Category: Sue’s Views

In the busyness of the season ….. don’t forget to stop and smell the roses! A walk through the rose garden will put things into perspective. It will make you aware that you are part of something much bigger than the things that concern you ….. and therefore you can hand them over to the One who cares more than you do. You may have difficult people or situations to deal with. Even roses have thorns ….. they are part of life. But they don’t allow the thorns to overshadow their beauty. 

As I was walking the other day ….. I was drawn to the ‘Bog’ by a very loud noise. It took me a while to discover what was making the sound as this little fella was well camouflaged. I later discovered that he was a male trying to attract a female 😳 ! It gives a whole new meaning to having a ‘froggy throat’! 

Our lovely niece graduated from Epsom Girls Grammar School last night. She came from Rarotonga 4 years ago and boarded at the school. We’ve watched her grow from a shy young girl into a confident young woman. She has battled through changes in climate ….. culture ….. and covid! This year it didn’t look like she would be able to finish her education ….. but God opened doors for her at the right times ….. and here she is graduating! We give honour to her parents for their hard work and sacrifice ….. and to God for His provision and faithfulness. Go forward with Him, Alana. He has wonderful plans for your future!

It’s celebration season with graduations and end of year break ups. Some will receive certificates or trophies ….. the majority won’t. Most of us fall into the ‘average’ column! But whether you pass with honours ….. just scrape through ….. or even fail the exams ….. God sees you and has a plan for your life. Don’t let your school reports determine your future ….. and don’t let your awards ….. or lack of ….. determine your value or potential. Seek to be the best ‘you’ you can be ….. and ask God to show you how to fulfil His purpose for your life. Congratulations on finishing what has been a challenging year! You did great! 

After school yesterday I took my grandies to a park where they did some rock hunting. People hide painted rocks for others to find and re hide for someone else. It’s quite exciting to find one ….. but even better to know someone else will experience the same excitement. God loves to play this game! He hides treasures in His Word that have to be sought after ….. and sometimes dug out. Then the person who discovers the treasure shares it with others. He also puts treasure in people that has to be drawn out sometimes. The most precious things take time and effort to discover. Happy treasure hunting. 

We were doing a spot of babysitting yesterday when we suddenly realised Alayah wasn’t with us. We called her but no reply. We started searching inside the house ….. outside the house ….. down the driveway ….. but no Laylay to be found. By this time panic set in and my mind was going crazy! I ran back inside and called her name again. I heard a tiny voice say ‘I’m here’! I ran upstairs to find her happily playing with toys totally unaware of our dilemma. It reminded me again that fear is often ‘false evidence appearing real’! 

Do you see yourself as a victim or a victor? Are you focussing on all the terrible things that have happened to you ….. or on all the things you have overcome? The strongest people are not the ones who have not failed ….. but the ones who have got back up again and continued the race. They are not the ones who have no fear ….. but the ones who ‘do it afraid’! Life can be like an obstacle course ….. but obstacles are to be overcome. If you are alive and breathing you are an overcomer! Here’s a prayer I pray often when facing a challenge. ‘Lord, I thank you that there is nothing I will face today that you and I together can’t handle!’