Category: inspire14

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Filled with joy

20140118-122817.jpgWe had a great chat with our sometimes neighbour this morning, who had just come back from his holiday walk on the beach all inspired.

He was telling us about a friend of his who is getting married this afternoon, after a terrible few years of trauma after losing her first husband suddenly.

We talked for a long time about being filled with joy by the little things, rather than allowing the confusion and pursuit of success and happiness to overtake our days.

What a great conversation with a neighbour.

One of my best friends also lost her husband a few short years ago. Just before he passed away, he left a note for her saying.

‘Life is short, love what you do’

The prophetic statement of the coming unexpected days of their lives is eerily haunting.

But it is true.

I think we believe we are immortal, however the trauma and tragedy of those around us shows us that we really don’t know the hour or day when our time will come to an end.

In those last hours of life, the bank statements and the hurtful words that have been said by an acquaintance, the washing piles and the unmet expectations will not be the last thoughts on our minds. Memories of family and meals. Good times and great regrets, these will be those things that consume us.

Take time to be filled with joy this Saturday.

Life is Short

Love what you do.

Thanks Craig.

We miss you

XXOO

Amanda

 

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A field of possible

20140117-130525.jpgToday I have signed up for an E-course online with one of my favourite Authors Brene Brown.

The course is called the gift of imperfection.

I have the book that I am reading on my kindle at the moment and I am so excited about this 6 week course, to be challenged, stretched and discover new possibilities.

The main premise that this book covers is our societies incessant need to be perfect and also to please other people.

I had a chat with a friend yesterday about the deceptive nature of online forums such as Instagram.

People make their lives look how they want to. In essence there are lots of lies and self promotion.

Instagram is a perfect presentation of an imperfect world.

Often spending too much time on forums such as these does either two things.

1) People present their world as perfect and unattainable and therefore isolate themselves from the reality of everyday messy life.

2) People watch what happens in others instagram feeds and then stop creating for themselves, because their lives are imperfect and their feeds cannot match others.

I say stuff everyone!

Let’s enjoy our worlds for what they are imperfect.

Full of imperfect people.

Imperfect lives.

Imperfect creations.

I love this quote:

Somewhere between right doing and wrong doing there is a field, let’s meet there.

It’s not about aiming for perfection or imperfection, it is resting in the place of reality.

XXOO

A

 

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wounds

woundedThere is something about being wounded, it changes the way you live.

Sometimes for the better, sometimes the worse, but always different.

I was chatting with Charl (my Mr) the other night about brokenness and he told me something I had never heard before.

He said ‘When you break a bone babe, everyone thinks that breaking it is really bad and that your limb becomes weaker because of it. However it is the opposite that happens. When your arm has been broken, in the midst of rebuilding the break, the arm actually in the long run becomes stronger. The break makes the bone stronger’

I was intrigued listening to him speak.

It is like we always try to protect ourselves from being hurt, broken or wounded.

You know in like our friendships. If I don’t make myself vulnerable I won’t get hurt.

Or how about admitting there are wounds in your marriage, it actually has the potential to make your union stronger rather than weaker, because you grow together in the communication of fixing it.

I don’t think we should go out and get wounded on purpose.

The potential is however when we have been wounded, if we recover healthily, with resilience, with courage, with communication, with counsel, we have the capacity emotionally to be stronger in the end.

I love this little quote from Rumi.

In my life I have found this to be true, it is only through my wounds, that I can allow the light to come in.

If we have it all together, if we are perfect in every way, how possibly can we draw strength from another?

How possibly can we grow and change?

How possibly can we become wise and able?

Brokenness is not that bad my friend.

You don’t go out deliberately wanting to be wounded, but what if you responded from your places of hurt to find ways to grow and change, rather than shrink and become weaker?

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finding peace

PaxThere is a word that I discovered in a monastery here in Perth called New Norcia, that has haunted and comforted me ever since we met.

PAX

The dictionary definition of the word is ‘the kiss of peace’.

My husband has the most precious habit, it is one that I cherish every single time he does it. He comes over to me simply and kisses me tenderly on the forehead.

A simple little act of intimacy, that every time he does it, I breathe a little deeper and know everything is going to be okay.

I have spent the whole day with people today, mostly interviewing for the creative internship and catching up with dear friends.

Towards the end of the day after many stories both good and challenging, I felt my shoulders lagging and my heart feeling heavy.

peace 2

Honestly choosing the right intern is a big decision as every interview has been heartfelt and special in its own way.

Also some hard news of a friend undid me a little and my heart became heavy.

Then something changed. A little prayer, a lightening of a load, the kiss of peace.

A peace that is unexplainable.

A peace that is supernatural.

A peace that reassured me everything is going to be okay.

Lately I have had this song on repeat and the song does the same, it brings me a kiss of peace.

Are you heavy burdened?

Do you need rest?

Are you longing for peace?

Close your eyes and listen to this song, I pray the kiss of peace comes upon your head and your heart would be a little lighter today.

All my love

Amanda

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Simplify

20140114-135916.jpg

I spent most of yesterday with one of my dearest friends Bonnie.

I came to the end of the hours of endless conversation, beautiful reflection and honest moments, so grateful for the gift of true friends.

The ones you can be completely yourself with.

The ones who understand your heart, your motive and soul and don’t hold tightly to the amount of times we have seen each other but the quality of the moments we have shared.

I have learnt in my last couple of years of novice motherhood that friendships change significantly and that is truly okay.

I have learnt to hold looser my expectations on my friends but then cherish the moments I have with them.

To call and ring and keep in touch when I am able, but to also think good thoughts and pray for them when I can’t.

To simplify my expectations of people and adore the precious times that I get to hang simply with them.

Are you holding on too tight to people?

Do you struggle to maintain friendships over the change of seasons?

Have you found yourself friendless?

Maybe there are some reasons for that.

Maybe you need to simplify your expectations and take time to just be with people when you can.

All of our lives can be complex at times, but really do we need our friendships to be as well?

Life is way too short.

Live light.

Let go of the guilt, the hurt and the manipulation and enjoy people for who they are.

Love extravagantly but hold on lightly.

Live a little simpler in your friendships and you might surprise yourself how many new people you will have around you at the end of this year.

A