Advent

Well, we know that Christmas most probably didn't happen in December - way too cold in Israel for those poor shepherds and sheep at that time of the year! And the tree and tinsel and candles, etc were really pagan symbols incorporated into Christianity to try and keep everyone happy. And we have been through the "do we, don't we" debate - and for some years we actually didn't. 


However, one year I realized, that regardless of all the pagan stuff attached the "silly season", when I think of Christmas, I do think of Jesus coming to earth as a baby in order to later die on a cross and after 3 days to rise again so that my sins are forgiven and I can have eternal life (you too, by the way :)


And no, that is not the only time I remember that. But it is a good time to reflect again on what it all meant. And yes, we do now enjoy the "fun" bits, like the trees and lights and gifts.


Last year, for the first time, we decided to (loosely) follow advent. We light the candle every evening (although, this year Advent has started, and I do still need to buy the candle...oh, dear, sometimes time just does run away with me!)
But we have started reading our advent story :)

Last year, we read the first in the series - Jotham's Journey. It was great fun, and at some moments, a nail biting, hang onto your seat read - seems like Bartholomew's story is going to be the same. Set in the time of Roman occupation of Israel, Bartholomew is separated from his family and needs to learn to trust that God is in control, even during the storms of our life...sounds familiar!! And at the end of the story, he meets the real Messiah - saviour of the world.


And tomorrow, we are going to friends to make our own Advent calendars! Just in time, seeing as tomorrow is the 1st of December!


My prayer for you, is that you too will experience the peace that our Lord Jesus brings as we prepare our hearts and remember again His great love for us.

Liebster Award

OK, so,  Blogging was never something I thought I'd really get into. I am on Facebook (can hear the gasps of horror - Lol :) and I quite enjoy the instant contact with my friends and family around the world

But, since moving to England last year, I have realized I have friends who are not on Facebook, who would love to hear how we are doing here in our new home. And so we started this blog. I am not much of a writer (Gary and Sarah are the writers in our family), but I must admit, I quite like this form of digital journaling :)

I met my friend, Shirley, online, through a home education email loop and we made contact as we were both on the same journey of leaving South Africa to England. We have only met twice - once in Cape Town and once at their home in England. And I am once again amazed and reminded that sisters in Christ have Him in common and are family :) We have formed a lovely friendship and I am inspired and encouraged by her. (It was Shirley who shivvied me along to keep my blog going when it had lain fallow for a while and  for those whose mouths hung open on the news of me knitting...well, once again it was Shirley's inspiration - she is an avid knitter and handworker.)

Shirley from Under an English Sky nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award - thank you Shirley ;o)

Now Shirley shared that the word 'Liebster' is a German word which means 'dearest'. The Liebster Blog award is given to up and coming blogs with 200 or less followers,

So, the way this award works is to link back to the nominator - that would be Shirley ;o) 

The next thing is to share 5 other inspiring blogs - all of whom have less than 200 followers. Leave a comment on their blogs and let them know that they are nominated for this cute award.

THEN... post the award on your blog and enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of friendship shared over the miles!

So, my five nominees are:


1) Patrizia at Our Home Education Journey - Patrizia has been home educating her 2 boys for just over a year now. She is an amazing example of perservering in finding what really works for her boys. And i have discovered many resources through her efforts ;)


2) Natalie - a friend from college days...oh, so many moons back ;) Natalie has adopted a little    treasure and this blog is her story.


3) Adele, at Life at Avalon - Adele is a stalwart home educator, almost at the end of her home 
education journey. But this blog includes their life on a small holding in Stutterheim, South 
Africa, with beautiful photos of "home"


4) Another amazing home educating mum, is Cathy. She is a fountain of knowledge and   
inspiration to many home educators. 


5) I have never met the author of Elastic Mom - I think she lives in South Africa and has beautiful pictures of their life on a farm.But what I appreciate the most, are her ideas for simple, frugal living.


I have discovered many other blogs through reading your blogs - and look forward to seeing who you nominate for new reading :)


With all my love
desiree

Image of the week

Lest we forget

For a couple of days before 11/11/11, people have been wearing their poppies in remembrance of WW1 as well as WW2 heroes (This year for the first time, there are no more living WW1 heroes).
In fact, many people at the same time remember those still in active service and those who have lost their lives in other wars and battles.
These men and women have given their lives so that we can live in freedom and safety.
And it is important to remember as "He who does not learn from history, is doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana 

Sadly, us humans have short memories as the genocides in Albania and Ruanda testify to.

Anyhow, one of my quirks, is that I attach songs to words and phrases. Sometimes, that comes
back at me, for example when I'm having a pity party, life is so unfair, and why me?? The song

Why me, Lord? what have I ever done
To deserve even one of the pleasures I've known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving You for the kindness You've shown.

pops into my head...and well, there goes my pity party!

The "Lest we forget" slogan brought to mind this song:

King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

How often we take what our Lord Jesus did for us on the cross for granted! We forget that 
He gave His life, not only that we can have physical freedom but that we can be free from sin;
He gave His life, not only that we can live in peace now, but that we can know "the peace of God that passes all understanding";
He gave His life, not only to heal our diseases and give us life in abundance but that we may live with Him for eternity.


He paid a great price for us! How He loves us! 

crosstwilight.jpg

ancientbritonpetros.blogspot.com

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us -
 1 John 3:16

Eagle Owl

Have a look at this amazing video of an eagle owl

http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

Time out

It's 7 o'clock on Friday morning. Gary has gone to meet a friend for breakfast and the girls are sleeping - they each have their own rooms, but lately seem to be sleeping together in each other's beds :) And I am awake, cause once awake, I can't get back to sleep. So a coffee and a muffin later, I decided to update our blog with the week's happenings


Not that we have been too busy this week - it has been our week off in our 6-week cycle. It is always amazing how we can keep going and not recognize our need for a break until we actually have one! (Although, this time round, I did know it was time when I thought last Wednesday was Friday!)


The girls baked condensed milk biscuits - see recipe in recipe tab. They outdid themselves working out how to get the chocolate dough inside the vanilla dough :)

I outdid myself  knitting this week - those needles clacked overtime - most I've ever done :)

 (My mother's comment when she heard I was knitting was "You? Knitting?? Well, that's surprising!" - says it all, doesn't it?)

Alexandra completed her scarf and I completed Sarah's for her - she just did not take to knitting. Alexandra is asking for the next project.

I then knitted a pair of mittens for Alexandra. I only had very thin wool, so I used 3 strands of different colours and it really worked! I started a pair for Sarah, but she asked to rather have a beanie, so I knitted that for her instead - amazingly, that also worked out fine - and more importantly, fits! And I have yarn over to make her the mittens as well.

And I used circular needles for the first time to complete a cowl. Now, this was a bit of a challenge! My friend told me it is easy to knit with circular needles, but only told me after, that she has never actually knitted in a round!! The first few rows were a nightmare, trying to keep the yarn from twisting and trying to remember where I was in my knit/purl combination, working with 96 stitches (so it takes a while if you need to count your way through the stitches to see where you are!) and not being able to see the pattern till about row 4! But with help and encouragement from my friend Elsje and other friends on facebook - as well as an offer of a whiskey to help me get my head around it...mm, not sure how that would have helped :) - I did it!! Brownie points for me :) OK, so the cowl did not come out the way the pattern shows - not surprising, seeing as I used 8mm needles (all the shop had), instead of 10mm and chunky wool. It now fits twice around my neck instead of fitting snugly, but it works and I've worn it - so very chuffed. (But yes, will have to go back and do it "properly", the way the pattern intended it to be)

Maybe socks next?...

We also visited MShed - and amazing museum of Bristolian history. Lots to see and do, including finding where you live on a large aerial photo (on the floor)

Also, some grissly reads, like the cover of a book made out of tanned human skin. The victim was a criminal, executed for murder - his body was given to the doctor to use for research - the only legal way to obtain cadavers for study purposes in those days.

On Wednesday evening, we had a movie and popcorn evening -  watched 

Disney's "Tangled".

Managed to get some housework done - a bit of spring cleaning - although I think I prefer "autumn cleaning" - for one, it's cooler, and on cool, rainy autumn days, there's no temptation to go out somewhere :) 

We also had dentist appointments - never an exciting prospect. But apart from possible future orthodontics, both girls came away with a "no problems here" from the dentist, so they were relieved. Gary had a filling. Me? Well, somehow, I didn't have an appointment. Wonder how that happened?? I'm sure I made one....

Psalm 34:8

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.