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

Writing Standstill

I am working on a novel. Yes, I said it out loud. A little scary to actually commit it into writing. 🙂

But I have hit a roadblock in the plot. Not sure where the characters are going next and what should happen.

So….I haven’t been writing at all, which makes me feel like I am wasting precious time. We only have so many hours on this earth.

The more I think about it though…..isn’t that how we live life? We move ahead, living our lives, sometimes without a clear plan or path. That is why the Bible is so very precious to me….it gives me direction and a path to follow when I have no clue. And it gives the right direction and path, every time.

I am thinking I just need to start again….begin writing and see where it goes. There are always the cut and delete options. My poor characters have stayed still long enough.

Advice is always welcome from any of you readers who are writers…..how do you move past a standstill in your creative process?

Write well, live well, love well. 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.