Feeling Extra Spoilt

Feeling pretty spoilt this weekend. Not with going out for dinner, breakfast, lunch and then dinner again, I also scored one of these. It's for my handbag. Once must carry one of these at all times. Chloe got the model before this one for her birthday and I have just loved the photos she has been able to take with hers. Just no comparison between these and the ones from my old Olympus camera which is now a few years old. You can imagine my surprise when I got one of these. So you can pretty much guess what I have been playing with today, as I try and learn how to use the thing. It is a little more complicated than my old handbag camera, and I would even say it is a little more difficult to use than our SLR. I need to do a lot more reading and a lot more playing.

Some photo shares from today. I was spoilt and got breakfast in bed today. I was greeted with this happy face. Appartently this birthday means I get spoilt for the whole weekend. I kind of like these kinds of birthdays.

I have been wanting one of these for ages, so this week, my lovely husband made one for me and it is hanging strait out of my kitchen window. I think, he thinks it might survive if I can water it when I do my dishes. So far I have Sweet basil, corriander, italian parsley, beetroot salad leaves, garlic chives and garden mint planted. I am looking forward to picking them straight from my little garden and using them in my cooking. We also have heaps of Paw Paw on our trees at the moment too and our Lychee tree is loaded
This is the best crop we have had in years. I am sure it is because Steve bought a net to put over it to stop the birds from pinching them. Looking forward to picking them in the next couple of weeks.

It has been a stinking hot day here today. Summer has finally hit us. We decided to have a picnic lunch on our front stairs today. Was a little cooler outside with a gentle breeze. We had fresh bread from the bakers with ham and avocado. Just delicious. Nothing like fresh warm bread....

I recieved this lovely gift from my secret sister today

I have been listening to it all afternoon. It has kind of put me in the Christmas mood and I am looking forward now to getting our Christmas decorations up hopefully next weekend.

It has been a lovely day. I took these photos too whilst playing with my new camera. Overload of flower photos but then again we have a house full of fresh flowers at the moment. Even had some fun trying to focus on some Christmas decorations. I didn't get to church today. Have had a recurrence of some health issues I had last year just before I left for our big holiday. They were pretty much stress related then, and I am thinking that is the case again.

Life can get a little overwhelming at times, and I can tend to feel a little down, even when I am showered with love from those around me. At times like this I am so glad that my faith keeps me grounded and focused. The last few weeks have been challenging both mentally, physically and emotionally, and when I am under stress I tend to internalize my worry and I know that this worry steals my peace... I

I decided that I needed to stay at home and rest this morning, so I spent the morning listening to some lovely worship instrument music and had my own quiet meditation at home. I love mornings like this. Whilst it is good to meet with others to worship, sometimes it is even better to get away from the business of being around people and have some very quiet time with God, just to listen, and focus on his word.

I actually came accross these verses from this blog a little while ago, and this morning I used my time at home to meditate on these verses. I let them these verses speak to my inner spirit. In a way it was like God's spirit speaking to me and helping to tranform my mind. This week I am going to hold onto these verses and let them speak to my heart each day, let them renew my mind when all else around me seems crazy.

Here are the verses that encouraged me this morning:

“God’s truth – his Word – stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

“God gives me power when I am worn out and strength when I am weak.” Isaiah 40:29

“God’s principles are perfect. They are entirely worthy of my trust.” Psalm 119:138

“With God in my life, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

“Jesus keeps pruning me so that I will be even more productive for God.” John 15:2

“The water Jesus gives takes away my thirst altogether.” John 4:14

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God.” Psalm 139:14

“I follow God’s principles because I love him.” John 14:15

“I can never be separated from the love of God.” Romans 8:35-39

“God’s love is made complete in me when I obey his principles.” 1 John 2:5

“As I draw near to God, he draws near to me.” James 4:8“

"God’s discipline is always good for me because it means I share in His holiness.” Hebrews 12:10

“I display a new nature because I am a new person, created in God’s likeness – holy and true.” Ephesians 4:24

“The secret is that Christ lives in me and I have assurance of sharing his glory.” Colossians 1:27

“Nothing can separate me from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:39

“God satisfies me when I am thirsty and fills me with good things when I am hungry.” Psalm 107:9

“I keep God’s words in my heart. They are health to my whole body.” Proverbs 4:20-22

“It is God’s Spirit that gives me eternal life. My human effort accomplishes nothing.” John 6:63

“God is for me so no one can ever be against me.” Romans 8:31

“In God I live and move and exist.” Acts 17:28

“I defeat this evil world by trusting Christ to give me victory.” 1 Peter 5:5

“By God’s grace and through faith in Jesus, I have a full and eternal life.” Ephesians 2:8

“Through prayer, the peace of God guards my heart & mind.” Philippians 4:7

“By God’s grace and through faith in Jesus, I have a full and eternal life.” Ephesians 2:8

“I find strength in the Lord my God.” 1 Samuel 30:6

“God strengthens me because my heart is fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

“I have rest in my soul because I go to Jesus when I am weary.” Matthew 11:28-29

“Because I have been born again, I will see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3

“I do not fear because God strengthens me.” Isaiah 41:10“I am full with the joy of the Lord.” Isaiah 42:10

Hope you have a good week and I will be back to share again in the next few days. Have a few layouts I want to finish off from our crop last weekend so will try and get them done so that I can share. Two weeks of work left and then we are on holidays. Well holidays to start the big spring clean before Christmas.