We arrived just after 1.30pm and stopped off here for a quick lunch
by this stage she was getting text messages from her friends telling her to hurry up and get there they were all waiting for her.
So after a bit of teasing by her father (I think I will have another drink, - ah just might read the paper first) we finally left there to head to the camp.Had to add these photos - this place holds lots of happy memories for me. I used to go to camps here 40 years ago. Amazing that they are still holding camps for kids. My older two never got the opportunity to go camping here - so glad that Chloe has managed too. She went with a friend last year and had a ball so was keen to go again this year. Mind you the place has changed a bit since I went there -

We caught up with some friends from Rocky and ended up back at McCafe for a drink with them before we headed back down the highway. Dropped in to visit my sister and brother in law in Coolum and had a few hours visiting them before getting home a little while ago.
Ready to hit the sack now. Will catch up again in a couple of days.

A good start to the New Year but a HOT one,

We saw the new year in with friends from Brissie whilst the kids all went to "Dreamworld" . Ours was a very quiet New Years Eve but it was great to catch up with Ian and Kathy. They have been close friends of ours ever since we got married 29 years ago - we love spending time with them.

The first day of 2009 was very hot and humid, unlike the first day of last year when it poured with rain. Such a different holiday this year. We decided to go on a picnic to Wynnum (coastside in Brissie) to try and get away from the heat (at least there was a lovely breeze there) and had a great time in the park (the girls swimming, and Steve and Chloe playing with the Zocker and then a game of Hacky Sack by all using a soccer ball. We even had other kids in the park wanting to join in and play. I was the chief photographer and got to play with the good camera and get some good action shots. So here is a brief look of our day in the park.
A bit of sunscreen They did not stay in to long as the water was warm and salty (not terribly refreshing)

Meanwhile whilst the others were swimming Steve and Chloe had a lot of fun with the Zocker (especially love this shot of Chloe diving for the Zocker)
A great game of Hacky Sacky even if the soccer ball was a bit hard on the toes and head- it was a nice way to spend the holiday.
After all that physical activity - a nice cold drink was in order
And some ice on the head and down the back.

And finally although these photos were taken just after Christmas just before we came away I wanted to upload them. Steve bought this mini bike when he was about 14 years of age. He has never been able to part with it. Our older children had a lot of fun on it when they were young and then suddenly it didn't work anymore. Steve had it into the shop a couple of times to have it looked at but they never seemed to be able to fix the problem until a couple of months ago when one of the guys from church decided to have a play with it. He was able to get it going again and so when Pete come home he actually had a bit of fun riding it again - think it was more about going back to childhood memories but he and Chloe had a bit of fun with it the morning we were ready to leave - so these photos are here for you Pete - for so of your childhood memories.
Well until next time - just thought I would leave you with this little story about our true worth.

TRUE WORTH

One of the emails I received this week tells the story of a “well-known speaker who started out by holding up a crisp new $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, ‘Who would like this $20 bill?’ Hands started going up. He said, ‘I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, ‘Who still wants it?’ Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he
replied, ‘What if I do this?’ And he dropped it on the ground and started
to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. ‘Now, who still wants it?’ Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what
I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into
the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come
our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE.”

Too many times we forget that the same God who created this flower, the same God who created the sun to shine upon this flower is the same God who created us. “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (flowers-my insertion).” Matt. 10:31

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Welcome to 2009 - I pray that it will be a fabulous year for you with just the right amount of highs to conteract the lows, with lots of learning, lots of growth and memories and much laughter and JOY and

May God be gracious to you and bless you

and make His face to shine upon you,

that His way may be known on earth,

His saving power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise You, O God;

let all the peoples praise You!

--adapted from Psalm 67:1-3

I also wanted to share some of the fun photos I have taken in the last couple of days with my new Christmas present. I just love it– it allows me to capture the everyday fun moments. Mind you it probably embarrasses the daylights out of my kids as I have been pulling it out of my handbag to take random shots all the time. The quality is not like my good camera but it is certainly good enough for the fun shots that I would otherwise never manage to get. I managed to get these couple of shots as we were driving along the highway. Some amazing cloud formations – storms building up.

Then when we got home, one lone single solitary drop of rain fell on our windscreen. just one drop out of all that cloud mass.

Chloe drove us to Brissie on Tuesday night so that we could pick up Sarah and Colin from the Airport (they were returning from having spent a week with Colin’s family in Mackay) and then today we did a bit of shopping (the girls had Christmas money to spend) I had a ball taking random shots of them at lunch time and then again when we had coffee.

After a while my photo shotting than had everyone getting their camera's out of their handbag and here they all are checking out what's been shot.

Chloe and I then left the others to go see if we could get our hair cut. We weren't able to get appointments straight away so we went and indulged in a little treat whilst we were waiting.
At the moment this would be my all time favourite drink - mainly cause it is so chilly cold and refreshing.

And finally just wanted to share this photo of Chloe reading. This is something that she finds very difficult because of her decoding problem, and even during school when she was required to read a book, they usually organised for her to listen to it on a tape as she tried to read. Her brother has convinced her to read this and so far she has read just on 100 pages. She has risen to the challenge.

Will catch up again in a few days time. Enjoy your celebrations today with family and friends. I know we plan too.