A Modern Day Essene

If anyone has a little girl then I am sure that you either own or are planning on owning a dolls house! Well, I have found that most Doll houses are either too small to be of any use or too big and take up half the house. I was browsing for some ideas on the internet and came across a site where a woman has the most amazing doll house that I have ever seen! It is such a great idea and would be minimal cost compared to some of the dolls homes that I have seen advertised. All she uses are the chipboard cubes that are readily available at most storage shops. I bought two today at $19.95 each and they are easy to add on to. With all the beautiful http://www.denverdoll.com/rement.php dolls house furniture (rement) around at next to nothing you and your daughter could have a great time bringing fantasy into reality by creating your very own dolls home. This is also a great hobby for adults (like me!) who love decorating and changing furniture styles but haven't got the finances to do so! Decorating a dolls house (or cube room) is far less expensive but with the variety of materials available the choices are endless. One of my cousins in England has made the most adorable dolls homes over the years using a similar method (not cubes though) and they are a work of art. Check out the wallpaper stores! pick up some wooden flooring panels or carpet remnents and start creating the room of your dreams. You might never get to live in it but you can dream of a bigger version one day !
http://reddikerwoodes.typepad.com/reddiker_woodes/doll-house-reddiker-woodes/

Well, Steve and the older children are away for a few days on a camping trip. That leaves me and four little ones at home! (who do you think has the harder job?)
I had every intention of cleaning the pantry, defrosting the freezer, tidying up the garden etc etc but all I am able to do is survive! It is only when the older children are away that I realize just how much help they are to me around the home. It took me six hours to finish the breakfast dishes this morning......'sigh'. ...but it is all good, I know that Steve gets a lot from having time alone with the older two and always comes home refreshed. Good job coz by that stage I will be a frazzled mother!
Just wanted to share pictures of some of my dolls. All of these are made of resin and completely ball jointed, even the 'cats'. My girl, Mara, arrived fresh from ebay and with the help of one of my daughter's dolls wigs has taken on a complete new dimension. I love my dolls!

One of the upcoming movies for 2010 will be Alice In Wonderland in 3D. I am not a huge fan of Alice In Wonderland, it was never a story that I personally 'warmed' to but when I saw this trailer picture my heart missed a beat..........stunning! so I might have to go see it just to see some more beautiful scenery like this.

I feel like I am in the midst of a spiritual battle right now. I hope that doesn't sound weird but it is the only way that I can describe it. I am reminded of the books by Frank Peretti, "This Present Darkness" and the others of which I can't remember the titles right now. Those books gave me such an insight into the spiritual realm.
Can I ask those Christians among my readers to please pray for me and my family right now? It is the only thing that I am prompted to do.............ask for prayer.  God bless you all x

Sorry for my absense here but I do have a good excuse........ I have been happily busy! God is so good, just as I thought that my days at the gym were over (due to boredom and slackness on my behalf) A very dear friend decided to join with me and we have been going together this week. It is so nice to have company and the time just seems to fly. After the gym on Monday we spent three hours shopping! I couldn't believe that we could spend so long out but the time just flew past. I knew it was getting late when my tummy started rumbling in the shop rather loudly and looking at the clock I noticed it was 2.00p.m! We left home at 10.00am.
I am really in holiday mode with school work. Ben has spent the days watching Moody Science DVD's, reading his dictionary (he is a strange lad!) and playing with his siblings. I have been asked to set up an Aromatheraphy stand at our Church's Christmas party this year. Steve thinks it is hilarious as my information is purely for pleasure rather than expertise!! but maybe my enthusiasm will blow any doubters out the hall!
The gym is having a Christmas lunch at a local restaurant. I usually shy away from things like that because gyms are not the sort of place that you attend for fellowship.........so I really don't know anyone that well. I just feel it is a good thing to do so put my name down. My friend isn't going because she is the Pastor's wife and it is on a Sunday at lunch time (church finishes just after) but that is o.k. A stranger is only a friend that I haven't yet met!
Still absorbed in my new doll hobby. Steve thinks I am nuts. I haven't changed since I was a little girl........toys and dolls, that is me.

I had a good weekend with the Lord! without wanting to sound 'religous' (I hate religion) God really spoke to me clearly through his word over the past two days. Yesterday's sermon was brilliant, a 'word in season'. The pastor spoke a simple message about reaching your destiny. Basically if we want to reach our destiny we have to head in the right direction! He gave an illustration of someone wanting to head for Sydney for a holiday. They had prayed about, knew it was right, they had the plane tickets, their luggage was packed, the hotel was booked but instead of hopping on the plane for Sydney they took the plane to Darwin! He went on to say that in life we may have 'destinations' such as a health goal, finacial, spiritual, marriage etc etc but unless we get on and continue on the right path we are not going to land! For me the message spoke volumes. I could see clearly how my weight watchers had gone twisted! I still had the desire to reach my 'goal' but I was heading in the opposite direction! Same with homeschooling, same with my spiritual walk. How simple but how true............
I have prayed about the homeschooling situation and feel clearly that I am to put away all plans and curriculum until next year! I was trying to be superwoman again and it was burning me out. I am going to continue in a slow and steady manner with Christmas holidays in sight.
Yesterday was my first day back at the weight watchers plan. I clearly see how I was going wrong and I am determined to reach the goal that I set myself for Christmas. WATCH THIS SPACE!
I have let a lot of things go spiritually as I have become busier. Like Susan said, a lot of my 'perk me up' are band aids and I have to remember that the thing that got me better in the first place was walking a closer walk with God, christian meditation and time spent alone with my heavenly father.
There are other areas in my life, a little bit too painful and personal to talk about openly that I am still praying about. Sometimes I give them over to God but all to often take them back again and try to deal with them myself. I can't see the end of the tunnel yet and many times I feel like walking away from this painful experience but trust that God will continue to hold me up and keep me strong.