Through the garden gate ...

 Come in ...

the 'grass' (actually it's more weeds that grass) had just been mowed

lavender

pink 'pig face' and white daisies

apple blossoms

the crab apple tree outside my front fence is about to burst in to full bloom

camellias

the 'grass' needs mowing again

but the little weed flowers are so pretty

We've put some vegies in too, but I'll show you those next time.

 

And I'm reading Miss Read books again.  Spring is such a busy time in the garden that I like something relaxing to read when I take a break.

I've just finished reading Summer at Fairacre for the third time. (October 2022, December 2023, October 2026) I write in the back of my books when I read them. Village School and Village Diary were the first two books she wrote, back in 1955, which I'm reading now, for the first time.

They are semi-autobiographical, about a schoolteacher in a small English village.  There are two series.  The Fairacre ones, and the Thrush Green ones.  I prefer Fairacre, but all my books have been picked up secondhand over the years, so I have some of both.

And around Christmas time I should be ready for this one (previously read November 2021).  It's from the other series, but as the villages are near each other, some of the characters overlap.  And by Christmas I'll be needing some 'cool' reading as we will be in the heat of summer here.

I've picked up some great op shop book bargains recently, but that will have to wait till next post too.

Need to go do the ironing now.  I hope I can get back again sooner rather than later.

Have a lovely week!

xx

From a Lamp Unto My Feet (a devotional) ...

First Be Quiet

Out hectic lives involve many changes, and changes require decisions, and decisions must often be made in the midst of a multitude of confusions.  We run here and there asking advice.  Often we make decisions without sufficient deliberation because we simply haven't time - or so we tell ourselves.

There is a marvelously helpful practice that we usually overlook.  It is quietness.  Notice how often in the Gospels we find Jesus going away alone, even when people needed Him.  He deliberately chose solitude.  The more hectic our lives become, the more necessary is this quietness.  When it is impossible to break away physically to a place of solitude for a day or so in order to think and pray over a hard decision, there is one thing that I think helps - do not speak about the decision to anyone but God for 48 hours at least.  Just hold it before Him alone.  Keep your mouth shut for two days. Pray. Listen. Seek His counsel.

Try this too - sit before Him for 15 consecutive minutes in silence, focus your mind on the words of Psalm 86:11: "Guide me, O Lord, that I may be true to thee and follow thy path."

- Elisabeth Elliot

From Our Daily Bread (a devotional) ...

 The Church

God's People and Possession

When we hear the word church, it's common to have an image of a physical structure.  From what we read in Scripture, however, we're compelled to think "people" over "place," "believers" instead of "buildings."  Indeed, the Greek word ekklesia, translated "church," means "assembly," and in most cases in the New Testament it refers to a gathering of believers in Jesus in a specific location.

God's special relationship with and plans for the church are reflected in the words used to describe it.  "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).  Peter's language is reminiscent of the way God has spoken of His covenant people in the Old Testament (see Exodus 19:5-6).  Furthermore, believers in Christ are welcomed into a family of people who are crowned with mercy and dubbed as "beloved" (1 Peter 2:10-11 ESV).

Those who are precious to God are to value and care for each other.  Peter uses "one another" phrases to emphasis how we should relate to each other.  First Peter 4:8-11 states that those who belong to the family of God should "love each other deeply" (v.8), "offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (v.9), and use their gifts to serve each other so that God is honored in everything (vv. 10-11).

- Arthur Jackson, Our Daily Bread author

A church service in Ukraine

"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 2:40-47

fellowship over food at a church community in Chile

From Oasis of Hope (a devotional) ...

 Finding Hope in the Silence

"My soul. wait in silence for God only. For my hope is from Him." - Psalm 62:5

When Jesus was on earth, multitudes of people often cried out to Him for healing or for other requests.  He frequently left His trusted disciples to seek out a place where He could be alone to talk with God.  If Jesus needed to get away from the noise, how much more do we?

Sometimes we need to find a place to be still and quiet.  We don't need a cacophony of voices.  We only need God's, and we often hear Him best when we are silent and alone.

The last part of today's verse tells us where we can find hope.  It isn't the type of hope a friend might say, such as, "I hope you feel better."  But rather, this hope is a deep, calm assurance God gives us.  It comes from knowing He has everything under control and we don't need to worry.  All other voices are quieted when we place our hope in Him.

What noise is causing you distress?  Are there too many tasks you're trying to accomplish?  Are there too many voices clamoring for your attention?

Do you have a special place you like to go to find quiet and peace?  Get away with God in prayer.  He will give your heart and mind peace.

-Julie Wilson Smith

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

no merit of my own I claim, but wholly trust in Jesus' name.

When weary in this earthy race, I rest on His unchanging grace;

in every wild and stormy gale my anchor holds and will not fail.

His vow, His covenant and blood are my defense against the flood;

when earthly hopes are swept away He will uphold me on that day.

When the last trumpet's voice shall sound, O may I then in Him be found!

clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand -

all other ground is sinking sand,

all other ground is sinking sand.

- Edward Mote (1797-1874) 

Not just clothing...

My blogger friend Pen and I have had similar 'plain' clothes journeys over the years.  HERE is a post she wrote recently to do with modesty. She said she would be interested to read about my journey.  So here is a peek into part of it, but not just clothes ...

Although I've been a Christian for 40 years, my 'plain' journey started about 25 years ago, when I 'met up' with some conservative/plain head covering Christian ladies through a yahoo group, most of whom were in the USA.

If you would like to read what the Bible says about head covering, it's in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Head covering is not taught in the churches here, or none of the many I have attended over the years, except for the Mennonites.  But they are relatively new to Australia, the first conservative Mennonite church starting up in Deloraine, Tasmania around 15 years ago.

I was with them from the beginning (although I did not join the church), and have been with them on and off since, but now that I've moved further away it's not easy to get there each Sunday, although I do try to at least attend their annual conference weekend.  

Early in my journey I discovered this lovely little magazine....

Not all plain folk, but mostly modest dress and many wore head coverings

I sent a letter and photo of me to the magazine requesting pen pals :) 

in my crocheted headscarf in 2003 :)

This is some of a family in the south of the state who were trying to set up a Christian community.  I visited them a few times when I was down that way.

that's on the left nearly 20 years ago :)

And I guess you know what Amish clothes look like, although I was surprised that many people here in Australia don't know of the Amish, and even less have heard of the Mennonites!

The couple in the centre of the photo, came from Canada with their family (that is one of their daughters in the brown jacket) and a few others to start the first Conservative Mennonite church here in Deloraine.  There is also one in New South Wales now, but as far as I know they are the only ones in Australia.

in typical Mennonite cape dresses

Over the years my dress 'style' has evolved, and I now mostly wear plain (as in not patterned) coloured long skirts and shirts, although I do still have a couple of dresses.

What I wore to church a couple of weeks ago...

the skirt was too short (I like mine ankle length) so I added a strip of denim to the bottom

And in my 'at home' work clothes...

 I always wear an apron at home

This is Michaela.  The photo is from her Etsy clothing store.  I have bought some of her skirts, shirts and head coverings... 

I particularly like her denim shirts and wear them a lot

Here she is again in the skirts and shirts she sews...

And these are some of her head scarfs.  I mostly wear mine as in the photo on the left...

Her Etsy shop is HERE.

But I'm still experimenting with how to wear my headscarf.  Do you know of Tasha Tudor...

I love her 'style'.  I already have her hands, and my hair is whiter than hers, and I'm working on the wrinkles :))

I have this book of hers, picked up at the op shop recently for $4!!

I'm practicing wearing my scarf like hers. But I think she has more hair than me, and I don't know how she gets it to stay on without hairclips.  I prefer my hair up and off my face like this, especially when I am working...

And although I said I prefer plain/solid colour fabric, I do also like small prints and plaids in 'antique/vintage' look fabrics.

Like this...

Unfortunately, my garden looks nothing like hers (sigh)

But I do have a small patch of spring colour...

pink pig face and white daisies

And also, I have these pinafore dresses.  I used to wear them a lot when I was fellowshipping with the Mennonites, with dresses or skirts and tops underneath. They are a bit wrinkled as they were in the back of my cupboard, but maybe I'll give them an iron and wear one of them to church tomorrow :) 

they are cotton.  I like natural fibres.  Marnie got them online for me.

Going to leave it here.  It's rather a mish mash of thoughts as they came to me.  

We've had really windy weather, and I've had lots of headaches (one starting to come back now), but I've been working on this for a couple of weeks and wanted to get it up on the blog.

Time for a cup of tea and a piece of orange cake (will save the recipe for another post).

Have a blessed day and week!

xx

From Oasis of Hope (a devotional) ...

"In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." 

- Isaiah 30:15

Several years ago I was surprised to discover that during the seven years Solomon built the house of God, no iron tool was used or heard at the building site.  The temple was built in reverence and quietness, without the usual construction sounds of saws and hammers.  It reminded the people that God is to be revered, and quietness is a part of reverence.

A quiet spirit is a spirit at rest.  Even when we need to speak out or when we are surrounded by noise, our inner spirit can reflect a certain quietness and peace.  When we feel distraught or wounded, we can find healing by becoming quiet and communing with Jesus.  If we have been slighted or misunderstood, our strength lies in quietness.  We can live in humility, knowing that we do not need to right all that is wrong.  Rather, we can simply give the threads to Jesus and let Him untangle the maze.  

Sometimes we have too much to say.  Like Job, we should at times lay a hand upon our mouths.  True strength is shown, not by forceful language, but by quiet understanding and thoughtfulness. 

Are You Blessed? (A poem) ...

ARE YOU BLESSED?

If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed.  One third of all the world does not have access to one.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the one million who will not survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are more blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you believe God does hear and answer prayers.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.