In Canada

Posted in Canada by
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There is a promise in God’s word that says “I would have fainted unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.” (Psalms 27:13 NKJV)

My husband’s work involves travelling to the nations and I have often travelled with him.  But this year I stayed home with Angela to help her through her studies and help her keep up to date with university applications and keep life as normal as possible  for her.  She was missing her siblings and we were all feeling our house was a bit empty.
When we moved to our present home there were nine children with us.  There was always activity, companionship, warmth, cups of tea, chats around the fire.  Life was bursting out at the seams.
I have been in turmoil over whether I should stay on in this house.  It holds many memories for us and our children.  I looked around at all the things I had put together to make this house a home.  I have enjoyed living here.  I looked out at the patio area that Brendan and the boys had built.  Patrick had the idea.  We spent many happy times there having meals and barbecues.  Downpatrick is not in Australia.  Ireland is known for its rain.  But the sun shone on us.  There is a beautiful view across the countryside from the patio.  Many an evening we have sat there enjoying a meal watching the sun go down.
If I look out another window I see a paved area that my son John built for us for our fortieth wedding anniversary.  Beyond in our garden is an area we let grow wild.  Brendan had often had a bonfire there with the children around him listening to his stories.  The walls of our home hold many memories.
Summer came round.  Angela finished school and exams and her decision was made about university.  She had a party and had fun with school friends. They said their fare wells before moving on in their lives.  Brendan lit a Chinese lattern for them.  It lifted off the ground and flew away into the distance.  The girls stood quietly gazing upwards till the balloon was a speck in the sky.  The end of an era.  We will all move on.
In September Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, and Angela left for university.  Brendan left for a trip.  It was a long year for me.  I was feeling restless. I had been confined to home for the last months because of a broken wrist.  I had cabin fever.
When Brendan came back from his trip he saw that I was in need of some tender loving care.  I was about to faint!  He booked a trip for a whole month in Canada!  Four years ago when Brendan and I were speaking at a conference in Canada a couple invited us to Dawson Creek.  It sounded magical, as they talked about the snow that they have there.  I thought to myself if I am ever in Canada for a longer period of time I would like to go to that magical place up north.
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Brendan has been to Canada many times over the past twenty two years.  He prays, prophesies and  encourages people.  On this trip I have joined him and I have been praying for healing.  In between we got to enjoy the hospitality of our Canadian friends.  I have certainly got to enjoy the goodness of God in the land of the living this trip.Image
I got to go up to Dawson Creek after all.  We saw the snow, got a sleigh ride and tasted a bit of life there.  David Roch, our host is a chef and we had a great time with him and his wife.  We went to Moby Dick’s in Whiterock for their famous fish and chips with Randy and Christine Emerson. image We went to North View Golf club in Surrey tonight .  There were Christmas decorations, friendly staff and excellent food.  Check it out if you are ever in Vancouver.  Randy brought us to visit someone in hospital and afterwards we went to Max’s, an award winning deli.  We also got to hang out with Ivan Fox in Sechelt.  Thank you.
Jesus said “Who is my neighbour.”  He went on to tell the story of the Good Samaritan.  He helped the man to the Inn where his needs were cared for.  We have been staying at the “Inn” in Canada.  The Canadian flag has leaf on it.  The people of Canada are called for the healing of the nations.  I have received healing in Canada.
God is faithful and good.  All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.  He wants us to have rest and refreshment as well as work.
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MULTIPLICATION

Posted in Family Friday by

A couple of days before Christmas 1980 the labour pains became stronger. It was time to lift my old battered leather suitcase from the top of the wardrobe and pack my essentials, Bible, notebook and nightdress. Brendan and I sauntered hand in hand over the Bann bridge well after midnight. In the middle of the bridge a pain caused us to pause. The silent, starry night was crisp, clear and chilly. We wondered would our baby be born on Christmas Day.

Here, Brendan and I were swimming at Kalamaki beach. Suddenly we noticed two butterflies overhead flying towards a small nearby island. I was reminded of an old song by Bobby Darren

“Now there were two butterflies
Casting their eyes,
Both in the same direction.
You’d never guess that one little yes
Could start a butterfly collection.

Chorus
Multiplication is the name of the game,
And in each generation it plays the same.”

Brendan and I were like those two butterflies as our daughter Mary was born on Christmas Eve. Mary came quietly, peacefully and on time. As she nursed at my breast for the first time and I marvelled at her shock of pure black hair I couldn’t have imagined just how many lives this little girl would save. There was only one other mother in the home that Christmas so they laid on a special dinner for us. But although it was an excellent meal it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the tea and toast just after the actual birth.

Have I mentioned the tea and toast ritual? After each birth while the baby is being washed and weighed
the nurses always bring me tea and toast. It’s a bit like a Graduation Cermony. After all the long patient months of carrying my precious cargo the first important part of the job is finished. Unto us a child is born and I am rewarded with my celebratory cup of tea. There is no better feeling in the world. Brendan saying, “Well done!” and the comforting taste of warm buttery toast.

People often ask how Brendan and I managed to rear fourteen children. The short answer is, one beautiful baby at a time. The scripture says if we are faithful with the little we are given we will be given more. God gave us a desire and strength to have more lovely children. It was truly a case of, “Not by might not by power but by the Holy Spirit.” Zechariah 4.

Brendan believed the scripture that says, “You can’t serve God and money.” He never ever thought along the lines of we can’t afford another child. God’s will and not the dictates of money was always our priority.

We believed Psalm 127 which says, “Children are a blessing from The Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” We received our offspring as a blessing and a reward from God. The same Psalm also says, “Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.” While Brendan sourjorned with the Baptists he was told a quiver full was five. Thus five children was a complete amount. For some reason this never witnessed with me.

A couple of years ago we were talking to a Jewish man. He said we had a quiver full of kids. He explained a quiver full was at least twelve children. When Brendan mentioned the Baptist idea of five he laughed. He said, “Do you think the Israeli armies only gave their archers five arrows to go to war with?”

Daily we always shared one meal together and always prayed as a family every evening. We taught our children to pray extemporaneously, spontaneously talk to God about their daily needs. A family that prays together stays together!

When Mary was six months old Brendan and I attended a Christian Conference. It was the first time we had ever heard prophecy. Brendan instantly knew he had that gift. He started prophesying from that day to this. Prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that God uses to give us words of encouragement to help us in our Christian walk. Brendan and I were prayed for and given words of encouragement about our future. These words helped us through many difficult years ahead.

The Lord is the only God who tells the future and brings it to pass. If we want to know the future we should enquire of the living God. Isaiah 31 v 9.Mary now receives lots of important dreams. She is very prophetic.

When Mary was a toddler she swallowed a small coin. It stuck in her wind pipe. Brendan took her to the local hospital. She was immediately rushed to a special hospital in Belfast. Brendan sat in the ambulance nursing Mary and quietly speaking in tongues for the hour long journey. “Lord don’t let my precious daughter die.” Mary was operated on and the coin passed into Mary’s stomach and she was okay. We knew God had special plans for Mary.

Mary is a Surgeon in Obstectrics. She delivers babies and saves lives. She is recently back from a year in Ethiopia where she volunteered her services with VSO. (Google Mary McCauley and VSO to see the videos) In Ethiopia it was harder than Mary ever imagined. Lack of facilities and lack of medicine but Mary did her best. She saved lives and she made a difference. One baby at a time. One never knows the enormous potential of a little baby born at Christmas time.

Quotes from NLT version bible.

Unto us a Child is Born

Posted in Family Friday, My thoughts, Prayer by
We all loved Nora.  Then one day Shann and Brendan started praying for another baby. They said, Mummy we want a baby brother as well.  They thought babies just come to order.  They had childlike faith.  Eighteen months later Aaron was born.
Aaron was a beautiful baby. The scripture says, Moses was a beautiful baby.  When Moses was born Pharoah had the midwives kill all the male Israelite children because he feared the nation of Israel would grow too strong.  But when Moses’ mum saw that Moses was a beautiful boy she defied Pharoah’s decree and hid the child and kept him alive.  No abortion for Aaron.
The Mary Rankin, in Coleraine was an old style maternity home where you could have your baby and your GP would attend.  It was staffed by caring midwives.  It didn’t have the clinical atmosphere of a hospital.  It was only a five minute walk from our home, over the bridge across the river Bann.
When my labour increased I packed my bag and Brendan and I walked over to the home.  Labour continued throughout the night.  Aaron was in no hurry.  It was time to have my baby when the night shift had to change.  Instead of leaving the night nurses stayed on to see the new baby.  The new staff were in the labour ward as well. The doctor was also iin attendance when the baby arrived. The circus had come to town.
Brendan and I had been sharing our faith in Jesus with the night nurses. At this stage of our journey we were also both baptised in the Holy Spirit.  We both spoke in toungues.  When I’d have a pain I would begin to pray in the Holy Spirit as long as the pain lasted.  I believed Jesus would help me through my labour without it being unbearable.
It was like a prayer meeting in the delivery room with six nurses watching and the doctor pacing the floor.  At one point the nurse helping me said “Angela lift up your leg,” and just then a massive labour pain kicked in and I yelled at the top of my voice, “Lift up The Lord,” and Brendan and I started loudly speaking in toungues. Aaron was born in revival.  A healthy ten pounds ten ounces boy was born with no complications on April the eleventh near Easter time.  I later met two of the nurses who attended that revival who told me they became pregnant shortly afterwards.
This morning in Zante there was a little boy in a high chair at breakfast.  He reminded me of Aaron.  He was calling “Abba, Abba” to his daddy.  God wants us to call him Abba – Daddy.  There is no other God who wants us to call him a child’s first word to his father.
We now had four children, two under two years old. We bought a big pram, an old fashioned type, that could hold one baby at the top and one at the bottom and a week’s shopping underneath.  It was a bit like a stagecoach. The pram was the only vehicle we owned.  I took my babies out in the pram for walks, shopping or to visit friends.  All recreation was within walking distance.
One day I went to visit one of the well-off ladies from the prayer group.  Her husband was a business man and they lived in a posh end of town.  I was half way up her driveway with my pramful of life when the husband put his head out the window and roared “My wife is not at home.”  He obviously wanted to keep us well away from his big house. I can still feel the sting of those words.
I took all my children to church.  I carried the youngest baby in a sling tucked close to me so if the child cried I could breast feed the baby discreetly, or so I thought.  One day a man complained that “I should not be feeding the baby in church.”  I was discouraged.  One man did not want me visiting his wife and another complaining about me feeding my baby in church.  Then I read the scripture in Joel  2:16 about calling the nursing mothers and the infants at their breast into the solemn assembly. God did not disapprove of my breastfeeding in church and I would feed a whole lot more before it was all over.
Growing up my son Aaron was not like the rich man shouting out the window for the poor to go away. Aaron excelled at sports and athletics but he was not proud.  His circle of friends always included the weak and rejected.  He really loved all classes of people.
Now Aaron has a son of his own also called Aaron, as well as two wonderful little girls, Sara Joye and Eilish.  He is married to Marta from Slovakia.  Brendan and I now travel to her country and share about how God has healed me.  Aaron and Marta inspired us to translate my book Staying Alive into Slovakian. To date 5,000 copies are distributed in Slovakia..  Through this Slovakian connection we now have also translated the book into Italian.  Seems like we are publishing our books into the language of the spouses of those children in the stagecoach pram.
Way to go. Pressing on!

Christmas Gift from God

Posted in Family Friday by

It takes three days to settle into a new situation. Today all the changes have caught up on me. I awoke dehydrated, jet lagged and itchy from mosquito bites and a bee sting. After breakfast we decided to take a break from the sun, stay in our room and caught up with newspapers.

In the cool of the evening we took a walk down by the beach. We sat down and little sparrows flitted about our feet. Look at the birds of the air they neither sow nor reap yet their Heavenly Father looks after them.

Brendan, me and our two children moved to Coleraine. Brendan was going to attend university there as a mature student. Shann was attending primary school and Brendan was at play school. I was not working. I had time on my hands. I desired to have another child. I had read in the Bible that children are a blessing from The Lord. I asked God for another child. I believed he is the author of life. He answered with a baby girl we called Nora.

My baby was due near Christmas. A friend of my husband visited us. He invited us over to London to stay with his family for Christmas. He was returning by car so all four of us could travel with him. No Ryanair or Easyjet then, or even the money to pay for all of our travel. I was excited at the opportunity to get a HOLIDAY. We said yes.

I went to see my doctor to tell him my plans. He thought I was crazy to think of travelling such a distance when my baby was due. I said to him “Well, Mary travelled on a donkey seventy miles to Jerusalem.” He had nothing to say. He gave me some notes to take with me. My friend took me to their doctor in London. He did the necessary checks. All was okay. We all enjoyed the adventure, Christmas dinner and toys for the children. Our hosts were very generous to us. We were like the sparrows, being cared for.

While there I went to the local church. Some people met to pray. I decided to go along to get some prayer. There was some women there who were from Kerry in Ireland but now lived in London. Even though I was from the North of Ireland they welcomed me as a daughter. Just being from Ireland united us.

Nora was born on the twenty eighth of December. The delivery went well and baby and me got out of hospital after two days. We returned to Ireland in early January. Our new ex Irish friends sent us out with their prayers. As I was waiting to board the boat at Liverpool, a priest was waiting on the gangway. He saw I had an infant with me and he offered to pray for us. My new child was well covered in prayer.

Around the time of her birth, changes were happening in my husband’s life. He would spend time carrying her in his arms and looking into her face. Something was happening in his heart. Perhaps our daughter was radiating love to her father and he to her. He spent many hours with her. Our new baby brought us closer as a family. The two older children enjoyed having someone else to look after and play with.

Nora is an answer to my prayer. God sent her into our lives. She is special. She brought a lot of healing to my husband as he helped me care for her. He enjoyed the little bundle in his arms. She drew out the nurture and care that only a father can give.

Not only is Nora special to us she is special to her husband and to God. He is watching over her. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow her all the days of her life. Psalm 23 NIV.

My First Born Son

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Jesus says ” Come to me all you are are tired and weary and I will give you rest”.
I believe God cares for me and he desires to give me rest when I need it. September or October time is good for us to take a break when the children are back at University. God is good to all mankind. He wants people everywhere to know he is good. What he has done for me he can do for you.

I trust him to provide a holiday for Brendan and I every year. We need the refreshment. Need time together to fall in love all over again.

Psalm 23 says “He leads me beside green pasture and still waters to restore my soul.” Very often this Psalm is read at funerals. I don’t want to wait till I die to go to green pastures. I believe he can give me green pastures here on earth. Zakynthos is one of the places of green pastures and still waters for us. There was rain on the island the day before we arrived. Everywhere is looking so fresh.

It is mid day now. I am sitting ten feet away from the water’s edge. Little sun lights are dancing on the water. The sun shades are flapping in the breeze. We can now enjoy the beauty and sun of far away places that I used to watch in the movies.

At this time of year the sun is not to strong for our fairer Irish complexion. Time in the sun provides my beauty treatment for the year and vitamins for my bones. There is a scripture that says “The sun shall not smite you by day or the moon by night.” I do not get sunburn. I know when I have enough.

My husband has travelled to the nations. My son Brendan has married into the nations. His wife Tamara is from Italy. She has introduced us to the delicious home cooking the Italian mothers are so proud of. No more tuna debeano for Brendan. Tamara is from Sardinia another Mediterranean island. It is the number one destination for the rich and famous.

They have three beautiful girls. Brendan had a dream about his second child. He dreamed she would come early and be called Rebecca. And so it was. The dream came to pass.
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139 v 13.
“Before you were born I knew you.” Jeremiah 1 v 5

As I was caring for Shann and my new son Brendan, I began to realise the seriousness of being responsible for someone else’s welfare. What I did with my life would affect my children. I began to seek how best to rear my children. This started me on my search for God and caused me to change my life. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened unto you.

I was reading in Exodus 20 v 5 to 6 hat God blesses to the thousandth generation of those who love God but cursing comes down the generations to the third and fourth generation of those who disobey God. I did not want my children to be cursed so I asked God to forgive my wrong doings I did in ignorance and I asked him to guide me into the future.

Shann and Brendan were good friends. They taught me to trust God. They got up every morning, knew there would be food for them, and had fun and joy. They trusted their dad would have provided for them. So too our Heavenly Father who created us promises to care for us.

They did not remember if they had a bad day yesterday. They had joy. I learnt from them to forgive and not hold on to the bad things that happened before. Jesus said we are to become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

My son Brendan has a tender heart. He was born into our lives when we were young and wild. A little baby always trusts. He was there every morning looking for care but in return gave back love and trust. Our hearts were being turned to the little children.

Well done, Brendan.

No Debit Card in Greece

Posted in Holiday, My thoughts by

This week Brendan and I are in Zakynthos, our favourite Greek island. Brendan only has a debit card. The day before we left Ireland I canceled this card and ordered a new one. This new card in now in our post box back in Ireland two and a half thousand miles away. To say Brendan was unhappy when he found out is a bit of an understatement. We are budgeting whatever cash we brought.

We arrived last evening. It was a cool, had been raining, was very windy and the sea was stormy. Many hotels are closed as it is near the end of the season. Brendan was wondering if his favourite restaurant was open. Would there be any days in the sunshine? We sat out on the veranda and looked up at the bright full moon. I reassured Brendan that God is our shepherd and he promises to lead us beside still waters and green pastures to restore our souls, Psalm 23.

It is good to be back here. I am expecting to be rested, despite the jet lag. I have mentioned before that God intends for us to have times of feasting. Scripture says I would have fainted if I failed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

Sure enough this morning the wind stopped, the sea stilled, the sun shone, we sunbathed and ate at our favourite beach restaurant!

Zakynthos is a place we visited nineteen years ago this month. We met our good friend then. She remembers the exact date that Brendan baptised her.

We have been back to the island about twenty times. It has proven to be a place where we get rest, healing, sunshine, good food, and renew fellowship with our friend and our other good friend a Greek Orthodox nun.

Brendan brought me here just after I was diagnosed with cancer. I did not want to go anywhere after getting the news, but God strengthened me. Instead of being in hospital I was on holiday!

My body clock is still working on Irish time so I am wide awake. I have time to reflect on God’s goodness and faithfulness. We are here for fourteen days so Brendan suggested I write a little about each child on each day we are here. He promised to help me.

Shann is my first born, my beautiful, blond, curly-haired girl. Brendan and I used to talk in the night what the name of our first born baby would be. He used to say “This is a special child that has brought us together.” We rehearsed all the names we knew. Then one night I said “A cousin of mine is called Shann.” Brendan said “That’s the name if this child is a girl.”

Shann is a leader and a hard worker. I didn’t realise she was going to be the first of so many. She was an enormous help with her siblings, quietly working away without complaint. She may have found it hard at times but never showed it.

Shann now looks after her husband and four children. When Shann was expecting our first grandchild Brendan had a dream. In the dream he saw a blond haired boy. Jean Luc was born soon after.

All that training years ago did not go to waste. Shann is a great encourager and has a ministry of helps. She built up her local play group when her children were pre school age. He helps her neighbours and now works full time as a Community Nurse. People are always glad to see Shann arrive at their door. Well done Shann.

Brendan and I are proud of you.

REST

Posted in Holiday, My thoughts by

 

At seven in the morning it is dark here in my home town of Downpatrick, Co Down, Ireland.   As I look out my window I see the main road wind its way out into the distance.  During the week day mornings there is a constant flow of pairs of red lights, cars with people on their way to work in Belfast.  Later there is a flow  of buses and cars into town with school children.  Downpatrick is a hub for education.  We have great primary and grammar schools here, a good place to rear children.

The road is quiet this morning.  I hear the church bells ringing.  A call to prayer.  What a wonderful Christian  heritage we have here in Ireland.  Despite the war,  people still pray.  The bells were silent for a time recently.  I missed them.  I enquired and was reassured the bells would be ringing again.  The  bells ring down through the centuries.   Everyone hears the bells, whether one is Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslem, Chinese, male, female, child or pensioner.  It  is a beautiful sound, memories of home,  neighbours and security.

All is at rest in this small town today.

MISSED FLIGHT CONNECTION!

Posted in Canada, Family Friday by

On Good Friday this year our Son Isaac returned home from Canada.  He had spent six months there on work experience.   We were looking forward to seeing him.

Brendan and I set off to Belfast airport to pick him up.  I got a call on my cell phone from Isaac.  He missed the connecting flight to Belfast.  His flight from Canada had been three hours delayed.  He was distressed.  He was ringing from a public telephone and the money was running out.  I rang him back.  I tried to reassure him that he could get the next flight and we would pay the extra.  Still he was upset.

I tried to tell Brendan what was happening with Isaac and get his advice what to do.  Pressure was rising.  Brendan suggested to go to the flight desks and see if there was any space on any Easyjet flight to Belfast that evening.  After a while Isaac got back to us.  All the flights were full that evening as well as the following day.  It was Easter weekend, one of the busiest weekends of the year.

I wondered why Isaac was unusually stressed.  The full story unfolded later.  Isaac had set off from Vancouver, said goodbyes to friends and was looking forward to restful journey home.   He was already missing the new friends he had made.

About two hours into the flight from Vancouver, one of the passengers began to upset a flight attendant.  This passenger was drunk.  Isaac and four other men were asked to help quieten him.  They has to restrain him for an hour, while the pilot re routed  the flight to Banff Island, where the unruly man was arrested.  Bad behaviour on airlines will not be tolerated and invite a severe penalty.

The flight continued on to London but three hours late. This incident was reported on the evening news in Canada, so Isaac’s friends heard about it.  They realised he would have been on that flight.

Brendan and I returned home.  He looked up on the internet for a flight to get Isaac home that night.  There was a British Airways flight to Belfast, but from a different airport!   Brendan booked it.  Isaac had to get over there as soon as possible.  He paid a taxi man a big sum of money to get to Heathrow.  Isaac  wanted to get home at all cost.

We picked him up later that evening.  He was glad to be home and we were so happy to have him back safely.  He slept for twenty four hours.  The airline gave him a free return flight to Canada.

I know a friend who prays for anyone she knows who is going on a journey.  She prays for the pilots, the works of the plane and to keep everyone on board safe.  She must have been praying for Isaac that day.

Angela

This blog was inspired by: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/daily-prompt-safety/

FATAL ACCIDENT

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, Travel by

I went to school in the country in a place called Drumaroad. It was a two teacher school. The head master was an excellent teacher but was know to be strict. He taught the basics of subjects that prepared one for the grammar school. As well as Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Religion, we learnt Algebra, Latin and Geography. I enjoyed Mathematics and Geography.

Children in my class stood around the maps of the world, as the teacher pointed out faraway places. We learnt the names of towns, mountains and rivers in Ireland. We learnt about the capitals of the nations, London, New York, Moscow, Paris etc. I saw that New Zealand and Australia were at the other end of the world, on the opposite side from us. I wondered if I would ever go there.

Many years on I have had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand, when my daughter got married there. I have been to London, Paris, Bratislava and unusual named places like Quala Lumpar and Dubai.

I was not so good at creative writing. One day the Master asked us to write a letter to a friend who had been in an accident. I started off saying, “I hope you have recovered from your fatal accident.” I did not know what “fatal” meant. I heard the word being used by someone so I thought I would try it out. When the master gave back my work he pointed out my mistake. He laughed. I laughed as well. I did not take offence but I have never forgotten what “fatal” means.

I was remembering this recently. I may have been prophetic then because I have recovered from the fatal disease of cancer. Nothing is impossible with God. Jesus rose from the dead. There is power in His name to recover from accidents and diseases.

I love to tell others what God has done for me by healing me from Cancer. Isaiah 66 says “I will send some of the survivors to the nations, to distant lands that have never heard of me or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory to the nations.”

I am in Scotland visiting my children, three of whom are at university there. Angela has recently gone to Edinburgh. Abraham is at St Andrew,s, where Prince William and Kate met. Jacob is in Aberdeen, home of the oil industry. I have had the oppportunity to tell Abraham’s friends about my healing. I am giving them something to think about, that cuts across the the secular humanistic thinking of education.

Our God is the God who hears when anyone prays. He has compassion on all he has created in this world. He created all the nations that I studied about all those years ago, as I stood around the maps in that country classroom.

Some people stand out in our lives as having a big influence on us. Master Fitzpatrick is one of those people and I thank God for him. He had knowledge and he wanted to impart it to the next generation.
He was a good teacher. Thank you. He may not have travelled beyond his parish but someone he has taught has gone to the nations. I am sure he helped many others, who have done well in life.

We don’t realise what good we do when we help someone, that can have far reaching effects.

Angela

GONE FISHING

Posted in Dreams by
Caughting FishMatthew, David’s friend, invited him to go fishing along the Co Down coast yesterday evening.  He saw a fishing rod in a dream the night before.  It had inspired him to go fishing.  He got his fishing rods out and called at our home.  Isaac was here so he went along as well.  His family often go fishing
when they go on holiday, so Matthew knew what bait was needed and had all the gear.  He was saying this year when on holiday, they got up early every morning to go fishing but never caught anything.
The boys headed off.  Brendan and I left to pick up Brendan’s mum from hospital. We called at her home first to light her fire and freshen her bedroom up.  She had been in hospital for ten days getting treatment for an infection.  She had recovered well.
We arrived at her home.  Brendan helped her from the car over to the door and proceeded to get the keys to open up.  They weren’t in his pocket.  They weren’t in the car.  This had never happened to Brendan before.  Nannie got back in the car.  We all were quietly praying Lord help.  Brendan kept calm in the tense situation.  Not a good outcome for Nannie.  Eventually a friend helped us get the door opened.  Nannie was glad to get inside.  We stayed late until Nannie was settled.  Brendan promised to come back in the morning to see about changing the locks and getting keys cut.
I got a phone call from David to say they had caught thirteen fish, some Pollock.  They were cooking them and promised to have some for us when we got back. The fresh fish was delicious.   What a pleasant surprise after the disappointment of losing the keys.  The boys were as pleased as punch with themselves.  Isaac had reeled in three at once.  He had never fished before.  This reminds me of the story about Peter who had fished all night and caught nothing.  Jesus told him to fish on the other side and their nets were filled with fish.
My son Aaron was visiting this weekend.  A friend of his, Branio from Slovakia was travelling with him.  I kept some fish for our visitors. They arrived tonight.  I was eagerly telling them about the fish catch and we had a meal ready for them.  It’s funny they did not seem as excited as I was.   When I was out of the room, Branio asked Aaron if there was anything else other than fish.  Fish was his pet hate.  In his own country the fish that is popular is boney and tastes of muddy water.  He refuses to eat it.
I called the boys down for dinner.  Aaron said there was some chilli and offered it to Branio.  I said “No, we have plenty of fish for everyone.  We made it specially for you.”  In our house one of the rules for our children is  “You don’t have to like it, you just have to eat it.”   Branio remembered the scripture that says “Whenever you enter a home, eat what is set before.”  He sat down.  I was unaware of his distress.  He proceeded to pick at the food.  He was surprised.  This fish was different.  It was tasty.   He cleared the whole lot and had a second helping.  it seems the rules apply to visitors as well.
He then told me his story about never eating fish.  He could not get out of eating it because I had insisted.  We had a good laugh.  He said I can’t wait to tell my wife.  She will not believe me.  He said himself he was delivered from his fear.  The fish catch proved a winner and gave us joy.  God has a sense of humour bringing Branio all the way to Ireland to enjoy fish.  God’s promises “The abundance of the sea will be added unto you.” Deuteronomy  33v19
Angela, have you a fishy story?