Category Archives: Christianity

Sweet, Beautiful Freedom

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So….I’ve been thinking alot lately about freedom.  What a precious gift from God it is.  Freedom of speech, to be able to state what you believe in, even if it may differ from someone else’s beliefs….freedom to play soccer in Sudan, to just be children while the country continues to war on…Freedom from guilt and sin, to be able to start again and make a new and better life.

Children in a refugee camp in Jaac, South Sudan, playing soccer.

Children praying for freedom from war.

Freedom is…………….you fill in the blank.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves by burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  (Galatians 5:1)

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  (John 8:32,36)

“Oh, sweet, oh, beautiful, oh sweet, oh beautiful freedom…” (Intro to Beautiful Day, U2, U2360 Live)

Contemplating, living, and always trying to love more.    Slainte, Lisa

For more information on these pictures and how to help, please visit www.savethenuba.com and www.persecutionproject.org .

My husband works for this organization, and I can vouch for their accountability and compassion for the Sudanese people.

Not Random Occurrences

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“You do a great injustice to dismiss these blessings from God as random occurrences…don’t discard God’s boundless love as mere coincidence.  His Presence is everywhere for eyes that see and ears that hear.  Keep your journey on the way of the pilgrim.”  – Brother Malachy, a character from the book The Last of the Donkey Pilgrims by Kevin O’Hara

I’m going to try to keep my ears and eyes open today.  God is whispering and sometimes shouting to me how much He loves me and wants to be closer to me.  I want to hear and see Him when He does.  Slainte, Lisa

A New Day

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The sun breaking through the rain clouds off of Doolin’s coast.

O God who created the sun, You are the sun of my soul & I adore Your brightness.

I love You, O Everlasting Light.  May I see You in the bright light of Your glory.

-Irish blessing

Some mornings you wake up, and you’re not really awake.  But other mornings, you wake up and begin to realize how amazing the gift of life is.  To be alive, to have a purpose, to breathe deeply of God’s good air, to see the sunshine or the clouds and be glad that you’re seeing them.  Take a moment…breathe deeply….thank God for whatever blessings are around you right now.  Be blessed.  Slainte, Lisa

Lost & Found

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Yesterday, my daughter lost her first baby tooth, after much wiggling, fretting, excitement, and general carrying-on.  The whole household rejoiced with our last “baby” as she seems to be growing up very quickly all of a sudden.  Happy for her, but there is a bittersweet feeling as a parent as you watch that little one bloom into the young lady that God has planned for her to be.  Here is a very poorly lit picture of the momentous moment and the tooth gap.  (Why is it you can never find the camera at these moments?  Thank goodness for computer cams)

She is now fixated on the new “big girl” tooth that will be coming in; checking the mirror, asking me if I see it yet.  She has lost a tooth, but she will find a new one.  What is lost is found.  I was lost, but now I’m found.  Thank you, Jesus, for finding me when I was lost, and giving me new life.  Thank you also for the gift of watching old things become new, everyday, all around me.  Old teeth fall out, new ones come in.  Old caterpillars burst forth into new beautiful flying butterflies.  I feel joyful this morning watching Amy’s excitement, and I am so thankful for that.

Slainte, Lisa

 

The Impulse to Soar, Part Two

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This is a reprint of an older blog about Fungi, the amazing Fungi dolphin.  I saw a beautiful video of him today that I had to share with you.  He has lived 30 years in Dingle Bay now, and he’s so friendly.  Please take the time to watch…he will make you wonder all over again at the marvel of God’s creations.  Slainte, Lisa

“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” -Helen Keller

Fungi, the Dingle dolphin, feel the impulse to soar, and he does so magnificently.

I have days when I just go through the motions: get up, make breakfast, walk the dog, etc.  I don’t see the small beautiful things that God is putting all around me to show me that He’s there, that He cares, that He loves me.  But some days, I wake up and I still do all those things, but by the grace of God, He somehow awakens me to those small wonders.  I feel the impulse to soar.  I have that sense that God is right there beside me and that He will help me to be more like Him, little by little.  We are made in the image of God, and a little of His awesome creativity has been put into each of us.

As I have gotten older, I am slowly learning not to really trust my ups and downs of emotions (this is extremely hard for me).  But still, it is an amazing feeling when I do feel and sense God’s reality, that there is more to life than what I see right in front of me.  And that reality is that if I love and trust Him, I will soar and fly and have strength for the road ahead.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

Slainte, Lisa