Q

In our Living Your Word of the Year group we are using a fortnightly (bi-weekly) A-Z challenge throughout the year to help us focus on our word and live it out.

Because of the way I have made my journal it's a case of going with the flow of what background the pages have when I turn to them.

Not the most attractive combination. I really need to consider what journal I might use next year.  This junk journal isn't really my thing!

I was in a quandary as to what word to chose for Q.  I wanted something quick and easy for my pages.  Could I find something quirky?  Should I fill the pages full of quotes?  I had been thinking a lot about quilts but that wasn't going to help!   I was on a quest to find something to do.  The obvious Q is question but I'm not sure that has anything to do with my word: [commit].

I randomly put stickers and washi tape on the pages.  This was definitely random rather than quirky!

I needed to find something of quality over quantity!  And there you have it: Qualities.  As in character.

I found 3 excellent scriptures. 
But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
Galatians 5:22-23 (TPT)

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (The Message)

However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9 (God’s Word)

I only printed out the first and third of these.

Not one of my favourite layouts.  In fact quite questionable in terms of creativity.  However my word is commit and I am committed to finishing this A-Z challenge.  I cannot quit.

That's probably more than enough Q words for now!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Join Our Inspirational Facebook Group: Living Your Word of the Year

Join Mary Brack, Valerie Sjodin and I in our Facebook group where we are giving participants the opportunity to live out an A-Z of their own word throughout 2019.  Mary explains what we are doing in her blog post.  We don't like a lot of rules, so we will have suggestions and options to spark creativity, and to help in recording and exploring our word’s meaning in visual and fun ways. We will each blog about our experiences and our art.

 Living Your Word of the Year 2019

Hashtags on Instagram:  #livingyourword2019

Check out the other blogs:
Mary: www.foundonbrighton.com
Valerie: www.valeriesjodin.com/blog

To ensure you get updates from Valerie, Mary & I why not subscribe to our blogs.

Celebrating 70

It's not often that I share photos of me so the last post was a bit of an aberration.  And now there's another post!  What has the world come to!  Mind you only one of me this time.

But I am so very blessed.

A very dear friend, Vicky, said she and her husband Steve, wanted to host a birthday lunch for me on the day after my birthday.   And what a lunch party it was!

I am blessed to have such friends.

Vicky arrange all the invitations, the food and drink.

She roped in other people to help with the catering.  I don't know who did what, but thank you.  I know that Ange went to great lengths to make me a cake with my favourite colour - turquoise - and my favourite chocolate - Cadbury's.

My friends came and blessed me with cards, presents and conversation.  The weather was kind too.

Lots of questions had been asked about my favourite foods and I mention Vicky's chocolate bread & butter pudding. And here it is.  It was totally yummy.

Rosie and Ditch came from London especially to celebrate with me AND made a Florida Salad.  Thank you both.

After a sumptuous lunch, I cut the cake.  It was superb.

And if that wasn't enough blessings, Vicky had arranged for these two to Facetime.

They had stayed up until way past midnight to make the call.  Above and beyond, wouldn't you say!

What a fabulous afternoon to be blessed in such a way by friends and family.  Thank you all.

And you know I can't resist a bit of rust!!!  There was a fire bowl on the patio and there was rust!

How could I resist?

I nearly forgot!  Another blessing!  Several of my friends donated to a Birthday Fundraiser I put on Facebook to raise money for Once, We Were Soldiers.  Thank you to all who donated.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

This is my life

Some of you might remember the programme 'This Is Your Life' with Eamonn Andrews and his big red book.  To celebrate my 70th birthday today, here is a photographic version of my big red book.  Key moments rather than a photo a year!

1949

1950s

1960s

21st birthday(1970)   By now I was wearing contact lenses!

I don't seem to have any photos for the next 13 years!

 May 1983

Andy 1986

 August 1999 - 50th birthday champagne breakfast

 25th Wedding Anniversary 2008

 Andy & Naomi's wedding 2009

60th birthday 2009

I have done such a lot in the last 10 years.  Retired, travelled, art journaled, run online challenges, taken numerous workshops etc, most of which has appeared on this blog.  I've done so many things it's been difficult to choose one photo.  So representing the last 10 years here's Roger & I trying to take a selfie using my camera rather than my phone. It was supposed to be of us eating ice cream in Manly.

More importantly 3 grandchildren (2 boys and a girl) have been born in 2015, 2017 and 2019.  In the Hopper family line there has only been one child in each generation since at least 1850. Each time just one boy. Andy broke the mould by having two boys. In June 2019 Hopper history was made. Our granddaughter was born.

Crystal Rose Photography  @crystalrose.photo

And so to today.

Thanks for joining me to celebrate my special day.
Bernice