Slow Down

I know the feeling of rushing through life all too well. Pressing the fast forward button on the remote of life. Not living in this moment and instead living in the next. Wishing the days away. Procrastinating. Saying 'I can't wait' about 10 times a day in my head or out loud. Feeling like my yesterday and today memories are fading and blurring. Going too fast. I'm going to fast...too fast to slow down... I know I need to slow down.
I want to live in this moment. I want to put my foot down on brakes. I want to remember these days and keep these memories. This isn't going to last forever, and in the back of my head, in a dark, dark corner, I know it so well it makes me want to weep. So I'm going to live while I'm alive. I'm going to cherish the people I have. I'll remember that the best things in life aren't things. I know I'm going to miss these days, but I want to miss them as well as being fond of wonderful memories from good times and times spent with the people I love, instead of  by without clear pictures of my past. Scars are apart of who I am. I'd rather feel something than nothing. My life is fulled with almost completely good stuff. I need to take time. To take time to be thankful I know Jesus Christ. To take time to be with this amazing family I've given. To take time to not lose my reward. To take time to learn from the Bible.
I pray that God will help me to slow down and live for Him, the way he wants me to live. My life is like short journey, and speeding on the highway will just make it go faster.
Stop. Slow down. Spend more time with God. Live today like this is the day you'll be remembered for. And love. Give and share love to everyone you meet. Let them see Jesus through you. Ask God what He wants you to do next. But don't skip years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds. Not a second.

Serving Him Daily

This picture was done by my lovely Mom, so the photo credit goes to her for taking such a beautiful image. Click on the link to go to her portfolio and see more of her photography. Also - my Nana grew these amazing poppies in her lovely garden, then gave them to us.

You know when you're asked to do a chore, or help someone you don't want to help? Or when you're stopped in the middle of doing something you want to do because someone else wants you to do something you don't want to do? I always get annoyed or stubborn about that stuff. I admit, I almost never immediately reply kindly and say I will do whatever someone's asked me to do. But, I know that if Jesus was standing in front of me asking me to do one of those things, I would jump up and do the very best I could do in getting it done. Oh, yes, anything for my wonderful God who laid down His life for me!
It would be easy to say yes to Him. So I think the real sacrifice is doing things for people you think you don't deserve it, or people you take for granted. The real sacrifice is being willing to serve others everyday willingly. That's what God wants us to do. Because, while we feel and think like we are doing it for the people here on earth, we are actually doing it for Him. We are serving Him when we help someone get something done, when we do a chore so other people don't have to, when we do back breaking work with a good attitude even though we don't feel like it- we're doing it all for Him. He's asked us to serve each other so that we can serve Him through doing that. If we obey Him, we remain His faithful servants, serving Him daily. Whenever you're doing something you don't want to do, offer it to God.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~Ephesians 2:10

Butterfly World

Recently we went to a place in Klapmuts (a small town awhile away from where I live) called Butterfly World. It was awesome, but I'll tell you about it while you look at the pictures I've added below. :) (all photos taken and edited by me)

^ This was my favorite butterfly there, and it was the biggest. I don't know the name of it's type of species, though. The first thing we did when we got there (after we'd payed the entrance fee) was walk into a room that was FULL of butterflies - all different types. They were flying above our heads, and one of them landed on Hudson's finger. The one above flew onto my shoulder than flew away.

^ This was the rarest one there. It's called the Glass Winged Butterfly. Sorry the photo is not such good quality, but it was the only one I could get of one of these little critters! I think they look so pretty and delicate.

^ The first photograph I took there.

^ Black and red velvet wings. <3

^ Close up of the wing of the first butterfly. SO beautiful. And my God made this.

^ Just so stunning!

^ There were plenty more creatures to see; and the next thing was a bat and a parrot who were friends. They kept touching each other with their noses (or beaks) and speaking to each other in...well, bat and parrot language. : ) It was adorable!

^ I liked this birdie. ; )

^ This guy and some of his friends were lazing about the place.

^ Above our heads there were cute Marmosets bouncing about.

^ Display of Butterflies of the African Savannah.

^ Again with one of the fuzz buckets. This little Marmoset was holding his tail and using his hands to shake it.

^ Pretty orange butterfly.

^ An adorable bunch of cheerful Sun Conures. The two in the background look like to friends talking and laughing together.

^ Green birdie here flew onto Johny's backpack he was carrying. Such a sweetie - and very tame, too. The same bird also hopped onto my shoulder and stayed there for awhile. Before we left I had to take him off.

^ They had lots of birds in one enclosure, as well as about 50 or more guinea pigs (I'm not exaggerating) running underfoot. They were so super cute and there were plenty of babies as well. Sorry I couldn't get a picture - they were running all over the place!

^ A very striking gorgeous parrot.

^ Just before the little guy hopped on me. : )

Here's a few butterfly quotes;

Happiness is like a butterfly,
The more you chase it,
The more it eludes you.
But if you turn your attention to other things,
It comes and sits softly on your shoulder.
~~~

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over,

It became a butterfly.

~~~

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.

It's Great To Be Back

Hi everybody! This is just a quick post to let you all know that I have access to the internet again. Yippee! It took a bit longer than expected, but I'm happy all the same.
My family and I now live in Somerset-West; a town about half an hour or so from Cape Town. It is a very gorgeous place, so beautiful I can't really believe I live here. Plus, I can now go to the beach, something I definitely couldn't do in Bloemfontein - and now I live near all my cousins that live in South Africa, two aunts, two uncles, one great uncle, my grandparents (on my Mom's side), one great aunt and my Dad's cousin. A lot of wonderful relatives making Somerset-West an even more awesome place to live.
I will post a picture of our view very soon, but for now it's goodbye. : )