No Matter What

Cactus flowers, gifted to me.

Sharing at Nurture Photography: Easter/Yellow.

He Saw You

He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. 

He saw you betrayed by those you love. 

He saw you with a body that gets sick 

and a heart that grows weak. 

He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees

 and sleeping friends. 

He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures

 and the mouth of your own grave. 

He saw you in your own garden of Gethsemane

 and he didn't want you to be alone ... 

He would rather go to hell for you 

than to heaven without you. 

                                                                                     

                                                                                           ― Max Lucado

A Warm Glow

Master J batting in his second grade cricket grand final

Sunrise

You know how sometimes you have a very special day which  leaves you glowing inside and out, a heart warming and rewarding day in every sense. We had one of these days on the weekend.

It began with the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen from our back deck. I was tempted to grab my camera and run to the river where I may enjoy it even more but my mornings don't allow this. As the household woke we began to celebrate Miss E's 21st birthday. Miss G made fresh croissants for all as a delicious breakfast treat.

We watched three of our children play in two senior's cricket grand finals during the afternoon. "Our" team won both games. The third grade game (Miss G and Miss N) was particularly exciting as they came back in the last 45 minutes to win against an ill mannered team which had been undefeated all season. A sweet victory indeed.

My mother-in-love enjoyed watching her grandchildren play cricket too, even though the day was hot. As the sun sank low we headed home for a family birthday dinner and homemade black forest trifle birthday cake!

A day to remember, with a warmed heart.


Sharing at Friday Photo Journal.

Morning Mist

A misty morning preludes another hot and steamy "autumn" day. The last few days have been more like mid summer, concluding in scattered thunderstorms. Autumn coolness will surely come. In the meantime I'm loving these Comos flowers grown from seeds collected from a kerbside garden.


PS There is an update on last week's Bright and Warm post showing my quilting decision regarding the large triangles. Thank you to those who ventured an opinion.

The Song

Fitzroy Falls, NSW, March 2010

"Let Me write my song on your heart."

What song is that God?

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, March 2010

"The song of my love for you".

That sounds a bit selfish, is that really what you mean God?

Sunset over the river, September 2012

"It is the song of eternity".

And then I realised it was true, this is God's message through all eternity, perfectly displayed at Easter.
Thank you God.

Bright and Warm

Cosmos

Whether later afternoon or early morning, we are surrounded by warm bright colours as autumn slowly enters our days.

Somewhere in between these two ends of my days I've been enjoying a few minutes here and there of another brightness. I have just finished hand quilting little crosses on the large middle panel of my Sunlit Treasure quilt.

Here is the quilt top during basting some weeks ago. See those large white setting triangles? I'm trying to work out how to quilt these. The idea of machine stippling the entire cherry/white corner triangles is one option. Another option is some hand quilting - but what design to try?

I'm not quite sure - what do you think?


UPDATE 27th March: 

Thank you for making suggestions. After trialling a little hand quilting I decided an open stipple would work best. It provides strength and stability, especially considering these setting triangles form the corners of the quilt. The open stippling also gives a smooth, understated finish, not detracting from the feature central panel of flying geese, while providing a little contrast.

It's been well over 12 months since I attempted stippling, a little more practice won't go astray. I have completed one corner. The border of flying geese will be hand quilting just as the centre panel is.

NB "North by North East" quilt design by Sarah Fielke as found in her book Quilting From The Little Things.


Sharing at WIP Wednesday.

Like a Florist Shop

Many have expressed their love and affection for my mother in law by sending flowers to her. Her room at the aged care centre reminds me of a florist shop and she is loving it! The photos above were taken on Wednesday.

I took both cameras yesterday (Sunday) to capture memories for her.  There were even more bouquets and the lilies in earlier arrangements were in full bloom, a splendid sight. A beautiful way of showering her with love at this time.

Fresh Beginnings

A very tall variety of Sulphur Cosmos

Returning from an evening walk some months ago I collected a few seeds from nearby kerbside flowers and buried them in my garden. With joy have I watched them germinate and grow larger and taller until now they are almost as tall as me. This week the first buds have burst open, reaching high on thin stems towards the bright sunlight. A welcome joy and distraction amongst the emotions and busyness of this week....

Many of you will have read this week of Google Reader's upcoming retirement. I'm exploring  Bloglovin' an alternative way of keeping up (as time permits) with all your wonderful new blog posts. I shall continue blogging on blogger as usual but I will be able to find your latest blog posts using Bloglovin'. It's so easy to import all the blogs you follow into Bloglovin'. It's quite fun exploring something fresh and new!

http://www.bloglovin.com/what-is-bloglovin

UPDATE: My friend, Erin (see her comment below) has suggested Feedly as a  possibly better blog reader solution. As with Bloglovin', Feedly also offers a seamless transition form Google Reader. I will be interested to see which suits best. Let me know which you like best or if you have found another option.

Dignified and Beautiful

Eulogy

My father-in-love's funeral yesterday was dignified and beautiful from start to finish. The way the details came together during preparations, despite some hiccups, was amazing. My husband wrote and delivered the most wonderful and warm eulogy I have ever heard, giving honour to his father and pointing people to Jesus through the testimony of his father's life.

A retired minister with whom my father-in-love (also an ordained Anglican minister) had worked, led the service in our local Anglican Cathedral and shared a great message. Everything about the funeral seemed just right.

We caught up with family and friends over light refreshments after the funeral.

Close family from several states gathered together for a meal overlooking the river as evening arrived.

We are overwhelmed with a great sense of satisfaction, love and family closeness. Today we have been enjoying the company of these wonderful family members, saying our reluctant farewells as each group heads off to drive and fly back to their own homes. We couldn't have hoped for a more fitting end to the life story of one we all dearly loved and respected.

Sharing at Our World Tuesday.

Preparations

Most Aussies are comfortable wearing casual clothes nearly all the time, especially in the country areas.
But my husband rightly pointed out that our children's best clothes, Tshirts and shorts with runners/sneakers for footwear, are simply too casual for their Grandfather's upcoming funeral. Several shopping expeditions have been required to source multiple skirts, shirts/blouses, trousers and shoes for our eight children. There is also a hint of excitement after their initial hesitation.

Miss E (5) was delighted to find some sparkly, silver flats today for her footwear, just what she was looking for - so thrilled in fact that she wore them all afternoon until one of the elastic bands broke! I've had the sewing machine out to repair them. There'll be the boys' trousers to shorten tomorrow too......

I also want to express a big THANK YOU to everyone for your kind and understanding words, thoughts and prayers, they mean a lot to us, especially at this time. Things are coming together very well (at last) towards Thursday's funeral and all the family is coping better than expected. And I must say, the children look very smart and more mature in their new clothes!

Hovering

My dear father-in-love is hovering between this life and the next today, ready to leave, just like this Blue Triangle butterfly in my garden this morning. My husband and my mother-in-love are both with him in the aged care centre where the care they have all received has been wonderful. Peace and comfort reign and release for him will come soon. Hallelujah.


Update: Just before 5pm today the hovering ceased and release happened. He is now free, safe in the arms of our Saviour, reunited with his mother, sister, his eldest son and others who have gone before him. Peace.


Sharing at Weekly Top Shot, Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Between the Showers

A weather beaten Blue Triangle butterfly tries to dry out between showers of rain.

2005, the year of their 50th wedding anniversary

Sunday afternoon

 It is SO good that my parents in law are now together. We visit my parents in law at the aged care centre often, trying to add a little sunshine to their days. My father in law's 83 year old "little" brother and his wife flew in from interstate to visit over the weekend also.

Another flood creeps up the walls of the sailing club building on Sunday evening, our third flood in the space of 5 weeks. This one was relatively minor. In the last 38 days we have had more than two thirds of our average annual rainfall. We've had rain on all but 9 of the last 38 days, with light showers forecast for each day this week also.

We look for and rejoice at pieces of blue sky.

Early this morning we had a little sunshine, great for helping insects, washing and the garden dry out a little before taking shelter from the next shower....


Sharing at Our World Tuesday.

God is Good...

...all the time.

My father-in-love's health has declined rapidly over the last three weeks, multiple health issues and age are catching up with him very quickly. The doctor has suggested he has little time left, fewer weeks than you can count on one hand.

He has been cared for wonderfully in the aged care centre which he moved into on Christmas Eve. His 86th birthday is late this month but all would be both delighted and also very sad if he has passed on to heaven by that time. His faith in Jesus's saving grace is unshakable, heaven awaits, along with family and friends who have gone before him.

Late this week a permanent bed become available in the same aged care centre for my mother-in-law, only a few rooms away from my father-in-law's room. She has moved in already, now they are able to spend these last precious days together again. God has been very good to us all.