LIFE CHANGING COMMUNITY

How Tight Do You Hold On - to people, to things, to past experiences? Enjoying our relationships, the material items that surround us, and the amazing experiences that we encounter or plan, provide memories that we can reflect on throughout our life. The ability to let go - of people, items, and experiences is difficult. However, if we hold too tight and are unable to let go, we risk losing the opportunity to meet new people, and experience new adventures or release some of our possessions and bless others by helping to meet their needs. Why is it hard to let go?  Why do we hold on so tight?   seeking affection, seeking fulfillment, trust, encountering a misunderstanding with another, wanting to have what we were unable to as a child, wanting to give our children or loved ones the things they did not have growing up, seeking to fill our lives with things so we appear successful, seeking love, seeking satisfaction security, comfort. “You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that

Recently, I was reading some notes taken from a Sunday Church service. One of the notes I took caught my attention: “There is an ever-increasing demand on us to meet people’s needs and demands. We also place expectations on ourselves. We put ourselves under pressure thinking others have expectations of us. We feel that we're underproductive if we aren't busy.   We forget to stop and breathe. ” Wow! Then I read further down my notes to find, “We have to be careful with our busyness.   There's a tension in our busyness.   We have families, work, and life”. Again, ‘wake-up call’ to me! The challenge? What is sacrificed when we become too busy? Relationships? Church on Sunday? Bible study? Prayer? Rest? How do we manage expectations? Our expectations and the expectations of others? Philippians 1:1-11 especially verses 9 and 10, which reads, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, tha

My current phone wallpaper reminds me to "trust God in the process".   The Bible reference is Ecclesiastes 3:11, which tells us, "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT. Life happens.  Change happens.  Unexpected moments happen.  To whom do we turn to? Who do we trust? People? Why? People hurt people, use people, and exploit situations to their benefit. If you want to make a positive life change in you and your community (however you define community) then begin by understanding, we cannot know the beginning from the end.  We go one step at a time, having plans, which may change unexpectedly. Unlike God, we cannot see everything from beginning to end.   Life is an adventure; sometimes you scream, sing, and shout.  In all this, whether expected or not, we need to ask ourselves, what positive action can come out

How often do you take the time to appreciate the little things in life? If you woke up this morning, had you coffee or tea, spoke with those with you do life, then appreciate these small, but important events. Often, we are so busy doing life, we forget that we are human ‘beings’. We long to ‘be’ – loving, living, enjoying, appreciating. However, life happens, and too often, all we do is go-through-the-motions of existing. If you didn’t do some things, what catastrophe would occur? If you didn’t wash for one day, or didn’t check your email 20 times a day but shut the system for a day to spend with others, or rake time for yourself? These are questions I ask myself. With social media, taking on N-F-P roles, and daily tasks around the home, it’s easy to be 24/7 connected and have information overload. Today, what action can you take to ‘be’ instead of ‘doing’? Something to reflect on.

How important is communication? The dictionary defines communication as “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior”, “a verbal or written message”, and “a technique for expressing ideas effectively”. Communication is an essential skill, not only in your personal and community relationships but also in your workplace.  Do you stop and truly listen to those around you?  If you remain quiet and listen to what your colleagues and work friends talk about, it may surprise you that communication, or lack of it, is often referred to. How can communication in the workplace improve?  If you are an employer, director, manager, supervisor, or team leader, make time in your diary to ensure you meet with your staff/team.  Don’t talk down to them, ask them questions about how they view the company/business/organization, ask them how they view communication between the different areas of the business.  You may choose to

Bible Verse to reflect on Psalm16:11 (MSG) Just as walking with God directs us onto the right path, having a well-designed workspace can help us excel in our chosen field of expertise. It's helpful to create a space where you can create, reflect, and work from.  By following these tips, you can create a space that is both functional and inspiring, helping you stay motivated and focused on your goals. Use natural light to create a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Incorporate reflective surfaces such as mirrors or metallic accents to add to the radiance. Choose colors that evoke joy and positivity, such as sunny yellows or calming blues. Create a focal point in the room that represents your life's purpose, such as an inspiring quote or a piece of art that speaks to you. Incorporate elements of nature such as plants or natural materials to create a sense of grounding and connection. Choose furniture and decor that is functional and comfortable, so that you can fully enjoy and enga

Over the past few months, significant changes have occurred in our family life. Changes in employment, our youngest graduating from High School, and myself, taking up a new Not-For-Profit executive position. Change can bring the feeling of being uncomfortable and challenging, and certainly cause you to either embrace it or hide away. Undergoing change in your life is not comfortable. Often friendships formed in the workplace, and other organizations change, even end. Relationships change. Finances change. Family life changes. Recently, I have been reflecting on how to embrace the changes positively. Is this easy? No. But to live life to be effective means being willing to change, even when your mind is screaming NO! To begin this process, I have begun: Getting up earlier in the morning and having breakfast (or a cuppa) with my husband. General House tidy-up (making the bed, cleaning bench tops, washing, dishes, general household duties). Set time aside for reflecting on God’s Word. Dea

Those who know me, they will understand that I am usually organized. I have lists everywhere, a planner colored for the month ahead, a diary (digital and/or paper) reflecting what's coming up, where I need to be, what needs to be purchased and bills to be paid. It's Important to Plan With the busyness of life in our modern society, it is important to plan - at least have some idea of what's coming up, what bills need to be paid, and what appointments must be attended. It's easy to say, "well, I get to that when I feel like it," and for some, I guess that works.  However, having a plan of action helps to lower stress levels, and ensure we get to those important appointments and events on the right day and at the right time. Can you imagine missing your child's special day at a school event or forgetting an important medical appointment? Planning can be simple, or, depending on your work, voluntary positions, and demands on your time, more complex.  By plann

Have you noticed how easily you can be distracted by news, social media, messenging and general life? We all have busy lives.  Often we are simply trying to get through the day - complete work deadlines, make the NFP meeting we've committed to, get a  meal on the table, ensure the children's homework is done. One way I have found to stay organised in the chaos is to simply take 10 minutes every few days, sit down with my diary (online/paper/planner, whichever works for you) and check through the week.   What is coming up - meetings and events? What do I need to purchase - grocercies, gifts, etc? What bills are due - vehicle registration, electricity, mobile phone account? What deadlines do I need to meet for work or N-F-P committee? What jobs need to be completed around the house? You may have other questions that need to be addressed and noted into your diary. That's what a diary or planner can assist you with. Helping to keep you focused and organised so that by the end o

 Teamwork.  We often hear this word, read about the importance of it and in our workplaces are encouraged to participate in it. What is Teamwork? The Cambridge Dictionary tells us, "the activity of working together in a group with other people, especially when this is successful." Teamwork isn't always easy.  Some people find it much more appealing to work alone, whilst others relish the opportunity to work with others. Teamwork, when everyone in the group chooses to participate and work together, can lead to creative and successful outcomes.  To achieve successful outcomes, all participants need to intentionally  ensure a numbe of actions occur. 1. Turn Up on Time!  Meetings (either in person or online) to brainstorm, collerabrate, and compile are important and it is very frustrating if participants are late joining the meeting or not turn up at all.  If you are part of a team of people, then TURN UP! Turn up to participate, turn up on time, be proactive. 2. Do Your Par

  Life happens...change is inevitable. Change comes, whether we are ready or not. Sometimes it's in our control, usually, we have little or no say in change. How do we cope? Do we accept change or reject it? What is the impact on our lives, our careers, and our beliefs? There are a few points that we do know: 1. Change will come whether or not we accept it or reject it. 2. Change may impact our lives, but we can learn to be adaptable. 3.  Change may be difficult at the moment, but the doors open to new possibilities, and new career choices. 4. Change is not something anyone wants to go through; our faith and beliefs are strengthened when we draw near to the Lord instead of pulling away. Some verses to help: Psalm 51:10 Philippians 4:13 Proverbs 18:10 Psalm 91:2  Change brings about growth - in our character, in ourselves, in our faith and beliefs. We may not have much say, but how we respond will show either a positive or negative stance as to who we are.  Whilst change will occur,

Little things in life are important. Taking time to create, make and share is often dreamt about,  but not always actioned.  Simple things like food, can make time with family and friends special. Cookidoo®: Lemon curd (TM6 - 600 g) https://cookidoo.com.au/recipes/recipe/en-AU/r556933

 When you have a busy period, what's your "Go to"?   For some of us it's a list (or several), scheduling tasks, a diary (paper or digital), maybe sticky notes. I am a list person.  I make lists for all sorts of jobs.  It may be planning an event (or even a BBQ), meeting deadlines for acquittal purposes, ensuring that people are contacted for meetings, making sure that travel itineraries are submitted on time. Whatever your reason, having some form of reminder is helpful, especially in today's fast-paced; information overload world. Learning how to use technology to assist you and make life easier is a must.  Scheduling emails, texts and reminders can mean that your time is better utilised so that deadlines can be met, reports or documents reach the recipients on time. You may find that a simple list, or scheduling reminders can help free up your valuable time. A monthly planner, a few highlighters and a decent pen, plus a few minutes each week can make the differe

 In today's fast paced world, people can often forget that our words, tones, language and actions may either help or hurt another. Too often, we're all about us. Getting to work, completing the workload, meeting deadlines, achieving outcomes, making a profit, proving why we should have the coveted position or be in leadership. More often than not, there are those around us who are forgotten, used or ignored in our ever chasing, ever climbing to be on top of the pile. To be kind does not take a lot of effort.  However, being kind may mean having to adjust our attitude, thoughts and actions.  You don't know what someone else is going through.  Your kindness may in that moment be the factor that changes their next decision.

How do you feel when you walk into a room that's cluttered and chaotic?  Do you feel like you can focus, or do you feel overwhelmed? A tidy workstation or office helps us to focus.  We don't become distracted by the clutter, the "I must attend to that". Simply having a clean desk, jobs sorted, drawers tidy help us to focus on the immediate task at hand. Some suggestions: a basket/box for mail in and out, clipboards for jobs in progress (alternatively you may choose folders, marked desk trays), Monthly planner (to see what is coming up and to note deadlines), current year calendar, notepad, printer paper in easily accessible drawer/shelf, pens, highlighters, rulers, etc in a tidy drawer, Important documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, certificates, etc) in a folder.  I have made one for each of my children so that they can simply collect their folder and have all the relevant documentation available easily when they need to complete Identific

  Recently I posted  on Instagram that Life is like cake. Life can be like cake. It's all good when it tastes nice. But when you forget the sugar or key ingredient, it can taste horrible. We all have good and bad days.  If you follow a recipe, then usually the end result is something you can eat - like cake.  But, if we don't follow the recipe then unexpected results can happen.  If you forget the sweetner or add too much, your cake may be inedible. Life is like that. When life is "sweet" we're happy, maybe even considering ourselves content. However, when life if not sweet - when the trials, difficulties and stress occur then the 'recipe' hasn't worked and the 'cake' deflates, burns, or doesn't taste good. That's when we need to re-adjust our recipe! Eat cake, good cake!