Tonight's Grat

My husband is in a drama at our church on the weekend and I'd forgotten that a lady had arranged to drop off his costume at 7 this evening.

When the door bell rang, I instantly thought it was going to be someone trying to install free energy saving light bulbs again but was slightly taken aback to see a friendly face smiling at me.

I was caught off guard as I had already prepared my "we've already got energy saving light bulbs thank you" speech and hesitantly invited her inside.

In a flurry I started apologizing profusely for the mess. We're in the middle of shifting house and there is stuff EVERYWHERE! Boxes, piles, wrapped furniture pieces etc.

We'd just finished eating dinner so of course added to the 'house' stuff were the night's dishes and mess. I felt so flustered and embarrassed. I'd met this lady a few times at church but I didn't really know her very well... not that well!

I then started to remember how just half an hour prior my two year old daughter had thrown a Scoop truck at my head for no apparent reason (other than the emotional strain of moving).

I'd actually lost the plot at that point but thankfully my husband arrived home from work just in the nick of time to a blubbering mess. He kindly fed the children while I put our baby to bed and regained composure.

Now as I stood chatting to this lady I realised that I probably still had mascara all down my face and how bad I was sounding as I kept rambling about the mess we were standing in and trying to explain our plans to move to Thailand etc.

Okay so this story does have a point LOL! I am grateful for this LOVELY lady who (without really knowing me at all) stood and prayed for me in our entrance way and offered her support. She was so excited about our planned trip and we were able to share so much with her which she later told us meant so much. Long story but anyway, I am so appreciative for this opportunity tonight to get to know this lady more. I have a feeling we are going to cross paths a lot more often now.

Where's my socks gone?

Oh they've been BLESSED off!

Where do I even start? I have missed so many opportunities to write about all the things I am grateful for but believe me I have been voicing them and I am truly appreciative.

Okay, I'll start with yesterday. My mother and father-in-law recently returned from their holiday so they offered to have my two eldest children for a sleepover so that I could continue packing our house (we're moving overseas). When I dropped them off, I was sent home with two huge casseroles (many meals worth) and then when the children were dropped home tonight... dinner again! I feel so blessed. I'm not a lover of cooking dinner at the best of times but especially when I had so many tasks to get done. This meant so much to me.

My own mother came over for the day on Tuesday and helped me sort and pack boxes all day, as well as entertain the two youngest children. She's also such a blessing in my life.

I have also been blown away lately by people's generosity, thoughtfulness and willingness to help.

I am also so grateful for the way God continues to reveal to us how He has everything under control. We've found people to rent our house (without even advertising) as well as buy our couch (again without advertising). I am amazed at how all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

And now I'd better go and find my socks!!

Relationship Grat

I am grateful for the things in my relationship, big and small that make it what it is! We had our first session of premarital counselling tonight, and I am just so grateful for a partner who is willing to engage in this with me and to really discuss and be open about our relationship!

I'm also grateful for the little things, like the fact that he is so gracious in helping me out with the little things in life - he even cooked me steak tonight so I wouldn't have to deal with cooking red meat, despite the fact that he didn't feel like any (I am on strict orders from the doctor to eat more red meat!).

So yes, lots of reflection and gratitude for my relationship!

Sew much time!!

I am grateful for a couple of things...one is for my lovely mother-in-law for having my eldest daughter for the most part of weekend, allowing me a whole stack of free time with only my littlest. The second part of my grat is that with all my free time, I actually managed to drag out my sewing machine - which is a really nice one that I have not had much success getting to work - until tonight!!!! It all just seemed to fall into place and I could suddenly do all the things I had previously been too dumb to work out!!!! So...I managed to make a couple of pretty basic and (unattractive?) bean bags and then a little doona and pillow set for the girls dolls - very cute! So grats for a lovely day and entering the world of the nifty-thrifty mum!!

You never know gals...I might be making you your very own beanbags yet LOL

Mel xx

Hairy Grat

I am grateful for my hairdresser, who, I finally realised works on a Thursday night!!!!! Yay, after finding it so difficult to get my haircut...I was told I could come at 7:30pm on a Thursday evening...which I did and whalaaaa $25 later I love my new haircut and it was just such an easy process:-) I am thankful it was so cheap...I am thankful it is so close (5 mins around the corner) and I am thankful I was not the girl paying next to me who's hair cost her $109!!!! Hahaha 

Mel

Money doesn't really matter that much

Hiya girls! Sorry it's been awhile since my last blog!

I am so grateful this week for the priorities I have in my life. I'm grateful that money isn't one of them, and ego isn't either! I've had a 'challenging' (read between the lines) week with a client of mine who has these two priorities as 1 and 2 respectively in his world. How much I don't envy that life. A life that is driven by these things. I know we all need money, it makes the world go round- sure- but wow, to have it as a 'i need more' kind of priority, well frankly, I think just stinks!

One of the richest men in the world was asked a question by reporters, "how much money is enough?". You know what his response was??

"Just little bit more."

How sad.

Girls, it doesn't bring happiness, it never will. I'm so grateful for my job, my pay cheque and being able to 'fund' my life, but man...seriously, life has so many better things to offer than just dollars!! I totally get why Jesus said that its tougher for a rich man to get to heaven. Especially based on some of the greed I see.

So thanks God, for perspective; for being able to enjoy the funds you provide; for being grateful for them, but for mostly for them not being a 'god' in my world. Man, I'm so grateful for that!

Love you gorgeous women!

Tam x

The BIG G

I woke up this morning really early. It wasn't by choice I had some intense aches and pains which unfortunately woke me out of the dead of sleep. But given my busy lifestyle of young kids, working from home etc etc I really love a chance to spend some time alone with God, reading the message (bible), bits from my various books, listening to songs and journalling. All sounds a bit spiritual, maybe, but snuggled on the couch with a doona, hot drink, heat bag and Ipod, the picture is complete!! It is during these late night / early morning experiences with God that I have come to really love and understand how incredible he is. I cannot fully describe it within this short grat, but these moments have changed me more than anyone will ever understand. How grateful I am that I have discovered a way of connecting with God, which challenges me, changes and directs me and helps me to feel a sense of love from an awesome creator. It is in the times when I am struggling with grief, despair, personal insecurity and many more challenges that I feel this amazing protection, love, compassion and wisdom. So my gratitude for today is for my rude awakening this morning which turned out to be an incredible time hanging out with a very BIG and wise friend. Hmmm its true what they say, the more time you spend with someone the better you get to know them.

Mel