Baby, Baby, Baby oooh :)

Alyssia has now been in our lives for over a year She is 14 weeks old today, and add the 42 weeks of pregnancy = 1 year I read the blog from last year.  Where I prayed for a baby who would sleep well.

AND SHE DOES  :)

Sweet Lissy is THE dream baby. She sleeps from 8pm – 3am, feeds and settles back to sleep til when we all wake up. Who knew babies could do this? I am in shock, well, I used to be, when I was only woken once. I would sneak up to her and listen to her and check her… nope still sleeping. Not at all like Beth or Ben (8-9 wakes per night… no joke… almost not really worth calling it sleeping is it?)

Alyssia gurgles and smiles and laughs and coos and makes our family complete. She is totally loved by Bethany: who prayed for a blonde, blue-eyed girl. And she got it And Ben who just yesterday said to her (whilst I was pretending not to be watching him like a hawk… you never know!): ‘Liss, I think you are cute’. Ahhh what a sweet brother and sister Alyssia has.

There is so, so, so much more I could write about having a chilled out newborn, and the comparisons between babies who sleep in the day (Beth and Ben) and those who sleep only at night (yes, she doesn’t really like napping – but it means days are full and fun and nights are sleepy!). I love their three personalities, I love the way our house is full of laughter and toys and fun and when they are asleep we thank God for the blessing of them all.

I love what I have been given and am really enjoying maternity leave, being at home most of the time. Thinking of the future and all that I am made for, this season at home means I am focussing on writing. Thank you for the lovely comments on my book. It’s being proofed as we speak and then THAT graphic designer who I love soooo much is doing the rest <3

But even though I’m not working, I find myself trying to fit things in. I was walking into the village earlier, and heard the sound of the brook. I stopped. Listened. And paused. It was amazing to just listen (yes, the small things) I could have carried on walking up the hill and over the bridge but I wanted to wait and be still. And know. Just a moment. But it was a perfect moment.

Enjoying the moment Love Anna xox

Christmas Eve & Traditions & a bit about Mary

Hello Almost Christmas. I know it’s close because my birthday has been, and gone. We really celebrated this year. Over the month of December. I’ve never done that before. And don’t think it will happen every year Thanks to all my family and friends and my little BBs for the love

I don’t know if I told you what my birthday present from Ryan was… well… It’s a Kenwood Kmix in Almond. It arrived at the beginning of December – and I was allowed to open it It is FABULOUS. It came with 3 attachments and I have used them all. It sits right next to my cream scales and on the other side is the recipe stand. It is a perfect addition to my kitchen: Welcome Kmix you will be used almost daily, and will make my friends & family happy with the cakes, cupcakes, loaves… and I’m going to try and make butter (one blogger said once you make it you will never buy butter/marg again, I would like to try that!)

So Christmas Eve. We don’t really have any traditions as a family for Christmas or Christmas Eve. As the Barnes family are in Christ Church – NZ (Which had more earthquakes and you are in our prayers…) we won’t be seeing them this Christmas – unless we skype So it’s a Baker Christmas. However, Beth will count the number of Bakers present (3) and then will count the number of BB’s present (4 or will she include baby bump!? 5) and then she will say who the winner is. She does this with girls and boys in a room. I think she likes to be on the winning team so doesn’t count certain items if she knows there’s less….

What do you do that’s become a ‘tradition’. Of course, we will sit down to eat a most delicious Christmas Dinner, we will go to our friends Church for the 11am service. We will open our gifts. We will enjoy playing with the children’s toys. And I hope that we will go for a little walk – to feed the horses? I’m so badly allergic to most animals, but I like going for a walk to let the children throw apples and carrots into the fields……

I will read the Christmas Story: The Bible Version. Every year when I read it on Christmas it feels more real than before. It’s as though my walk with God has deepened in a new way and I am thankful for his incredible Birth, his self-less Death and his miraculous Resurrection: From Luke 1 (read the rest of the story here )

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. ²⁸ Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!^[d]”

²⁹ Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ³⁰ “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ And he will reign over Israel^[e] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

³⁵ The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. ³⁷ For nothing is impossible with God.^[f]”

³⁸ Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

There are so many things I could talk about from this passage. I know I will leave some out – not because they are not important, not because they don’t speak to me, but because I will only highlight some.

1. Mary was favoured. What was she doing? What was special about her life? How was her life different than EVERY other girl in the world at that time? Maybe she led a simple life of devotion and her actions were honouring to God. Maybe she always knew? Her life had destiny and purpose. A destiny and purpose that would cause her to be despised by others. That would see the very life that she nurtured crucified. [I feel silly to write this bit, but it must have been really hard for her as a 40 ish week pregnant Mama ride on a donkey FOR DAYS....... No wonder she gave birth when they arrived - I will remember this if baby 3 is late;) ]

2. Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. – Have you ever thought you’ve heard something from God: whether an Angel came to tell you or whether it was a spontaneous thought that appeared out of no-where? Being confused as to whether you made this up, or disturbed as to how the plan would work out… I can learn a lot from her. She hears from God – via an Angel. And then the natural mind seeks to understand. I love the miracle of the birth of Jesus. Here Mary is reminding the Angel that she is a virgin…. Her mind is telling her that it is impossible.

3. But she has faith: Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. The Angel left when his work was done. Mary speaks words of truth – she is the Lord’s servant (as we can all choose to be) And her words are so important as she says “may everything you have said about me come true”. This is significant also to our own lives. God has a wonderful plan for our lives – where destiny meets purpose and you live life with clarity, knowing your place in the world………. We can use the phrase in the same way as Mary to let the Masterplan for our lives unravel. Rather than speaking negatively and almost criticising the things that God has destined for us or for others.

This leads onto a verse that I awoke with a couple of mornings ago: I pondered on the words ‘how vast are your thoughts for me’ (It is from Psalm 139). I had paraphrased it in my mind, but that’s ok! Anyways, I lay there awake, in the dark, in the stillness – I was the only one awake – like usual And I began to think of God’s thoughts for me. I got to about 10 and then my mind wandered off and I got out of bed to make a pot of coffee…

I am reminded this morning of that verse once more, Psalm 139 – see verse 17.

¹³For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].

¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!^(E)

¹⁸If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end] I would still be with You.

God has more thoughts about us than the number of the sand, and I got fidgety after numero 10…! These are thoughts about our future, about the plans He has for us, about the destiny awaiting to be unravelled. Imagine if I’d have got to even 20 – it would have set me up for the day. If I was thinking about what God thinks towards/about me, then honestly 20 good thoughts verses say 1 negative comment from someone else (say) that comment would have NO impact as I would be so secure in God’s thoughts for me. Go on, try it

And finally: The very reason for Jesus’ Birth – not for my traditions, not for a delicious dinner – though it may all be part of celebrating the Messiah’s Birth I must leave you with this: John 3:16

¹⁶For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (^[a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

Thank you God for prizing the world, for prizing me and my family and friends (and the rest of the world who I don’t know! I sound like Beth when she says grace ‘thank you Lord Jesus for all the people in the world, I love them all and thankyouformydinner amen”!) that you would give your son for all.

Thank you for giving your most precious gift to the world. Help us to trust, cling and rely on you in a new way as we remember your Son’s glorious birth that made a way for our eternal life. THANK YOU Jesus for your life, and your sacrifice. AMEN xoxoxox

ps I’m feeling Christmassy now…. In a new way once more – maybe it’s ok we don’t have exact traditions: but people we can share the wonderful news with. Does that sound a little anti-commercial? Sorry… I did buy presents for my family and friends, I really did But I’m also glad that Christmas isn’t just about the presents and tinsel and turkey but a much deeper relationship – one that changed history and my story FOREVER x

Christmas Cheer and Happy 2 years in my house :)

This year I completed most of my Christmas Shopping in November. I went to a play centre with a Christmas Gift Guide (and used it as inspiration…!) The children played for an hour or so, I drank a latte and by the end of their play session my list was complete. So I shopped and ticked off each item Now it’s December and ALL I have to do is wrap them. WAIT it’s 9 days to go and I still have to wrap them and buy little Ben’s 2nd Birthday Present.

WHICH IS NEXT WEEK….. Our birthday’s are just SEVEN days away. I’m celebrating this coming weekend in a French Themed Party. The pics should be incredible. It’s my first BIG party…… I am so excited for it I told Ryan I wish the week would hurry up – which was met with ‘don’t wish your life away’. I’ve never been this excited for a birthday party…. Most of my Birthday’s were lovely family affairs – often me and my sister would have a joint party More often it would be cancelled due to snow. I guess this is what happens having a birthday before and a birthday after the 25th December Sorry Ben, you will get people saying they can’t make the party due to ‘family parties, christmas parties and too much snow’… but little Ben, you were 11 days late so it wasn’t ALL my fault (heehee!)

OK back up two years….. to the DAY.

We moved house. Ahhhh I am about to cry with delight And the EXTREME faithfulness of God… Did I already write this story? I don’t think so…

In May of 2009 we put our cute 2 bed terrace up for Sale. (we were 8 weeks pregnant with Ben at this point). We had quite a lot of interest etc, and then nothing. nada. no-one. It was October with no interest for 5 months… It was after one of my most desperate prayer times – oh and I had found all these prayers on ‘how to sell a house’ and I tried them. I only stopped short in following the Catholic tradition of burying a small saint in my back garden, basically it’s because we had patio so I would have wrecked the garden, and because well, I’m not really into idols (in any religion).

And after praying I found peace (LOVE IT!) and we were chatting together – Ryan and I – about 34 weeks pregnant and I said “It will be okay, we will have the baby here. I am ok with it now.” Honestly, we were about to take the house off the market until the following year. Before we made that call, one dark, dreery monday night in mid October a mother and son came to view our home. Later that evening we got a call “they want to buy your home – let’s negotiate”. Now the negotiation was harder for me than I thought; I would have been as good as my dad – had I not been pregnant and really emotional that we could get a new home… and felt like I would sell the house for as little as possible just to move…….(So Ryan dealt with it all !)

So there we were: October – plan was sell the house and my parents agreed we could stay there until we found a new home. Two weeks later we found our ‘dream home’ and thankfully it still is We viewed it on a Tuesday lunchtime and by teatime on Tuesday we had bought it. Now we had 6 weeks – or so they say until completion. They said six weeks, so I went for it. My baby was due in 4.5 and I got everything in place. The mortgage was fab, the searches were done, all the paperwork was arranged and ready to go.

I think our Solicitors began dreading my calls. The agents definitely did. I’m sure both of them screened my calls. I didn’t call everyday – but I would have done…. I figured I was paying for a service so let’s get a move on…… Heeeheeee…. My persistence paid off. We exchanged contracts and booked our moving date. And it was 6 weeks – like they promised. We moved in on Friday 18th December 2009 (Ben was 6 days over at this point!) And he stayed put until everything was unpacked – which was only the next day (then he stayed another 5 just for fun!!?)  Ryan and our wonderful friends came to help and stayed really late… Friends brought food and treats and so much help. THANKYOU.

So two years ago we left our little home and moved to my favourite home I am still overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God, His Kindness to me and the way that His plans are always better than mine – because I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think my plans are incredible and wonder why they don’t always work out – let’s just say that His grace surprises me – in the most beautiful ways. Like that Psalm, where it says ‘He hems me in’:- protected and secure. Thankyou.

Two years  later and I love it. I am blessed and find it intriguing that only when I came to the place where I was content in my little terraced house did God open the way for the house to sell. Maybe there were other things at work, like we had more savings the longer the house was on the market? Oh and the house that we bought only went on the market the day we viewed it – so we were in the best position to buy… I hope that this story inspires you with whatever you are going through in your life. I’ve been in the waiting room for the next chapter of life to begin and sometimes you can get down with it and forget to look up – don’t forget! A heart bursting with thankfulness  A xoxox

So much to write about: Love Life.

Well. My dear Blog I am sorry for neglecting you. The thing is that I have so much to write about. I do not know where to start. So I will start at the beginning (of the silence) and hopefully by scattering my thoughts I will become regular at blogging again

So, where shall I start? This is what I’ve heard is OCD…. At least a certain kind, where you have so much going on you (perhaps) cannot start, I heard it in a movie, the girl was talking about housework…. Wait it’s in Julie and Julia. But I’m happy. My house (gasp) is tidy. I’m even hiring the rug doctor in a few hours. I’ve got a little wish that not only will it make the carpets ‘soft and bouncy’ (yep it said that on the review!) It will grab things I no longer need/want/use and somehow dispose of them into it’s MASSIVE ‘industrial sized’ hoover-upper-thing. Ok so now you know my secret wish it does sound a little um, far-fetched doesn’t it? heehee The other thing about today is that the big charity bag is being collected. I love this day – well, not as much as going out for coffee, or celebrating someone… but still! It means that the bags and bags and bags and bags of clothes/toys/books/”brick-a-brack(ok who willingly purchases this… I for sure don’t but it accumulates!) can be collected and the charity gets money: and my house gets a tiny bit emptier…. So I will help my friendly rug doctor along and allow it to make my carpets ‘bouncy and soft’ and hopefully back to their original condition – of course I’ll let you know… [this section was called 'housework'. Now onto more deeper things!]

Thankfulness: I have blogged on thankfulness, a lot. Type it into the search bar up there on the right hand side. I even tried the 1000 things to be thankful for, and even though it didn’t work on my blog so well, my life shows my thankfulness. Not only to God but to people. Not only to The One who made it all possible, but to friends – and the best kind of friends – family – and those God has placed around me. I like to give compliments. Who doesn’t like to receive them? No-one. So, the lady in the nice, new, big Tescos (which is fab and I will go back there time and again, and people who say it’s ‘too big’ etc… go back again and only go down a few aisles it will feel smaller. It’s an amazing store ) The checkoutlady was so helpful, more than a normal checkoutlady. She was chatty and kind, and talked to Ben. So off I went to Customer Services to tell them – she needed to know how thankful I was for her loveliness.  I wonder how often it would have come more naturally to complain rather than compliment in the past. The Staff told me that people ‘don’t usually do that’ and I was pleased I’d made her day in a teeny weeny way.

Last week, I went on a school trip with my precious daughter’s school. And I have to say going back into the classroom for the first time in over 4 years – ahhhhh – ok I’ll say it… I missed it. (did you just hear that..?!) I honestly did. I loved the way the children told the teachers their stories when they saw her. I loved the way the children clambered over each other to sit close to the teacher. I loved the way they told their news, and even though it wasn’t life changing for the teacher, she heard every word and made each one feel special. I loved the way they did their songs to get them sitting on the carpet nicely. I loved the way a little boys’ yoghurt exploded and he came to me for help………. And my proudest moment: Beth puts up her hand and says “Miss, my mummy is in the classroom – look she’s there, Hi mummy!” I loved being ‘Bethany’s Mummy’ for the morning. I never missed school before – I must have forgotten a lot of it. Can you believe it? And no, I’m not yet ready for a career change (!) But I am so glad that I made a wise career choice and have my degree and teacher qualification with me so that if ever the time was right: I’ll be ready. The classroom was bright and the teacher was bubbly – the whole R year were delightful. I couldn’t resist calling the Head later that day to thank her for such a wonderful school, and for giving my daughter such a brilliant start in her school life – the lovely head assured me she would pass on my compliments as it wasn’t often they had phone calls like this. Knowing my daughter was in the best environment in a loving and caring and educational atmosphered means so much to me. I had to thank them (kind of small to use words in retrospect isn’t it…? But I used them well!)

The ten leppers. I don’t fully understand this scripture in Luke 17 (especially if you read the whole chapter… Will ponder some more and ask some people!) But the gist of several verses is that there are 10 lepers with gross skin diseases. They all get healed and only one (who turns out to be an alien – well, a samaritan) returns to thank Jesus. That means that 90% forgot/got too busy with their new life/couldn’t be bothered etc…. I don’t want to be bundled up into the 90%. It’s harder to be thankful, but a conscious effort makes it become natural: try it. Life will be easier, your friends will want to be around you, and people will wonder why you glow…. Looking for things to be thankful for takes the bad from a ‘bad day’ because there’s always so much to look around and see that will shift your focus. And that I can promise you!

I still have more to say, but my little boy has come down for a snuggle. Bringing with him 3 dogs of various sizes He asked for a ‘tanket’ (blanket) and now he’s all cosy, the coffee pot is almost all finished, his gingerbread man is eaten – well apart from the arms.

I am thankful for all I have been given, for the lovely people God has placed in my life, for all that I will do today. I get to see Beth in her Christmas play – this year she is a villager, last year she was the ‘main star’ (I think that was a pun from her fab preschool staff; as she was!) and the year before she was a little angel. And. I’m thankful that you wanted to read my blog – thank you xox

 

I didn’t see that coming :)

Well. What a weekend. What a truly fantastic weekend. Well, I’m choosing to see it this way….

I didn’t know that Beth wasn’t very well on Saturday, but we stayed home. Which meant on Saturday night when she went to bed I KNEW she was ill. Sunday am early trip to the emergency doctor. She had tonsilitis (so much sympathy for her. I had it in February – three times – those blogs were called ‘I lost my sparkle’… I didn’t know I had tonsilitis and didn’t know what was wrong with me )

So, we had to stay home Sunday. Which turned out to be the release of my Dad’s book: The Blueprints of Heaven.

Finally I can tell you. This ‘book’ was presented to me as a transcription of at least 15 x 2 hour sermons (word for word) and it was my joy to turn it into a readable book for the publisher. It took ages. For hours and hours I would read, re-read, edit, re-edit and then see what Dad thought. Then I did ‘final edit 2′ and didn’t see the black folder for about 3 months. Until Friday night. Dad presented me with my own copy of the book – the hard work and edits look so beautiful in a perfect bound book. It was completed. I am delighted to have been involved in the early stages of the project.

A sweet friend, infact two, texted me yesterday to tell me that as I enabled something for someone else, they believe God will make it happen for me. (please read this blog on ‘Making Something Happen For Someone Else‘ for more background into what I believe on this… and whether or not there is a biblical basis for the statement!).

Anyways, that was yesterday at 1pm. I had made a Pork Sweet & Sour casserole, and an upside-down pineapple and coconut pudding. Then I got a phone call. My parents weren’t able to take a lovely couple out for lunch, could we host them? Of course. I had food ready. Just needed to tidy up the track, the marble run and anything else the BBs were playing with.

Then I realised who we would be hosting – a lovely, lovely couple – the MD of the publishing company (you are going to want to read that make something… blog to fully understand this). I didn’t see THAT coming!

So there we are. They know I love to write, I mentioned you  - lovely blog readers – and my journey of writing. My hopes, and dreams for the future. Our children were a delight: Bethany perked up for dinner and when Ryan talked about his childhood in Zimbabwe, Bethany retold the story of ‘Daddy and the (pet) Zebra’, it was darling. As I cleared the table she told them she went to the beach every day…. Confused, I helped her ‘The sandpit B?’ ‘ Yes, but I call it the beach!’ And Ben was his totally cheeky, but exceptionally adorable self.

I couldn’t help but think: If I’d finished project One (shall I refer to them numerically…) Or project 2,3,4,5,6,7, etc then I would have said ‘Oh I’ve done this already…. and it’s finished’. But, I couldn’t. It was the perfect end to my procrastination. I have a lot of evenings at home this week as there is a Conference at Church and I can only make some day sessions. So that gives me FOUR evenings. That’s more than enough time to complete project One.

I promise this WILL be the last blog on me not completing things. Look forward to what I can complete Would it have been a different chain of events? Am I slowing my destiny down? And a gazillion more questions… Well. To make sure that I am not slowing my destiny down. I better speed up

It’s going to be a homey-cosy-snuggly day helping Beth get better, and keeping Ben away from the germs. Um. How does one do that… Face Mask. Dettol?!

With a heart that remains surprised as I walk this journey. A xox

Baking, Baking, Baking

Well. I Haven’t blogged because I’ve been BAKING. Like ALL the time. So busy to write. But I finally got a minute. And I mean a minute. I am about to go prep the designs for a teenage birthday cake. It’s going to have stars and everything

Last week I baked 3 Carrot Cakes with a cream cheese & creme fraiche frosting. 8 Victoria Sponges, some with fresh cream and jam And then a Coffee Cake. Oh then 3 more Vic sponges for friends coming over.

And my biggest news is: I got taught how to ice cakes. Properly. Perfectly. Professionally.  And I love it!

Meanwhile : I have been writing some thoughts on prayer – which I have been teaching in our fab life group.

Have a wonderful, blessed day. May you know fulfillment in all you do. Til tomorrow – I gotta get back into blogging. Promise xox

Awoken with a song

I woke up this morning (finally, when I was ready – not at 12, 1, nor 2 when Ben was He wanted to talk to us about who was asleep – Beth? Abbit? Balloon? Oh. My. Ben, yes, the balloon is asleep!!)

And as I really woke up I found myself singing in my head these words:

That were an offering far too small;

It is from, after some googling, the song “When I survey the wonderous Cross” By Isaac Watts in 1707. It is talking more so about repaying God for the wonder that He has done.  Wikipedia suggest that it is linked to the parable of the talents (I don’t see it.)

However, I do see a link between that phrase and the verse Galations 6:14 (NLT)

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.

So I am to boast, take note, talk about God. The world is not interested in me: Just what is within me? Further insight into this verse, and perhaps the hymn is here in Message translation of the same verse:

^14-16For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world,set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate.

This is what it means then: My offering, my gift to Him for the freedom I have in Christ is too small. If i think about all that Jesus has done, will do, is doing – not having to fit into a specific mould suggested by others. Not having to be someone else.

Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!

So I will keep on pondering what this means, as you can tell this is an unfinished blog, but didn’t want to lose my thought track with the business of routine about to begin any minute.

Lunch packed? CLothes ready? Tie found? Shoes clean? Book bag ready? In it all I will remain thankful for the freedom and seek to show my family and friends they too are: free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. (aka conformity!)

Love, Anna xox

 

Here is the rest of the hymn, you could read it as a poem-

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God,
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down,
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the world,
And all the world is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all

One of those days?

Yesterday. Sigh. I had one lovely friend take me out in the morning. Thanks babe! And my sister came to ‘save me’ in the afternoon. But honestly, if it weren’t for that it was a pretty crazy day. 3 wake ups between 12-3 (am) with Beth. A very, very, very upset girly ALL the way to school, and for the first while at school. A sad Mummy A broken car window remaining open with the added bonus of the alarm beeping every 15 minutes. you know how it goes. One thing gets you down and then all of a sudden I was in my ‘oh my look how horrible things are today’. And they weren’t really. The window is free to fix as we bought a 2 year warranty on our car (PHEW). Beth only was upset because I didn’t paint her nails, not sure if she’s allowed painted nails to school but the teacher said we can have them painted especially!

Look what happened to me: I had focused all my energy on the negative. Totally want to delete that first paragraph now. The beautiful friendships today, the encouraging words. The amazing new community projects our Church is starting. The lovely photos I took. Yep. I actually had a great day. I am blessed. Come on head stop forgetting the beauty and the wonderful moments! Come on heart, keep reminding me of the wonder!

I was reading the bible the other day (I read it most days… but this was before the weekend) And was astounded by the phases of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 3 onwards (NTL) This is my prayer today:

 ³ “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
⁴ God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
⁷ God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
⁹ God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

In March, I wrote a blog on being Blessed. I used the Message version of the Bible. I had forgotten this blog – oops! But re-reading my prayer is what I pray for you today.

With Love and hope for your day. Anna xox

Matthew 5: My thought for the day… (taken from http://annabakerbarnes.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/blessed/ ) 31st March 2011

³“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

- However I feel, if I’m happy/tired/exhausted or content, in every situation with less of me there is more of Him…..

⁴“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

-WOW.

⁵“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

-I was thinking about the spectrum of happy—content. How they are such similiar words, mean different things, evoke such strong reactions. I think I am a happy person, some friends who I knew from years ago saw me recently, yeah they’re a pretty sweet couple – he writes songs for… Justin Bieber... and they said they ‘liked my energy’ I guess that’s what happy means. Content, however is what it says in verse 5: blessed with just who I am. No more. No less. No more money, no less pounds (lb). No more. No Less. Of anything will change anything. Nothing at all. The moment I find myself: I feel as I write, create, dream, believe that I am finding myself. The journals full of writing. The back pages full of lists of things I want to do. None of which cost money. None of which I’ve completed – all of which I should. Most. Definitely do. As I approach my thirtieth birthday (9 months away!) I want to be getting things ticked off my to do in life list. I will be content!

⁶“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

-Amen

⁷“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

-Totally amazing principle. I care, keep on caring, the care ‘tank’ fills up and when I need care there’s care for me – by someone else blessing through care. LOVE IT. I want to develop this caring gift.

⁸“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

-Want to realign everything, I want my inside world – emotions, thoughts, feelings – to be right!

⁹“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

-Wisdom…!

¹⁰“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

-Ok so I would have left this one off. But being committed means persecution is likely? Dislike the phrase persecution, but I shouldn’t if it’s in the Bible. I want to be driven deeper into the Kingdom, but driven without a fight. Nope. That doesn’t work. I will be a blessing, I will stand up for Godly principles, I will raise my children in a Godly way! Persecution, therefore, does not have to be public humiliation, it can be a comment, a criticism, or even a question. That is how it works, a gentle but continuous pulling down of character …

Blog 100: Life after Death

At Church yesterday I observed the most beautiful, heartfelt, profound worship in another person I have yet seen in the face of death. Let me explain. A wonderful lady, mother, grandmother and friend died on 1-9-11 due to an embolism. She had been fighting cancer.  I knew her to chat to and have always seen her worshipping at the front of Church in the worship times. Sometimes holding her grand-daughter who is a similar age to Ben. And sometimes with her hands raised in abandonment to God. My husband told me that she had always said ‘the cancer will not kill me’. It didn’t.

The daughters and family were at Church on Sunday, and somehow I expected them to be well, ‘in mourning’. They were. But it was the most beautiful way of expressing their gratitude for their mother’s life. The way they worshipped and praised God, the way I saw their tears fall as they knelt before God. The way they did not let their emotion get in the way of worshipping God for His greatness in the midst of the passing of their mum. I learned so much by watching this precious family in a few minutes. Honestly, to begin with I didn’t realise who they were. Until I looked closely – I don’t usually watch people in worship, as it is such a personal thing. And I quite like to close my eyes in worship so I can forget about that which is around me and not have to concentrate on my surroundings, and possible distractions… As I looked I suddenly burst into tears. Silent tears. They knew their Mum was in heaven. This was the end of her life as a mortal body and the beginning of her life in heaven, with God, with Jesus, with Holy Spirit. Her body will be made whole – in a spirit kind of way! Her past hurts, fears, rejections will all be understood and moreover, will be healed as the Great Healer breathes life into her again. As she entered into Eternity, she will experience Heaven. She will actually live there in its physical place. She will worship. What ever she was good at on Earth she will now be most excellent at. She will live, fully and – forever.

Now I understand why the family were worshipping. I understand my hope of Heaven is very real. But it is easy. Too easy I think. To put your circumstance in the way of worshipping God. To put your emotion before worship. To choose to with hold worship from God. I have done it. But I watched a beautiful lesson yesterday and it enabled me to understand this verse in a new dimension, John 4:23-4 (Amplified Version):

A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers.    ²⁴God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality).

At the end of the worship, we began singing Phil Wickhams’ ‘Your Beautiful’: 

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful

When we arrive at eternitys shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

With a forever hopeful heart! A xox

What to do with a teething baby?

Fortunately Ben isn’t teething right now. And Beth has a full set of 4 year old teeth. But my friends on facebook, and my actual real friends (!) are having teething baby-itis! This means the screaming, the pink cheeks, excema, and some pretty nuclear nappies…. I am not a doctor. I read the back of the bottle of everything (twice) before I give it to my children. The lady at the chemist in the village always gives me fab advice. But you better double check before you follow my advice – it’s not medical by any means. OK?!

Now, sometimes you know it’s not a teething related thing. Like we did on Christmas day last year. At 3am Ben couldn’t stop crying. I mean screaming. Wow the memory is beginning to fade Anyways that was an ear infection…….. Fun times at the doctors at 5am on Christmas Day. But the antibiotics/calpol/ibobrufen all seemed to help! Thank you Doctor who worked that day!

Best products I have found for teething rather than anything else are:

The Ashton & Parsons powders: It is impossible to pour them directly into a child’s mouth. BUt i pour the onto a teaspoon and pop into their mouths. Not sure what medically they do but reading something that says “this will make your child less fretful” is always a welcomed relief!

Calpol or any similar paracetamol product. I love it…! Well, I love the results. It really works. And you can give it every so many hours – which if they are really bad you know you want to wait a while before bedtime so they can have a dose before bed!

Ibobrufen/baby nurofen or similar. Again, love them. It says you can give so much per day but I always give less than that. Again, I prefer to wait and give before bedtime. I always think if they can sleep at night then they will get better. Somehow there’s always something you can do with them in the day, but at night they really are unhappy!

Then there’s Bonjela/Calgel and Boots’ own brand gels for teething. These don’t ever seem to have worked (in my opinion) because I’m sure that they are so sweet that as soon as you put it on their gums their tongue licks it off….

My favourite of all is Anbesol Liquid. Not only do I love the retro design and the packaging. It actually WORKS. As in numbs their gums. Perfect! The best teething medicine – ever! And you can apply up to 8 times per day, even though I’ve never had to use that much. It’s a bit pricy £5 for a tiny vial. But it certainly worked when my children were babies, and toddlers. And when Beth bit her tongue when eating something recently it helped too! As it is anesthetic and antiseptic – a bit like Germolene for teething! You tip the vial up onto a washed finger tip and dab (once) onto their gum. And because it’s got no sugary taste I reckon it works it’s medical magic without being licked off!

So there we are what to do with a teething baby! I would have to go out after a little while with their crying…. It’s totally no fun, but look how I am writing in the past tense, Ben is only 20 months old and he only has 10 teeth so I know there’s 4 canines and a few more teeth before he is 2 but for now the screaming of teething is behind us! Going for a walk, car ride (if you can have some nice music in case of crying!) or a friends’ house all seem to take their minds off it. Remember though, if they are ill it’s ok to pop into the doctor. I was always  scared of upsetting my Doctor. In the end, and after Ben kept getting ear infections he was really stern and told me to go see a GP as soon as my son had any of those symptoms as they can treat it better than I can Oopps!

Have a happy day and if you have better tips comment below or email me. Love xox