this...that...and the other

Remember this lap blanket?  I'm still working on it....

Because I got side tracked doing these squares for that baby blanket.  Which are now done and just (just??) have to be all sewn together...

Almost finished reading Into The Wild.  I want to watch the movie, but I like to read the book first.

And watching more episodes of Northern Exposure (I'm addicted!)

After seeing them recommended on various blogs recently, I brought this stack of books home from the library, but couldn't get into any of them...

Except this one!  Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys.  A really (really) good read...

And you know what it's like when you finish a really good book....

It seems to take ages to be able to find another one (sigh).

But I'm off to the library again to pick up another stack...just in case....

Oh...and the other thing was....

Susan and Bean were the only ones that commented on my 200 post, so I would like to send you both something.  Will email you privately. See what all you others missed out on :))

Under the Sun?

Today's Free Devotional from Ellel Ministries International 

Under the Sun?

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation."
John 16:33, NKJV

The sun rises and sets. The wind blows continually around the earth and rivers flow constantly into the sea. Generations come and go. This has been the pattern for ages past, and continues in an unending cycle until time is no more. Pleasure and laughter are transient. Riches and wealth give only fleeting pleasures. Sickness sometimes appears to have free reign and injustice abounds. The teacher in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes said ‘Meaningless. Everything is meaningless’ (Ecclesiastes 1:2). And he went on to say ‘What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labour under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest’ (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23).

He wrote that all kinds of evil rampages around the world and the tears of the oppressed are widespread. ‘There is something else that occurs on earth: the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless’ (Ecclesiastes 8:14). And so he goes on. Where are God’s words of encouragement? Ecclesiastes seems to be the most depressing book in the Bible.

But if we look closely into this book, we find that all the futile ways of man, all the injustices and man’s striving for fulfilment are preceded by the words ‘under the sun.’ It appears that everything the teacher sees ‘under the sun’ is of the world, the soulish ways of mankind which come to nothing. ‘So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless’ (Ecclesiastes 2:17).

This is in direct contrast to the perfect ways of God. ‘He has made everything beautiful’. And ‘He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

God created everything for good. Eternal life with the Father was God’s plan from the beginning, and this desire was planted in man’s heart. It’s not God’s will that people suffer, but that they live in peace and harmony with Him, enjoying the pleasures He provides. And the key that unlocks the door to godly living? Reverence for Him, and walking in the ways He has ordained:

‘Here is the conclusion of the matter: Revere and worship God … keep His commandments, for this is the original purpose of His creation and …. the foundation of all happiness‘ (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

From the beginning God has insisted ‘You shall have no other gods before me’ (Exodus 20:3). This is fundamental for all Christian believers. As we stand upon this foundation the Lord Jesus Christ leads us further into God’s grace: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live … and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Or do we prefer to live ‘under the sun?’

Prayer: Father, so often I drift back into the ways of the world, and wonder why my prayers don’t seem to be reaching You. Please show me the areas of my life which are futile, and help me walk only in the way of Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.

Today's Writer : Ron Scurfield Ron Scurfield has been a member of the Prayer Ministry Team at Ellel Grange, and occasionally Ellel Scotland, for the past ten years. Ever since first being introduced to Ellel Ministries he has had the desire to see people set free to live the abundant life that God intended. He and his wife Jill have two grown-up children. He enjoys walking, writing and bird watching.

200

My 200th post.

I thought perhaps I should do something memorable.

2014 is proving to be a very interesting (and memorable) year so far.

The sunrise this morning was certainly memorable and interesting....

And in a few months this should be my new home (another memorable occasion)....

Remember my lap blanket?  I'm still working on it....

But after seeing this picture in a magazine (February British Country Living) I've gotten side-tracked....

And am now making small granny squares (using the same yarn as for the lap blanket) to make a baby blanket.  I should have enough wool for both projects....

And now for the give  away (which seems to be what bloggers do to commemorate a milestone), which I saved till the end so you would actually have to read the post :)

This is a 48" (120 cms) lap blanket I crocheted recently.  It is in 8 ply acrylic and between each colour is a row of light grey.  The colours are a bit deeper than they appear in the photo....

 

So if you would like to enter in the draw, leave a comment on this post with your name, or if you can't leave a comment, email me (lyndahkay@hotmail.com) with 'blog give away' in the subject line and I will enter you.

 

Will leave it open for a week (till 23rd January), and it's for overseas readers too.

 

Good luck!!

Happy Birthday Natasha

From little things.....

Big things grow....

 

 

Have a wonderful day!!!  xxx

Northern Exposure

Do you remember this TV show?

Not sure when it was originally made.  Seems like a long time ago that I use to watch it on TV. 

I've borrowed the DVD's from the library.

I watched a couple of episodes last night.

I use to enjoy the quirky humour  and laugh at the 'misfits'.

I still enjoyed watching it, but now, instead of laughing at the misfits...I identify with them!!!

Devotional reads for 2014

In 2013 I used these devotional books...

This year I will use Seeds of the Kingdom (which I started using half way through last year but will continue with this year) and Our Daily Bread booklet (that I receive every 3 months and have been reading for years).

And a new one I bought (Amish Peace) that I am really enjoying, and this Max Lucado one (which I have used in previous years).  It has a morning and evening reading...

I am using the read through the Bible in a year plan from the Our Daily Bread booklet.  It consists of a Old and New Testament reading each day...

I've also just signed up to receive the free Seeds of the Kingdom daily devotional email.  It is different from the ones in the book.  You can sign up HERE.

What devotional books will you be using in your quiet time this year?

crochet colour

Although I don't like a lot of colour or clutter in my surroundings, I like to work with colour in my crochet projects.

Before Christmas Bendigo Woollen Mills had a sale so I bought some of their 200gm 8 ply wool. I prefer to work with wool rather than acrylic.

So, with no particular project in mind, I bought one ball of each of these colours...

And four balls of each of these...

I decided to alternate the purple and fuschia above between the other colours.  I really like the colour combinations and the way the lap blanket is turning out...

And The Ragamuffin Gospel is my bedtime read....

 

 

Use it or lose it

Not a post about exercise, but about excess.

In reply to Louise Michie who seems to think my statement on my culling post "do not keep anything you are not using" is ridiculous. 

I considered not publishing her comments, after all, this is my blog and I can do what I want :)

But then I thought perhaps it might encourage some discussion.  So here are my thoughts, and if you have any you would like to add, please do so, but be nice....

(Unfortunately I can't seem to copy and paste her comment to this post, so if you want to read it you will have to go HERE. )

So...to my thoughts....

I do not consider any statement that makes people think is 'ridiculous'.  And this obvious has made Louise think.  (We may not agree with each other, but I'm happy to agree to disagree.)

I think we need to use a bit of common sense here.  I am not advocating getting rid of everything you are not using at this moment, but more the principle of 'using what you are keeping' and getting rid of excess.

In the past I have kept things ...just in case, which has created a lot of excess.  9 times out of 10, the 'just in case' never comes, and as I do most of my shopping at op shops/thrift stores, I can generally pick up the 1 time in 10 thing that I might eventually find I have need of.

I have winter and summer clothes (most op shop bargains), I pack the winter things away in summer and the summer things away in winter, because I know I am going to need them again.  But I do go through each year and cull those things I have not worn in the previous season.

And do I really need all those sets of sheets... and towels... and books that I've read and know I won't want to read again... and coffee mugs??  I keep 'enough' and give the rest away.

And if you have family heirlooms (or family) I am not suggesting you give them away, but use them in your everyday life and remember those who gave them to you.

I have some lovely gifts that have been given to me. I enjoyed them and used them.  But sometimes circumstances change and they are not able to be used anymore.  Rather than pack them in a box, why not pass them on to someone else who can benefit from them and enjoy them.  I first came across this principle in a book by Jose Hobday . I really admire her attitude to life and possessions.

Ok...enough from me.  It's over to you.  Any thoughts?

For all you (including me) introverts out there

I've just watched this video.  Interesting.  I've also reserved her book from the library - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.

That's why I enjoy/need my early morning river walks.

No people...no noise...
 
Just me...and my thoughts (which unfortunately can get pretty noisy at times).