Category Archives: Family

A Strong yet Tender Heart

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“Break my heart for what breaks His…”  – Wes Stafford, President of Compassion Intl.

It’s been almost a week now since Hurricane Sandy tore through the Northeast.  Almost seven days of nonstop news coverage, showing unimagineable destruction, loss and heartbreak.  But now the presidential election is upon us, and the news is shifting more and more away from the northeast and onto the latest and greatest big news story.  Due to many factors, not the least of these shortening attention spans, uncomfortableness with focusing on others’ suffering, and the need for the ever-important TV ratings, the news stations move on.  And we forget.  Because life gets busy, there are things that we need to do in our everyday lives, children, jobs, bills, etc.  But the same people are up there in NY, NJ, over in Sudan, or India, or the Middle East, suffering and struggling and trying to rebuild their lives.

I wish I was the kind of girl that knew how to fix things, or move big trees, or give medical treatments.  But I’m not.  So it’s so easy for me to tune out, to focus on what’s right in front of me, to think there’s nothing I can do.  But I can pray, and pray more, and try not to forget people who are suffering.  And I can give a little money to help.  We’re not rich by any means, but compared to so many in the world, we are.  So I’m going to look right now for a good reputable charity that is working in the Northeast and give some money, even if it’s just a little bit.  Because it’s at least doing something, and I know that someday I would be thankful if the same thing happened here in my hometown.  And I pray that God will continue to keep my heart soft, because life is hard and it’s so easy to get hardened along with it.  But I don’t want to forget.    Blessings, Lisa

Boom in the Night

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On Monday night, Hurricane Sandy blew through our part of Virginia.  The rain was substantial, but the wind….let’s just say that I didn’t like it, at all.  (which is a grown up way of saying that I got scared 🙂  )  About 8 PM, I was laying in bed with my youngest, singing her lullabies, when we saw a huge flash of light, and heard a big “boom!”  Then downstairs, I heard my husband say “What was that?” and my other daughter said, “There’s a fire in the backyard!”  Needless to say, Amy & I got up in a flash and ran to the back window, where we saw the electrical pole/transformer that’s in our back yard sparking, then starting a pole fire.  Sparks were flying onto our outbuilding’s roof and into the woods.  I called 911, and was reporting it, when all of a sudden….”BOOM!” again, huge white/green flash explosion, scary electrical surge sound in the house.  Then finally, a final and even bigger explosion which made the whole house shake and feel like it was on fire.  The phone line and electricity in the house was gone suddenly, and we were all quickly making our way downstairs, in the dark, making sure we had everybody and our dog.  All I could think of was to get out of there.  Thankfully, my cool-headed husband realized that the house wasn’t actually on fire, and when he looked outside, he saw that the fire was completely out in the backyard.  (Thank You, Lord!)  So we stayed, and prayed, and then prayed some more.  And then the wind stopped around 3 AM, and I have never been so happy to hear the quiet return.

Here are some pictures of our awesome Rappahannock Electric guys rebuilding our pole the next morning….

The wind and tree broken transformer pole

The live wires that fell into our yard

REC workers to the rescue

So long story short, I am thankful, for life, for the fire going out, for utility and rescue workers, mostly for the mercy of God.  For any of you who went through worse experiences further north, I am continuing to lift you up in my prayers, for strength through these coming rebuilding days.  Blessings, Lisa

Prayers

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This morning, as I am reading all the forecasts and projections for Hurricane Sandy’s landfall, I am also praying.  Not a big fancy prayer, but simple, short sentences that fill my mind as I read.  “Help them, God.”  “Please give everyone safety.”  Here in Virginia we’re looking at lots of rain and some wind gusts tonight into tomorrow.  But wherever you are right now, be thankful that you are safe and reading this, and hug those that may be close by, or at least tell them that you appreciate them.  Because anytime that things like this come along, it’s a wake-up call that our God-given life is precious, and that moments are precious, and that it is such a blessing to be here together.  Be safe, and be God’s.  Slainte, Lisa

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.”  (Psalm 107:28-30)

He Who Laughs, Laughs Better Together

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“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”                   – Proverbs 17:22

“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.” – Robert Frost

I have noticed something; I laugh much more, louder, and deeper when I am with other people.  Now you would think that this would be obvious, but the other night my husband was traveling and I decided to watch reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond” to have a good laugh and relax before bed.  After all, upon previous watchings, my hubby and I would laugh almost to the point of crying.  However, I watched this time quietly, almost vegetatively.  I was happy somewhere on the inside, felt amused at times, but there was no laughing out loud, guffaws, etc.  Why was that?  I felt somewhat mad at myself for my lack of outward enjoyment.  (as I always feel so much better after I laugh for awhile 🙂  )

It’s the companionship that was missing.  The other person that’s with you that is also laughing at the same thing, or starts the laughing, and then you can’t help but join in.  The laughter that continues long after the punch line, until you don’t really know why you’re laughing anymore.

So now hubby is back home, happily, and last night we watched a show and laughed and laughed.  And it felt great.   Slainte, Lisa

 

Tag…You’re It

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Yippee!  I’ve been tagged in a Blogathon by Jeff Bickley…which at first alarmed me, as I always disliked PE and tag in general.  🙂  But after reading about it, now I realize that it’s a fun way to encourage other bloggers and let all you out there in blogland know a little more about me.  (Just what you were waiting for, right?  whahaha)  And thank you, Jeff, for the kind words about this blog.  It encouraged me greatly! 

Here are the rules passed on to me by Jeff:

The rules (which are not obligatory, by any stretch of the imagination…in other words, please don’t feel obligated to do this if you have been tagged here) are as follows:
1. Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.
2. They must also answer the 11 questions the “tagger” has set for them.
3. They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they have decided to tag.
4. They must then choose 11 bloggers and tag them in their post.
5. These “lucky” bloggers must then be told.
6. No tag backs.

One of the purposes for this is, of course, to spread the word about some of our favorite blogs in hopes that some who read our blogs will venture out and read some that we enjoy.

Ready, set, go…..

11 Things About Myself:

1.  I love love.  Love makes me feel good on the inside, and seems to make everything else go better.  Love with my husband, and my three children, with Jesus, with my dog, with my family, with God’s beautiful big outside.  I don’t always love like I should, but it’s always my goal.

2.  I love Ireland, but I live in America.   I am thankful for my home, but the yearning, dreaming part of me always drifts over to the green hills, rocks, history, wistfulness, and sheer beauty of Ireland.  So I write this blog, and save my pennies for our trips across the pond.

3.  My husband and I have been together since 9th grade.  He’s my best friend, and I know him better than anyone else.  The two of us together lets me breathe, deeply.  Total acceptance and love.

4.  My children are very far apart in age, so it’s like we have three only children.  18, 13, and 6.  Wow….and all with extremely different and cool personalities.

5.  I love music.  Especially Irish music (both traditional and modern).  I’ve played piano since I was 8, but have continued to try to learn new instruments along the way, like the guitar, hammered dulcimer, and tinwhistle.  When I’m playing and singing is when I feel the closest to God, and I am so thankful for it.

6.  I love to write, and I have several manuscripts laying around the house, waiting for me to get motivated to send them out for round two to publishers or agents.

7.  Jesus saved me, and He is everything to me.  I feel that I can talk to Him anytime about anything, and He will never leave me.  He will be waiting for me after this life is over, to take me on a wonderful adventure with Him to a life that will never end.  I will never be sad or scared again.

8.  I have a crazy, wild, wonderful desire to fly.  Starting at age 3, I have tried jumping off doghouses repeatedly, running and flapping my wings, etc.  As an adult, I look forward to every plane flight I am on with childlike giddiness.  I love watching the plane’s flaps on takeoff and landings.  I hope to one day take flying lessons.  And as I discussed in #7, I hope to fly one day in Heaven with Jesus.  🙂

9.  I am whimsical and desire to be nonpractical, as this is more fun.  But there is also a practical side of me that comes out at convenient moments to keep me somewhat grounded.

10.  I love reading other people’s blogs, as it has helped me to realize how similar people are, and that even our differences are so interesting.  We’re all just rolling through the adventure of life, and looking for the Answer.  Trying to do the best we can day by day.  Wondering why we always are seeking for more than what we have, even though we don’t necessarily need it.

11.  I enjoy looking for new things, or seeing old things in a new way.  I love traveling to new places and seeing new faces and hearing new music.  It makes coming home to the familiar so much better.

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I will now attempt to answer the 11 questions that Jeff set for me: (as I am very afraid of the flying monkeys…read his blog at www.bickleyhouse.com to find out more on this subject)

1. What inspired you to begin blogging?  I needed to begin changing the way that I was looking at my day-to-day.  Blogging really helps me frame what I’m going through in life in a more positive way. 
2. What one thing do you wish you could change about the world?  I wish that everyone could glimpse just for a second how much God really loved them. 
3. How would you spend your last day on earth? I would spend it with the people I love, out in the ocean on a perfect wave day. 
4. What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?  My husband waiting in the church on our wedding day as I walked down the aisle. 
5. What is the thing that you admire most in people? Being kind.
6. What is the purpose of your blog?  To encourage people, to try to bring joy. 
7. What do you like about you?  I like that I like to think and create.
8. What genre do you most like to read?  I love historical fiction and travelogues.  It’s like time travel in a book.  I love most books set in Ireland as you can imagine.
9. Who is your favorite author?  Way too many to name one…Maeve Binchy, Patrick Taylor, Eugenia Price, Kevin O’Hara, Rosemunde Pilcher.
10. What is your favorite book?  The Bible, but also The Little Princess. (the children’s book)
11. A genie has just popped out of a lamp that you rubbed. He has granted you three wishes. What do you wish for?  Oh, the genie in the lamp question…hard one!  Ok, here’s my 3, and I won’t ask for unlimited wishes!  1.  That my family will continue to have good health, and that they will love God with all their hearts.  2.  That I will be content and at peace in my circumstances.  3.  That Love, God’s Love will abound.

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Drumroll please………here are the 11 bloggers who I am tagging as having extraordinarily good blogs that I really enjoy:

1.  www.hovercraftdoggy.com is an amazing blog with creative and inspiring pictures everyday to fire up your imagination and help you to see the same old things in a totally new way.

2.  www.thisgalsjourney.wordpress.com is a blog written by a real person with real issues.  She seems to be a loving person from her blog, and always inspires me with the honesty in which she writes as she travels down the wife & motherhood road.

3.  www.songoftheisles.wordpress.com is a celtic music blog featuring videos of great Irish/Scottish/etc. tunes.  I visit here whenever I need some fresh inspiration for my music.

4.  www.smackedpentax.wordpress.com has some of the most beautiful photographs of England I have ever seen.  And lots of wisdom and insight to go along with them.  Check it out!

5.  www.irelandandback.wordpress.com is a blog from a former Texan who now lives in Ireland with her husband.  Great insight into what life in Ireland is really like as well as beautiful photography.

6.  www.thresholdofheaven.com is a heartwrenching, inspiring, and amazing blog.  Peter started this blog after the loss of his son Jesse, to childhood cancer, and his journey through this time will bring a tear to your eye, and yet still fill you with hope of the life to come.

7.  www.phoebeholmes.com is a blog that comes from the heart, written by a wife & mother.  She shares her heartaches and struggles along with encouragement and triumphs.

8.  www.thenewfarmerette.ie is a great blog covering life on an Irish farm.  Easy to read with wonderful photographs.

9.  www.everywhereonce.com is a blog about the adventures of Brian & Shannon, who have given up their “normal” lives and their stuff, and are traveling the world.  Amazing travel stories and photos to accompany.

(Yes, I realize this is only 9….Jeff, please don’t send the monkeys!!! 🙂 )

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And finally, my 11 questions for my tagged bloggers:

1.  If you could change one thing for only one day, what would it be?

2.  What do you love about your life?

3.  What part of blogging is your favorite?

4.  What do you do for inspiration when you feel blocked?

5.  When do you feel the most loved?

6.  What is your favorite season?

7.  What musical artist/group inspires you the most?

8.  If you had to be an animal, what kind would you be and why?

9.  If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

10.  Do you feel that blogging helps others?

11.  If you could blink your eyes and travel to any place in the world right now, where would it be?

Ok, bloggers, have fun with your answers!  Slainte, Lisa