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How do you reflect back on 2016 and set yourself up to start 2017 well?
Do you find yourself slipping into a reflective mode in this week between Christmas and New Year? I do. I booked time by myself to work through Amanda Vivier’s New Year Vision book earlier this week as my brain was furiously trying to process through the year that has been and wanting to get organised and look forward to next year. It was feeling like a chaotic process. My mind and soul were desperately trying to make meaning of a year that turned out very different to what I had thought at the start. I had ideas and plans flooding through my brain but in a haphazard way that was not…
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What I learned this Spring
Today is the first day of summer, the first day of many of our Advent activities, the first day of the last month of the year. In the midst of looking forward to the Christmas season, I want to take some time to stop and reflect back on the season that is ending. I am increasingly thinking of my life in terms of seasons, both in terms of weather and seasons of what God is calling me to do. Here is what I learned this spring: Momentum only lasts if you keep it up! I am able to achieve a whole month of posts, establish great momentum in my writing and…
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Christmas is coming! Free gifts for you to help get ready
When you read the words “Christmas is coming!”, did you feel a bubble of excitement or stress or maybe a bit of both? If I think about the gifts that need to be bought and the tasks that need to be completed by then, I start to feel overwhelmed. When I think of Advent, though, I am re-energised. It will soon be time to start the December celebrations and focusing in on the meaning of Christmas for myself and for my daughter. If you have been around my writing for a year or more, you will know that Advent holds a special place in my heart. This year, I am…
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Thankful Thursday and an announcement
My time this week is short. I won’t let that stop me from taking these moments to be thankful and focus in on the good things in my life. I encourage you to carve out a few moments in your day to look back over your week and notice all that you have to be thankful for. The absolute highlight of the past week was my daughter’s birthday. It was not without its stressors and emotions, of course! It was a delight to watch her joy and excitement as the day unfolded and she got to celebrate at her party with family and friends. I am immensely thankful to my…
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What I learned in July
We have arrived at the end of July, which always signifies the start of the slide to the end of the year. We have tipped over the half way point. July was quite an epic month for us in many ways. I often discover more of what I’ve learned as I write and reflect, so join me on a journey of unpacking what I learned in July. It is possible to experience our wettest camping trip ever while staying in the Pilbara (semi-arid desert area) in the dry season. The area received 400% of its average July’s rainfall in two weeks! I was incredibly thankful for my last minute (as…
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What I Learned in May
May was a jam-packed month for me and left little time for reflection. I have felt behind and only just succeeding in juggling the many responsibilities, to dos and heart pursuits. Are you like me and still occasionally (or more often) write 2015 in dates? It’s like a part of my brain hasn’t caught up to the fact that we are in 2016. Has the middle of the year caught you by surprise too? I genuinely started to write “What I Learned in March” as that feels far more suitable! In the midst of this busyness and season of stretching, I have had some deep revelations about myself, taken some…
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What I Learned in April
April has been a bit of a blur. To stop and reflect on what I’ve learned becomes even more important in months like that. Here is what I’ve learned over the past month: I need to keep using my daily planner to stay on top of everything. I used my planner for a total of 3 days over April and I feel like I’ve dropped the ball on several fronts this month. (If you’re interested in what planner I use, check out this post.) Recovering from getting your wisdom teeth out can be more difficult than you initially anticipate. And then it can all suddenly improve overnight! It also involved…
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Lent for kids: A Sense of the Resurrection
If you read any of my blog in December, you know that engaging my daughter in activities that focus on the true meaning of Christmas is important to me. I want to do the same with Easter but focusing on a celebration that also includes torture, death and sin is not so easy. I have the added concern of having a very sensitive little girl who takes heavy issues on board. Having done Truth in the Tinsel, it was a natural progression to try Sense of the Resurrection since it is written by the same author. I did some of the activities with Isabel last year (read about that here) and…
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What I learned in January
The first month of the year is finished! It may not have been quite as I planned and it now seems like a whirlwind, but it was a good start to 2016 overall. I learned a few things along the way: Anticipation can be torturous! My headspace was often full of what February was bringing- my daughter starting school, being back at work with adjusted work hours, MOPS launching for 2016 with me in my new role. Plenty to wrap my head around. The anticipation filled my mind with so many what ifs and trying to work out logistics. It got to the point of just needing it to begin…
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Thankful Thursday
As the weeks continue to fly by, we have come to another Thankful Thursday. I woke up this morning with my mind spinning, my heart racing and my to do list overwhelming. I am in need of a gratitude stop. Join me. A Groclock- my daughter is a ridiculously early riser (think 4-4:30am EVERY day). We have tried various methods and a sleep trainer clock before but nothing shifted. We bought a Groclock a few weeks ago and she has been staying in her room until the sun is on the clock most mornings. This means we get a sleep in until 5:15am each day! I know that may sound…
Encouragement for women in leadership
