Category Archives: Nature

Travel Thursday. Flying Across Canada

Posted in Canada, My thoughts, Nature, Travel by

Brendan and I took a day off from our busy schedule in Canada. We walked in the midday sunshine.  The air was still and warm.  We laid a stone on the grave of a Holocaust survivor.  This is the week to remember the seventieth anniversary of release of Holocaust survivors.

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Two weeks ago we arrived in Toronto to a wintry fall of snow.  I loved looking out at the Christmas scenes from the warmth of indoors.  We walked along the cleared walkways in the winter wonderland.
After a week we travelled by plane to Vancouver over Canada.  I looked out from the aeroplane window to see frozen rivers, lakes and the white landscape below.
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Now we are in Vancouver where it is spring. The crocus open up in the warm sunshine. So I have travelled from Winter to Spring in five hours!

 

 

Family Friday. Our Slovakian Grandchildren Come to Visit.

Posted in Canada, Cancer, Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature, Prayer, Slovakia, Travel by

 

I arrived home from Iceland last Friday.  Our son John, Rachel and their boys were waiting for us.  They had prepared dinner.  It was delightful to see the children and their joy at seeing grand Dad and grand Ma.  The boys ran about the kitchen excited to see us.  I could see they had grown in a week.  Joseph said Hello Granny.  He has four grannies, two of them being great grannies.  It is amazing he doesn’t get us mixed up.

John and Rachel wanted to hear what adventures we had while away.  When Brendan came home for trips to other countries me and my children were eager to hear his stories about what he saw and how God used him to help others.  Now Brendan is taking me with him on his adventures.

This week I will see my grandchildren who live in other nations.  My son Aaron and his family are visiting from Slovakia.

imageAaron and Marta have three children. They call our home the Ireland house.  They arrived yesterday.  The children were amazed as we walked from room to room and eventually got to the bedroom where the two girls will stay.  Once again the corridors are full of the sound of little children playing.  Our home is ideal for them to play hide and seek.  A little child can squeeze into a small space, under a coffee table, or in a kitchen cupboard.

Children have a disposition to explore and try out new things.  They can easily occupy themselves, chasing each other outside, climbing walls, trees or making mud castles.  Us adults often instill fear into our child, afraid little Johnny may fall and break a bone, afraid of the child climbing the stairs, “Don’t do that?”

When I was young my brothers and sisters played games or went for walks to give our mother space.  We did not have computer games, television, dolls, Mexicano, Lego, iPads or DVDs.  I loved going for walks through the fields to find out what was over the hill at the back of our home in the country.  I loved paddling in the stream that separated my dad’s field from his neighbour’s, on hot days.

Mummy was busy in the kitchen making a meal for us all, or feeding the new baby that had arrived.  We would return home when we were hungry.  None of us got lost or injured.  If we scaped a knee we would give it a rub and continue playing.  We didn’t visit the accident and emergency at the hospital.

I remember having a cut on my forearm.  I was not rushed off to the doctor’s surgery.  I walked around protecting the injured part and the wound closed over in a week or so.  No penicillin or stitches. In those early days seed of believing that God heals were sown.  If I had a cold I learned after a few days I would be well again.  If I fell off my bicycle and grazed arms and knees, in time the cuts would heal.  God made our bodies with an immune system that fights off infection and replaces cuts and bruises.

I now believe that the simple food our mother made us kept us healthy.  We ate home made bread, soups, stews, porridge, eggs and milk from the farm.  In the summer we would have salads, some fruit or the odd apple tart. The fridge and cupboards were not stacked with cereals, chocolate, coca cola, crisps,  biscuits or sugary snacks.

What I learnt when I was growing up helped me rear my own children.  I did not have a fridge or freezer.  My food was bought fresh and eaten.  I did not keep excess.  There was no eating in between meals.

When my grandchildren arrived I had a pot of soup and homemade bread ready for them.  What I learnt from my mother, I did for my own children and now for my grandchildren.  They will play happily while they are visiting grand Dad’s Irish home.

As we sat at night praying and reading the children’s bible with our own children before they went to bed,  so we will do the same with our grandchildren when they are visiting with us.  We will tell them stories of how God answered prayers for us.  Brendan will tell them about his adventures when he travelled in other countries.  I will tell them that God healed granny from cancer;  how God provided our new home for us with space for them to come and visit and many other examples of God’s goodness to us.

Exodus 10 v 2 says,
You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvellous things I am doing, to prove I am The Lord.

Today Brendan and I leave to go to Canada.  We will see our Canadian grandchild.  We will have experiences and new stories will be created to journal and recount at another visit of our children and grandchildren.

Inspiration as I Look at The Moon

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature, Prayer by

I awoke early.  I looked up in the sky.  There was a sliver of the moon shining brightly.  The dark arc shaped outline across the moon is the shadow of the earth.

“Have you not known? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches  out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:”  ( Isaiah 40 v 21 22 KJV)

In warmer countries people sit outdoors in the cool of the evening.  They would be aware of the changes in the moon each month.  The moon is visible to all nations all over the world.  Looking at creation has inspired scientists and writers to do their work.  They would have wondered why is there changes in the moon?

There was debate among Christian scientists in earlier centuries.  Some thought the earth was flat.  But this line in the bible “He sits on the circle of the earth” gives us a clue that the earth is round.  Columbus set sail on the sea.  If the earth was round he expected to come back to where he set off.

The moon is made up of material that reflects light.  The sun shining on the moon gives it light. The earth blocks some of this light when it is positioned between the sun and the moon.  This happens during each month.  We can see the arc of the edge of the earth on the moon another sign that the earth is a circle.

As I looked at the sky I began to worship God who created the sun, the moon and the stars when I remembered these scriptures.  This morning I can see part of the circle of the earth on the moon.

I was reading the story of Jonah this week.  He disobeyed God and got on a boat.
A storm hit the boat.  Here is what it says.

“Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.
But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”
Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit.
“Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?”
Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.  Then he told them he was running away from The Lord..”   (‭Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭5-9‬ NLT)

Jonah identified himself as one who worships the God of heaven.

I am so encouraged that people from many nations read my blog.  The moon that is shining on you, shines on me here in Ireland.  I encourage you to look up at the moon and watch the changes each month.  Look beyond the moon to The Lord who made the it.  He knows all about you.  You cannot hide from him like Jonah tried to do.
Call out to the God of heaven and his son Jesus and he will deliver you.

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/

Can’t Beat Home Made Bread

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nature, Provision by

We took a break from unpacking, washing and cleaning.

The sun was shining and reflecting off the water in front of our new home in the country.  We don’t just have a pond at the bottom of our garden, we have Strangford Lough!  I decided to make some Irish wheaten bread which cooks beautifully in the Aga.  Brendan wanted to go for a walk.  I asked him to wait till the bread was cooked before we left.  A friend said he would go for a walk and leave the food in the oven but too often they were away longer than they intended and the food was burnt.  I didn’t imagewant that to happen.

Brendan and I went for a walk along the bay.  The water lapped against the sea weed covered rocks.  I forgot my binoculars to do some bird watching.  I didn’t need them today as some birds were close by, gulls, sandpipers and many more were feeding on the shore. We walked around a little peninsula which becomes an island when the tide is high.  We sat down in the sunshine had coffee from my flask and enjoyed the view, Bella Vista.

The Lord is my shepherd; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. (‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1-2‬ KJV)

When my children were young I always wanted to move to the country to live.  I thought they could work off a lot of energy playing in the open spaces, like I did as a child.  It was not practical to live in the country for my family.  Living near schools, shops, friends, health centre and dentists in the town was more suitable.  The children could attend after school activities and sports events without me taking them by car.  They could walk home.  We weighed up the benefits of living in the country or the town.  Living in the town suited our young family better.

I haven’t made bread for twenty years.  When the children were young I made a batch of wheaten loaves every week.  Our children loved the hot bread with butter and jam running over the sides.  It was very satisfying. Baking bread was gone for a season but not forgotten.

When I was in Canada recently my host, Maureen, relaxes on the week end and makes a wheaten cake of bread for her family.  Her mum, who was from Belfast, taught her how to make it.  She keeps an Irish tradition going.  Perhaps she inspired me to get going again making bread.

I remember my mother made griddle soda bread for us.  It is made with flour, baking soda and buttermilk mixed together.  The dough was turned out onto a floured baking board, shaped into a circle an inch deep and cut into four parts.  The dough was placed on a hot griddle on top of the cooker.  When one side was cooked it was turned over to finish it off on the other side.  The smell of the cooking bread brings memories of provision, warmth and comfort.  If I was about when the bread was ready I loved to have a piece with butter melting on the fresh slice.   Homemade soda was fat free, nutritious and inexpensive.  Those were the days before supermarkets and mass produced food.

My first loaf of wheaten bread on my new Aga turned out tasty.   Brendan enjoyed it for lunch after our walk.  The smell of the freshly baked bread filled the room.  We will have daily bread from now on.

Jesus told us to pray, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭9-11‬ KJV)

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/gone-but-not-forgotten/

Writing does Indeed Help my Health.

Posted in Cancer, Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature by

Thank you for this article about the benefits of blogging. I totally agree. Since I have started to write, thanks to WordPress, I have a sense of well being, satisfaction and enjoyment. I get encouraged from the response of other readers. I hear from friends in America and Canada that I would not hear from otherwise. There in power in words. When I get an idea the words flow.

In the past if I was troubled about some situation I would awake in the night. I got up and tried to express how I was feeling by sending an e mail to myself. That was safer than sending an e mail to the someone who annoyed me. After finishing the e mail I would feel more at peace and able to get back to sleep.

It is true that writing improves my mood and sense of well-being. I am less stressed, and sleep better. If I do awake early in the morning I get up and write as I am inspired. Since I moved to the country I enjoy nature and it has become a topic for my blogs.

Writing has helped my restoration after having cancer. Instead of pouring out all my bitterness and anger I now enjoy writing about the beauty all around me. My eyes are opened. I am looking up instead of down. God has delivered me from all the bitterness.

I have learned to cast my care upon The Lord and leave it with him. As I do this Jesus heals my pain. I now chose to forgive and not dwell on any hurt from the past. If I hold onto any resentment or unforgiveness it only harms me. I loose sleep and get depressed.

The internet access has been limited in the last months. If it was not on in the morning I would go into the local town where there is free access. I sit in my car and post a blog I had written the night before. Another time the internet came on at twelve o’clock at night. I posted a blog and immediately I got a response from a friend in America. I replyed. I had such joy that I could not settle to sleep. I had to write another blog.

Now instead of writing sad e mails I am inspired to write about many good experiences from the past. Another topic that has developed for me is my experience growing up on the farm. Memories come flooding back. Writing is indeed bringing restoration to me. Thank God through WordPress I am able to reach out to the nations!

I quote John Paul Jackson who says that something happens in the time between the mind and taking up a pen or the computer to write. A flow of creativity comes. Peace comes. We just need the discipline of being available to put the words down.

Through hearing from other bloggers I am revitalised by the experiences from young and old across the world. My neighbours are not just over the fence, they are across the oceans and mountains.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/what-do-exercise-veggies-and-writing-have-in-common/

The Glory of God in Creation

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

imageI have been living in the country these last eight months.  I have the joy of seeing the clear night sky at times.  I can see the Milky Way, like a whisp of light across the sky.  The stars shine brightly, when there is no moon or clouds.  Last weekend the full moon rose in the east and circled high in the sky and set in the west in the morning.  It was very bright outside at night. The area where we live is called Bright.  I wonder why?

With the full moon comes high tides.  I went down to the local beach.  The water was still.  It rippled and lapped gently on the sand.  Another evening I could hear the roar of the sea as there was a strong wind blowing.  What a variety in nature all around me.  No day Is the same.   I am reading the bible of creation.

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, and what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.  Hebrews 11 v 3

We went out for dinner with our daughter recently.  She drove along carefully as it was dark, raining and windy. We ran for cover into the restaurant.  Half and hour later I stepped outside to take a phone call.  It had stopped raining and there was no wind.  On the way home later there was a clear sky.   I was able to show my daughter the stars.  It is true what they say about Ireland, “Wait a while and the weather will change.”

I have seen a few rainbows recently.  There are dark clouds with rain in one part of the sky, and the sun shining in another part.  An ideal situation for a bright rainbow.  The rainbow is a sign in the sky of God’s presence.  He put the rainbow in the sky for Noah, as a sign of his covenant that he would not flood the earth again.

Over and over God says in his Word He is the one who made the heavens and the seas.  As I am experiencing the changes in the heavens and the seas so close at hand, my heart overflows with praise to The Lord.  I believe in the God who made the heavens and the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (‭Psalm‬ ‭19‬:‭1-4‬ NIV)

Dare to believe in God.  It pleases God when we believe.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/trio-4/

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/

 

 

Restoration of My Purse that was Lost

Posted in Canada, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature, Prayer, Travel by

I went to the Niagara Falls in the Fall.

Often when I am having a good time or planning something that will benefit others something happens to rob my joy.  I had a fantastic day out with some of my family at the Niagara Falls in Canada.

I don’t use words like fantastic but this time, the day out merited it.  I am amazed at he beauty and magnificence of the river and waterfall.  The water cascades over the Canadian Falls into swirling pools below.  A cloud of mist rises up high from the crash and mingling waters.

imageAcross from our viewing position the American Falls tumble over the cliff face. A double portion of waterfalls.  The beautiful scene was accompanied by the music of the rushing waters.  I wanted to linger all afternoon.
We drove through the countryside to Niagara on the Lake.  The autumn leaves were is full glory with yellows, reds, and browns.  We passed neat rows of vines in the vineyards made famous in this area by Canadian Iced Wine.  We lunched, shopped and strolled in this tourist town.
We had to get back before six as our host gave Mary and I two tickets to a play in Toronto.
Back home safely and happy.  In the rush of the quick turn around I discovered my purse missing.I didn’t worry or get stressed having lost my money  and bank cards.  We prayed for the purse to be returned.  I bound Satan in Jesus name from robbing my purse and any attempt to rob our joy after a good day out.  I had my passport so I could get home.
Mary and I headed off on the train to Toronto for the evening.  David rang around to see if the purse had turned up.  A great day out.
I am back in Ireland.  David checked with contacts he made on the evening I lost my purse.  The purse was handed in to the town hall and can be picked up by David.  He called me Wednesday to tell me the good news.   Not only had I a great day out but I got back my purse.  Nothing missing, nothing stolen.

God answers prayer for a purse.

Enjoying the Waves on the Irish Shoreline

Posted in Dreams, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

I went down to the sea this week. There is a full moon in the sky. The tide is higher than normal. The sea is covering the beach where we usually walk.

The Irish people who have settled in other parts of the world always dream of coming back home. We have had visitors who just love the simplicity of our land. I hope you enjoy this scene and taste the seaweed and the salt on your lips.

I have often dreamt of walking along the sea shore on my own away from everyone and the hustle and bustle of life.  I now am able to enter into my dream.

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The picture reminds me of this verse,
Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬ NIV)

Http:// daily post. wordpress.com/dp-photo-challenge/dreamy/