Nature Lover and Hats off to Tom: A picnic in my garden

As New Year's Day comes along, why not go on a picnic for the day?

I decided to set up a picnic in my own garden which is so beautiful at the moment.

Tom is the gardener and he has set out our garden so beautifully that there is absolutely no reason to go anywhere else to relax and enjoy lunch outside.

Pack your picnic basket with your basic needs and avoid going inside at all!

Choose a spot and get down to relaxing and enjoying the day.

 Sit on a blanket on the lawn or on a bench overlooking the garden. 

Relax in the middle of a secluded spot, enjoying a mug of coffee and reading some magazines before enjoying the picnic lunch.

Sit under the gazebo, looking onto the pond and watching the birds eating treats on the lawn close by.

Invite some friends and serve salads from labeled bottles-once you are done you can just pop them back into the fridge and they are far easier to transport whether you are having your picnic at home or in park somewhere.

Include a home baked corn bread... the recipe appears on an earlier entry. It takes less than 20 minutes in total to make, and is worth the effort.

                                    Everything laid out, ready to enjoy at your leisure!

Now just enjoy the last of the holidays, invite some friends around and if you don't have a beautiful garden     then go to a nearby park, the stream or a designated picnic spot!

Hats off to Christmas: Christmas gifts from my kitchen

Christmas gifts  from my kitchen

This year I decided to make Christmas gifts in my kitchen.

Basil was grown in my garden.

Celery, basil and thyme from my herb garden.

I collected as many bottles as I could, cut some Christmas fabric to put on top of some of the bottles, made my own labels out of recycled brown paper from the inside of wrapping paper rolls and used string or elastic bands to tie the labels on with.

Not only did I recycle, but at the same time I enjoyed cooking up something special.

It’s a bit late for you to make these for this Christmas, but perhaps you could make 2014 a year where you make all the gifts you give.

Happy Christmas!

God's Child and Hats off to... Riverside Community group: Outreach to Old Age Home

Outreach to an Old Age Home

Sara took the lead and organised a visit and treat for folks  residing in two Old Age homes in the South. The residents were transported to a facility where we could visit them, share a message, serve them tea, sing along with them, spoil them with some gifts and pray with them. The oldest resident was well into her nineties but informed us that she is only thirty-seven, “That’s how long I have been born again.”  She was full of life and had a wonderful sense of humour.

A group of us from Riverside Community went along on a Saturday morning and shared with these folk. Some of them have not been out for years and have no one to love them or take any interest in them. They were very touched by our visit. The great part was that our group ranged in age from early teens to late sixties and each one added something special to the joy that was shared.

Cory shared a message on “Attitude and gratitude”, which was a most fitting one for one and all, even our group. We can turn a sandwich into a feast and whatever small thing we have into a treasure, depending on our attitude. Our attitudes shape our lives and with Jesus in our lives we can make it through the toughest times.

Adam and Nate’s sing along was greatly appreciated. They sang some well known oldies as well as Christmas Carols and all joined in when they knew the songs. Music draws people together and brings back fond memories.

We asked ladies at the church to make blankets and others to fill boxes with gifts for the old folk.  Everyone was given the name of the recipient, plus their ages and clothing sizes. Plenty of treats filled the boxes: necessary toiletries, books, slippers, sweets, biscuits etc. We have such generous people at Riverside who filled the boxes with really thoughtful gifts. The gifts were wrapped in the blankets. All these old folk live on the state pensions so even basic necessities are out of their reach.

Tea was made and served and the old folk loved the special treatment, savouring all the yummy eats contributed by our group.

As each person’s name was called out a group member took them the gift and prayed with them. This was really such a special time where the old folk shared their needs and had special, personalised prayers said for them.

It is our desire to go back and visit these folk and bond with them in 2014. Once again I repeat the words of Jesus. “It is more blessed to give than to receive”, and here I experienced that truth.

God's Child: My Christmas message- 2013

My Christmas message

I was asked to set up the Nativity scene at our church Christmas Carols evening  and decided to carry through the same message as I portrayed at out Honour’s events at school.

It’s perhaps very different to Nativity scenes you have seen before. You will see the crown of thorns in the background. Jesus started His life in a manger, but ended up on the cross.

Jesus cannot be left in the manger, unless we accept Him into our lives and let Him change us, then we have missed the point of His life. We need to grow as He grew.

By accepting that He is my Saviour, I need to walk with Jesus, read His Word and follow His teachings as best as is humanly possible. Throughout His life on earth Jesus displayed the Fruit of the Spirit as recorded in Galatians 5 :22 and 23

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self control

1111

1111

Jesus was sent to live amongst us and live a life like ours. He suffered all we do and more! The difference was the way in which He responded to what life put in His path.

If we are His children, it is our responsibility to share His message of hope, grace and forgiveness with the world. The life of a Christ follower is not a bed of roses, we were never promised that, but eternal life with Jesus is a promise. We were also promised, “ I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” During the tough times we have a partner walking with us! He will never reject you, persecute you or let you down.

This Christmas I urge you to invite Jesus into your life and walk the road He walked, walking with Him, making a difference in the lives of others and sharing the love of Jesus with them.

May Jesus bless and be with you through all your trials and give you His peace.