Don't Forget to Enter My Giveaway

Details here.

Open to anyone in the world.

You don't have to be a blogger to enter.

Deadline Monday 1st August, 5pm, West Australian time.

Sedshed 10 Year Celebratory Book Giveaway

To celebrate 10 years of blogging, I'm offering one lucky reader a Christian book of their choice out of the past 12 books I've last reviewed on this blog.  All you have to do is answer one simple question:

Which Christian book is next on your to-read list?

It doesn't have to do be one on this list.  It can be anything.

Here are the books on offer (with links to my reviews).

A Gospel Pageant: A Reader's Guide to the Book of Revelation

Jim Elliot

The Case for Easter

Walk On

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

Religion is for Fools

The Cross and the Switchblade

Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

Trusting God

Why the Resurrection?

The Heavenly Man

Boundaries

Even if you don't consider yourself a reader, think about which book you might like to win for a friend - there are some encouraging books and biographies to help Christians grow in their faith, and some great evangelistic books if you have a friend with questions about Jesus and Christianity.

To enter, just leave a comment letting me know which Christian book is next on your to-read list.  No comments will be published.  I will compile a list of responses anonymously in a blog post when I reveal the winner.

If you know me in real life, you're welcome to email me at my personal email address.

You have until Monday 1st August, 5pm (West Australian time).
I will choose the winner via a random number generator thingy.

GO! :)

Life After Nanny

Our nanny, Jordie, finished up with us on the 1st July.  I'm pleased to say I have survived nearly three weeks on my own during the day with the little fellows.  That might not seem like a big deal to many mums, but one small step for everyone else is a giant leap for me.

The first week went very smoothly, despite the fact we were all sick with colds.  The other weeks have been a bit more challenging at times, but nothing near the catastrophic drama my anxiety was leading me to expect.

I loved having Jordie stay with us.  She was so easygoing and helpful without the emotional attachment that extended family have.  This meant that she did what I asked, rather than consistently question and criticise.  I miss having adult company.

I am so thankful to God for providing the help I needed when all seemed hopeless.

We will look for another au pair before harvest starts in late October.

Wedding 1 2016

I was very excited to attend the wedding of our friend Emma to David on Saturday 30th April.  This wedding was particularly special for a number of reasons.  I always especially rejoice when the bride is over 30.  It shows that God is mighty and can provide, no matter your personal circumstances.  It was a fantastic day catching up with many familiar faces from our old church.  It was also the first time Duncan and I had been out together without children since Flynn's birth.

Our dear friend Alison was the maid of honour.

Everlastings and the Everlasting

Last week I finally pulled my green thumb out and weeded one of my horribly overgrown garden beds.  Our place was starting to look very dero, so it was a job well done.

I've had a packet of everlastings that I've been planning to plant in that garden bed for a while.  Now they have finally been scattered onto the soil and raked in.

The process got me thinking about Matthew 13:1-23.  The only part I was playing in potentially growing everlastings was scattering the seed.  I can't make them grow, only God can do that.  As I scattered, I realised I was scattering over all types of soil....even in the one garden bed.  Some patches are rockier, some would be classed as 'good soil'.  But it isn't up to me to determine which everlastings will grow and which won't.  My role is to scatter the seed.  Years ago, a friend preached a sermon at our old church about how we often view non-Christians with 'Terminator glasses' on.  There is a scene in one of the Terminator movies where the Terminator is naked and needs some clothes.  He scans each potential person with his eyes to determine whether their clothes would fit.  So often we do that with non-Christians.  We size them up before telling them the gospel, trying to decide in advance whether our efforts will be fruitful or a waste of time.  We look at people's lifestyles and decide, No, they're in a de-facto relationship or a homosexual relationship, they won't want to hear about Jesus, because it would make things awkward with their partner if they became a Christian.  

But if we really believe God is sovereign and can transform even the hardest heart, then we will scatter without reservation.

Image from here

Bible Verse of the Day

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then He told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears let them hear."

He disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

"Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Matthew 13:1-23

Here We Go Again

This is what I was thinking when Flynn started getting eczema at around four months old.  I took him to the doctor and we got a referral to the same allergist who Rory sees.

More skin prick tests.
More special diets.

At least I wouldn't have to part with a special pet this time.

But....

It was just egg.  And it was only a small reaction.

A miracle.  His eczema has pretty much cleared up, too.

Now, we begin the desensitisation process which we followed for Rory.

Thank you, Lord!

Related posts:
The Dreaded Allergy Testing...One Year On

10th Birthday Party Clothes

Nothing flash, but a change of outfit is always exciting.

(If you're using a reader, click through to see).