red runs my heart

This week-ish

Just got a bike. so excited.  It looks like an old fashioned one with big lollipy handle bars (just needs a basket) but it's gold and modern in other ways. very cool for biking with my babes.  They used to bike to the corner and wait for me to get there on my feet.  only thing i'm worried about is the need to wear one of those ugly helmets.

Praying, hoping and looking for work for next year.  Love to be more independent that way but it needs to be a stable job for me. Relieving at the last minute hasn't been lots of fun for my control-freak nature.

Looking forward to heading to the Gold Coast for Chrissy.  We are loving the thought of going to spend Christmas with our family.  Big bro and wifey have kindly paid big bucks for us to head over there.  What a gift!

I've got some more preaching lined up for next year.  It's been such an honour being asked to join a team of people (all men) to plan our stuff for next year.  I feel slightly 'stupid' around them but they obviously appreciate my input.  I'm quite excited about being asked which 'slot' i'd like to take throughout the year.

Need to do exercise.  hoping the bike-riding will help.

Gotta wee trip with my girli friends coming up too - a trip to the Capital for a night, staying in a hotel and hanging with my beautiful friends, straight after the gold coast trip. oh me oh my.  What a delight to stay with Waikanae girls, Singapore girl and Palmy girl (myself).  Together again, bliss.

Planning a wee birthday shin dig, mine is close to chrissy and it feels annoying to plan something but I always encourage others too so I MUST TOO!!

I'm reading a few 'dad' books at the mo.  My feelings of abandonment have been showing up recently and so i'm wanting to face it.  I've ordered a few new release books on 'fatherless generations' and am hoping to be encouraged and challenge myself as well as how i can help my own kids and others.  Letting my pain turn to something great is the big picture here for me.

I've gone to the same cafe now for three years, just about every day.  That's a lot of coffee money and a lot of time.  The relational side of me saw more than just getting good coffee.  It saw a great opportunity to input into others lives, even by just being friendly.  One of the fellas (barista) text me the other day asking if I could come and visit himself and his wife as they wanted to go to church.  I was humbled as i visited their home, heard their story and their need for God.  They want to hang some more (i've mostly only seen them at the cafe during work hours) and talk about God, they have expressed genuine interest for us to be involved in their lives.  Little old us with Big old God.  This was a magical experience.  A thrilling one.

My darling Hannah friend made us a garden with corn, tomatoes, more lettuce, capsicum, corgette and more.  It's so cute and lovely looking.  But you'll note that my first lot of lettuces are carefully placed on the BBQ due to the frequent visitor on our property.  The bunny.  The bunny is cute but if it eats my new plot of pleasure, I've told the girls I'm gonna have to shoot Mr B.  Never shot one before but desperate times may call for the gun (or the spade!).  We all laugh when i talk about it, even when i tell the bunny.  I'm not sure what i'll do if it truly does bust a move on the g-den.

Last thing:  I sent a text out on Sunday inviting some precious poppets round to my 'thanksgiving' du.  It's a 'finger-food' event (due to the short notice i've given) this Thurs, with only one task:  'please bring a note with something (or multiples) that you're thankful for.'  Could be on scrappy paper, just the content is what is important.  We'll share the notes round and read them out at some stage during the evening.  Hoping it's gonna be a fun time. 

Hope you're doing celebrating this month and next as you head towards Christmas again, remembering the season reason.  


Oh yeah - my K babe has been doing really well, she seems much happier.  We've been praying each night re the angry thoughts in her head and although she doesn't say much, she doesn't complain. She is bouncy, friendly, polite (all of these most of the times) and I'm proud of her.  I've been speaking words of confidence into her wee mind - We're not going anywhere, your feelings are really important, we don't run away from stuff, God heal our hurt where it's still lurking ....... ah the journey.