Saturday, July 25, 2020

The Reoccuring Theme


I am not sure if I was fully aware that my blogging always seemed to have this reoccurring theme. But having revisited this blog recently there it was like the elephant in the room. Change, I have written and journaled and have read, explored and lived this topic to the point where I would consider myself a professional artist of change. Well I thought I was anyways. I think I may have conned myself. 

In the past it felt like change was an experience that only I was having. With the way my family constantly moved and the way everyone else seemed to stay in the same place. Change never felt like a shared experience to me. Most often the reaction from others looking in on my lifestyle of travel and relocation was more of where I felt a bit like a circus animal. There was always a lot of oohs and ahhhs that would come in my direction. This of course does not even address the change that happens naturally in our lives as we age and our friends, and families change. As life seems to sweep around us and we try our best to hang on. That always felt like a lonely place to me as well. I seemed to lack being able to find others to connect with as if change was some sort of elusive animal. 

I'm not sure that I would have ever thought that change itself would change. My feelings on change, the dramatic kind that whips your life into a direction you did not see, the kind that I used to know about. It no longer feels singular. It no longer feels like an unshared or misunderstood experience. Change has swept literally across the world. Everyone has felt it and it has rustled the leaves outside the tree of everyones window. Sounds poetic doesn't it. 

It has left a mark in so many different ways. We get to glimpse this through the medium of social media as people share day by day their lives. Some trying to keep their aesthetic going while others are writing new stories. I have been cured of believing I am an expert on anything. Honestly the longer I live the more I realize how little I know. I once may have thought I had seen so much I now realize I have not seen enough. 

Then of course I haven't even mentioned the change that has taken place because of the change already happening. What an incredible moment to see a world collective of people with an outcry for more change to happen because hey, we are already sitting in an uncomfortable place. I say that causally because for many being uncomfortable is a very new experience. But for others, they have lived that margin and have aged in it. Where the uncomfortable places have become their well known road. Something they walk on everyday.  Many of us have not felt what it means to live under that kind of duress. Nor should we pretend that we have. For many of us we can not know what this is nor will we ever. 

So my friends here it is change has arrived not just on my doorstep but its outside yours as well. What will you do?  How will you walk past your threshold today? I'm no expert of course but if I can share anything from this last year, it would be don't get comfortable again. Going back will not move you forward. I don't have much to say in particular about world events because honestly more than ever it is a time for me to listen. People are speaking and I don't want to miss a single word.  Never stop looking for those connections around you of others who are uncomfortable.  Sisterhood, Brotherhood do you see it now? There is a need for connection that is not just born from blood. As you walk uncomfortably through this season of change listen out for your brothers and sisters who are calling. If you are not hearing it,  then be quiet. 

WHO IS THERE LEFT TO REMEMBER? 

Who is there left to remember? 
My parents, my brother, all my aunts and uncles gone-
My sister in another world.

In our imagination and prayers 
The sky opens and souls enter 
Singing praise 
Our loved ones are saved forever.

But on the ground 
Where we are now 
All that they have been-

Who is there left to remember
The lives the world we had? 

I alone am left to remember
And I alone will never remember enough. 

Shalom Freedman 


It's better to have a partner than go it alone. 
Share the work, share the wealth. 
And if one falls down, the other helps, 
But if there's no one to help, tough!
Two in a bed warm each other. 
Alone, you shiver all night. 
By yourself your unprotected. 
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three- stranded rope is not easily snapped. 
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 MSG 


Monday, July 10, 2017

Here we go again...



We have moved again! Lots of big changes for our family as we are adjusting to life back in America. Quite a bit has changed since we have last been here. But thankfully all the important things like drip coffee and donuts are still around in America standing the test of time. There are just some things about America that you will always appreciate.  Especially our freedom. So this 4th of July was especially sweet for our family as we got to celebrate it in our own country. We enjoyed a local parade and fireworks just some great small town American fun!! 



We made some big changes in our home as well. We decided to downsize the last several years we have been living in decent sized houses. Well not any more we gave away, donated and purged a ton of our belongings and are braving it out in a 2 bedroom apartment. With the boys away at University we felt it was a good time to start pairing back some. Now our stuff from England has not arrived yet but I have a sinking suspicion we will need to do some more down sizing when it gets here. 
I will say there is something liberating about clearing out all the clutter. And there are some perks to city and apartment living especially as my husband and I get older. 


We are living in New Jersey now, with great access to the city and to our Hillsong Church. Quite funny actually I would have never thought in a million years I would move to Jersey. But hey we are here now and we are actually really loving it. What a beautiful state it is,  tons of green spaces and loads to do. Then of course your just a hop skip and a jump away from the Big Apple!


Can I tell you though moving is not for the faint of heart. Starting all over again, saying goodbye to friends you love and places of comfort. But there is also something energizing about new opportunities.  I found this verse in Acts 2 The Message so encouraging.

I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
I'm glad from the inside out, estatic;
I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you'll never dump me in hades;
never even smell the stench of death.
You've got my feet on the life- path 
with your face shining sun-joy all around. 

If I have learned anything in my 42 years of existence its that you can't possibly ever know whats around every corner in this life. Which makes me so thankful that my heart is set on a God who goes before me. Who places hope within me no matter where I arrive. Filled with the Spirit my feet are set on the life path!! So here we are in a new place again, but also here we go! Can't wait to see where God carries us this time... 





Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Bucket List...

How amazing is it when you get to cross off something you have on your bucket list. My husband and I recently went on a church retreat where we got to attend a Bird of Prey demonstration. You probably won't ever see me with a larger smile on my face. We had so much fun meeting the birds and getting to handle them. It was just the best experience. They handler was amazing she let us take our time with each bird it was not rushed at all and she answered like a 1000 questions that we had. I love how I have my hand in my coat pocket as I am holding the birds and I'm just like hey yeah I have a bald eagle here no big deal haha!! Although inside I was squealing like a little girl!! 






Needless to say all this birding has definitely inspired my time while in my bible journal, and has me feeling creative.  It's safe to say nature definitely fuels my passions. God frequently leaves me in awe over all the beautiful things He has created! 



The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.
Psalm 19:1

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Happy New Year

I am really not sure what exactly happened to 2016 it went by faster than any year I can remember. It has been really an amazing year for our family as we navigate life in a new country. England has treated us well. We have really been enjoying our time here. 

Some quick family updates. Noah has finished up with community college in San Diego and is ready to transfer into University. He has applied to a few of them so we are waiting to here back as to where he will go on to next. He is getting a degree in Archaeology. Liam just completed his first semester of University he is going to school to be a lawyer. Both boys have great grades and are doing really well as a parent you couldn't ask for more. It really has been so wonderful to see the outcome of all the homeschooling we did. In the process of homeschooling especially teenagers I just remember all the time asking myself while schooling the boys have I done enough. Have I covered everything that they need. I am sure most parents homeschooling or not ask these same questions as their children grow. But it truly is an amazing thing to see them out work their upbringing and their faith out in the real world as they navigate life as young adults.

Anna is in her sophmore year of highschool, in America we say 10th grade. She has really impressed me this year with being more diligent with her schoolwork. Her artistic skills continue to flourish and astound me. We are still homeschooling and loving it. She misses all her farm animals that we had back in California so we surprised her at Christmas with a pet Hamster. We tried to be really sneaky about it and had it's cage hidden in our room but she heard the little guy spinning on it's wheel and was on to us right away hahaha. Can't get anything by her. Not quite the same as having a goat, horse and chickens but as an animal lover at heart we knew it would bless her and she loves having an extra furry friend around.

It has really been an amazing year with many answered prayers and much blessing. We are entering 2017 feeling really loved and really grateful for all that God has done and continues to do for us.
Happy New Year!!


Monday, August 22, 2016

Hit the ground running...


I feel like I woke up in 2016 jumped out of bed ...and literally hit the ground running. The year has just flown by. I started off needing major surgery so I took some time off to just recover and be. 

Over the last year our family has really embraced life in England. We are all enjoying our time here. So much so we decided to sell our house in California and just wing-it for awhile. Well I say that jokingly of course we all know there is no winging it as Christians obviously God has a plans for us. But we are doing our part to make sure there is nothing that we are doing to hinder or stand in the way of where God wants us to be.


The kids are all doing great. The boys now both graduated from home-school are coming and going back and forth to college and university. Anna my last homeschooling child is getting ready to start 10th grade. And to think just a few years ago I said I would never home-school during the teenage years especially through high-school. It just seemed like to overwhelming of a task and responsibility. But God is really amazing this is where we see Him most in those areas where we are weak. So here we are getting ready to start yet another year of homeschooling. 


I think it would literally take me forever to catch this blog up on all the adventures our family has been on thus far so I think we will just leave at... its been good, and carry on. 






Monday, February 15, 2016

the best bits...

here are some bits of last week....
  1. river flooded again
  2. thatched roofs
  3. winter walks
  4. winter blooms
  5. winter birthdays 
  6. favourite food!! getting plenty of Vitamin D when the suns not out...  mushrooms:) 
  7. mail 
  8. wool 
  9. feeling accomplished ...spin, ply, knit repeat









and another random pic of a future diy I want to make!! we have a vintage fair coming around soon to Oxford and I am hoping to find a suitcase or 2 there and try this out!! Are these cute or what?? 


What have you been up to?? 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Storybook

There are so many things here in England that you will randomly see that really make you feel like you stepped into a fairy tale. Like this gate that I saw while on a walk. So beautiful and organic. A little bit of art and nature combined. 
I can't wait to see spring time and summer when everything is in bloom!


If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need. 
~Marcus Tullius Cicero