This verse was on a farewell card given to our family by the ladies who ran the local toddler playgroup in Stornoway, Lewis, when we said goodbye to them in Feb 2016 after spending four months there. It resonated with me so much as we were facing the scariest and biggest transition we had ever made. We would be led forth! We weren't venturing out into the unknown on our own, unprotected, vulnerable! It still resonates. We have indeed experienced the joy of the Lord and His peace in this huge transatlantic journey we've been on. How glad we are to be here secure in the knowledge that this is where He has led us. I thought I would write a little bit about the things that have brought me joy recently.
💕 I am loving... our new surroundings. Hobart is very scenic, nestled at the foot of Mt Wellington and beside the River Derwent. We are spoiled for choice if we want to go to the beach! There are so many little bays and beaches.
💕 I am loving... being able to get out and about with our 4 very energetic little ones and enjoy the great outdoors. Hobart has a marvelous selection of playgrounds and walking trails. The children and I have been exploring them one by one. Since we were without fixed abode for more than a full year, I completely fell out of my exercise routine and it has been so good to get back to walking regularly. My faithful and beloved double stroller in Zambia, which I bought secondhand just before Ketzia was born, was worn completely out and had to be replaced! Buying a replacement double stroller has been the BEST investment so that I don't have to walk at a 3-year-old's pace. Titus and Reyah ride happily together in it.
💕 I am loving... being able to drive!! I don't have enough experience driving a manual transmission so I am limited to an automatic. During our entire married life I have been very dependent upon David for transport everywhere (with only a very few brief exceptions). What a blessing it has been to have a vehicle here which I can drive. The sense of independence has been exhilarating! Aided by our GPS which was kindly loaned by a friend from church, I jumped in with both feet and decided to not leave one corner of Hobart unexplored. The first couple of months we were here, I learned my way around by going to garage sales each Saturday! :)
💕 I am loving... having access to a local library. The children and I go every week to spend an hour reading stories together.
💕 I am loving... Click & Collect at my local supermarket! You place your grocery order online and then drive to the supermarket to pick it up. My nearest supermarket is wonderful.... it has undercover parking and they bring your Click & Collect order to your vehicle for you! For a mom with 4 little children, it is a lifesaver! I don't have to get the kiddoes out of the car!
💕 I am loving... classical radio! Oh, how many years I have longed to be able to turn on the radio and have beautiful music wafting through my home as I cook and clean and teach.... Now those longings have become reality!
💕 I am loving... friends to play board games, watch movies, go for walks, laugh, barbecue, talk, pray. It is so special. The Lord is so good! This list of things may seem petty and insignificant but they are ways that our Heavenly Father has ministered to my heart and provided for our needs and even our desires - and I am thankful.
Friday, 27 January 2017
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
hello world!
hold onto me as we go
as we roll down this unfamiliar road
and though this wave
is stringing us along
just know you're not alone
'cause I'm gonna make this place your home
settle down
it'll all be clear
don't pay no mind to the demons
they fill you with fear
the trouble, it might drag you down
if you get lost, you can always be found
just know you're not alone
'cause I'm gonna make this place your home
~ 'Home' (Phillip Phillips)
I have felt like these lyrics are my theme song for the past year or two. I love this song! I'm sorry that I've nearly let this blog die. I'm updating it in the hopes that perhaps I can pick up again with occasional blogging, in case any of my friends out there will still actually read this, since we still live many thousands of miles away from friends and family.
Well, where do I start? I haven't blogged in more than 2 years, nearly three. The last entry was from shortly after our end-of-2013 itineration trip through the UK (when Titus our 3rd baby was only a few weeks old). Now we have 4 children - the Lord added to our number when our second daughter, Reyah Ruth, was born on 30 November 2015. As sad as it is, I doubt that I will ever be able to recollect enough to write an entire blog post about her birth (as I did with the previous 3 babies) so let me just summarize by saying: it was my fourth successful all-natural homebirth waterbirth delivery, she was also born in Scotland like 3 of my other babies, she was born on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides like Titus was, I had the most fabulous care from the midwives, I actually had a doula this time around (my dear friend Yolanta made it to the birth! yay!), it was such a blessing to be able to sojourn yet again in Scotland this time for 4 months, and I got to rest for an extra 3 weeks more than normal before we jetted off internationally with this newborn babe. We are always so thankful for the Lord's watchful care over us.
Now: more short summaries, to help with the catching up...
Where do we live now? We live in Australia!! 'Down under' 'down under' to be exact... in Sept 2016 we moved to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, the island state south of mainland Australia.
Why did we move here? In early 2015 we felt the Lord was showing us that our time serving at Covenant College Zambia Trust, in rural Eastern Province Zambia, was drawing to a close. We gave more than a year's notice to the Trustees and our Missions Board and focused on handover to the remaining staff at Covenant College. Meanwhile, during 2015 a congregation in Hobart, Tasmania whose pastor was retiring and moving back to Scotland, heard that we would be leaving the mission field and that David was open for another call. Long story short, they corresponded with us, we learned more about the situation here, David came out for a visit, they extended a unanimous call to him, and the rest is history! We left Zambia in May 2016 and spent May-August in the USA visiting our relatives while we waited for our employment visa application to be processed. We got the 'green light' in August and arrived in Hobart on the 16th of September. David was inducted to his new charge as the pastor of Southern Presbyterian Church, Hobart on the 8th of October. We are so blessed to be here!
How's the family? This has been such an exciting and overwhelming chapter in our lives! Moving a family of six from Zambia, transiting through Scotland and the USA and without fixed abode for months and then landing on completely foreign shores is not for the faint of heart. It was a much bigger task than when we originally moved from Scotland to Zambia in Feb 2011 with a 7-month-old baby and our total belongings in 15 boxes. Our heads are gradually stopping spinning! Having been here for four months now, we are feeling more and more settled by the day. Our first two months here we spent living in the church facility while we searched for a house to buy. Unfortunately the housing market here is very difficult and when we realized we weren't finding anything suitable, the decision was made to pursue rental accommodation. Now we live in a cute 3-bedroom house on the same street as the church! Moving in and getting everything in its place has been an exhausting job but we are finally winning the battle of organization. We've had lots of helping hands from church, too! David is settling into his new routine of preaching two services each Lord's Day and leading the weekly Bible study. it has been a huge change from his responsibilities in Zambia. He has had some visitation of sick church members recently. I love it here in Hobart and am finding my way around all over town learning where the best places are to shop. It is wonderful to be able to drive myself around freely again (I did not drive in Zambia or most of the time in Scotland, either). The children and I go to playgrounds and the library every week. It is sweet to make new friendships. Our new church family has a number of families with children. The fellowship is so dear to our hearts after years of isolation in Zambia. Elijah (now 6 years old) will be starting school next month, at the local Christian school (some of our church members are staff there). Ketzia (recently turned 5) will start kindergarten at home with me. Titus (3) is very busy and we're working on helping him to be busy in profitable ways instead of mischief. 😄 Reyah (1) is a proper toddler and I'm dreading the day when she can finally climb up on the sofas by herself!
What's different about Australia? People ask us this so often! I've had a number of people ask me, 'What have you found to be really different compared to what you are used to?' Well, so far, I can honestly answer that I have found only positive differences! It's wonderful to live in close proximity to modern conveniences! It's wonderful to be close to hospitals and good medical care! It's wonderful to have unlimited choice in food! It's wonderful to have friends and a local body of believers to associate with! It's wonderful to have schooling options and support!
But all that aside... there are some REAL differences! Haha. Like, um, it's summer here, folks! It's January and it's SUMMER! That takes some getting used to. People do give you weird looks when they hear your American accent. (I'm sorry, don't hold it against me. I'm not as American as I sound, I promise.) The sun is very hot. There is a ozone hole which means we get a lot of UV rays and Australia has a very very high rate of skin cancer. There's a whole set of new lingo to learn. Our children know three words for the paved area where people walk along the street: sidewalk (USA), pavement (British), and footpath (Aussie). It's all good!
Well, this is a start. Tomorrow we have a tenancy inspection so I'm finishing tidying things up. I will try to keep updating! So thankful that the Lord's mercies are new every morning. 💕
as we roll down this unfamiliar road
and though this wave
is stringing us along
just know you're not alone
'cause I'm gonna make this place your home
settle down
it'll all be clear
don't pay no mind to the demons
they fill you with fear
the trouble, it might drag you down
if you get lost, you can always be found
just know you're not alone
'cause I'm gonna make this place your home
~ 'Home' (Phillip Phillips)
I have felt like these lyrics are my theme song for the past year or two. I love this song! I'm sorry that I've nearly let this blog die. I'm updating it in the hopes that perhaps I can pick up again with occasional blogging, in case any of my friends out there will still actually read this, since we still live many thousands of miles away from friends and family.
Well, where do I start? I haven't blogged in more than 2 years, nearly three. The last entry was from shortly after our end-of-2013 itineration trip through the UK (when Titus our 3rd baby was only a few weeks old). Now we have 4 children - the Lord added to our number when our second daughter, Reyah Ruth, was born on 30 November 2015. As sad as it is, I doubt that I will ever be able to recollect enough to write an entire blog post about her birth (as I did with the previous 3 babies) so let me just summarize by saying: it was my fourth successful all-natural homebirth waterbirth delivery, she was also born in Scotland like 3 of my other babies, she was born on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides like Titus was, I had the most fabulous care from the midwives, I actually had a doula this time around (my dear friend Yolanta made it to the birth! yay!), it was such a blessing to be able to sojourn yet again in Scotland this time for 4 months, and I got to rest for an extra 3 weeks more than normal before we jetted off internationally with this newborn babe. We are always so thankful for the Lord's watchful care over us.
Now: more short summaries, to help with the catching up...
Where do we live now? We live in Australia!! 'Down under' 'down under' to be exact... in Sept 2016 we moved to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, the island state south of mainland Australia.
Why did we move here? In early 2015 we felt the Lord was showing us that our time serving at Covenant College Zambia Trust, in rural Eastern Province Zambia, was drawing to a close. We gave more than a year's notice to the Trustees and our Missions Board and focused on handover to the remaining staff at Covenant College. Meanwhile, during 2015 a congregation in Hobart, Tasmania whose pastor was retiring and moving back to Scotland, heard that we would be leaving the mission field and that David was open for another call. Long story short, they corresponded with us, we learned more about the situation here, David came out for a visit, they extended a unanimous call to him, and the rest is history! We left Zambia in May 2016 and spent May-August in the USA visiting our relatives while we waited for our employment visa application to be processed. We got the 'green light' in August and arrived in Hobart on the 16th of September. David was inducted to his new charge as the pastor of Southern Presbyterian Church, Hobart on the 8th of October. We are so blessed to be here!
How's the family? This has been such an exciting and overwhelming chapter in our lives! Moving a family of six from Zambia, transiting through Scotland and the USA and without fixed abode for months and then landing on completely foreign shores is not for the faint of heart. It was a much bigger task than when we originally moved from Scotland to Zambia in Feb 2011 with a 7-month-old baby and our total belongings in 15 boxes. Our heads are gradually stopping spinning! Having been here for four months now, we are feeling more and more settled by the day. Our first two months here we spent living in the church facility while we searched for a house to buy. Unfortunately the housing market here is very difficult and when we realized we weren't finding anything suitable, the decision was made to pursue rental accommodation. Now we live in a cute 3-bedroom house on the same street as the church! Moving in and getting everything in its place has been an exhausting job but we are finally winning the battle of organization. We've had lots of helping hands from church, too! David is settling into his new routine of preaching two services each Lord's Day and leading the weekly Bible study. it has been a huge change from his responsibilities in Zambia. He has had some visitation of sick church members recently. I love it here in Hobart and am finding my way around all over town learning where the best places are to shop. It is wonderful to be able to drive myself around freely again (I did not drive in Zambia or most of the time in Scotland, either). The children and I go to playgrounds and the library every week. It is sweet to make new friendships. Our new church family has a number of families with children. The fellowship is so dear to our hearts after years of isolation in Zambia. Elijah (now 6 years old) will be starting school next month, at the local Christian school (some of our church members are staff there). Ketzia (recently turned 5) will start kindergarten at home with me. Titus (3) is very busy and we're working on helping him to be busy in profitable ways instead of mischief. 😄 Reyah (1) is a proper toddler and I'm dreading the day when she can finally climb up on the sofas by herself!
What's different about Australia? People ask us this so often! I've had a number of people ask me, 'What have you found to be really different compared to what you are used to?' Well, so far, I can honestly answer that I have found only positive differences! It's wonderful to live in close proximity to modern conveniences! It's wonderful to be close to hospitals and good medical care! It's wonderful to have unlimited choice in food! It's wonderful to have friends and a local body of believers to associate with! It's wonderful to have schooling options and support!
But all that aside... there are some REAL differences! Haha. Like, um, it's summer here, folks! It's January and it's SUMMER! That takes some getting used to. People do give you weird looks when they hear your American accent. (I'm sorry, don't hold it against me. I'm not as American as I sound, I promise.) The sun is very hot. There is a ozone hole which means we get a lot of UV rays and Australia has a very very high rate of skin cancer. There's a whole set of new lingo to learn. Our children know three words for the paved area where people walk along the street: sidewalk (USA), pavement (British), and footpath (Aussie). It's all good!
Well, this is a start. Tomorrow we have a tenancy inspection so I'm finishing tidying things up. I will try to keep updating! So thankful that the Lord's mercies are new every morning. 💕
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