more about the rain...

1 september. this is the day we south africans celebrate the first day of spring. to me each new blossom, each new leaf is a celebration of new life, new beginnings & fresh starts. we have not yet had some rain this season & i am waiting in anticipation. i love the rain! yes it is cold & wet, but have you ever noticed how clean & clear everything looks after a good rainstorm?

the trees look taller & greener. the flowers look brighter & more colorful. the sky looks more blue & the grass looks greener. it is a time to pull of the jerseys & slip your feet into some sandals & meet the new day with a smile... :-)

my daughter slipped into bed with me early this morning & i felt how cold she was. i asked her why she's got summer pajamas on & her answer to me was: it's spring!! how can i wear warm winter pajamas? her enthusiastic spirit was very contagious & got me fired up for the day.

we started early & baked some cake & cheese straws to take with to go & visit a very dear friend whom i do not get to see often enough. i shared my good news with her that i had resigned this morning & starting a new job in a month. i could bounce ideas around with her & her husband. i always go away feeling uplifted & inspired with tons of good advice from them. they shared an analogy with me: a diesel engine in a vehicle works most economic & to full capacity when loaded heavy. when working with no load it is least economic. so it is in our lives: when trials & challenges are plenty, we get stretched to capacities we didn't know was possible. we learn we can do more than we thought & bear more than we thought. we learn how strong we actually are. we are also more useful to others around us because our experiences make us more understanding of other's actions.

it is good to leave a comfort zone behind & seek new challenges. although i have been very happy where i work now, i am looking forward to a new beginning, a fresh start. i am waiting for the rain...

happy spring day!

more on sunflowers...

this is my first attempt @ blogging so this will be a short one. as i am a very private person, putting my thoughts in my blog is a big step &  is maybe a way to overcome the shyness. i love spring & all the new flowers & leaves & grass. the fresh green & bright colors inspire me to a fresh start in my own life.

i have recently been given an assignment in our church to talk about how paying my tithing blessed my life. and at first it felt like a simple task...then i realized i had to stand up & talk in front of a lot of people!!! petrification set in!! this is much easier because i don't see any of you reading my blog!!

thinking about the assignment had me thinking about sunflowers: early in the morning they lift their heads to the sun & follow it throughout the day across the sky, no matter how dim the light, how cloudy or stormy, the sunflower follows the sun until the last dying rays disappear.

so should we be: we should have the same desire to follow the light & choose the right, as the sunflower has.

it also had me thinking about planting a sunflower seed. a tiny seed will grow (with some hard work & effort) into the most beautiful strong, tall sunflower. each sunflower face filled with hundreds of little seeds. so it is with paying my tithing: i give a little bit back to my Heavenly Father, from the abundance i receive from Him & He multiplies what i have left & what i give back to Him so that i am blessed in all my needs & others can be blessed too. my children & i have always been fed, clothed & safe.

i want to be more like a sunflower & follow the light...