I’m boring (?)

Is it just me or does anyone else get excited to go shopping for groceries?! I love buying my little bits and bobs and looking to see what other people are purchasing… I think it shows you a lot about people actually. I bought nice cleaning product stuff, cherry blossom & cotton bud shampoo (which smells divine!) and french bread and some olive oil butter spread stuff yesterday. Got home and deep cleaned the bathroom! Looks spic and span man!

It’s funny how happy I am to do such normal things that most people wouldn’t think twice about. I guess God just gave me joy in the small things which ain’t so bad really. Sometimes I sound boring but ah well eh? Noticing beautiful blooming roses and being amazed at the colors in the sky aren’t things that are boring. Maybe more people should notice these type of things and then they would be just that bit happier and thankful for the beautiful planet we live in. So many people are too busy to notice the small things but I believe they can sometimes make existence all the more worthwhile!

Ello ello.

Bad blogger, bad, bad, bad. I know I’m so inconsistent with this thing but ah well, so is life. Oh goodness me the weather has been incredible of late, sunny days, the trees are turning a crisp green. People seem to be generally upbeat, although that could possibly be because its the weekend. What a funny day I’ve had today.

I’m learning a lot recently, but in the most surprising of ways. Boy, does God like to surprise me. Not all of which these so called things have been easy. Work is demanding and so is the heart and people and time.

I’ve been missing California lately, missing home and family… the beach, Jamba Juice, my cat, being able to drive on big roads and belt out my favorite tunes, I miss being a teenager and not having responsibilities. But Londons been a good home – an exciting and interesting home!

Its late and I haven’t even had dinner. Hmm. What to make is a good question!

A wintry surprise!

It snowed this morning people, it was all kinds of glorious and quite the surprise at 6:30 am this morning. (below is a bit of proof, and check out that sleepy face!)

Although because of this snow my train to work was cancelled, so not only did I have to walk 25 minutes in the snow to the Wimbledon centre – I also was late for work. Now most mornings I walk into to town anyway (its cheaper and you get some exercise!) but being that it was snowing, and walking in snow is tricky business, I opted for train transport. And yeah, it was quite an entertaining and careful walk into town… not to mention beautiful! I love the way snow makes things look, so Narnia-esque.

Saying bye bye to our cute little abode, look at our newly potted daffodils out front, even they got a bit of snow! And that window above the flowers is my room by the way.

just a bit of our street in this first shot (it was rubbish day) and the second is part of my walk.

It’s funny how a lovely little thing like snow can really excite a person’s day. But in all fairness snow is a bit novel to me being California grown myself. I had sooo many layers on today it was insane but atleast I kept warm and it definitely helps having a portable heater under my desk at work. Oh and yes, work, it’s going fab. Really liking it, feel very blessed as a matter of fact. Can’t wait til the 31st, by then hopefully my bank account will be looking somewhat healthier. So anyway, making a long day short… here’s to the snow and the month of January. Yay.

 

 

Back in the habit.

 

well, my friends I am back to the UK at long last.

I got a job.

life is making sense again…

my heart still hurts though for a number of reasons. (miss family on both sides a lot a lot alot. guys are silly like always and i’m silly for get caught up in them.)

I really miss my dad… again. his love and his eccentric tendencies.

I feel closer to God in many ways but also still bewildered at the future.

my guitar is finally fixed. yes.

I turn 22 on Wednesday, and its also my 1st day on the job.

2 Corinthians 12:9  – this is my hope.

 

 

 

 

Accomplished.

Managed to get to California in one piece… check!

Had a wonderful time with family and friends whilst there…. check!

Survived a sleepless 12 hour flight to New Zealand with da… check!

Got visa for UK…. check!!!

Had a lovely, fun, dancy, memorable, not to mention tipsy Christmas with kiwi fam… check!

Now, counting down the days back to wintry England (can you believe it!?) the weather has definitely behaved for us with beautiful warm days.

Got to make the most of the time left in NZ, praying that God would bless our final days with the family!

Beginnings.

A new chapter of my life is beginning tomorrow.

I’m going home for a short while, after that I’m going to New Zealand to finally sort out my life. (hehe, more figuratively than literal) There are no guarantees that everything will happen the way I would like. But only the hope that I am in God’s hands and I’m okay because of that. I’m safe. Things will happen the way He wants and I’ve got to trust that.

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will

When You call, I won’t delay
This my song through all my days

All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord forevermore.

– None but Jesus, Hillsongs

I’ve gone through quite a lot of trials but I’m won’t succumb to them, I will overcome them. It’s because of faith I know this very well.

It’s time to clear my head, and get a new lease on stuff. I’m gonna home and get “washed”, go to the beach, see family, make memories, have fun, be a goof with my dad, cuddle my moody cat, make the best of my time. In a lot of ways, this is a blessing to do this… but its taken a lot to get to this point. Life is finally making sense and its rocking my world! See you UK, I’ll be back soon. Hello California.

Uhhh.

I am utterly stuffed up. My sinuses hurt, my nose is raw and my lips chapped. I hate colds.

This is the result of taking care of small, snotty children all week. The past week has been memorable, I guess thats the best way to put it. I’ve been taking care of two different families of recent… the newest has a baby, toddler and little kid. Was fun, but when trying to put toddler to sleep, he went absolutely crazy and turned into screaming wildchild. He was so worked up, he was bright red and coughing. Poor little babe, I tried consoling him but nothing was working so I just put him in the crib and let him be. Oh and the other night… wow. Children who repeatedly don’t listen, talk back, yell at you… oooh… hard stuff. Luckily I can’t and won’t tolerate this so I always win. But it took about hmm.. nearly 2 hours to get little blue eyed darling to be a sleeping beauty. After about the 4th time putting her into bed, I smelt burning. I rushed downstairs and my dinner, the poor wee sausages were on fire in the oven! What a nightmare! I usually know what I’m doing when it comes to cooking but this was a grill/oven and I really didn’t know how to work it. The whole house was smokey and eventually the fire alarm went off which spooked angel out of bed. But boy, did that get her to sleep. Everything was under control once the small flames were out and I aired out the house which was an absolutely freezing process.

Just hasn’t been the best week, other than booking tickets to go home for a couple weeks and then to New Zealand for Christmas. This of which is awesome news.. meaning I can finally get a visa for the UK! Yee-haw.

Guilty.

“I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, ‘Lord this causes me such heartache.’ To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy ‘world within the world’, and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being ‘frost-bitten’.”

                            – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

 

Wow. Geez Louise. Hit it right on the nose again, Lord. Whoa.

Silly peaches.

Don’t ask me why I decided to call this post that… I’m just craving peach yoghurt and for a moment in time it made sense…. now it doesn’t.

I had a job interview today, it went spectacular and its a really good job. They wanted to hire me. I wanted them to too, but you know what I need that darn visa. Silly peaches! Rawr! I am so P.O. ed (sorry if there are any children present) Visas suck. Why is it that me being a harmless honorable Western person wanting to contribute to society has to tread through so much crap in order to do so while there are other people stealing jobs, cheating the system, etc and yeah.. blah is all I have to say.

God, there is a reason for this – I must trust.

I conclude with this. Dali and I are pondering what God’s plans are… Lord, we are waiting to be enlightened.

Thankfulness.

Nothing quite like a lazy Wednesday morning snuggled up in bed with a cup of piping hot tea, accompanied by a lovely apricot almond danish whilst surfing the internet. I am thankful for this life, yet am excited for what tomorrow brings. But right now, I just love this feeling and all I want to do is bask in it.

Yay.