Tag Archives: Christian

When Ibrofen and Paracetemol could not Help me when I had the Flu.

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One has highs and lows in life.  When we returned from our holiday in Jerusalem we hit a low.
 
Thursday the twentieth of February I was laid low with the flu.  My husband had not been well for a few days and had complained of aches and pains.  I had not been very sympathetic.
For three days I was aching all over and had a temperature. I took some paracetamol and ibrofen.  They did not agree with me.  I felt even more wretched.  My husband was sympathetic and comforted me as he knew how unpleasant this flu was.  I needed his reassurance.

 
I was fearful during this time and felt very vulnerable.  When one is weak one’s fears come rushing in.  Despair took a hold of me.  Would I get better.  I was not thinking reasonably. I appreciated my family who visited and prayed for me to get better.
 
In the moments in the night I lay awake and reminded myself how God had helped me before.  I remembered some of his promises.
 
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:14-16 NIV)
 
The next day a friend sent me a text.  It was another Psalm,
 
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. (Psalms 41:1-3 NLT)
 
This word really comforted me.  I just relaxed into God’s arms and let him care for me when no one was around.  When one is sick one is not in control.  I could not be independant.  I needed others to help me.  I needed a kind word of reassurance.  
 
I read this Psalm many years previous when I was awaiting surgery for a knee injury.  The words were balm to my pain at that time.  I came through the operation and was restored completely then.
 
Psalm 1 v 2 says Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 
 
I believe what the bible says.  I read it regularly.  It is like bread to my soul.  So when I was sick I was able to remind myself of God’s promises and claim them for myself.  This is faith, believing what God says he will do and wait for him to do it, not doubting.  He will do the same for you.  Believe what you read in the bible and God will bring it to pass.
 
Yes I did despair recently when sick. I doubted if I would get better.  Despair is an evil spirit that makes one hopeless and sad.  It makes one think things will never change.  It has been an enemy of mine.  Before I was diagnosed with cancer I had lost hope that things would get better in my life.  But God is good.  He did answer my prayers and renewed my hope and healed me.
 
On Sunday my husband was praying for me and I realised I was suffering from despair.  I refused to think that way and I rebuked this spirit.  I chose to believe that I will be healed.  I got a breakthrough that afternoon.  We were invited out for dinner.  I enjoyed a lovely comforting home made dinner at a friend’s home.  I have been feeling better and getting stronger since.
 
I know I need to continue to meditate on God’s Word to nourish my soul and continue to Praise and Thank Him.  As I have said before from John’s gospel I can nothing without Jesus.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 NIV)
 
My iPad sat lonely for a couple of weeks.  My chair sat empty.  My room in which I write was quiet and cold.
 
Praise God I am healed and writing again!
 
 
 

 

 

The Practicalities of Living in The Real World

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What is life about.”  “Is my life worth living?”  “Who am I in the midst of millions of people on the earth?” I asked myself these questions.
 
When I had two children I began to think more seriously about how I would guide them in life.  Children are not just for Christmas.  They are for life.
 
The family unit is the environment a child is born into.  In that place, depending on the parents, the child can feel secure, loved and learn to trust.  If the home is not a secure place, if the parents are not loving, then the child will not have a good start in live.
 
If he does not receive love along the way in his formative years, in the extended family, at school, from the community, then the child will not have a good experience in life.  He will be disadvantaged in overcoming difficulties this world throws at him.
 
I decided I would have to make some sacrifices to think of my children before myself.  I wanted them to grow up in a loving home.  I knew I would have to make changes in my relationship with my husband.
Was there any help out there?  I searched, asked questions, I was looking for truth.  I looked at other people that were rearing their children.  Did I want the way they lived?  Were others successful?  How did their children turn out?
 
My husband and I travelled with our two children to Findhorn, a community in the north of Scotland.  Did they have the answer for community living?  We wanted to find a community of people that demonstrated love.  
 
At the time in Northern Ireland the Christian communities were at war.  There was hatred in the atmosphere and we were all under that cloud.
 
We returned home.  We knew Findhorn was not for us.  
 
I was given a bible and I began to read it.  Jesus claimed to be the way, the truth and the life.  Now I was getting somewhere.  I was looking for truth.
 
I read on.  Jesus said God gave Moses the commandment to love one another, and to love your neighbour as yourself.  Okay here I find someone talking about loving one another.  But there was war in Northern Ireland.  I was confused.  I decided to find out more what Jesus said and take my eyes off man.
 
Jesus prayed “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”  I thought I will have to look to God in Heaven.  Life on earth revolves around God not me.  
 
I began to follow Jesus’ guidance about prayer.  I went into my room and prayed to God in Heaven.  I learnt to forgive others anything they did against me.  I had joy when God answered my prayers.
 
I read, “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40, 41 NIV)
 
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 The Garden Of Gethsemene where the disciples were found sleeping.
 
I decided to spend fifteen minutes praying and fifteen minutes reading the bible.  Sometimes I  may have  prayed for an hour.  It was a start.  I decided to do what Jesus said “Abide in me.”  I wanted to be fruitful for God.
 
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;

apart from me you can do nothing.  If my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”(John 15:5, 7, 8 NIV)

 
What a statement Jesus made!   I can do nothing without him.  I believed!
 
He began to change me.  He brought new friends into my life.  He gave me patience.  My money went further.  I was getting on with my husband.  We did things together.  The Truth began to teach me.
 
I grew in wisdom.  God gave me wisdom. Wisdom has to do with becoming skilful in honouring others, loving, raising my children, handling money, morality, working, treating others kindly, not arguing, living in an attitude of peace and not war.
 
Heaven was coming on earth in my life.  I had love, peace and joy.  I was finding meaning to life on earth.  I wanted to continue on this journey.
 
Why not go into your room and pray to the Father in heaven.  He is listening and will answer.
 

 

Do you have Good Teeth? One of the Gifts of God is to Enjoy your Food

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Psalm 21v 1&3
 
 
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. (Psalm 21:1, 3 NIV)
 
Twenty seven years ago I was expecting my eighth child, John.  I remember reading the Psalm mentioned above.  A mother needs to give special attention to her teeth when she is expecting a baby.  I was going to my dentist.  He discovered one of my molars needed a crown.  He said I can give you a gold crown for this tooth, free.  Dental care is free when one is pregnant.  I remembered the Psalm I had read, “I will put a gold crown upon your head.”
 
Within two weeks I had a shiny gold crown fitted on my tooth.  People are often surprised that my teeth are strong after having fourteen babies.  I had a good dentist and rather than take a tooth out when it was decayed, he preserved it and fitted a crown.  I have a mouth full of gold crowns!  I have been blessed by God. 
 
When I was in Dawson Creek back in November 2013 one of my gold crowns dislodged from a tooth.  I was anxious that my tooth would be sensitive and if I got to a dentist it would be expensive.  Our host got a dental appointment.  He checked it out and suggested I wait to see my own dentist back home.  Thankfully I was not in pain and the appointment was 50 dollars.
 
Two months on, today, I got a new gold crown fitted.  My tooth is restored to better than before.  God is a God of restoration.  I persevered two months with a jagged tooth in my mouth till today I have a strong smooth,gold crowned tooth.  One of the gifts of God is to enjoy your food.  I enjoyed my dinner when I got back home.
 
Have you had a promise that God gave you, fulfilled?  Tell me about it.

 

 

From the Roar of the Sea to Stillness of the Flock of Dunlins

Posted in My thoughts, Nature by
Today I am noticing birds. It is mid January and spring is in the air.  The sparrows are chirping in the hedgerows, the starlings are searching for food under the leaves:  the doves flit from branch to branch, and the little chaffinches chase away any intruders from the bird table.  Blackbirds are making an appearance from their winter hideaways.  The time for singing of birds has come, early!
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 The earth is causing the first flowers to spring up.  I saw snowdrops today.  There are a sure sign for me of brighter days coming.  I bought the first bunch of daffodils this week.  I am reminded of the scripture
“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”  from the Song of Solomon 2:12 NIV.
Later in the morning I saw other birds.  Brendan and I went for a walk along the promenade in Newcastle.  The tide was high, the sea calm, with waves gently lapping on the rocks.  A few days ago the waves were crashing, splashing, and cascading onto the promenade, leaving sea weed and sand.  There was  power in those waves.
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I looked closer at an area of beach covered in pebbles.  There was a little flock of Dunlins.  Their white bellies and grey backs enabled them to be camouflaged among the stones.  They were still and silent in unison, all facing the same direction.  The moment reminded me when people would be silent out of respect for someone important.  It seemed they were worshipping.  It was a holy moment.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and though its waters roar and foam.  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:1-3, 10 NIV)
It was marvellous to look at the flock of birds.  Can we learn from these little birds and be in unity?  Sometimes one can be quiet for a moment, but for a group of people to stand in quietness without being told to is unusual.  Our world is full of noise, talking, traffic, radio, TV, music and machines.  Perhaps we can try with our friends or family to be quiet and still for ten minutes like the Dunlins.  Be still and know that I am God.
Creation is is declaring the Glory of God as the waves crash and the little birds together stand still, hidden among the stones.