Love in Action Journey

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness is like the mighty mountains; Your justice like the great deep.   O Lord You preserve both man and beast. How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings.  They feast on the abundance of Your house. You give them drink from Your river of delights.  For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light." Psalm 36:5-9 NIV

As I write this I am tucked away on a beautiful farm in Rustenburg. We had such a beautiful Christmas season catching up with all sides of our family. This year all our family is within driving distance so we shared a delightful pre Christmas eve dinner party with my dad and new family, Christmas morning with my mom, granny and sisters family and Christmas lunch with my hubbies immediate and extended family. Now that I sit back and ponder it all ... what a privilege as so many of us are in completely different parts of the country and my mom has been living overseas. It was a rich and full time. The girls LOVED every minute of it. (Some time next week I will be able to post some pics. At the moment, I have very sparse Internet access to download my pics.) For the next few days we are enjoying "farm life" here in Rustenburg. There are sweet little chicks running all over the place and each family has been assigned to our own rondavels. I love how we all gather around the tabl...

Only 1 more sleep to go lovely friends! As we will be away for the next little while I want to send you all a mighty big Christmas hug! Merry Christmas!!! May the love of our amazing Saviour Jesus Christ be an inspiration, encouragement, strength, joy and peace to you today. Oh how He loves you!!! Sending you all my love on this precious day. Janine xxx

It's only 3 more sleeps till Christmas!  I don't know who is more excited ... me or my little girls =0) I have always loved this Season, and now being a mommy to two precious little girls ... well it's just such a joy to watch their excitement and joy. I can still remember as a little girl sitting up late in the night watching the lights on the tree flickering on and off and dreaming about what Christmas morning would hold in store. I still feel the same now as an adult and find so much joy in seeing my girls dreaming about Christmas morning.  I love seeing how my eldest is so concerned about giving her own little gifts to those she loves. Reading her little cards to her cousins just melts my heart. We are teaching our girls that it's not about how big the present you give is ... but that what you give comes from a heart of love. Just the other day in children church I asked the little ones what gifts they could give that wouldn't cost them any money. It has kept me...

So the family and I took a looooooooong drive yesterday and today to Johannesburg. I cannot believe that I was here only 12 days ago, but it is so good to be back with the whole family. The drive felt sooooo long with the kids asking every half an hour if we were almost there yet!! But it also warmed my heart to sense their excitement to be reunited with their beloved Lala (their granny who they haven't seen in a year),Poppi, precious cousins, aunty, uncle and Nan. I am going to sleep with such a happy heart tonight. Content. Family ... the best place on earth for us today! 

So this week we happened to meet a very charming little man who has snuck into our hearts. We've only met via pictures and telephone chats ... but already he owns our hearts. Before you get all nervous on me ... meet our soon to be pup ... Cosmo. How jolly cute is this little guy!!! Oh my word ... the girls are beside themselves with joy (and so are we!). We have been super blessed by a precious member in our family who has bred this sweet little guy. The only down side is that we have 3 more weeks to wait for his big arrival in the family.  He still has a little growing to do ... but oh my word ... he is so anticipated and boy oh boy is this little guy going to be doted on when he arrives.  As he is a Scottish Terrier, we looked up some male Scottish names. Our favourites were Sarge, Duffy and Cosmo. After finally getting his pictures today we are convinced that this peaceful little guy looks like a Cosmo. What do you guys think? Any other suggestions?  Sending you all...

Hallelujah!!! It's raining!!! I cannot tell you how excited we are. The Eastern Cape has been in serious drought for over a year already! Our little pool that we bought has stood empty for over a year ... all the grass is brown ... but now comes a celebrated reprieve in the drought and we are going all out to celebrate God's blessing to us.  Just look at how happy my flowers are ...  Even our Sabie boy is lying out in the gentle rain, soaking up the cool breeze. As for us ... well we are smelling the warm aroma of waffles sizzling in the pan ... Don't you just love all the happy faces =0) (My Leelee with her bestie Tanna) And Tianna with her bestie Jade. Mr. Gorgeousness with his artsy take on waffles ... After a late brunch we cuddled behind the piano working out a new little tune. My sweet 6 year old took this pic of us.   Precious Jesus, thank you for your gentle rain that fills our hearts with so much joy!!! Thank you for the many ways that yo...

I so wish that I could paint the picture of myself as a perfectly controlled - always does the right thing and always knows the best answer or solution kind of mommy, but I am a work in progress =o) I have often said that parenting has been my greatest learning place about myself! Gosh ... sometimes I am so surprised at what kind of attitudes come out of me! Anyone else know what I am talking about? It is that inner war that Paul talks about in  ..... where your flesh wars against your spirit. You know the right response, but instead you react. This is something that the Lord and I are really working on. This weekend has encountered a couple of "strong words" between my girls and I. You know those moments when you have been pushed just a little too far?! And instead of healthy "strong words" ... anger seeps into correction and no one wins. While I have been working through this, the Lord reminded me of something He taught my hubby a while ago. When the kids ar...

It's my last night here in Jozi and I am taking in the familiar smell of one of Jozi's famous Summer thunderstorms.   I just love it! It reminds me of my childhood staring out my bedroom window watching the lightning fill the sky as the rain pummels down. I was born and raised here until I married my gorgeousness when I was 20 and moved to Port Elizabeth. I adore the beautiful City that God has placed me in ... but I also love my visits back here for moments such as this. It always delights my heart how a boiling 30 degree day can turn so quickly into a thunderstorm and back to blazing heat and sunshine all in a days work =0) It's speaks to my heart so much tonight as I contemplate the thunderstorms that we face in life. They are only temporary! How comforting!!! If you are negotiating some storms in your life right now, know that the sun will shine again!!  All my love xxx Janine

One thing I am sentimental about is creating memories. I personally believe that we are all given choices each day of the type of memories we want to create.  Last night I was feeling so homesick. I am missing my sweet girls and my precious gorgeousness something fierce. Then the opportunity arose to create a wonderful memory. My two sweet nieces came and had a "sleep-over" in my bedroom last night. We giggled like little school girls (that's because they are little school girls. Me - I had no excuse =0). I wish I could have taken some photos to share of our fun but my camera died on me. There were mattresses on the floor, blankets and teddy bears every where. At the age of 33 I too was presented with a favourite teddy to sleep with. I have to say it came in handy as I am missing my big handsome teddy-bear back home =)  Today held more precious memories. The best in seeing my sweet Gran and mom embrace after a long year apart. What a joy to see their eyes light up as they...

There is nothing like being away from your usual routine to give you a different perspective. This time of year I am usually spring cleaning the house as I get it ready for our visitors. I found myself in this usual routine up until  a week ago. I had an absolute bee in my bonnet about repainting the lounge and dining room and organizing new curtains. It was so important to me. Then I got news that my Gran was not doing well and I flew to be with my sister as we care for her as she waits for my mother to fly in tomorrow to come and spend some special time with her. All of a sudden I realise that the fresh paint and curtains pale in importance compared to having quality time and closure with the ones you love.  This time has been a gift that I will always treasure. Taking little walks with my Granny and just allowing her to tell me all about her life are treasures that I can pass on to my children. To be able to learn about your heritage is a privilege. In doing ...

The house around me is quiet. It's not my house. I am wondering what my little girls are doing back at home. I miss them so much ... their giggles and ever constant supply of cuddles =) In the room next to me my Granny is sleeping. I wonder how much time we have left together. My heart aches when I look at her. Today is a hard day. Yet in it I feel the grace of God. He is here for each of us and that is my source of comfort. Jesus I look to you.  Janine 

I am up early this morning and so excited for an "out and about" day with two very glam and special ladies in my life. I am so excited to put on some sparkly shoes and hit the town!  (Oh my word! Have you ever tried to take a picture of your own feet? If only you could have been a fly on the wall for this one. After numerous shots I took this one with my feet up against the wall!!! Oh the adventures of being a blogger! hee hee) I am so thankful that in between a very sobering week, I have two lovely ladies who just happen to be part of my family who I can hang out with. We are able to laugh, cry, shop, share hearts, drink coffee and even share a sneaky piece of chocolate cake together (surely the calories don't count when the cake is shared hey? That's my theory and I'm sticking with it!!)  What do you do and who do you sneak out with when you need a respite from the "crazy lane" of life? Have a beautiful day xxx Janine

I am away from my sweet man and 2 princesses who I miss so very much, but I do have these 3 treasure nieces to lavish my love upon ... All my love xxx Janine