Christmas 2011

We had an incredible Christmas this year!  My family - Aaron, Mum, Otto and Tamara - were able to come to our place to celebrate Christmas and have some family time together.  It was extra special to see them altogether in our home. :-)  

We celebrated Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, after the German tradition, followed by a few carols and exchanging gifts.  I thoroughly enjoyed hosting my family and preparing special food and decorations for the occasion!

After four nights at our place, we all headed south to Torquay for a bit of a holiday...!

 Otto, Mum, Aaron, and myself looking out over the horizon at the surf beach at Breamlea.

 

Ulf and I at Breamlea.  The sun was warm, but the water was freezing cold and the wind was quite chilly as well!

 

Mum and I at Erskine Falls, near Lohne.  Mum the birdwatcher very much enjoyed the birdlife at the place we stayed in Torquay.

 

The Jetty at Point Lonsdale - a great place to swim if you don't like the waves and the wind.

 

Ulf and Mum checking out the water temperature before going in for a swim.

Ulf on the Jetty at Point Lonsdale.

 

 

On the Jetty...

 

Tamara, myself, and Mum sharing the sunset at Torquay beach.

 

All of us together!  We had some really good times together, and of course we had some challenges as well!  At Torquay we took turns making dinner and helping in the kitchen and by the end of our time together, I think we really enjoyed doing this together and for each other.  It's those little things about caring for each other that I'll remember fondly.

Merry Christmas / Frohe Weihnachten!

On being loved and loving others

     "You will soon find that your security in God's love and your awareness of his unlimited patience with you will redefine the other relationships in your life.

     "Instead of demanding that others conform to what you think is right, you will find yourself letting others have their own journey.  By no longer manipulating them to what you think is best, you can allow them the same freedom God gives you.  You will let them choose their own course based on nothing but the clarity of truth as they understand it and the willingness of their conscience.  It is the task of the Holy Spirit, not you, to convict.

     "Instead of despising people who are broken by sin, you will be touched by the depth of bondage that holds them captive.  You will also see better how the Father responds to them and then know how you can as well.  Sometimes that means you'll stand back and let the consequences of sin take their course as the father did with his prodigal son.  At other times it means you'll jump into the mess with them and help them find God's way out.

     "Instead of saying what you think people want to hear, you'll look for ways to be gently honest with them."  (From 'He Loves Me,' by Wayne Jacobsen, 2007, Windblown Media.)

When I reflect on my own life and interactions with others, at first I feel that I am not 'gently honest' with others, but rather brutaly honest!  But I think it only feels brutal because our culture is so bogged down in telling people what they want to hear in order that they will like us and be our friend.  It's really against the grain. 

This cultural phenomenon is something that I'm against and try not to adhere to, so most of the time I find myself saying nothing at all and waiting for the opening/the opportunity to say something - ie., wait for the person to ask me what I think.  Any attempt to share my input before this is futile, which I have done so many times before! 

The more I experience of my Father's patience and gentleness with me, the more patience I have with others.

[Top: A snail left this message for us on our path one morning :-); above: one of the many butterflies dancing around at the moment, this one rested in our apple tree.]