Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

 

For the last couple of days, I have been reflecting on the many mentors who have positively influenced different areas of my life.  I am blessed to know so many amazing people who have shaped and guided my career, life, well-being and spirituality; some of them quite deliberately and others by just being great role models.  

I was wondering if these people realise just how important they are in the lives of others and how the effects of their guidance can have a profound impact on a person’s life for many years to come.  

Maybe the only way they will know is if we actually take the time let them know . . .

Mentors are just one of the many blessings we have to be grateful for every single day.  Do you have an amazing role-model who has influenced your life in the most positive way?  Are they aware of how important they are to you?  Why don’t you write them a message of thanks and make their day!  Feel free to write your message in the comments section here and then send them a link to this page.  

Wishing you a week with many blessings J

A huge thank you to all of my teachers, I am lucky to have so many that I can’t name you all here, but a special shout out to Mum and Dad: my first and ultimate mentors.  And to Tabitha, my first work supervisor to whom I owe my strong work ethic and have learned so many valuable lessons from.  In case I haven’t said it earlier, thank you!

Photo Jundah, Qld. © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here

No tree has branches so foolish that they fight among themselves.

 

I am still under the weather with a virus and so have missed a few weeks of this blog, however I feel it’s important to post an ANZAC day tribute.  Regular Monday posts will start up again soon all going well.

This photo is from Tyne Cot cemetery in Ypres, Belgium which I visited with my family in January 2012.  There are countless graves of unknown soldiers, some of which were identified as ANZACS or other nationalities, and many of whom are “known only to God” which is what is written on their head stones.  One can only imagine how badly damaged a body might have been that they could not even tell which army the soldier belonged to let alone their name.

We toured other significant WW1 sites that day including some of the trenches and Hill 60.  It was freezing cold, windy and raining and this gave us a tiny glimpse into what the Australians fighting there may have endured many years ago.  But we were wearing high-tec thermals, snow jackets, and socks made specifically for  -30°c conditions; and when it got too cold we had a warm, comfy bed and local hospitality to retreat to.

I still cannot fathom what it would have been like for a young Australian, to be so far from home, in such inhospitable conditions notwithstanding the violence they witnessed and the terror and hopelessness they might have felt.

We may think the world has come a long way since then, and in many ways it has, however some people say we are currently living in the most violent time the world has ever seen.  This is a bit hard to digest given what we know about the two great wars that have preceded the current conflicts going on in the world.

This quote is a poignant reminder that war is unnecessary and stupid.  There are so many other ways to resolve our disputes, and they all have one thing in common. 
Love.

Lest we forget {

To all the Men and Women who suffered and gave your lives so that we may live in beauty, freedom and peace, words cannot express how grateful we are for your sacrifice.

If you’re interested in seeing Ypres, go ahead and do it!  Apart from war history the area is famous for it’s beer & chocolate; the local people are amazing and very welcoming to Aussies.  We stayed at Camalou and could not recommend it highly enough.  The owners are historians and will custom build a tour of the local, historical sites just for you.  http://www.camalou.com/

Photo Tyne Cot Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

 

 

What a beautiful time of the year it is!

In the Southern hemisphere we are enjoying the cooler, Autumn weather after a Summer of extreme heat and other memorable weather events.  Family and friends in the North, are enjoying spring time and the anticipation of Summer after what sounds to have been a very harsh Winter indeed.

Many people spend their Easter break doing projects around the home, and as owner builders we would normally be no exception.  Instead, we took the invitation this year to camp and enjoy nature with some great friends, and like-minded souls.  We were rewarded with beautiful weather (for the most part), an abundance of birds, wood-fired pizza (the best I’ve ever tasted) and lots of laughs.

There are so many rewards to be found in spending a bit of time outside.  There is also a very serious flip side.

Vitamin D deficiency has long been known as a health issue in some Northern Hemisphere countries, where the weather is often less conducive to BBQ’s and Beach Cricket.  Recent research in Australia, however, has found that between one and two thirds of Australians are now lacking adequate Vitamin D intake.  

How on earth does this happen in the sunburnt country with a population who largely enjoys an outdoor lifestyle?

I have always been an outdoorsy person, but find these days that it’s getting harder to make the time in a very busy schedule to go out and enjoy nature.  But it’s vital that we do, spending time outside is not only good for your health, it’s great for your soul.

How do you like to get out and enjoy nature and what miracles have you been rewarded with?  I would love to hear your ideas and comments J

Wishing you a week full of miracles!

If you would like to read more about the Vitamin D issue, here are two articles to get you started:

The great Aussie paradox: vitamin D deficiency rates soar
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/the-great-aussie-paradox-vitamin-d-deficiency-rates-soar-20121023-282kg.html

 
Vitamin D are you getting enough?   (Article by ABC ) http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2012/04/03/3459266.htm

 A huge thank you to my good friends Adam and Steph for an amazing weekend with great food, an abundance of nature and awesome company, just what the Doctor ordered! xoxo

And to John, Happy Birthday, hope you enjoy your week.  Brrrr!

Photo Damselfly © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here

We are never more than one grateful thought away from peace of heart.

 

 

Many people I know, regularly notice and comment on the fact that our lives are so much busier these days than they ever used to be.  We can fill every minute of every day and yet still never seem to have enough time to do the things we need to, or want to, do.

This constant rushing around often leaves us tired, unhappy or sick and there is also a very real danger of it leading to burnout.  I know this only too well as I am writing this post from my bed while awaiting test results to confirm which virus has struck me down.  

When the Doctor wisely told me to take some time off work to rest and recuperate, my immediate response was to protest “I don’t have time for that!”  In return, she threatened that not resting up for a while may result in more serious consequences such as chronic fatigue syndrome.  Point taken.

Regardless of how you are feeling, it is so important to take a little bit of time-out for yourself every day to find peace.  It doesn’t have to be long; even a few minutes will have you see, and more importantly feel, results in your life.  You just need to make the commitment to do something for yourself daily, because you’re worth it! 

And there’s also the small matter of how our inner peace affects everyone we come into contact with:

“If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 

What could you do on a daily basis to bring some peace into your life?

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

Try Deepak Chopra’s 21 day meditation challenge 

www.chopracentermeditation.com/

Or maybe a spot of cloud watching J

 http://positivityapplenty.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/cloud-watching.html

Start a Gratitude Journal

http://www.jillhutchison.com/gratitude-journal/

Or simply appreciate the beauty of nature

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58kwmEsoIfQ

Finally (I like this one for obvious reasons) eat some chocolate slowly and attentively making sure you enjoy and appreciate every second of it’s deliciousness!  Now that’s a great way to find inner peace.

Wishing you a peaceful week!

A huge thank you to my good friend Joanna, who provided the inspiration for this week’s blog post; Jo thanks for reminding me that finding some peace each day is so important.  May you find some of your own in the midst of this busy & exciting time in your life xo

Thanks also to Mary, Jill, Amanda and Tony for inspiring the Peace practices suggested above.

Photo Main Range National Park © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.

There is a saying that you’re only as old as you feel.  

I see evidence of this everywhere.  Take David Attenborough, for example.  This year he turns 87 and yet he is still travelling the world giving talks and making documentaries.  (Sir David is toured Australia last year and is coming back this June).  And yet many people in their late eighties are unable to get out of bed without assistance let alone make a cup of tea or board a flight to some far flung land to film another of nature’s miracles.

Physically, we are all made differently however I believe this also has a lot to do with what goes on inside your head.  Are you constantly telling yourself how amazing you are and encouraging yourself to do new things? Or do you spend each and every day beating up on yourself for silly little mistakes and saying “I can’t” all too often?  Do you take the time to seek and enjoy beauty in your life?

Beauty is everywhere.   A flower, a smile, a sunset and the people we love.

When we’re happy it’s easy to notice and appreciate the beauty around us.  Sometimes when we have troubles in our life we become completely blind to the beauty that surrounds us and deny ourselves the pleasure it can give us.

Take some time this week to notice and appreciate all the beauty in your life and see how it makes you feel.  I would love to hear your feedback so feel free to post your thoughts in the comments area below.

Have a beautiful week!

Tickets to see Sir David Attenborough go on sale very soon details here: http://www.lateralevents.com/public-events

This post was inspired by my Big Brother who is celebrating a milestone this week.  He always manages to stay young and have lots of fun.  Happy Birthday Big Bro; thanks for being the great person you are.  Many happy returns and may you see beauty everywhere for many years to come!  xo

Photo Florence © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.

For purchase enquiries click here

Your comments are most welcome, select "Anonymous" or "Name/URL" if you don't want to log into a google account when posting.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

 

It’s been interesting, and inspiring, to see a number of worthy causes gaining momentum through social media lately.  So many great things are enabled by the support of a few, or a lot, of passionate people working together for a cause they believe in.  The RSPCA Qld., for example, has over 40,000 “likers” on Facebook and they use this platform very effectively to help a large number of animals and educate people about animal welfare.  

This weekend I learned of a school in Tanzania which was started with one Woman’s dream and one donation of $10.  The School of St Jude was made possible by this very determined woman working together with a few like-minded people, and now educates over 1000 of the poorest kids on earth and supports the local economy by employing local people.  

This week’s quote from Helen Keller is a subtle reminder of just what can be achieved when we help each other.  Can you find one thing to help another person with every day this week?  Big or small, doesn’t matter, it will still make a difference to someone.

And on the other side of the coin, we are all in need of a little help every now and then.  We are all deserving and very worth of help too!  For some of us though, it’s a very hard lesson to learn how to ask for help when we need it and then to accept it when it’s offered to us.

If you read those last words and thought, “that’s me she’s talking about”, take an extra moment to read over Helen Keller’s quote and ponder this thought: by allowing someone to help you, you are helping them to feel good too!  

Thanks to all my Facebook friends who have drawn my attention to worthy causes, supported ones I have posted and most of all offered words of encouragement when I most needed it.  Thank you!  

If you’re interested to find out more about the School of St Jude their website is http://www.schoolofstjude.org/AboutUs/about.html  

Photo Green Tree Frogs © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.

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 Comments & feedback are most welcome, select "Anonymous" or "Name/URL" if you don't want to log into a google account when posting.

Take a chance . . .

 

 

 

Friday 1^stMarch was the 10 year anniversary of the day we took the biggest risk of our lives.

One Saturday morning, on the bonnet of a car in a cul-de-sac we signed our very last few dollars away to purchase a 10 acre block of land in the bush on the outskirts of Brisbane. There was no time to have our lawyer check over the contract (the agent said that another couple wanted to buy our block plus the one next to it so they would take preference if we didn’t sign on the dotted line then and there.) We also had absolutely no idea how we were going to build our dream home with no money.

It was scary, very scary, and felt more than just a little bit silly.

10 years later, we have long ago left our 8m x 8m workers cottage (sandwiched between the train tracks and the highway) and are living in a dream home of our own creation. It started with a doodle on a piece of graph paper, an owner’s builders permit and crossed fingers; and it is still a work in progress.

On the 10^thanniversary, we were rewarded with an amazing sunrise and dawn chorus, a gorgeous morning hike, visits from a range of wildlife and a bubble bath with champagne and an awesome view! It reminded me that if it weren’t for taking a very big risk we would have missed out on life in our dream home in the bush. Not that our old life was all that bad, it’s just that this is so much better.

When have you taken a risk and been able to appreciate a great outcome?

Feel free to leave your comments here J

P.S. – I found out yesterday that the rival couple are now our neighbours and had already bought their two blocks a whole month earlier, sounds like we were the victims of a very sneaky salesman!

Thanks a million to my Daring Husband who gave away a nearly paid-off loan to live in our dream home in the bush; I am grateful every day that we took the chance and created a better life. And to Nic to whom we will forever be indebted for your generous loan of your house for much longer than any of us anticipated! Thanks Nic!

Photo Sunset at Mt French © Renee Chamberlin 2013. Images are avaliable as prints, canvases, cards and calendars. For purchase enquiries click here