“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” – Matthew 28:6
Hope, faith, and love, but the greatest of these is love. You are loved.
Slainte, Lisa
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” – John 11:25-26
Hope for your Good Friday and all your days. Have a wonderful weekend loving those around you. Slainte, Lisa
Facing the wind near Tir na Nog
You don’t have to wait very long in Ireland to feel the wind. Yes, there are calm still days. But the weather in Ireland changes rapidly, and these changes are usually brought about by the wind. My family and I were attempting to walk Rossbeigh beach and reach the fabled land of Tir Na nOg, According to local legend, Oisin and Niamh rode their white horse into the sea to reach the land of eternal youth on this strip of wide beautiful sand. The wind was blowing so fiercely on this particular day that we could not push our car doors open when we arrived. We thought about giving up the adventure and going home to our nice warm cottage, but we were here, and there was the beach. So we pushed again and made it out of the car. Amy, my youngest, held on to my hand tightly as the wind buffeted us. Bundled up in hats and coats, we leaned into the wind and tried to walk. We made it about five or ten minutes, and not very far, when we finally surrendered our quest for Tir Na nOg. Turning around, the wind pushed us VERY quickly back to the car. It was comical, but showed us all the power of the wind.
Wind brings change, wind can be clearing or terrifying, sometimes both. After being in the wind, shelter seems more precious. Wind can propel you quicker or push against you harder, depending on whether you fight it or not. I wrote a song a long time ago about God’s Wind, the wind of His Spirit that carries me, that sustains me.
“Please hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry come to Thee. Do not hide Thy face from me; I need You. I lie awake nights, like a lonely bird in flight waiting for the wind that leads him home.” (“Waiting for the Wind”, c 1996 Lisa Lyons, based on Psalm 102)
Have a blessed day. Slainte, Lisa
The oddities in this picture of the Blarney castle gardens are what makes it interesting. My favorite line in the movie “Far and Away” is when the dad addresses his son seriously, “You have many oddities clattering about in that head of yours.” I always laugh a little more than is called for, because I can totally relate to that statement. I too have many oddities, and what’s worse, I enjoy them! 🙂 I love coming up with new plans and dreams and ventures, which may or may not work out. It makes me feel alive and awake and productive.
I love to people watch and wonder what plans and hopes and dreams each person may have. What oddities each one has; the personality quirks which make each of us so interesting and different. Have fun today chasing your dreams and hopes and plans. Embrace your God-given oddities and run with them.
Slainte, Lisa
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Yesterday I wrote about joy catching. How to cultivate and encourage joyful moments in life. Today I’m thinking about the reality of joy snatchers…the circumstances or people that try to grab and steal that joy as soon as you think you’ve found some. I don’t want to dwell on that too long, because, well, that’s a real downer, and yes, a joy snatcher! 🙂 Instead I want to focus on ways to regain your inner peace and joy after the attack of the snatchers.
1. Read God’s Word. Best medicine and advice and love ever. Period.
2. Sit in the sun for a few moments. Soak in the warmth, close your eyes, and breathe.
3. Call a good friend or loved one.
4. Do something physical. Vacuum the house, run, take a walk, pet your dog.
5. Create something. It doesn’t have to be a new Rachmaninoff or anything, just have fun drawing, coloring, writing, doodling, singing, playing an instrument.
6. Put on your favorite music and dance in the kitchen. Or in the living room. Or outside in the driveway if you’re really daring.
Here’s a great toe-tapping song to help in that regard. Performed by the High Kings, who by the way just performed for the White House St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. They’re awesome and so talented. Check out their website at www.thehighkings.com.
Slainte, Lisa
Think About These Things 