Tag Archives: joy

Going In For the Flip

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My weekend was filled with Irish food.  Yummm…not too good for my South Beach diet, but excellent for my enjoyment and comfort!  🙂  We started out the weekend with a suggestion from my 6 year old that we should visit “The Blarney Stone” Pub in Fredericksburg, a relatively new Irish restaurant that we hadn’t tried yet.

Blarney Stone Public House, Fredericksburg, VA

We found a cozy nook in the back, and surrounded by deep green walls and rich wood, we ate fish and chips and shepherd’s pie.  Both wonderful.

A few doors down, we visited “Irish Eyes,” a delightful gift shop run by friendly people.  Cadbury’s lovely Flake bars made their way into our purchases, and were quickly devoured as we remembered all the wonderful soft ice creams with flake bars stuck into the top that we had had in Ireland.

Irish Eyes Gift Shop, Fredericksburg, VA

The weekend concluded with my lovely husband cooking us some boxty, or Irish potato cakes, for supper last evening.  We experimented with add-ins…some with turkey, some with grated cheese.  Yummm….we added some steamed veggies as a side so I wouldn’t feel too terribly guilty about the extravagance of my splurge.

Himself going in for the flip of the boxty.

So, now it’s back to my low-carb ways, but I’m not sorry for the tasteful and comfort-filled weekend I had.  In fact, I may do it again someday, after I’m good for awhile!  🙂

Hungry yet?  Enjoy the food that the Lord has given you today; He is so good to us.   Slainte, Lisa

Dolphins Dancing for Joy

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I just saw this on Irish Central and had to share it.  These dolphins are so happy and full of joy; it will make you smile to watch them.  They were off the coast of Donegal, and the article said it was rare to see this many dolphins in this area.  Watch for the mother/baby swimming around around the 1:00 minute mark, and also the beautiful still shots in the sunset starting around 3:00 minutes.

“So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems..” (Gen. 1:21)     🙂  Slainte, Lisa

Source: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Dance-of-the-dolphins—-50-dolphins-put-on-amazing-display-for-researchers-off-County-Donegal—VIDEO-166867566.html

The “Donkeyman Brays” Email

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Kevin O'Hara Last of the Donkey Pilgrims

Ok…I am officially excited!  I got an email from the “Donkeyman”, Kevin O’Hara, wonderful author of “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims.”  If you haven’t read it, read it!  It’s a story of his journey around the entire ring of Ireland at the end of the 1970’s.  It’s the story of his growth as a person, his relationship with a wonderful donkey named Missy, a glimpse into Irish life at that time, and a wonderful picture of the warmth of the Irish people he encountered along the way.  Yes, I just used the word “wonderful” four times, and that was intentional.  🙂

I wrote him to let him know how much I liked the book, and he wrote back graciously and asked for one of my CD’s. Super cool!   So now I am happy, and wanted to share some of that bubbly over-enthusiasm with all of you.  If you like Ireland, travel stories, donkeys of any kind, and good storytelling, you will love “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims” by Kevin O’Hara.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Donkey-Pilgrims-Kevin-OHara/dp/0765309831#_

Slainte, Lisa

The Impulse to Soar, Part Two

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This is a reprint of an older blog about Fungi, the amazing Fungi dolphin.  I saw a beautiful video of him today that I had to share with you.  He has lived 30 years in Dingle Bay now, and he’s so friendly.  Please take the time to watch…he will make you wonder all over again at the marvel of God’s creations.  Slainte, Lisa

“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” -Helen Keller

Fungi, the Dingle dolphin, feel the impulse to soar, and he does so magnificently.

I have days when I just go through the motions: get up, make breakfast, walk the dog, etc.  I don’t see the small beautiful things that God is putting all around me to show me that He’s there, that He cares, that He loves me.  But some days, I wake up and I still do all those things, but by the grace of God, He somehow awakens me to those small wonders.  I feel the impulse to soar.  I have that sense that God is right there beside me and that He will help me to be more like Him, little by little.  We are made in the image of God, and a little of His awesome creativity has been put into each of us.

As I have gotten older, I am slowly learning not to really trust my ups and downs of emotions (this is extremely hard for me).  But still, it is an amazing feeling when I do feel and sense God’s reality, that there is more to life than what I see right in front of me.  And that reality is that if I love and trust Him, I will soar and fly and have strength for the road ahead.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

Slainte, Lisa