An attitude of gratitude - Day 4

With my life at the moment being filled with a routine of painting rooms, dig up gardens and cramming in everything else around the fringes, I find myself being thankful for the smallest disruptions in the pattern.

DAY 4

1) Eating dinner with a friend (at a restaurant!) last night.
2) A free cup of coffee from my favorite cafe as I hit number 6 on my frequent buyer card.
3) Groups of people who have so generously given their time and energy to help out around this church building, getting it into good working order. Without their hands, the job would never be done!
4) The amazing sale at The Warehouse that let me buy some AWESOME dishes.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 3

Day 3

Today I am thankful for:

1) Organic shampoo and conditioner being on sale! I get paid quasi nothing, so this is a bonus!
2) The rich, warm smell of coffee
3) The library called to tell me the books I requested are in.
4) My fleece PJ's.
5) The warm breeze that hit me when I wandered out in said Pj's to water the new plants outside.
6) Facing decisions that make me run to God asking "OK, now what?"

An attittude of gratitude - Day 2

After a day filled with painting, applauding hard work and study, I have so much to be thankful for! This whole project (one month of a daily record of what I am thankful for, inspiration courtesy of Ang*) just seems to snowball. I find myself checking everything with a "Am I thankful for this?" and a conversation in my head about why or why not.

Day 2

1) Subway in NZ has an amazing veggie patty to go on their subs. Makes for a happy, full belly.
2) Being forgiven for forgetting a birthday. So thankful for forgiveness!
3) Helpers in painting the basement of the church.
4) Waking up early in a good mood!
5) My wise mentor, Mel, who calms me down and talks sense into my head.

*check her awesome, inspiring blog at http://anglouise.blogspot.com

An attitude of gratitude - Day 1

Inspired by Ang, this next 30 days will be a feast of thankfulness. Everyday I will post something(s) I am thankful for. Though November is classically a time when we think of the things we are grateful for, I want to join Ang in the quest for living life with a more positive focus.

Day 1

1) I am thankful for The Murphy Clan and Jeanette, champion weeders and gardeners who have helped transform one flower bed of doom into a potential feast of color and variety! Our church is soooo blessed to have such great people in it!
Before - All doom and gloom
Not that you can tell, but the plants were in terrible repair and blocked the view of the church entrance.

After - It's got possibilities oozing out its ears!
Funny enough the sun disappeared just in time for me to take this shot.

2) My Mom and Dad, who, though far, far away still make me feel loved and listened to every time I call or e-mail. Their reassurance is so inspiring and encouraging. I love my parents!

3) Sore muscles. Playing cricket, painting and digging are all conspiring together to make me a stronger woman. Look out Hulk, there's a new game in town!

Another Day, Another Lie

It seems that we would learn that you get caught when you tell a lie. Even one lie. A small misguidance, a 'clever' cover up, and on you go, racing through your day.
I got a phone call today that made me hopping mad, as I knew the information conveyed was a lie.
Why even bother?

The news as of late is smeared with peoples names, countries names, and stories all involving lies.
The lies that are told about the inequity of humankind, about the supremacy and right to life of any one group, about the claims of ownership on a chunk of land or a person, all lead to the sick and diseased societies we see today.

Magazines insinuate that for women to be beautiful they must be thin with huge breasts and good looking men will all be practically hairless and completely muscled. Movies tell us that love is found in a look, touch and a roll into bed. So much music today insists that hate and revenge are the best way to get back at someone who hurt your feelings.

We walk by each other everyday and don't acknowledge the others existence. Online dating services offer a myriad of options all claiming to want to get to know you personally. We tell ourselves this world will get better all by itself.

Stop the insanity.
Tell the truth.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32

Humanoids pets

Was at a local cafe to pick up a hot drink, the variety of which shall remain nameless, but those who know me well know what it was...

Anyhow I was chatting to the owner of the cafe and we got to talking about animals. The cafe is named The Roost and all around the place are little roosters and hens, made from all manner of material, my favorite being a metal rooster who looks like he could wear cowboy boots and live next door to my parents.

Being a fan of animals, the owner was commenting about how as a child she had chickens and one day her parents brought home a rooster. She had the habit of taking the chickens for walks but once Mr. Rooster moved into town, he got very jealous and would try to attack her. One day as she was bent down to pick up a chicken he jumped on her head and began to try to pull her brain out through the back of her skull.

That night the family enjoyed a love chicken pot roast.

I asked her if she had any pets now, to which came the quick reply...

"Only two, my husband and my cat."

Mad Hat Hair

After 7 glorious days of hiking, sleeping, eating - living really- in one set off clothes and one hat, coming home to a hot shower and clean clothes was exhilarating. When I unloaded the car and got to a point where I could think of showering, I went to my room and yanked off my now rank hat.

The shock of the embroiled nest of hair piled up like greasy string on my head made me groan. How was I ever going to get that clean? Not only was it oil soaked and knotted, but it smelled awful.I would say that I am pretty fastidious about being clean. If I had the choice I would shower twice daily and spend 45 minutes becoming a living prune each time. There is nothing like a good shower. After a long day of hard work, it helps un-kink the muscles. After a good cry, it helps calm the red, welted eyes and sooth the nerves. Before the day really kicks into gear it gives you time and space to clear your head and put your game face on. Showers are a miracle center.

Needless to say, the clean water supply of Oamaru shrank incredibly once I got home.

But the pile of yuck mess on my head was fixable. A good dousing of shampoo and conditioner, a very thorough combing and my head resembled, well, my head.

My hair isn't the only part of me that needs fixing. I have a heaping inner mass of a soul that becomes greasy and knotted and reeks incredibly. I choose to do things and say things that leave a sticky residue of nasty inside and out. I spend time far away from anything good, and try to hide all the ick under a lovely smile and fake perky attitude - the woolly hat for the soul.

But the pile of yuck mess that is my soul is fixable! A good dousing of Jesus and His cleansing power, a thorough combing through the details of my choices and my soul begins to resemble anything but the yucky mess it so recently was. My soul begins to look more and more like Jesus when I let Him clean it up and put it in order.

Have you taken the time to be showered by Jesus? His shower truly is a miracle center.