Gratitude and Despair

Gratitude is so much better than despair.
Sometimes the only difference between the two is prayer.

Sew, I have another new blog

http://joyz-own-dezign.blogspot.com/



My first love is God, second is people - aren't those kids just gorgeous! And then I have to admit material comes in at third...YIKES, that sounds a bit scary but it does! But behind that statement is a bigger picture that has a lot to do with my love for God and people! Let me explain...

Sewing, quilting, patching, landscaping....for me it is all fabric art. I have a million 'dezigns'/ideas floating in my head and drawers stuffed with 'dezigns' on pieces of paper! And I have of course with 8 precious childrne and homeschooling, too little time to make them.


I am addicted to dezigning, despite my lack of time ( I just cannot help myself, my brain always has something new idea in mind) And I am passionate about creating, only as I am relatively disorganised it seldom happens, unless I make it happen.

I am hoping that if I try to blog weekly in this particular area, that I will be inspired to keep up with doing something little every week...well that's the plan at least, we'll see if it can happen?

My latest interest is landscape quilting....you can see the unfinished results of our recent class sitting at the front of my sewing nook in the lounge above: Mt Barney, Australia, designed by Priscilla Lawrence.

Priscilla also designed a postcard quilt for us, here - very nearly finished! I learnt such a lot from this class! And wish I was not so far away from the ladies and the Uniting Church in Ipswich who have helped me so much to enjoy sewing!








Here is Jessica busy at the sewing machine, getting tasks done for class, she thinks my machine sews much better that hers, so we had to take it in turns! It does have a nice SLOOOOOOW button which is great for control with tiny fine work! But Jessica has decided she prefers painting to quilting as it is more instant. Whereas I love the feel of the material in my hands and the slowness of it. I find it therapeutic if I am stressed, as it gives me time to meditate and think things through...ahhhhhh!

Why 'dezign', why patch, why quilt etc?

I love creating and although it is a bit of a luxury in some ways in my already busy life ....I feel it is one way in which I can reflect my wondrous creator in my tiny way. He is the ultimate artist, the lover of my soul, despite my tardiness in loving Him as I should. Each of my own original 'dezigns' that I do, I always try to bring across some Christan message for people to see. I like to make something of Christ visual. I like to make an impact to influence others to love this one and only wonderful God as well. For I feel Christianity is the only religion that offers a relationship, rather than a list of rules to go by. It is the only place where God does all in saving us and we just accept this gift. My God gives me life in all it's fullness and I aim to try and help others see how wonderful He is through my fabric art.

I have a bigger dream too, a dream of selling patterns as a business one day. Now I know I won't earn much money from that but I would also like to be able to set up a system where I can help ladies in third world countries earn a living. You see for us it would be pocket money but in a place like South Africa, it could be the bread and butter for as many as 8 people to one earner!

When I was training for Social Work in Cape Town, South Africa, I was involved with helping
start a 'self help' sewing group, near Stellenbosch. I wonder what has happened to my group of ladies and their children. One lady had twins who would now be over 20! In South Africa we called these sewing groups 'self help' groups, or co-operatives. Self help groups in the Western Countries are for Psychological problems like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). But in South Africa, they are a group of people working together in order to find a way to earn a living.

Much is being done in South Africa as you can see from this web site , http://www.learntoearn.org.za/ But so much more is needed with the high unemployment rate but with the ever increasing widows and orphans issues, this need can only grow. I feel passionately that we need to all pull our weight as Christians and fulfill our Biblical calling to care for widows and orphans, as much as we are able to! I would like to somehow be able to help in a small way with my 'Joy'zown dezigns'.

Come and enjoy the journey with me!

Jessica is starting a blog too

See http://www.1of8kids.blogspot.com/

Christmas is coming

Emma recently made this creation all on her own as she was caught up with the surrounding decorations in our shopping malls etc. How do we celebrate Christmas, you may wonder? Do we have Santa/Father Christmas? What is the point of it all? Is it just a fun family time?

Christmas is coming and we always enjoy celebrating our Lord's birth as a family at this time of the year. So why don't you take a peek at our new blog "Christmas with Christ" and see what we do at this time of the year. See http://chritmaswithchrist.blogspot.com/ or go to my profile to find my other blogs, actually two of them belong to two of our children.....take a peek. Erica shares her happy birthday yesterday. And Jo our Master Chef is planning to give you some recipes soon!


Here is my first posting!

For many around the world Christmas is not about Christ... Santa, candy, traditional foods, present giving, beautifully decorated trees etc, etc crowd our lives as commercialism takes over in the bid to make more money out of our silly sentimentalism. Many go into debt, feel lonely and despairing at this time of the year. And quite honestly don't get the point of it all because really there is no point to Christmas with these traditions alone.

As for me Christ is central to Christmas- there is no point in Christmas without Christ and that includes not only his birth but gruesome death too! Just as Christ is the pivotal person in History, so too does Christmas pivot around Christ himself.

Christmas came to us when Christians reacted to heathen traditions and celebrations around them and turned around the course of history around by providing an opportunity to celebrate Christ in a special way. At Christmas we remember the birth of Christ.

I know there are Christians these days who won't celebrate Christmas and I can respect that they are uncomfortable with the way in which Christmas came about. But as for me I love any opportunity to indulge in my love for Christ and to encourage my family to do the same. So not only is Christmas for me a time set aside other things and to draw close to God, it is a time for making memories for my family too. My aim is to bring Christ so close to them that when they are adults and away form home they will see something 'Christmassy' and remember Christ. Remember family and love and warmth and celebrate too, yes. But most of all that they would love Christ. And infuse their children's lives with the love of Christ.

Come with us this year and enjoy our journey as we celebrate Christ!

The greatest artist ever...

I wonder who you think the greatest artist is? Whenever we look at art, go to an art gallery, or an art shop etc we have a family tradition of each person chosing their favourite artist and then explaining why they like that artist best!

Our favourite art gallery here in Brisbane is in Landsborough on the Sunshine Coast. As a contemporary Australian artist, I like Donald Waters best...his art is happy  and full of people. And being a 'people person' I like the characters he portrays. He has a cultural ethnic vibe that I used to feel in NZ and South Africa, but that I don't often feel here. See http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/category/3/default.asp

Jessica likes Greg Postle the bird artist who often has a twist of humour. http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/category/4/default.asp And she also finds Brian Wood interesting http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/subcategory/60/default.asp. and enjoys Susan Smidt http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/subcategory/55/default.asp

Erica likes Robert Hagan's horse pictures and in terms of being a brilliant artist, he truly is the best!

For me though the greatest artist of all time and of all the world is God himself...look around you and see His beautiful creation! See His daily sunrise/sunset, see the new flower bud on a tree, new fruits. Because we are made in His image I think we are able to enjoy beauty and should take pleasure in creating beautiful things too. Now although I enjoy crafts I could not paint to save my life....unless I was 'colouring in' with paint as in folk art painting. But we don't have to be artists to be artstic.

 

Erica captured this image of the one of the art pieces of our never ending great artist, God. Where ever you look you can find a piece of art if you look hard enough for it. Even in the darkest cell, there is art within our souls and imaginations.

I like Edith Shaeffer's book the Hidden Art of Homemaking.http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Art-Homemaking-Edith-Schaeffer/dp/0842313982 . I have not read it in years and years, I must look at it again. But in principal she sugests that we make our home beautiful at very litttle expense. With 8 children believe you me we fight clutter and mess constantly....CONSTANTLY!

But I am trying to make something beautiful out of everyday things all the time and take pleasure in making things pretty for a moment...I like to make a nice brightly coloured swiss roll stack out of my towels, or I take pleasure in beautifully folded fresh smelling washing. I enjoy a bunch of leaves or flower picked while on a walk to decorate a table or refresh my kitchen with a differnt look. I enjoy litle niknacks that fill little corners with pleasure. Recently I have bought some salt and pepper cellars and thoroughly enjoy them..a cupcakes set, a set of cows and a rooster and hen.

Of course I have enjoyed doing landscape quilting recently too but don't be deterred by this seemingly grand activity....any one can place a few pretty cushions in the right spot or tie back a curtain with the 'just right ' tie back. Everyone has the potential to be artistic in our own way as we reflect the most wonderous creator of all...God!

Here is an interesting and inspring blog post on this topic. http://theinspiredroom.net/2009/10/29/live-dangerously-surround-yourself-with-beauty/

Anorexia

Our society is fascinated with fit and healthy, not to mention skinny. We encourage our kids not to be couch potatoes! We are also busy and seldom eat family meals together three times a day. I believe these cultural ways of living can mask symptoms of Anorexia. Sometimes it is too late before we realise how serious the problem is.

Anorexia is not what we believed it to be last century. Here are some brilliant web sites explaining how we should view Anorexia. I believe every one of us should have a good understanding of it, not just professionals who have to deal with it. Even with my social work background there are big chunks of information that I missed or research that now supports different thinking. Please take the time to look at these web sites. You never know when someone close to you or your family may need you to understand this condition.

Both web sites are really interesting, give it a go!

http://www.kartiniclinic.com/AV

http://www.feast-ed.org/

Do people eat penguin eggs?

11 & 13 Park Road c.1980




My Grandfather Kerkham's book will give you the answer to this question. He tells of the history of early Cape Town, South Africa as he tells his family history of the family coming to Cape Town from England and life in this magnificent city. See http://kerkham.wikispaces.com/wak00 . I remember going to photograph the house above with my grandfather as a little girl. Notice Table Mountain just behind! I have very happy memories of picnics in the same spots as mentioned in his book. I also visited Tamberskloof School as a little girl as my uncle was principal there.

I miss having a history and background like this to pass onto my children. It is one of the many sacrifices one makes in the process of immigrating. I will always love Cape Town- it is one of the loveliest cities in the world, if not the loveliest!

Enjoy!

Mother at Ye Old Rocky Tree ( my great grandmother)


Father's Clyno Tourer ( My great grandfather)