My Daughter Nora Attends the Queen’s Funeral.

On September 8th 2022 Elizabeth 11 Queen of England and the Commonwealth died. Then followed ten days of mourning. People showed their love and respect to their Queen by lining the streets as her coffin passed through Scotland and London. Her coffin lay in State in Westminster Hall. It is said 260,000 passed by her coffin. Two million people lined the streets of London to watch the final journey from Westminster Abbey to Windsor.

Two thousand people were invited to attend the funeral service in Westminster Abbey. World leaders, foreign royalty, dignitaries, religious leaders, the Royal family, former prime ministers were to attend. 200 people who were listed in the recent Queen’s honours list were invited. Other invitations were sent to people who worked in a voluntarty capacity in organisations. .

My daughter Nora was in shock when she received an email on the tenth of September inviting her to attend the Queen’s funeral. How come? Nora worked in a voluntary capacity as Chair of the Museums in Belfast.

Nora booked her flights to attend and waited for the letter with the official invitation. She was nervous all week wondering “Is this real.” The awaited letter arrived on Saturday. We were on holiday while all this excitement was going on back home.

She shared the news with her sister Ruth who affirmed her and reassured her it wasn’t fake news. She arranged accommodation for her in London

The Archbishop of Westminster gave a brief speech at the funeral. The late Queen wanted it to be said before everyone viewing that she was a believer in Jesus.

He stated “Her Late Majesty famously declared on a 21st birthday broadcast that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the Nation and Commonwealth. Rarely has such a promise been so well kept!
Jesus – who in our reading does not tell his disciples how to follow, but who – said: “I am the way, the truth and the life”. Her Late Majesty’s example was not set through her position or her ambition, but through whom she followed.”

My daughter too is a follower of Jesus. Jesus is the King of kings. When Pilate asked Jesus was he King of the Jews He did not deny it. Jesus told the religious leaders who accused him “. In the future you will see the Son of man seated in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Jesus is now reigning in heaven over all rule, authority, power and dominion .

Nora knows Gods love and care for her with the honor of being seated with kings and princes from the nations. Scripture says in
Psalm113,

He lifts the poor and seats them with princes in the land.

We are a family from humble beginnings. We are all honoured when Nora, one of us was invited to attend such an historical event as the Queen’s funeral in 2022.

Living the Faith like St Patrick

The sun shone warmly on Ireland this St Patrick’s Day.  The Parade, Festivities and the Christian Walk and Talk in The Cathedral in Downpatrick were a great success.  I opted for a  bus tour of Christian sites.  Other years when our children were young we would have watched the St Patrick Day parade.  Today was different.

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Our tour guide told us stories about St Patrick, we visited ruined churchs and holy wells.  I live in the middle of all this history.  St Patrick’s Day is the second most celebrated day after Christmas in the world.  Cities throughout the world light up in green.  People drink green beer.  If you are Irish you are celebrated and welcomed.

Which of the stories about St Patrick is true?  Tourists come to Ireland to visit these ancient ruins and read what the history books tell them.  I hope they are inspired to look to the God of St Patrick, Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life for everyone today.

The people who lived all those years ago among these walls are now dead.  Looking at the broken down stone walls made me fell a little depressed.  I thought of the story in Scripture when the women went to the tomb in which Jesus was buried.  An angel said He is not here, for he is risen.

I consoled myself with the truth that the God St Patrick believed in, I believe in today in 2016.  I can pray to the same God.  He is the same God, yesterday, today and tomorrow.  He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He is the God who healed me from Cancer.  It is said St Patrick worked miracles.  God worked a miracle for me in 2010, fifteen hundred years later.  I celebrate six years Cancer free this Easter Monday.

It is said St Patrick cast snakes out of Ireland.  I believe the snakes are symbolic of demons.  Jesus said I give you authority to cast out devils.  Luke 9 v 1.  The believer in Jesus today is given the same authority.  Mark 16 v 17.  And these signs will follow those who believe, in my name they will drive out demons.

I no longer want to look at ruins.  I want to be a living stone, that the scripture speaks of in 1 Peter 2v5, You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.  I want to use the authority Jesus gives me to drive out demons and heal the sick.  He delivered me from demons and healed me.  What God has done for me he can do for others today.

When I had Children of my Own I searched for a Reason to Believe

 

My generation grew up through the sixties with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Top of the Pops, and make Love not War.  
I found myself going to university at the end of the sixties.
There was war in Northern Ireland.  
So called Protestants and Catholics were at war with one another!
This was a long way from “Going to California with flowers in your hair,” and living at peace with one another.
I lived in a town where there was not bombs or bullets yet.
I was unaware of what the fighting was about.
I wanted to keep on the theme of Love and not War.
I got married in 1971 and had two children soon afterwards.
It was when I became a mother and wanted to do the best for my children that I began to search for a reason to believe.
That started me on a journey of seeking the truth, love and peace.
What was love?  John Lennon showed the world that Love was leaving his wife and lying in bed with Yoko.

It was too cold in Northern Ireland to go to the beach with flowers in your hair.  

I tried my best to love my family but other non love attitudes came up in my heart.
Woe is me. 
I had gone to parties and  hung out in the pub at weekends. 
I had no desire to continue to do this when I had two children.
I befriended another mother with two children.
She did not go to the pubs.  She had peace and love in her home.
I wanted what she had.
She was a believer in God. 
I began to read the bible where I read that Jesus said he was the way, the truth and life. John14 v 6
He was Love.  He loved me even before I knew anything about him.
I found love, truth and life.
Jesus promised to give me life abundantly.  John 10 v 10
I wanted to show my children this love and life.
This is my reason to believe.

 

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