The moments in-between

My keys have been found. Another teacher saw her keys disappearing into the same black hole that mine obviously went into because when she fished hers out, mine came too. A hole for cords in a desk in the print room, that disappeared into a false panel under the desk has now been plugged by a container of paper clips so noone else has to suffer.
So much about life seems to be about lurching from one trial to the next. This month my bible study pals and I are looking again at Job who would have to be the ultimate perseverer - which my dictionary tells me is not a word - but you know what I mean. I love the little gems in Job, between the questions. I also love the moments in between trials where there is a bountiful "all's well with the world feeling"!  - even when they can seem to be few and far between.

Job 1:21

New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
    and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
    and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”  

What I've got is not really mine anyway - just on loan from God and if he needs it back he can take it.We are all so busy building our little kingdoms on this earth that we forget the bigger picture of eternity. No wonder God likes to send prickly circumstances that send us back to himself so he can remind us of why we are here ... and of where we are going. "Is my gloom, after all, shade of his hand outstretched caressingly?"

Job 14:1-14

New Living Translation (NLT)

14 “How frail is humanity!
    How short is life, how full of trouble!
² We blossom like a flower and then wither.
    Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.

How true this is. Some days more than others, I feel frail. I generally don't mind this thought - it makes me feel one with God's creation.
And my personal favourite:

Job 19:25-27

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁵ “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and he will stand upon the earth at last.
²⁶ And after my body has decayed,
    yet in my body I will see God!^[a]
27 I will see him for myself.
    Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
    I am overwhelmed at the thought!

I love the glimpses of God that he lets me see in the day to day ordinariness - in my students or in my husband and children or garden. But I'm looking forward to the day I see him face to face. That's going to be a good day!

Random happening or ordained experience?

 I have to say I am more of a believer that things happen for a reason, so when the unthinkable happened this week and I lost my work keys, I had to ask God why and what he was hoping to achieve in me by not revealing the keys. I’ve learned some new things. The people who I thought were most likely to snap and have my guts for garters were merciful. I did not have to work at defending myself, which is the thing I think God wanted to show me. I usually am so afraid of what “men” think of me that I will work tirelessly to justify my position. This time, I made a huge effort to rest in God and trust him in working out the problem. I still asked my friends and family for prayer; I still got a huge stress knot in my belly; I still searched repeatedly in the stupidest of places.  

My mind is no longer the steel trap it once was. I can no longer be 100% sure of what I remember. And I am a tiny step closer to the full trust God wants from us. Oh for the day when I don’t have to guard things carefully with a mind that is full of leaky holes like a colander. Maybe things do happen randomly, but I reckon that God then jumps on the event and says, “Here’s a lesson for Gracie-Lou.”

 And I still don’t know where the keys are!

Here's a little friend who visited my garden - what a cheeky little beauty.

Perfect Saturday

Nowhere to go; no marking to be done; weather - rainy and cool; books, tea, and last night’s recorded Escape to the Country. This is heaven on earth!

I’ve just finished reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I have to say that this is NOT what I would normally choose to read, but the power of the teenage readers around me has got me on board. Firstly, I do not like fantasy or futuristic or post-apocalyptic books. I can’t help but think that the whole idea of the “games” is nonsensical. I like my books to be about the past or now, with believable happenings.

The whole time I’m reading, engrossed by the desire to know who wins – I am constantly returning to the thought that for a tribute to win, someone must die. It’s all feeling a little like what I experienced when I watched Titanic – engrossed by the costumes and characters and plot, and then it hits me again - I know what the end has to be – and it’s not happy.

For a book written for young people, it is engaging and well written. Katniss is no prissy 16 year old, and has colour and depth of character. Will I read the other books in the series? Probably not – I’ve been told that the others aren’t as well written, and I have too many others waiting in the wings. Also this one left a bad taste – I didn’t enjoy the whole concept – too violent; too much suggestion of power in big brother’s hands. Post-apocalyptic books always seem devoid of a moral compass and to be centred on the break-down of society: God is nowhere to be found – no-one is even looking for Him. The characters always seem to have no hope. I’m glad I’ll be teaching Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, not this book, when our Visions of the Future unit begins.

Chrysanthemums are bursting out!

Another ANZAC Day

Great ANZAC day ceremony run by the students at school yesterday. We were reminded that it is not about war but remembering those who served their country. My brilliant Year 9s had mixed feelings: some believe we should never go to war in another country.  Others were adamant that if we don't go overseas to help then we are as guilty as the criminals causing problems. No matter what prompted our men to serve in the past, they believed they were doing the honourable thing and I am happy to honour them. Lest we forget.

Dahlias and dogs

Well they say that by ANZAC day the dahlias will be done and they are! I culled the plants but it's exciting to see plenty of the corms underground ready for later this year when summer comes around again.These ones were a gift a few years ago, form Gail and Neville's garden - and they are the gift that keeps on giving - and giving - as they multiply throughout the front garden. And the chrysanthemums are bursting out of their buds - feel free to come and pick a bunch - I have enough for one or 2 hundred bunches.

I have read through The Hound of Heaven again by Frances Thompson. I remember the first time I read it, discovering this little blue and black volume of poems by my mother's bed while I was doing the dusting, aged about 13 or 14. Amazed I was then, and still amazed now at the way a poem that is over 120 years old so aptly captures my God and I. I do indeed flee from him on a regular basis, but he is the one who "followed, followed after" and I acknowledge His love:

All which thy child’s mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:	175
Rise, clasp My hand, and come!’
Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
‘Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,	180
I am He Whom thou seekest!

Speaking of dogs, I have begun a self-improvement plan of walking the dogs for exercise; mind you I am typing about it while the dogs sit at my feet waiting - I've laced on my shoes and they sit expectantly at my feet. Always distracted by the lure of words over exercise!
I finished a book last night which was read for sheer entertainment - Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich; highbrow stuff it aint! Couple together a female bounty hunter with little people, horses which are telepathic, and a good looking man and you get the idea. Tonight I will begin something a bit more worthy.

Books can be flowers - and sometimes they are weeds.

I meant for the title to be Flowers and Books but I don't know how to change the title of my blog from Flowers so that will have to be that.

The book I have just finished reading may be the most inspiring yet.: Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, an amazing book that I highly recommend (read it Mim) as it addresses the dire situation of many women around the world and yet is not depressing but inspirational about changes that are empowering women. Much still to be done....

Next book for book club is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I'll also be plowing through Macbeth again with my Year 12s and The Count of Monte Cristo recommended by my lovely Mother-in-law. Also hoping to get through a couple more books of the Bible with 66 Love Letters, my other book group's book.

Buds

This is some of last year's bounty but the buds are getting ready to bloom for antoher year from Dad's old chrysanthemum plants. Can't wait.