Tag Archives: Inspiration

A Stone at a Time, or How Not to Plow a Field

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My favorite castle in Ireland, Ballycarbery, was built one stone at a time. They did the work. Photo: Ed Lyons, 2009

Worries. Anxiety. Circular thoughts that go nowhere. When these things hit me, I head outside to the garden. Pick the beans, discard the bad leaves, plant fall spinach, kale and carrot seeds. Water. Just doing the work in God’s good earth quiets my mind every time.

As I dig my hands into the dirt, I am thinking of some of my favorite quotes about work.

“You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” – Irish proverb

“Castles were built a stone at a time.” – Irish proverb

“Pick the potatoes yourself, Joseph; you ambitious boy.” – Far and Away, film 1992, directed by Ron Howard

So now, instead of snapping and freezing the green beans, which I was going to do, I am writing this. But that’s ok. Work is work, no matter what kind of work it is. It keeps the hands busy, the mind active on positive things.

Which reminds me of another good quote I heard a lot growing up: “Idle hands are the Devil’s playthings.”

The Enemy likes nothing better than for me to be idle, to be aimless, to worry, to fret. It breeds fear and anxiety. It is not good.

So now I will snap the beans. I am grateful. I am feeling productive. God will take care of the rest.

Love to you, Lisa

The Real Me

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Shadow me, Outer Banks NC

How many of you can relate?

Scene 1: Early Morning. Lisa arises, feels new, refreshed, ready to tackle the day. She blogs about rising above the storm clouds, about dealing well with the “it is” in her life. Feeling good.

Scene 2: Late afternoon. Lisa is half crying and half mad. Things have gone from bad to worse with little and big irritations, changes, stresses, people being people. Husband laughingly, lovingly, asks where the “it is” girl has gone. She feels a headache beginning.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

We are human. Life happens. People keep on being people, and none of us are perfect for sure.

Is the real me the one who blogs in the morning? Or the frustrated headachy one in the afternoon? The real me is both of these creatures. God has created us with a myriad of colorful, wonderful and sometimes exhausting emotions.

Verses like the one above bring me great joy and peace. He knows me. He loves me. He gives me new compassion every morning. He will remain faithful to me no matter what.

Thank goodness.

Love, Lisa

It Is

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There are many ways to get where you’re going…..down the road or through the hedge.

One of the best things about blogging is getting the chance to put the things that are flying around in your mind into a concrete form. Writing something makes it seem more lasting.

As someone who deals with a permanently dodgy ankle, there are times when I am confronted with things I have trouble doing. I have found that focusing on the things I can do, rather than what I can’t do, is an infinitely better way to live. But sometimes circumstances or needs come up and force my attention onto the can’ts.

My sister said a very wise thing to me as she saw my struggle and guilt over my can’ts. She said, “It’s an it is. You can’t worry over something you cannot change.”

Read that again: “It’s an it is.“

Instead of ruminating endlessly of how to change my ankle and its oddities, I have been accepting it better since she said this. My completely fused ankle is a fact. Unable to be changed. Not my fault. I have been looking for accommodations, for other solutions, for ways around the problems. And not beating myself up with guilt for things I cannot change.

Yes, I realize that this is a variation of “It is what it is.” But for some reason, just hearing the words in a different way helped me to accept it.

So, little sister, thank you. This has helped more than you know.

Also, note to self…..you never know how little things you say to people can make a difference in encouraging them along their journeys. Keep encouraging, keep loving.

It is…..well with my soul.

Love, Lisa

Rise Above the Clouds

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Take a close look at this photograph taken at Silver Strand beach in Ireland. Let your gaze focus upward. The yellow flowers growing in stone, the sheep grazing above the dangerous precipice?

There are challenging situations all around the flowers and the sheep, but they have moved past them, above them, through them.

Think of an airplane approaching an angry storm, dark lightning-filled clouds. If at all possible, the plane gains altitude and flies above the clouds. It sets its path beyond or around the storm and does not fly through it.

In my life, there are many scary precipices, stony rocks, dark storm clouds. But I do not want to focus on that. I do not want to fly through them anymore. I want to rise above the clouds. I want to soar with wings like eagles. I want to fix my eyes on Jesus Christ, my Savior, my peace.

Life races by at a breakneck pace. Days turn into years at an alarming rate. I want to fly, to grow beautiful flowers, to eat delicious food. I want to laugh, to smile, to love with my whole heart, to see new things, to appreciate the old. I want to live with the best attitude that God can give me. I want to enjoy this beautiful God-given life.

Lord, let me rise above the clouds. Love, Lisa