Making Home with Your Hands & Your Summer Peace Plan Printable

There’s something deeply comforting about crafting with your hands—especially in summer, when the days stretch long and golden, and the pace of life invites us to slow down, savour, and make space for peace.

This week, I’ve been leaning into that sense of intention and simplicity—creating with joy, prayerfully preparing for the seasons ahead, and grounding my days in gentle rhythms. I’m delighted to share a few of those things with you today: a cheerful handmade rag wreath to brighten your home, beautifully decorated candles ready for gifting, and a free printable to help you map out your own peaceful summer.

✽ Creating a Home that Whispers “Welcome”

I started the week with a simple, satisfying craft: a fabric rag wreath. This is the sort of project that feels timeless and comforting—no fancy tools required, just your hands, some fabric scraps in soft summer hues, and a bit of time to tie and tuck.

Each scrap carries a story—a memory from an old sewing project or a remnant too pretty to part with. As I knotted them around the frame, I found myself praying quietly for my home and those who pass through its doors.

✽ Preparing for a Season of Giving

While the warmth of summer wraps us in sunshine, my thoughts often stray to Christmas. Yes, really! I love to use these quieter months to prepare small, thoughtful gifts that can be wrapped up with care when Advent arrives.

This week, I dressed a few candles with a collar of brown craft paper and seasonal trims—tucked away for December gifting. There’s such peace in this kind of quiet preparation. It feels like sowing seeds of love in advance, ready to bless someone months from now.

Perhaps you’d like to make a few too? Pop on a hymn or soft music, brew a cup of something soothing, and let your hands create beauty.

✽ A Printable to Help You Plan a Peaceful Summer

To accompany your slow summer days, I’ve created a Summer Peace Plan printable, designed to gently guide your heart and home toward peace. It's a one-page resource you can tuck into your journal, pin on your fridge, or keep near your Bible.

It includes:

• Daily Anchors for Peace like prayer, time outdoors, and creative moments

• Soul Prompts to reflect on what God may be inviting you to release or embrace

• A Gentle Summer List of soul-nourishing ideas—from pressing flowers to reading under a tree

This is not a to-do list, dear friend, but an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and dwell in the quiet, nurturing presence of God this season.

✨ Click here to download your free Summer Peace Plan printable

PS. You can download this plan anytime from the FREEBIES page on this blog.

✽ Homemaking as Worship

Whether you’re stitching, baking, tying ribbons or simply sweeping the kitchen floor, I believe these acts can be a form of worship. When we make our homes with love and intention, we reflect the heart of our Creator—who made all things good, and called them beautiful.

So as summer unfolds, may you find peace in the small things. May your hands be blessed in the work they do. And may your home be a haven of grace.

With every blessing...

Beginning Again: Reclaiming Your Quiet Time with the Lord

 There’s something deeply comforting about beginning again. I often think of how the seasons gently turn, always arriving in their own time, never rushed—never scolded for being late. And perhaps, our hearts are much the same. They, too, move in seasons. Some are fruitful and focused. Others—well, they drift a little. And that’s okay.

I’ve found myself in one of those drifting places lately. The quiet rhythm of meeting with the Lord each morning had slowly unravelled. Not in a dramatic way—just a slow slipping of intention. The Bible sat unopened on my desk. The journal gathered dust. And my soul began to feel it.

But here’s what I’ve also found: the Lord never turns away. His invitation to come away with Him remains open, unchanging. No matter how far we’ve wandered, we are always welcome to begin again.

A Gentle Return

I’ve started to return, slowly. Not with strict routines or grand intentions. Just small, meaningful moments—like lighting a candle before the house stirs, whispering a prayer as the kettle boils, or sitting quietly by the window with an open Bible and expectant heart.

No guilt. No pressure. Just grace.

I think that’s the key, really. Coming back to the Lord isn’t about performance. It’s about presence. It’s about remembering who we are, and whose we are. And often, it begins with one small choice—a simple act of turning our heart back towards Him.

Little Touches of Beauty

As I ease back into a rhythm, I’ve been drawn to creating a little space that feels peaceful and lovely—a quiet corner with my Bible, a notebook, and my favourite mug. Nothing fancy, just comforting.

A candle flickering nearby. A vase of garden flowers. Even the gentle hum of a hymn playing softly. These small touches speak deeply to my spirit, drawing me into rest and worship without words.

It reminds me that beauty and faith are not separate things. They are woven together in the fabric of daily life, gently pointing us back to the Creator.

When Quiet Time Isn’t Quiet

If you’re in a season where quiet is a luxury, I understand. I’ve had many of those years—years of nappies and homeschooling, full sinks and full hearts. And I know that quiet time with the Lord doesn’t always look like sitting serenely with tea and Scripture.

Sometimes it’s praying while pegging out the washing. Sometimes it’s listening to Scripture on audio while doing the ironing. Sometimes it’s just pausing in the middle of a messy kitchen to whisper, “Lord, help me.”

And that counts. More than we know.

No Shame, Only Grace

If, like me, you’ve been feeling a little distant, I hope you’ll hear this: you are not behind. You haven’t failed. You are simply human. And you are beloved.

There’s no need to fix everything overnight. Just begin again. One verse, one prayer, one moment of stillness at a time. The Lord is already there, waiting to meet you.

With You in the Starting Again

So today, I begin again. Not perfectly, but prayerfully. With a quiet heart and open hands. If you’re in a similar place, know you are not alone. We can begin again together.

May this be a gentle season of remembering, of drawing near, of basking once more in the beauty of His presence.

With love and grace,

A Journaling Freebie For You

Hello my lovely friends!

The weather has finally broken in our neck of the woods and we have had some lovely rain which is a welcome relief for the garden. I have to say that I have missed the lack of rain! I love listening to it falling and the way the earth smells as the rain hits the soil. Don't get me wrong, I have loved all this sunny weather. It means we have had no slug issues this year and it looks like we are going to have a bumper strawberry and apple crop this year!

I've noticed that the Elderflower is out already so I plan on taking a walk along the nearby canel tomorrow after church to collect flower heads so that I can make a lovely Elderflower Cordial, a seasonal activity that I love to do each year.

Following my post earlier this week (Finding Your Way Back Home), I have continued to focus on the little things that lead me back to a life of peace, contentment, purpose and grace. I have realised that it is easier said than done as we humans tend to operate on the established 'tracks' forged in our brains.

Charlotte Mason spoke about the physical tracks that are created in our brains when we establish a new habit. It is what makes breaking a bad habit so difficult. We physically have to choose to take a more purposful course of action and do so repeatedly until a new 'track' is forged. This is definantly a topic I will come back to on this blog.

I have always found the process of journaling through any challenging times to be very helpful. It helps me to take swirling washing machine of thoughts in hand and pick them out one by one to create some sort of order. So I created this little journal with 10 prompts to help explore a gentle return to the slower and sacred rhythm to my home and life.

The prompts are designed to encourage reflection, to pause and return to the heart of your home and heart. I am using one prompt a day to allow time to really ponder on the topic and examin my heart.

I am finding the process so theraputic and helpful that I thought you may like to download my A Gentle Return Journal to use if you wish. This is a resource aimed at the Christian woman so I appreciate that it will not be helpful to everyone. But if you would like to use it please do.

I'd love to hear if you are in a season of change or just pondering on what it is that truly brings you peace, contentment and joy. Perhaps you have already travelled this road and have some thoughts that would be good to consider. Please do let me know in the comments.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I shall see you back here next week.

Sunday Reflections: Make It Your Ambition To Lead a Quiet Life

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you - 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV

God gave me this verse and Deut 6:7 in 2006 when He led us on a journey that was very much 'counterculture' and not the norm. He blessed us and gave us the great privilege of homeschooling our children. He showed us how to live a quiet life that left the hustle-and-bustle of the world outside to a large extent.

This verse as long been one of my favourite verses and the desire of my heart and soul which I know was planted by God and very much in line with how He created me. I have always found fulfilment and peace in the simple things, in God's creation, in my home and role as a wife, mother and as a Christian.

It's funny, because I have been on this academic journey and done quite well (I passed the Bar Course BTW with a High Distinction!), yet I have felt a sense of disquiet over the past couple of years about pursuing a career in law.

Why? I wondered. 

Well, because it goes against my innermost being and who I was created to be. I absolutely believe that God has a purpose for each of us and some of us are purposed to be lawyers, doctors, teachers and so on.

But if I examine closely my nature and the inclinations displayed in my childhood, and if I pay close attention to the things that bring me the most peace and joy - those things which make me a better person who is able to reach into the lives of others and share God's love, then I can see where I should be placing my efforts and where I should be working.

Oh, God is faithful! He closes doors, opens others, gently places things in our paths and leads us along the way that we should go. We don't always recognise it when we see it. We try to take matters into our own hands and attempt to make our own way and shape our own destiny, often settling for so much less than what God has in mind for us.

We can be blind to what really ought to be quite clear. 

But once we are sure about the path God wants us to take, we will need to set aside all our 'but how's' and our 'but what if's' and our fears and step out in faith.

Stepping out in faith reminds me of that scene from the 'India Jones: Last Crusade' movie. He stands on the precipice of a great chasm. He needs to cross it to get to the room where the grail knight guards a room full of chalices, one of which is the Holy Grail, the cup of life.

He closes his eyes and steps out in faith. His foot lands on a solid rock bridge which could not be seen with the naked eye, and he safely crosses the great chasm.

Sometimes we need to step out in faith, even when we cannot see how we will make it to the other side and the unknown seems terrifying.

Isn't that what it means when we as Christians 'live by faith'? 

We trust God to show us the way. We trust Him to lead us, to make it clear so that we understand, and we surrender ourselves to Him in all areas of our lives, not holding on to the bits we feel we are better equipped to control.

I wonder what it is that you are grappling with right now

Is God calling you to something that appears impossible?

Are you standing on the precipice of a chasm, and you are not sure how you will get across to the other side?

Are you scared to step out in faith?

"I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jer 29:11

We have all been there. We have all wondered if the decision we are making is the right one. Sometimes it is easier to keep the status quo and stay in our comfort zone, to stick with what we know works even if it makes us unhappy, even if it means we will not experience the wonder of seeing God's hand in our lives.

"Be strong and courageous" For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - Josh 1:9

I want to tell you that this promise from Joshua 1:9 is true. 

In my own life I have seen God make a way where really...by the world's wisdom, should never ever have happened.

We stepped out in faith and obedience when God called us to homeschool.

We stepped out in faith and obedience when God impressed on my heart to keep teaching them in the way He had shown us which was absolutely not the way the education system works in the UK.

And He opened doors! You can read about it HERE.

Sometimes, we are like the Israelites

We forget God's goodness.

We forget God's provision.

We forget that He loves us and has a plan for us.

Instead of trusting Him, we wander around the desert surviving, but never fully living in abundance.

By not stepping out in faith, we deprive ourselves of seeing His mighty hand at work in our lives. We deprive ourselves of seeing a way being made where there shouldn't be one. We deprive ourselves of growing in faith and experiencing His peace and joy.

I don't know what decisions you have to make today...

But I want you to know that God is big enough to handle whatever it is. He is big enough to make a way, but you need to reach out, put your hand in His, and take the first step.

That is exactly what I will be doing today and every day (for faith is not a single action but a daily sacrifice).

Blessings in Christ,

Shirley-Ann

A New Bible Study and a Walk Back In Time

A week ago today I wrote my final exam and it feels so SO good to be done. I've been spending this past week getting stuck into the things I've put aside for so long. 

My husband and I also took took two days to visit the Yorkshire Dales which was wonderful. I am feeling refreshed!

I have also started a new Bible Study which I am loving so I thought I would share it with you because when you find a great, biblicaly sound resource, it's too good not to share!

Years ago, I came across Melanie Newton of Joyful Walk Ministries. She writes the most wonderful Bible studies which are Christ-focused, grace-based and scripture rich rather than just commentary filled.

Instead of her studies really depending on a flashy speaker, her studies really encourage the reader to dig deep into the Word for yourself and to depend on Jesus to help you apply what you learn.

The other thing I love about her studies is that she offers them for free. Oh yes, you can buy them printed etc but she offers them free because it's the Word of God! 

Currently I am working through the God-Dependent Woman: Life Choices from Second Corinthians. In my last podcast I spoke a little bit on empty next and seasonal life changes and how, to my deep regret, I forged on ahead with my own plans. I really want to get back to being a God-dependant woman and not to just rush headlong into things. 

This study is inspiring me to better understand God's character and inspiring me to trust in Him, to let go of my need to control everything and let Him work in and through me.

So I'll leave that there - if you are looking for a solid Christ-focused bible study, check out her website and pick a study that is relevant to your own life circumstances right now. Let me know which one you choose!

 Now that I am no longer chained to my desk and computer, my daughter and I have decided to take a day each week or at least every few weeks and visit some of our favourite National Trust properties.

I have to say that it is rather nice going out during the week - the weekend's can often be very busy. We also like to re-visit properties and I think my husband finds that a bit boring, so I have the perfect companion when we set out on our adventures because she is just like me and loves to re-visit places we love.

This property is the industrial revolution property Quarry Bank Mill. We have visited this property at least 3 times prior to this visit and honestly, I'm going again when summer is in full swing! I love the gardens, the trees, the space. 

My favourite part of this property has to be the Apprentice House built to house the child workers who were given food and board in exchange for their labour. 

Up to 90 children stayed in this house so things would have been very cramped and certainly not as idyllic as it looks like now.

There is an orchard just along the path and to the left. It's not a large orchard but it has at least a dozen fruit trees. Off to the side of the orchard is a little pond where ducks can take a dip.

I love the veggie patch in front of the house. Being an enthusiastic gardener myself, I have to say that I am envious of the space to have such a lovely kitchen garden. I particularly liked this sign - it reminded me that wanted to make a little Peter Rabbit blue coat for my garden for the summer months. I think it would add a bit of whimsy to my English cottage inspired garden.

Across the way from the Apprentice House is this lovely field which was full of wild grasses, dandelions and clover. We just stood admiring the field and trees in their early spring splendour resting under a pretty impressive skyscape!

Isn't it just beautiful, peaceful and soothing to the soul! I do love being out in nature.

As usual, I found the most interesting and best room in the house to be the kitchen. I just love a good kitchen! I find them to be quite simply, comforting and inspirational. I'm sure I say this everytime I share a National Trust visit with you - but it really is the heart of the home. 

From this room people are nourished, loved, cared for. 

Conversations happen, caring happens, loving happens, living happens.

And of course, I could not leave Quarry Bank without some of their very own woven cotton woven on their heritage looms. 

I think that I'm going to use this fabric in a little wall-hanging quilt. I will combine it with some of my own little stitchery designs which speak of hearth and home. If it works with any degree of success, I will share the little stitchery designs with you.

Well, that's the end of our little trip to Quarry Bank Mill. I hope you enjoyed coming along. Until next time... may you have a peaceful and blessed week.

Homeschooling Help & Encouragement

 Hello my lovely friends, I hope that your year is off to a GREAT start! 

I wanted to pop in and have a little chat about homeschooling. As you know we have completed our homeschool journey. Both our daughters are now studying at university after having graduated from our homeschool. One took the American SAT route and the other a slightly different route, gaining university entrance through an art and design course she did at college. Both girls are happy and doing well in their respective courses.

But I digress...you see just before Christmas I had the privilege of being able to come alongside another homeschooling mum who is trying to navigate her way through the high school years of homeschooling. What a blessing! My heart was just so happy to be able to share with her our journey and how to progress along a path that is different from the traditional English way of gaining entry to UK universities. 

In sharing with her I was reminded of the beautiful journey that our Lord led us on. Of the privilege, I had to raise and educate our daughters in a way that was God-led and as a result to see Him open doors for our daughters in the most amazing way. I will always have a heart for homeschooling and honestly, I wish that I could have had many many more years of homeschooling. I should have had lots more children 😄. Being a wife, mother and home educator has been and is the most blessed calling I have had.

I realized in speaking to her that although our own journey has concluded there are others who are following and need guidance, help, and encouragement. So you will still see posts of that nature here on Under An English Sky. I hope that now that we have successfully completed the journey that my insight and experience will prove to be of some use to those that follow. If there is anything, in particular, you would like to know then please do leave questions in the comments and I will work on posts addressing those things.

The other thing I wanted to talk about is the heart behind this blog because for the longest time I have felt very much 'at sea' with some of the huge life events that we have lived through. Nothing awful but things like house moves, the girls graduating, you know...seasonal shifts. They are not comfortable and for a long time, I have not felt at peace. For all that 2020 brought, one thing it did bring was the space I needed to reconnect, to ponder, and get comfortable with this seasonal shift.

My outlook on life is returning to the pre-seasonal shift as I am learning to accept the changes and growing comfortable with them. So back to the heart behind this blog...it is very much a heart for the Lord Jesus and for my role as a Christian, a wife, a mother, and a homemaker. I write about ordinary moments and of things that warm my heart and home and will continue to do so.

If you read this this months newsletter you will have noticed that 'Hope' is a bit of a theme for me going into this new year. And hope is something that encourages us and gives us something to look forward to.

"For I know the plans I have for you", delcares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Isn't that such a wonderful thought? That our Lord has plans for each one of us that will give us hope and a future no matter which life season we are in. 

Well my lovely friends, that's about it for today. See you back here very soon!

Trusting in Him

Hello my lovelies! I hope that you are feeling happy, at peace and content. I have to admit to not always feeling so this week. I can't really put my finger on why but I have generally felt very unproductive. I feel like I should have done more than I actually have! 

I also made the HUGE mistake of taking my daughter to IKEA this week. Although there were no long queues I'm afraid that social distancing inside the store was just about impossible making the whole experience a little stressful. I will not be doing that again in a hurry!

I have been finding peace in God's Word. Those quiet moments in the morning with a cup of coffee, the Bible and a notebook help me to find calm in a turbulent world.

I have purchased 'Making Your Home a Haven' off Amazon. This study is written by Courtney Joseph of Women Living Well. She generally runs this study each autumn but I felt that while I am at home full time it seems the right time to do it. This study encourages you to slow down in the midst of the worlds craziness and to drink deeply from God's Word - again, a good study for this time.

One of the things she encourages you to do is to light a candle daily and when the flickering flame catches your eye to be reminded to pray. This week there has been much to pray about not only in with what is happening in the world but within our extended family. My sister-in-law's husband fell gravely ill (not Covid related) very suddenly last week Monday. He has been in ICU and the prognosis is not good. If you can please will you hold this family up in prayer while they navigate this very difficult time and say prepare to possibly have to say goodbye to a wonderful man, husband and father. We are still praying for Paul's healing and miraculous recovery and would appreciate you joining with us in prayer.

I am reminded to keep my eyes fixed on Christ for He is the author of all life. It's not always easy is it? As Christians we face the same difficult situations that others do, at least we have the hope that is in Christ but sometimes that can feel wobbly and I think it's okay to admit that to God. 

Each time I lift someone up in prayer since losing two dear friends to cancer last year I find the niggling voice of doubt pop up and voice my inner thoughts...'Why bother? Your prayers didn't make any difference to your friends why should it now?'

Isn't the enemy crafty! 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" ~ Isaiah 55:8-9

This world is tough. Good people get sick and die whilst it seems evil continues to thrive. We live in a fallen world and we would do well to remember that. It is because we live in a fallen world that Jesus came, died for us and rose again. 

So I will continue to hope in the Lord and I will continue to pray and lift up those who are ill and suffering. I will avert my gaze from the world and it's faults and instead focus on the beautiful face of Jesus and allow that to soak deep into my soul so that I can love the broken, the suffering, the sick of mind, body and spirit for that is what we are called to do.

I think that it is even more difficult now with our churches being closed and our fellowship with others having been cut off. All the more reason for us to keep delving into the word of God and praying. Let's keep praying for one another, for our families, our friends and for those who we don't even know but so desperately need to know the love of God.

May the God of all hope keep you all in perfect peace today.

Blessings in Christ.

Pottering About & Lockdown Encouragement

It looks like our run of sunshiny weather has come to an end, at least for the time being. But I have to say that I do enjoy a good rainy day or two. The earth and my garden are in need of quenching water.

Those pots are full of sweetpea seeds. I'm hoping that they will scramble over the garden shed this summer

I'm always amazed at how therapeutic it is to spend time outdoors. At the moment we don't get to venture too far from the house so I am very grateful for my garden. I'm able to get outdoors and just rest in the peace of the day and enjoy pottering about in my garden.

Major cleanup going on here!

We've spent a lot of time in the garden, more than what we ordinarily may have been able to spend. This weekend we cleared out a lot of undergrowth, weeds and last autumns fallen leaves out of one flower bed to make way for some new plants once the garden centres re-open of course. 

I have earmarked my hellebore bed which I will plant up over the summer in readiness for a display in the winter months. I love hellebores and my garden does not feel quite complete without a good few. The range of colours you can get is amazing so I'm glad I have a good space to plant numerous plants. 

My sweetpea seeds are coming along nicely and a planted a few more pots of sweetpeas over the weekend. I'm really looking forward to this summers display.

We also put up the gazebo over the weekend. The sides will only be fastened on later on in the season but we have put up the fairy lights and we are looking forward to being able to dine out in the evenings when the temperatures warm up a bit.

DH has started on his latest DIY project which is to refurbish the wrought iron garden furniture. The last time this was done was 9 years ago so it is in dire need of a good old sprucing up!

Before moving into our home I had bought two of my favourite plants that my garden simply cannot be without. I feel that they denote the season and I look forward to their seasonal displays each year. It adds to the atmosphere of the season in my mind. 

The first of those has to be the forsythia. Each spring its bright display of flowers is simply a delight. I love to bring twigs indoors in late winter to force in vases. My garden does not have a forsythia shrub so I'm glad I bought one. I found a perfect spot for it to live over the coming years and am looking forward to watching it grow in stature.

The second plant I bought was a Virginia Creeper. I first spotted this delightful plant one autumn whilst travelling through the peaks from our home in Chesterfield to our fortnightly homeschool art class with our dear family friends who live in Manchester. 

It covered the side of a quaint stone pub in one of the villages, a mass of firey colour. I instantly fell in love with this plant and knew that one day I would have to have one and be able to stay in a home long enough to see it come to such maturity.

My creeper has been sitting outside my front door in a pot. I couldn't quite decide where I wanted it. The bare stick slowly came into leaf as spring has progressed. I had noticed that our garage had some sort of creeper trailing over one wall and over a third of the roof and wondered what it might be, honeysuckle perhaps? 

As it too began to come into leaf I noticed that the leaves were identical to my Virginia Creeper! I was thrilled! I now have two of these delightful autumnal plants. I have since planted my Virginia Creeper at the back of the hellebore bed to trail and cover the back fence and I will get to see it grow to maturity! Delightful!

Gardening is so good for a healthy outlook, especially at this time in history. With the world in turmoil and the future unknown, it can be overwhelming. But when you start looking at how nature just carries on and thrives it gives hope that everything is going to be okay. It calms anxious thoughts and keeps your hands and mind busy - away from the busyness of fretting. Gardening also provides us with fresh air, vitamin D from the sunshine and exercise which releases endorphins naturally boosting our immune systems and improving our outlooks. I'm grateful for my garden.

I am reminded to take joy in the small things that come our way. Watching the bumblebee visit each flower in turn to collect pollen. Or perhaps watching the cat stretch out in delight in the sunshine. Observing how the water droplets from a recent shower sit delicately on a flower or leaf. 

There is much to enjoy in each moment and learning to tune into these small joys helps to get through these rather strange days. 

I know that many of you may be struggling in our shared global circumstances but as our dear Queen said in her moving lockdown speech a few weeks ago, "We should take comfort that, while we may have more still to endure, better days will return; we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."

What a wonderful inspirational woman! I just love her and am so very proud to be British!

So my lovelies, if you are feeling a bit blue please remember that every season has its time and each season gives way to the next in its turn. Be strong, trust our Lord and delight in the things that he sends our way in each little moment.

Blessings in Christ...

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020!

Well! What a year it has been! 2019 was always going to be a year of change and adjustment for our family as we finished up our homeschooling journey. I certainly underestimated just how much of an adjustment it would be.

One thing I have learned is to allow oneself the kindness of getting used to the new life rhythms. I definitely went through a period of feeling very sad at how life has changed but at the very same time happiness that our daughters are happy and excelling in their universities and on their courses.

I remember taking a day off work a few months ago to try and get things that were being neglected done and to just enjoy being at home. 'How wonderful it would be to be at home for a whole day', I thought.

And it was wonderful to a point. Except it wasn't the same. Both girls were at university and I was at home in a very quiet home. I ended up crying the whole afternoon😂.

It was then that I realised that being at home full-time was not going to be how it was whilst raising and educating children. I also realised that change is inevitable and that our daily lives will change and that that change although painful at times will usher in new and exciting times and opportunities. Just because life looks different does not mean that it's a bad thing.

It's funny. When you are in the midst of raising children and home educating it seems like it will last forever. Its a busy time. Then suddenly it's all done. Yes, they will always need you but not in the same way.

It's taken until a few weeks ago for peace and acceptance to finally take up residence in my soul. I'm happy. Happy that our daughters are so settled. Happy that although we are all busy doing our own thing all day, at the end of the day we come together and enjoy the evenings together. I'm content in my job and the firm for which I work. I'm excited about my journey to qualifying as a lawyer and grateful for the new opportunities that are being presented to us all. I am finally okay with letting go of the last amazing 21 years, savouring each moment as precious, and looking forward to an exciting future.

2019 was also a year where I had to say goodbye to two of my closest friends as they each lost their battle with cancer. Again, it takes time to accept and come to terms with the fact that I cannot just ring them up and have a good old chat. But I know that I will see them again in heaven one day and for that I am grateful. Both women were so significant in my life and I count myself very blessed indeed to have had them in my life.

Looking forward to 2020

Oh I'm so looking forward to 2020! A new year and a new decade - what's not to like?

Now that this turbulent year of change has been journeyed through and survived I have an immense sense of relief and am so optimistic about what is to come.

For a start, we are buying our first home in the UK! We will have been here for 9 years in January and it is fair to say that we have moved around quite a bit. We have lived in 4 different cities in the UK and we have truly found our home here in Chester. It is a beautiful city, central so everywhere. Our girls have made such wonderful friends and are so happy. This is where we want to put down roots.

To have our own home again, to potter about and to know that any time and resources we invest will be ours to enjoy for years to come has ignited the nesting instinct in my once again. 

Balance

This is what I am aiming for in 2020. Since starting back at work in June, I have felt like I've been surviving rather than thriving. My home has not been quite as organised as it once was and the weeks seem to have been speeding by far too quickly - a sure sign that perhaps I haven't quite had a handle on things.

So in 2020, I want to really focus on restoring balance in our lives. I am determined to make time for things that are important to me and to my family. Our home, spending time together visiting lovely places in the UK (so looking forward to National Trust properties opening again) and being mindful and purposeful in observing the liturgical year and seasons in our home. Celebrating our faith and our family, creating a home which is a refuge and making time for observing and pondering on the small simple things - these are all important things to us.

And blogging...yes, this is important to me. I am a writer and a curator of memories. I want to spend more time here, sharing about the ordinary things I have always shared. I'm not much of an Instagrammer or Facebooker, I find they clutter up my mind and time. But blogging, I've been writing here for almost 9 years. I've made some lovely friends through here so it's not something can see myself relinquishing easily. It also helps keep me focused on living that purposeful life that I strive to lead. A life that is God-focused and led. If I can lead that kind of life then I know that peace and contentment will come from Him.

And so my lovely friends, I hope you will continue to visit me here for your comments and input are a blessing. I am encouraged and inspired by you. For those who have blogs that I have discovered through your comments here, I enjoy reading about your little life snippets. 

With just a handful of hours left of 2019, I hope that you take 20 minutes to ponder on and dream about 2020. Let's make our homes a God-centred haven for our husbands, children and friends. May it be a place that gives all who visit a warm hug and may they leave having been restored and with a spring in their step.

May the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be yours now and into the new decade!

A Stroll Through An English Garden & Life...

Hello my lovely friends. How has your week been? Mine has been a bit of mixed bag. I started work this week at a lovely law firm in Chester. There is so much to learn but I am enjoying the work and am getting crucial law work experience which will stand me in good stead further on down the line. It feels strange to be away from home all day and in truth, I would have preferred to only work part-time but those jobs are just about impossible to land without any law experience. So I have resolved myself to putting in my time for a year, then hopefully I can discuss going part time with my current law firm or look elsewhere. I want to take two modules instead of one from September 2020 so I will need to have that part-time position in order to devote the time needed for my degree.

Fortunately, I am enjoying the work I'm doing, the people I am working with and the firm I am working for so it's all good 😊

Last Sunday, we visited Tatton Park in Cheshire, a lovely National Trust property. The plan was to do the gardens and then the mansion. Well...the gardens were so extensive and so lovely that that is all we managed to do. We will go back to see the mansion but we were more than happy to slowly stroll through the magnificent gardens and gather some inspiration. I thought I'd take you on a little wander through Tatton Park's gardens while we chit-chat about gardening and things.

The kitchen garden was my favourite, as always. I would love to have a walled garden, wouldn't you? There is something quite magical about them. I always find a sense of peace and tranquillity come over me when I'm in a walled kitchen garden. I think that it is because, at our core, we are meant to have contact with the land. Adam and Eve were created in a garden, it was their home and provided all the nourishment they needed. Yes, there is something about a kitchen garden that speaks to me.

All those lovely neat rows of vegetables ready to be picked and prepared for your table. The glass houses, greenhouses and piles of terracotta pots just waiting to be used. Bliss!

This garden had chives lining the walkways which proved to be pure heaven for the bees. I love that, planting for the insects. I remember having large bushes of lavender outside my bedroom windows in Cape Town which were simply buzzing with happy bees all day every day. This is what I am hoping to create in my garden here. A place where insects and wildlife visit.

One thing I would love to try out is training fruit trees along a wall. I think it looks so lovely and great for those who don't have space for an orchard. As it turns out we do have space for a small orchard and it is something we certainly plan on doing in the near future. Just a few fruit trees, nothing on a great grand scale.

I love this idea too...hives in the orchard. These ones were empty but imagine adding a bit of beekeeping to your set of country skills. I have a friend in Chesterfield who keeps bees. She was kind enough to show us around her hives a few years ago when we were focusing on bees in our nature studies. I have a few garden projects in the pipeline at the moment so the bees will have to take a back seat for a year or two.

There is something about red brick that I love. When we buy our own home one day, I want it to be a red brick house, preferably Victorian, with a little orchard and a garden where I will plant flowers with vegetables together, a typical English garden. I love that, a mish-mash of plants scrambling over one another, all bustling for a position, one mass of happy colour.

If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that this weekend I spent some time with a dear friend of mine who is dying from cancer. She lives about two hours away from me so I haven't been able to see her since her diagnosis in January. Instead, we have been in daily contact. We've had long conversations of the things of the Lord. Deep conversations on trust, on healing, on the Lord's will, on surrendering. But our conversations began to get shorter about two months ago, she became less chatty. About a month ago her responses took much longer to come, often I could see that she had seen my message but nothing else. I contacted her husband and he confirmed my worst fears, she spends most of the day asleep, she's gone downhill and it happened fast. I knew I had to see her.

So yesterday my husband and I made the long trip over the Pennines. My dear sweet friend lay in her bed, so small, so skinny. My heart broke. She drifted in and out of consciousness. I held her hand. Short sentences were whispered to me. "Please keep in touch with T"(her daughter). "Of course". I promised.

"Do you want me to read God's Word to you?" I asked. She nodded.

So I read her favourite book to her, James. She lay still, listening. She is frail and weak, barely clinging to life. But she is strong, so strong in her faith. She loves our Lord with every bit of her being. I know that reading from God's Word brings her comfort.

I pray over her, asking God to draw close and give her His peace that transcends all understanding. I thank Him for this wonderful woman, for her life and all she means to so many. She squeezes my hand with a firmness that surprises me.

I tell her how much she means to me, how her friendship helped me through those hard days in Devon. "You are stronger than you think!" she whispers to me. I can feel the tears spill down my cheeks, I stay silent, I don't want her to be upset. I'm glad her eyes are closed. She drifts off for a short while and I compose myself.

She's back. I tell her I love her and how glad I am that God brought her into my life. "Me too". Her voice is barely audible. 

Soon it is time for me to go. I give her one last hug and say goodbye.

This is the first time I have watched someone precious to me lying in bed slipping away. I realise that really when it comes down to it, there are only two things worth anything in life...our loved ones and our faith. While it is painful for me to have to say goodbye to a friend I love, I feel blessed that I had that time with her. I will see her again one day and when I do, she will be free of suffering, free of that awful cancer that has ravaged her body. 

Life is precious and sometimes fleeting. People are what matter. Our friendships, our relationships. Time. So often we waste so much time on meaningless things rather than spending it where it really matters.

This modern world seems to offer many distractions that seem most important. All these thoughts have been swirling about in my mind for the last 24 hours. Things that I worry about seem so trivial when viewed through the lens of someone else's reality. I am humbled and resolved to not focus so much time on silly things that don't matter.

Anyhoo my lovelies, I wish you all a blessed week. Thank you as always for popping in here to visit me. I shall see you back here very soon.