Between December 8, when my eldest , Sarah Faye was born, and Jan 18, when my second eldest, Parrish John, was born...is peak season for birthdays, festivities and special occasions. It is also the time, when typically, my rather large, and ever-increasing family comes together, reunion style. Although, it is not so common these days for ALL to be present, there is usually a good representation of most families. It is a wonderful tradition. New babies grow up knowing their cousins, second cousins and cousins once removed ( whatever they all are! lol), and us great aunties, aunties and grandmas get to all grow together with each passing year.
My heart aches heavily that I have missed three consecutive Boxing Day Reunions, but I can sincerely say that absence, in this case, is certainly making my heart grow fonder! Being compelled to want to somehow be with family for Christmas and not finding too many prioritizing it the same way, I felt dreadfully homesick/ And actually was a bit ill for about a week over the holiday peak. So, the few plans I did have fell through anyway, which didn't help my soggy emotions, already fragile with being 'under the weather'.
Oh... and MUCH rain lol... so those little puns are quite appropriate too!
However, I went to the Candlelight service at Shiloh.. cried through most of it lol.
Then, I called home, and spoke to Sarah and Paulie in Queensland, Matt and Ben had Christmas with them too. And I called Mum's and there was a decent crowd there too. I had Parrish and Rachel send me photos, and i said a few hellos. I shared some words with Carol too and written exchanges with Deb in Tanzania... in short, I got some kinda family fix
CArol sent me this :) And Rache sent me the family shot from this year, but for privacy purposes of those who may not want to be online, I wont post it.
Unless God wants otherwise... I do not want to miss a fourth Christmas at home. God willing, I will be there to see my family, all of them and enjoy all of them for that special day.
However, I was in a lovely spot and as I began to feel better, I savoured the physical, spiritual and creative space to find ways to enjoy my season.
This was part of my Christmas.
Since I don't yet have my own home, I was so grateful for this place, as it was such a precious gift to be able to be in it at that time. ( We left there today)
The image below shows my vegetarian lasagne, made with a lot of veggies, vegetable "mince", almond milk in the white sauce, with some regular cheese and some plain flour. BIG tray, like when I cooked for my large household. I really liked it...and you wouldn't know it wasn't mince. I could trick people with it, if I so desired lol.
In addition to cooking, I was finally able to get started on a gift for my eldest daughter, Sarah, a very belated 34th birthday...but sickness and logistics made it hard to get going with that. However, I DID complete it!!!! Yay!!! And sent it, but I won't post images here yet, coz she is yet to receive it and I want to keep it a surprise!Also, the devotional that I started for my younger daughter Rachel, whose 26th birthday was January 5, needed to be completed too. I wrote the last two chapters and once we got close to her birthday, I couldn't keep it secret any more! lol See she can get hers in digital version as well as hard copy, coz I want to bind the book for her myself. And I was beyond holding secrets by this point...altho, I am still holding out on Possum's!
I began Rachel's gift during Nanawrimo and was committed to completing it as soon as I could. I worked steadily throughout November, reaching about 30 000words but continued through December too, ending finally with roughly 44 050 words. Then I added some 'personal reflection' pages... as it is devotional style, but in a story form. It is both a birthday gift and a pre-wedding gift. My second baby girl is getting married on Mar 10.Then, I created a drawn cover, which I enhanced in Photoshop. When I thought about putting the book together, I realised I needed a back cover too! lol
Writing the manuscript was the easy part!!!!
I had some many challenges to overcome , between four devices ( two US and two Ozzie), with and without various software...ugh! that I ended up going to the printer at Office Max to just get a couple of copies for myself. Thinking I could come back and take my time (coz I was stressing over taking too long) to get it published via Createspace on line.
Even this presented several challenges for myself and the server at Office Max.. Janelle.
We eventually got two different version printed out that I decided to go with ... for Rachel's and my own copy. I had to take the pages home and cut them myself, which was ok, but I found myself TWO Chapters short in the version I wanted to bind for Rachel! Double UGH!!!!
With all the rain and a couple of full days, and still being in Oakland up until today, I have yet to return for the rest. Hopefully, tomorrow. :)
I am persevering!
What's missing from this back cover is my Noble Worx stamp.
I had that made up at Office Max as well. :) It gets put on all the things I'm making with the Word...cards, short stories...
Moving Day
As I said, we left the penthouse today.
We are temporarily in a hotel in Alameda-a space I don't mind.
Through my time at the penthouse, I did a lot of listening to some great preaching.. current favourites being David Wilkerson, of The Cross and the Switchblade and the man to whom his mantel as Times Square Church ( NYC) senior pastor, was given, Carter Conlon. And David Platt...LOVE the teaching God brings through that relatively young man from Birmingham, Alabama.
I have been in the Word more. Writing about it, praying more, and feeling the need to do so even more. This eve, I am starting the Daniel Fast, along with my church, Shiloh. It's a 21 day fast based on fruit and vegetables. That means an even greater focus on prayer and seeing God have His way, starting with me! :)
My intention is continue to cultivate my pleasure in pleasing God. I love the idea that when He thinks of me, His heart smiles because I choose to believe Him and trust in His Word. This is my focus, to desire above all things to please Him, through the obedience that comes from faith. Rom 1:5
I don't know how long we will be here, nor where we will go from here. It is nice to be back in Alameda and within reach of the shoreline-if the rain lets up-lol! According to my phone, it won't until Friday! Seriously, the place is quite water logged!)
Current Lingering Joys of the Season
What I am enjoying at the moment is the pleasure of creating personal, Word filled gifts for the people I love. Dad's birthday just passed ( 8/1)and the first anniversary of his going Home to the Lord too, on Rachel's birthday, Jan 5. There is a bunch of birthdays before and after New Year, but two I want ot create gifts for, are Parrish ( Jan 18, he turns 33) and Larrie...our first wedding anniversary is on Jan 19.
For the other birthdays, I would like to send some of my handmade cards, and I do have some ready and almost ready :)
Ha! So much for selling them lol... I just wanna give them away!
And that is the lingering joy for me. God gave us an amazing, priceless, unimaginable gift- impossible for us to even comprehend fully- Jesus! Salvation in and through Christ.
And all I want for Christmas is for the heart that gave such a gift, to find full and unrestricted flow in and through me. Free to give and free to forgive because I freely received and have been freely forgiven.
This is the ultimate "Christmas Gift". Spread the Word. Share His love.
That's living the Noble life :)
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