Welcome to 2025! Encourage one another.

Happy New Year!  I really really love the chance to make a new start.   I spent yesterday (between jobs) thinking over the year.  Andy's death and Lily's birth,  within weeks of each other, were obviously the biggest things.  And all that came from these...

Next was, thanks to Andy, I went back to church.  This transformed my year and me.  I am not articulate enough to describe how beautiful it is and how much I benefit.  God had a plan.  

And surprisingly, considering, I was able to list so many things achieved here on the farm... from 13 calves being born,  adding another 25 chickens or so, expanding gardens, renovating a house... Andy's rock on the hill and so much more.  If you have not considered the progress you made in the last year take a little time because you may have come a long way and we need to celebrate that before we figure out where to next.   Making my list made me feel really grateful.  Even though 2024 was like a stick that couldn't stop beating us we are still going! 

This year I have three themes.  

For such a time as this.

A joyful heart.

Encourage one another. 

Friday will still be Feather your Nest Friday because like considering the year, considering the week is really important.  Otherwise we just get kind of lost at sea!  

Over the next few days I hope to get each theme going.   So today I am kind of combining A Joyful Heart and Encourage One Another together. 

I think these themes will be self explanatory and why I chose them!

We are helped by clear instructions,  for our benefit.  It is like when all else fails read the instructions, right?  

"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed, those who help others are helped." Prov 11.25.

How simple is that?  

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up...... acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord." 1 Thes 5.11

"Aspire to live a quiet life.... and to work with your hands..."  1 Thes 4. 11-12

"Idle hands make one poor but diligent hands bring riches"  Prov 10 4

"Her hands are busy... she lends her hands to the poor..." Prov 31 19

I could go on and on.  If you would like more read Proverbs 31 right through and further look up "Bible verses about idle hands."  Oh my gosh God does NOT like idle hands!!!  

My Nana and my Mum are my examples.   Neither have ever had idle hands.    So I will tell you about Mum.

When I was little we had a chicken farm.  One of my early memories was every week Mum and I would take eggs, over the railway tracks, to a lady who's husband had died and she had a lot of kids.  We took that lady eggs for years.  

Another early memory was Mum sewing little sheets for my brother who was yet to be born... and oh I just wanted to help sew! 

My first bed had a pink and white squares blanket on it... I remember Mum making it and still have it to this day.   And so in one constant stream ever since every baby in the district and family received a blanket and then over the years charities were added.

And yes it is true, busy hands mean a happy heart.

My girls were clothed in things Mum sewed and knitted.  And now my Grandchildren are.

Every winter they are warm.  Every baby has their own blanket.  And every bed.   

Knitting has gone to Romania to an orphanage,  mens shelters,  cancer treatment centres...

Once we were watching TV and a man from a homeless shelter was being asked questions.  Mum said "thats my hat he has on!"

Also to hospitals for preemie babies...

There would be tons of places Mums knitting has gone that I don't know about but these are some I do.

Not content to have had everyone warm through winter (it is summer now) Mum has worked on warm things for the Great Grandkids for NEXT winter.

My Dad basically always wore a green vest.  So now all the little boys always have a green vest.

I could keep posting photos all night but you get the idea!   

All this came with long days running a farm,  catering for a lot of people,  endless house guests, a big garden,  times when Dad was in hospital, once for three months.... a lot of knitting in the hospital...  life.

If I mention someone is having a hard time Mum knits them something.   💖

So Mum is my example.  We can all do something.  For me it is crochet and sewing mostly.  There are so many choices and talents.  It might be you bless others through baking, card making,  preserving,  quilting ...  there are endless options and endless needs.    Mum says "some people do nothing you know."  Which means to her it is scandalous.   Which if you do the "idleness search" it actually is.  

So you can see why this is a blend of A Joyful Heart and Encourage One Another.   Working with our hands adds sooo much contentment to our lives but also gives us so many ways to bless and show love and care to others.  

There are different seasons in life too.  It can certainly be that our efforts are what are keeping our family fed,  the lunch boxes full and all the things going on right now.  If you are in that season of life you are doing a good job!  Some of us are older and at different stages of life and our hands are not so busy!   But still there is so much....  There are many kids fed out there because of the Nanas cooking.   Also I know many of you do enormous amounts of handiwork and work for your families and charity.  Some I know because of what I see on The Tuesday Afternoon Club.   So many of you have inspired me so much!  What some of you get done in a week, every week is just amazing! 

We might have a treasure trove of craft supplies that we can turn into something to help or gift this year.  What if we could use up what we have to fill our present cupboards too?  Imagine how much money would could save!   One thing I have is a lot of yards of velvet. mmm and other fabrics...   

It is just a win win.  The more we bless others the more we are blessed, the more content we feel and on it goes.   The skills you gain as you go may also give you something with which to trade or sell.  You never know... 

My next post should be Encourage One Another.  I have thought of a small project I can do this year that will help me achieve this.  But also my Grandson Sidney is coming to stay!   

As we set our plans for this year I just want to say we were made for such a time as this.  Our work counts for so much.   We can do it with a joyful heart and encourage one another! xxx