Doing Hard Things Out of Love

Look at these beautiful stone structures at Monasterboice, begun in the late fifth century. There was no heavy duty machinery to help with the hewing and construction in those days, just hard, hard manual labor. These monasteries were built out of love and duty. Love for God who had saved them and sent His Son for them. Duty and purpose drove their construction, as they created monasteries to worship, serve, pray, learn, and teach others.

Lately, there have been many hard things, for all of us. The hard things seem to just keep coming. But we must keep going, keep doing the hard things out of love. To serve the ones we love. To show love to our Father in Heaven. To give purpose, fulfill our duty and produce joy as husbands, wives, mothers, children, friends.

Something beautiful will arise from the hard things

Love, Lisa

When I Am By the Sea

My son, long ago, yet as yesterday, as he sits beside the sea in Ireland.

When I am by the sea, all the noise stops

Save the roar and crash of waves and wind

The Voice of God speaks loudest

When I stay and rest and listen

The rocks, the sand, the waters’ force

Bid me stay forever

I must go, but always know

I’ll be there in my heart

c2021 Lisa Lyons

Certain

“I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God.” ~ Saint Patrick

Round tower and one of many celtic crosses at Clonmacnoise. The River Shannon in the background. Clonmacnoise was a monastery established in 548 AD by St. Ciaran. Photograph – Ed Lyons, 2015.

The Center

The foggy center of Ben Bulben, Co. Sligo, Ireland, 2015

Slowed to a crawl upon the road

Engulfed in fog, vision slowed

The way ahead lies in the center

The yellow line giving path and guidance

The mountain ahead is cloaked in white

Her beauty veiled, and all is quiet

Fixing my eyes upon the center

I see a glimpse of majesty and grandeur

The days ahead are foggy, unclear

But keeping my eyes on the center

On the Beginning, the End, the Everything In Between

On the Lord Jesus Christ, the Center

He will keep me safe; He will reveal the grandeur.

c 2021 Lisa Lyons

Instead

This world likes to scare us. But God has not given us a spirit of fear, but He has given us power, love, and a sound mind. I thought I would find some of my very favorite journey photos my husband and I have taken over the years to try and replace the fear with the good God things this morning. Have fun thinking of your good God things this morning also. Love, Lisa

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is dscn3223.jpg
The Lord Jesus Christ. This Celtic cross is located in Monasterboice, Ireland.
My wonderful husband and family. Blarney Castle, Ireland.

Cliffs by the sea. This was taken in County Antrim, Ireland, near the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge.
Mountains in the mist. Ben Bulben mountains, Co. Sligo, Ireland, on the Gleniff Horseshoe.
God’s creatures, sheep, pets, wooly caterpillars. These wooly sheep were on Valentia Island, Co. Kerry.