Amelia Magazine Available for Subscription!

Here we come, 2017! It's going to be packed full of great, 'girly' fun, and we hope you'll join us to share in it all!

It's our second year in print and we have loads of fantastic articles, craft, activities and ideas in store for the new year!


Tuesday 11 March 2014

Be brave!

Did you know you have been called to be brave? courageous? strong? firm? They can be pretty hard to do, right? It can seem like a really big thing and that can be overwhelming.

My daughter has started a new school this year. Have you ever started at a new school? Was it hard to settle in? Don't get me wrong, she loves the school. But, it is difficult to make new friends. You can (and probably want to!) keep your friends from your old school but it is nice to have friends at the school you go to, as well. There is plenty of love in the world to share!

Well, her teacher from last year reminded her of a verse in the Bible that calls us to be brave. Not only does it all us to be brave, but loving and sensible, too. You know, anything is possible with God living in your heart. Wow!! Think of what you could do if you were bold, loving, and sensible! You could make a real difference in the world around you. And it would make a real difference in YOU as well.

Give it a try! Pray to God that He will help you to be BOLD, LOVING and SENSIBLE! You can print of this free printable poster and hang it in your room, the hallway (or even in the bathroom!) so that every time you see it, you will remember that God will help you to be brave! 

Click here to download your free printable!

The beauty of history!

I have this lovely, old, silver-coated tray that I picked up at an op-shop nearly 20 years ago! While I was re-arranging and setting up the studio, I found it again, sitting on top of a cupboard.

As I held it, I wondered if I should actually complete it's journey with me and send it back to an op-shop (or even throw it out!)! It was covered with rust spots coming through, some other odd marks and was rather tarnished. You could imagine where a vase or cup might have sat for a long time. I certainly couldn't use it if I was having a tea party - maybe, I could get away with it for a vintage one at a pinch.

Having seen on pinterest the idea of using a tray as a magnetic board hung on the wall, it occurred to me that it could be rather handy, like that, but would need to be pained to cover up its 'oddities'! But it is also beautiful being 'silver'! Cleaning it up might remove enough rust and tarnish to make it serviceable, so I tried that.

It was amazing how shiny parts of it turned out to be! I could actually use it as a mirror - a marked, scratchy mirror in spots, but shiny enough all the same. I would be a shame to paint over something so beautifully shiny! There was a beauty about it even with all its spots that showed it age!

My mind turned to ageing (something you young girls are probably not thinking of yet, but your mum might be!). I'm a mum and I'm starting to see wrinkles on my face, which I'm of two minds about. I don't want to start looking old, but as I get older, I realise that I'm not super young anymore anyway!

You know, our wrinkles, freckles, scars, tell a story of our history, just like the scratches and rust spots on my tray do. They show the laughter, the smiles, the squinting . . . that has been on that face. And there is a beauty in that - seeing someone's life on their face.

What would someone see about your life on your face? Would they see the dimples of your joyful face, perhaps a chicken-pox scar, or freckles coming out from a summer spent outside? Would they see eyes wide with wonder and full of love?

Next time you see an older person, rather than think of their wrinkles, how about you try to see their history in their face. What a wonderful God-given gift to be able to see!