Tag Archives: inspiration

DP Challenge I am Looking Forward to the Golden Years of Life after being Healed of Cancer

Posted in Healing, My thoughts, Prayer by
In this world we have to live with one another, young and old, rich or poor, black or white, male and female, even though we have different perspectives of each other and disagree with one another.  Writing has helped me slow down and think outside the box and look at life from another’s perspective.
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Here are two stories that gave me perspective about my age from someone else’s view.
I went to a local store recently to buy a fish supper.  Here in Ireland it is our favourite, tried and tested take away.  Pizza and kebab shops have opened and shut down again.
I was taken aback when the assistant said “Do you want the pensioner’s deal?”  I forgot I had white hair and I certainly did not feel like a pensioner, even though I am one.  I also thought a pensioner’s portion would be a few small pieces of cod and a few chips!  The lady noticed my surprise and quickly reassured me that the portions are the same but it is cheaper.  She was being kind.
 This was the first time I realised that other people see my age, but I had never considered how I look to other people.  I feel young inside and think I am young on the outside too.
 A few days later, in another village I was looking at some outdoor plants for sale.  I heard this voice hail me saying “Young lady, can I help you?”  I looked around to see if there was someone else he was talking to.  He was talking to me!   I smiled and picked out a pot plant to buy.  He was a good salesman.
When I look back I remember when I was ten years of age I thought my mum was very old.  She was only forty at the time.  That was not old.  My eldest child is over forty now and I think of her as thirty something.
I was married at twenty.  In my generation it was common to get married young.  Nowadays young women and men find it difficult to meet a suitable partner and the average age for marriage is around thirty.  I think it is harder to raise children today because of the pressure on the family unit.
I have a friend who is sixty five.  She looks like fifty.  I put it down to her mother and father living into their nineties.  She always knew there was someone looking out for her.
When my husband and I attended parent teacher meetings for our younger children, we were the only grey haired parents there.   The other parents were much younger.  I hope my children were not embarressed letting their friends see us.  From my perspective I was a parent and my age did not matter to me.
My children told their teachers when their first nephew was born.  I attended an event at the school soon afterwards.  I was congratulated for being a grandmother.  I had never been celebrated as much for having my own children.  There must be something special about getting to see one’s grandchildren.  Thankfully I am alive and have survived cancer, to see twelve grandchildren so far.
The scripture in psalm 127 says “May you live to see your children’s children.”  It is a blessing.
I  realised my age when I did not have the strength to work in the garden for long.  A few years before I was clearing ground, digging up my vegetable patch or mowing the lawn.  I now plant up pots.  I know my limits.
My husband and I have been considering moving from this big home for a couple of years.  We now see it is too much work for us.  We are delighted to be moving to a smaller home that suits our needs.  God has guided us in this new move.
As one is older one has a perspective on life that is coloured by experience, mistakes, pain and how one copes with what life throws at you.  Younger people have less experience and generally are influenced by their peers rather than experience gained over many years.  Like the child who burnt his hand he knows not to touch the hot stove again.  The Word of God says we learn obedience through the things we suffer.
Jesus said to Peter, who was a bit head strung, “When you are young you will go wherever you want but when you are old others will lead you.”
God made us and he realises our vulnerability and weakness as we get older.  We may be concerned about a loved one or our health may fail.  One is not in control.  But if one trusts God he will give us courage and strength to keep going.  Jesus said “Cast all your care upon me because I care for you.”  He is our refuge in time of trouble.
The bible is full of promises about when one is old.  Here are a few that give me hope in the goodness of God.
Psalm 91 says “With long life will I satisfy you”
“Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.” (Psalm 71:9, 18 NIV)
Psalm 90 promises we can live till we are seventy.  As one believes God’s word one can expect to live to seventy at least.  Too often we listen to what doctors or others tell us instead of listening to what God says.
“Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble.  Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalms 90:10, 12 NLT)
I believe being there for my children and grandchildren is important.  It gives security, like my friend, that someone cares.  Can a mother forget the child she bore?  I am staying alive because I want to see the promises that God has given me about my family and destiny fulfilled.
I am blessed to have a loving, caring husband for companionship for the latter part of our lives.  He often tells me the best is yet to be.  I agree with him.  The work of looking after my children is over.  I will still pray for them.  I am looking forward to my new home and new beginnings.
I can say that God is faithful.  He has cared for me during my younger years and even to my gray hair.  I can truly say God is good all the time.
From my perspective as I am older it is good to rest, value life and be thankful.  Love covers and protects us all and helps us to live together even though we have different perspectives.
dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/weekly-writing-challenge-golden-years/

Daily Prompt. The Heat is on. Despite the Pressure we got There.

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I am normally an easy going person and seem to come into my own in with difficult situations.
Times that involve pressure usually happen to us when we are travelling.
 
Once my husband was going on a trip to Canada.  He asked me to drive him in my car because he was too pressured to drive.  
 
We stopped at the first garage on the way to put fuel in the car.  Brendan put the fuel in and went into the shop to pay for it.  When he came back he realised he had put petrol in instead of diesel.  His own car runs on petrol so he easily made a mistake.
 
What were we going to do?  We did not have time to get help.  I suggested we fill the tank up with diesel and I would drive as fast as I could to the airport.   There was no other alternative.  If the engine was destroyed we took the risk.  
 
We were nervous all the way to the airport.  But Praise God we got to the airport and my car was none the worse for the fuel mix.   Brendan was happy when he took his seat on that flight.
 
Another morning we were leaving our daughter to the airport.  She was going to work in Africa.  She was flying out of Belfast, to London and on to Uganda.  We were all relaxed about saying goodbye and wanted to make our daughter’s leaving as smooth as possible.  We did not voice our sadness at her leaving.
 
We set off on our journey.  My daughter checked the flight times and realised she had made a mistake.  Brendan put the foot down and went as fast as he could to the airport.  We quietly prayed and did not utter a word of fear.  Our sadness left.  Now we had to focus to get her away!
 
We helped my daughter with all her cases to the  check in desk.  It  was closing.  We pleaded with the attendant to check in her luggage.  He helped us.  We were so glad she did not miss her flight.  We waved her goodbye with joy, thankful to God we got there on time.  The pressure lifted.
 
 
 
 

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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.

What it is like to be going through Empty Nest Syndrome!

I wrote about our present home before.
It was the provision of The Lord fourteen years ago for us and the nine children who still lived at home.
We now have an empty nest!  There are no more fledglings left!  They are grown up and have moved on from their parents.  Yes, it is lonely after all the activity of a full household.  Instead of children running up and down the stairs all I hear is the timbers creaking.
Many of the seven bedrooms are empty.  The heating is turned off in the rooms.  Where there used to be life, chatter, laughter, lights on and essays being written, there is silence and a chill in the air.
There is no one to call to make a cup of tea and have a chat.  There is no news about what friends are up to.
There are no cries of “Who touched my Razor.”  “Where is my toothbrush?” “Who used my hair jell?” “Dinner is ready!” “It is prayer time.  Come down for prayers.”
I do not have to check the rooms to see if everyone is in bed.  My boys and girls slept in peace in their warm beds.  They were always well rested to face all the activity of their young lives.  He gives his beloved sleep.  Psalm 127 v 2
There are five levels of stairs in my home so one had to shout loud.  Even then everyone did not hear the call.
An African man came to visit.  He enjoyed all the buzz in our home.  It reminded him of his own country where there is plenty of activity and noise.
The jam in the cupboard grows mould because there is no one to eat peanut and jam sandwiches.  I throw out vegetables and leftovers in the fridge because there are no hungry boys coming in from football to eat them.
The washing machines are silent.  I would have two washing machines on the go to wash towels and all the jeans and socks.
The house was warmer then with all the bodies in the house.  There was help to keep fires lit and logs cut.  I loved the sound of the Hoover on the landing.  I knew the carpets were getting refreshed.  Now the dust gathers and we don’t see it.  Cobwebs grow on the shutters.
A proverb says “Where there are no cattle the stall is clean but with increase of oxen there is strength.”  There always was help to keep the family going.  The children did their chores.
There are no football bags in the corridor to trip over.  I don’t have to replace many toilet rolls.  There is no smell of burnt toast.  The kitchen sink is not full of dirty saucepans.  All the signs of life are gone.
The grass is beginning to grow in the spring sunshine.  The plant pots need refreshed. Hedgerows need pruned.  The work is too much for two of us.  Reluctantly Brendan and I have agreed to downsize.  We have to leave this Old House that has lovingly protected us and our children for fourteen years.  It has been a shelter from the wind and rain.  It’s gardens provided play areas for our children and their friends and grandchildren,  soil to grow my vegetables, trees to climb and swings to dangle from.
Take a look at this video on YouTube:
Brendan and I and the children have enjoyed many times of tea on the front garden where the morning sun shines.  The children come down one by one to sit with us and enjoy the moment. We enjoyed many barbecues and conversations around camp fires.  It’s hedgerows provided homes for blackbirds, doves, robins and sparrows.  Blossoms on the Laburum, Magnolia and Rhododendron tress signalled spring.
We had champagne on the lawn for our son’s wedding.  That was a great success.  And the birthday parties?
We are moving on before all the spring activity starts and I will be tempted to stay.  We will keep the memories in our hearts.
Thank you God for providing this house in which our family flourished.
video of This Old House by Shaking Stevens With thanks.

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!
 
 
 

 

 

Don’t Get on The Train! Don’t Get On The Train!

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I was watching a program recently about the Holocaust of the Jews.  It was about Jews from Prague who were put on a train that would take them to a village only forty miles away.  But it was at train that brought them to their death.
The village was specially chosen because it had high walls around it and easy to be controlled.   They thought they were going to a new life where they could live together with their families.  They were deceived into thinking this by their oppressors, Hitlers army.  When they arrived there they were stripped of their identity, families separated, photographs of their families ripped up before their eyes, and told you will never see your family again.

When Jesus was fasting and praying in the wilderness.  The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ” (Luke 4:5-8 NIV)
Satan is ruling over the kingdoms of this world.  When Jesus died on the cross he broke the power of Satan over the world.  Satan still rules over peoples’ minds and hearts if they do not know the truth.  If one believes in Jesus then Satan does not have control over his mind.  Jesus promises to deliver us from the kingdom of Satan and enter into Jesus kingdom.  We pray thy kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.  We enter into his kingdom on Earth where we let Jesus be in control of our life.   He promises to care for us and deliver us in our time of trouble.
In heaven there is peace, joy, love, harmony, and beauty.  We can have this on earth as well.  Everyone wants peace on earth.  A place where there is no more war.  We can have this by trusting in Jesus.
He said to his disciples
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:26, 27 NIV)
So do not let anyone deceive you and tell you anything that is not the truth.  Do not believe the lies of the devil that there is no God.  Do not let him steal your identity as a child of God.  Do not let him separate you from family and friends.  Do not get on the train that will bring you to death.  Jesus in John 10 v 10 says ” I came to give you life and abundant life.  The devil comes to rob, steal and destroy.”
Don’t get on the Train.

How my Plans were Directed by the Inspiration of a Hymn

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The day before I was due to travel to Jerusalem, I awoke singing the hymn, “Nearer my God to Thee.”  I had not been singing this hymn or heard it for a very long time.   I only knew a few verses.  I sang them over and over before I got out of bed.

I looked up the internet to find out all the words.  The hymn was written by Sarah Adams in the Nineteenth century and inspired by Genesis 28 v 11 to 19

 “So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it…”  

Here are the words.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me;

Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus: Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Though like a wanderer, the sun gone down.  

Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

There let the way appear steps unto heav’n;

All that Thou sendest me in mercy giv’n;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

Then with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

Or if on joyful wing, cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upwards I fly,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Chorus

I Iistened to the hymn being sung on u tube.  I was enjoying this early morning praise, when I was rudely interrupted by the door bell.  My neighbour came to tell me our car was just stolen from the car park, in broad daylight. I let my husband deal with it.  

Police were contacted.  The thief had entered our home through the back door, stole the keys from the kitchen and started the car.  All this happened while I was upstairs listening to the hymn!  I thought to myself, “Something good is going to come out of this.”

Next day we left for Israel.  We were meeting friends there.  They wanted to see the historical sites in the old City of Jerusalem.

One morning Brendan was reading from a book about Jacob having a dream in Bethel.  I said “I want to go to Bethel.”

That morning I had been reading in the bible from Exodus 20 v 24

“Build altars in the places where I remind you who I am, and I will come and bless you there.” Jacob had built an altar to God at Bethel after he had the dream.  

So I said “I think we should go there.”  A  week later we all agreed to go to Bethel.  We hired a Taxi.  We drove thirty kilometres north.  We came to the city of Ramallah.  Bethel was three miles from there.  Our driver took us to the site when Jacob had his dream.

It was wonderful to look out over the land of Israel from the spot where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived so long ago.  

The house with the domed roof is the site of Jacob’s dream.

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“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants. ” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. (Genesis 12:7, 8 NLT)

Photo taken from inside the domed building.

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We went down to the site where it is said to be the place where Jacob had his dream.  That was a special moment for us all.  I believe we were blessed by God there, just as I read from the bible a week earlier.  Many are the plans of a man but God directs his path.  I believe we were directed by God to go to Bethel.  Three things happened to lead us,  Bethel mentioned in the Hymn, Brendan reading about it in his book and my reading from the bible.  Let everything be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  

We return home tomorrow.  We will look for a new car!

 

 

 

 

 

Special Ingredient in My Kitchen

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With my big family I learned to shop for vegetables, meat and other ingredients that would be nourishing and filling.  Brendan and I took turns at making our own bread.
 
When I was away, perhaps in hospital having a new baby, my husband would make a meal.  He named it “Tuna de Beano.”  The main ingredients were tuna and beans.  But Brendan told the children how wonderful this meal he was making was going to be, that they got so excited they ate every last drop.  Brendan’s favourite ingredient was excitement.
 
When the children were young I would make a stew with one pound of minced meat.  When the children were older, with six growing boys, I still made a stew with one pound of mince meat!  The food seemed to multiply in the pot!  I would add herbs from my garden, bay leaf, parsley, celery, rosemary and sage.  Whatever vegetables that were at hand were cubed, sometimes turnip, carrots or parsnips.  Stock cubs are important to give flavour.
 
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I would leave the stew to simmer in a big saucepan on the log burning stove in my kitchen.
 
My children loved my stews.  They looked forward to what I had at lunchtime when they took a break from school.  We were blessed with the Grammar school being near our home.  No expensive school meals for my children.  
 
I had a dream one night.  In it I was making a stew as usual.  But there were white strands through out it.  A voice said to me “Those are strands of love you have put in the stew for your family.”
 
So my Special Ingredient in my kitchen is Love.