Month: December 2022

Sue’s Views

How have you changed this year? Confinement and limitation is never enjoyable ….. but it definitely changes us. A caterpillar may look at a butterfly with envy of its freedom ….. but instead of growing wings ….. he finds himself confined to an even tighter environment. He may even lose sight of the possibility of ever becoming a butterfly. He may think ‘This is as good as it’s going to get for me!’ But God is doing something amazing on the inside of him. Don’t let go of your dreams! But there is a process. There is no shortcut. Yield to the process while holding onto the dream. Nothing and no one can stop God’s plan but you!

Sue’s Views 

We are coming to the end of another year ….. but the journey will continue. With so much corruption in the world ….. it seems the path for those who want to follow Christ is getting narrower ….. while the path for those who don’t is the more popular route. Please don’t be like the frog in the pot who tolerated the heat at first because it felt ‘comfortable’ ….. but ended up cooking him! I urge you to think with your God given brain ….. and take heed to what God has to say:

 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Sue’s Views 

This is probably one of my favourite weeks of the year! My calendar is blank ….. my ‘to do’ list is empty ….. I’m continually asking ‘What day is it today?’ No deadlines ….. no agenda ….. just breathe! After a busy season ….. it’s not that easy to relax. We are so accustomed to time pressure. But this kind of ‘no man’s land’ is a great time to unwind from the year past and prepare for the year to come ….. which will no doubt bring its own challenges. Here are some thoughts to ponder: 1. What has been my greatest lesson from 2022? 2. What do I want to do differently in 2023? 3. How can I prepare for the unknown?

Sue’s Views

The Wilson tribe hit Long Bay yesterday for our Boxing Day picnic! Despite a forecast of thunderstorms and rain ….. a bubble of sunshine surrounded us all afternoon! We felt so blessed ….. and as grandparents ….. our tanks are full! Getting to all be together ….. and seeing all the interactions was a true delight! And not an electronic gadget in sight ….. apart from Nana taking photos! It was a much needed break for our adult children as well as they have all been putting in the hard yards lately! So thankful to God for bringing us all through another year ….. and for shining on us yesterday 🙌😎🥰

Sue’s Views

This song has been running through my head this morning! It’s called 10,000 reasons! If we were to ‘count our blessings’ ….. I’m sure we would easily find 10,000 reasons to Bless the Lord! Sing along with me!

Chorus

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

O my soul, worship His holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul.

I’ll worship Your holy Name.

Verse 1

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning;

It’s time to sing Your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

Chorus

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

O my soul, worship His holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul.

I’ll worship Your holy Name.

Verse 2

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger,

Your Name is great and Your heart is kind;

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing,

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

Chorus

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

O my soul, worship His holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul.

I’ll worship Your holy Name.

Verse 3

And on that day when my strength is failing,

The end draws near and my time has come;

Still my soul sings Your praise unending,

Ten thousand years and then forevermore.

Chorus

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

O my soul, worship His holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul.

I’ll worship Your holy Name.

Sue’s Views

I didn’t need to check the weather forecast yesterday! I could see what was coming just by looking out the window. I literally watched this rain cloud move around the region and drop its blessings on various communities. Having just done a load of washing ….. I decided to heed the warning! Jesus told his disciples to watch for 4 signs that would indicate His return to earth. Disasters in the world (wars ….. famine ….. earthquakes etc). Persecution in the church. Distress in the Middle East ….. and signs in the sky! (See Matthew 24 for details) I think we would all agree that most of these signs are already evident. Let’s not be complacent. While we celebrate Jesus birth ….. let’s not forget He is no longer a baby in a manger. He is soon to return and to reign as a victorious King! Come ….. Lord Jesus!

Sue’s Views

As with any family ….. we are all at different ages and stages on our journey. We don’t expect the same results from all our children. God is a fair and understanding Father. He knows our personalities ….. potential ….. and attitudes ….. and judges us accordingly. But He does want us to grow and develop character. These guys produced some amazing cookies! Some were more sophisticated than others but …..  Hey! They all tasted great!

Sue’s Views

We decided to go for a bush walk yesterday due to the intense heat! The bush provided a wonderful canopy of protection and the sound of the running stream was also very refreshing. And then we came to the bottom of the 100 steps! We were tempted to turn round and go back the way we came ….. but decided to throw caution to the wind. I was reminded that my 2 year old grandson had done it and so up we went. (The pic was taken after the climb in case you are wondering!) Anyway ….. the point is ….. when something seems overwhelming …… remember it’s just one step at a time! It doesn’t matter if you need to stop occasionally and take a breath. Eventually ….. you will reach the top ….. and you’ll be stronger for the experience. Now I know how Sir Edmond Hillary felt when he reached the top of Mt Everest!

Sue’s Views

Do you know that the God of the Universe wants to live with you? He wants to be part of your marriage ….. family ….. work ….. in fact everything you do. How does that make you feel? There’s a big difference between having someone visit and having someone move in permanently! We can be on our best behaviour for a limited time. We can clean the house ….. put the clutter in a cupboard and shut the door ….. speak nicely to those around us ….. during a visit. We can forego our selfish pleasures and give attention to the visitor when we know they will soon be leaving. But it’s a different story when they become part of your everyday life. The truth is ….. God already knows about the clutter in the cupboard. He knows about the guilty pleasures you indulge in. He hears the arguments that go on. And He still wants to live with you. He wants to be the very centre of your home. He will bring love peace and joy ….. wisdom and clarity ….. purpose and vision. So why not invite Him in? He is the best house keeper!

Sue’s Views

The two most important rules to live by are to love God ….. and to love people! They are simple ….. but profound. You can’t have one without the other. When you put God first ….. He will fill your heart with compassion and love for others. As you treat others the way you would like to be treated ….. you will discover the heart of God.