Tag Archives: God

What is the Definition of Love. https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/i-want-to-know-what-love-is/

Posted in Cancer, Healing, My thoughts by

I was impacked by this story.  A mother had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl prematurely.  There is always a risk a baby will not make it when born prematurely.  This was so with the little boy.  The doctor gave the “dead” baby into the mothers arms and left her alone with her husband.  The mother laid the baby on her heart, the father put his arms around him keeping him warm with their body heat.  The mother spoke to her baby and told him how much he was loved and about all his extended family that he belonged to.  She continued speaking lovingly and tenderly.  The baby began to breathe and move.  The doctor said “No, he is dead.”  But the little boy lived and is now a healthy five year old.  There was life in the words the mother spoke over her lifeless child.  As we show love and speak love it brings life.  This speaks to me of a saying that love is stronger than death.
This mother and father expressed their love through touch.  The baby was held on the mother’s body close to her heart.  It was a familiar sound to him, as he would have heard it in the security of his mother’s womb.  The touch of the father’s hands brought warmth and security.

When our children were born the person who held them after the nurse was their daddy.  He welcomed them with his voice and strong hands holding their small bodies.  There was someone strong who was going to look after them.  I had carried them for nine months but when they were born from the safety of the womb, into the big world, their daddy was there to hold them and take away any fear.

Love takes away fear.  Love takes away selfishness.  Love lays down ones life for the other.  Love involves sacrifice.  Love is not self seeking.  Love never fails.  Love is patient.   Love is kind.  Love is not jealous.  Love forgives wrong.

I try to be a loving person. I often fail. But because I experienced God’s love when he reached down and healed me of Cancer I am able to love more than before.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/i-want-to-know-what-love-is/

I Miss the Ferry Today

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Travel by

Today in Northern Ireland the media is celebrating Red Nose Day.  Money is raised for charity by celebrities doing fun things.  There will be plenty of buzz on the radio and TV to distract people who are annoyed with others who go on strike.

It is also the day the Unions for Public Transport Workers, Teachers and Health Care Workers called a strike in protest for more pay.  Don’t we take for granted the services we enjoy, until they are not there and only then we appreciate the service they provide.

From the front of our home we look out on Strangford Lough.  We see the Strangford – Portaferry ferry cross over the channel ever fifteen minutes.  Today there is no sign of the boat.  I feel lonely and  bereft.  I miss the security of the ferry.  I love to see the boat cross, regular as clock work from seven thirty am till eleven pm.  When we are taking a trip into town we have to take the ferry.  We can leave the house a few minutes before the ferry is due to leave the port.  We get there on time.  No waiting around.

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We cross over on this ferry often.  When we were moving house here a few months ago, one of the workers on the ferry said to my husband, “You will soon own this ferry with all the money you are spending.”  My daughter stayed here a few weeks ago.  She said the ferry was company as she watched it lights as it moved to and fro across the lough. There were lights even though it is not Christmas.

There have been storms this week.  The ferry stills works even through gales, snow  and chilling winds.  Often the men’s hands and faces are blue from the cold, as they collect the fare.  The weather does not stop them being cheery and give a pleasant greeting. But today they are having a day off, even though they are taking unpaid leave. They deserve a reward for the service they provide.  Thank you.

The sea is calm, the sky is bright, no dark clouds or cold winds.  There is no activity beyond on the channel of Stranford Lough today. There is no chug chug from the diesel engines. Only the sound of birds shrilling in the warm sunlight. Today is one of only a few days that the ferry does not operate.  I am so thankful for this service.  God bless the workers today.

Family Friday. We Didn’t Get Invited Out to Dinner

Posted in Family Friday, My thoughts by

While in Canada recently, a young man called David, picked us up from the airport at Dawson Creek.   I remembered him from my last visit.  He came to a meeting with his wife and four small children.  They were like little mice playing quietly, not wanting to disrupt the meeting.

This couple reminded Brendan and I of times past when we would attend meetings with our young children.  I had eight children at the time.   The children joined in the singing and were well behaved when someone was speaking.  We were the biggest family there.

Our host was telling us that David and his family don’t get invited out to dinner, because people think a family of four is too much to cope with.  They can cope with adults but not young children!   I sympathised with David.  Wouldn’t the parents feel loved and accepted it someone had their family over for soup even.  

Getting everyone ready for Sunday meetings became stressful for us as our family increased.  We had to be up early, get dressed, be on our best behaviour, sit through services and then come home to make dinner for all of us.  When we had ten children we decided to stay home on a Sunday morning.  It was more relaxed for us all.  Brendan taught our children in the relaxed atmosphere of home.  I had plenty of time to cook dinner.  For seven years we stayed home on Sundays.  Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and Angela were born in those seven years.

We remembered the love of God for children. 
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭11‬ KJV)
We knew God was carrying us in his arms.

In the earlier years when I had seven children we met up with friends for picnics.  We would meet in each other’s homes for lunch.  The other ladies were great cooks.  Our children were around the same age, and played happily together.  But as number eight child, number nine child, etc arrived the invites for dinner stopped.  We were alone on Sundays together with our growing family. We lived far away from our parents or extended family, so no aunts or uncles to give a helping hand.

I will always remember the kindness of a friend, Rose Rodgers, who invited ten of us for dinner.  She knew my husband was away on a trip.  He was working on a mission and often I would come under attack from the enemy, the devil, when he was away. The enemy would use these tactics to wear me down. If I was not able to look after the children at home then my husband would have to stop travelling. I was determined I was not going to miss this dinner.

Came the day to go, I asked one of my daughters to help get the youngest child ready.  She put the child in the bath and turned on the hot tap.  She forgot to turn on the cold tap as well.  I was busy seeing to the others when one of the other girls came running in shouting, “The baby’s legs are scalded.”  I was calm.  I knew this was an attack from the devil to stop me going out with my children for dinner.

I attended to the baby, dressed her, told my other children to get in the van and wait for me.  We drove to the doctors surgery just to check that the baby was okay.  I was praying all the way.  I told the other children to behave while I went into the surgery.  I didn’t know how long I would be.  While I was waiting to be seen, one of the children came running to find me.  Two of the girls were fighting in the van.  I had to go out and restore calm. One was annoyed with the other for hurting the baby and was battering her with a stick. They were traumatised at the thought of permanent damage being done to their wee sister’s legs. I told them God would heal my baby’s legs. I returned to the doctor.  He dressed the baby’s legs with cream and he reassured me her skin was not harmed.  

Praise The Lord.  I drove off with the van full of children to my friend’s house.  We all filed in and apologised for being late.  How I enjoyed that meal.  My friend had a big heart.  I will never forget this kindness from Rose Rodgers.

The Power of a Mother’s Love

Posted in Cancer, Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts by

Mother’s Day is approaching.  I was impacked by a video I watched this morning.  A mother had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl prematurely.  There is always a risk a baby will not make it when born prematurely.  This was so with the little boy.  The doctor gave the “dead” baby into the mothers arms and left her alone with her husband.  The mother laid the baby on her heart, the father put his arms around him keeping him warm with their body heat.  The mother spoke to her baby and told him how much he was loved and about all his extended family that he belonged to.  She continued speaking lovingly and tenderly.  The baby began to breathe and move.  The doctor said “No, he is dead.”  But the little boy lived and is now a healthy five year old.  There was life in the words the mother spoke over her lifeless child.  God is love and as we show love and speak love it brings life.  This speaks to me of a saying that love is stronger than death.

Love is expressed through touch.  When a baby is born he has to go through the squeeze to be born, comes from a cosy, warm place into a cooler room and has to gasp for breath?  Surely it must be stressed, poor thing.  My daughter is an Obstetrician surgeon.  He helps some mothers give birth.  Her hands are the first hands that hold those new borns.  She speaks life over the mother and baby.  Another daughter is a Mid Wife sister.  Her hands too are the first that hold many newly born babies.  

There is a song that goes “Love lifted me” by Kenny Rodgers.  I think of it today.

When my husband and family learned I had cancer their love lifted me and helped me heal and live.  Others showed their love by visiting me and bringing gifts.
Mother Teresa lifted people who were dying from the gutter.  She and her nurses held them and comforted them.  Many widows and widowers enjoy going to the hairdresser.  The hairdresser’s hands may be the only ones that touch them all week.  When a marriage breaks down or one is bereaved the one thing people have told me is they miss being touched.

We make a promise “To have and to hold from this day forward, till death do us part.”  When I made those vows I did not know how important having someone to hold was.  The love between a couple grows into holding a child.  Love grows and brings life and increase.  

Jesus said, “they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬ NIV)

Holding someone who is sick brings comfort and love and makes them better.  The power of God is in love and touch.  Nurses do a great job.  When I was in hospital, having children, with a broken arm or with cancer the nurses comforted me, reassured me and drove away my fears.

Healing Scriptures Spoken by Holly Wagner

Posted in Cancer, My thoughts, Prayer by

I was given a CD of healing scriptures by a young lady who was with Shirley Bowers from Huntingdon in England when they came to my home.  Shirley Bowers works in  reconciliation.  God has led her to come to Ireland to repent to the Irish people for what Cromwell did to the Irish in the sixteenth century.  He murdered the Irish and drove them away from their homes and land.  He separated families.  Shirley said to me “What Cromwell did to the Irish was like a cancer that spread throughout the people bringing hatred and revenge.  She prayed for me that I would be healed from cancer.  Very often we don’t know what can affect us that is beyond our control.  Evil powers can be ruling over us and only God can set us free.

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The CD is a compilation of healing scriptures, with instrumental background music, read by Holly Wagner.  She and her husband pastor Oasis Church in California.  Her CD is available on the internet.  She was healed from 1st stage breast cancer .  Every day she read the scriptures referring to healing. This helped her heal.  She made this CD to help other people suffering from diseases.

Holly Wagner’s voice spoke forth scriptures where healing is mentioned.  Her voice brought me healing.  Joy came out of her words.
A cheerful heart is good medicine.  (‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ NIV)
The tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 15 v 17
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life.  Proverbs  15
The scriptures I listened to were like medicine to my body.  If the doctor prescribes medicine for a sickness one will faithfully obey his directions.  How much more should one take God’s medicine.  It is free to try out.  If I was discouraged, fearful or feeling down, I would listen again and my heart would be lifted up.  This medicine healed my thoughts and body.

By listening to the God’s healing scriptures, my faith grew, my mind was changed, fear began to leave.  The truth of Gods words calmed my fears.  I was taking my medicine.  I was surrounded by my family who believed in God.  In the spiritual battle against disease one needs to be surrounded by those who believe Jesus heals disease.  They will stand with you.

Reward Seeing Eagles in North America. https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/reward/

Posted in Canada, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Travel by

We had flown eight thousand miles from Ireland to Vancouver, Canada.  We visit different friends in Cloverdale, Coquitlan, Langley, Surrey, Hope, Abbotsford and West Vancouver.  After working with different groups we took a day off.  We were visiting Sescelt, a town on the Sunshine Coast off Vancouver.  The only access to Sescelt is by ferry. Last time Brendan and I visited Sescelt in Vancouver, our host took us for a drive along the Pacific, and told us stories about killer whales and salmon that are abundant in these waters.

We were taking a walk when someone shouted, “The salmon are running.”  Nearby we saw many salmon swimming up the river to lay their eggs in the sandy water bed.  We stood silent watching this phenomena for a long time.  We happened to be there at the right time.

This time we visited Sescelt we had another once in a lifetime adventure with nature. Hundreds of eagles were gathered in an area in the hills where there was easy access to food.  There were eagles everywhere, perched in trees or flying overhead.  We spent the afternoon eagle watching.  Our host loves using his camera.  He was looking for the perfect shot.  He did get some stunning pictures of the eagles.  I used my iPad to take some shots.  I am not a camera whiz kid.  Not as high defination as my friends camera, but I am happy enough to have captured the event.  We happened to be there at the right time.

Most eagles in Canada live in BC, where they are near a supply of fish.  We love to get a glimpse of them when we are in Vancouver.  Perhaps we might see two or three flying overhead back near the city.  But that day we were in eagle heaven.  Both male and female adult bald eagles have a blackish-brown back and breast; a white head, neck, and tail; yellow feet, legs and beak; and pale yellow eyes.

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Immature bald eagles have a mixture of brown and white feathers, with a black beak and brown eyes in younger birds;  It takes five years for a bald eagle to attain solid white head and tail feathers. For the first five years they gradually change; the beak turns from black to yellow, the eyes from brown to pale yellow, body feathers from mottled to dark brown, and head and tail feathers from mottled to solid white. We saw an abundance of eagles of all ages, a reward for our journey across the land and ocean from home, eight thousand miles away.

I was getting my strength back after two busy weeks.  The eagles reminds me of God’s promise.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ KJV)

Family Friday Woollen Blankets are Comforting

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts by

When I moved to my present home a friend noticed the curtains in my bedroom, left behind by the previous owner.  She gasped, “What beautiful curtains.  That material is sixty pounds per meter to buy.”  Then I thought, “Yes it is a good idea to have woollen curtains.  It keeps the cold air out.  Wool is a good insulating material.”

When I visited my children at their Scottish universities I would buy a tartan woollen blanket each time.  I now have a collection of blankets in all colours, blue, red, purple and grey.  I use one as a throw over a duvet on a winter’s night.  It prevents heat lose through the night.  They come in useful for ground cover on a picnic or warmth for a baby playing on the floor.  I use one over my settee.  It is useful when one needs to stretch out and put one’s feet up for forty winks in the afternoon.  Even the dog got to have one.

I always tried to visit my children, each one, when they were at university.  One son shared a flat with five other lads in Glasgow.  When I arrived the students were sitting around a play station.  They were concentrating on the game.  The kitchen sink was full of dishes and the garbage tin full of cans and empty bottles.   My son showed me to his room that he had prepared for me to stay.  The situation did not phase me.  I stepped over bodies to get to the room and rested for a while after my journey.  I was so glad to be alive to visit him, after my healing from cancer.  Things that would have annoyed me before, didn’t bother me.  I could have been in the grave and never have seen my boys on the earth again.  What did a few dirty dishes matter.

When I got up later everyone had gone.  It seemed these boys came alive at night and kept a low profile by day.  My son took me out for a meal and we spent a short time together before I moved on by train to Aberdeen to see another son.  He gave up his bed for me.  He showed me around the university and introduced me to some of his friends.  I was relaxed enjoying my visit with him, being alive.

I traveled down to London after Aberdeen.  I shuddered when my son showed me his bedroom.  It was freezing.  The window was single glazed, the curtains were flimsy and the duvet light.  The young mustn’t feel the cold.  I went out and bought my son a woolen blanket.  At least it will give a bit of comfort and warmth.  Only mothers see the need.  The blankets have become an inheritance for my children.  This son still has the woollen blanket I gave him.  He has brought it to his new home in Canada. 

I bought a tartan blanket for another son when he was at Oxford Brooke’s.  He used it for picnics on the lawns of Oxford universities as well as a covering on his bed.  He still has it and it is still in use for his two boys when he takes his family on picnics.  I was talking to him recently.  He was staying in my home while we were away.  He appreciated the woollen blankets I had beside the sofa.  He enjoyed a few siestas with a woollen blanket pulled up over him.  

A thought dropped into his mind, “I wonder could I make a wrap around out of a woollen blanket.”  There is a special warmth that comes from a woollen garment.  He was delighted later that day to find a pure woollen dressing gown in a thrift store for a few pounds.  He will have no fear of the cold winter evenings.

I suppose it is a mother’s instinct to make sure her children are comfortable.  When my children were babies I always made sure they were tucked up warmly in bed.  They slept better that way.  The scriptures make reference to this in Isaiah 66, where God promises to comfort us.
As a mother comforts her child, so I’ll comfort you. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭12-13‬ MSG)

Testimony Tuesday My Son Recovers After a Fall.

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer, Testimony Tuesday by

Twenty one years ago I had my baby Abraham, my thirteenth child.   He was born in the middle of August.  We were invited to a Christian Summer Camp in Wicklow, Ireland, the third week of August.  Abraham was only a few days old when we set off for a holiday.  I did not want our family to miss the holiday before they went back to school in September.  I believe having a family holiday is so important.  The parents are away from work and all can spend time together in a relaxed environment.  It is a time to make memories that will be recollected later on dark days.  

We sent off with the new baby and nine other young children in our yellow van.  We were warmly welcomed by friends at the camp site.  Other mothers wanted to see my new born baby.  They couldn’t believe I came after giving birth a few days before.  The adventure was worth it.  There was family and friends around to help.  There were games arranged for children in the mornings.  There were parks to play in under supervision.
We rented two caravans.  My daughters helped me.  Visitors called to see the baby.

My boys loved the outdoor activities. They could let off steam and expend their energies in a safe environment.  One of my sons fell and knocked his head.  He was slightly dazed.  My husband and I agreed not to take him to hospital and prayed for him.  If he got any worse we would go to hospital.  We were staying in the middle of the country a long way from the nearest hospital in Dublin.  I did not like the thought of a long drive to the hospital and the disruption to our holiday.  I believed my son would be alright according to the Word of God.  

I remembered Psalm 91

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (‭Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭9-12‬ NIV)

I prayed and trusted God that no disaster would come near us in our tent/ caravan.  My son had a good night’s sleep and was alert and his normal self in the morning.  God healed any pain my son had.  He went out to play as usual.  We had a great holiday.

God our Father and Jesus promise that if we obey him he will bless us and protect us under his wings. 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (‭Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)

I would have been a nervous wreck if I was worried about my children.  I learnt to trust God.  I was not in control.  I trusted God to look after my family. 

We learnt from a family who came to stay in our town.  The parents let the children run, play, climb trees and scale walls.  Some of us in Ireland can be afraid to let children out of their sight.  Perfect love casts out fear.

Testimony Tuesday. My Son was Healed of Septicaemia.

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts, Prayer, Testimony Tuesday by

My children seldom missed a day off school.  Brendan and I  believed  God’s word in Exodus, I am The Lord who heals you.  None of the diseases of Egypt will affect you.  In the middle of winter my dad called me and asked how were my children.  I told them they were fine and getting on well at school.  He asked, “Do your  children not get the cold and flu in the winter time”.  I explained we believed God to keep our children healthy.  If they are happy and eat good food I believe their immune system can fight off infection.

When children return to school after holidays they often pick up an infection, a tummy upset, the flu or perhaps something more serious like the measles, or mumps.  If one’s child is infected the whole class can get it.  Some children miss school so often it affects their studies.

If one of our children did get something more serious then Brendan and I would pray for him and he would recover.   Healing is the children’s bread.

Our son John, when he was nine years old took a fever.  Normally if one of my children was not feeling well, I would give him drinks of honey and lemon and keep  him warm and resting.  That did the trick.  But John was not getting better after three days.  I called the doctor.  He was a newly qualified doctor and thankfully was able to discern something seriously was wrong with John.  He admitted him to hospital.  Tests were done and the doctor found out that John’s knee joints were inflamed and infected.  He had Septicaemia , a serious, life-threatening infection that gets worse very quickly.  He was put on a high dose of penicillin.  He was given the best of care.  He lay weak for some days.  We would visit with his brothers but he wasn’t able to respond.  Normally he was an active boy,  full of joy.

We didn’t like to see him so ill, but we didn’t panic.  We continued to pray for him.  He did recover fully.   The doctor told me later that without the penicillin treatment to curb the infection in his knees, my son could have died or have been left disabled.  We thanked God for the young doctor who diagnosed the condition and the care in the hospital.

The previous Christmas John’s friend got a computer game for Christmas.  We did not get our children any of the games and gadgets that were coming on the market.  We took our children for walks and encouraged them to play outdoor games and activities.   I noticed that John was spending a lot of time at his friend’s house.  He was playing the computer games.  He told me later that he would often feel dizzy after playing a game.

I believe that the activity on the computer affected John’s health.  Brendan and I learned a lesson.  We did not allow our children to have any computer games since then.

 

Family Friday. Their Angels see the Face of my Father in Heaven.

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Provision by

Brendan and I were visiting with a family in India.  It is exciting travelling along a road in India.  You have a variety of vehicles and animals all trying to avoid each other.

On the back of a lorry we saw the caption “One plus one equals one”.  It is an advertisement to promote population control in their country.  With Brendan and me, one plus one equalled fourteen.

We were telling our hosts about our journey and laughing about the caption on the lorry.  This family had four children.  We were sharing about our fourteen children.  The mother called Josey, told us about family traditions in India.

When a mother gives birth she is cared for by extended family and servants.  Josey visited with her daughter when she gave birth for six weeks.  The new mother was not allowed out of bed to do any work.  Her energy was preserved to feed her baby and recover from the delivery.

In those six weeks Josey pampered her daughter, bathing her in essential oils and herbs.  She cooked special energy giving meals.  The Chinese give nursing mothers ginger soup, which helps the mother’s body recover.  When the baby was fed by mum, Josey would care for baby till the next feed.

I commented ” I am due twenty one months of essential oil treatments!”

Josey went on to tell me that in most families  every baby is given a servant to help the mother look after him.  What a great help for any mother.  Who wouldn’t mind  having lots of children if there was all that help available.  The husband didn’t seem to be involved in the child care in India.

My husband helped me rear our children.   As more children were born the older children helped the younger children.   When I returned from hospital with a new baby my children gathered around me and baby.  They wanted to nurse their new sister or brother.  Each baby was prayed for and welcomed into our family.  There was room made for each one in our hearts and our home.

An angel was assigned by God for each baby.  “See to it you don’t despise one of these little ones who behold the face of my Father in heaven.”

We may not have had servants to help but God assigned an angel to help.  Imagine a heavenly messenger arriving in our home with each new child.   We treated each child as a gift sent down from the Throne of God in heaven.  Each one was special and had a particular destiny in this world which I believed God would help them accomplish.  Each child was blessed.  Who would not want a gift from God?  The policies of the nations are preventing people receiving gifts from God.

My oldest daughter was studying for her A levels.  Beside her desk in her bedroom was a baby’s cot.  She studied while her baby brother David slept.

Mary looked after two brothers in her bedroom, while she studied at night.  She was strict with them and would not take any messing.

The young children loved to go to Hannah’s room.  It was the warmest room in the house.  Hannah allowed the boys to climb into her bed, if they awoke early.  They could keep warm under the covers.  On a Saturday morning they would spent hours playing games there.

Our youngest daughter used to go up to her sister Ruth’ s room.  She would tug at Ruth to get up and change her nappy.  If Ruth didn’t respond, her wee sister, whom she loved, would climb up and sit on Ruth’s pillow.  She eventually got her big sister’s attention.

Everyone loved to lie in on  Saturday mornings, when there was no school or work.

It wasn’t easy for my husband.  He laid down his life for his family.  He did not have interests that took him away from the family.  If we did have recreation we did it together, a walk on the beach or forest, a drive along the coast, going for a swim or working in the garden.

I don’t think it was a tradition in India, Ireland or China for the husband to help rear the children.  That task was left to the women.  My husband is one of a kind.  He has modelled a different tradition for his sons.

I often reminded myself of the Psalm 121 when I got weary.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (‭Psalm‬ ‭121‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)

God gave us our children and he is committed to help us look after them.