God makes beauty from ashes

I was just leaving Coles, wandering why I always leave with so many bags of shopping when all I originally went there for was a carton of milk... ...when a disheveled man approached me. I could tell right away he was homeless. "Excuse me, Madam" he began Madam? how old does he think I am? Surely I don't look like a 'Madam' yet?!? "Could you spare $2.00? I've uhh...I've not eaten all day" He didn't look at me as he spoke, his eyes were lowered to the ground. Filled with compassion, I put my bags down, got out $2 and put it into his grubby palm. "Thank you" he said simply, nodded, offered a smile...and shuffled off. I picked up my bags, wondering instantly if I'd done the right thing. Was this guy  really hungry or is he just asking everyone for money so he can get alcohol with it? Was he going to buy drugs? Have I just funded his next 'hit'? (is that what they call it?) I had to shrug and remind mys

I think until I'm balanced and "back to normal" again, you'll just get sporadic posts from me on this blog. Sorry in advance. The up side? I think they'll all be pretty short. Sue will be pleased :) (love you, Sue) I purchased a book by one of my favourite bloggers, Allie Brosh the other day. Her book is called "hyperbole and a half" (haha) and in typical Janet fashion, I  loved what I read, then I measured it against anything I have written - found myself lacking, spiralled into shame and am now reacting with fierce competitiveness. Sigh. Ally writes about finding a letter to her 25-year-old-self that she wrote when she was 10. It's a brilliant story. She then goes on to discuss what she'd write to her past selves if time travel was available. In true Janet fashion, I've decided to copy that brilliance. Here are a few letters I'd write to past Janet: Dear 8-year-old Janet, You're a weird child, God bless you. Why do

My phone 'beeped'...but did so with the special 'text tone' I assigned to just Alun. It used to be the sound of a bottle being 'popped' open, but Gracie heard it and said it reminded her of her ex-boyfriend so I changed it to a little 'ding dong' doorbell noise. Oh Lord. You didn't even need to know that. Sorry. Anyway. My phone beeped and Alun's name flashed up. It was a picture of party pies. My favourites. Well okay, I have a few favourites when it comes to things to eat. Including, but not limited to: Churros Peanut-butter cookies - warm and straight from the oven, slightly 'over cooked' - so that they are crisp and taste as if they've gotten saved from being charcoal 'just in time' my Mom's purple sweet sticky rice - wrapped in banana leaves and tasting of home I love plain cooked rice - soft and fluffy. Team this with well-cooked sweet and sour pork (or chicken) or team with badly cooked corned beef (h

I'm a Christian - a passionate lover of Jesus Christ...so I know about God's favour. It's when God is happy with you and blesses everything you do - beyond your dreams and wishes. He makes everything work together so that you dont have to lift a finger, it all just falls into place just as you had hoped. For some reason, I'm walking in it right now. I'm a sinner. I'm an Adultress, I'm mouthy, impulsive, inherently selfish, willful, grudge-bearing and really, really stupid. Nothing in my life right now is to the glory of the God I love so much, and yet...my life is so blessed. So rich in happiness and joy. I wanted to write about it. To capture it so that in my darker days, I can read back on this and remember what it was like to be robed in God's favour. Undeservingly, of course - but here it is nonetheless. I feel that everything for Al's and my wedding was blessed of God. Al didn't have a job and I was struggling on my own to pay for th

I didnt take pictures of it (and I regret it), but Caris, Jess and I caught a cute little cream coloured "London Cabbie" to the wedding. It was gorgeous. We got out on the opposite side of St George's Terrace to the one we needed and walked etherially through the city about 15 minutes to the beautiful White and Silver Lobby of "Westralia Square". The Wedding Registry Office was on level 10. I think I floated the whole way there, gently holding my bouquet in front of me. I'd prayed for weeks leading up to the wedding that God would soften my heart and that I would be able to cry happy tears at my wedding. I knew Alun would be in tears, he's very sensitive. That's one of the MANY things I love about him. I didnt want Alun to be crying and me to be a stoic, 'cold' bride beside him and God answered my prayers. I walked into the Wedding Ceremony on my Dad's arm. The moment I saw Alun (face streaming with tears) I burst into happy tears, to

I was awake at 5:00am, thinking of Alun. I couldnt wait to marry the man I was crazy in love with. I'm getting married today. A week earlier, I'd sent Caris and Jess "The Wedding Itinerary" to their emails. It ran like this: 8:00am - Get up, get dressed, breakfast 9:00am - Take everything over to the Etro Bar and set it up for the Wedding Reception 10:00am - Caris and Jess MAKEUP at MAC 11:00am - My Makeup at MAC 12:00pm Lunch 1:00pm - Hairdressing appointment (sooo exciting, I was getting long hair extensions put in!) 2:00pm - back to the Hotel Room to dress :) woohoo!!! 2:20pm - hide in 'secret wedding room' at the Wedding Ceremony Office 3:00pm - WEDDING. Instead of boring you with all the crazy details, I've laid out (most of) the day of the wedding (minus the actual ceremony, we'll look at that in my next blog) in photographs. Ready? Here they are: The wedding table :) Wedding cupcakes :) The weddi

Father God, your blessings are everywhere I look in this wedding. Thank you. Thursday morning - the morning before the wedding ... It began with me pushing open the office door of the place I work now (and I love it here! One of my favourite temp placements ever because my work is easy and repetitive and my bosses are lovely to me) and seeing Roz (one of my managers) jump. "oh Janet - I didnt expect you to burst in like that...I uh...I wasnt finished decorating" and she and Jenny (my other Manager) burst into nervous giggles. I came closer to my desk...and found it was covered in bright yellow, fresh rose petals. Lovely :) "The roses are from my garden" Roz explained - "this one" and she pointed at a beautiful red rose on a pin by my keyboard "is for wearing later if you like" Oh I do! I love it. The roses smelled heavenly. I was so blessed that my new Bosses had blessed me like this. I worked steadily all morning (I was finishing

Again, every single detail of the wedding was blessed of God and robed in His awesome favour. I had a wonderful Hen's afternoon with caring, kind, sweet, beloved friends. We had booked in a table at the Hyatt (ooo! Posh!) for their afternoon tea - which was a high tea but later in the day with copious amounts of sparkling wine/champagne and the most gorgeous little bites of sweets and savouries I had ever seen. There were little 'food stations' and an icecream bar! It was amazing! I should have taken more pictures of the restaurant and food but I'm afraid all my pictures are of the friends I love who came along and blessed me beyond measure. Kelly came to pick me up and brought Sevasti with her. I've only known "the cool kids" (the name we've given ourselves - Kelly, Sevasti, Dianti, Sarita, Amy and I) for a few months while I worked at "Clarks" but you know what? They've become my closest friends and fit in easily with the people I a

Hey, It's been a looong time since my last blog...because planning and executing the wedding took everything I had and then every moment since has been hectic. I wanted to write my blogs about the wedding in small parts. It will help me to remember it all in smaller 'peices' and it wont overwhelm/bore (?) beloved Sue who recommended I write shorter blogs. I love you, Sue. I'm defo gonna try. Also - I want to upload pics (as I go along on this saga of wedding blogging) of: * planning the wedding - how very blessed of God I am and how every detail was robed in God's favour * The lead up (including my awesome Hen's high tea) to the wedding * The day/night before with my bridesmaids Caris and Jess * THE WEDDING DAY (woo!) * The day after/The honeymoon So uh yeah *smile* hold on tight - we're going on quite a long literary ride :) Let's start with the week leading up to the wedding: At this point, I was still paying things off. I honestly wa