THINKING ABOUT LIVING WATER ON SATURDAY MORNING 9.34AM

Hello my lovelies

I've been sitting here doing my Bible Study for Monday.  One of the questions was to do with 'living water.'  

Here's the verse to do with the question.  It's from John 7: 37-38.

"On the final climatic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand.  He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says..."

Well, I had to put my pen down and have a think.  What could he mean 'rivers of living water'?  Think Connie, think, I said to myself.  I took my pen and started writing different words to bring more meaning to the verse.  Rivers, flowing, full of life, thirst quenching, life giving, cleansing...

After giving this some thought, I looked at my notes and was amazed to read that when Jesus stood up and said these words, it was the eighth day of a festival called The Feast of the Tabernacles.  On that day, the people prayed for God to send the first rains of the new season.  

Imagine that!  And Jesus standing up and saying to everyone, "Come to Me and you will never thirst".

Amazing!  So, every time you have a drink of water, remember what Jesus said on the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Love Nanxxx

TUESDAY MORNING 9.59AM

Hello my lovelies

We've been getting fabulous photographs through from Umbria.  What a wonderful place to be.  We also looked at the video.  I think you weren't long up and Daddy was making breakfast... 

 I can't believe it!  I had typed reems and reams and it's all disappeared except the first three sentences:(

Your weather looks so warm compared to here where it is very cool but sunny.  There are little signs of Spring though in the garden.  The snowdrops are popping up their wee heads, the jasmine is flowering and the magnolia in the corner of the front garden is in flower.  We also have some daffodils budding.

Wee Spotty Boy seems to be going well.  He occasionally limps to remind us he does have a sore leg, but on the whole, he is a lot better.  We give him painkillers in his dinner each day which I think helps.  Last night he was gazing longingly at the couch and obviously didn't feel he could jump up.  "Have you given Spot his medication?" I asked Papa.  I had been out when the dogs were fed and Papa had forgotten.  He jumped up, drew some of the medicine into a syringe and squirted it down his throat.  He wasn't impressed.

Molly Dolly is going well too although she needs a bath every other day.  I think it has something to do with her fur.  Spotty Boy wanders around with his beautiful, silky mane with not a leaf or burr to be seen, unlike his little sister Molly who walks around like a forest in the Autumn :)

Girls!  I have been looking very closely at your dresses.  They are beautiful.  Is your stripey one now your favourite Liliane?  Has the spotty one been thrown to the back of the cupboard?  There is a lovely Japanese lady who has written a book about tidying and folding clothes.  One of the things she says that when you are finished with a piece of clothing and you are about to throw it out or pass it on, you must look at it and thank it for the service it has given you.  Perhaps you could keep this in mind when you are ready to send it on to new pastures Liliane.

Freya!  One of the photographs I just loved was the one with you in your long white dress standing on a balcony like Juliette or perhaps a Roman goddess.  You looked gurgus gerl!

Yesterday, my Bible Study started up again after its three week winter break.  We are now studying the Holy Spirit.  Simone Clarke the minister's wife takes the study and she is just wonderful;  very gentle and very kind.

Here she is with her husband Andrew.  At the Bible Study she was telling us that Andrew has been studying Astrophysics.  How it came up was that at the beginning of the study, we were looking at the first verses in the Bible in Genesis and where God was and what he was doing when the world was created.  While we were discussing the seemingly contradictory views of God's creation, I mentioned the great mathematician, scientist and Christian John Lennox.  Simone mentioned that Andrew read quite a bit of John Lennox's work and then went on to talk about Andrew's studies.

And...for your viewing pleasure.  I can't remember where I saw this photograph.  It was on one of my blogs.  I've just remembered.  It's from posy gets cosy.  You've got a while to go yet, but perhaps you can start thinking about how you are going to decorate and organise your bedrooms when you get back to Australia.

Love Nanxxxx

COLD WEATHER, ZERUBBABEL, SPOT AND A BUS TRIP

Hello my lovelies

It's freezing here today.  I think it's around seven degrees but is supposed to reach around the nineteen degree mark sometime today before plunging again late afternoon.

Yesterday was my Bible Study up at the church where Simone, the minister's wife leads a weekly study.  I think I've already mentioned that we have been studying the books of Haggai and Zechariah this term.  We're just about finished them - two more weeks to go and then it's the end of term and something new to start studying next term.

It was quite a small group yesterday which was lovely as often when the group is small, folk aren't so shy about speaking out and sharing what they think or feel about particular passages we are studying and how these passages apply to our daily lives.

One of the people who features quite strongly in Zechariah is a fellow called Zerubbabel.  It looks as though names beginning with 'Z' were quite popular around that time!  Anyway, one of the encouragements  I received from the study was that we all face challenges in the life and work God has called us to do.  These may be major obstacles or doubt over our abilities.  God's encouragement to Zerubbabel also applies to us:  'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord.  God simply asks us to be faithful in whatever he calls us to do, big or small.  I think this is amazing.  It's not our own strength, our own abilities, our own knowledge, but by his Spirit.  We ask him to help us through our days and we trust Him to give us His power and His Spirit to do this.

Papa has gone off with wee Spotty to the vet.  While we were watching television last night I noticed he had a very sore foot.  He's obviously licked all the fur off over the past few days without us noticing.  While he's at the vet, Papa has also arranged for his fur to be trimmed near his bottom.  He has a gorgeous little skirt but it's not the best for toilet issues.

Here's an old photograph of Spot and Molly and wee Dougie peeping out behind Molly.

I'm just finishing off my breakfast and then I'm going to head into the bedroom to pack my wee suitcase for a bus trip down to Brisbane.  The dogs will not be happy.  The two of them plonk themselves on to the bed and watch with trepidation as each item is put into the suitcase.  Papa usually bundles them into the car when he drops me off at the bus station so they have a wee trip out to compensate.

Well must away and get myself organised.

Love Nanxxxx

DRISSLY, COLD, HAGGAI, KING CYRUS AND SETTING THE TABLE

Hello my lovelies

It's been a quiet day so far.

Woke to a fairly miserable, grey damp day.

It has cleared up a bit now but is still pretty cold.  I've got the lot on - Ugg boots, three layers including the blue fleece and leggings.  Poor Papa said he wasn't well this morning but when I suggested he go and put on a warm vest he instantly felt better.  Having said that, he hasn't been the best following a flu injection he had last week.

We've had lunch and he's headed off to the U3A for his guitar lesson.

I've just been pottering today.  Did a wash which is beginning to dry thank goodness.  There were quite a few delicates that couldn't be put in the dryer.  I won't need to hang them all around the house now.

I'm going to make dinner tonight and I've decided to make the Marks and Spencers' stew that I used to make for my children when they were young.  When I was down at Auntie Emma's, we had that stew for dinner.  Auntie Emma thinks it's a stew that can't be beaten.  And it's SO easy.  I've already peeled the potatoes for mashed potatoes and have done the carrots too.  In about an hour, I'll go and get the stew put together and into the oven.

Tomorrow I think it's quilting.  As you know, Kerrie K has been in Europe.  I'm pretty sure she's back now but I'll double check before going.

Kerrie J's also back (I think) after her visit to the Outer Hebrides.  It will be lovely to catch up with them both and hear what they got up to while they were away.  And, it will be lovely to catch up with the other ladies as well as quilting has been on hold for the few weeks Kerrie K's been away.

Yesterday Bev and I went up to the church for the Bible Study.  There were only a few ladies there yesterday as quite a few were unable to make it.  We are studying two books of the Bible, Zechariah and Haggai.  I don't know much about these two books of the Bible but I'm learning.  Haggai was a prophet who spoke to the Jewish people when they returned to live in Israel after being captured by the Babylonians.  One of their most important jobs to complete when they settled back in Israel was to rebuild the temple which had been raised to the ground by the Babylonians.  They started it and then got a bit discouraged for about 18 years and that's when Haggai, with his prophesies encouraged them to start again.

The reason the Jewish people managed to get back to Israel in the first place was that there was a good king called Cyrus who defeated the Babylonians and even though he wasn't Jewish himself, he helped the Jewish people to return to their homeland.  He also gave them a lot of help in rebuilding the Temple too.

Today though we hear God speaking to us through his Holy Spirit who lives in us.  We can hear him like a still, small voice that speaks to us and lets us know what is pleasing to God.  And when we fail sometimes, which we all do, He helps us to remember God forgives us and will give us strength to start again - just like the people in Haggai's time.

I popped into one of my blogs earlier today and just love this one.  This lady likes to collect plates and serviettes.  In THIS  little interview she shares some of her tips regarding setting the table.

Bye for now!

Love Nanxxx

HOLLY, CAMPING,BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT AND INFLUENCE

Hi Freya

Continuing on the theme of the Grandparent Project...

HOLLY

When Papa was about eleven or twelve, he noticed that the holly trees near where he lived had really good berries.  This was quite unusual.  Most years, the berries made a pretty poor showing but this particular year was a good one.

As Papa and his friend Gordon gazed at the berries on the holly trees they had an idea and the idea they had, entailed making some money.  They decided to cut the holly, make it into lovely bunches and go up to the homes at Tannoch Loch and sell the holly.

The homes up at Tannoch Loch were where the posh people lived so Gordon and Papa felt they would have a good chance of getting plenty of people willing to buy their bunches of holly.

All went well to begin with.  They were going great guns selling their holly at two shillings a bunch, which, back in the early sixties was quite a lot of money.

 Then Gordon's older brother Ronald heard about the success Papa and Gordon were making with their wee business, especially as it was near Christmas and everyone was very happy to buy holly and put it around their house.

Ronald and his friend who were a few years older than Gordon and Papa more or less took the business from them and decided to cut the holly and sell it themselves. However when they made their way up to the Tannoch Loch houses, who do you think was waiting for them?  Yes!  It was the Police!  Before Ronald and his friend could say "Holly for sale!", they were dragged off to the police station along with their lovely bags of holly.

Apparently one of the residents of Tannoch Loch had reported Papa and Gordon which I think, was a pretty poor show considering it was Christmas and all and poor Ronald and his friend were the culprits who were arrested. Perhaps it was their comeuppance for taking the business from Papa and Gordon.  After Ronald and his friend were told off for selling without a license and sent home, they sadly made their way to the front door of the Police Station to head for home.  As they were leaving, they turned around and looked back to see the policemen gaily placing holly all around the Police Station.

CAMPING

When Papa and Gordon were quite young, they decided to climb the Campsie Fells and camp out for the night.  This was quite an adventurous decision for two little boys but apparently Papa's mother was quite all right about Papa's proposed camping trip.  I'm not sure about Gordon's mother but she must have been fine with the plan too.

So, off went Gordon and Papa carrying all their camping gear in their school bags and their mothers' shopping bags.  They had a tin of baked beans, a tin of ambrosia creamed rice, some tea, one pot to cook everything in and a blanket each.  They had also borrowed a tent from someone (with no groundsheet) to sleep in through the night.

The hike up to the Campsie Fells took two to three hours and at the top glen near the Falls of Balagan, they pitched their tent and got a fire going.  They were very thankful for the fire, especially the smoke from the fire as Papa said the midges were just dreadful.  After eating their baked beans, washing out the pot and then making some tea, they gathered some bracken to put inside their tent for sleeping on.  While they were doing all this, they noticed a herd of cows in the distance but didn't give them too much thought.

Once they had finished eating and had everything organised in the tent, they settled down for the night.

Some time very early in the morning when it was still dark, all the cows came down from the hill above and were crashing all around the tent.  Papa and Gordon quickly jumped out of their tents and dragged lots of branches to place around the tent to help protect themselves.  Finally when they felt themselves a bit safer, they crawled back into the tent and hid themselves from the marauding beasts.

Finally it was morning and they crawled out of their tents early and lit the fire.  Papa pulled out his Ambrosia creamed rice and began heating it in his little pot over the fire.  The smell of the creamy rice made Gordon feel sick so Papa scoffed the lot.  After packing up and dowsing the fire, the two boys started to head for home.   On the way home when they were crossing the moors, they decided to make another fire when suddenly they were surrounded by about fifty soldiers.  The soldiers were from a Highland Regiment of the Army Reserve and couldn't believe that these two little boys had climbed the Campsie Fells and had camped out overnight.  Finally Papa and Gordon said goodbye to the soldiers and as they headed off, the soldiers gave them some chocolate to eat on their way home.

BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

I asked Papa what his biggest accomplishment was and he said there are two:
1.  Marrying me.
2.  And having a wonderful family which includes nine grandchildren.

When Papa and I were younger we had two dear friends called Margaret and Roy.  Uncle Roy used to always say that our Heavenly Father and our relationships with others is all that is really important. "All else" he said, "is stubble and hay."

INFLUENCE IN BECOMING A BUILDER

Papa said that as far as he can remember all he ever wanted to do was to be a carpenter.  Even as a very young child, he would wander around his mum's home with a wee toolbox asking what he could repair.  Also whenever he passed workshops, of which there were a few in the village, he would go in and ask if they had any scraps he could have.  He would take these home and make things like shelves for his mum.

Papa said that becoming a prize-winning Builder of architecturally designed homes has only been a bonus in his initial desire and achievement in becoming a carpenter.

IT RAINED!

Hello my darlings

Yesterday, we were very excited because it rained!  Yes it rained!  I can't remember the last time it rained.  We had around 29 mls which will really help everything to green up a bit and help the trees in the garden.  They have been under a lot of stress with the extreme hot weather conditions, many of them dropping their leaves in order to conserve their energy.

I can't tell you how wonderful it was listening to the thunder and the rain on the roof and see it pouring down the street.  Today of course was the big mop-up which wasn't too difficult, especially as the temperature had dropped quite considerably.

So, it was up with all the windows, open all the doors, get out the blower and then the bucket with hot soapy water to wash the verandahs.

Also today, our new table and chairs for the back deck were due to be delivered and delivered they were -  just before lunch.  It was quite a job taking off all the wrapping on everything.  I was exhausted by the end of taking off the wrapping from one chair.  But together with Papa we managed to get all the wrapping off the chairs and table, then the legs on to the table.  Here's a photograph not long after the delivery.

At this stage I had taken off most of the wrapping from two of the chairs.  Papa was dashing around the garden with his mower so that he could put all the clippings in the bin before the bin-man arrived. Once he had completed the mowing, he came up on to the verandah to help me with the rest of the unpacking.

We finished off the unpacking by 12.30pm at which time, I had to leave for my Bible Study up at the church.  By the time I arrived back home, everything was unpacked and Papa had prepared a lovely late lunch.  We are very pleased with our new table and chairs although there are a couple of dents in the table.  Papa telephoned the store where we had bought them and they said they would organize a new table.  By the time we had finished our lunch, we decided we could live with the couple of dents and Papa telephoned the man back again and said not to worry about getting us another table.

While Papa was at the library

and before the table and chairs were delivered, I had a lovely time doing all my household chores, especially as the weather was much cooler.

I had planned to do some more sewing on my 'field' for my Hebridean quilt but haven't managed to get to it.  Hopefully I will do a bit more tomorrow.

My new 'field' is supposed to represent a field that has been harvested.  I am on to my third go and I think this one will be a goer.  My first two attempts just didn't work out.  Every time I tried to do a new 'strip' it wouldn't sit straight or wasn't big enough.  I was nearly tearing my hair out yesterday with it. I had drawn an image of what I wanted to do and it just wasn't working.  In the end, I cut up the image I had drawn and am slowly doing one field strip at a time.   With the first couple attempts, I used beige, gold and dark brown colours, but on this third attempt, because I'm so tired of the whole thing, I moved to different colours with the main colour green and am really pleased.

This afternoon, I had Bible Study up at the church.  The minister's wife Simone takes the study and she is so lovely.  We are doing a study on the book of John.  One of the main verses we looked at today was when Jesus said to his disciples "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No-one comes to the Father but through me!"  What an amazing thing for anyone to say of themselves.  The ladies in the group are just lovely.  We start the study with a cup of coffee or tea and some cake - of course!

Well my dears I must away.

Hope you have had a lovely day today at school.

Love Nannyxxxxx

HAMLET, QUILTING AND HANGING PICTURES

Hello my darlings!

Well I'm coming to the end of a lovely day. 

I decided not to walk this morning and instead had a lovely lie-in and browsed through my IPad while Papa took Molly for a walk.

Finally put my feet on the floor and got the day going.  Papa had his first U3A this morning.  They are doing some Shakespeare.  This term the group are studying Hamlet.  Not the cheeriest of plays but Papa seemed to enjoy it.  One of the tutors he had in a previous class - Greek plays was there.  This man is not only a lecturer on Greek plays but also acts and produces them.  Today in class Papa said that this man took the part of Hamlet and was fantastic.  I can just imagine all those oldies in the class reading Shakespeare, some perhaps for the first time, and then someone with this man's experience comes in and just blows them away.  I'm not sure though, how the man himself copes with the others!

Kerrie Jessop one of my quilting ladies picked me up for quilting at Kerrie Klan's.  It was the first for the year at KK's and we all had a lovely time greeting each other with "Happy New Year!"  We all had a lovely day, nattering away and catching up with the happenings over the Christmas break in our respective families.

I remembered to take my camera!

Here's Robyn having some of the delicious slice Kerrie J made.

Quilt top of a beautiful quilt that Val made over the holiday period.  That's Val holding the end up.  This quilt is just gorgeous.  It is all made in strips and, as you can see has a 'circle thing' happening.  Not sure how she has put it together.  I love the way she has graded the shades from light to dark.

Here's a close up.  Val doesn't hand-quilt her quilts.  She sends them off to be quilted so we should see this one soon all completed.

After quilting, Carol Parkinson dropped me home and came in for a cuppa.  Carol has three grand-daughters - no grandsons.  Her daughter Catherine's two girls are Maddie and Lexi.  Maddie is about two and Lexi is just a few months old.

Carol's son Andrew and his wife Kath have not long had a wee girl called Sophie, so we all ood and aad at all Carol's photographs today.

I've started putting up pictures.  Do you like this one here?  I jut love it.

I've put this cross stitch in the bathroom.

This one in the hall and can you see the one I've put in the guest room?

As you can see we are still tripping over pictures :)

Here's a picture of the two couches which we moved into the kitchen area.  No pictures up yet, so looking a bit bare still.

Well must away and get my beauty sleep.  We'll be up early tomorrow as we're off down to Brisbane - back on Friday.  Papa painted a couple of side tables for Emma's bedroom and we'll take them down together with her plants which we've been looking after over the school holidays.

xxxxNannyxxxx