Wednesday 14 December 2011

Silver Linings

It was while I was at work today. For some reason I started to review the last year or two of my life... Quite a lot has happened! Quite a lot has changed....

But it struck me how often I had worried about things, and how rarely the 'worst case scenarios' that I had envisaged, actually came to fruition. It seems I am worrying myself into an early grave, and for what? I can't change a single thing by worrying about it. No one can.



 And anyway, those calamities didn't eventuate... Oh it hasn't all been smooth sailing. But through it all, one thing has stood out like the rainbow in the afternoon sky.

As someone said once, "To have a silver lining, you have to have a cloud." It is so true. Think about it. If life was always sunny, would you appreciate the blessings of God? If we had heaven here on earth, would we appreciate the place He has for us?



And God is not asleep. 

He does care. 

He is watching.

And He is incredibly eager to help.

Somehow I seemed to sense His love so strongly, and many of the blessings he has poured on my head in the last year came bursting into my memory. And wow! He has been busy! Words just don't describe the feeling. There just aren't any words for it. Just the realization of His caring tenderness, and His foresight and wisdom, blew me away. He has been so good, and I haven't deserved any of it.

But He doesn't ask whether I deserve it. He loves. He forgives. He blesses. Thank you Lord!

Saturday 10 December 2011

Here we go again.....

Only 3 weeks in our new home, and we have twice seen record breaking flooding... I guess it never rains but it pours...

I like rain as much as anyone else, but not when the rain prevents me from going to work. And the fact that our driveway is about 3 meters underwater again, I know that my idea of going to work tomorrow to put in a few extra hours has just been sunk. Technically I could walk to work, but I would have to walk 3kms through soggy bush country, and I'm not THAT keen....

Just when the water had gone down enough to drive through, it rained again.... It only rained 35mm, not much in comparison to the 130mm we got the first time around... But the 130mm fell on dry ground, whereas this lot of rain land in the puddles left over from last time.... It only rained for an hour, at about 3:30 this morning, but by 9AM, the creek had swollen to the top of it's banks, bursting with the run-off from the hills around...


Yesterday we walked through the creek for fun, to get the mail, but there's no way to get across it now, fast flowing torrent that it has become... I guess that means we won't be having visitors for a while... I guess it means our landline won't get connected in the next week. I guess it means I won't be going to work for the next few days.I guess that means I get to spend a few more days at home with my wife (I haven't worked since Wednesday, because of the rainy weather). Well, whatever God has in store for us, I'm sure he won't let us starve, and I'm sure He knows what He is doing.

But just because I'm not going to work, doesn't mean I wont be busy... But all that can wait, because it's Sabbath today, and I'm going to enjoy the Sabbath with my wife, and not worry about what might be or could be.

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Our new house

So we were excited when my boss said that he might be able to arrange with one of his neighbors for a place to stay for us. I met the neighbor, and talked with him about the place, and agreed to have a look at it that afternoon. I had messaged Cherith, and she was excited too :)!

Then we went to look... Truth to tell, we weren't very excited about it... To name some of the positives first
* It had a really good hot water system (We still have not run out of hot water)
*It had a fairly new, ducted evaporative air conditioning system (Which seems to work really well! I haven't had the chance to test it on a really really hot day, but it sure makes a difference on 30-35 degree days!
*It had a bath tub! :D
*It was bigger than we would ever need....
*We have pretty much unlimited water... Great news for Cherith who wants to put in a garden.
*It was close to work and cheap.
*There was some furniture in the house which we were free to use (Including a bar fridge, which is the only fridge we have at the moment)
Then the negatives....
*It hadn't been lived in for 5 years, so there was a lot of dust and dirt everywhere....
*The paintwork was dodgy, fading, peeling, and just looked aweful.
*It had an aweful smell.
*The carpets were really dirty, and some of the carpets are just aweful...
*The floors are warped, especially in some rooms... (It is an old homestead, so probably something wrong with the foundations...)

Anyways... Those where our first impressions of the house... We were a little bit down after seeing it, wondering "Is this the best we can find in this area??" We talked to the owners then, about fixing the place up a bit, and they said if we wanted to paint, they would give us some paint. They said that they would supply carpet and help us recarpet the rooms that really needed it. They also said they would replace the front and back doors, because they were very badly weathered. He had also said that he would put a fireplace in by next winter, because the one that had been in the house had been taken out for some reason.

Feeling ever so slightly better, we decided to take the place, and told him so, at which he said he would come over and mow the yard, and do a bit of tidying up straight away (They were leaving the next day on a trip for a week, but said we could move in whenever we liked...)

So, Operation Clean Up, got the go ahead. On Friday Cherith went to town and hired a carpet cleaning machine, and we went over all the carpets in the house (I had the day off, because it was raining). We cleaned that day till we couldn't stand it anymore. By the time we finished on Friday, we felt rather better about living here. Then on Sunday, we moved in. Cherith's younger sister Christella, volunteered to come over and do some painting (She had apparently done painting before, and liked doing it). So we gave her the roller and paint the owners had lent us, and pointed her into our bedroom, which needed painting.
Needless to say, the paint all washed out! :D
By the time she was finished, the room looked so much better I felt cheerful about it :D... We rearranged furniture, and started to unpack our things... At least the essentials anyway...

So we have been here for 3 days now... That's not very long I know. but I like the house a lot better now than when I first saw it... With a bit of work, it has become a home, even if it isn't the most amazing house ever built :D. Anyway, wherever my wife is, is home.
My darling wife was very excited about the washing machine we were given as a wedding present! It works very well!
One side of the kitchen...

Sunday 6 November 2011

Back to life....

No... This is not a post about Lazarus coming back to life... :P

It's been three weeks today... I know people are going to get sick of hearing this, but I really don't care! I love my wife so much!!! And every day it gets better. And I've heard too many people tell me in the last few months, "Just wait till you've been married for a few years". The implication is that after a few years of marriage the love kind of dies away... Well, maybe it does for some people, but not for everyone! I've met old couples who are every bit as much in love now as they ever have been. And yes, they aren't quite the starry eyed lovers they once were, but they are very deeply in love.

So that's the plan. The method? Well, it's really incredibly simple. Cherith and I have built our relationship to where it is today (with God's help for sure!), and the same things that built it, will keep building it, and also maintain and nurture it. So that's the plan. Love, kindness, courtesy, respect, patience (God help me with all of these!) and genuine affection.

Now, on honeymoon these are quite easy :)... But when the cares of life take over again, it becomes ever easier to forget the little things. It becomes easier to neglect the little kindnesses and courtesies. And that is something I don't want to do!

So... Tomorrow I go back to work. So this is, as we say "crunch time". This is the time that will tell what will happen. And I'm determined not to let our love grow cold due to neglect or inattention. So, with God's help, we will continue to build our relationship and our friendship.

May God help us! Because Satan has made a very decided attack on marriage. It is even a sign of the end times. But God is always greater. God is always able to help.

Sunday 23 October 2011

The hour - The day - The week

It's been a week and a half since my last post :)

So much has happened....


One week ago today, I was waiting anxiously for the moment when the doors of the church would swing open, and my bride would be walking toward me.

It was an amazing day.

The night before I had been up until just after midnight helping get things set up, (that pales in comparison to a number of people who were up until 3AM, and several who worked round the clock), but on Sunday morning adrenaline had kicked in to keep me in a wide awake state.

The hour.

The toughest hour was the hour from 10AM to 11AM. Trying to pack the car for our honeymoon, get dressed, and then waiting at the church, was so packed with suspense I'm surprised I didn't break out into a cold sweat. Or did I? Anyway, that hour ended when I was standing at the church and the bridesmaids started walking down, followed by the most beautiful bride there ever was.

The day.

 Much of the day was a blur. Thankfully, we had awesome photographers, (My sister and her husband, and Cherith's brother in law) so many of the memories are immortalized.







The ceremony seemed to be over before it had really started, though someone afterward told me it took about 50 minutes. If it did, it was probably the quickest 50 minutes of my life. The rest of the day was simply one amazing glow. Until about 5PM, when my body decided that it had had enough, and that it wanted rest, RIGHT NOW! :D By the time we finished with the photography it was 7PM (sunset), and it was 8 by the time we actually left for our honeymoon destination.







 











THE moment. Walking out of the church as husband and wife, flanked by the groomsmen and bridesmaids, who formed a 'guard of honor', up the aisle.















 
Isn't she just the most stunning bride ever?


The week.

Which week? The one before or the one after the wedding? I think it might be safer to stick to the one before. :) There was a stack of things to do that last week, in preparation for the wedding. Thankfully, quite a few people were willing to help out, and, "many hands make light work". Even with all the hands, it was hardly light work. Cherith's sister Bethany seemed to bear the brunt of organising and arranging things, and often had to choose between her college studies and wedding preparations. I'm hoping she doesn't suffer for 'neglecting' her studies! :) In the end, one or two things simply didn't get done for lack of time. But I don't care. The day was fantastic, fabulous, and incredible! It was a fairytale wedding.



I'm not hoping for a 'fairytale marriage'. That would be too much. Marriages take lots of hard work. But I know we will be happy together, as long as we keep up all the little things that got us where we are today, on honeymoon. Love, respect, courtesy, honor, patience, humility, and forgiveness.
The bridal car :)

Farewell......
 Spending time with each other is very important too, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to end this right here, and go spend some time with my wife. :)

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Last minute things...

So many details go into a wedding... And this is a small wedding...

It doesn't help that we are budgeting, and so doing many things ourselves, rather than buying ready made things, etc. It DOES help that there are so many people willing and able to help out! Because frankly, nothing much would happen without their help.

But a lot of work goes into this day...

It's been painful to see my fiancee struggling with all the work needing to be done, and not having a respite from it, day after day, almost the entire day. I'm glad now that we have two weeks of honeymoon after the wedding, because we are going to need the time out. At least, she will. I've felt largely useless before this week, as Cherith did most of the arrangements for the wedding while I was working, and even though we talked about everything together, I didn't feel like I was taking a fair share of the load. Even now, I wish I could do more to ease the load on everyone else. But with the work to be done, it is enough to keep a number of hands very busy indeed.

We have been making place cards, wedding programs, decorations, trying to arrange transportation, and trying to fins the right people for certain roles. It's been downright confusing sometimes, when there is no clear answer, but God has been providing very clear answers.

I'll be glad when it's all over, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying seeing just how many things God is bringing into place for the big day. Time after time it seems He has orchestrated everything to work out perfectly. Not just 'fine', but perfectly.

And as everything is coming together, I'm continually confronted with the fact that Cherith trusts God more than I seem to. For her, every problem is simply something more to trust God with. Yes, she is worn out from everything, and yes, she get's frustrated, or feels overwhelmed by it all, but she doesn't lose sight of the fact that God is taking care of things......

And He really is... So why should I stress?? Why????? With God in control, even the weather is behaving itself. 3 days ago the forcast was considerable rain for the day. By this evening, the rain pattern had weakened and shifted enough so that the forecast for the day is "sunny"!

After all, in 4 days from now, it will all be over, and there will be no more wedding planning to worry about...

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Missed....

So, it's been a week and 2 days since I've seen Cherith, and that, by the way, is a record. Since March, when I moved to the area where she lived, it has never been more than three days. :D Sounds crazy, but due to life circumstances we were able to spend a lot of time together.

And today! Today she's coming back! I could let out a yell... This last week has seemed like an eternity. Don't ask me why, because I don't really understand it, but especially the last four days have seemed to drag by like cold molasses! So, now, understandably, I'm excited! :)

And then, it is only a week and four days to our wedding! So now there are lots of plans to finalise. This week is supposed to be my last week of work before three weeks of holidays. So yes, I'm excited!!

Not long now.........

Friday 30 September 2011

Sunset

Sunset.

The shadows deepen, and the night draws on. This is a special sunset though. Because this sunset brings in the Sabbath.

As I recline in the glow of lighted candles (My favorite way to open Sabbath), I realize a sense of loneliness. This is the first time I have had to open Sabbath on my own. The first time in my life.

And hopefully the last. In just over two weeks I will be married, and I hope that I will never have to spend a Sabbath away from my closest earthly companion. Even now, it feels like a part of me is missing.

As the night darkens outside, I thrill with appreciation for what God gave to man in the garden of Eden. Or is that, what He made possible for man to give back to Him? Because Sabbath is God's gift to us, but it is also our gift back to Him. That one special day each week, when angels in heaven and men on earth can be synchronized and united in a day of worship and praise to the Lord. That one day when we can put away earthly cares, worries, problems, and work, and just rest in the Father's love.

Special? I should say it is.


So don't be late. You have an appointment with God Himself.

Sunday 25 September 2011

Three weeks

In three weeks time exactly, it will be the morning of my wedding, and I will have a severe case of nerves...


I know I will feel excited, nervous, anxious, and yet strangely calm.

Because there won't be any doubts. It seems the most natural thing in the world to be getting married, even though two years ago marriage never entered my mind. Strange how much can happen in so short a time.

And it's strange how variable time can seem to be. Sometimes it seems to crawl along so slowly that it's almost stopped, and yet at other times it disappears like a handful of sand running through your fingers. It was Albert Einstein who explained it like this. "When you sit with a girl you like for two hours, it seems like two minutes. But if you were to touch a hot stove for two minutes, it would seem like two hours. That's relativity." And that describes the last year and a half precisely :)

But I think my mum explained it best when she texted me 9 weeks ago, and explained to me that it was twelve weeks to my wedding, and that one week is really nothing at all, and so twelve times nothing is still nothing :D....

And the last nine weeks have really seemed to vanish like some much sand pouring away....

Three weeks.... Just 24 days. 576 hours. 34560 minutes. Nothing at all really.

Sunday 18 September 2011

Long and short

Strange how long and yet how short time can be.

A year and six months ago, life was very different. I was a bachelor, living in QLD, life was very routine, and getting married was certainly not on my mind at all!

Now, four weeks before the wedding, I sit here in a temporary room, my things in boxes around the room, in a house without electricity except what runs off car batteries, in the middle of nowhere in New South Wales, on the property owned by Cherith's parents.

In the last year I have started courting Cherith, moved interstate, been unemployed for 2 months trying to find work, moved again for work, driven 40,000kms in my car, (Usually I would do less than 15,000kms in a whole year), gotten engaged, and that's only the start of it. Life has been quite topsy turvy sometimes.

There's only one problem with that.... I like routines.

Well, I like change too, but just not too much of it at once. But it seems like so much has been changing in such a short time in my life that it's disconcerting sometimes.

And in just four weeks, I am to be a married man. I guess there are many more changes to come too! :)

But when I look back over the last 14 months or so, it seems like both a very long time, and a very short time. It seems like Cherith and I have been talking together forever, and that getting married to each other is the most natural thing to do. Then it seems like a short time, and that we are only just starting to get to know each other. Then again, I guess we have the rest of our lives to learn about each other, so I'm not about to graduate from that school anytime soon, even if we do understand each other quite well already.

And I love Cherith. But there's one thing to remember. Love is not just a feeling. It is an act of your will. Some days it is not easy to show that love. But by the grace of God, I will always love her, whether I feel worn out, frustrated, stressed out, annoyed, sad, or happy.

I am looking forward to being married. But I have to admit to being just a little bit nervous..........

Friday 9 September 2011

Two heart-stopping seconds.........

Just two ticks of the clock. But they seemed more like ten.

A busy, unfamiliar road. Suddenly realizing that I had to slow down in a big hurry....

The wet road, sliding, squealing tires, the car in front that seemed to get closer no matter what I did. And ten thoughts flashing through my mind in a heartbeat. The song I was singing was cut off and replaced with a prayer. Probably the shortest prayer I've ever prayed.

Amazing what adrenaline does.

Seconds seemed to blur together. 
Let's look at what happened in the space of about three seconds there. It started when I realized that the traffic in the lane I was in, was stationary, about a hundred meters ahead of me. No rush, I would simply change lanes. I couldn't move right, because I needed to turn left, besides, the right lane was stopped dead too. No worries, the left lane it was then. Mirrors, check. Check blind spot, whoa. I knew there was no car right there just before, but he was obviously going a little faster than me and had caught up. Running out of space, I couldn't merge. Stop it was then. Brake. Hard. The tires started to squeal. No! I couldn't afford to lose control of the car now! I obviously didn't have too much traction on the wet road. Good thing I had remembered to insure my car again. But I couldn't afford an insurance claim right now. A $1200 excess was more than I could afford with my wedding coming up. Dear God, please no! Cars were passing me on my left, so I still couldn't change lanes. Resist the urge to shut my eyes. I rode the limits of traction until I was 4 feet from the car in front of me.

Then I was dimly aware of a frantic pounding in my head and chest. The blood flow to my brain had just tripled. No wonder I thought so much in three seconds. Good thing too, Or I would have panicked badly and slid into the back of the silver station wagon in front of me.

And that brings me to the point I wanted to make. I'm no driving maestro. But He heard me in that split second. And planned for it a long time before.

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." Psalms 139:14. Wonderfully? Sure, every Christian believes that. Fearfully? Why fearfully?

Why did God give Adam adrenal glands? Why did he design him with an immune system? He didn't need it in the garden of Eden, that's for sure. But God, in His loving mercy, provided man with the things He needed to survive even if he fell into sin. God designed man to survive.

Fearfully.... Wonderfully........

Made.... Created.... Designed....


Thank you Lord!

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Down is up

Confusing?

Maybe I had better explain what I mean.... :)

It's something curious I have noticed in the last few months... You'd never guess.

There is no relationship without conflict. Got that? Maybe I had better repeat that. There is NO relationship without conflict...

The measure of a good or bad relationship is not "How much or how little conflict is there?" Rather, it is, how do you deal with the conflict. There are a number of different ways of dealing with it.

1. Ignore it.
2. Hope it goes away.
3. Stubbornly stand your ground.
4. Pass it off as the other person's fault.
5. Complain to someone else about it.
6. Talk to the other person and try to work the problem out, lovingly, understandingly, and gently.

I'll give you just one guess as to how many of these actually work. And if you are wondering why I listed them in that order, just go read them again. If you've been through any relationship, you'll likely see that I have listed them in a sort of chronological order. First the tendency to ignore it, and hope it goes away, at the same time still clinging to your position like a bulldog with lockjaw. All the while convincing yourself that it is the other persons fault, and that if they were reasonable they would apologize. Then, because they probably don't, start complaining to someone else about it... Finally, hopefully, you realize there is only one way to work it out and solve the problem.

Now, maybe this isn't exactly the way it tends to work for you. Now you may never consider some of those so called 'solutions'. But do you actively pursue number 6?

It took me a while to realize that unresolved conflict is like having a knife stuck in your side and having it twisted every now and then. But resolve that problem, and it leaves the relationship so much stronger than if there had never been any conflict. Hence the title for this post. Down is up. Conflict can bring you closer together with the person you love, but only if you work on it. Don't ignore it, don't blame the other person (Whether they are to blame or not, is not the issue).

See, I've made every mistake on that list, several times over. And short though our relationship has been so far, I've seen how destructive all but one of those listed ideas can be. They will tear a relationship apart, inevitably, surely, and probably very slowly. But why let that happen?

Wednesday 31 August 2011

The wonders of work...

Now that you're all curious about how work could have any 'wonders' attached to it, I'll know you'll finish reading this at least.

Seriously though... I have a job in the country, with a really good boss, half the time my fiancee works with me, I have plenty of flexibility with getting days off when I need them (At least at the moment), and I'm learning new things... How much better can work get?

And I'm very thankful for how I've been blessed with work. And not just this job, but with my previous job in the Lockyer Valley in QLD too. I had a good boss, and enjoyed my job fairly well (There are always good days and bad days, but in general it was good).

And I've really enjoyed learning how to run and maintain an olive oil press, what is involved with pickling olives, and even surprised my boss sometimes :). Six years of experience in agriculture come in handy sometimes. Having two brothers who are very mechanically minded comes in handy too.

And I've found out that nothing is quite as daunting as it seems. When I walked into the oil pressing shed on my first day at work, I was sure it would take me ages to learn how it worked. Needless to say, my fears on the subject were unjustified. Within a few days I had to run the press entirely on my own. Everything looks worse when you are nervous or stressed. An important lesson I need to remember more often......

Thursday 25 August 2011

No! Never Alone!


I just wanted to share the words of this song... Whenever I feel worn out or lonely, or just down, I love to sing this song... 

No! Never Alone!

I’ve seen the lightning flashing, I’ve heard the thunder roll.
I’ve felt sin’s breakers dashing, which almost conquered my soul.
I’ve heard the voice of my Savior, bidding me still to fight on.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.

Chorus:
No, never alone, no never alone,
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.
No, never alone, no never alone.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.

The world’s fierce winds are blowing, temptation sharp and keen.
I have a peace in knowing, my Savior stands between.
He stands to shield me from danger, when my friends are all gone.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.

When in affliction’s valley, I tread the road of care,
My Savior helps me carry, the cross so heavy to bear;
Though all around me is darkness, earthly joys all flown;
My Savior whispers His promise, never to leave me alone.

How many times discouraged, we sink beside the way;
About us all is darkness, we hardly dare to pray;
Then from the mists and shadows, the sweetest voice e'er known,
Says, "Child, am I not with thee, never to leave thee alone?"

O soul, hast thou forgotten, the tender word and sweet,
Of Him who left behind Him the print of bleeding feet?
"I never will forsake thee, O child so weary grown;
Remember, I have promised, never to leave thee alone?"

Take courage, wayworn pilgrim, tho' mists and shadows hide
The face of Him thou lovest, He's ever at thy side;
Reach out thy hand and find Him, and lo, the clouds have flown;
He smiles on thee who promised, never to leave me alone!

He died on Calvary’s mountain, for me they piercèd His side.
For me He opened that fountain, the crimson, cleansing tide.
For me He waiteth in glory, seated upon His throne.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.  

Isn't He just amazing!? All we have to do is reach out to Him, because He is already there, walking beside us, waiting for us to turn to Him! 

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Trust

I know... I need to learn to trust more. In particular, I need to learn to trust God more. Whenever I stop to think about what He has done for me recently, I stand in awe of His power to bless. It has been nothing short of incredible. His timing has been perfect, and His blessing have come in such rapid fire fashion that it makes me ashamed of the way I stress and worry about things sometimes...

See... I am a worrier. I like to have things planned and organized well in advance. I really dislike last minute preparations, etc... And so wedding planning has tested out my trust in God quite a lot. And often enough, it's found me sadly lacking. But that's something that I am determined to change, and by the grace of God I will.

I could not count the number of times in the last 8 months or so that I have spent days or weeks stressing about something only to find that God has the perfect answer waiting for me at just the right time. It is mind boggling. And it makes my heart overflow with gratitude for Him and for His goodness towards me when I don't deserve it.  He is watching over it all, guiding everything into place like a master artist painting a picture... Only I've been impatient because I couldn't see the finished picture at the start.

It reminds me of a quote I read recently... "We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us..." And it's so true. If we call to mind the ways that our Saviour has guided us in the past, we would be filled with wonder at His ability to bring blessings from the most unlikely places, and His wonderful love towards each and every one of us.

So here and now I want to challenge you. Trust God. Even when things don't seem to go the way you would expect. He knows what He is doing. And he only does what is best for us. After all, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God..." Love Him... Trust Him... He knows, and He cares.

He really does.

Saturday 20 August 2011

That's life so far

All right... So I've done what I never thought I'd do, and started writing a blog. It's not so bad. Hopefully this will be interesting and encouraging to all who read it, and maybe it will help people keep in touch with what is happening in life at the moment... And that's a story in itself

You see, only 16 months ago my life was very different.

To begin with, I am an introvert (Yes, an introvert writing a blog... Miracles do happen) Work, sleep, read, and church on Sabbath was most of what my life consisted of... I was happy, single, and hard working... And then, Facebook wreaked it's havoc on my life :)

It was through Facebook that I got in touch with a childhood friend named Cherith... This isn't the place for the story of how we chatted twice a day for hours at a time, or how we sometimes spent 14 hours at a time chatting, but during that time, we got to know each other remarkably well. After 3 months of chatting we were best friends. After 6 months we were officially courting, after 9 months, we were engaged, and now, 12 months later, we are 8 weeks away from being married. Seem like a whirlwind? Well, let me tell you, it was. But looking back at how everything turned out, I have to say that God was certainly leading us. 

In that time, both our lives have been turned 'upside down' in a number of ways. I moved interstate, and Cherith has had to put her studies on hold. In the meantime, I was out of work for 2 months, followed by two months of work with some very long hours. Moving house for work, a lot of travelling, a lot of living out of a suitcase, and not having a fixed address, has made life rather interesting and challenging. But it's amazing what you can get used to if you are determined to do something... After all, "with God all things are possible". Even the impossible. You see, I had been interested in Cherith in my younger years, but always written it off as impossible... Once I had visited her family when I was 16 and she was 15, and remember getting the distinct impression that she would make someone a very good wife. But I never dreamed it would be me! I forgot something. "With God all things are possible"!


In any case, life as it is at the moment is really special. And even though there have certainly been difficulties in the last year, God has been incredibly good to me. Even the difficulties have been so perfectly placed to teach us something or to point us in the right direction, that it just makes me stand in awe of God's providence.

I know life won't always be sailing on smooth water, but if we always stand on the Lord's side, well, what difference do problems make? The Lord is putting them there for a reason, and His timing is perfect...