I’ve moved house by the way…

Sorry! I’ve been so busy I forgot to mention it.

The decision to move house came because I wanted to be closer to work. Though Llangammarch Wells was a dream location (see pictures here http://missdaisyspetals.blogspot.com/2013/03/goodbye-ammanford-hello-llangammarch.html and http://missdaisyspetals.blogspot.com/2013/03/snow-day.html ) my journey to work was 1hour and 20 minutes each way, and as you can imagine doing this 5 days a week was incredibly exhausting and also very costly. I also moved house because I wanted to experience having my own home as a single person and to learn how to build and run a home.

So in September I traded the farm lands of Lllangammarch Wells for the grass lands of Tonna, God has blessed me with a bungalow in this quiet village. Though I live in a bungalow I still have a fair amount of stairs, my house is up on a hill so there are steps leading up to my house (which is great fun when I come home with bags of shopping) and more steps to get to my garden.  I haven’t yet explored the area fully but according to a few maps I’ve looked at there are some amazing walks and beautiful waterfalls close by.

When I get a chance I will upload some pictures of the house/area for you to look at. Till then here’s a little sneak peek.

Side view 

Don’t be a stranger, come visit sometime.

My mum bought me these beautiful flowers for my new home x

Love, your girl forever,

♥ Miss Daisy ♥

On this day last year...

...I was sitting on a National Express coach looking at the fields and preparing for my new life in Wales. I didn’t have a job or much money but that didn’t faze me, I knew there was a reason why I was making this journey and knew that God would provide. I didn’t experience any nervousness or fear of the unknown; I was just treading  the road bravely.  People always ask me, “how did you do it, how did you just move to Wales on your own?” Honestly, it was God. When God makes a personal call to our hearts about something and impresses us to move forward, though we don’t fully understand what is going on or what is going to happen, God calms our fears and uncertainties and gives us strength to press on with confidence.  I know it is not actually the same but my move to Wales reminded me of Hebrews 11: 8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went”

A year on, I am happy to say that I love it here! I have managed to integrate into the Welsh way of life and truly feel at home. I have learnt some wonderful and powerful lessons this year (some have been shared already, but there’s more to come!) and have grown so much as a person. Many practical and spiritual lessons have been learnt while spending time in the valleys and fields, on the hills and at the beach, where I have beheld much beauty. I don’t know how long God wants me here for, but I am ready to see what the next year will bring.

Here are a few pictures showing some of the highlights of my first year in Wales. Enjoy!

My first Welsh home,Betws Ammanford 

Trip to Dryslwyn 

Making Bread

Growing Bell Peppers

 

 



Sophie's visit 

Girl's night in Ammanford

Sabbath at Pontargothi and Julina's visit

My second Welsh home, Llangammarch Wells

Girls night in Carmarthen

Snow day in Llangammarch Wells

Learning to grow

Horse riding at the Brecon Beacon

Sabbaths with Seth

SEC Campmeeting and Benita and Grace's visit.

Llansteffan beach and Samba's visit

It's been a good year! I'm more than thankful....

Love, your girl forever, 

♥ Miss Daisy ♥

The Lord is My Shepherd

At the house in Llangammarch Wells, it’s not uncommon to wake up and find sheep outside the house. Sheep are quiet interesting animals to study especially during the season when all their lambs are born. One March morning, Natasha’s morning devotion was interrupted by the sight of a sheep and her lambs by her window. She began to ponder on how much the sheep loves her lambs and doesn’t go anywhere without them. However from her observations from the past week she found that at the slighted hint of danger the sheep would flee and abandon her lambs. She found this strange and wondered “what defensive mechanism does the sheep have?” She was impressed to do some research on the characteristics of a sheep to gain a better understanding of how God designed and engineered this special animal. She conducted a search on Google and was lead to the website wiki.answers.com, this isn’t a religious website but after reading the answers it became very obvious to her how similar we humans are to sheep in the eyes of God.


The Lord is my shepherd*

1: Sheep must have a leader and must be told what to do and where to go otherwise they will wonder off and get lost.

“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” Numbers 27:16-17

“For thou art my rock and my fortress, therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me.” Psalms 31:3

2: Sheep have little or no means of self-defence.

“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.” Psalms 31:1-4

3: Sheep constantly need fresh water and fresh pasture, but have very little discernment in choosing food or water.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leaded me beside the still waters.” Psalms 23:1-2

“They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them: for he that have mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.” Isaiah 49:10

4: Sheep will insist on going their own way and even eat poisonous plants or drink dirty water.

”All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6

5: When sheep fall over on their back they are unable to right themselves back onto their feet (many sheep die in this position); if not turned over by the shepherd.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

6: Sheep need the most care out of all livestock. They are totally dependent on the shepherd for every need and need rod and staff guidance

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalms 23:1-4

I was truly blessed by this devotion when it was shared with me that Sabbath evening as it reminded me of how much we need Christ; we are his sheep and he is the good shepherd.

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalms 100:3

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

What’s even more interesting is that not only is Christ the good shepherd, he is also the lamb.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

He is both master and servant.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” Philippians 2:5-9

Obedience is the first and most important characteristics of a leader. Before one is to be a leader (shepherd) they must first learn/know how to follow, obey and serve (sheep). God really brought this point to my heart, simply by bringing Nataha's attension to a sheep and her lambs standing by her window one morning.

There’s much more to be learnt at Llangammarch Wells and lots more to be shared, this is only the beginning….stay tuned.

Love, your girl forever,

 ♥ Miss Daisy  ♥

*A devotional study by Natasha Walker

Snow Day!

With spring at our doorsteps, I was surprised to wake up yesterday morning to see the whole land covered in snow. The country track that leads from our house to the main road was covered in a few inches of snow which meant that we were practically snowed in. My first thoughts were about us not being able to go to church or go out on the Sunday as planned,  then I began to worry about how long we would be snowed in for and whether I would be able to go to work on Monday.  I started to get upset and panic about the snow but God reminded me of this scripture in Job.

Job 37:5-7 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 

It made me realise God allowed it to snow, he knew that we had our own plans for the weekend and that we wouldn't be able to go anywhere because of the snow. Maybe he had another plan for our weekend, maybe he just wanted us to stay at home,  relax and ponder on his word. I was comforted by this thought and decided to go for walk and actually enjoy the snow (and take pictures too!).

It’s been nice staying at home for the past two days. Also the farmer and his son offered to tow my car up to the top of the track, so I guess tomorrow it’s back to the real world for me……would it be weird if I wanted it to snow again?

Love, your girl forever,

♥ Miss Daisy ♥

Don't let the smile fool you, I was FREEZING!!!!!

Goodbye Ammanford, Hello Llangammarch Wells

Goodbye Ammanford

Last day at the house

The moving van

Our living room (Didn't manage to get a picture of it before the move but it was beautiful!)

Our Kitchen and dinning area (I'll never forget the delicious meals, talks and laughs we had here)

Taking my bed apart :-(

Children and brethren working together :-) 

Time to say Goodbye :-(

Hello Llangammarch Wells 

The entrance to our house

The front of our new house




















Our new living room, ready for us to make some new memories!

New kitchen and dining area 

  The view from my bedroom window (it will probably look better in the summer, but still love it!)

  More views from our new house

 
Living in Llanagammarch Wells, for the past month has been an interesting and different experience. We live next to a sheep farm so we often get the sheep sneaking into our gate and leaving their mess! We also have to wear Wellington Boots just to go outside, collect wood for the fireplace, use torches outside when it's dark and our nearest supermarket is a 30 minute drive away! Sometimes, I wish I could just close my eyes and be back in our home in Ammanford, but every time I see the beautiful scenery during the day, the stars at night and hear the sound of the river, I realise this is where I need to be.

It is beautiful here in Llanagammarch Wells and it has been a joy living here so far. Come visit me sometime :-)

 Love, your girl forever,

♥ Miss Daisy ♥