Bye, bye books

Well, a decent portion of them.

Many of my bloggy pals are book-aholics, as so many Christians, homeschoolers and lovers of learning are, and they are posting wonderful pics of their home libraries as they grow.  I see enviable shelves, rooms even, with neat rows of books sorted into their many and varied subject areas.  I know it was a vague dream of mine in the past as well, but I have shrugged that one off completely now. (All sigh and groan with me together!)

One can dream!

I've had another enormous cull.
Refer to this post to the last big cull about two oops three years ago. Three years!  How could could over a thousand days have passed sooooo quickly?

I haven't taken before and after photos this time.  The house in general, and the school room in particular, has become totally chaotic.  The family have been living here for almost two years now and with so many little people in the house everything has had to be put "up".  Well, we only have a limited amount of "up" in this place.  Something has to be done!

ALL of the boxed books from the last clean out have gone to Life Line.  I am sorry I did not read my old post and the comments before I did this as I may have passed some things along to other, more tragic, book lovers :-) Yes, the World Book has gone.  The Child Craft books have gone.  Many of the novels have gone.  I had to make ruthless choices, disposing of many,. many novels, general knowledge and interest books. 

With my two remaining schoolies being non-readers, I was able to selectively keep the books I plan or at least hope to use over the next four years.  I also allowed myself the luxury of a few old friends like Norah, Laura and Mabel.

Of course, this school area has a lot of "schoolie" stuff as well. With all the space I have been able to move some of my devotional and Christian Biographies onto those shelves. ( Does one house need three copies of Pilgrims Progress? Just wondering?) We have never had all our books stored in one area.

I have found the book shelves scattered in several rooms of our house are constantly on the grandchildrens' hit list of places to raid.  We do not have the luxury of being able to close off ANY rooms in our house other than the bathroom,/toilet.  Not a good place for book storage :-)

Thus we loaded the Tarago to the max last week and delivered eight boxes of books, 5 garbage bags of clothing (mainly baby from my daughter's twins) and a few of her baby accessories that we were storing in double! It was liberating!

This coming week I hope to do the other book shelves but this is a tidy and not a throw out.  Hubby and I can not bear to throw out Christian Classics.  And I will be keeping my poetry books.  These two categories will grow, I know.

The receptacles for picture books and young childrens' stories are in constant use. I feel a little sad that some of the beloved titles of my own children, which we have kept so carefully, are now rather dog-eared.  Still, I am very pleased to see my grandchildren loving them the way their mothers did, their grandmother, and my own mother.

The rest of the house is preparing for similar treatment!  Every cupboard I hope by end of the holidays.  The heat conspires against me by sapping all of my energy but this is my plan at present.

I envisage a house with somewhat less disorganisation.  It does not fix up the poor old structure, nor does it clean it......That is another story. Perhaps it will give us a little more space to work with.

Have a great weekend.  We have a few more days of schooling to complete before we end 2012.  Wooweeee.....

What are your holiday plans.  Travelling? Relaxing? Cleaning? Blogging?

"Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might"



Of Deep Thoughts and Shallow Lives

He leads me beside the still waters

For quite a long time, when I first began to blog, I posted on a regular topic "Sabbath Thoughts".  Now, it's not that these thoughts and ponderings have dried up completely, but I very seldom dabble in posts like that any more.  There are a couple of reasons.

One thing was that being uncertain of my readership, those who do not comment, I wanted to be careful what may be coming across as "teaching". 

Another thing was that the more I read around the internet, the more I found material with which I disagreed.  I try hard not to get embroiled in debates, especially on topics which might be considered straining a gnat. They will know we are Christians by the love we have for one another.  I want to be able to fellowship and enjoy all who profess Christ. I did not want my blog to become a place where offences were caused and harsh words were exchanged.  I think I've managed that.  I do not know whether I am always true to my own heart on some things but if I can't find a something good  to comment, then I don't comment at all (Thanks Mum!)

I have also experienced a long and difficult period in my life through which I am still wading.  Although I am a battle weary warrior of nearly thirty years experience I have not coped so well with some of the trials which have beset us.

Some one very close and influential let me down badly :- (  How childish and immature I have been about this.  I've had lots of disappointments in my life and they have served to show me more clearly that the only faithful and dependable one is God.  Man, male and female, will always disappoint, as we ourselves do.  I put too much store by what this person said and have felt crushed in the fall out.  I feel too drained emotionally and spiritually to share very much here.

The old saying "When mumma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" comes to mind. Have I dropped my bundle to the detriment of my family, my husband, my friends? They would say no, but deep down I know that I have not behaved and lead by example as I might have done in the past.

Time is healing this wound.  God is gently showing me my failings. I do not want to loose that ability to reach out and love and trust people, but deep hurt takes a good deal of time to resolve. All of us here have been affected and I especially grieve for my teenage boys who have seen some unpleasantness between adults who profess the Lord.  I remember this happening when my girls were in their early teens too and it grieves all the more as I know it to be a factor in their walking away from the Lord. All of my children are covenanted to be the Lord's and I trust that in His time they will search for and trust in Him.

God, give me grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Reinhold Neibuhr

Our lives become very shallow and meaningless if we turn back from what we know is the straight path.  Here in this place a little faithful group of believers meets together in the manner which we believe is honouring to our great God. It is simple but deep. We hold his Word to be precious and his Saints to be dear.  As my family and I move forward, we struggle with the changes that have come about in our lives.  Hubby and I find it difficult to keep the Lord's Day in the way we used to and sometimes our family worship times are greatly interrupted.  Personal time too.  I confess, I am often distracted by all the busy-ness of small children, school and family that old routines seem to have gone by.  Have I become shallow?  We do not want our lives to become just so, so.  We long to display our love and loyalty to our Lord and Savior.

The Lord is on my side

I will not fear.

Not Sabbath Thoughts but the random thoughts of a tired heart ♥

Our United Nations

Hubby and I and the boys are home from a great weekend in Brisbane.

We travelled by train and managed to catch up with lots of people even though it was only a four day trip.

On Brisbane trips we always stay with hubby's mother. (You may remember she was eighty in October).  We got to relax and chat with her as well as a nice little shopping trip and coffee for us ladies.

No kids around, so the boys spent the first two days very quietly.

Here they are on the train but the ear phones got a good work out during the trip down and back and when adult conversation just droned on for too long!

The reason for our visit was my Father-in-laws eightieth birthday.

Hubby is obscured but this is him with his sister and half brother and spouses.

Despite ongoing illness, Papa was very enthusiastic at his party!

Coming home from the celebrations, I couldn't help but ponder

about the contrast between

my own family and background and my in laws.

Hubby's dad migrated from Italy in the early fifties. His mother has a wonderfully chequered background with French and Scottish forebears.

The story of how his French great-grandparents ended up in  

Australia is fascinating and I

hope one day someone writes a book about that!

They are part of the history of early Cairns remembered by such place names as

Frenchman's Creek and Josephine Falls.

My husband's parents separated way back when he was about five. 

After that he didn't see his dad again for twenty five years!

He was raised by his mother (and grandmother).

His father remarried a much younger Philipina and had a son.

Can you imagine the scene in the restaurant where the party was held?

The excited high pitched voices of the Philipino ladies and the rich rolling

depth of all those Italians.  What a babble!

Many of their friends we had meet on other visits.

Michello, Giorgio, Mario, Giovanni.

Aurora, Rosalinda and Maria!

After the luncheon we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening

 just with the family members.

As we sat to share dinner we noted that there were we few "Aussies" with an Italian,

a Philipina, a Korean and a German! All of whom have arrived here as adults.

Before eating, hubby's half brother commented "Bon Appetit" and we all roared laughing.

All those languages to choose from yet he used French!

"Bon Appetito"

The eighty year old corrected in his beautiful throaty accent.

It is almost 25 years since we first re-established contact with my husband's father.

This weekend we realised how blessed we have been to have that

area of life "resolved".

Looking on, I believe my father in law must be very pleased to have been

re-united with the children he left so many years ago.

It's Wednesday!

It's Wednesday and we had pizza for tea.

Not exactly a blogging head line snatcher but big news in our house as we usually only ever have pizza on a Friday.  Friday is Dad does tea night.  Today however was one of those days when 6.00pm rolled around and although I had meat out nothing was even started for tea.  The babies and toddlers were tired and cranky and I might add so was the cook. Just a little.  Frazzled perhaps describes me better, so my daughter's suggestion of pizza went down very well.



The "Utopia" 150 year celebration was a great day out!

About 200 people crowded into the Library for the launch of a book recounting the life and voyages of the "Utopia" and  the passengers and crew of that first migrant ship to arrive directly to Rockhampton.  Though I know the history of my own family it was great to see them there among the interesting stories of others who settled here at that time.
My Dad's cousin at 91 was the oldest descendant present and got to cut the cake, along with one of his distant cousins who had travelled the farthest for the event.  (From Canada)

The lunch was made interesting for me being able to sit with the mother of two of my friends.  Knowing them since the eighties we never realised then that our great, great, grandparents had travelled together to the land down under way back in the 1860s.
 A maritime historian gave a very interesting talk after lunch on shipping and immigration at that time in Australia's history and the actual happenings around the arrival of the boat. Including a stoush between the indigenous people and the new settlers. The Durrumble people were acknowledged on several occasions throughout the day.

Then about 150 descendants took the bus tour around the original part of town.  This was commentated by one of the local history buffs and he not only knew his stuff but painted a vivid picture of old Rocky town, what little there was of it in 1862.  This tour ended with a wander through the old cemetery where both my Bond and Rattenbury great, great grandparents are buried as well as later members of those families.

The Utopia

If the Brits who came here thought this would be Utopia then perhaps, or no doubt, they were sorely disappointed.  Many scattered to other parts of Queensland and the rest of Australia.  Judging by the turn-out at this reunion and the enthusiasm among the attendees I think many have found Rocky to be a great place to be.
The local news paper slogan is "We live here because we love it"!!!!!


Off to Brisbane again this weekend.

This time to celebrate my father-in-law's eightieth birthday! You may recall from past blogs that I am not a real fan of Brisbane.  It is a rat race!  But seeing family is always good and I don't mind these trips when hubby is with me as he can deal with the maps and chaos much better than me.
We have certainly had a lot of family celebrations this year.  Only another oh, six or seven weeks until I hit the big 50!

This will be like a mid term break for the boys and I. When we get back we will be into the final few weeks of school for the year.  We are hoping to be finished end of November but.......

Grounded

"Friendships are like roses, the petals die but the perfume never fades away."

I was privileged this week to meet with a couple of old school friends.  It seems that as we age and our children leave home, there is more time and inclination to renew and build on some of these old friendships.  As I've mentioned before my high school years were spent in a boarding school.. Life long friendships are often planted when our formative years are spent in such close contact.

My old buddies seem to accept that I am a christian and sometimes make exceptions or apologies when I am there and something is said or done which I might not think funny/ appropriate.  This is without my saying so, they just do.

I am  very fortunate in this whole friend department with sisters, relatives and many christian women who have become my mentors, confidantes and sounding boards. I treasure these who are mostly women of faith and share so many views and commitments with me. Our friendships are based either around family ties or faith.  I always know I will get good solid advise and realistic comfort and I thank God for that.

It's different with these old school mates! What a motley crew we are! But after this meeting, I was struck by the wisdom and maturity of these ladies.  True, that wisdom is not from God and His Word but rather a worldly type, but solid non the less. These girls are grounded.  Because of our very long friendship we are able to discuss many and varied topics and share our joys, heartaches and goals openly.  Particularly on a matter that had been troubling me with one of my children, I experienced real connection and a light toward resolution on hearing one of my friends story of a child in a similar situation (Of course, I thought no one else had every had this problem :-).  Also one of these ladies who has had some very tough life experiences helped me to see things a little better concerning my daughter who is left as a single mother.

I love the Godly wisdom of my "usual" friends but I know that some of these situations are out of their sphere of experience.  I hope that I can be a realistic listener and advisor when it's needed. I suppose it is something to ponder as we deal with all who come across our path ~ sympathy, empathy, patience, shared experiences.  Of course we know that Our Jesus is the ultimate answer and we want to share it, but to the unsaved it is impossible to fathom that what ever is happening is God's will. We need to tread thoughtfully.

My cousin, my friend

"You can choose your friends but not your relatives."

One of my special friendships is with my cousin who lost her husband twelve months ago.  It is hard to believe it is a year.  So much has transpired.  I have come to love and admire her all the more for the strength and courage she has shown during this period of mourning. Again, I hope I have been the patient listening support I have wanted to be.

Do you sometimes feel, as I do, that our lives become so busy and fraught with drama that it is easy to forget the ones that need to be comforted, that are lonely, that are ill?

I hope that each one reading will forgive yet another one of my little waffles.  Also that you, like me do have a wonderful circle of family and friends in which you feel loved and are able to contribute to as well.

A big weekend

We have a busy weekend ahead with the Homeschooler's concert tomorrow and the "Utopia" reunion on Sunday.  I am still unable to load my photos on here which is annoying as I have a couple of beauties of the kids! 

Have a good weekend.