Photo Fun with Mumma.

Its amazing how much fun you can have with:

* Camera

* Children

* A relaxed Mumma

Just add 1tsp of smiles

 a pinch of silly faces

2 oz of wide angle lense

Mix in a little laughter- the more the merrier!

 Jessies famous pose!

All eyes up!

"Who's the grumpest?"

Say Cheeeeeeese!

Mumma & her girls... :-)

Love her gappy smile! x

Love her gappy smile! x

Ha Ha -silly fun...

Snippets of summer

                                                           Ellie-Faith enjoying lunch

                                                     Jessie-Jane with her gappy teeth!

                                        Jessie's photo of Mumma and Ellie in our house.

                                            Ellie tending to her 'sick' babbas.

                                                                 Pick up time....!

                                             Snakey wishing he had legs to wear  these!

What is home?

'

home:

noun

homemade, homegrown, family.

• a place where something begins and flourishes, is most typically found, or from which it originates

*dwelling place

*represents security and safety 

 • the family or social unit occupying such a place. 

she felt very much at home at ease, comfortable, relaxed, content; in one's element, on one's own turf.

* the place where one lives permanently, esp. as a member of a family or household 

*shelter,  place of retreat, refuge
* traditional rituals that give meaning to our lives.

                                                           

 'Home is where the heart is.'

Looking through the window.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

 for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Matthew 11:28-30

I have been through a real time of awakening recently, it seems. It feels as though I have awoken from a hazy self centered dream to a fresh, crisp, spring morning, with every sense heightened and everything looks and smells so much clearer. The expression, "the lights have gone on" comes to mind. 

 I have always felt I was an Ok mum, I love both my children dearly and I try and care for them in a way that best suits us as a family. Taking things that concern me, to my Heavenly Father and asking for wisdom when I have not got the answers.

 I have had my heart softened to the idea of having a third child and God has used this time to show me so many things about myself that were buried just beneath my surface. I find myself convicted in my ways. Too often I have put my desires and my wants above my role as a mother. Too often I have cared about my needs and wants.I have often resented the role and felt that somehow  I was missing out on things that other women  had. Not for one minute have I regretted having my children, or becoming a mother. As a child its all I dreamed about, to have a husband and a beautiful family. Its just that at moments, i feel lost in the role, like my personality has ebbed away. Causing my God given talents to  become a shadowy existence behind the seemingly mundane.  But here I am,  standing amazed at what I see and I feel a change. I so wish to embrace motherhood with a new insight and fresh understanding of what a high calling it is to be 'a Mother'.

 God has so stirred my heart. It's like he has put a large stick into the well and stirred around and around, causing the things from the bottom, to rise to the surface. Its not as if they were not there before, it is just that they had gotten heavy and sunk to the bottom. To a place of unimportance. His spirit has stirred my well and brought things back to me in a deep and fresh way. Here, I embrace again, the things that I once held with higher esteem.

 I am learning, by his grace, that he has chosen me to be a Mother. He hand picked the children I would raise. He knows their hearts and their desires. He alone placed them there.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139-13-16

God I pray that I would grasp the gift, that it is to be a Mother; to look after, to care for, to take care of, to nurse, to protect, to tend, to raise, to rear & to love my children, just as you do to me! Give me more grace, more wisdom, more understanding in my role and fill me with your love and inspiration as I do. Let me trust, that as I give my all to this role, that you wold bless me with outlets for my creativity and personality to shine.

Amen. 

The Key

The Key

You hold the Key, the key that unlocks me.
You have the plans, you hold them in your hand.
I'm like a little girl, holding onto you,
as we approach a door, to a secret, unlocked garden.
Excitement brims in me, Father I am giddy!
You hold the key, so beautifully crafted, 
I gaze at its beauty & I see my name engraved.
"This is my Rebekah Key" he smiles.
I hold onto his hand, as he reaches for the door,
"What lies behind, show me whats in store?"

He holds the Key, the key that unlocks me.

He has the plans, he holds them in his hand.


Rebekah Knight

Times of Surrender

I never particularly liked the word surrender. 
Listening to the words of the song 'I surrender to you' by Jeremy camp this morning,
I  realized something. Every time God has asked me to do something and I felt I didnt want to do, when I decide to do it regardless, I am never disappointed by the results!
 Sometimes the choice is hard. It can feel as if it goes against everything within you,
but I have tested and tried the art of surrender and found that only blessing, freedom and fullfilment follow. It is all about deciding to say, "Yes God" despite any fears.

Romans 14:7 ' For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live for God; and if we die, we die to God. So, whether we live or die, we belong to God.'

Prior to knowing God in a very real way, I never understood the concept of living for him and surrender to his will. It didn't make complete sense to me. 
Having come to know God now & to recognise his voice, to feel his gentle guidance in my life, I wouldn't have it any other way!

If all the things I desired to do within my life had happened, I expect I would have a bit of a messy life by now! Not only does our heavenly Father know what is best for us as unique individuals, with differing desires and dreams, but he is able to bring them to pass in ways you never dreamed possible!

 He sees the way ahead-he sees deep within my heart, he sees things from an eternal perspective, he has my life safely placed within his loving hands. My Fathers hands, for this , I am so gratefull!

Lord, you live in me
You're my best friend
You're the King of kings
The beginning and end
Now that you have my eyes
I see your spirit inside of me
All that I am is for you
My Savior
I live by your word
And surrender to you
Here where I stand in this moment father
My spirit has been renewed
I surrender to you
You hold the key to my life
In your loving hand
Always by my side
I offer all that I am
So glad I realize
You are the truth and the light
In my life
Everything I need I find in you
I believe your promises are true
I will lift my burdens up to you
Your loving grace will see me through

I surrender to you- jeremy camp.

Time for Fun!

Summer holidays can be so much fun.

School routine goes out the window and a less rigid, fun routine comes into play.

We rise a little later, walk a little slower.

Make a messy mess & Enjoy one another!

Little sticky fingers day

I open my eyes to a smiley face," Its morning time, look the Sun is shining-Can I have the telly on?"
I pull myself out of bed & walk the landing, fuzzy head.

"Hold my hand" the little voice cries, we walk the stairs, side by side.
"Yes this one" she says her face aglow, Peppa pig program- I should have known!

I climb he stairs, still oh so sleepy. Back into bed, for a little bit longer.
"Its breakfast time!" is the next voice I hear, Jessie has risen she shouts and cheers!

I hear the giggles and the volumes rise, "Thats not yours Ellie-that one is mine!"
"Muuuuuum! Shes got my teddy. Is is breakfast time yet, I'm getting hungry!"
I set the table, bowls and cereal. "Girls, the breakfast is ready-come and sit up still"

Time to get dressed, little clothes all a mess." We need to tidy up soon, and make your beds!"
Little fingers wriggle through," Find the end of your sleeve, now pull it through!"

"I'm helping you mum, I'm good arn't I? I've made my bed, I'm helping you!"
I feel a smile, I give a hug, "You are so good, thank-you my love"

'Now clean your teeth and brush your hair, Girls are you wearing clean underwear?"
"We've cleaned our teeth, I did my hair, yes we have clean underwear!'

"What are we doing today mum? Are we going anywhere? Can we feed the ducks, or go somewhere?"

Loading into the car, fighting over seats. "I can do my seat belt mum, all by myself, I dont need any help!"
"Where are we going? Is it going to take long? Mum Jessie is being unkind, she stuck out her tongue!"

We pile out the car, lock all the doors. Head for the woods to go for a walk.
We hold onto hands, we skip along the path.
"Mind for the mud, or you'll need a bath!
"Look up ahead, can you see the pond?"

"Eye spy with my little eye, something beginning with 'D'-do you know what it is?
"Is it a duck? -"Yes! thats what it is!"
"Watch for the edge Kids, you don't want to fall in, Hold daddas hand, cause you can not swim!"

Skip down the path, back to the car, "We're sugar plum fairies-thats what we are!"
Off to the shop, to get something for our tea. "Can we get some flour and bake with you Mummy?"

At the check out, excited from their day, the girls skip and prance about, giggling on their way.
"Back into the car now, home for our tea. If you are really good, you can bake with me"

Chicken, potatoes and vegetables to, "I was so hungry Jessie, were you to?"
"We've been good mum, can we get our aprons on?"
" Go and wash your hands-I'll pop the oven on"

Big pink bowl and rolling pin, "break up the chocolate and put it in."
"Be careful now-you've made a mess, where is your apron? Its on your dress!"
Sticky fingers and happy smiles, "Off up those stairs now and wash those hands,
Wash your faces and clean those teeth. Put pajamas on, put your clothes neat."

"What have you done with the toothpaste, why is your sister wearing it on her face?
What is this mess-toothpaste all over the place!
Hurry now, get into bed-choose a story quick, lets have it read!"

"Love you girls, now off to sleep-Not another sound, not another peep!-
God keep them safe, give them good sleep. My precious children are gifts you have given,
I do not know their days, but you have them all written."

He holds my life in his hands.

Jeremiah 6:16

  This is what the LORD says:
       "Stand at the crossroads and look;
       ask for the ancient paths,
       ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
       and you will find rest for your souls." 

Life is full of seasons- It also holds many cross roads.

Once again, I stand at a cross road. It requires of me to make decisions.

I don't particularly like making decisions.

I guess I dont always feel that i know enough to trust my own judgement.

I prefer it when my heavenly Father gives me very clear & prompt directions.

This time, he has been very quiet. I have felt his spirit gently nudging me and

causing me to ask many questions, but there has been no 'writing in the sky'

experiences.

How can you trust your own decisions and choices? What if the consequences of those choices

lead you into to difficulties and hardship?

How can we be sure that we are choosing the right path to walk down?

I find myself in this place, once again. I cling to the gentle whispers that have given little clues along the way.

I remember the softened voice of my Father asking me over a year ago, "will you have more children?"

I remember the questions it caused my heart to ask. I pondered over why God would ask me, if I would?

Maybe he knew, how hard I would find it, to answer, "Yes Lord."

Life can be busy, life can be chaotic, life can pull you to the left and then to the right, then spin you around and leave you feeling disorientated. Being constantly pulled from side to side, with God given desires, talents that haven't had the chance to fully shine, desires so deeply rooted within our hearts...

I have often questioned my heavenly Father asking, "when Lord will I release these things that are in my heart?"

It is said, that in order for a dream to come to pass, it first must die. Like a seed, planted in the darkness of the damp soil, we may find ourselves asking, "where is the light? Where do I go from here? How do I change from what I am, into the blossoming flower that I know I am destined to be? How do I get there?

We must wait for the right season, we must wait on God.

One thing I am slowly realizing is that Gods timing is not our timing. We have logical, natural reasoning, that tells us things like, " I am too old now, to see those dreams come alive" " I am too tired now, to feel the fire I once held in my heart."

I have been guilty of these thoughts, I have struggled at times between what I have hidden within me and the life I am living.

But, I am not the potter! I am the clay, in my masters hands. He holds my life, with a steady, focused grip. He knows when to pull me in, he knows when to spin my world around on his creative potters wheel. He knows when to cleanse me with water and make me more pliable in his hands. He has the design and shape of my life in his mind. He makes no mistakes when he carefully crafts and shapes our lives. He knows when we are ready for the fire and when we he is satisfied with how we are to decorate us and glaze us and make us in his perfect image.

His eternal view looks at my life with the greatest of love. A Fathers love. My times and seasons are in his hands.

The desires within my heart are there because he placed them there. He is able to bring them about, at the perfect time.

So I ask myself, why do we struggle against his plans? Why do we find it so hard to trust his eternal perspective?

The Bible is full of seemingly impossible situations that are made possible.

Surely we can learn from these stories and accounts. Abraham, a man of significant years fell face down and he laughed when God told him he was to be a Father at the age of 100 years. He said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"

Surely Abraham was using his logical, natural mind in his response to Gods promise " Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'

I am also drawn toward a warning against unbelief and lack of trust towards the spoken words of God into our lives.

Abraham became tired of waiting for his promise, so he used his own strength to make Gods promise happen.

He took the timing into his own hands, rather than trusting God.

The consequences of this were significant.

So what am I learning? What is God trying to say to me , as I stand at these cross roads, with doubt and uncertainty in my heart?

I hear him ask, "Will you follow me? Will you choose to walk the path I am leading you onto, or will logic and doubt blur your vision? Will you trust my timing for all the other things I have placed within your heart? Will you put away your natural thinking and tune into your spirit man? Will you walk the narrow path?

I feel a peace fill me, I think I know the path I am now on- the path of Trust!


Jeremy Camp-Beyond measure:


The fog has finally cleared to see,
The beautiful life you’ve given me
To feel the breeze of my newborn’s gentle breath
With one to walk hand in hand,
To share this life that you have planned
It’s like a storybook with dreams
That are meant to see every next step is an extraordinary scene

[CHORUS]
I know that I’ve been,
Given more than beyond measure,
I come alive when,
I see beyond my fears
I know that I’ve been given more than earthly treasure,
I come alive when
I’ve broken down and given you control