Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Change

Dear Friends,

It has been awhile. Almost two years. To all those who took the time to reach out to me over this time I send you a warm thank you. Please forgive me for my lack of replying.

Typing into Blogger right now (I couldn't even remember my password!), I am feeling like a stranger in a strange land. But it does bring back memories. Blogging was a big part of my life for several years, and during that time, it was probably my biggest link to the outside world. In many ways I do miss that. I remember with fondness the online friendships formed and the kind words which were so encouraging. Several times I have written draft posts, but it just didn't seem the right time.

Thank you Stephanie, your email this week finally prompted me to get out there and have a go at posting some sort of explanation.

I guess in a way, blogging felt that it had run it's course. Life and change just seemed to take over, and for me, blogging had lost it's sparkle.

Later in the year that I posted my last post, my Father-in-law suffered a heart attack, and his life was never to be the same again. We felt we needed to be much closer than the four hour drive away. So in late 2014 we put the house on the market, sadly gave away our animals (but not our dog!)  to locals we knew, and prayed about it all. The house sold within 3 days of being on the market.

In our search for a new home, we discovered that the area we were moving to was a completely different market and far more expensive. As it turned out we could afford an old fibro house on a large town block. It was in poor condition, but had been built solidly, and still retained it's old features. A plus was that it had enough bedrooms for everyone, plus a room for sewing. At just a half hour from the in-laws and in a pretty little town, it was the answer we were looking for.

So we spent all of last year renovating (ourselves) and virtually clearing the third acre block. The renovating seems to be an on-going thing, but we do have all the bedrooms, dining and hallway done. Work is fairly slow when you are doing it yourself. Painting has become my second job to homemaker. I will admit though, that last year was one of the toughest of my life.

Nevertheless we have all settled in well to the community here. The kids have made friends, we have wonderful neighbours and we get to spend much more time with extended family.





But let us go back to the subject of blogging. I think my blogging time, in a sense, reflected the search for truth and a search for meaning in my life. I had much satisfaction in homemaking, enjoyed the challenges and was constantly inspired by the blogging community.

Yet somehow I was still restless deep within my soul. I could not find true peace amongst the balls of wool, the current dress I was sewing or in the latest batch of homemade washing powder. Don't get me wrong, these are good and satisfying things in their own right. But they did not bring me any lasting happiness.

Some of you knew that I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness and left in my early twenties. This experience had poisoned any relationship I had with God. So for 12 years I had been seeking meaning elsewhere. Not only in exploring a more simple, wholesome lifestyle, but at times I had casually looked into Buddhism, yoga and the teachings of Deepak Chopra. But I just didn't connect with it.

During 2014 something prompted me to pick up an old King James bible that I collected during my op shopping travels. I was soon reading it every day. I had never read such beautiful words as these. I soon began searching online for answers. In my quest to find out the truth I had to undo many years of false teaching.

I was so shocked that I had spent my life believing in a different Jesus. The Jesus of the King James bible was God. What a revelation that was. This was totally contrary to the teachings I had grown up with.





That was well over a year ago now, and accepting Jesus Christ as my saviour was a slow (and sometimes lonely!) process over this time. But I know now that I have found true meaning in my life. I have a found that our Lord Jesus will give us joy unsurpassed by any other source. I have seen him answer prayers and he has given me strength at very low times. At times I have opened my Bible to a particular verse that has been an answer to a prayer. That I had just been praying. None of this is possible without the work of the Holy Spirit.

Just recently my husband also came to Christ, and we are working now as a family with our lives centered around Jesus. It has been an uphill battle in some ways, but with God all things are possible.

We have started attending a friendly local Christian church. We know that this is only a small part of our worship, and have no intention of identifying ourselves with a certain denomination. It is all, and I cannot emphasize this enough, it is all about our personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.




You may see why it has taken so long to post again on here. This post may not be a popular one. However I felt I owed it to my readers to finally give an explanation. I am sorry that it has taken so long. I know how some people may see this, and yet I would once have seen it in a negative light also. I used to cringe at stories such as these. And yet here I am. After much searching I have found the real Truth.




There has not been any time for sewing or knitting during all this moving, renovating and Bible reading. But I do hope to take these up these (rusty) skills again soon. I am very appreciative of all that I learnt from my readers and fellow bloggers during my time on here. I still believe that homemaking skills play a very important role in making a peaceable home for our family. Our homes need to be a place of refuge in this insecure world. I wish you all peace within your homes.




"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light".

Matthew 11:29, 30




49 comments:

  1. Tania,

    It was lovely to see your blog update in my feed. I've come back often to your sweet space to gain a little inspiration. I'm so glad to hear that you've found real peace and have encountered God through His word. I hope you share again soon.
    Blessings to you and your family!

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    1. Thank you Rain. We have been truly blessed in our humble life. May God bless you and yours also.

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  2. Nice to hear from you Tania. All the very best for now and the future.

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    1. Thank you Tracy! Lovely to see your familiar face again.

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  3. Lovely to hear from you Tania. I have been wondering what you've been up to. I wish you peace, love, happiness and health on your journey. xo

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    1. Thank you Julie :) Lovely to hear from you after all this time. I hope that you and yours are well and happy.

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  4. Dear Tania, I have often thought of you and your family. I am glad that you are finding your way.
    Blogging has fallen by the wayside for me. It has been some months since my last post, I guess my priorities have changed.
    All the best to you. x

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  5. Oh dearest Tania, what a lovely surprise to see your blog post show up in my feed.

    Thank you for updating us with your news. I have often wondered how you and your little family were going and like Rain said, I would pop back every now and then to see if there was an update.

    I am so glad to hear you are near family and that you have found what has been missing in your life. I too am on this same journey. I know God has a plan for you and the King James Bible was waiting just for you to walk into that little shop.

    I am so excited for you Tania, may God bless you abundantly. You sound so happy with your new life :)

    Wishing you all the best,
    Tania xx

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    1. Your comment was very touching Tania. I hope you got my reply via your comments. May God bless you and your lovely also Tania xx

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  6. Tania, I have thought of your blog often and sadden that you stopped abruptly. I wondered if something negative had happened online or in 'real life'. I feel your blog is an important representation of simple living 'country style' in Australia and you have a very unique voice and I do hope you continue to blog. I'm incredibly sorry about your Father in-law and shocked you have sold your beautiful house and moved on but it sounds like it was the right thing to do. I also grew up in difficult circumstances, my mother is Serbian Orthodox and my father is Lebanese Muslim. I went to a Catholic School and angrily gave God away as a teenager and replaced him with veganism, buddhism, yoga and partying etc... Now I live the simple quite life in the Snowy Mountains. I have wanted to contact you but I'm an introvert and now you have moved away. I do hope you return to blogging because you have a special voice and I think many people would still like to follow you on your new adventure even if they are not religious. I'm so glad you have answers in the King James Bible and have made some revelations that are deeply comforting to you and your life. Kindest regards, xx

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    1. Thank you for the kindly comment Zena. I trust you got the email :)

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  7. Beautiful post. Blessings on your journey of faith.

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    1. Thank you Yorkie Mom. May God bless you also wherever you are on your journey also.

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  8. Was only recently thinking of you and your lovely blog. So glad to hear your journey has taken you to new places and new challenges, and thank you for your honesty and sharing your news. All the very best!

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    1. Hi Katie, Thanks your lovely comment. It was a leap of faith but the reply's on here have made it worth it.

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  9. So glad to read another post by you. I'm wishing all the best for you and your family in this new life!

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  10. Hi Tania, how lovely to check your blog again after many months, and find you wrote a post just yesterday! I am thrilled to hear that you are following Jesus, and your husband now, too. Your new home sounds exciting and I'm sure God has great things planned for you. Would love to hear what's happening from time to time. I also have found it hard to blog recently, Instagram just seems so much easier and more popular. But I love to look through my blog and see what we were doing all those years, I guess you would feel the same.

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    1. Thank you Fiona. It is a very exciting time in our lives and although life has it's ups and downs there is a joy in life now that wasn't there before. I suspect you know what I am talking about. I felt that I was moved to follow up with this post, and I am open to where or if it is taken further. May God bless you and yours.

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  11. Its lovely to hear where you 'went'. I too thought of you recently & wondered. Wishing you peace, happiness and contentment wherever your journey takes you.

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  12. OMG I am so rapt you're back!! Just the other day I checked your blog...no update, so I began re-reading through your archives. You write so well, and also so honestly and I for one appreciate that.
    I assumed that something must have happened in your personal life for you to stop blogging so suddenly, but was worried that it may also have had something to do with the blog. I remember you had some nasty comments about your ability to care for your dairy cow :(
    Glad to see you are back, and that although life has changed perhaps in the 'grand scheme' it's for the best.
    Cassandra xx

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    1. Your comment is much appreciated Cassandra. Negative comments can only get you down so long though. Time can give you a perspective on that, and I felt it was the right time to follow up.

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  13. That is a lot of change. I can see why you've been away! I always enjoyed my "visits" to your simple home, but am pleased that you've found what you where you are meant to be for now. I hope the family is well--I am sure the kiddos are huge! I'm sorry that you're move meant leaving the animals, but one never knows what the new phase will bring until the old is left behind. A connection with the spirit, with the sacred is a most important one, I've found.

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    1. Thank you BLD! It is comforting to find some familiar faces on here after such a long absence. Yes, the kids have grown a lot. We have received positive updates on the animals, but it was very hard to let that part go as you do get attached. Perhaps I will get the opportunity again one day. And yes, there is so much more to life than the fleshly part that we see. Jesus tells us that if we seek we shall find.

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  14. How wonderful you are back Tania, and so sorry for you that life presented so many difficult challenges all at once. I totally understand appreciate your journey for personal peace. Several years ago my children were all very seriously challenged with unrelated health issues all within a few months which rocked our family unit and has permanently changed all of us. During this time I found and clung to learning about the work and struggles of Mary MacKillop - I was not brought up a Catholic and considered myself a lapsed Christian. Someone gave me her biography at that time and I felt she spoke directly to me and guided me through very dark hours spent at children's besides in hospital.It's hard to expalin to others how important this was to me at the time and the comfort and much needed direction it provided. So I appreciate very much your call to Jesus and the need to follow through. I've often wondered what happened to your beautiful little family, and wish you happiness, love and many happy memories in your new home. So happy you are back! x

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    1. Thanking you again for your lovely comment and hope you received the email.

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  15. Bless you, Tania! We had a rough 2015 also, and I truly understand so much of what you're saying. Thank you for writing to us again and sharing your joy/peace/heart.
    -Jaime

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    1. Lovely to hear from you again Jaime. It was not the easiest post to write as you can understand, but I felt moved to. Sorry to hear of your rough year. I hope this year improves for you. The 23rd Psalm is always a wonderful solace. May God bless you and your family.

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  16. Oh it is lovely to read your thoughts again. I am thrilled to hear of your growth as a Christian.

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  17. Hi Tania, how very nice to see a post from you. Never you mind about its popularity, it is your blog and your story. I wish you well and have thought and checked on your blog often. It must have beeb really hard to give up your acre you all worked so hard for. Hope to read more from you. All the best!
    Simone

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  18. So happy to have seen this post in my feed, your voice has been missed.

    I'm happy to hear that, despite the challenges and change the past year (+) has brought you and yours, you have found your path.

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    1. Thank you Melissa, I have missed being here also.

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  19. Welcome back to blogging world. It sounds like you have had to deal with some very hard things over the months. I am glad you have found your happiness. For me I find peace in the garden and at the ocean. However different the places that we find solace it is special to share in things that bring us common joys. I hope that you will share some crafting posts so as I just love your style

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  20. Wow Tania, so very happy to hear from you again! I am so happy to hear you have found your heart's home in Christ. We are (i think!) a similar age with kids around the same age. It really resonated with me when you were talking about the dress making, and everything else not really easing the inner restlessness, i experienced the exact same thing and always bounced from one thing to another. It's amazing how God really does bring that peace when we finally see Him for who He is. Bless you!

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    1. Thank you lozzah! It is heartwarming to hear of others going through a similar experience. That inner restlessness is our hearts seeking real truth, and we know it when we find it. He is indeed The Way, The Truth and the Life. May you and your family continue in the peace that is only found in Christ.

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    2. Thanks Tania, praying in His name for your family also as you start out on your faith journey :)

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  21. Tania so lovely to see your name come up again. I've often wonder how you've been and what your sweet kids were up to. I'm really happy for you to have found a path that gives such personal peace and joy. A lot of people aspire to that their whole lives without ever finding it.

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  22. It is so lovely to hear from you. I have missed your blog and for over a year I have come back every few weeks to see if there was an update. I am so happy to read your post - your happiness is radiating out of your words. I wish you and your family all the happiness in the word. Be true to yourself.
    I am on a similar path to you, not quite there yet, but trying. Your words have encouraged me to keep persevering so that I can come to know the truth also.
    xx

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  23. I'm so glad to see you back - I found your blog very calming and peaceful. I'm glad all is well with you.

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  24. HI Tania, What a pleasant surprise to see an update from you. Thank you for sharing your life changes with us. I understand what you mean about an intense religious upbringing spoiling your idea of God. I come from a similar background and I am still in the searching phase. Your post gives me hope. Good luck and best wishes for with your journey. xoxo

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  25. Tania,
    I cant even begin to tell you how surprised and overjoyed I am seeing a recent blog post! I found your blog about 5 years ago and I found myself looking to you and your simple lifestyle on a regular basis to inspire me. And you did! I was in a pretty lonely place at the time, living 6 hours away from my family with a new baby and my marriage falling apart I was struggling to breath. I found your blog inspired the sort of life I wanted to lead. Fast forward 5 years and my life is completely changed. My search for peace and purpose I found within myself, for Source is both within and without! I just wanted to say that I'm so glad you're back, that change is a wonderful and regenerative thing and that faith in whatever form it takes is a powerful and deeply personal necessity in all our lives. Thank you for being true to you. And mostly, thank you for coming back! I look forward to seeing more of you (hopefully!) here online again. Bec xx

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  26. Wonderful, honest post. Glad to see you again.

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  27. What a beautiful testimony! Thank you for sharing your journey and letting us know where you've been and what's been happening in your life. It's wonderful!

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  28. Grace and peace to you, my dear stranger-friend on the other side of the world! Reading this post today I am moved to tears of joy. You are loved with an everlasting love, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Prayers to you and yours as you continue this journey of faith. xoxo from Kansas, USA

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  29. Thank you for sharing Tania, I am so proud of you, and have so missed your blogging updates. I would give anything for you to keep blogging and inspiring us all. (don't forget I am an 'older' follower of your blog) I feel your blog has linked so many of us with the day to day issues we all face. I feel that women (and men ) need to realize we are not alone with the big and little things we worry about. Thanks again Tania, take care and be happy with the simple things in life and with your beautiful family.

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  30. Dear Ivynest, I've been reading your blog for years (and have missed your posts). To read this latest update was a thrill because I am a born again Christian, too. We are sisters in Christ! Love, Shanda

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  31. I am so happy that you have finally found peace in the real Jesus of the Bible. I have often wondered about what happened to you as I had avidly followed your blog. Thank you for taking the time to explain. It's a lovely ending to happen upon. All my best wishes for you on your earthly sojourn. Blessings xo

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