museum fun

Here we go!

Yeah, we actually have a Philatelic Museum -- an entire building dedicated to stamps.

Posing in front of the talking Penny Black. Yeah, it actually moves and talks -- pretty neat eh. Did you know that the Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp? Yeah, cool stamp-y history!

A dragon stamp from Poland. I'd love to make him into a softie.

Getting into the spirit of a 19th-century trading junk. This was part of an exhibition about the spice trade and colonisation.

The Heritage Room is done up like a 19th-century shophouse. We call these red wooden clogs cha kiak; they were commonly used way back when, and there still are people who use them today (like my kids!!), but the making of them is a dying art. The clogs are designed to keep the feet dry and are surprisingly non-slip; they make this distinctive clackety sound when you walk in them, which immediately brings you back to the 1950s.

B posing in front of some traditional Peranakan nyonya kebaya. Peranakan is a Malay word meaning "those born here". From about the 15th century, intermarriages between Chinese traders and local Malays created the Chinese Peranakan culture, which is a unique integration of the Chinese and Malay/Indonesian cultures. A large part of my family is Peranakan, and everyone busts out their kebayas at important dos like weddings. You can read more about kebayas here.

An old photograph of a Peranakan family. From the 1930s, I think. This was at the Peranakan Museum, which was just down the road from the philatelic one. The kids themselves were keen to go, and I thought, "Great!". I love old photographs; I imagine the sitters getting up after having their picture taken, and what they did next.

A Peranakan wedding. Children in old photographs always tend to look so mature I feel. That little girl next to the bride was a sweetie though.

Peranakans of the Straits Chinese Society Association, circa 1930. I think they all went to a tea party after this.

A New Testament Bible in Baba Malay, from 1950. Baba Malay is spoken by the Peranakan community.

A Peranakan bridal chamber.

The museum mascot. I love the way the sculptor captured the cat's natural form and grace. The plaque above him reads, "In memory of the cat that adopted this building and became the museum's mascot, 1998-1999". Well, one thing's for sure, never underestimate the enjoyment you -- and the kids! -- can get out of visiting a local museum. See more pictures here.

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Fashion and toys for autumn, by Kate's Clothing, a line of gorgeous handmade clothes in natural fabrics. The entire list is here.

1. Knitted little coat set by Tender Blue

2. Ombre nursing necklace by Boorashka

3. Fabric rosette headband by Nikki In Stitches

4. Mayfair pin by Bikbik & Roro :)

5. Fox leggings by The Trendy Tot

6. Polka dot toddler tote by Tiny Rose Boutique

day out

Beam me up, Scotty.

Budding reporter. Or blogger haha.

Insects from Kolarus III.

Avowed Star Trek fan. See more at B's blog here.

the equestrienne

1. Antique Essex crystal horse pendant from Blue Grotto

2. Horse riding leggings by Minxshop

3. Archive bag by Jenny N Design

4. Bronze horse & Ethiopian brass necklace by Lost Tribe Designs

5. Horseshoe ring in 14K gold by Michelle Chang Jewelry

6. BF equestrian Easy Keeper by Bravura

7. Wild horse earrings by Deaf Cat Studios

8. 1940s ivory black lace cuffs by Shablulit Shop

lookie-look

I am so honoured to have been included in Peggy's gorgeous kid design and lifestyle blog, Paul & Paula. I would ooh and aah over her lovely picks, so what an awesome surprise to see Bikbik & Roro there! Thank you so much Peggy! Just look at this tiny sampling of goodies on her brilliant site:

Photo from AM. PM.

Photo from Benetton.

(Yes, wolfhound or deerhound, I want you).

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23. Cats. Cats.Cats, by Ukrainian Woods, seller of beautiful wooden beads, plates and bracelets. The entire list is here.

1. Pot holder set by Galia Quilt

2. Letterpress type wood blocks from The Cupcake Kid

3. Panda Kitty softie pin by Bikbik & Roro :)

4. Westie puppy notecard set by A Slice In Time

5. Green eyes kitten tee by Firelands Tee Shirts

6. The Little Princess print by Amy Tyler Photography

the dancer

1. Girl with a vintage suitcase print by My Monography

2. Bohemian brown rose headband by Cute Creations By Zuemy

3. Pink damask velvet recycled handbag by OmNoms Studio

4. Family silver keepsake necklace by Charlotte Bezzant

5. Gold birthstone ring by Illuminance Jewelry

6. Pink and silver ball bead earrings by Vehred

7. Gold oval lace necklace by Marika King

8. Degas everyday corset by Ranunculus Market

Ghostlet pillows

Here are the little Ghostlets blown up a million times bigger so you can cuddle them AND sleep on them! They're a doll and pillow in one. These dear fellows are only too happy to snuggle with you, or cushion your head. They look lovely on the sofa or bed, and also make perfect companions to bring along on car trips, to picnics, the theatre, anywhere really!

All Ghostlet pillows have hand-embroidered features, are sewn with reinforced stitching, and measure approximately 15" tall. Ghostlet pillows are made to order, and can be custom made in a suit of your choice as well. Email me or convo me via the shop :)

(Outtake, haha...)

go ahead and say it

"Awesome song, Brother Sal AND Jeremy Renner -- what else could you want?"

(Maybe a dog wearing sunglasses. Oh wait -- they've got that too!)

on family, and submission

From my 33-year-old copy of The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

Well, you know how I love Andy Stanley (in a purely virtuous, wholesome way, of course!); well, he's started this wonderful sermon series entitled Future Family. So far, his very fortunate church has had two weeks of it, and I urge you to just take a little time and have a listen.

We all have families after all, and we all know the challenges that go with that; yet however difficult or painful things may be, most of us do want our families to work, to be held together by love and peace, not compulsion, fear or obligation. For many of us who are parents especially, we want to do well by our children, we want to avoid repeating the mistakes of our pasts. I think this profound, insightful series will give you lots to think about, whether you're a Christian or not.

In Part 1, entitled Ideally Speaking, Pastor Andy explains why aiming for God's ideal is still worth it, even when our reality makes reaching it seem impossible. "Two thousand years ago, Jesus breathed life into culture when He said, 'Women, children, men -- at the foot of the cross -- they're all equal'. And then the apostle Paul took the implication of that teaching and said, 'In light of that, here's how family should work. Here's the summary:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' -- which is the first commandment..." (Eph 6:1-2).

"Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them" (Col 3:18- 19).

"Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged" (Col 3:21).

"For me as a father, this is probably one of the New Testament teachings that I've violated the most, always unintentionally... to exasperate or embitter your kids means you say things to your kids... and you just frustrate them, you place a weight on them... And you argue, 'But what I said is true', but your words just place a weight on them that just causes them to be discouraged.

"You see, women, Moms, your words weigh about 25 pounds. Dads, your words weigh about 500 pounds... Paul knew that; he says, 'Fathers, I know your tendency... your tendency is to treat your children like a slave, like your animals... Fathers, be careful how you speak to your children.

"I'm telling you, there are so many bad parenting examples where I wish I wish I wish I wish I could go back and re-take the words that I said; in every case the words were true, but they crushed the spirit of one of my children...

"In summary:

• Husbands, love your wives and be considerate.
• Wives, submit to your husbands.
• Children, obey your parents.
• Fathers, don't irritate your children.

In Part 2, Power Down, Pastor Andy refers to that line "Wives, submit to your husbands", which is so frequently misunderstood, and so often used to denigrate the Bible. "This," Pastor Andy explains, "is actually a specific application to women of a principle that was given to everyone".

"'What does love require of me?' This was the driving ethic, the driving value, in the ministry of Jesus. Paul and Peter come along afterward and they ask, 'How do we take the teaching of Jesus and apply that to family dynamics?'. Paul [takes] the central teaching of Jesus and applies it to the family, and it just so happens this is how he stated it as it relates to wives.

"But, this is verse 22 of Chapter 5. Verse 21 actually gives us the overarching principle to which we are all accountable: 'Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ'.

"In other words, all of you Jesus-followers -- everybody is to submit to everybody in your family. Put it this way -- it's mutual submission, out of reverence to Christ.

"We're not to submit ourselves to each other out of reverence for each other, but out of reverence to Christ. This is life-, family-changing, if this can be central in your family. This is what Christian families are supposed to do. This should be the hallmark, the driving force behind Christian families.

"The principle of mutual submission means 'I'm going to leverage my power, my assets, my time, for your benefit'. I'm going to look for ways to get up under your burden, for your sake, out of reverence for Christ...

"Nobody in the family is more important than anyone else. The thing that blows this up into something powerful and wonderful is a single question: 'What can I do to help?'

"If everybody in your family, to everybody in the family, will ask this question, your family dynamic changes. This is an offer of all I am, for all that you need. I am loaning you -- me.

"Parents, you're always instructing, instructing, instructing... I want to challenge every parent, at least one time a day, to look your kids eyeball to eyeball, and say, "Is there anything I can do to help?" This keeps conversations from always going negative.

"Ladies, wives, fiancees, girlfriends, this is a powerful question to a man -- this says, I'm aware that you carry a burden, I"m aware of the responsibility you carry.

"Men, this is a powerful question because some of our wives are afraid to ask us to help them. Because when they do, they immediately feel the resistance... so what you do when you ask this question, is you open the door...

"Do you know what makes for great family? Really happy family? It's families who have said, 'I'm willing to leverage all of me, for an us'. The only reason you don't is because you're selfish. Which means, you're not willing to loan yourself fully to the equation. Which means you will never be happy with your family, ever.

"Because your whole approach to family will be, 'If I can just get everybody to do what I want them to do, I'll be happy'. No, you won't be happy. You'll be large and in-charge; you will never, ever be happy or satisfied.

"Happiness does not equate to getting everybody to do everything that you want them to do. Happiness, especially in a family, is mutual submission. [The question, 'What can I do to help?'], forces you to lean in, rather than pull away.

"Men, some of your wives can't get you to lean in. They're afraid to ask you anything. And they have no choice but to live their lives orbiting around your big ol' self... because you're more 'important'. And so they lean in and lean in until they fall over... And your kids lean in and lean in... because everybody's got to make Dad happy, and guess what -- everybody does everything they can to make you happy, and I know you -- you're still not happy!

"Because you don't get happy by controlling the people around you... The more power you have, the better servant you should be" (extracted from parts 1 and 2 of Future Family, by Pastor Andy Stanley).

Listen to these excellent messages in their entirety here. Have a loving, blessed weekend.

Kreativ Blogger award

I finally have time now to write this long overdue post! Last month, the incredibly sweet and talented Cynthia of Antiquity Travelers gave me this award -- thank you so much Cynthia! Cynthia is a prolific crafter, making beautiful jewelry with semi-precious stones, pearls, shells, and handmade beads, which you can find at her shop here. Cynthia's blog tells the fascinating stories behind her jewelry, and the places and people who inspire it.

When you receive this award, there are a few rules:
1. Post a link to the person who awarded you
2. Share 7 well-thought out random things about yourself
3. Award to 10 other deserving bloggers and let them know

So here goes! Firstly, the 7 random things about me:

1. I have a curious fascination with ghosts, ships and Medusa (if you could combine all three, that would be perfect!)

2. I love anchovies (to eat, I mean).

3. I do not love muffins, crowds, or souped-up cars.
4. I have to read something, anything, whenever I eat. Ideally, it would be a Victorian novel, but I'm willing to read menus, bank brochures and drugstore pamphlets if need be.
5. Some of my favourite writers are Anne Bronte, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Thomas Hardy.
6. I almost always wear boots, never heels.
7. I love animals, trees, thunderstorms and the sea.

And now, the 10 bloggers to whom I'm passing this award. Trust me, with so much talent and creativity out there, this was not easy (and don't worry if you haven't the time or inclination to do this; I'm just acknowledging your coolness!):

1. Artistic Expressions by Elisabeth -- Inspirational posts on life and neato crafting tutorials

2. Blether -- A treasure trove of recipes, books and gardening and home tips

3. Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl -- Beautiful pictures and musings by a beautiful soul

4. Contemplating Beauty -- Lovely photographs and uplifting posts by a gorgeous full-time Mom

5. Dolce Vita -- The thoughts and loves of a beautiful soon-to-be Mama

6. Introverted Art -- The inspiring art and writing of a self-proclaimed introvert

7. Moncy3 -- Fun posts on creativity and family by a super talented craftster

8. Plowing Through Life -- A smorgasbord of beauty, humour, music and thought-provoking reflections

9. Sexta-feira -- Beautiful photographs that'll make you want to go on holiday right now

10. The Sulky Kitten -- How can you resist a name like that? Sharp humour and deep insights from a sassy domestic kitty

the green thumb

1. Felt flower hair clips by Giddy Up and Grow

2. Leather bird brooch by Love from Hetty & Dave

3. Pattypan market tote by McLovebuddy

4. Girl's gardening smock by Wonderful Life Farm

5. White garden markers by Just Potters

6. Grove cushion by Elkhorn

7. Provence bridesmaids necklaces by Palomaria

8. Vegetable Garden tee by One Lane Road

lookie-look

I am SO incredibly honoured to have been interviewed for Moncy3's Featured Artist series. Thank you Claudia!!

Claudia is the brilliant crafter behind Moncy3, her lovely shop of handmade envelopes and other pretty postal accessories. Just take a gander at these beauties!

1. Set of 12 mini envelopes

2. Vintage Children illustrations envelopes

3. Vintage Cinderella envelopes

4. Vintage World Atlas mailing set

Hope you're having a super lovely weekend!

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Summer Oh Summer, by brilliant sea shell artist, 1022 Sea Shell Ave. The entire list is here.

1. Sailor Ghost softie doll by Bikbik & Roro :)

2. Cast iron star from Charlie's Nest

3. Vintage fish brooch from Vintage Eye Fashion

4. Seashell Stripes 4x4 notecard by LTphotographs

5. Traditional Turkish towel by The Anatolian

6. Painted basket by Lillys Shoppe

strawberry Ghostlet

In the shop now :)

the naturalist

1. Red ikat bandana headband by Suzie Studios

2. Long vintage skirt from Kelly Emerald Hart

3. Shadow box frame with little fawn by I La Boom

4. Vintage bird illustration from bonnbonn

5. Secret garden necklace no. 1 by Nova Lily

6. Vintage shipping crates from Surfaced

7. Woodland green pendant by Goodthings88

8. Painted antler by Cassandra Smith

go ahead and say it

"Oh yeah".

("In about 1985, I read the teachings of Christ and was instantly struck by the idea that Christ was somehow divine. When I say I love Christ and love the teachings of Christ, I mean that in the most simple and naïve and subjective way. I'm not saying I'm right, and I certainly wouldn't criticize anyone else's beliefs.

"I can't really know anything. Having said that, though, on a very subjective level I love Christ. I perceive Christ to be God, but I predicate that with the knowledge that I'm small and not nearly as old as the universe that I live in. I take my beliefs seriously for myself, but I would be very uncomfortable trying to tell anyone that I was right.

"I read the New Testament, specifically the Gospels, and I was struck at their divinity, feeling that humans could not have figured this out on their own. We're just not bright enough" [Moby in various interviews, sourced from Wikipedia]).

the sailor

1. Vintage autobiography from junkshopUK

2. Infinity scarf with grey stripes by Knitting Wonders

3. World map printed fabric tote by Renkli Tasarimlar

4. Nautical charts of Alaska earrings by Nature Of Art

5. Wood star post earrings by Havok Designs

6. Cotton sleeping bag by Good Intent

7. Water molecule necklace by Stem Designs

8. Black and white nautical print by Eve Sand

Ghostlets

Several Ghostlets from a custom order for a lovely lady in Vancouver. She ordered a whole bunch to be given as party favours -- how clever!

These little Ghostlets would love to hang from your bag, or your keys, or your drawer pull... anywhere really! They have the sweetest smiles, measure approximately 3 1/2" tall, and have colourful, handwoven loops. I've a Sailor Ghostlet in the shop right now; convo or email me for custom colours or bulk orders :)

the surfer

1. I Surf toddler t-shirt by TrulySanctuary

2. Beach sand earrings by Shoreside Chic

3. Surf's Up wood sign by Seasaw Sign

4. Sea Button ring by Annealed Heart

5. Mermaid charm necklace by Lease A Penny

6. Beach tote by Mellow Velo

7. Winter Tube photograph by Shimmering Shack

8. Classic red swimsuit by Beverly Swimwear

go ahead and say it

"So THAT'S what Thor does in his free time".

rated: wacky

When it comes to movies, I think I'm essentially a classics/period drama kind of person. Some movies I especially enjoy, for example, include The Prestige, Sense And Sensibility, The Wings Of The Dove, Atonement, Room With A View, and Becoming Jane. But since I also enjoy movies like (500) Days of Summer, Stardust, Up, 300, and Batman (the ones with Christian Bale, for goodness' sake), my husband concludes that a fairly deep, cohesive storyline, with in-depth character development, is what really matters to me.

I suppose that's kinda true, since I really can't understand the fascination with movies like Transformers, Total Recall, Twilight and the Bourne series (I call this the "perpetually misunderstood spy" series, though admittedly, the yummy Jeremy Renner makes the latest one vaguely attractive). There is, however, another class of movies I enjoy; nay, take an almost guilty, perverse delight in -- slapstick comedy.

I'm almost sorry to say that I finally sat down and watched You Don't Mess With The Zohan the other day. They've been showing it on the movie channel, and since there wasn't anything else on... In a nutshell, this inane film stars Adam Sandler as Zohan, who, as Wikipedia puts it, is "a superhuman but kind-hearted Israeli counter-terrorist and the finest and most respected soldier in the Israel Defense Forces. However, Zohan has become both disgusted and disenchanted by the constant fighting, secretly dreaming of moving to the USA and becoming a hairdresser". He manages to smuggle himself to New York, assumes the alias "Scrappy Coco", and tries to get a job in a hair salon.

Well, I think you can guess that this film did not win a Golden Globe, or even a nomination, but, well, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help laughing. Just take a gander at this little snippet:

Watching it made me think of all the other fatuous comedies I've ever enjoyed, and these were the handful that came to mind. I know, I know, most of them are asinine, puerile, even plain crude, but hey -- in a world like ours, we need to keep our sense of humour, and just laugh.

The Pink Panther 2

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Bowfinger

Tropic Thunder

Gulliver's Travels

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story

What about you; any to add? Have a lovely, giggly weekend :)

on face value, and judgement

Bookmark with book lover phrase by Wandering Reader

My girlfriend was talking to me the other day about taking people at face value. This came up because she had had a run-in with someone at work, someone who hadn't taken her at face value, but whom she always had. "I can't help it," she said. "That's just how I am. I take people as they are; I don't read into their motives or intentions".

Well, I completely sympathised. I am exactly that way too. According to the dictionary, to take someone at face value means "to accept them just as they appear". Well, I talk to people, and generally, I don't look for hidden meanings, or cloaked, ulterior motives. I suppose that's why she and I are such good friends; we are just what we are; we say things, we tease, we sometimes make idiotic cracks, but there's no hidden agenda -- there's nothing to read into, be suspicious of, wonder about. It's just what it is. We could be interacting with a woman or a man -- but it's all the same; you could just as soon replace a man we were speaking to, with a lady who sells fish. It simply makes no difference. We discuss, we throw something out, we respond to whatever it is, but it's all within that moment -- we don't have deeper motives; we just move on.

And yet of course we all know people whom we really can't take at face value, whose apparently straightforward demeanour hides a boatload of toxic thought and emotion. But isn't it often the case -- we somehow perceive others based on how we ourselves are. A person who is habitually dishonest, for instance, would tend to think other people regularly lie as well, and therefore can't be trusted. In my girlfriend's case, her straightforward, guileless attitude expects the same in others -- sadly, as my own mother often tells me, this is naivete.

Perhaps the upshot of it is that it's best to always be suspicious. But that just doesn't come naturally to people like us. Perhaps it's inbuilt, genetic; perhaps it's how we were raised; our trusting, loving relationships with those closest to us. My girlfriend is very pretty; she is buxom and open and lots of fun. And so there are people -- especially those who really don't know her at all -- who judge her negatively, generally based on how they themselves are, or their experiences in their personal lives, quite separate from her. The social writer Eric Hoffer said, "The suspicious mind believes more than it doubts. It believes in a formidable and ineradicable evil lurking in every person".

How does one live sanely, decently in a world where one ultimately can't judge a book by its cover? For in as much as you will meet suspect, wacky, deceitful people with their deep motives and obscure designs, you will also meet sincere, open, forthright individuals who really aren't after... whatever it is you think they're after. It surely isn't fair to treat those who are straight-shooting the same as those who aren't, but sadly, that often seems to be what happens. Of course, we all are guilty to some extent of forming opinions based on externals, but more and more I am learning to check myself in that area.

I might, for example, once have thought that a certain lady was stuck-up because she never smiled back at me, but I've now learnt to instead think, she must be preoccupied, or she simply didn't see me. When we go into negative presumptions and judgements, then we are on a slippery slope. The fact is, we really can't form any fair opinions about people we don't know inside out, over time and through experience, and that covers a very large percentage of the people we will ever come into contact with. I am in fact an extremely shy, introverted, hermetic person, yet many people seem to think I'm this outgoing, gregarious party animal. Well, I do have manners, and I will be polite and friendly, but having a drink with me means orange juice, and the supermarket is really the high point of my week.

I suppose we're always in danger of negative presumptions and judgements. How true it is that "we judge others by their behaviour, while we judge ourselves by our intentions". But as Jesus Himself said, "Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

"Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?" (Matt 7:1-4).

Well clearly, there's no point wishing that one could take all people at face value, all the time. But I do think that, while we cannot always know or control other people's desires and motives, we can know and control our own. We can be straightforward people who really are as we appear. Some say I'm naive, as if naivete, simplicity and trust are things to be avoided or scorned. But as far as this goes, I still don't believe that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" -- one can't deal positively with other people's devious, crooked, suspicious behaviour by becoming similarly so. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]" (Matt 18:3, ital mine).

Over a year ago, I actually wrote a somewhat related post, titled, Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'. "It seems to me that in showing one side to the public, and another in private, deceit and hypocrisy are reinforced and encouraged; it's sad that we often can't tell if a person truly is caring, kind, trustworthy or noble," I'd written. "Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was the same regardless of circumstances, or who they're dealing with? If people were frank, straightforward, and genuine -- weren't phony, superficial, or false? If you could take a person at face value, and at their word?" (the entire post is here)

In trying to deal with her colleague's behaviour, my girlfriend came upon this excellent article by Mona Westman et al. Entitled How to Accept a Person's Word at Face Value, Ms Westman writes, "Think about what makes you wary of a person's word. Prior history might teach you that someone has lied before, or made promises that they have then broken... In this case, you are probably justified in not taking their word as gospel but in seeking more justification for their word. On the other hand, if you experience any of the following reasons, it might be time to stop being so wary:

• You're always suspicious of other people's motivations and don't think that anybody can be trusted
• You heard someone else say that this person cannot be trusted
• You make assumptions about the person based on their looks, race, language, culture, etc.
• This person is a man/woman and men/women are not trustworthy (generalization from prior experience)
• My gut instincts are always right

"If you have any of the above negative approaches to trust, it's time to discard your generalizations and replace these with realistic explanations. Trust involves assessing the situation and context as much as the person. Even the much touted trust in one's own gut instincts is often an excuse to let generalizations come to the forefront. Here are some ways to be more trusting, and to be more ready to take a person's word at face value:

• Avoid making assumptions about people based on their background, race, etc. Everyone is an individual and everyone brings different experiences of life with them, much of which you can learn from
• Analyze situations in your life where someone has hurt you by being untrustworthy. See those for the situations they were and don't reapply them to every person in your life. It is important to learn the warning signs of untrustworthy behavior but it is equally important not to generalize these experiences to every person you meet in life
• Be open to trusting people. Trust breeds trust and if you initiate it without expecting anything in return, you're already ahead. People appreciate being trusted

But more importantly, I strive to remember what the apostle Paul wrote of love: "[It] is ever ready to believe the best of every person". And, "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]" (1 Peter 4:8).

the peacemaker

1. Henriette dress by Anna Allen Clothing

2. Labradorite wrapped necklace by Katee Marie

3. Long handknit shawl by Knits De Luxe

4. Chandelier earrings with gold pearls by Brooke Elissa Designs

5. Little Quail painting by Tin Tabernacle

6. L'Inconnue de la Seine close up necklace by Augenblick Photo

7. Two Trees brooch by Shere Design

8. Handknit aviator hat by Kerrera Skye

treasury clipping

Green with envy, by World Of Whimm, creator of brilliant handmade costumes and accessories. The entire list is here.

1. Central Park Leaf baby onesie by Big Bridge Studios

2. Fabric flower cupcake topper set by Leila's Flower Garden

3. Natural body lotion by Greenchild Creations

4. Wool blend felt crown by Felted Kitten

5. The Green Tower wood building toy by Apple N Amos

6. Mayfair pin by Bikbik & Roro :)

on being unfairly accused

Well well, how timely my last post was. Such is life -- we can be going along our happy way and then we meet someone who sees fit to intrude and steal our peace. This afternoon I got a taste of this -- I was the fortunate recipient of an accusation which I'd never expected.

I'd often read in my devotions, and heard pastors preach on, false accusations. While like most people I've certainly had people think unfairly of me, I'd always managed to shrug it off. After all, we can't expect all the people to like us all the time. It was easy to do that, because those people and situations were usually far divided from me by time or space, or both.

Today, however, a lady accused me of something that was so inaccurate, so off the mark, that in the immediate, I was speechless. Without going into too much detail, I guessed that she had been misinformed, and had jumped to her own mistaken conclusions. The other person in question had clearly not been honest with her, and had probably even pushed the blame to me, with the upshot being that she essentially accused me of something I hadn't done.

Obviously, the primary vexation that arises from being unfairly accused is the unpleasant feeling that someone thinks badly of us. The fact is, what she accused me of, or what she thought (thinks) of me, should have been said to the other person instead. But she is in a relationship of trust and faith with that individual, and as often happens, we would rather think ill of an outsider than a close friend.

The fact is, that other person had been purely an acquaintance to me for over a year, no more important to me than any other person I would meet in that same transient, intermittent context; and I never gave them more thought than, say, the server at McDonald's. They were simply someone I'd meet briefly out of obligation, and wouldn't think about once they were out of sight.

However, for whatever reason, that person suddenly saw fit to tell me certain things some weeks ago, which I'd never had the foggiest clue about before. Well, I told them plainly, and more than once, that there was no point saying such things, that nothing good could come of them, and the sooner they forgot about them the better.

And so, I am not upset with that lady; it isn't her fault if she had been lied to, if she had been left to misconstrue from random bits and pieces of information taken out of context. But certainly I am not happy with the other person, who deceived and misled her, for their own selfish ends.

But, in much the same way as I held my tongue when replying to her, I will not react to that other person in "wrath and indignation". I know in my spirit that no good will come of doing so. It is, ultimately, not very hard for me to just forget about the person, as mentioned above; I have actually not seen or spoken to them at all for weeks now -- since the day of their silly "revelation" in fact -- I hardly spoke or saw them even prior to that anyway. Sadly, I suppose this lady does not know or believe that.

Which just makes me sigh. Now I understand what those people mentioned in devotions and sermons felt when they were unfairly accused, and thought mistakenly of. My own husband knows all the details of this piece of folly -- he is my best friend, and I tell him everything; yes, even people's silly "revelations" -- and he just shrugs and says, "O well, what can you do. Just let it go. In the end, it's between them".

I know this is true, and I thank God He led me to say and do the right thing, but I still feel troubled. The fact is, even at the time of "the revelation", I'd felt led to pray for them, and I did do so, several times in fact. Now I feel compelled to do so again, and to also pray for peace and the renewal of hearts.

With sadness, I told my girlfriend at church about what had happened, and she sent me this excellent article by Pastor Ray Pritchard, entitled When You Are Unfairly Accused. Perhaps if you've ever been in a similar situation, it will help you too. Or perhaps it will in the future.

"Sometimes our motives will be questioned. Sometimes our words will be twisted. Sometimes we will be ostracized for our views. Sometimes we will be deliberately misquoted. Sometimes we will be the victims of a whispering campaign where we can’t even pin down the things said against us. The point to remember here is that these things will happen from time to time...

"Check out Ephesians 4:2. 'Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other' Did you get that? 'Patiently put up with each other'. The NASB says 'showing tolerance for each other'...

"It’s possible that in our haste to defend ourselves, we will talk too much, too soon, and with too much emotion. There are times when we need to speak the truth, but in those moments we must speak the truth in love. State the facts, lay out the truth as you see it, don’t presume to judge another person’s heart (even if they are unfairly judging yours), and don’t say anything in a heated moment that you will regret later.

"Sometimes the Lord uses these very painful times to move us on to new ministries and new areas of service... I don’t think we can always see in advance what God may be doing in these times of trouble. Speak the truth in love and leave the results in God’s hands.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Prov 4:23). We desperately need that reminder when we are under attack... How do we do that? Here are a few suggestions...

Stay in the Word.
Repeat the promises of God.
Listen to Christian music.
Sing a lot -- out loud.
Hang out with positive people.
Ask your friends to hold you accountable for how you respond.
Pray that Christ might be magnified in your life.
Keep an eye out for 'God sightings'.
Stay busy serving others.
Practice daily repentance.
Give thanks that God is working in ways you can't imagine through these attacks.
Pray for those who have unfairly accused you.

"I don't believe in "miracle prayers" that allow you to say a few words and then wash away the deep pain of life. But I do believe in forgiving again and again and again...

"Put your life and reputation in God’s hands. It's easier to do this when life is going well and everyone loves you and you have no problems, no worries, and everything is right in your world. It's a lot harder to put your life in God's hands when you feel the pressure of constant criticism. But that's when we most need God's help. And if we feel like we can't trust the Lord when we are unfairly accused, we need to ponder these words:

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:21-23)...

"You find out what you really believe when others mistreat you. Sometimes the real test of your faith is what you don't do. Sometimes you'll be a better Christian by not saying anything at all" (extracted from When You Are Unfairly Accused, by Pastor Ray Pritchard. Read the entire article here).

And I'm sorry, I don't have a nice picture for this post. I'm just too tired.