Tag Archives: family

How Giving to the Poor Brought Healing to Me.

Posted in My thoughts by

My husband brought me to the accident and emergency department in my local hospital when I told him I was bleeding.
This is now four years ago.
I was examined there by a doctor from Kerela in India.
He asked my husband and daughter to come into the cubicle to talk to us all about the examination.
My daughter is a doctor herself and was very nervous about what he was about to say.
She feared the worst.
I was numb and was willing to go through the process the doctor advised.
Instead of talking about my condition the doctor addressed my husband and said, 
“Don’t I know you?”
“No I don’t think we have met before.” 
“Are you the man with the big family?”
“Yes I have a big family.”
Mary and I were perplexed.  “Why is he not getting on with talking about how he can help me?”
“Ah I know where I have seen you before.  My mother has a book written by you.  There is a picture of you and your family on the back page. That book is in my mother’s home, back in Kerala, India.”
My husband has written two books for a lady in India.  Her work reaches out to the poor.
Brendan and I looked at each other.
We knew God was with us in that hospital cubicle.
In our time of distress a doctor remembered Brendan.
That book has helped raise money for orphanages and poor people in India.
The doctor, a stranger remembered Brendan.  God remembered too.
He was reassuring us he was with us.
Psalm 41 says 

Blessed is he who has regard  for the poor and needy. I will be with him in trouble. The Lord will raise him up from his sick bed.  V 1 and 3

We were in trouble and I was on a sick bed.
We all smiled despite our present dilemma.
The doctor proceeded to tell us that he found a mass of tissue inside my back passage when he examined me.
My daughter quizzed him to get more information.
He answered, “It is a firm mass.”  My daughter knew it can only be cancer.  She did not voice what she thought.
“I will make an appointment to get a colonoscopy.  I will ask for you to be seen as soon as possible.”
We thanked the doctor and walked out of that cubicle, silent, anxious but comforted that God was with us in our trouble.
We would face the future together.
Four months later I knew I was healed from cancer.
God is faithful.  

Pride and Joy: What are your Greatest Possessions

Posted in My thoughts by

 

 

My husband and children have given me gifts of jewellery, which are prized possessions.

I value them and remember when I was given them.

But my pride and joy are my husband and children and children’s children.  They are the greatest possessions of all.

They are gifts from God.

Scripture says, Look around you and see, for all your children will come back to you. As surely as I live,” says The Lord , “they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display. (Isaiah 49:18 NLT)

I will not leave them behind like gold and silver, but they will be with me in heaven and we can enjoy being together for eternity.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/pride-and-joy/

 

 

 

 

 

Why does my Washing Machine make Socks go Missing?

Posted in My thoughts by

Do your socks ever go missing in the wash?
I think this is a problem every household faces whether there are two or twenty living there.

I had a laundry basket I left in the washroom.  There the children put their dirty clothes. When there was few of us I enjoyed doing my laundry.  I learned to separate whites, towels, jeans, and different clothes types.  I was able to recover lost socks and pair them off.

Thank God for washing machines.  Years ago woman had to spend all of Monday scrubbing clothes clean with soap.  No washing machines or tumble driers then.

One day I was visiting an older lady.  I noticed her washing dazzling on the washing line outside.  It was indeed like the TV advert recommending a certain detergent.  I wanted to know what detergent she used.  In Ireland we still hang our washing outside, weather permitting.  The fresh air and sunshine freshen the clothes.  I love the smell of clothes brought in from the line.  I even ironed my husbands shirts then.

As the family grew my older children did the washing.  If I did not oversee what they were doing, towels would come out blue after being washed with jeans.  A delicate dress would end up wrinkled beyond repair.  My husband’s Tee shirts would shrink at a too high a temperature.  The children’s clothes I bought for them were made of material that did not need ironing.  The iron got little use.

I gave up on the sock problem.  I bought a wooden box.  I put all odd socks in it.  My husband gave up on losing his socks so he resorted to buying pairs of socks all the one colour.  They would not all be lost!

Image

Now there only three of us at home I am back to enjoying the laundry.  I even ironed my husbands Tee shirts at the weekend!

My Boys did not go to Eton College!

Posted in My thoughts by

 

Scripture tells me “They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.”(Isaiah 65:23 NIV)

I watched a programme recently about three boys from a state school who got scholarships to Eton.  It is a prestigious British boarding school for boys from eleven to eighteen years old.  The fees are 33,000 pounds per year.  Music tuition is an added  cost.  Princes and Prime ministers are educated there.

Each child is allocated a room with a bed, desk, chair and wardrobe.  A matron does their laundry and carefully returns it folded and pressed.  I wonder does she have any trouble loosing socks in the wash?  A cleaner refreshes their rooms each day.  Food is provided in the refractory.  

The boys are free to concentrate on their studies, homework and other school activities. If they are homesick they are able to be in touch with parents by Skype. The boys settled into their new school and did well in their exams.  After a hectic term the boys go home to rest and catch up with their families.  

I was thinking it must be difficult for them, leaving family and friends at such a young age.  No home comforts or times to relax with family at the end of the day.  No outings to the beach or movies!  No coffee times with mum or football matches with mum and dad cheering on the sidelines.  No drives to school if one missed the bus.  No fights with their sisters or brothers.  All the normal things that in the tumble of family life causes one’s character to develop.

My last nine children lived in their new home with plenty of space.  Some of them had a room on their own, with a desk to study at, thanks to their dad.  We made sure they kept up with their school work but I seldom had to help them with it.  They were successful in exams, music and sports.

I did the washing, cooking, and cleaning when they were younger.  Mum was laundress, caterer, nurse, cleaner, advisor, protector, trainer, comforter, intercessor, taxi driver and cheer leader.   If there was any trouble at school the teachers knew we were nearby, and things got sorted.  If a child got mistreated we always defended him.  Above all I prayed for each one.  We would pray together each evening as a family.

My husband was their mentor, helping them fill in forms to apply to university and advise them about life choices.  He was there model too.  He has travelled to the nations and our children are extending their wings as well.

As they grew older chores were allocated to each child.  The oldest at home would cook the evening meal.  Someone else was in charge of washing.  Another, hoovering.  Each one tidied his room.  

Eight of the children were able to walk to the grammar school ten minutes from home.  
They came home for lunch.  I had a warm meal ready for them.  No lining up in the school canteen for them.  One of my sons could see the smoke rising from the chimney of our home and he said he looked forward to seeing me at dinner time.

The teachers were great and encouraged my children in their particular talents.  My youngest daughter played the double bass at school.  She took part in the yearly school orchestra performance in Belfast.  There was room to practice her double bass at home.
Another son played the Tuba.  He took part in school orchestra events.  All this experience for free!

We are priveledged to have free education to second level in Northern Ireland.  We have great schools.

My children had many of the benefits of Eton College but were able to live at home and it did not cost us a fortune.  Think of the thousands of pounds we did not have to pay.  If all nine of my children went to Eton We would have had to pay 2,000,000 pounds in total.  

My husband says I have saved him millions of pounds.  It is true!

All fourteen of my children have gone to third level education.  Some of them have been rubbing shoulders with students from Eton! 

I can truly say God has blessed our children as I mentioned at the beginning.  It is not in my own strength I was able to be a multi task mum.  God gave me the strength and he still does.  My children have done well because God promises to bless our children if we obey his voice.  

Have you Blown it and Need A Second Chance?

Posted in My thoughts by

 

God provided a year of favour in the Jubilee or fiftieth year.

God gives a second chance:  he even gives three, four, five and more chances. God cares about mankind and he knew they would get into trouble.   God will make a way when there is no way.  

When the Queen of England was reigning for fifty years she celebrated her Jubilee year.  When a couple are married for fifty years their anniversary is called their Jubilee year.

For the Jews the year of Jubilee was celebrated to give restoration and freedom or the Year of The Lord’s favour.  

When Jesus started his ministry he declared he had come to proclaim the “Year of the Lord’s favour.”  He went about healing all those who were slaves to sickness or poverty, or oppressed mentally.  He forgave sins and gave people new beginnings, a new start in life.  Jesus brought Jubilee.

The year 2000 was a year of Jubilee for me.  I was coming up to my fiftieth birthday.  I really came to understand what Jubilee meant and that God cared for me.  

In the previous years I was praying for a bigger house for my growing family.  I wanted more space.  The house we lived in then was great but I knew as my children turned teenagers it would be too small.

God saw my heart’s desire was to help my family.  We had a limited income.  Certainly not enough to buy a bigger home.  If God gave land according to the size of their tribes of Israel, I thought it would be no problem for him to provide a bigger home.  I was his child and his Word says he is my Father.  Matthew 6 v 9.  Would a Father not give good things to his child?

He knows life throws up its hardships and misfortunes.  Rearing children is hard work!  When the children were young I could put them to bed at night and know where they were.  What would they get up to when they became teenagers?  

God promises to give a way of escape.  I needed a new beginning.  

In the year 2000 God provided a new home in a smaller town.  Not only that but God brought me back to near where I was born.  He brought me back to my father’s land like the children of Israel whom God promised to restore them to their father’s land.  Jer  27 v 22. 
I was nearer extended family.  My children were able to get to know them.
It was like moving back in time ten years.   Restoration.  

Football provided activity for my growing boys.  There were no night clubs.  There was less drink and drugs available.  My children made new friends and their parents welcomed them to visit after school.  They were being supervised.  God gave me new friends as well.  I celebrated my fiftieth birthday in my new home.  What a birthday present from The Lord.

Do you feel you are coming to a dead end?  Look up to The Lord.  He will raise you up to a higher plateau and give you a new start. 

Cancer Healed

 

I have experienced malignant cancer healed completely.  The effect of cancer was reversed and the tumour disappeared.  I am cured through the power of Jesus.

Today is the fourth anniversary of me going to the doctor with symptoms of colon cancer.  It was confirmed weeks later after I had a colonoscopy.  The Oncologist Nurse told me I had malignant cancer.

The definition of malignant according to the Marriam-Webster dictionary is

medical : very serious and dangerous : tending or likely to grow and spread in a rapid and uncontrolled way that can cause death

I was stunned.  Everyone thought the inevitable.

I had an MRI scan and a CT scan taken later. All the results of these procedures were considered by the Oncologist team in the City Hospital in Northern Ireland.  This hospital is well known for the care of cancer patients.

I looked at the photos taken of the cancer.  I saw the reddish growth.  The scans showed I had a 9cm tumor in the lower part of my bowel.  I had fourth stage cancer.  The doctors treat the patient hoping to extend life but they do not offer a cure.

The head doctor told me his team had discussed my case.  They decided the best way to treat me was to have five weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.  This was just to reduce the tumor.  I would have an operation to remove the tumor and the part of my bowel which was affected.  I would have an ileostomy fitted.

I was very sad and depressed.  My family and others began to pray for me.
In the past I had prayed for people to be healed.  I believed in Jesus who when he was on earth cured those who were ill, Luke 9 v 11 NIV.  He is the only one who offers a cure. I was too weak to pray for myself.

I went through radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.  I did not have any side effects of burning, nausea or hair loss.   The doctor called me to have an operation six weeks later.  I believed I the cancer healed completely.  The doctors were annoyed with me.  They said treatment does not cure cancer.  You need an operation!  The head doctor examined me and confirmed there was no tumor.  He gave me a letter saying so.

Four years on I remain healed of cancer and I am restored to health and strength, more than before.  I believe cancer will not come back.

It is by faith in Jesus I am healed and remain healed.

Nahum 1 v 9 “Trouble will not come a second time.”

I give glory to God for his tender mercies to me.

My book Staying Alive is the story of the cancer healed.

 

 

We are Moving House. Do it Again, Lord.

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, My thoughts, Prayer, Provision by

 

 

“Be very careful never to forget what you have seen The Lord do for you.  Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live!  And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.”  Deuteronomy 25 v 9

After rearing our children in the big house God provided for us, Brendan and I realised over the past few years that it is taking a lot of our energy to maintain it.  Lighting the fires in the morning to keep warm, cleaning and doing household chores made me weary.

Our children advised us to downsize to a more modern house that would be easy to keep warm.  It is not easy to be released from the home we reared our children for the last fifteen years.  Our children have memories of  growing up here.  There is space for us to have family get togethers, and the grandchildren come to visit.  There is room for them to stay over.

It is not easy to start looking again.  Back in September I read from God’s Word I will provide a home for the poor.  Brendan and I were going to trust God, as before, to provide a home for us.  “Lord you did it before, do it again,” I prayed.  “You will not forsake me now when I have gray hair,” according to Psalm 71.

Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. (Psalms 71:18 NLT)

I did not want to move away from the area where we now live.  I would be happy to move to the country nearby.  We began to look at possibilities.  I did not have the energy to look at potential houses and then be disappointed if we were rejected.  We did try once, found a lovely house to rent, but the owner was not willing to rent to us.  I didn’t try any more.

Brendan and I visited Jerusalem earlier in the year.  I believe God’s Word that says he will bless us in Jerusalem.
Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek The Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. (Zechariah 8:22 NLT)
I went to the ancient site of the Wailing Wall and prayed there about many things.

When we arrived back home I got a call from my hairdresser.  She said I had a dream about you last night and I need to tell you about it.  The dream indicated we would be leaving this house.  She did not know our situation about wanting to move from here. This dream helped Brendan and I decide to move from here.  We were in agreement.  Before I was undecided.

We looked at Property Pal, an Internet site for house rentals.  I searched for houses in our local area.  There were a few houses to let in the country nearby.  I called the agent of one I liked.  He arranged a viewing that evening.

It turned out to be a house next door to our friend who had the dream.  Her brother owned the house.  It proved ideal for our needs and applied to rent it.  The owner agreed and we move there next week.

The house is called “Bright House.”  In case we had any doubts about our move God has showed us signs three times.   I was reading in the scriptures,

“It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. (Colossians 1:9-12 MSG)”

Tea bags and cologne.

Image

 

A song on the radio called “Bright Eyes”.

Image

We are in the middle of our house move.  Energy is low but morale high because of the Bright future God has promised for us.

God speaks today.  Listen for His still small voice if you are needing to make a Big move.

How we got a Big House for our Big Tribe, our Promised Land

Posted in My thoughts by

 

Then The Lord  said to Moses, “Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list. Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group’s inheritance reflecting the size of ite population.  (Numbers 26:52-54 NLT)
Image
When our tribe became sixteen, we were outgrowing the house in which we lived.  Five  of our older children had left home.  Our home then was suitable enough for my children who were toddlers or under ten.  But I knew as my boys got bigger they were going to need more space.
I began to pray and ask God to for a bigger home.  His word promises “The Lord will supply all you needs.”  I needed a bigger house for my tribe.
 I was encouraged by the scripture I have mentioned above.  I was believing God would provide a big house for my big family.  He blessed me with my children so I believed God would help me rear them and provide a home for them.
 Many people believe one is crazy for having a big family.  In these times getting married is not popular and having children is even less popular.  “Where will you get the money for a big house.”  “It must be very expensive to feed and clothe your children.”  “How will you pay for their education.”  I had faith for each day and not worry about tomorrow.
Jesus said “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:31, 33, 34 NLT)
Having Faith in God takes off all the pressure.  God is not a liar.  When he promises to do something he will bring it about.  Our part is to believe, be patient and not doubt or give up hope.  The danger can be when one has to wait a long time for the fulfilment of a promise, the temptation is to give up hope.  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”Proverbs 13 v 12.
 I tried to move to the country.  There is space in the country, my children could roam over fields, like I did as a child. I saw a large Presbyterian Manse for sale.  We showed our interest in buying it but were refused.  I found another big house to let in the country,  but again was rejected.  I kept looking.  We tried to move down to Kerry.  That did not work out and I was bitterly disappointed.  I had been hoping for five years for a bigger home.  I gave up.  My husband said he would do an extension in the house in which we lived.  I did not want to hear.  I fell out with God and stopped praying.  But he didn’t fall out with me.  He had his plans.
 A friend of mine, a single mum with four children was praying for a new home.  Her children got sick during the winter because of the cold house in which she lived.   She found this beautiful house to rent.  I thought “God has helped my friend.  He will help me.”  My faith was restored and I began to believe again that God would help us.
 A few months later my husband had a picture of a man he knew from the past.  He would see this picture every morning for three weeks.  At last he called this man up and talked to him about our interest in finding a bigger home.  He is an estate agent.  He lived in another part of the country, in County Down.  That is where I lived when I was young.  Would God bring me back to live there? Another scripture came to mind.
At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.. (Zephaniah 3:20 NIV)
Image
We waited another five months.  Our house sale completed.  We had to move in October.  We called up the man Brendan connected with many months earlier.  We went down to meet him and his wife and they welcomed us and were willing to help us. No more rejection.  We prayed together and asked God to guide us.  We need other members of the body of Christ.
Our new friend was able to find a house suitable for us.  It was owned by the nuns from the convent where I went to school when I was young.  We got favour because they remembered me and our family.   We lived there for a year.  It gave us time to settle in this new area and for our children to adapt to their new schools.
We met regularly with other people who prayed.  They were praying for us to have a permanent home.  We did find a house suitable for our needs.  We were welcomed in our new community.
Image
God gave us land according to the size of our tribe.  Thank you Lord.  He is faithful.  Our children grew tall and flourished in their new home and big garden.  They made new friends.  They could walk to school.  No stress.

 

We built This City. Daily Prompt. Downpatrick, in Northern Ireland, the Place where I Live.

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Prayer, Provision by
Next Monday, the 17th March is St Patrick’s day.   There are celebrations all over the world on this day.  In America green beer is sold.  When my husband was in China on St Patrick’s Day the locals gave him a can of Guinness.  He said it was the best can of Guinness he had ever drank in China.  It was the only one!
The Irish people have spread all over the world and that is why most countries have heard of St Patrick.
St Patrick  is celebrated as an man who lived among the Irish in the fifth century.  He preached the gospel of Jesus and did many signs and wonders among the people.  It is recorded that he drove the snakes out of Ireland.  There are no snakes in Ireland.
The town where I live is called Downpatrick.  It is claimed that St patrick is buried here.  Many tourists come to visit this historical place.
The people of this town have lived at peace with each other during the recent troubles in the seventies.  Every Good Friday all denominations of Christians walked through the town behind a wooden cross.  People took turns to carry it.  The people of the town demonstrated their unity, when in other parts of Northern Ireland people were being murdered.
I believe there is a blessing over Downpatrick because of it’s history as a centre of Christianity and civilisation.  There are many schools and colleges in our town.   Christian brothers set up a school for over eleven year old boys back at the beginning of the twentieth century.
They brought education to the poor.  My children attended this school.
I was praying for a bigger house for our growing family.  I needed more space.  I believed that God would provide for us a big family, like he provided for the tribes that went into the Promised Land.
About that time I read in the bible “Look for the ancient pathways where you will find rest for your soul.”  Jeremiah 6 v 16.  Downpatrick is an ancient pathway where Christians have lived for many centuries.  St Patrick may have walked down the pathway or street where we live.
My husband and I believe that God can speak and guide people.  God showed my husband in a dream to get in touch with a man who lived in Downpatrick.  This man, some months later helped us get the big house we now live in.   It has seven bedrooms, two kitchens and two living rooms.  We will be ever grateful to our friend who helped us find a home here.  He helped us when we were in need.
Downpatrick has been a blessing to our family.  Our children were welcomed into the schools.  Their friends’ parents welcomed them into their homes.  The local soccer club and Gaelic club were somewhere safe for my boys to play, supervised by responsible caring volunteers.  It felt as if we always lived here.
We joined with other Christians to pray in unity.  We were blessed.   Where brothers dwell together in unity there The Lord commands a blessing.  Psalm 133.
Since we moved here as we prayed with others for our town,  new things have come here.  A new hospital is built, a new cinema, two new schools, and a new supermarket.
Where I came here I met other families that returned here to rear their children.
Downpatrick is a pleasant and safe place to live.
We have a vibrant Art Centre that gets funding from the government.  Downpatrick punches above its weight.
It has a pleasant climate.  It rests in the lee side of the Mourne Mountains.  The rain falls on the mountains, so we receive less rain than other parts of our country.   We often had our dinner outside in the summer time.  We could never do that in the last town we lived in.
There are beautiful local parks and coastlands.  Within seven miles we are at the beach.  Coney Island is nearby.  It is made famous by the Van Morrison song.
As people live together in harmony the Mayor of our town will have an easy job.
Soon we are moving to a smaller house not far from Downpatrick.   I will always be grateful to God for leading us to live in Downpatrick.  I am thankful to all the teachers, coaches, friends and neighbours who helped our family and have made our time in Downpatrick a happy one.
you too can be guided by God in your life.  He will speak through dreams or circumstances that may arise in your life.  God loves you.

My Youngest Daughter packed up her Little Treasures and said Goodbye to her Bedroom

Posted in Family Friday, Prayer, Provision by
My youngest daughter was five years old when she moved to this house.  She shared a room with her older sister for a few years.  Then she had the big room all to herself.  She enjoyed the luxury of a double bed, a big study table and just space.
When she went to the grammar school she learnt the double bass.  She had this big instrument in her room to do her practice lessons.
Her six older brothers were envious of her.  Some of them still had to share a room.
My daughter had her friends round to play.  They enjoyed her big house as well.  They spent many hours doing whatever young girls do.
She listened to her CDs, worshiped God and prayed.  Angels watched over her.
This home was just beside her school.  She was able to walk to school and when she was older ran down home for lunch.  No stress.  Some mornings I would walk with my young children up to school.  It was good to hear the screams of the children at play in the playground.
Some of her friends would venture into the garden on their way home from school and want a turn on our big swing.  They squeeled with delight.
Now my daughter has gone to university.  I know she had a very happy childhood living in this big old house.  She packed up all her treasures when she was home recently and said goodbye to her big room in this big house.  The room will miss her.