My Playlist - Into The West

My Mixpod which is a selection of songs I have added to an Ipod on here can be managed by turning on, off or the volume up or down. Check here for more details

The sixth song is 'Into the West' from the third The Lord of the Rings movie, The Return of the King.

It is sung by Annie Lennox.

The song was conceived as a bittersweet Elvish
lament sung by Galadriel for those who have sailed across the Sundering Sea. Several phrases from the song are taken from the last chapter of The Return of the King.

In the commentaries and documentaries
accompanying the extended DVD edition of the movie, director Peter Jackson explains that the song was partially inspired by the premature death from cancer of young New Zealand filmmaker Cameron Duncan, whose work had impressed Jackson and his team. The first public performance of the song was at Duncan's funeral.

The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 76th Academy Awards, one of the movie's 11 Academy Awards. Lennox performed the song at the Academy Awards ceremony.
It also won a Grammy for best film song.

Into The West

Annie Lennox

Lay down,

your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.

Sleep now, and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across a distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see.
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you’re only sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

Into the West CD

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
All souls pass.

Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.

Don’t say,
We have come now to the end.
White shores are calling.
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here in my arms,
Just sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West.

The Beanie to Match

I knitted a cardigan and little shoes for my dear grand-daughter in purple that is here
 
When I gave it do her mum she asked if I could do a beanie to match. So being the Mumsey I am, I found the left over balls of wool and have just completed a matching beanie.

I had made up the colour design myself so had to go back to check the rows etc from my blog post.
I found a basic double knit hat pattern from a website I get emails from - FaveCrafts Quick and Crafty.
Its got lots of different patterns and instructions and they are all free.

So here is the finished beanie and I am now on to the next project. (The colours look lighter but it is just the camera flash.)

Grand-Daughters Hoodie

I have just finished a lovely pink jacket with a hood for my grand daughter.

I had made one for her brother when he was little and his mum (Sarah) wanted one for her darling.
I have finally finished it and sewn it all up.
My youngest choose the buttons and she thinks they are cool.
Anyway Sarah doesn't want her cherubs photos on the web (which is understandable) so I have used my "Rose" to model it.
"Cute" do you think?

Once again I used an old pattern - Hooded Coat and Leggings Shepherd # 759 - I had and some wool from my mothers that she passed on to me, so all it cost was the buttons!

Mumsey Has Returned

You didn't know she had been away did you?

Well I don't me - Mumsey....

I mean MUMSEY.
When we purchased my little car my hubby decided to get me a personalized number plate.
He was utterly pleased with himself when the one "MUMSEY" had not been taken already and 'snatched it up', so to speak.

However it wasn't quite so cute a while back.

A few weeks ago, on a wet afternoon, I had stopped in a parallel car park to pop out to the post box, to post a letter and parcel.
Just before I was to get out of the car and zoom around the front, so I would not get too wet while I ran my errand, the four wheel drive wagon in front of me just backed up two car parks and straight into the front of me.
The back spare wheel squashed my bonnet and the tow bar crunched into my bumper.
The guy got out straight away and apologised saying he didn't see me, then proceeded to say he didn't even look!!
He said he would pay for all the repairs and we exchanged names and numbers.

I posted my mail and sat in the car for a moment gathering my thoughts.
All I could think was that if I had been a couple of seconds quicker getting out of the car, I would have been between the two vehicles.

dent on the bonnet and the bumper above the "M"

 He was most concerned and rung home before I even got home to check I was all right.

We went to our insurance company and they arranged for the repairs and said I would have no penalties so would keep the 'no-claims bonus'.
MUMSEY went to the panel beaters and the paint shop. She was away for three days and I had a rather nice larger car to get around in for a few days.

Now MUMSEY is home and looking very nice actually.
Not only can you not see any of the damage but all the little stone chips from other vehicles driving in front of me have been fixed as well.
Very smart she is.

And I feel my own self in MUMSEY again.

Another Beanie

I have crocheted a few of theses beanies from a design I made myself. They have been for my daughters but now I am getting requests from people.

This one was for one of the teachers from the college my youngest daughter goes to.
She supplied the green wool and I made it.
It was actually a green acrylic by Knitwise pricewise which is available from The Warehouse in New Zealand.

I printed the pattern off from my first post of a crocheted beanie and discovered I had typed it wrong. There were parts missing and a couple of the rounds were wrong.

So I have since redone it and if you have copied the pattern off already to make your own, I am sorry, but it was wrong.
It is now correct and you should be able to make beanies to your hearts content.

My Playlist - Butterfly Kisses

Bob Carlisle

The fifth song on My Playlist is sung by Bob Carlisle.
He is best known for his hit song "Butterfly Kisses", which appeared on his third solo album' of the same name

The song was written for his daughter Brooke's 16th birthday.
There is also a book based on the chart-topping song by the same name, and is for every dad who knows the joy of raising a daughter, and for every little girl who has experienced the comfort of a father's unconditional love.

My eldest daughter gave her Dad the CD and we have the Little Golden Book Butterfly kisses which is a lovely story explaining butterfly kisses and that special relationship between a father and daughter.

Butterfly Kisses

Butterfly Kisses - The book

There's two things I know for sure
She was sent here from heaven, and she's Daddy's little girl.

As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes
And I thank God for all of the joy in my life, oh but most of all...

For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
Walk beside the pony Daddy, it's my first ride
I know the cake looks funny Daddy, but I sure tried
Oh with all that I've done wrong, I must of done something right
To deserve a hug every morning, and butterfly kisses at night.

Sweet sixteen today
She's looking like her Mama, a little more everyday.

One part woman, the other part girl
To perfume and makeup, from ribbons and curls.
Trying her wings out in a great big world, but I remember...

Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair.
You know how much I love you Daddy, but if you don't mind
I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time.
With all that I've done wrong, I must of done something right
To deserve her love every morning, and butterfly kisses at night.

All the precious time, oh, like the wind the years go by.
Precious butterfly, spread your wings and fly.

She'll change her name today, she'll make a promise, and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bridegroom just staring at her
She asks me what I'm thinking, and I said I'm not sure.
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl, and she leaned over...

Gave me butterfly kisses with her Mama there
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair.
Walk me down the aisle Daddy, it's just about time.
Does my wedding gown look pretty Daddy? Daddy, don't cry.
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must of done something right.

To deserve her love every morning, and butterfly kisses,
I couldn't ask God for more, than this is what love is.
I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember...
Every hug in the morning, and butterfly kisses.

Meringue Topped Fruit Pudding

This recipe is great for a quick easy desert but also for using up left over fruit or fruit that has become a bit old like apples. I also use feijoas when they are in abundance but it would be equally nice with peaches. There is no real amount for the fruit just decide how much you want and then cover with the meringue. I place the unprepared fruit in the bowl to see how much I will need and then prepare it.

4 apples (I actually use more)
Water and sugar to taste for cooking fruit.
1 egg white
½ cup sugar
1 ½ Tbsp boiling water
(Optional ½ cup coconut)

Preheat oven to the hottest it can go.
Prepare fruit by peeling coring and cutting up in to segments, about eighths.
Cook until tender either in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.
I cook them in the container I am going to make the pudding in, in the microwave by covering them with a piece of plastic wrap. I use about 2 tbsp of water and cook on high for five minutes.
You could also used tinned fruit like pears, peaches or apricots. You would just need to place them in the pudding dish with out having to precook them.

Beat the egg white in a clean bowl with the boiling water until soft peaks form and then slowing beat in the sugar until the mixture is glossy and very stiff.
Fold in the coconut if you are using.

Spread the meringue over the cooked fruit and place into the hot oven switching the oven off straight away.
Allow the pudding to stay in the cooling oven for about half an hour or longer.
As long as the top isn't burning it can stay in there even until the oven is cold .

In the Beginning God

Yesterdays sermons were both on Genesis 1:1-2

Genesis 1
The Beginning

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

We were reminded that the first words in the Bible are - In the beginning God.
That means God was, and will always be. He was hovering or as the Amplified Bible says He was also brooding over the surface.

Genesis 1

1IN THE beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth.

2The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.

At that time the earth was empty, void in chaos and darkness.
I thought if we ponder for a moment it is not hard to think that the earth is almost like that now. When we see people fighting against earth other, the earthquakes, floods, terrible weather and famine etc you can see the chaos and spiritual darkness.
Just like in the beginning God was there hovering over the crisis, the strife and the darkness, God’s Spirit is here now.

When we have issues in our life and we know these things happen from time to time, in what ever way it happens to us to send us into chaos, we need to know the God’s Spirit is hovering over us preparing for the next step. He is always at work.
God knows the big picture and will breath new life into us, so are we ready to hear what God is at work at.
If you read further into Genesis 1 you will see that “God said…” and things happened. When God speaks things happen.

Isaiah 55:10-11

10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

In the last part we were reminded 

Hebrews 11:1
By Faith

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

All scripture is from (New International Version) Unless stated

Lemon Sponge Puddings

As I have mentioned before we have hens.
We acquired three new ones (a mother and her two chicks) during winter and now the days are getting longer they have started to lay.
We get three eggs a day and although our old hen, ‘Goldie’ does not lay, she helps scratch over the garden and will let me feed her by hand.
I don’t have the heart to get rid of her as she has served us well in the past and is like an old friend.

I think I am going to have to start giving the eggs away as I can’t keep up with the supply.











Last week when I arrived at work there in the door way was another bag of lemons from my friend Tanya. Well actually her hubby dropped them off but you know what I mean.
So with the abundance of eggs as well, I was in the kitchen making, Lemon Honey, Sticky Lemon Slice, Crunchy Lemon Muffins, and this recipe for pudding.

It can be made in separate dishes to serve four or one larger dish.

Lemon Sponge Puddings

50 grams butter
Juice and farted rind of 2 lemons
2 eggs
¾ cup of sugar ( ½ and ¼ )
¼ cup flour
¾ cup milk

Grease well, 4 ramekins or a small baking dish.
Melt the butter.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites
Peel the lemon rind from the lemons with a potato peeler making sure you just get the skin and not the pith.
Juice the lemons.
Add the butter, lemon rind, lemon juice, egg yolks, the first ½ cup measure of sugar and the flour in a processor.
Process until the rind is finely chopped.
Add the milk and mix again.

(If you don't have a processor grate the lemon rind finely and then beat all the above ingredients together. )

Beat the egg whites in a clean separate bowl and when they are stiff beat in the ¼ cup measure of sugar.
Fold the lemon mixture into the egg whites and pour evenly in to the ramekins or the baking dish.
Stand the puddings in a roasting dish of hot water to come ¾ of the way up the sides of the dishes.
Bake in the oven at 180ºC for about 40 minutes.
Watch it carefully from about 30 minutes as it will burn quickly (as in this picture)
The top will be a light soufflé and the base a lemon sauce. However if you over cook this the lemon sauce will cook away or be more like a liquid.
Serve warm as the top will settle as it cools, with whipped cream if you like, but just as nice on its own.

Preserving Jars

I love to make jams and preserves but one of the little issues that goes with that is:
"What do you do with the glass jars when they are not fill and awaiting the new season of excess produce?" 

I have a cupboard in the kitchen that sort of backs into a corner so it is difficult to get things in and out of, but that is where the jars are kept.

The trouble is its not big enough and trying to stack empty jars is a delicate task. I was finding they would fall down or there was just not enough room.

My baking trays and tins are in the front part of the cupboard and they had to be pulled out and restacked when I was looking for jars.

I had thought of putting them in boxes under the house but then I would have to really clean them again so all the dirt and spiders etc were well and truly gone from them. I do clean them but its basically just a sort of refresh clean and then a sterilize.

At first I thought I would just have to find somewhere else to store them all but then I had a "light bulb moment".
I thought outside the square so to speak, and realised if I bought some plastic bins I could still use the same place but keep it tidy.

After measuring the cupboard, I bought three bins, one slightly different to the other two

I have stacked all the jars in one and the trays etc in the other two.











Now the bins just need to be pulled out and slid across to access anything.

So much easier and organised I am surprised it took me so long to think of it!!!

Crunchy Lemon Muffins

Two years ago our big lemon tree just seemed to die on us.
I really liked the convenience of just being able to go out and pick a lemon any time of the year.
Friends used to come around when someone had a cold to use some too.
I have planted a new tree but it is going to take a couple of years before it will fruit for us.
A lovely lady has been keeping me supplied in lemons, (thank you Tanya) which is just wonderful as I really like a lot of recipes with lemons in them.

One I always made was Crunchy Lemon Muffins

This is one of the easiest basic muffins you can make.
You could just about build any other kind of muffin from this.
It is taken from Alison Holst recipe book Marvelous Muffins.

Crunchy Lemon Muffins

2 cups of self-raising flour
¾ cup sugar
75 grs butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
Grated rind of 1 large or 2 small lemons

¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup sugar

Well grease a 12 muffin tray.
Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl and add the grated lemon rind.
Melt the butter until warm and add the milk.
Beat in the egg.
Fold liquids into the dry ingredients about 14 times until just mixed.
Some little bits of flour can still be seen.
Fill a 12 tin muffin tray and bake at 200ºC for 10 mins.
Mix the lemon juice and second measure of sugar but to not dissolve.
Spoon over all the muffins while they are still hot and in the tins.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and for the juice to soak in and then tip out.
If you leave it longer they will stick to the tins.
Use a knife carefully around the edges if the syrup hardens and they won’t tip out.

My play List - Only Time

The World Trade Centre

I, like many others, was extremely shocked by the 9/11 attacks to the World Trade Centre.
It seems a total invasion of who we are as people, God’s image.
With the ninth anniversary today I am reminded how much we were changed that day back in 2001.
I remember our three youngest coming into the bedroom to tell us World War three had begun. “Come and see,” they said, “It’s on the teley”.
And there it was for the world to see and we could do nothing to stop it.

This song is one I like too and I have added it to the ipod in two forms.

The first is with a video and pictures of the 9/11 attacks and fall of the Twin Towers and the second is just Enya singing.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, "Only Time" was used as a soundtrack in many radio and television reports about the attacks. Enya released a special edition of the song, and a maxi single was issued on 20 November 2001 featuring a pop mix, with proceeds donated to the families of victims.

Only Time

Twin Towers 9/11

Who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows, only time
And who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose, only time

(Chanting)

Who can say why your heart sighs
As your love flies, only time
And who can say why your heart cries
When your love lies, only time

(Chanting)

ho can say when the roads meet
That love might be in your heart
And who can say when the day sleeps
If the night keeps all your heart

Enya

Night keeps all your heart

(Chanting)

Who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose  
Only time
And who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows, only time
Who knows? Only time
Who knows? Only time

Last year I read a book  Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - Jonathon Safron Foer

September 11 in the novel's plot

This is one of the first American works of fiction to incorporate the attacks of September 11, 2001, as a pivotal theme in its plot. The use of reality is a crucial aspect that affects all elements of the novel. Another important theme stressed in the novel, which seems to correlate with Oskar's desire for more information about his father, is a key Oskar finds in an envelope that had been in a vase he accidentally knocked over. The key causes him to embark on a hunt for a solution to the great mystery of the key's provenance. In addition to the September 11 attacks and the mysterious key, other significant elements of the novel's plot and emotional themes include: answering machine recordings made by Oskar's father on September 11, the life stories of Oskar's grandparents who came from Dresden, the diverse history and population of New York City, and Oskar's hobby of writing letters to famous people, most notably [Stephen Hawking].
Oskar has heavy boots, as he calls feeling down, because he carries a secret he hasn't shared with anybody else. He was sent home from school soon after the attacks on 9/11 and was the first one home. There he found five messages from his father calling from one of the World Trade Towers on the answering machine, and he replaced the phone and kept the messages to himself. He likes to be in his father's closet because "it made my boots lighter to be around his things, and to touch stuff that he touched."

A part of the book just stuck with me and it was the comment that Oskar made in that his father was in all the dust particles in the air and that people had breathed it in and had it on their clothes.
Quiet insightful I thought of the author.

Below is video of the aftermath

Cemeteries

“Some mothers and daughters bond by baking or going shopping.
I bond with my mother by frolicking around in cemeteries taking pictures”
- Katrina

My daughter is doing photography for NCEA level two and her theme she has chosen is graves, angels and lollipops.
So over the last few months we have been visiting cemeteries around the country.
Last weekend we went to Wellington and went to the Karori Cemetery.

This is an amazing place and the first burials were in 1891. It is basically full now except for family plots and children’s graves.

Brief History
Karori Cemetery is New Zealand's second largest burial ground, covering nearly 40 hectares. It was the final resting place of about 80,000 people. Today, it is a wealth of Wellington history and a peaceful place to visit.

I did in fact find it peaceful and the sun was shining through the branches of trees creating a speckled carpet of colour.
We didn’t have nearly enough time to see it all and will go back next time we are in Wellington.
There was a feeling of sadness not just for the loss of lives but that some graves were just entitled “mother”. No name or date.
The other aspect was that most of the old graves are unkept and though it may look nice, the lichen and moss are creeping over the tombs and stones making it very hard to read.

A lot have been broken over the years and it appeared in some places that the local glue sniffers visit to get their “hit”.
But looking past all that there was something magnificent about the rows upon rows of history.
And the rows just seem to go on and on and on.

It made me realise that I don’t want to have my ashes spread out somewhere but that I want a place somewhere where there is a recording of my life here on this earth that future generations can discover.
This blog and paper records may all disappear but that cemetery was proof that it will last forever on earth.

Jam Muffins

Do you ever get jam you have sitting in the back of the cupboard going hard, or just a flavour someone has given you that you just don't like?
These muffins are great to use it up in.
And you are not having food go to waste.
I tend to use old jars of feijoa jam as I make a lot so I need to keep turning the jars over as the next seasons come in.

Jam Muffins

1 ½ cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ cup of oat bran
      (process rolled oats in the processor a little if you don't have oat bran)
½ cup sugar
½ to 1 cup of chopped walnuts

100gr butter
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 cup of jam

Mix the first five ingredients together in a bowl.
Melt the butter and add the milk and egg and beat with a fork to mix the egg well.
Add the jam and mix well and allow a couple of minutes for the jam to ‘break up’ and/or soften.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold in until just mixed.
Pile into a well greased 12 medium muffin tin tray.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 200ºC until just golden.

These are really lovely served warm.

My Playlist - May It Be

My Mixpod which is a selection of songs I have added to an Ipod on here can be managed by turning on, off or the volume up or down. Check here for more details

The second song is:

Enya

May It Be

This song is sung by Enya

I really enjoy listening to the Celtic sound of
her beautiful voice.

In 2001, Enya recorded "May It Be", which was featured in the first instalment of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Fellowship of the Ring, and was her second consecutive single to
enter the German charts at number one.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Of course the Lord of the Rings trilogy are films we in
New Zealand seem to claim as our own,
but then seeing them, who wouldn't?

May It Be - Lyrics

May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way

Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

A promise lives within you now

Fathers Day

We were blessed this year to be in Wellington with my father and Harry had all our children and granchildren with him for Fathers Day.
In the busyness of the day at my brothers, I was able to catch a moment where both the fathers in my life were sharing a yarn about vehicles as men do. I am blessed that my hubby and his father-in-law have a great relationship, which is shadowed by the fact that Harry's father passed away 12 years ago.

My Dad (right) is wearing his possum wool hat we gave him

Each was giving advice and experience wqith a few humourous stories as well. I was reminded of Gods word.
The love of our fathers is so important and they need to pass on to their children and their children's children that love, so the next generation will grow as best they are able.
Too often the fathers are absent in families. In the past it was because of war but now it seems to be the lack of commitment among other things.
Our children are our future decision makers, educationers, family builders and child raisers.
Continue to love your fathers and be a support to shaping our futures.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Jeremiah 18:1-6

At the Potter's House

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : 2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

All scripture is from (New International Version)

You Just Need to Know "God Knows"

You never do know the big picture.
Yesterday morning I prayed the Jabez Prayer. I haven’t in a long time and wasn’t sure why I felt the urge to do so.

The Jabez Prayer is taken from a piece of scripture from the Bible.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson
This is a book I have read a couple of times and been so inspired by it I wonder why I don't pray the prayer everyday.

I have made my own version of the prayer by using words from lots of different Bible translations and in doing so, have created and know off by heart this prayer:

Oh that you would wonderfully bless me Lord

By giving me much land, 

widening my coast and territory 

and helping me in my work.

May you hand be upon me 

in all that I do 

so that I will be kept safe 

from harm, disaster or anything evil,

and it would not cause grief.

What a busy day I had with my normal work to do and administering a big funeral, the second in less than a week. People today especially, were thanking me and saying what a good job I did.
It was like the “wonderfully bless me Lord” and doing so in the “much land, 

widening my coast and territory"

I hope it was my witness in God that people saw as I try to lighten the load for others in grief.

Later in the afternoon I went into town to pick up Katrina from rehearsals at college.
On the way I wanted to post some mail.
I parked the car, after pulling into the last park, behind a 4WD vehicle.
Little did I know he hadn’t finish parking and as I was just going to leave the car running, run around the front and post the mail in the post box, then back in the car to meet Katrina.
It would have taken less than a minute.
Before I even got out of the car the 4WD quickly reversed right back into me.

The bonnet and part to the bumper are dented.
But on the way home (after exchanging contacts etc) I was struggling with why this had happened to me and then I realised if I had got out of the car a few seconds earlier I would have been between the two vehicles and been crushed .
But I remembered God knew and I had prayed that His "hand be upon me in all that I do"
I had asked him in the morning and He answered then... I was "kept safe from harm"
It did not matter as to why it happened just that God knew.

The Greater Picture :

Are you all right ? I might have missed a piece

(Sorry this is a bit small.)
...and you question God -'why me?'..
always look at the bigger picture....

A day without the Lord- Is a day wasted.


All scripture is form the (New International Version)

Coconut Loaf

This is such a quick easy recipe to make. It does take an hour to cook and you can't cut it until it is cold (So why did I say it was quick?) It is something you can quickly make and have cooking after using the oven perhaps and you need to take a plate somewhere the next day.

1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups coconut
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together well.
Turn into a greased and lined loaf tin (about 29 cm x 10 cm).
Bake 180ºC for 1 hour approx.
Cool completely before slicing.
This is not a good keeper so best made if it will be consumed within three days.