Category Archives: Family Friday

The Smoke Filled the Room instead of the Chimney!

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts by

Moving house is said to be one of the most stressful things anyone can experience in life. All our belongings are removed from the previous house. There are boxes still to be opened and sorted. I think what drains my energy is deciding what to keep, what needs passed on, or where is the new place for each item. I was exhausted and we decided to take a day off from work.

There are different jobs that need sorted. Thankfully different workmen have helped us beyond the call of duty. There are two window blinds that need new chains for them to be used. In town we saw a van with the words “Genesis Blinds”. I said perhaps he could call over and replace a chain for us. The owner of the van was working in a house nearby. I popped my head round the door and said “Is the blind man here?” The workmen all looked at me. I laughed. I looked over to a man who was working at the window. I said “Are you the blind man. I need someone to put a chain on my blind.” He wasn’t amused. He said “You need to make an appointment for someone to call out.” Some day we will get the blind fixed.

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The most recent snag was a chimney that needed cleaned. There had previously been a gas fire in the living room. It was removed to leave an open fire that will burn wood and coal. I like direct heat and a blazing fire is welcoming on a cold night. I couldn’t wait to get a fire lit in my new house, and take a rest from unpacking.

I tried a firelighter and a few sticks to start off. After a few minutes smoke started to fill the room instead of going up the chimney. Thoughts of “Why didn’t we leave the gas fire in” came to mind. We wouldn’t have all this bother. The fire alarm went off and there was upset and frustration for a while. There must be some blockage up the chimney. When one is trying to restore something there are always a few obstacles to overcome. This fireplace may not have been used for twenty years! We left the idea of a fire for another day.

A father has many coats to put on. Yesterday my husband became a chimney sweep. He cleared away the debris of a nest that crows had built at the top. There was no soot, just twigs and straw.

This evening we are going to sit by the fire and put our feet up and de stress. Wish you were here.
We will have real Christmas logs burning on the fire. We are starting to enter into the Festive season. As the song says, “Tis a season to be Jolly.”

A Bird Built His Nest

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature, Provision by

 

Recently I was thinking of the blackbirds in the garden of the our Saul St home. There were so many blackbirds that I wanted to call it “Blackbird Garden”.  Every spring they would be competing for the best territory to build a nest. The hedge rows, the ivy covering the walls, the holy bushes, the undergrowth of briars, all offered a safe place to build a nest. In the big garden the birds could forage for food to feed their hungry chicks.

The male blackbird has black feathers and a bight orange beak.  He was distinctive with his shiny coat as he sat on a branch surveying the area he was planning to build his nest and singing to attract his female.  She was close by, proud of her mate who was going to prepare a home for her and her young.

The birds began to build the nest.  They flew in through a hole in the hedge with beaks full of small twigs, moss or wool.  They built their nest with the twigs and used the moss or wool for the cosy lining to keep mother and chicks warm.  When the young were hatched father blackbird was even busier collecting food and feeding the young.  He was working all the hours of sunlight.

As I watched the early morning activity of the birds, my thoughts went to my husband.  He was like the blackbird.  He was busy being responsible for me and his family and property.  He made sure his home for his family was warm and there was enough food.  He had a house full of hungry young as well.  He kept the home fires burning in the cold months.  He paid the bills.

Our Heavenly Father has put it into the heart of the bird and the father to have young and care for them.  God cares for all he has created.

We have moved house recently.  It has plenty of space for our children and grandchildren to visit.
I see this aspect of a caring father in my husband at the moment, even though our chicks have all flown the nest.  He is like the blackbird going to and fro putting things in place, hanging pictures of the children, making up beds, preparing his workplace, carrying chairs and tables.  He will sit at the head of the table as we share food and family times again.  He will sit around a camp fire out on the veranda and tell stories to his grandchildren that he told to his own children.  Brendan is preparing a home for his own children to return to and bring their little ones.

We are not retiring as parents.  Our work will continue as God gives us strength.  No pensioners bungalow for us.  Our children still need us.

Gods word encourages us to look at the birds.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭26-27‬ NIV)

People have often asked us “How can you afford such a big family?”  We have faith in God like the birds he will care for us.  We are more important than them.  God promises to care for us.  He is worthy to be trusted.

In one of the psalms it says,
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God! (‭Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭3‬ NLT)

Brendan was working with the children in our garden once before.  A blackbird came and built a nest very close to where they were working.  It busied itself with its young while Brendan was busy with his young digging the garden.  The birds like to be around life.  As our spirits reach out to God the birds respond.  They sing for us on the branches.  We will always remember that family of blackbirds.

The first of our children and grandchildren came to visit at the weekend.  I turned on the heating to warm up all the rooms.  I reminded my husband that the blackbird lines the nest with wool to keep the young warm.  He swallowed hard.

It is the middle of an Irish winter.  Whoever thinks of a house move at this time!  Our new home is bigger.  Our last house was a modern bungalow with good insulation.  It was like a hot house.  I was using the same bed covering here that I used in the bungalow.  I was feeling the chill last night.  I gave in to changing the bed covering to a duvet Brendan bought two years ago.  I tried it out before but found it too warm.  It was just what was needed in our new nest.  The feathered filled duvet kept us cosy through the cold night.  My husband had already provided for the colder days!

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/one-at-a-time/

Suicide is Not Painless

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts, Nations, Prayer, Travel by

I was on the last leg of our journey home from Bratislava yesterday evening.  We picked up our car from my daughter’s apartment.  I was driving from Belfast.  I was driving along Shaws bridge and pulled up at traffic lights.  
Brendan turned on the CD player.  A CD called Visions from K-tel, a compilation of movie songs was playing.  A song called Suicide is Painless started.  It was the sound track from a movie called MASH written in 1969.
I couldn’t believe my ears.  The words said 

That suicide is painless
It brings so many changes
And I can take or leave them if I please

The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card of some delay
So this is all I have to say

Words have power.  These words have power.
Just then I turned left after the traffic lights into a busy dual carriageway of traffic that was coming straight for me.  I took a wrong turn.  Thankfully some angels were protecting us from disaster.  The traffic slowed and gave me space to make a quick  U turn and escape.  I avoided suicide! 
I wonder what has been the fruit of the words of this song down through the years since it was written and played?  Has many people have come under the power of these words and committed suicide thinking it is painless? The writer, who was a fourteen year old boy, did not know what he was doing. Words have power.
Pain surrounds suicide.
My husband was alerted to pray for a friend many years back.  He felt the spirit of suicide come into his car as he drove home.  He rebuked the spirit of suicide in Jesus name.  He prayed against the spirit of suicide having any influence over his friend.
We later learned that our friend had tried to committed suicide that night by walking into a river.
Next day Brendan went to see him.  He has just taken some Gramoxine, a weed killer.  A second time he attempted suicide.  His daddy was dying in hospital and he was distraught.  He was taken to A and E where all the alarm bells went off.  The doctors said he would be dead in nine days.
We alerted others to pray for him.  God heard our prayers and healed him totally without any side effects.  Praise God.
Instead of being passive be careful what you listen to.  Words have power for good or evil.
Brendan turned off the CD!

I was under a Curse for not Honoring my Parents.

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts, Prayer, Provision by

Honoring my Parents.

I thank God for my parents.  They laid down their lives to rear me and give me a good start in life.  I was not as loving and thankful for their care as I should have been when they were alive.  I realise  the work involved in raising children after rearing my own.  I did not honor them as I should have.  Being a parent is often a thankless task.  I feel honored if my children are thoughtful to me and thank me.  I understand how my parents must have felt when I did not get in touch.

My fourteenth child Angela was born.  I was faithful in looking after my husband and other children.  I was praying for more provision and space for our big family.   As my family increased, the house we lived in seemed to get smaller and smaller as my children grew.  I needed more space.  I believed God’s word where the children of Israel were given land according to the size of their tribe.  I had a big tribe and I was asking God for more room.  I applied to rent various bigger properties but no door opened.  There was no breakthrough so I became discouraged.

I had a strong desire to move to a bigger house, perhaps the country, so my children could enjoy the outdoors.  I grew up in the country side.  I used to play outside with my brothers and sisters and make up our own games.  Now in the winter time I got frustrated with everyone indoors in the bad weather.  The only space I had to myself was my own side of the bed.  I got cabin fever.  Brendan was very good.  We would go for drives to forests and beaches for long walks.  The children were able to run about and let off steam.  This eased the immediate pressure.

I believe the Holy Spirit guided me to read the Commandments in Exodus 20.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that it will be well with you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭12‬ NIV)

I left home when I was eighteen years old to go to university.  I got married when I was twenty.  I carried on with my life and did not thank or honor my parents.  I was busy looking at my own situation.  God showed me I was under a curse because I had not honored my parents.  It was not going well for me.   Yes I wanted to obey God and pray but I believe there was something wrong.  Was I to continue in hardship, feeling the frustration of limited space, because I had a big family.  I believed children were a blessing from The Lord and I needed his guidance and strength to rear them.

I needed someone to help me.  I read a book by Derek Prince called Blessings and Curses.  In it he explains how someone can be under a curse.  I read about John and Paula Sandford from America, who prayed for people in the area of family.  I rang up their offices in America to enquire if they were coming to the UK any time in the future.  Yes they had a conference in May of that year.  I booked my place at the event.  My husband came with me.

The first night of the conference John Sandford, who was an older man, spoke.  He sounded like my own father.  I broke down and cried.  I continued to cry while he spoke.  The curse was being broken and my healing started.  My parents were both dead at that time so I couldn’t go to them and apologise.  I asked Jesus to forgive me.  He forgave me and broke the curse I was under because of my disobedience to the word of God which says honor your mother and father.

The following year breakthrough came.  We moved to a bigger house with more space for all of us.   The pressure was released.  I had joy in knowing God cared for me.
This may seem strange to you.  You may not have heard of a curse before.  I share this story because this is what happened to me.  Perhaps it will help you.
Jesus breaks a curse and brings a cure.

Cartoon from Smokey Mountain Photos

From Geography Class to seeing the Niagara Falls

Posted in Canada, Family Friday, Holiday, My thoughts, Nature, Travel by

I visited the Niagara Falls on a recent trip to Canada.
When we approached to town of Niagara I could see the cloud of mist that rises up from the Horseshoe Falls. I got excited. I have heard about this feature many times. I remember first hearing about the Niagimageara Falls over fifty years ago. I attended a country school in Co Down in N Ireland. I was standing with other pupils around a map of the world with our primary school teacher. We were having a geography lesson.
Here is photograph I captured on my iPad.  I have a bird’s eye view.

I get to see the Niagara Falls when my thirteenth grandchild is born.

My son dropped my friend and I off at a viewing point. Opposite I could see the American Falls. Then upriver is the bigger Canadian Falls or Horseshoe Falls. What power and beauty in these tumbling waters.
I could not but praise The Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_assignment/photography-101-water/

 

 

If You’re Irish Come Into The Parlour

Posted in Canada, Family Friday, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations by

Here is a song I sang growing up.

If you’re Irish come into the parlour,
There’s a welcome there for you;
If your name is Timothy or Pat (or David)
So long as you come from Ireland,
There’s a welcome on the mat,
If You come from the Mountains of Mourne,
Or Killarney’s lakes so blue,
We’ll sing you a song and we’ll make a fuss,
Whoever you are you are one of us,
If you’re Irish, this is the place for you!

I am in Toronto to see Ava, my son David and Jacquelyn’s baby. I am staying at Jacquelyn’s parents home. I am enjoying the change of season here. I took a walk and took this picture.

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David our son, was welcomed into the heart of Jacquelyn’s immediate and extended family. David has been fishing with Jacquelyn’s dad, brothers, uncles and and grand dad. They caught many fish and had a great time. He has been to hockey matches, plays tennis and soccer, been on a visit to Washington to see extended family, and sightseeing at the Niagara Falls.

Maureen, Jacquelyn’s mum spent all Sunday cooking dinner for friends who wanted to come over to meet me. It was Thanksgiving and Christmas all in the one day.
Maureen likes the windows open. I like a cool room too! She loves roast potatoes and Irish wheaten bread, which she bakes on the weekend. She had someone from Ireland she could share with. It was her mum’s recipe. Her mum grew up in Belfast.  We celebrated her mum. Her memory lives on.

Jacquelyn was particularly fond of her and misses her. Her baby is wearing a cardigan her granny knitted for her.

Maureen’s aunt called by the other day. She brought a beautiful Christening robe, an heirloom. Her sister had hand knitted it and gave her for her children. Now it was being given to Jacquelyn for Ava’s christening. She told us how she loves to make soda bread just like we get back in Ireland. She has here fridge full of it ready to give as a gift to anyone who calls or comes into her parlour.

I am being made to feel welcome and part of the family. I don’t have to cook, clean or shop. I am available for babysitting when Jacquelyn needs me. It’s not hard work nursing a warm, cuddly, baby girl. Oh the joy of being a grand mother. I don’t have to do the hard work of feeding, dressing and changing.
It is lovely to see my son caring, protecting and treasuring Jacquelyn and Ava. A whole new world for him.

When Brendan travelled to North America twenty years ago he was welcomed with open arms, celebrated, loved and accepted. A big shock to the system when back home in Northern Ireland there was war. The Irish were rejecting each other.

I went to England 35 years ago to have my own daughter. I was welcomed by the Irish community as a long lost relative. They were from Kerry and I was from Derry. But we were all Irish in another country.

The words of the song above are true. Brendan, David and myself have been welcomed into people’s parlours.

Gladioli That Point up to Heaven

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer by

I bought a bunch of Gladioli in the supermarket this week.  The trumpet flowers open out from the tall green stems.  The gladiolii flowers come in many shades, purple, pink, red, yellow or white.  These flowers bring back memories of attending Church as a child and the routine of Sunday morning in our home on the farm.

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In the country where I grew up, the community gathered at the church on the hill.  It was within walking distance from our home.  Dad and two of the family would go to first mass at eight o’clock.

Seasonal flowers decorated the Church altar.   The gladioli stood out for me as the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen. Their stems reached up to the heavens and the flowers opened up into trumpets.  I imagined they were brought from some exotic place far away.  I never saw such flowers grow ing in the local gardens.

I remembered the smell of the incense and the singing of the choir at Church.  Words were sung to someone beyond my world.  My heart was lifted up above my circumstances.  People dressed in their best clothes.  Families sat together in pews.  Going to Church on Sunday for me was very special.  Those holy, innocent days going to Church as a child are long gone.  I was oblivious to the big world beyond the church and the farm.  I imagined the Gladioli came from out there somewhere?

Dad would stand and talk to neighbours after mass and get a catch up on the local news.  Mum would make fried, fresh, farm eggs and bacon with home made soda bread for dad’s return.  As we smelt the bacon we would turn up for breakfast at different times.  Sundays were restful.  No farmwork or school to go to.  No last minute rush to catch the school bus at the bottom of the lane.
The rest of the family would walk or get a ride in the car to second mass at eleven o’clock.  Whoever went to first mass would prepare the Sunday dinner for us all.  Dad would sit by the fire and read the newspaper.  It was his day off.  We usually had a stew.  I loved the smell of it as it cooked on the stove and we waited for the others to return.  After dinner we would listen to Family Favourites on the Radio.  I remember songs being played that were sung by Burl Ives, The Ugly Bug Ball, The Little White Duck or Rudolfh the Red Nose Reindeer.

I never heard about the Sabbath Day then. I now know that God intended that man should rest from his labour one day of the week.  Our family did have that day off.

Observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (‭Exodus‬ ‭31‬:‭16-17‬ KJV)

God intended the Sabbath for man to rest.  If God needed refreshed after working all week, I think I will take his example.  He does not want to harm us, it is for our benefit to have a day off, in this world where so many other things take up our thinking, strength and money.
Have a good Sunday.

My First Time Babysitting Grandchildren

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer by

I am still resting after rearing fourteen of my own children.  I have not rushed into the arena of looking after my grandchildren.  I know many peers that help out with their children’s children because both parents to go out to work.  

I called my son John yesterday.  He was getting ready to go to a wedding.  He sounded stressed.  I asked “Are you bringing the children with you?”  He has two boys under three.  Yes, he was bringing them.  What a nightmare?  I remembered many years ago when I brought my son that I was breastfeeding to a wedding.  I did not enjoy the day.  There was no one there who was sympathic to my situation.   I have found the attitude “You chose to have your children.  Tough on you get on with it.  You have a choice you know, not to have children, to save you all this work.”  Out of compassion for he and his wife I offered to babysit for a few hours until another relative would baby sit them in the evening.

I ventured to say “Put them to bed for their afternoon sleep before I arrive.”  I was hoping the boys would sleep most of the time I was there.  I arrived to see Rachel looking beautiful and glamourous.  She winked at me as they drove off for the day.  My son and his wife could have a day away from the children to enjoy a meal and relax with friends.

I made myself comfortable to do some work on my iPad.  Fifteen minutes later I heard  one of the boys crying.  I left him for a minute or two, hoping he would go over to sleep again.  But no, Daniel needed attention.  His mum told me he likes a bottle of milk when he awakes.  I prepared the milk and then picked him up from his cot.
He continued to cry even though I tried to comfort him.  He drank some of the milk but went back to crying.  I did not want to ring his parents and tell them their baby was crying.  I nursed him and prayed over him.  With his little arms he tried to push my hands away as I held him.  How come a one year old had such strong arms?  If any neighbour heard him crying they may have called the child help line to report a crying child.

After ten minutes little Daniel adjusted to his mum not being there and stopped crying.  He and I became great pals for the afternoon.  He isn’t walking yet but can stand up holding onto the furniture.  He crawled about the floor and played happily with blocks and looked at toy books.  

I needed to put some logs on the fire.   While I was doing that Daniel wondered off down the corridor.  When I looked for him he was in the bathroom.  He was standing up beside the toilet bowl dipping his hand in and sucking on his fingers.  Agharrrrr.   I don’t know if the toilet had been flushed.

I didn’t panic.  I have reared fourteen of my own children and no disaster is going to befall my grandchild that I will not be able to cope with.  I trust God’s promise.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; (‭Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭9-11‬ NIV)

I did not rush him to the Local Accident and Emergency.  I washed his hands and mouth and carried on with our day. So keep the toilet door closed if you are baby sitting.
Daniel was none the worse for his day with me.   I was not reported to Childline and I did not have to go to the A and E.  His mum and dad had a great day out.

Preparing For Darker Days

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, My thoughts by

On Sunday night the fourth of October, there were gales and heavy rain in my part of the world, Northern Ireland.  As we travelled home late at night, leaves were falling against the windscreen like a snow storm.  Next morning electricity was out and branches of trees, twigs and leaves littered the roadsides.  I thought winter had arrived suddenly.
Swallows have left and farmers have their crops harvested.  I was not ready for the season change.
There had been warm sunny days during September so I was unprepared for colder, windier and wetter days.  The forecast told me the weather would remain unsettled.  I felt like the animals that hibernate, I wanted to scurry for cover.
I remembered a dream I had many years ago.  I saw a stack of logs and a stack of coal beside my house.  I would have provision for cold days. This dream encouraged me to believe Proverbs 30 for myself and not fear the cold weather.

She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭21, 25‬ NLT)

Thankfully one of my sons was visiting. Patrick is home all the way from Australia. One of my children turns up when I have a need.  I needed his help.   He made a shelter near my back door to store logs.  He secured the covering on my shed so rain would not seep in.  He cleared the guttering of any buildup of leaves.  We emptied pot plants of fading summer plants.  We moved potted trees and shrubs to a sheltered part of the garden away from scorching salty winds.  Brendan secured a store of oil and coal. Thank God for my husband and son. I feel more prepared for the season ahead now.
This week has been a glorious week.  The forecasters were wrong.  We had sunny days to finish the work outside.  At night the full moon shone overhead.  Amazingly we had a glimpse of a red moon as it rose in the sky on Friday night.
Another sign as the Word of God tells us
I will show wonders in the heavens. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭30-31‬ NIV)
God is speaking through his Creation.
This Sunday night I am enjoying the glow and heat from my log fire in the hearth.  I will enjoy the rest and warmth indoors through the dark nights ahead.
Are you prepared for darker days?  The weather and news headlines forecast storms ahead.  The media instill fear for the future.  Do not be afraid.  Look up at the sun, moon and stars.  Look up to the One who created them and have faith in God. Call upon his name and you will be safe.  You will find shelter under his wings.

I Crossed over My Jordon

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts by

Today it is my son’s birthday.  This day sixteen years ago I crossed over the Jordan into my promised land.
I had been pregnant with the desire to move house for five years.  My family was growing and my house was getting smaller.  I believed that God would give me land according to the size of my tribe, just like God did for the tribe of Judah.  I needed a big house for my big family.
I had been praying and I had dreams to keep me hoping.  I had a dream where the big river in the town where I lived was held back like the River Jordan.  There was grass growing on the bed of the river.  That tells me the river was held back for some time, but not for much longer.  This encouraged me.  I believed I would be moving soon.
We moved eighty miles away.  We stepped back in time.  God provided a seven bedroom house in a small town.  We were like the people in the south of England.  We had a big house and two cars in the driveway.  God fulfilled his word to give me a house according to the size of my family.  We were not put to shame.  
Our Heavenly Father, who cares for me, and you, saw my distress. Brendan and I had a big family and we needed more space.

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭63‬:‭7, 9‬ NIV). The angel of The Lord went ahead of us brought our tribe into a broad place. The same God who helped the people of Israel across the Jordon helped our family cross the river in our town and settle 80 miles away. My family prospered and grew tall in the new space we had.
Isaiah 65. 
If the Lord delights in us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. (‭Numbers‬ ‭14‬:‭8‬ NIV)