life is good

Its been eight months since I started work, almost a full year since I finished my degree, and I'm slowly starting to actually feel like I can have a life which includes all those aspects I choose to include- blogging, writing, reading, crafting, socialising, baking and managing to keep the house in an acceptable level of cleanliness.

Yay me!

Over the last month I have made three dresses and started on a forth. and I have started going to a small group with our church- having finally found one we want to settle in. Life is pretty exciting and I'm very happy.

Now the next challenge, I have been accepted on a masters course at Leicester University (so excited!!!). So studying will once again become a major factor in my life. I hope that I will still find (some minuscule) time to give to the things I love to do along side my studies, but accept that somethings gotta give. So, I plan to enjoy this time of balance, even more the time in the summer when I don't necessarily have work but lots of time to devote to craftiness, before the ridiculously interesting but super intense study begins. 

Exciting times ahead!

 Freya May

Quick Question for You

Do people ever walk along the street like this...

No. Right?

Then why do people find it necessary to tell you to cheer up when your walking down the street with a perfectly normal 'neutral' expression?? 

First off- 'It may never happen'- you don't know what has already happened!

And, secondly, the above point.  No one walks around looking like a cheesy idiot when they're on their own.

Anyways, rant over, random dude on the street, keep your comments to your self, please!

Freya May

p.s. I'm pretty tired!

I'm Thankful For

Source: gusandlula.com via Freya on Pinterest

Today I'm thankful for God's provision for me and my future.

I'm thankful for my loving and wonderful husband who makes me laugh every single day.

I'm thankful for my job, I don't always enjoy it, but I'm grateful I have one when so many people aren't as lucky.

I'm thankful that I have been blessed with a healthy and strong body with which I get to enjoy exercise- like Zumba!

I'm grateful for friend like stars, I don't get to see them always, but I know they're there.

I'm greteful for the free time I currently am blessed with, I know that I'll not always have the freedom to do exactly as I like.

I'm thankful for husband's job, and that he is finding life just that little better with work, and that he works so hard in order to provide for me.

Freya May

5 Ways to a Happier Day

1. Go for a run- it's so true that exercise lifts your spirits, not only does it get those endorphins flowing, but every time I run a little further, longer or harder I get a buzz.  I love that!!!

2. Read a good book.  Obviously.  A hour or so immersed in a good book can take away your troubles like nothing else.  Personally, I love adventure and fantasy stories, which do you like?

3. Have a cup of tea, preferably, in the largest mug in the house.  A cup of tea really does solve anything.  And combine it with a good book and you really can't go wrong!

4. Organise Something.  Bringing order to some chaos can help no end.  I find it difficult to think straight in a mess, so, especially in my work space, I need some kind of order in my home.

5. Paint your nails.  When all else fails, take 10 minutes of 'me time' and paint your nails! I love painting my nails, I love all the colours you can choose from, I love the smart look they give, and I love how forgiving of bitten nails paint can be!

Freya May

Any tips for me?

So, I'm sure you've noted that I'm not the thriftyest person ever, mostly I blame my creativity- I like to buy stuff and create things and dress up in creative ways. 

However, basically- I have a job! YAY!!  Working part time as a school receptionist.  I've calculated that between when I start at the end of the month and when my inital contract finishes at the end of term I will be, thankfully, out of all bank based dept!! Woo!!  Woohoo indeed!!

I don't know if I'll have a job after Christmas, so I NEED to practice trifting and stuff so that whatever happens afterwards, I am happy living on the cheap. 

Here are some tips I've found on the internet, but please feel free you add more!!!

There are so many out there, so I've toiled to find the best, most practical ones :-) A lot just don't seem to apply, or, better, I found I already did a lot of them too!

1. The 'Packet' money system- taking out the money to spend each month/week in cash, limiting yourself to what is in your hand, once it's gone, it's gone!
2. A '30 day list'- listing any impulse buys I fancy, waiting 30 days, and only buying it if I still 'need' it after this period.  One issue I must deal with is the compulsion to shop, avioding that will be my first step to spending less.  This is probably my biggest weakness, so will deal with this asap.
3. Going vegitarian 2-3 times a week to save meat costs

From kids activities blog

What I am also doing is having a go at making lots of Christmas presents myself, so watch this space.

Freya May

A Question for you

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I have always loved learning, big fat book worm.  So this period of inert, jobless state I'm looking forward to a time when I can afford to take on an evening class or something.   I'm also looking forward to doing a Masters as soon as I can afford it.  I also hope you look quite as stylish as the student above while studying again :-)

I'll probably enrol in a evening class every year, but one option I'm thinking of doing is further A-levels.  I've done some research and it turns out they only cost £200 for the year.  Maybe I'll do one next year if I don't enrol in the Masters at Leicester University I've got my eye on. 

I'd want to do the A2 level year for English Literature, having an AS under my belt already, but I didn't carry it on to A2 because I was thinking I'd need Chemistry for university (I was wrong).  As I was better at English this was a shame, but I think it'd be fun to carry on as I still LOVE English and reading.

So, the question for you... is there a subject you wished you had done/ hadn't dropped at A-level/high school or what not?? 

And another question (spur of the moment addition)... What, out of everything, would you be interested in studying in a evening course?

Freya May

One Chilly Morning...

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I woke up this morning to a definite chill in the air, the kind you can feel while still wrapped up in blankets in bed, and makes you hope you never need to leave the slight warmth they are providing.  I hate that chill, for one thing it makes mornings ever so slightly worse than usual, but it is also a signal that the weather is changing for winter :-(

I don't hate winter in general, I like the idea of roaring fires, and cute jumpers and hot chocolate, but the fact that the weather is cold enough that these things are essential, makes me sad.  I'm just a warm weather person, loving beaches, and sunny festivals and wearing skirts and vest tops and sandals.  I like being HOT.

But, there is no escaping it.  So, preparing to layer up, turn the heating on in the next couple of months and dealing with the British winter, again.  I just thank God that this year, we're in a house with a working timer on the central heating- last year it was manual and the on button was down stairs :-(

Have you felt the chill yet?

Freya May

But, this is the first of July...

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If you haven't yet heard of Foy Vance, you probably haven't been listening to Husband's Ipod play lists.  He is a singer-song writer, or Troubadour (just a great word...), from Dublin, who I first heard at Greenbelt a few years ago.  He writes beautiful music, but this song really was written for today. 

You can pull up the lyrics or listen really carefully to the video, but it is about starting over on the first of July.

We might not need to start over as dramatically as the song, but it is good reminder that the world is full of new starts; new years, new months, new weeks and new days.  And we can choose to take each new start to do with what we want.  Basically, don't wait to the first of January to feel like the year starts over again, because you can don the same on the first of July.

'Oh, I don't feel particularly good, no
But don't you worry about me I'll get by
That was the last day of June, oh
And this is the first of July.'

Freya May

God with Us

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“God with us” is the sufferer’s comfort, eternity’s sonnet, heaven’s hallelujah, the shout of the glorified, the song of the redeemed."

Spurgeon

A friend posted this quote on Facebook recently, and it simply caught my attention.  We're all been in those different places, on good days and bad days.  When everything is working out perfectly in our lives and when it feels like everything we touch turns to dirt. 

But 'God with us' is something that is steady through out the turbulent changes in our earthly lives.

The bible tells us;

He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.

(Isaiah 40:29) 

and

So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

(Hebrews 13:6)

So, trusting in Gods presence is not foolishness, but a sign of true strength, as we know that he is with us always, and through him we can do anything.

The only thing is, how challenging this can be.  Trusting in the Lord when it doesn't feel like he is guiding you towards anything is hard!  I always what to know what my next move in life is going to be, I'm a planner.  So when things change unexpectedly, it takes me a few moments to work out where to go from there.  And when I look to God for answers, I am not prepared to wait! 'I need to know, now! God.' I tell him.  What I'm going to do with my future is still unclear.  And I look forward to the day God reveals his plan for my life. I certainly hope it is sooner rather than later.

Freya May

Busy Week!

It has been the last week of the official university term time, and it's been busy!  It is such a strange week too, emotional. 

Keele's end of year party, Woodstoke, a 12hr fairground/festival do, with games and a headphone disco and some bands, including Ms. Dynamite(te-he).  Sadly, I only made it to midnight.  Something I regret a little, as it's my last year, and I wanted to stay out longer, make the most of it and everything.  However much I'd like to live a life with no regrets, I don't know another emotion for when you want to change things sometimes.  The only other response I can think of would be 'Oh well', but that suggests it doesn't matter at all, and I think sometimes, even the little things, are important.  The time I did spend at Woodstoke, however, was awesome!  Dancing on the hill with my people, and I felt really rough after the fairground rides!  Normally I'm fine with that stuff, but having a bbq right before hand was a mistake!  Also got to see The Sunshine Underground play, who were really good, will try to remember to YouTube them later.

Woodstoke was swiftly followed by The Chapel Ball- The social event of the year.  James Bond themed, with cocktails and a chocolate roulette table, buffet, The Big Band and Disco to finish off the evening.  A beautiful night, those people who worked hard to make the space look amazing and sort the food and the drink, did a fantastic job!  We danced till the early hours, then some of us leavers headed to the back of Keele Hall, armed with a bottle of bubbly, and Chinese lanterns.  A lovely way to finish the night off.

As I said, end of the year, so we took some of the random things we've collected over the last few years to a car boot sale.  It was quite a small one, but Dave and I made about £15 pounds, and the others made some cash too, so didn't do too badly.  We had a ton of stuff left over however, so headed to the charity shop, and hopefully they can make some money off of it. 

So, all that, coupled with a cinema trip, the new X-Men, really quite good!  And a family visit from David's Aunt and Uncle.  Its been a busy and quite intense week.

Freya May

So, I need to get a job...

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and it is very scary!  It feels so weird, and grown up, and scary, and foreign.  I'm applying for anything that I feel I would be able to do/qualified to do, as at some point soon I want to go back to university for more learning :-)

Graduation feels far off still, but it is there, looming in the future, threatening an unknown time where I don't have the comforts of the routine of university life and a time when I have to work in the real world.

You know what? Bring it on! :-)

Freya May

Making Time For Friends

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance."

-Proverbs 27:17

It is so important to make time with friends.  But it is also something that can go by the way side in our every day lives.  I don't mean just seeing friends socially, I mean taking the time to sit, talk, one-on-one or something.  This is the time when we really get to know one another.

Personally, I think I expect others to make the suggestion that we do something, other than make it myself.  Not out of laziness, but because I think it is a sign that people want to spend time with me, which is something my self esteem does not always ensure me of.

Clearly, it is going to be up to me sometimes to do the asking.  But I wander where to start when I've nothing specific to actually say?  This, I hope, I'll learn as I go.  But, please note this: friends are very important to me, even when I'm unsure of the right thing to say.

Freya May