Love in Action Journey

Precious Bloggy friends, I just wanted to say thank you for all your beautiful and encouraging comments. This Easter weekend has been very special to have my mom, sister and adorable little nieces with me as we held a memorial service celebrating my Granny. My heart is so peaceful. I know she would have loved the service. Once again ... thank you for all your love and encouraging words. It has been so healing to my heart. All my love xxx Janine

Early this morning my precious 89 year old Granny finally got to see Jesus face to face when she breathed her last here on earth in her sleep and awoke in Heaven. My heart grieves that we have to let go this side, but rejoices that she is finally free from all pain and constraints and is alive and rejoicing in Heaven with her parents and siblings and mostly with the One she has loved and taught me in many ways to love and respect. She knew her Jesus well. In December when I got to spend a couple of weeks with her, every night I would fall asleep hearing her speak to Him. Her life has taught me so much. Granny, thank you for the lessons and legacy you have set before me. I treasure you.  Janine xxx

Hi friends ... I was just over at my precious friend, Adeye's blog when I read this super urgent prayer need. PLEASE go on over there and spread the word and pray for this precious little boy! If you know of anyone who has their paperwork to adopt but are looking for the right child, please refer them to Adeye's website. The funds have been raised for this little boy. He just needs a forever family urgently! All my Love, Janine xxx

So here it is dear friends ... my huge 13 weeks and 5 day old bump :0) (And yes - I finally found a pair of maternity jeans that fit). Hubby and I took "bump" along to our second scan today all excited to discover who he or she is. Oh my goodness. In 5 weeks our sweet baby has grown from 1.32cm to 7.55cm (head to bum). We could see EVERYTHING ... excepts between its little legs! This little one did acrobatics galore for us ... but strategically blocked any view of it's obviously very private bits :0) It was so funny. The Doctor tried and tried and tried to see, but babes was having none of it and even gave that probe a kick! So very funny!! This little one is quite the character already and we are completely in love with our precious unborn child. The next scan is booked for 4 weeks time and we are taking the girls. I guess it will be even more special to have them discover with us whether they have another little sister or brother on the way. The suspense lingers .....

So, being 13 and a half weeks pregnant (yes that extra half week counts!), I realized that it was finally time to go shopping for some maternity jeans. While I fit into my jeans ... whether or not I can breathe comfortably in them is another story altogether ;0) hee hee. This country has so much to learn from the U.S. and the U.K. when it comes to maternity clothes. We have such few options here!!! I have only found 3 stores so far that sell maternity clothes, and each of them only have one or two short racks of ugly options. Looks like I need to plan a visit to mommy in the U.S. to do some shopping - sigh! If only!!! So ... after trying on all the ugly options .... here's what I found ... I know ... it doesn't look like a pair of jeans ... but it certainly will go with the perfect pair of jeans when I find them and fit into them :0) How cute is this little handbag hey! It's perfect for Autumn which we are practically falling into. Best of all it is proudly South African an...

Yesterday as I was driving home from dropping the girls off at school the mist was so thick that I couldn't see the usual landmarks around me. It reminded me of an experience I had in February this year where we drove right past massive sand dunes on a beach I'd been wanting to visit, but could not see them at all. I could hear the waves crashing on the beach, smell the sea sea air, even feel the soft beach sand in between my toes, but I could not see it even though I was looking straight at it. It was hidden. In this moment God began to speak to my heart. In the book of Ephesians in the Bible, we read over and over the amazing promises that we have when we are "hidden in Christ Jesus". God expresses His heart so beautifully of why He calls us to become His children. We read about the kind of Father that He is ... how He adopts us into His family to lavish His grace, love, acceptance, forgiveness, freedom, and every spiritual blessing into our lives. I am always so h...

It seems like my "Wordless Wednesday" needed some words after all. hee hee. Hubby bought us a new bird feeder. Much to the girls delight, it seems to have a massive flaw. They never counted on the birds being small enough to burrow under the seeds and get trapped inside the actual feeder. Thank goodness we haven't had any "casualties" ;0) The girls love setting these little birds free after getting to hold them and inspect them up close. Here's a closer look at our little visitor ... Looking at these little birds up close reminds my heart how BIG God really is. The Bible tells us that not one little bird falls to the ground without Him knowing about it and caring. He provides for their care and provision each day. We discovered these little birds live in a big old tree a couple of blocks away from our house. My husband saw hundreds of them flying in and out of this tree while walking the dog the other day. How amazing that God showed them where a little plac...

Sometimes we feel so overwhelmed by our circumstances that it becomes all we can see, think of and feel. How gracious that we have a God who actually wants to talk to us and guide us through the darkest patches where our perspective is so clouded or obscured. If you feel like that today then this verse from Jeremiah is just for you. "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 Does God want to speak to you today? YES He does. All He waits for is for us to "call to Him". He has great and unsearchable wisdom to share with each of us. He does not wait for us to "get our lives straightened out first". No ... in the book of Ephesians He shares with us that He came to save us when we were still trapped and held by our sins. It is His beautiful truth that sets us free ... so if you have some answers you need answered today ... "call to Him". He has just the wisdom and guidance you need!  ...

Ok ... first off ... thank you so much for staying with me through my very pregnant hormonal highs and lows which has kept me from my usual regular blog posts. It is safe to report that I am now 12 weeks pregnant and at the end of my first trimester. Hallelujah! I survived (and miraculously so has my unbelievably stable husband and long suffering daughters! hee hee). I am totally hoping that this is the start to the next trimester which wont have me feeling so bone tired and nauseous 24/7.  While I will post pics every now and then on the progress of my pregnancy, this blog is centered around the theme of God's incredible love that He shows to each of us daily and also His calling on our lives to show His love to those around us. I will continue to share with you the journey that God has me and my family on of teaching us how to live a life of "love in action". As always .... I LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS!!! This is a place to share hearts, so please share your p...