Photos of my family

Well today I thought I would use my new-found ability to publish photos and publish a few of them! To start with, here are some photos of the members of my family.

 Caleb. 

 Danella (the next in our family after me)

Lydia about to perform her fairy ballet

 Zion, the lhasa-apso and beagle cross dog we looked after for several years. Not very intelligent, but very cute!

 Me and my unique way of multi-tasking. Stretching for ballet and reading a book at the same time.

 Sophie. She is next in line after Danella.

 Sunset. So pretty!

 Lydia and the pussy cat that thinks it owns us!

 Having fun in the swimming pool.

 And a photo of most of us. Left to right... Danella, me (with a friend of Lydia's on my lap), Lydia, Caleb, Sophie, Jonathan and Ben. Sorry, I couldn't really find a better one with all of us in there!

 Here's all of us. Bottom row (left to right): Abigail, Dad, Mum with Jacob, Caleb and Johnny. Top row: Danella, Ben, Sophie, Lydia and me.

May the Lord bless you in all that you do.

Bonnie

Entering caption contest....

I'm entering the caption contest with Pearl of Great Price. You can enter as well if you like, by clicking here.

So... here we go!

I don't care what people say, Christmas for me is all year round!!!

Flowers, fruit and Jacob

Yay!!! I figured out how to put photos on here!!!

You probably think I am pretty thick. After all, it's not that difficult once you know how to do it! You just click the little icon on the top of a page and click Upload!

Awkward...

You just might find me putting a lot of photos on here now. But first of all and before I do that, I just wanted to paste here a passage that I love. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I love a lot of verses.) This particular one comes from Acts. 

Acts 2:17-21

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord comes:

And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

 On this notable day of my first photos on my blog, let me share a couple of my favourite flower photos. I am very partial to flower photos! This one is probably my favourite one of all time!

 This is looking out our window at the roses planted by the wall. Taken by my sister Danella.

 Pinecones, walnuts and a big flower. What could be better?

        And the last one of flowers or fruit (for now, anyway) apples hanging ripe on our tree. I love fresh fruit! (Yes I know this is an old photo. Who cares?)

 This is my cute little brother Jacob. You can even call him Jay-bird if you like. He's so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had better go now. May the Lord bless you in all that you do.

Blessings, Bonnie

Don't be a worrier!

Well, on this momentous occasion, (it's my 15th post!) I've decided to undertake a post about worrying. (When done overly much, it can turn into quite a bad thing.) Here's a cool poem we had on our pantry door for years.

Worry? Why Worry? Pray? Why Pray?
"Worry? Why worry? What can worry do?
It never keeps a trouble from overtaking you.
It gives you indigestion and sleepless hours at night
And fills with gloom the days, however fair and bright.

It puts a frown upon your face, and sharpness in the tone.
We're unfit to live with others and unfit to live alone; 
Worry? Why worry? What can worry do?
It never keeps a trouble from over taking you!

Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?
Praying really changes things, arranges life anew.
It's good for your digestion, gives you peaceful sleep at night
And fills the grayest, gloomiest day with rays of glowing light.

It puts a smile upon your face, the love note in your tone,
Makes you fit to live with others, and fit to live alone.
Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?
It brings God down from Heaven, to live and work with you!"
Anon


So what are the effects of worrying on our bodies? (the following is from a website but I can't remember the name of it or the address!!)

Are you an excessive worrier? Perhaps you subconsciously think that if you "worry enough," you can prevent bad things from happening. But the fact is worrying can affect the body in ways that may surprise you. When worrying becomes excessive, it can lead to feelings of high anxiety and even cause you to be physically ill.


What Happens With Excessive Worrying?

Worrying is feeling uneasy or being overly concerned about a situation or problem. With excessive worrying, your mind and body go into overdrive as you constantly focus on "what might happen."
In the midst of excessive worrying, you may suffer with high anxiety -- even panic -- during waking hours. Many chronic worriers tell of feeling a sense of impending doom or unrealistic fears that only increase their worries. Ultra-sensitive to their environment and to the criticism of others, excessive worriers may see anything -- and anyone -- as a potential threat.
Chronic worrying affects your daily life so much that it interferes with your appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance.
Worrying can be helpful when it spurs you to take action and solve a problem. But if you’re preoccupied with “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, worry becomes a problem. Unrelenting doubts and fears can be paralyzing. They can sap your emotional energy, send your anxiety levels soaring, and interfere with your daily life. But chronic worrying is a mental habit that can be broken. You can train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more positive perspective.

So, since we now know what worrying is and why we don't want to do it overly much, how do we stop worrying if it becomes a habit? The following excellent advice was sourced from the website http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-to-stop-worrying-7-tips-for-christians/ 

When we feel that things are out of our control we tend to worry but how do you stop worrying?  Most of the awful things we imagine will happen never do. We can be thankful for that.
We should understand that worrying never helps a situation get better. Worrying sends a message to ourselves and those around us that we are helpless and have no where to turn. However, as a Christian, we believe that God has everything in His control. If He really does, and we really believe that, then we have nothing to worry about. We only need to trust that God will take care of everything according to His plan.
Here are 7 tips from the Bible to help us stop worrying.

Pray To Stop Worrying

Philippians 4:6, 7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

These wonderful verses tell us to not be filled with care or worry, but to trust God in prayer. Stop worrying by taking your requests to Him. There is nothing wrong with having concern over matters and sharing that with God and with others so that you can pray.
Often in prayer you will hear people asking God for peace in a situation. Why do we need peace? Because without the hope we have in God we would be filled with worry. Paul tells us in these verses we can trade our worry for peace through prayer.

Be Thankful

In the above verses to the Philippians, Paul says that another aspect of getting rid of worry is to be thankful. Be thankful for the things you have. Don’t dwell on those things you cannot control.
Paul indicates that there is nothing wrong with taking your questions and concerns to God. But we should not go to Him out of anger and demand that He work everything out the way we want. We should humbly go to Him in prayer, with a thankful heart, and ask Him to give us that peace that will open our minds to understand and accept His plan.

Think on Good Things

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Just after Paul’s comments about worry he says that we should think on good, godly things. When we focus on positive and wholesome events, memories, plans, etc., then it is hard to be worried about everything else.

Holy Spirit Can Bring Peace

John 14:26, 27 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
In John 14 Jesus is explaining to the disciples where He is going and that He will return. In the meantime the Holy Spirit of God will come and indwell the believers. This was something new to the people of Jesus’ day. They did not have the Holy Spirit living within them like we do as believers today.
One of the names of the Holy Spirit that Jesus often used was Comforter. As a comforter the Holy Spirit can help take your cares and ease them. That doesn’t mean we never have concern for things, but we don’t worry like we would if we didn’t trust that God was in charge. The Holy Spirit is our companion to remind us that God has control.

Trust God’s Strength

Psalm 27:1-3 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Life was a lot less scary (and worrisome) when we were kids and we had parents who were bigger and stronger than us. When we had problems we could go to them and they would say that they would take care of it. We have a God that wants to do that for us today. Will you take your concerns to Him and rely on His strength? He is waiting to take that burden from you.

Worry is Not From God

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Fear that we have is not from God. Understand that the basis of your worry ultimately comes back to the fact that you are not trusting God. God wants us to stop worrying and not to be afraid.

Remember that God Cares For You

1 Peter 5:6, 7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
God cares for you and me. He wants to take our problems and resolve them. Isn’t it frustrating for us as parents to see our children struggling with a problem, but they won’t listen to us on how to solve it? They come to us and tell us things are wrong, yet when we offer a solution they take the problem back and try to solve it on their own. It makes us hurt for their sakes. What are we doing to God when we worry? When we tell Him we want His help, but then we take the problem back and try to shoulder it ourselves?
I have a friend that says she gets worried when she has nothing to worry about. I know she is joking when she says that, but the truth is we often do the same thing. Worry and anxiety becomes a habit. In some way it gives us comfort, yet it is not healthy and it shows a lack of faith.
When you are tempted to worry or stress remind yourself that worry is a lack of faith in God. When you can trust that God has a perfect plan, then you will be able to stop worrying.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”


May the Lord help you to stop worrying and start being thankful, and may he bless you and all who you know in all that you do. Have a great day!
Bonnie

Stacking firewood. What fun!

As the name of this post suggests, we have been stacking firewood this afternoon! Our family has a wood burning fireplace... and yup! You guessed it! Wood burning fireplaces burn wood!

You probably knew that last part already. :P

So that means every year we need to lay in a supply of firewood for the winter. We got two trailer loads of willow and bluegum this morning, and started stacking this afternoon. What fun, working in the hot, hot sun! (hey, that rhymes...)

This morning my two sisters and I went to piano lessons. And at the moment Abbie, Danella and I are working towards doing the grade 5 theory exam with the Royal Schools of Music.

I am also currently working towards the grade 4 practical (that means the actual piano playing) exam, which I hope to take this year if all goes according to plan. Danella has been playing for several years longer than me, and is working towards taking the grade 6 exam.

I think I will leave this short post with one of my very favourite verses from the Bible,

Psalm 16:11

You will show me that path that leads to life, in your presence is fullness of joy.


May the Lord bless and prosper you in all that you do!

Bonnie 
(I'm experimenting with typos of my name here- let's see. Bonnke, Bonnoe, Bonie, Binnie, Bang, Crash, Kaboom!!!) [Just kidding with the last three there. I wanted to see if you were reading this properly!]

Next virtue: Patience

Before we get stuck in on patience, let me just say that this blog has now had 207 views! That's quite an achievement!


Patience & Tips On How to Develop It

Patience is the ability to tolerate waiting, delay, or frustration without becoming agitated or upset. It's the ability to be able to control your emotions or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficulties. It comes from the Latin word pati which means to suffer, to endure, to bear.

Needless to say, patience does not come easily to most of us and it's probably harder now to be patient than historically it has ever been.

In today's world of 'instant everything', technological advancements and readily available credit have allowed us to obtain, experience, and consume practically anything we want - almost immediately.

Do we even need to be patient anymore?

Well, if we want to reach our goals, have successful relationships and achieve personal peace, the answer is a resounding yes!

Anything worthwhile and of importance cannot take place right away. It takes time, dedication and effort to achieve; so even in this day and age, patience is a virtue.

The Benefits of Developing Patience

Reduces stress levels and makes you a happier, healthier person.

When you learn and practice patience you don't get as angry, stressed or overwhelmed. You are more in control of your emotions and in a better position to deal with difficult situations with ease and poise. 

This promotes longevity and makes you a happier, healthier person.

Results in better decision-making.

When you're patient you take the time to assess the situation, see the big picture, and weigh any pros and cons. The chances of making a big mistake lessen because you avoid making it in haste. Taking the time toproblem solve requires patience and deliberation.

Helps develop understanding, empathy and compassion.

You are automatically more understanding and compassionate with others when you yourself are patient. Patient people take the time to process what they go through and are able to determine what it takes to overcome obstacles so they are more understanding of others. This results in better, more fulfilling relationships with spouses, friends, children and bosses.

Helps you understand and appreciate the process of growth.

As mentioned earlier anything worthwhile takes time and effort to achieve. As the old saying goes "Rome wasn't built in a day." Planning, growth, evaluation and measurement all take time, and taking time takes patience.

Tips on How to Develop Patience

• Take a day where you make patience your goal for the entire day.
• Make a concerted effort to take your time and think about everything you do, be mindful and live in the moment. At the end of the day, observe all the ways in which you've made smarter decisions, got along better with others and actually understood what took place. Learn to do it on a daily basis. Developing patience is much like physical exercise because it requires persistence and effort.
• Slow down.
• If you have the tendency to rush around and try to hurry things up, want things done immediately and can't wait for things to take their natural course, STOP. Take several deep breaths before you act or make a move. For example, if you're in a long lineup at the grocery store or in heavy traffic, make the decision to pause and not get worked up. Do some isometrics, listen to the radio, or just enjoy the view. Getting impatient won't make things move along any faster, so why get worked up for nothing?
• Practice delaying gratification.When you want to reach for that dessert, second drink, or buying your tenth pair of red shoes, stop and think about it first. Maybe you don't need or want any of them that badly after all. You can save yourself some money or added calories.
• Practice thinking before you speak.At times we blurt out the first thought that comes into our heads without considering the consequences. If we're patient, pause and go over what we want to say, we can avoid hurting or offending others.

Sourced from the website http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/patience.html 

Until tomorrow, keep safe, be patient and may God bless you wherever you go!

I love Saturdays! :-)

I love Saturdays. What about you?
Recently I asked several of the people in my family why they like Saturdays. Here are several answers I got:

"Ummm... Don't know. I just do."

"Shush. I'm trying to read a book in peace / practice the piano / cook lunch / weed the garden / exercise my horses / type on the computer... and you're not helping, so please go away!"

That didn't help.

So then I thought, well, why do I like Saturdays? I like them because you can wear jeans and just go at your own pace, Daddy is home not at work so the whole family is together, there's not usually any pressing things that need to be done so you can just 'relax' (if that is possible in a hectic household), play with the younger children and enjoy being together.

I know this sounds funny, but I also like Saturday lunchtimes! Because Dad is not at work, we often have soup, mousetraps, potato or zucchini fritters or homemade pizza or something like that. Usually during the week we just have either sandwiches or corn-on-the-cob!

Which there is nothing wrong with, but Saturday lunches are usually special. :-)

What makes your Saturday special or not-so-special? Come to think of it, is Saturday even your favourite day of the week? Tell us why or why not! Looking forward to hearing from you!

JOY- what it is and how to be it

I thought that I would alternate doing 'everyday' posts with posts about various fruits of the spirit and character qualities. So you will remember my post on perseverance, and it is with much anticipation I bring to you... drumroll.... JOY!

Joy is an essential spiritual practice growing out of faith, grace, gratitude, hope, and love. It is the pure and simple delight in being alive. Joy is our elated response to feelings of happiness, experiences of pleasure, and awareness of abundance. It is also the deep satisfaction we know when we are able to serve others and be glad for their good fortune.
Invite joy into your life by staging celebrations. Host festivities to mark transitions and changes in your life. Toast moments of happiness you notice as you go through your day. Dance — jump for joy — as often as possible. Life is not meant to be endured; it is to be enjoyed.

Want more joy in your day? Cultivate it! Joy springs from viewing the day’s events from eternity’s perspective. With this intentional focus, you’re sure to see today differently—with more joy and conviction that God is at work in your life.

1. Rehearse with God the reasons you trust Him. Tell Him which of His attributes is your favorite right now. Read the praises of Scripture back to Him—begin with Psalm 103. Join with another believer in prayers of thanksgiving, and delight yourself in His character.

2. Keep a “joy journal.” Record the reasons you have to rejoice and the reminders of God’s faithfulness that you encounter in your everyday life. In addition, why not press a leaf from your prayer walks into its pages or include a photo of a person that brings you joy each time you remember him or her? Think big—expand your journal into a “joy box” or a “joy drawer” that brings floods of joy each time you open it.

3. Surround yourself with joyful people. Joy is contagious—so build relationships with friends whose lives exhibit their confidence in God. Pray for each other that your joy in Christ would continue to increase.

4. Approach life’s challenges and trials redemptively. God doesn’t waste the difficult circumstances of your life but uses them to develop His character in you. Review Romans 5 and James 1 for help in processing pressure productively. Joy will sneak up on you when you view your hardest lessons as gifts from God.

5. Make praise and gratitude a habit. Has God met a need? Praise Him! Have your challenges given you greater opportunities to see Him work? Thank Him! Joy flows from a grateful and responsive heart. Before you turn in at night, write down three to five blessings in your “joy journal.” Make it a habit, and watch your joyful attitude grow.

6. Fill your mind with music. Listen to, sing, and meditate on music that draws your heart nearer to God and His Word.

7. Take the long view. Investors advise their clients not to worry about the daily ups and downs of the stock market—what matters is the long view. Does life present incredible challenges today? Are your reserves at a low, or are you enjoying a content plateau? Regardless of today’s events, take the long view. Remember that God remains in charge of your days and will faithfully develop His character in you.

Remember, joy springs from viewing the day’s events from eternity’s perspective. Trust that God controls your life’s details (Romans 8:28), that He hears your every request (Psalm 116:1), and that His joy will be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

-Resourced from the websites http://www.insight.org/library/articles/christian-living/cultivate-joy.html?t=Worship and another one, but I forgot to take note of the address! So at the moment there's but one link, sorry!

Our ballet show

We have been at ballet all day (well, 10:30 am -3 pm)! Talk about exhausting. 

We have been preparing for our annual ballet school's show, which is to be held sometime in May. We started preparing for it in August last year, and are now working at it full time. Our school is performing most of Act 1 from the famous ballet Don Quixote, as well as chunks from Act 2. And on top of that is the usual dances and solo performances you get from a normal ballet school! It's to be a big affair.

If you want to get a taste for the ballet, here is a short clip you can watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NNfjU2cLkI

Danella, Sophie and I started ballet last year. We are by far the worst in the class, but are a lot better than we used to be! We learnt a dance with our sister Abbie (who has since had to stop ballet because of a knee problem which has to have surgery) and performed it for an examiner. Our teacher only expected us to get a bronze medal since we have been doing a lot shorter time than all the other girls in our class, but we surprised everyone and won ourselves a silver medal each! As you can expect, we were all over the moon!

I don't know if you have looked at the page My Family, but that is the page to go to if you want to read a little bit more about each member of our family. You will get a wee insight into their hobbies and interests, and there is a couple of funny anecdotes that happened last year. (Particularly about Mum... what more can I say?)

Perseverance

The 1828 edition of Webster’s American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines perseverance as:

1. Persistence in any thing undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business or enterprise begun; applied alike to good or evil.

• Perseverance keeps honor bright.
• Patience and perseverance overcome the greatest difficulties.

2. In theology, continuance in a state of grace to a state of glory; sometimes called final perseverance.

Although the word perseverance is in the Bible, it usually uses various other words and analogies to explain the concept of perseverance. Some synonyms for perseverance are: diligence, endurance, persistence, steadfastness, waiting and sometimes even patience. Take a look at these twenty defining Bible verses about perseverance.

Hopeful Perseverance

Psalms 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Colossians 1:11-12 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:11-15 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.   For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

Perseverance Serving and Spreading the Word

Matthew 10:16-22 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved… “

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Ephesians 6:16-19 (KJV) In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Perseverance Through Testing and Trials

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Perseverance Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  

We Find the Strength

Focusing on the Prize; eternal life with Jesus, we can persevere. We do this by the power of the Holy Spirit which is given to all believers. When we take our eyes off of the prize, we fall. Isn’t it great to know that God will never leave nor forsake us? He is a loving Heavenly Father, so loving that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus to pay our sin debt. Do you know the Savior?  You can learn about Him here: Meet My Savior

-Sourced from the website  http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/ 

Changes of Seasons, verses and Schoolwork

What is your favourite season? Mine would have to be either spring or summer. Yup- both the 'S's!
If you want to tell the rest of us yours, you can vote using the poll at the bottom of this page.

Because I don't have much to say, (we've been visiting some friends for most of the day) I'm going to type here several passages from the Bible that are some of my particular favourites. (Please excuse improper paragraphing!)

Acts 2: 17-21

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit: and they shall prophesy:
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.



Hebrews 12: 1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning it's shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


Oh, one last thing to say, we started schoolwork today after our family's summer holidays.
*halfhearted attempt at a ghost of a smile* Looking forward to it...

Fresh corn

Don't you just love fresh corn on the cob? We ate it today for lunch. I must say, my Mum is a massive fan of it. We eat  it when it's in season, like, all the time! I am gradually getting more and more fond of it. We all used to groan terribly whenever it came out, but now we are so used to it we just eat it- and like it!

This morning we went to a funeral. Friends of ours just lost their father to cancer. It is so sobering to realize that life is so short, and we must do what we can in the time that we have to glorify God and tell others about his marvellous deeds.

I will close this short post with two signs we have on our bathroom door:

"I will only pass through this world once, therefore whatever kind thing I can do, let me do it, for I will not pass this way again."

"Lord, whether I get anything else done today, help me to spend this day loving you and loving others."

May your life be full and happy as you serve the Lord and the others around you!
Bonnie

Sunday the 20th of January

I titled this post Sunday the 20th of January simply because I couldn't be bothered thinking up a fancier name!

Yup, I'm tired. After the kids left camp, the leaders stayed up till one o'clock talking, eating and watching movies. My sister and I went to bed at 11, but for us that was still pretty late! We usually go to bed at around 8-9 o'clock most nights. So couple that little lot with a week of being a leader at a kids camp, a late night at the start of the week.... and guess what you get???? Exhaustion!

And I can't wait to go on camp next time. Yup, I'm strange.

Oh dear. I can't think of what else I was going to say.... Aha! I remembered.

That's right. This afternoon we watched the Sherwood Pictures movie Courageous. I have never seen it before, so it was a bit of an experience. I have seen two of their movies, Flywheel and Facing the Giants before. They are all really good! I do think, though, that probably one of the best ones is Facing the Giants. I don't know why, but that just appeals to me!

If you've ever seen any of them you'll probably wonder why on earth that is my favourite. Don't look at me like that!

*holds up hands in mock shock, then stops kidding and gets on with the blog post*

Random fact of the day: For dessert (I'm writing this after dinner) we had two chocolates each. I love chocolate. In fact, I LOVE chocolate!

I think I'll leave you with that..... But for now, have a great evening and hopefully I'll catch you tomorrow.

Einnob

Camp and bottled apricots

Well, I'm back from camp now. :-)

I was a leader at a kid's camp. It was absolutely AWESOME!!!!!

While I was at camp, my sisters bottled and dried lots of apricots and plums. There are now heaps and heaps of jars of apricots sitting on our bench. I think that one of the best ways to brighten up your house is to put jars of bottled fruit on your bench! It just looks amazing.

Okay, well... that was random!

Never mind.

You're going to be free from me for a few short hours. *wipes sweaty hands across brow*
Just kidding.

No I'm not.

Yes I am.

Huh???? Who argues with themselves?? What am I doing?????? *cringes*

I better go before I totally confuse myself!

Farewell.

Einnob

No posts for a week

Adios, mon amigos. (Lousy spanish, huh?)

There will be no more posts for a week because I'm going on camp :-) until at least Thursday, possibly Friday as well. I hope you don't mind a lot, because you don't get to choose!!!!

Before I leave you, here are 3 random facts about me I doubt you know:

# One of my favourite musicians is Stuart Townend. I love his CDs!
# My name backwards is Einnob. I think that sounds so cool! Don't you?
# If I could choose, I would rather be able to fly than be able to be invisible. I have always wanted to fly!

Talking about flying, I must fly!

Einnob (Read fact number two)

Crocheting and Camomile Tea

Today one of our cousins came over to our house and taught us to crochet. I know- you say, "WHAT? She can't even crochet!" Your're right.
I couldn't.
Until now.

And what's up with the title? Oh- I just wanted to catch your interest. :P

Oh oh oh! That reminds me! I wanted to show you some of my favourite computer smilies. Here we go.

:P tongue poking out     :D wide grin       :) smile     :( frown    B) sunglasses dude     :B bugs bunny          @@ rolling eyes           :S not sure what to make of it            :L weird face

So there you go. All of them! What do you think??? My favourites have to be the guy rolling his eyes, and the sunglasses dude. @@

Bonnie

Recently I have been...

Recently I have been.......

Erm... Can't remember.

Just kidding.

What a way to start a post! (cringes)

This morning I added several stories to my blog on a  new page. Yup- a new blog- new changes! If you want to go to my other website that I share with my sister, you will have to go here. We run a club called The Writing Club. We have 45 members from all over the world (although most are from New Zealand).

Sorry about all these short posts! Bear with me. I'm still finding my way around here.

Well. This is my first official post on my blog!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Bonnie. (Had you guessed?)

I am the second eldest in a family of nine children, all of us homeschooled.

I enjoy lots of things - some of them being cooking, sewing, singing, dance (ballet), animals (especially cute ones), running around, being active, reading books, climbing trees, eating icecream... etc.
But the main thing I love to do is worship and glorify God! He is the reason we are alive, the reason we were created. To glorify Him and to enjoy Him forever!

I dislike asparagus and tinned tuna. Yuck!