The job in Canberra crashed and burned. The company decided they’d go with what they’ve already got. The recruitment agency guy got a TEXT message from Aussie to say it was cancelled. He was horribly embarrassed when he rang David to tell him.

We were all gutted. Surprisingly, Becca was the one that has grieved the most. Initially she wasn’t at all keen. But then she realised that going to a different school in a different country could actually be a good thing. She could start again. She might no longer be the weird outsider who couldn’t crack the Year 9 cliques. She could try to make some new friends. This news unfortunately hit at the same time as hormones struck, resulting in her hiding in her room under a blanket, in a pile of soft toys, crying her eyes out.

We’ve grieved, separately and together. Obviously, whatever G-d’s plan for us is, it’s not to go to Australia to work at the moment.

So after the emotional roller-coaster of the last few weeks, life has sort of returned to normal, with bills to pay, car services due, and places to be.

With this new insight into Becca’s level of unhappiness, she and I have discussed being more intentional. Making friends at school is probably too hard. But if she sits on her bum at home, she’s definitely not going to meet new people ‘in the flesh’. So intentionality for her means going to an Art Class run by Debbi Ironside today, which will become a weekly after-school happening; going to Lincoln Road Bible Chapel Youth Group on Saturday night’s from the beginning of term; Fencing on Saturday mornings.

Intentionality for me means doing art. Just a little bit, every day. In the form of an Art Journal. There’s a couple of ladies I follow – Kristal Norton and Julie Balzar being two of them – but they’re NOT CHRISTIAN, so a lot of pagan/eastern spirituality slips into their work and thinking.

Awwww – pretty – there’s rainbow bubbles on the top of the coffee in my plunger!

So I googled Christian Art Journalers, and came across Antoinette at God Bless Your Art where she has a 31 day Christian Art Journaling Workshop. I’ve dug out a pre-loved visual diary, torn out the used pages, and done the first two days of exercises.

The front page has the Sh'ma:

 

In the front I’ve written:

This journal is my JOURNEY through Scripture and Worship of how Adonai’s word reaches out to me, speaking, touching and changing me from the inside out. It is my goal to be more intentional in my connecting to and spending time with Him. I will celebrate the messiness of life, love and art in union with G-d. I give myself permission to speak my mind, and not correct myself. I will read the text in context.

I intend to take each ‘lesson’ a little bit further. Lesson 2 used 2 Timothy 1:7. The wording of her version and NIV is different, and I’ve also used another sentence Paul wrote to Timothy. Reading each passage in context is also important to find out where it sits in scripture.

 

These pages are all a work in progress - they'll get stamps, embellishments and bits and bobs on them.

I want to try and be less flighty this year, to learn to say NO, and not put so much pressure on myself.

It’s my birthday on the 27^th – I’ll be 54. I don’t feel that old – whatever ‘that old’ feels like.

School starts for Becca that same week, and for me a few weeks after. Beth Malekh is back at the end of the month. Life will be getting busier.

We will cope.

 Oh, and I really do need to change my banner picture - I'm sick of rusted gum trees!