Living small

Some of you may have heard of Diana and Michael Lorence and their tiny home.  If not (or even if you have) here is a video about their home and lifestyle.



Then I came across this video.  I really like this house...not too sure about the ladder to the bedroom though!



The more I think about it...the more 'small' makes sense.

Sunday Hymn - I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

It's finally finished!

The second blanket order is finished and delivered.  This is the third one I've done using the circle in a square pattern, and I think I like this last one the best.  Maybe I am getting more adventurous with the colours :o)

But I am so over crocheting!! ....for now at least!

So it's back to knitting my cardigan....

And now for the fun part....

....Not!!    Sewing them all together...

Sunday Hymn - The Ninety and Nine

Having babies....

....my spider plant... not me!

So I broke some off...

And have put them in water so they will grow roots and I will have more plants :o)

Look what arrived in the mail today...

>

I've been wanting to read "No Lasting Home" for ages, and I finally bought it from Amazon US, along with the other book that I thought might also be interesting.

I was only going to read the intro for "No Lasting Home", but somehow I am already up to page  39...how did that happen!!

It's an amazing book!

You can download the book free  here. 

And you can read some reviews about "The Soul of a Lion"   here

Sunday Hymn - Beneath the Cross of Jesus

1. Beneath the cross of Jesus 
 I fain would take my stand, 
 the shadow of a mighty rock 
 within a weary land; 
 a home within the wilderness, 
 a rest upon the way, 
 from the burning of the noontide heat, 
 and the burden of the day. 

2. Upon that cross of Jesus 
 mine eye at times can see 
 the very dying form of One 
 who suffered there for me; 
 and from my stricken heart with tears 
 two wonders I confess: 
 the wonders of redeeming love 
 and my unworthiness. 

3. I take, O cross, thy shadow 
 for my abiding place; 
 I ask no other sunshine than 
 the sunshine of his face; 
 content to let the world go by, 
 to know no gain nor loss, 
 my sinful self my only shame, 
 my glory all the cross.

 

couldn't help myself

I'm just about all crocheted out! 

I'm still working on these squares...all 72 of them... for the blanket order:

but I had the urge to knit something, so I went to the local post office (which is also a wool shop) and bought some wool to knit myself a cardigan.  Will get back to the crocheting, but needed to get this knitting bug out of my system first.

Mark Driscoll - a controversial interview?

Danny Coleman posted on his blog of  a British interview with Mark Driscoll.

I have just finished listening to it, and found it 'interesting'.

Here is a link to the interview.

And here is a response by Mark regarding the interview.

I'll leave you to form your own opinions.

Lunch

Sunday Hymn - Take My Life....

Here is another one of my favourite hymns:

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing,
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee. 
And if you would like to read more about the writer of the hymn, Frances Ridley Havergal, you can go here.

circles

I've been working on the circles for the next lap blanket order I have.

I've done 60 circles...12 more to do.

Then all 72 circles have to be edged in 2 rounds of grey, then the best part...NOT!...sewing them all together!!

I couldn't get enough of the light grey yarn I had used for the first blanket I did, so am using a mid grey. I thought it might be too dark, but I think it will be OK.

Will add some progress pictures in the next couple of days.

Book list for 2012

I've just finished reading "Will the Real Heretics ....." and am halfway through "The Practice of the Presence....."

These two books I have borrowed from friends:

When I went to buy my bread from the bakery at the  Hutterite community nearby (where Peter Hoover who wrote "The Russian' Secret lives), they were giving away some books, so I took a copy of these: 

Marnie gave me this one for Christmas:

I bought these two recently:

And when I feel like reading some fiction...I have these two.  "The Hardest Thing...." is the 4th book in the Hawk and The Dove trilogy by Pen Wilcock, who blogs over at Kindred of the Quiet Way.  And I chose the other one mainly because of the setting...Alaska!

What are you reading this year?

crocheted lap blanket

Yesterday I finished the crocheted lap blanket a lady had ordered from me.  I delivered it to her and she seemed very happy with it.  She would now like another one made using bright colours (instead of the pastels) and edged in grey (instead of cream).  So I have just been to the post office/wool shop and bought the yarn I need to get started on this next project.

Here's a close up of the blanket

Natasha's rice dish recipe

While she was here, Natasha made us a yummy rice dish:

Yesterday I made some following her recipe. This is what I did:

Sauté lots of finely chopped garlic in olive oil in a big pan.
Add the following chopped vegetables ( or whatever you like or have): capsicum, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and grated carrot.

Allowed them to sauté/steam until just cooked (you may like to add a bit more oil). Push the vegies to the side and break into the pan 2 (or however many you like) eggs and stirred them over the heat to cook them and break them up (like scrambled eggs).
Mixed the cooked eggs and vegies back together and add (as much or as little as you like) cooked rice (I used brown, but you can use white).

You can also then add any cooked meat you like (ham, bacon, turkey, lamb, beef). I added a cut up cooked sausage.

Season with salt, pepper, herbs, etc. I added cracked pepper, herbal salt and finely chopped fresh rosemary.

Then comes the best part....eat it!!

Enjoy!

Sunday Hymn - All the way my Saviour leads me

I hope to post the words of a hymn each Sunday.  This one has been on my mind this last week.  As with so many of the old hymns...they are beautiful words:

All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father's blest embrace.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.

seeing in the new year

I saw the new year in this morning with my first beach walk for 2012. (Although the date on my blog says it is 31st Dec, it is actually 1st Jan here in Australia)

Here's where I start:

Halfway down the beach:

Time to turn around:

On the way back I walk in the water:





  
Nearly home again: