Place: My Office (soon to have a window!)

Poison: Flat White

Favourite Things: Chucking out and refining all of my office admin in the shift!

My Nephew Jackson is completely obsessed with animals. For those who know me, you would know that animals aren’t really my thing. But when I think about Jackson, I think one thought (actually two- adorable first) ANYTHING THAT MOVES THAT IS NOT HUMAN.

On Christmas day he found this butterfly and we had a moment together. Butterflies are amazing! The colours, how gentle they are and they seem so peacefilled.

There is something so etherial about butterflies, so majestic, a revelation of the detail and beauty that God the creator must exude.

Christmas day this year has many different memories, but one of the fondest is Jackson and my dalliance with Mrs Butterfly.

Love ya J.J.P
Aunty Manda

 

Place: Office (i seriously need to get out more!)

Poison: Cappucino

Favourite Things: new Skype account

Last night Kym, Ann and new friends from Belgium and myself obviously..went to my favourite cinema, to watch a movie that is still resounding in my ears.

It is called Innocent Voices and is set in Ecuador just 15 years or so ago. It is a true story and has truly rocked me. I can honestly say the young boy in this photo, the protaganist, is the best child actor I have ever seen.

http://www.innocentvoicesmovie.com/

If you get the chance to watch it, prepare yourself to be moved, challenged and your world to be expanded. What I have struggled with since the movie, is the facts printed as the credits rolled, that still today 300,000 children a year are put into armies accross the world, with guns and taught to kill one another.

In an age of such awareness globally and also an age with much historical evidence that war does not solve our problems, I am astounded that children as young as 10 years old, are abused by adults as toy soldiers.

It is appalling.

The movie was just beautiful, a sad reflection on society though, that we think we have the right to kill whomever we want.

This movie made me think so deeply about what I complain about and truly how good I have it.

Check it out, and then do something about it. Write a letter, say a prayer, do something!

Appalled

A

Place: My Office

Poison: Yoghurt!

Favourite Things: mug from home for my coffee, from Kym with two old grannies!

 
This time next week I will be in Paris for the first time and Im so looking forward to visiting new countries and all the amazing experiences that come with them.

Whenever I travel I have a few rituals, that make the experience turn into an Adventure.

(Some great Illustrations from http://www.kurthalsey.com)

1) Special Journals specifically for travel, which are written in on the launch of every flight, with a list of every plane, where I sat and what I was thinking at that time.

2) Plane Letters and Plane Jigsaw puzzles. Friends and family write letters and make jigsaw puzzles that make the time go by and bring it back to the centre of what lifes truly about relationship!

3) Lonely Planet Guide Books. No matter where I go I buy one and read as much as I can about the country and the culture and try to find the random places that are not number one on the tourist hit lists.

4) I write a list of have too’s in the country, which often include something I have never done before. Skiing naked, eating frogs and walking on hot coals. (NOT!)

5) I try not to over plan, over book or even have accomodation for every night. Makes it a bit more spontanious and see where God and my curiousity takes me.

Standby for some updates. My trip takes me to Paris, London, LA and Sydney in 3 weeks.

Creativity Explosion here we come!

All my love

A

 

Place: My Office

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: I’m shifting office!

I have just read my sisters blog: Jen, who is in London as we speak. I got inspired to tell you about my beautiful sister.

Jen and I grew up together surrounded by music, obsessed with theatre and consumed with dance. Wherever I went, she was not far behind and as we have grown older the tantrums about borrowing clothes and boys have decreased. With the conversations about life and the meaning increasing.

She is an outstanding woman, who has walked through a time of uncertainty and change, with her head held high and her smile still glowing.

Wherever you are right now Jen know;

1) Shame we can’t catch up on our around the world adventures…

2) I think you are amazing.

3) Family is everything, without it life would be so BEIGE!

Heres a toast to my hero, my sis!

A

Place: My Office

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: Judes New Art Installation downstairs

The concept of rest in our society is so undervalued. So many times I hear people rattle off all the achievements that they have attained on their day off and then wonder why, months later their lives crumble.

I have learnt the hard way, the importance of rest in my life. Work hard, play hard and rest hard: the recipe to a successful life…

This is a short post which reminds me and hopefully others, that a day of rest is that: rest. Nothing more, nothing less.

This photo taken whilst camping reminds me to take every moment I can to sit before the majesty of creation and rest. Even the creator himself after the mammoth effort of creating the world, had a day of rest.

Rested

A