iSonto #20

Elnathan was practicing jumping a lot this week. There are few sweeter things than watching a child delight in something so ordinary. He was also a cute but wayward sheep in our church's nativity.

Natey's memory verse was "The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits" from James 3: 17.

Mercy was happy to "help" Daddy with podding the broad beans.

Mercy has also been delighting us with her smiles, standing on her own, walking when we hold her hand, and affectionate way of coming up to us and saying "hello". 

From garden to tummies . . .

Turnips were delicious with a roast last night. I have discovered that God has packed lots of  vitamin C and other nutrients into turnips. Our zucchini has produced its first fruit, but they are all female. Without any male flowers they will just die. So we decided to harvest them with their flowers and eat them fried with eggs for breakfast. Yum! I just found out that they are a source of potassium and folates.

A book we enjoyed together was "The Jesus Storybook Bible".

We are thankful for the roses and silverbirches outside our window, the memories of how God has provided for us in the past, the prospect of getting a new kitchen with a dishwasher which will help my back pain, our Advent calendar, and opportunities to talk about Jesus.

Isonto is a Zulu word for both week and Sunday, so Dave suggested it as the title of this little update I plan (God willing) to put out each Sunday.

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iSonto #19

Mercy was happy to play in the sand when we went out for dinner to celebrate Dave's promotion to permanent employment.

We thought it might be warm enough to eat outside but soon enough that Tassie biting wind caused us to go inside!

Before dinner we had a lovely play on the beach.

Elnathan was very cute playing cubbies under a blanket with the toys. We had fun practicing our greetings as the toys knocked on the door and "met" the other toys! It is lovely that the he is old enough to begin to pretend like this.

Natey's memory verse was Proverbs 25:28 "Whoever has no control over his own spirit is like a city broken down without walls", perfect for small boys (and Mummies) who have trouble controlling their emotions!

From garden to tummies . . .  

We enjoyed fresh snap peas often this week, the sweet fruit of perseverance as I had to plant them multiple times to get this crop. They were killed in various ways and I had to replant.


A book we enjoyed together was "Frank the Farmer", which was asked for again and again. 

Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from  Enjoying the Simplicity of Staying Home, an antidote to feeling guilty about not going here and there. There is so much good to be done out and about . . . but often the "good works" God has called us to do right now are simply in front of us at home.

We are thankful for the rosellas who visited neighbouring trees,a neater yard with Dave's new brush cutter, a lovely big bookshelf for Nate's room, the piano moved to the living room so we can enjoy it more, and a chance to plant seeds.

Isonto is a Zulu word for both week and Sunday, so Dave suggested it as the title of this little update I plan (God willing) to put out each Sunday.

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iSonto #18

Elnathan was interested and helpful when it was time to decorate the tree on the first day of Advent.

We decorate mainly with angels and stars. It has been fun to tell him about the different angels and what they are made of, as well as where we purchased them or who gave them to us. He is also learning about the ways angels and stars feature in the Bible story.

We have also started our Jesse tree devotions and decorations. This is great as Elnathan can begin to understand the stories.So far we have covered Bible history from creation through  to Abraham.

Mercy was happy playing with broad beans while I podded them.

From garden to tummies . . .

Did I mention broad beans?! You can eat them in soup, double podded for salad, steamed to have with spaghetti bolognese, and in risotto, to name just four ways we have tried in the past week.

A book we enjoyed together was Tasmania: Australia's Island State, a touristy publication I bought years ago because I liked the pictures. We have had lots of conversations with Nate about this book this week, as he has taken a great interest in the pictures and saying "I've seen" or " I haven't seen" about them!

Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from Romans 5: 4- 5, a helpful reminder to persevere even when there are disappointments. Perseverance will result in a hope that will not disappoint.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We are thankful for the permanent work Dave has been offered at CSIRO, trusting God that this means he has a plan for us to be here for at least a couple more years. We are also grateful for Christmas lights, and for the many things that are more precious when there are little people about. It is great to be with them as they discover the world. A few times this week Nate has said "We made a Christmas tree, and it is a beautiful Christmas tree" as well as things like "there is a glass angel, and a bead angel, and a wood angel, and a paper angel".

Isonto is a Zulu word for both week and Sunday, so Dave suggested it as the title of this little update I plan (God willing) to put out each Sunday.

Read more...