“This is my Father’s world.” I recently heard Holy Spirit whisper to my heart these profound hymn lyrics as I was out and about. As I approached the main square of our city, the sky was extravagant. The Itaya River was up ahead. The beauty of the fading day rested on my senses. Holy Spirit pointed out to me how creation’s loveliness was overwhelmingly greater than the signs of poverty around the city. In spite of the bad things that happen here, this is my Father’s world.
Later, I was sitting in my rocking chair in our back yard, praying. He whispered it again. Gazing up at the soft clouds floating by, I took in His bounty. The green leaves greeted me brightly with their gentle rustling, and I received His generosity. The songbirds regaled me…
It has become blatantly apparent Evidently visible Undoubtedly agreeable That JESUS is the Prince of Peace
When boats were shaking and hearts were desperate Desperate for help Desperate for saving He was right there with them In the very situation were fear and panic existed, there he was with peace There was a Prince There was the Prince of Peace
When he was in a sticky situation with hungry people And the people who walked with him and experienced his power doubted and fretted He was at ease He was peaceful There was the Prince of peace
To think this is someone I have been forfeiting I tried to maneuver around all the ways to find peace like a maze But it has always been one track His way
I didn’t actively forfeit him though but I didn’t choose him either To forfeit the very definition of “peace is not…
Yesterday and today Sue has been experiencing an incredible sensation of hope and of joy. This has come from the revelation that she can never earn her innocence or salvation. To get it right, to live by the rules, all these things are impossible to achieve in their totality. But that is the good news of Jesus – by believing in him, we appropriate His innocence, as the person bringing the spotless lamb in times past did (he would place a hand on the head of the innocent lamb and exchange his sin for the lamb’s purity. The lamb carrying the sin and guilt would then be sacrificed in his place and he would have been given pardon) And Jesus came to restore that lost innocence for all people, for all time. If we believe He carried ALL of our sinfulness to the cross and was sacrificed to bring innocence…
My beloved Nana gave me a pendant with this image on when I was a girl and the Lord’s Prayer inscribed on the other side…
I took the liberty of reflecting on “The Lord’s Prayer” and putting it into a language that refreshes it’s meaning to me. I hope it raises an Amen from you too:
You are our heavenly father, mother, loving creator and source of all life; we are ALL Your children. Your names describe your character – Almighty God, Provider, Holy One, Most High God – You are Holy and more magnificent and more powerful than anything. We want to live as You intend us to live – in a free, beautiful, perfect world, as you created it to be – with You, for You. We can only do this with you. We trust You to give us everything that we need to do this –…
The Sunshine Blogger Award is given by bloggers to bloggers who inspire positivity and creativity while spreading sunshine in the blogging community.
And with that lovely accolade, I want to thank Simone, affectionately known as the wheelchair teen – https://thewheelchairteen.home.blog/ for nominating me. To think I spread sunshine would be such an honour. (And I love sun-flowers!!!)
So, now to follow the rules (I’m not good at following rules, so I have to get a bit nerdy now…)
Rules
Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and link back to their blog.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate up to 11 new blogs to receive the award, write them 11 new questions and notify them about the nomination.
I think I’ve done 1. and 2., so now I’ll do my best to answer your questions, Simone –
What was a defining or significant moment in your blogging experience?
It’s been a bit of a plod-along for me – I’ve been on here for a long time, but I still feel like a beginner. I’m only just beginning to get ‘like’s on my posts… I think adding photographs created more interest, but perhaps I’m just not saying what people need to hear. I guest the defining moment was setting up the word press to first share my poems and my book, but every week that I go to write a new post is significant and has a little skip of glee in it, as I press ‘publish now’.
What’s your favourite place that you’ve ever visited?
I think it has to be the little simple chapel in a remote sand-dune in Llannelli, where I met Jesus, when I was 12 years old… and I went back and met Him again the following year! 😀
Who’s your favourite disabled or neurodiverse character?
My first response was Christopher Reeve, who I fell in love with when I first saw Superman, when I was about 14 years old. I didn’t know what neurodiverse meant so had to look it up, so now my answer has to be – my first born son, who is one of the most transparent, delightful characters I know.
What’s one thing about society that angers you?
One thing? Injustice! (Greed, deceit, abuse of power, discrimination, poverty, violence…)
Do you love or hate poetry (or are you somewhere in the middle)?
That depends who writes it. I write poetry. Sometimes poems come to me – I like my own! 😀 I love some poets and lyricists, because I like the intensity of imagery and the rhythm, but some poets are so complex in their big, obscure words, that they lose me. I will include a poet I like in my nominees.
What was the last thing that made you smile?
Reading that question made me smile! (I smile a lot!)
What’s your favourite quote?
I suppose it’s the only one I can remember – “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins” and I like the addition I saw on a fridge magnet – “because by then you are a mile away from him and you still have his shoes!!!” LOL.
Name one thing that’s always guaranteed to help you relax.
My deep breathing exercises.
What’s your number one tip to new bloggers?
Write for yourself only, and if others like it, that’s a bonus, but don’t write for them, even if you remain Billy-no-mates, or have just select, super-special followers, like me!
If you could choose a best friend to bring to life from any book that you’ve read or film or television series that you’ve watched – who would it be?
My favourite ever film is “The Dark Crystal” and I would love to have one of the mystics as my friend.
What makes your blog special?
That’s difficult! I write because I write and I share it as a blog in the hope that it blesses and resonates with other persons out there… so what makes it special, is people like you, who interact with me and my posts and make them significant to somebody other than me. So, short answer – connection.
Next Task is to nominate up to 11 new bloggers – not sure what ‘new’ means, so I’ll nominate at least one poet I like and some recent additions to my friends on here…
My Nominees – all who “who inspire positivity and creativity while spreading sunshine in the blogging community.”
1. Tina, whose poems are thought provoking and inspired by hope in the Son himself. https://pippispoetry.com/
2. Natasha Nkandu, another poet I have recently discovered – honest and warm, whose heart bends towards the sun. https://sunrisefriday.wordpress.com/
3. Susan, whose raw, honest words cause my heart and prayer to rise and it’s in the dark corners that the light shines brightest. https://simplysusan.blog/
6. Elizabeth, who always surprises me with something fresh and I’m sure she’ll have sunflowers in her garden. https://teandpaper.ca/
7. Matt, because he makes me smile with his generous and encouraging spirit and I always delight to read his very gracefully human blogs. https://jesusluvsall.wordpress.com/
and lastly for today,
8. Ruelha, whose lively, narrative poetry reflects her big, smiley heart and who uses great image quotes that I like to borrow!https://ruelha.com/
There are so many whose blogs I read and who inspire me in different ways, but these I choose today, or I’ll still be doing this at Christmas and the sun-flowers will be long past their best!
Lastly, My questions: –
1. Who or what inspired you to start blogging online?
2. Tell me your favourite Bible story
3. Do you sing or play any musical instruments? What?
4. What person has most inspired you to be creative?
5. What line would you most hope to read on your epitaph?
6. What is your favourite game?
7. If you could have a dinner date with any person who ever lived or lives, who would it be?
8. What favourite dish reminds you of home?
9. What city would you most like to visit? Why?
10. If you could wave a wand to solve just one problem in the world, what would it be?
11. Will you please forgive me for asking so many questions? 🙂
We all live our lives with faith: – We believe that tomorrow we will wake from our sleep That when we open our mouth our voices will speak That turning on the tap, water will flow And planting seed, the crops will grow…
On things electric we now rely We all believe that planes can fly Even though we know not why With science and reason we can try…
We believe in science, justice and reason We hold all these in great esteem Though learned folk of the previous season Thought today’s inventions just a dream.
But faith in God or a Higher Power – There scepticism abounds – We see divisions that we have made And ignore the evidence of life around
The intelligence in the seed and brain Are mysteries we can’t explain And what of longing, valour and love They are not explained by the theories above.
Even in the stumbling of night His stars twinkle mysterious light Sparks of the unknown, infinite And eternal hope.
Daybreak heralds a fresh glory Erasing dreams and strife; The dawn of a new story Illuminating mercy and life.
New days radiate hope for us – Warmth, promise and growth – Visible and glorious, Powerful – but delicate – both.
Our star is not quenched by the rain; The waters don’t labour in vain, But soften the earth, relieving the pain – Causing life to rise from the ashes again.
As they cleanse and germinate seed, That the diligent purposed to grow, A multitude then he can feed – With grateful hope indeed;
And a light through the rain he will show – Is the promise of the rainbow.
My life is so varied and rich
But…
There’s always a but/ a glitch.
Like I’m looking for something I had,
That in itself wasn’t bad,
But it was not what I needed and when I conceded
That in fact it was keeping me sad,
I looked for a new way
A way of recovery…
When I drank I thought drink was my friend –
Daily I brought “work” to an end –
I opened the bottle , turned down my brain
Played music, lit candles
And danced in the rain;
I’d cook and have friends round
Would chatter and play –
Felt duly rewarded, every day.
Thinking and doing seemed to be done
And now I considered it time to have fun.
Having the sense of completing my duty,
Then I allowed me to enjoy all the beauty – The senses, emotions, creative and free…
