Our daughter Mary has moved to Blantyre, Malawi. She is an Obstetrician and was working in Liverpool Woman’s Hospital until recently. She will be doing research to improve the care of mothers and babies in the third world.
It’s a wonderful privilege for her to get to work in another nation. It wasn’t an easy decision. Once she decided to take up the position she was busy giving up her accommodation in Liverpool. Furniture was given to friends. Clothes, books, ornaments, all bringing back memories had to be sorted.
We had an afternoon gathering of family relatives and friends at the Ivanhoe to say farewell. Andy Mc Clelland provided music. Mary loves dancing. There were no tears, only joy. She left the next day with three suitcases for her flight to Malawi.
Mary sent me this picture today . It was taken after I was healed of cancer in 2010. My girls in the picture are Hannah, Angela, myself and Mary. They and the rest of my family prayed and supported me through cancer.
Praise God I’m alive to see my daughter go to Malawi and celebrate with my husband, children and grandchildren. I’m not in the grave with my children coming to leave flowers on it.
It’s the first of September today. The Jewish new year starts around this time. The tradition is to look back on the past year with thanks to God and reflection on what didn’t go well. They look forward to a new year with no regrets and learn from their failings. They leave their burdens with The Lord, and enter into the new year with hope.
I agree with this outlook. Often we are weighed down with guilt and despair with ongoing problems not changing. We go to a counsellor. Our problems are regurgitated, and poured out to someone who is paid to listen. The failings are stamped deeper in one’s brain. They will resurface again in times of loneliness of stress.
We live in an age when mental illness is rife. Waiting rooms in hospitals are filled with distressed people, physically and emotionally, waiting for hours to be seen by a doctor.
Why not spend thirty minutes to an hour in a Church. It will be more fruitful than ten hours in a hospital waiting room or weeks attending a counsellor.
God promises to be with His people. Where two or three are gathered He is present. You may meet someone there to share your problems with. It will not cost any money. When we tell our failings to God like the Jews God forgives and doesn’t remember them any more. The problem can be one doesn’t forgive oneself and chews over the situation.
Have this mentality. Release the ingrained thoughts of failures and remember them no more. God doesn’t remember them so why should you.
My neighbour told me the sea seagull that nested in my chimney had three chicks. The nest must have been a bit crowded, hence one of the chicks taking time out on my neighbours roof. I heard and saw this chick regularly. It whistled to let the mother know he wasn’t far away. She often stood guard over it and attacked anyone walking on the street below.
I prayed one evening and asked God to allow me to see the chick I rescued from my neighbours fireplace. Later on I saw one of the young standing on a refuse bin . Was it my rescued friend? See photo. It looked strong.
Elizabeth my friend told me she saw the young gull that evening as well. It walked down the middle of the road and halted traffic behind it. It flew up onto a roof afterwards.
She has recounted the story of rescuing the seagull from her fireplace to friends. One man said he knows of people who don’t rescue a bird from their chimney. The thought of a bird covered in soot flying round their living room deters them from going to the rescue. The RSPB advise not to go near seagulls for fear of bird flu.
The other two young chicks have moved to a rooftop opposite. Their mother stays nearby but is not so aggressive. The young still make their whistling noise to get attention and more food. They must be able to fly a short distance. See below recent photos.
Top picture below chick who has flown the nest. Next picture shows mother to the tight and two other young. Next picture shows one stretching his wings.
Even though I now live far from the seaside I’m still looking at the birds.
A Sea Gull and two chicks have been on our chimney stack for some weeks now. We have got used to the mother’s calls and flurries overhead when we go to our car. I hear the whistles of her young from my workshop window.
Last week when I returned from shopping, in my neighbours front path a young sea gull was sheltering. It had mottled feathers, a sharp black beak and black feet. It tried to walk away balanced by his broad wings. But it limped. One of its legs was injured. Our neighbour asked advice from the RSPB. There was no answer. Her son lifted the bird and returned it to the mother out his skylight window.
I was visiting my elderly neighbour, Elizabeth on Sunday. I brought her a bunch of sweet pea. I heard she had family visiting on Monday. Brendan has grown sweet pea in our garden after he heard that Elizabeth’s father used to bring her sweet pea every week.
Next day she called Brendan and I to see her display of sweet pea on her piano. She was overwhelmed by the bunch of flowers. She said yesterday was the 72 anniversary of her father’s funeral which left from her home. We did not know that.
While sitting in her living room I heard noises coming from her blocked up fireplace. Elizabeth said she heard a few noises but thought it was movement from our living room. We thought a baby seagull may be behind there.
Her visitor was arriving any minute. What was an eighty three year old lady to do with a bird in her front room fireplace? It was closed up for fifty years! She didn’t relish the thought of soot all over her carpet or a black seabird flying round her room if released.
She waited to ring RSPB after her relatives left. She made a phone call, was through to an answering machine , advising her to beware of bird flu if you touch a seagull. They were noone to help. The machine operated voice advised her to call the RSPA. Again no help .
Next morning Brendan and I came to the rescue. Bird flu or not that bird needed rescued now from the trap. How long was it there? Was it still alive? Psalm 91 v 3 says the Lord releases us from the fowler’s snare. The bird would die if we didn’t help it.
How often does one get trapped in life with no one to help . We can face death. We need to rescue people from traps they can’t get free from.
Brendan opened the cover and there was a timid young chick! I reached down and held it. It had no strength to fly out of my hands. A little bird came to the very room where Elizabeth plays her piano to worship God.
We released it onto the roof again . Seagulls gathered overhead when they saw the young bird! It was lost but now was found.
As I write I hear the whistling of birds from a nest in my chimney. The sound is from young gulls. These birds normally build their nests on cliff edges safe from intruders.
I have just published a book called, Look at the Birds. Today I have the opportunity to observe the life of a seagull close by. There are no cliffs. Instead this bird has built a nest in our chimney and at least two eggs have hatched.
I was working outside in the alleyway enjoying the warm weather. A gull was upset with me and dived overhead in my direction calling as it flew overhead. Whenever Brendan or I go outside this gull gets upset and flys around us. Why was it attacking us. Haven’t I written a book about how I enjoy bird watching?
I did some research about gulls. A mother sea gull fiercely defends its young. There must be young in the nest above our house!
The gull gets more aggressive every day. As Brendan was getting something from his car it dive bombed him and deposited mess all over his tee shirt.
All has been revealed. Two young birds can be seen moving near the nest on my chimney. One of the chicks moves across the roof. This mother has been defending her brood.
My neighbour who has lived in Haypark all her life has never heard of gulls nesting here before.
I encouraged Brendan. Let us not be annoyed. We are blessed that the gull has chosen our chimney to nest in. Doesn’t the scripture say the birds find a nest near your altar where they can read their young. Psalm 84 v 3.
Whether in the town or country I always hear a bird singing in the early morning while it is still dark.
It’s a new day and a new year. I learn from the little children they awake and expect they will get breakfast. They play and look for something they enjoy doing. Until mum calls them to get washed and dressed.
Isn’t it easier to start if we have something to ease us into the new day and the work ahead of us. For someone it is that hot cup of coffee and sitting by the heat to wake us up. Or listening to the radio, checking one’s Facebook or a chat to a friend.
Whether you are happy or sad there is someone who is with you whom you can’t see but He is there. His name is Jesus. He sticks closer than a brother. You have a guardian angel with you all the time. He watches over you. Take time to welcome Jesus presence. Just like that little bird singing outside, I can’t see him but I can hear him.
I was blessed this week by the little children. On New Year’s morning we went along to a friend’s gathering. There was a little girl there. She was about six years old. She skipped and danced the whole time. When the worship music started she twirled and did head springs. Her mum gave her a bag of sweets to share. She had no fear and approached everyone to offer him a sweet.
When I visit with my son’s family his daughter greets me and wants to show me how she can dance and pirroet. Next time I will pay more attention and share in her joy.
My son’s children are free like little birds that jump about near the mothers nest till they can fly. When we visit they run, leap and dive from the chair into the settee. I would have been correcting them in the past and wanting them to behave. But no. Let them be free.
Happy New Year to all my readers. Everyone wants to win the lottery. Everyone would not refuse money. I am offering you today something that is better than fine gold and it is free.
I’ve started reading from my daily Bible again. A little bit of scripture every day. Why not start the New Year with reading from the scripture. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
I have studied at university but I didn’t find out the truth about how to live on the earth with others. I studied about history, nature and gained much knowledge. My first essay was on the Origin of Man. My teachers were denying the truth that God created man and woman and that they were created in God’s image. They tried to tell me we evolved from apes!
I am on day five of reading the Bible. There is so much basic truth for life on the first chapters of the bible. God spoke to me when I read Genises 1 forty six years ago. I learnt that God who created the heavens and the earth made me in his image and told me to increase and multiply. God blessed me with fourteen children and twenty five grandchildren since I read that word. I received faith when I read those words.
I can assure you that if you pick up a bible and start reading it God will speak to you through the words you read. You can start anywhere. Your mind will be renewed.
Our countries in the west are proud of their universities. They are sources of knowledge. Poorer countries are envious and would love the opportunity to go there. But our centres of learning fill us with more knowledge. God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of good and evil. They disobeyed. We are descendants of Adam and Eve. We are full of the knowledge of good and evil. We are gods in our own mind. We feel we don’t need to submit to anyone. We know what is good and evil.
When I open Facebook I see advertisements for how to live better, loose weight, look younger, heal yourself, eat this, don’t eat that. The best way to live is by doing it according to God’s will and not our own. Not by might, not by power but by His Holy Spirit.
One can live on the earth but if we don’t submit to the One who is God of gods and Lord of lords we will not have eternal life. Read the Bible and you will get to know the truth.
Study the Bible. From the mother at home, the factory worker, the prisoner to the lorry driver you can listen or read the Bible as you work. There are so many ways of accessing the bible, radio, cds, pod casts etc.
I found much of the truth I know about child rearing and healing from reading the Bible, a little every day. Start your new career today by reading the Bible for yourself in this New Year. I’m giving you a gift that is better than fine gold.
Here is a testimony about what the living God has done for a family in Slovakia.
I was invited to speak about having fourteen children and how God healed me of Cancer to children in a school in Trnava, Slovakia. The children were aged from fourteen years to eighteen years old.
It was a bit formidable at first standing before a crowd of children and their teachers. I remembered that over the years I had to interact with my own teenage boys and girls just like the audience before me.
When I told them I had fourteen children I got their attention. I went on to tell them about my family, my children just like them, praying for me to be healed of cancer. Jesus said to pray to the Father in his name and the Father would answer their prayers.
“Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16:23 NIV)
I encouraged them to help and pray for their parents just like my children did for me. I blessed the school children and gave them a copy of my book Staying Alive.
Six young people stayed behind and asked me to pray for them. One of the young ladies began to cry. She told me her mother was going into hospital the next day for an operation for Cancer. I prayed for her mother and asked the Father in Jesus name to heal her just as he had healed me.
Two months later I received an email from the young lady. She told me her mother was pregnant and the doctors could not believe it. When one has cancer and undergoes treatment one of the side effects is infertility. The doctors warned her there could be abnormality with the child. A healthy strong baby boy was born some months later.
The mother went for tests to check for cancer later. She got the all clear. The doctors were amazed. This mother is enjoying life with her new baby boy. Jesus promises to give us life and give it more abundantly.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)
I tell this story to give Glory to God who is healing people today. Jesus, when he was on Earth healed people of all diseases. As God has comforted me and my family, he wants to do the same for others.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (2 Corinthians 1:3 KJV) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV)
People often ask why I quote the scriptures. I believe the scriptures are the inspired word of God and I repeat what God says. I give testiment to the fulfilment of what God has said. His word promises that he will answer our prayers to heal and he does. It is not in my power this lady was healed. It was through the power of the name of Jesus.
What God, the Creator of the Universe has done for me and this lady from Trnava, he can do for you.
Brendan and I called down to visit our son and his family one evening. It was around bedtime. Some of their children gathered in the living room as their mum and I talked.
They were telling me that they had been at the River Quoile Countryside Park. One of the boys said to Esther “Show granny the feather you found today.” She produced a large white feather.
I said, “Oh your angel may have dropped a feather.” I had just been reading a book called “Seeing Angels” by Joshua Mills. In this book he describes that some angels he has seen have very large feathers!
Everyone went quiet and listened. I continued telling the children that there are angels encamped around them to deliver them. Also each child is allocated an angel. Scripture says Your angel beholds the face of God in heaven. I told them not to be afraid of the dark or danger.
Their Mum told me they were climbing over the ruins of a castle without fear. A man came up to her and rebuked her for not looking after her children.
She remembered me telling her about a New Zealand couple who let their children run and climb and jump with freedom. Irish parents are more fearful. Don’t let Jimmy climb that tree. He might fall and break his neck. We took our friends example and let our children roam as well.
Later Mum said she was talking to two of her boys the night before about angels after one awoke with anxiety. I repeated exactly what she had told her boys. I got my grand children’s attention.
Yesterday I was at a funeral service for an 89 year old lady. Towards the end of the service her sixty year old son spoke about memories he had about his Mum. He has been living in Florida for a long time.
He thanked his Mum and Dad for the “Wooden Spoon” referring to discipline his parents used when he was young growing up with five siblings. “In America people don’t know about the wooden Spoon”, he said. “My parents taught me values when I was growing up. I haven’t forgotten them.”
To live in a big family there needs to be unity and order or there will be chaos, each individual wanting their own way. The parents working in unity can bring about that leadership and bring peace to their family. There needs to be boundaries set and for anyone to break the rules there needs to be something done to deter any further wrongdoing.
Many families of old have used a smack with a wooden spoon as discipline when rules were broken. There is a saying “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” The Word of God gives us guidelines.
Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.
Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.
A child will learn obedience when he listens to his earthly father who disciplines him. It will be easy for this child to hear from his Heavenly Father and obey Him when he grows up.
Jesus listened to His Father in heaven. He went alone to pray often. He learnt obedience through the things he suffered. He was obedient even to death on the cross.
Sometimes we go through hardship and suffering. Don’t despise it. It is our Father disciplining us for our good and teaching us to choose the right way to go.
Healed of Cancer. Angela McCauley 