We're all in this together

This version of 'It Is Well With My Soul' was recorded in response to the devastating floods of January 2011 in Queensland, Australia. Recorded by the Hillsong team, it features a newly written chorus by Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding. All proceeds go to the Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal.

It is available via Hillsong Music and iTunes. Let's do our bit to show that we are indeed, all in this together x

I {am going to learn to} love Mondays

Generally speaking, Monday has got to be one of the most unloved & unappreciated days of the week. No other day of the week is hit with the dreaded -itis.

Call it what you want, but 'Mondayitis' can loosely be described as a feeling of weariness, sadness, apathy and general distress that many individuals feel when starting the Monday morning work week. This feeling is usually enhanced after a large weekend {Urban Dictionary}

Apparently {so I have been told} some home cures include late morning breakfasts, sleeping late, watching re-runs of your favourite box set and half-hearted pledges of sobriety and restful weekends in the future. This pact one has with oneself usually lasts until Friday night. 

During the long bus ride home last night, after a fabulously brilliant Sunday, I tried to muster up the courage to embrace the fact that the weekend was now pretty much over. I was thinking about how we see the week - Do we live for the weekends and just make it through the week? or do we treasure each and every day and treat it as if it has something to offer us? I must admit, for so long, I lived for the weekends. I remember when I first arrived in London, I would {only} just make it to Friday. I would put my head down and work the week through and then get so excited for the weekend. Then have a perfect weekend and then dread the week staring all over again. And with this mentality, no wonder I was scared of Mondays.

I lived like this for years until I started purposefully planning my weeks - Going out on a 'school night', having Monday night drinks, having Wednesday night movie dates and a Thursday night catch up with precious friends. I am learning to see each new day as it's own entity. Trying to see what beauty we can create each and every day of the week. Don't get me wrong, you will never be able to beat that fabulous Friday feeling or the weekend yumminess that includes long lie ins, slow breakfasts and chilled afternoons, but maybe, just maybe, we can start to enjoy the week just that little bit more.

So as Monday draws to a close for another week, how are we going to face tomorrow? As 4 days until the weekend or as Tuesday, full of anticipation for great things?

{Hope it was} Happy Monday, sweet friends x

It's a New Year

The whole notion of writing down resolutions for the year scares me to death. Don't get me wrong, I love thinking about my goals & hopes & dreams & expectations I have for the year...but oftentimes {actually, if i'm being honest, it's everytime} by the time January is done, I've lost my motivation and determination to actually see the list through.

Just the other day, my dear friend showed me my 2010 list. Yep, just as expected, pretty much untouched. It sat exactly where it had been placed this time last year, perfectly folded and all. 

So here it goes, here is my list - in no particular order...

I will ride my sweet little bike more.

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I will sort out the state of my wardrobe once and for all.

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I will sew buttons back on when they fall off - safety pin buttons are so last season.

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I will bake yummy treats for my friends {& definitely eat less cookie dough along the way}

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I will try to refrain from feeling the need to put a bow on everything and anything I see.

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I will read the whole Bible before the year is out.

I will actually wear my glasses when I need them.

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I will graciously and happily embrace change. 

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I will learn how to knit.

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I will have a purposeful and positive thought life.

I will try to live well, laugh often and love unconditionally.

I will learn to master the art managing of my iTunes library without losing all my songs.

I will learn to love ironing.

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I will jump in more puddles & embrace the weather in this rainy city.

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I will make more time for my friends.

I will believe in miracles.

I will trust.

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Some are simple, fail safe goals.

Some are mindset changes that will require more attention.

Some are personal goals that I hope will see my world enriched.

All are important and hopefully when the door closes on 2011, I can say that my life in 2011 was exactly how I'd hoped, dreamed, prayed & imagined it would be like.

I'm excited x

The Difference a Day Makes

Arriving back home to London after an utterly amazing holiday with my beloved family in Sydney, I began to unpack. Sydney & London: Polar opposites ~ in time, in weather, in pace.

Just a few days ago, the contents of my bag looked like this.

Complete with all my summer essentials:

Sunglasses
Sunscreen {yes, Mum...I always wear it}
iPod
Journal & pens
Bikini & beach towel
Frangipani fragrance ~ yummo
A good, happy summer book 
A camera of course
Plasters for blisters
Waterproof mascara

As I sadly unpacked my bags full of summer goodness, I began to repack my handbag with my wonderful winter woolies. I must admit, there may have been a tear shed during this transition, but generally speaking, it was fairly seamless. So just 24 hours later, the contents of my bag now look like this.

Complete with all my necessities to get my London groove back:
My i friends ~ namely, Phone & Pod
Oyster card & tube map
Car key
House keys
Gloves
Scarf
Umbrella
Tissues
Chapstick
Antibacterial hand sanitiser
Gucci perfume
Life in the UK test practice questions {yep that's right, it's study time again for me, the little red passport beckons}

So here I am, getting reacquainted with my bag {and my life} back in London. I'm looking forward to seeing what this year holds ~ wondering how many bags I will need to pack and unpack over the course of this year, wondering what beautiful new friends I will meet along the way, wondering what different countries I will be lucky enough to travel through, wondering what amazing things are going to happen in the lives of those I love. I wonder...