Tag Archives: Ireland

Restoration of My Purse that was Lost

Posted in Canada, Holiday, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature, Prayer, Travel by

I went to the Niagara Falls in the Fall.

Often when I am having a good time or planning something that will benefit others something happens to rob my joy.  I had a fantastic day out with some of my family at the Niagara Falls in Canada.

I don’t use words like fantastic but this time, the day out merited it.  I am amazed at he beauty and magnificence of the river and waterfall.  The water cascades over the Canadian Falls into swirling pools below.  A cloud of mist rises up high from the crash and mingling waters.

imageAcross from our viewing position the American Falls tumble over the cliff face. A double portion of waterfalls.  The beautiful scene was accompanied by the music of the rushing waters.  I wanted to linger all afternoon.
We drove through the countryside to Niagara on the Lake.  The autumn leaves were is full glory with yellows, reds, and browns.  We passed neat rows of vines in the vineyards made famous in this area by Canadian Iced Wine.  We lunched, shopped and strolled in this tourist town.
We had to get back before six as our host gave Mary and I two tickets to a play in Toronto.
Back home safely and happy.  In the rush of the quick turn around I discovered my purse missing.I didn’t worry or get stressed having lost my money  and bank cards.  We prayed for the purse to be returned.  I bound Satan in Jesus name from robbing my purse and any attempt to rob our joy after a good day out.  I had my passport so I could get home.
Mary and I headed off on the train to Toronto for the evening.  David rang around to see if the purse had turned up.  A great day out.
I am back in Ireland.  David checked with contacts he made on the evening I lost my purse.  The purse was handed in to the town hall and can be picked up by David.  He called me Wednesday to tell me the good news.   Not only had I a great day out but I got back my purse.  Nothing missing, nothing stolen.

God answers prayer for a purse.

Preparing For Darker Days

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, My thoughts by

On Sunday night the fourth of October, there were gales and heavy rain in my part of the world, Northern Ireland.  As we travelled home late at night, leaves were falling against the windscreen like a snow storm.  Next morning electricity was out and branches of trees, twigs and leaves littered the roadsides.  I thought winter had arrived suddenly.
Swallows have left and farmers have their crops harvested.  I was not ready for the season change.
There had been warm sunny days during September so I was unprepared for colder, windier and wetter days.  The forecast told me the weather would remain unsettled.  I felt like the animals that hibernate, I wanted to scurry for cover.
I remembered a dream I had many years ago.  I saw a stack of logs and a stack of coal beside my house.  I would have provision for cold days. This dream encouraged me to believe Proverbs 30 for myself and not fear the cold weather.

She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭21, 25‬ NLT)

Thankfully one of my sons was visiting. Patrick is home all the way from Australia. One of my children turns up when I have a need.  I needed his help.   He made a shelter near my back door to store logs.  He secured the covering on my shed so rain would not seep in.  He cleared the guttering of any buildup of leaves.  We emptied pot plants of fading summer plants.  We moved potted trees and shrubs to a sheltered part of the garden away from scorching salty winds.  Brendan secured a store of oil and coal. Thank God for my husband and son. I feel more prepared for the season ahead now.
This week has been a glorious week.  The forecasters were wrong.  We had sunny days to finish the work outside.  At night the full moon shone overhead.  Amazingly we had a glimpse of a red moon as it rose in the sky on Friday night.
Another sign as the Word of God tells us
I will show wonders in the heavens. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭30-31‬ NIV)
God is speaking through his Creation.
This Sunday night I am enjoying the glow and heat from my log fire in the hearth.  I will enjoy the rest and warmth indoors through the dark nights ahead.
Are you prepared for darker days?  The weather and news headlines forecast storms ahead.  The media instill fear for the future.  Do not be afraid.  Look up at the sun, moon and stars.  Look up to the One who created them and have faith in God. Call upon his name and you will be safe.  You will find shelter under his wings.

Enjoying the Waves on the Irish Shoreline

Posted in Dreams, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

I went down to the sea this week. There is a full moon in the sky. The tide is higher than normal. The sea is covering the beach where we usually walk.

The Irish people who have settled in other parts of the world always dream of coming back home. We have had visitors who just love the simplicity of our land. I hope you enjoy this scene and taste the seaweed and the salt on your lips.

I have often dreamt of walking along the sea shore on my own away from everyone and the hustle and bustle of life.  I now am able to enter into my dream.

image

The picture reminds me of this verse,
Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬ NIV)

Http:// daily post. wordpress.com/dp-photo-challenge/dreamy/

 

Healing Autumn Leaves

Posted in Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

The leaves in this picture glow like a fire! This plant gives a great display in the autumn. It never fails.

image

I discovered this tree growing beside a little stream that flowed under the bridge. The photograph was taken between Banbridge and Rathfriland in Co Down. You can see the wall of the bridge behind. The tree was flourishing in the shade of the wall and in a sunny aspect with it’s roots bathed in damp soil from the stream.
Jeremiah 17 v 8 says “Blessed are those who trust in The Lord. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.

This picture reminds me of Revelation 22.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)

As I grow beside the river of the Holy Spirit, soaking up the life from Him, I produce fruit and leaves of healing that I want to share with others.

Again in Colossians I read

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness for all he has done. (‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭6-7‬ NLT). The tree above is a picture of faith.

The stream beside the tree can represent The Word of God. As I read it, I grow and I get nourishment. My faith will grow. My fruit and leaves will bring comfort and healing. Get deep into God’s word and others will come and see you burn with fire and they will get touched by the heat.

This Sunflower Brightened my Day

Posted in Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

This sunflower caught my eye last week as I was out and about.

image

 

Would you believe this is from someone’s garden in Northern Ireland?

The head of the flower lifts it’s head to the sun to receive power to grow and flourish. We can be like that if we lift our eyes to Jesus. He is the Sun of Righteousness who rises with healing in his wings. Malachi 4. He looks down on us with eyes of compassion and lights up our life and gives us power to live.
As I look on the bright face it causes me to smile.
The yellow petals hold the sunshine as the season changes.
It captures the sun for wet, windy, dark days that are ahead.
This picture encourages me to hold sunshine in my heart to shine some brightness into others’ lives in the coming days.  I hope I can make someone smile.

The Fields are White Unto Harvest

Posted in My thoughts by

I grew up on a small farm in Co Down, Ireland.
My dad raised ten children from farming the land.
He kept a herd of Freisians cows.
That meant milking the cows twice a day.
No lying in bed when one felt like it.
Mum reared chickens and sold the eggs to a local grocery store.
I used to carry buckets of grain and water across a field to feed the chickens, and then collect the eggs.
Dad grew crops of potatoes for the family’s use and oats and barley to supplement the feed for the animals.
We children always helped out when we could.
When the oats crop was ripe and cut, we would help dad gather up the stalks and bind them into sheaves.  The sheaves were then collected and built into a stack.  At the top of the stack an empty food sack was tied on to keep the seeds and stalks dry until threshing day.

 

image

 
Here is a photograph I took recently of such stacks.  There are eight stacks, the number of daughters my father had. The scene prompted me to write this post.
This farmer keeps the tradition of threshing going to show the next generation how the oats were harvested.

Threshing day for dad would come around.   Farmers in the neighbourhood came to help with the work.
A Threshing machine was used to separate the seeds from the straw, and bind the straw into bales to be stored for cattle bedding.
It was an exciting and joyful day for our family.  We helped our mum prepare a big pot of stew and home made soda bread to feed all the men who came to help.  The boys helped the men while us girls played around in the sunshine.  It was a golden scene with the sun gleaming off the straw.
In Ireland in the past this harvest event would have been a time for match making.
A marriage could be arranged between a suitable young man at the threshing and a daughter of the household.
The single men who attended dad’s harvest may have had designs on us daughters, but we thought they were far too old for us.

We found our husbands in farther away fields in other counties.
Today some of our children have found husbands and wives from the nations.
We got news yesterday of the birth of our Canadian grandchild!  This is my harvest!

A very long way from the Threshing field in Dunmore.
Life in the past was more leisurely and people depended on each other to help with the harvest.
It did not matter if you were a Protestant or a Catholic when it came to helping your neighbour.
We  could not hate our neighbours.
Sadly the community atmosphere has disappeared.
Small farmers have to supplement their income with another job.
Big families are rare.
The combine harvester sweeps up the harvest .
No more cups of tea and soda bread with melted butter running down the sides in the harvest field.
No more talking and sharing stories or finding out who had got married or had a baby.

Jesus was familiar with harvest time in the Land of Israel.  He would have seen the farmers gather in the grapes, olives and wheat.  He mentioned stories relating to the harvest, olives being pressed to make olive oil, grapes being crushed to make wine and grain being crushed into flour to make bread.

We remember His death through the breaking of bread and drinking wine, the fruit of the vine.

He spoke of a different kind of harvest, the harvest of souls to bring to heaven.  He is looking for workers in His Harvest.  Let us bring joy to Jesus.

 
Nowadays we find out the news from friends via Facebook.
The harvest field is now the nations.
Welcome to my field.
Thank you for listening to my story.

The God who made the Stars is a Nurse!

Posted in Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

There has been a full moon and a clear sky these past few nights in Bright where I live in Ireland.
I look up at the stars and I am amazed that God called each one by name.

He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
Job 9 v 9

King David looked up at the stars as well and wrote

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3-4‬ NLT)

God cares for the individual.  Even though he is Mighty he reaches down to our level to touch us.

In another Psalm it is written

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!”
Psalm 147

Why is healing mentioned alongside the stars?

The God, who made the stars for everyone to see everywhere on the earth, is the one who heals the broken hearted and binds up our wounds.  

When anyone anywhere looks up at the sky and sees the stars he can be encouraged that the God who made them, will heal his diseases and heal his broken heart and care for him.

I was reading in God’s word that God cares for us like a gentle flowing stream.
“My care for the people of Judah is like the gently flowing waters of Shiloah.”
Isaiah 8 v 8

When I was in hospital waiting to through a long operation I read this word from the Bible.

The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. (‭Psalms‬ ‭41‬:‭3‬ NLT)

I took great comfort from this word and as a result I went into the operation without fear. God brought me through the operation safely and I was restored to full health.

Everyone wants to be in good health. You can have good health by trusting in Jesus. He will restore you to health when you are sick.

What a mighty God yet he will nurse us back to health.

Packed Up and Back to University

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Travel by

My two children left this morning to catch the boat to Scotland.
Aaron was the first of our children to go to university in Scotland.
Brendan and I had a friend who lived in Dundeimagee.
We had visited him a couple of times so I think we suggested Aaron apply to university there.
I was busy at home with other children so Brendan and I sent Aaron off with our blessing.
He headed off with one piece of luggage, a rucksack.
He travelled by bus to the Larne ferry to Stranraer and made his way on up to Dundee.
I don’t think he had much money in his pocket to tide him over till his grant came in.
He left the security of home to make a way in the world.

I was reading today from the scripture in Psalm 15

“You show me the path of life,
The fullness of joy in your presence,
At your right hand is happiness for ever.”

Sixteen years on God has been faithful to show Aaron the path of life.
He has made his home in Slovakia with his wife and three children.
In the sixteen years since eight children have travelled across the water to university.
My husband and I have travelled with them to see them settled into their accomodation.
Two of my children Angela and Abraham set off early this morning to catch the ferry to Scotland.
They start back to university next week in their second and third years respectfully.
My son John is leaving them to the boat in the van.
No hauling heavy luggage onto a bus.
They were wondering how were they going to get all their luggage onto the bus or train at the other side.
I read them an article from the Sunday Times written by Roland White.
I quote,

It is fair to say I did not travel light.  There was a trunk, two suitcases, a rucksack, a sleeping bag and books.  I vividly recall the two mile track from the train station to my digs. First I carried the trunk 40 yards.  Then I came back for the cases. And the rucksack. Then I carried the trunk again.  And so on.  I arrived at my digs in late afternoon, sweating heavily.  There was nobody in.

They did not complain any more.
I just got a text to say they are on the boat, setting out on the next stage of the path of life.
I am not sad because my help comes from The Lord who shows me the Path of Life and I have faith that God will guide my children as well.

Quote from The Sunday Times, News Review,  Roland White

Back to Life after Long Flight Home

Posted in Canada, Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Travel by

I have been speaking in Slovakia about how God cured me of cancer.

It is always good to get back to home territory,  and hear local accents on the flight, the last leg of our journey into Belfast.

Each country we visit has its different lifestyles, climate and culture. In India one has to adjust to the hot temperatures and it is often difficult to sleep at night. All meals are cooked with some kind of curry.

In Slovakia a lot of the diet consists of fruit and vegetables. A good place to go if one wants to loose weight.  Olive oil and butter are not needed. So one can cut down on calories.

In Canada one can put on weight because of the abundance and variety of food. The one thing both of us look forward to when we return to Ireland is a Fish Supper. We go into Belfast and stop off at our favourite fish and chip shop. We don’t worry about the calories.  We just love the taste of freshly caught cod and crispy chips. Suitably refreshed we know we can have along sleep when we get home.

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/back-to-life/

From the Top of the Sand Dune I watch the Seals.

Posted in Cancer, Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

From the top of the hill near where I live I can see the sea at Rossglass.  There lives the biggest gathering of common seals in Northern Ireland.

image from Islay Natural Trust.

 

image

 

My son and I were out for a cycle on Wednesday morning.
I live two miles from the local Rossglass beach.  It suits me fine to go for a cycle locally as the roads do not have steep inclines.  The journey takes in some fabulous scenery and coastline along the way.
As I cycle along the road there is a stillness in the air.  I can hear the bees buzzing in the honeysuckle that is bursting out of the hedgerows.
My son is keen to advise which gears to use to tackle the hill ahead.
But I am enjoying what my eyes and ears are sensing.  I am not in a hurry.  I don’t have an appointment to keep.  It is good to be outdoors on a warm summer’s morning in Ireland.
We have rich farmland here.
There are different crops are at different stages of growth.
Some farmers grow Maize for cattle fodder.
Potatoes are growing in one field with rows of purple flowers and lush green leaves.
Another field has rapeseed growing.  It is ripe for harvest.
Another field is sown with barley.  It will turn golden soon.
The fields are ripe for harvest.
All the farmer has to do is plant the seed and it multiplies in the ground producing a good income for the farmer.
He has faith.  He is not fretting every day looking to see how his crop is growing.  He trusts God who causes the seed to grow in the ground.
God has promised seed time and harvest.

 

As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” (‭Genesis‬ ‭8‬:‭22‬ NLT)

 

We can take courage from the farmer and sow good into people’s lives and it will produce a harvest in due course.
God is pleased when we bear fruit.

 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. (‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5, 7-8‬ NLT)

 

We turn down a road that stretches along the Rossglass coast.
I suggested we stop for some refreshment. I had already prepared some coffee.
We parked our bicycles down a path to the beach and rested on top of the sand dune.
This particular coastline is an area where common seals congregate.  It has the largest colony in Northern Ireland.
“Perhaps we can catch a glimpse of some seals today” I said to my son.
This is a safe, quiet part of a large bay stretching from Ardglass to Newcastle.
The seals blend in with the colour of the stones and outcrops along the coast.
There must be plenty of fish in the bay.  Seals are not the friend of fishermen.  They eat too many fish.
The timing of our stopping off could not have been better.
The tide was coming in.  The seals lie on small islands offshore,  safe from anyone disturbing them.
As the tide rises the islands get covered with water.  The seals move to the next piece of dry ground.  There were about twenty heads popping in and out of the sea circling around after being dislodged from the rocks by the incoming tide.  Mother seals frollicked with their pups in the water.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
A mother seal and her pup climbed onto an outcrop of rock not far from us.  Their black glossy bodies rippled up onto the rock to enjoy the warmth of the sun and just laze.  Others mothers and pups soon joined them.
The biggest seal, a male, took the highest point of the rock outcrop.  From the top he could be on the look out for danger, protecting his herd.  I suspect he was the head of the group.  They were of various colours, white specked, grey and black.  They blended in with the colour of the rocks.  I counted thirty seals.
I had a never to be forgotten opportunity to see the seals close up.  Different factors contributed to this moment.  There was a high tide and warm sunshine just happening as we were out this morning.  I could not have planned it better.
I sat for half an hour savouring the experience of this intimate scene.  The seals were oblivious to their visitors.  We were well camouflaged on the bank nearby.  From the top we could observe the wildlife.  It was special moment.
I did not have my camera with me that morning.  I went back the next day trying to capture some seals on camera.
Conditions were different.  The tide and the seals were far away.  As if to say “You will not recapture the moment” a mist quickly rolled in from the sea.  I keep the sightings of the seals in my memory.
Sometimes God displays his Glory just for our eyes.

 

“He leads me beside still waters to restore my soul.”  Psalm 23

 

 

| URL: http://wp.me/p23sd-mEL

 

 

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/from-the-top/