Whispers

                                                                       Source: Infinitearethestars

Shards of glass lay scattered across the faded wood floor in the attic room. A large antique, artistically framed mirror leans against a wooden post, most of its glass gone. Pieces of it cling onto the aged frame, reflecting beams of light. These come through the dusty old window, perched crookedly below the slanted ceiling. I calmly observe the light playing through the floating dust.

Then I hear them.

Whispers fill the room.

Subtle sheens of movement in some of the glass catch my attention. Each wave is familiar to me and tells a story. Carefully, I pick up a piece and smile, lingering at its memory, feeling its warmth swell up inside of me as I hear and embrace the story it conveys. 

Music flows from other shards of the mirror. A mixture of happy, reflective, playful and cheerful sounds. Each reveal a story within it, but I realize that the music has created the life which is echoed in its glass. Their messages return full force, bringing forgotten awareness, as real as if it were happening right then.

Another piece displays the innocence and selfishness of youth. With renewed interest and amusement I wistfully observe, relieved at the wisdom that develops with age, but knowing I still have much to learn. 

Many of the pieces lay face down. Curiosity invites me to turn one over, but with immediate horror and disdain I thrust it back onto the cold hard floor! A churning feeling rolls within, sickening me. Hot tears flow. Why? How could I? I back away and leave them there face down - to keep their stories within themselves. I cannot bear them now.

Still another piece brings no emotion at all. It is dead, helpless, hopeless. This piece suffocates as I fight to keep it from enveloping me with its clench. This lack of emotion is the hardest to break from. It feels as if it has dark and emotionless, life-quenching eyes. I forcingly break its hold and lunge back, numb.

I cannot walk away nor change it, and yet I cannot fully embrace it. Still, it is my life and I was too pre-occupied to fully notice or understand the implications of how I have lived it. Overwhelmed, I close my eyes, re-focus and am transported. Warmth embraces me and I soak it up. It is a pure and forgiving love. A sense of reward that I do not deserve, but still it holds me closely, dearly. In this moment, it is my only desire and I want to stay here forever.

But my life is not complete. There is more living to do.

Whispers fill my heart.

Come to Me. Lay your burdens on me and I will give you rest.

I breathe in, and breathe out. There is hope.

Again He whispers – whatever things are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, think on these things. You are loved.

I embrace Him, and again He whispers - I will never leave you. No, never.

Gratefully, tearfully,

I whisper...thank you!

The Landscape

The landscape was comforting and familiar. She looked it over once again, this time with a critical eye, inspecting each bump and spot while lightly running her fingers over the canvas. She cringed as she noticed some unsightly crevices where once it was uniform and flawless. It used to be such an appealing piece. At one time the canvas had been taut and smooth, emanating a gentle warmth and clarity of style. The colors had been strong and fresh; the form, pleasing to the eye. It had brought some compliments over the years which sh'd shyly dismissed as friendliness. To her the landscape told a simple story. It reminded her of life and its diversities. Yet, with each passing year the beauty of the piece had faded and each of the flaws she now beheld had slowly become more prominent. So much so, that sometimes the appeal of the object would escape her as she focused on its imperfections.

Lately it seemed more challenging to repair. The canvas was not as tight as it used to be. She learned to work with different colors and new tools to cover the blotches and lines that appeared over time. Determinedly she'd worked to make the old look new. It was that time once again. She pulled out her palette, ensured the right amount of light was in the room, and began the work. Carefully she applied the colors using just the right strokes. Every so often she stopped, backed away and took a broader look, so she could get it as close to the original as possible. Just another stroke here, a line and a dot there, and finally she was happy.

Looking intently, she decided there was still some beauty in the landscape, though it was gently fading and still showing some defects. It didn't have the same loveliness it once held, but it looked fresh and new, better than when she'd started. Satisfied, she put away her toolkit, took another quick look in her mirror, and also put it away. It would have to do. Time was moving on...


This post addresses something we all deal with on a daily basis. It was not meant to be self indulgent. In fact, it's okay to get older...the hoary head is a crown of glory! More important than outer beauty is the inner beauty of the heart. Perhaps we all need to focus more on the inner beauty which will eventually reflect gloriously from the outer canvas we possess.

Go easy on yourselves, and embrace every day God has given!

Carmen

Sammy the Hamster

Source:King-animal.blogspot.com

During the child rearing experience a parent is almost always faced with the inevitable request for a pet hamster. Ours was named Sammy and he lived in a big fish tank. He had a food dish, an exercise wheel and some toys - - but,  Sammy wasn’t happy. 

One day I looked in the fish tank to find that Sammy was gone. I frantically searched the house calling his name, but prodigals don’t listen and neither do hamsters. Sammy did show up a few hours later so I scooped him up and placed him back in his warm shavings. I took some corrective action and placed heavy cardboard on top of the fish tank to hopefully deter him, but Sammy was too smart for me. Time after time he got out, even when the cardboard was weighed down with books. I couldn’t figure out how he was escaping!

We decided to get Sammy a hamster ball so he could run freely, but I guess it just wasn’t quite the freedom he desired because one day I caught him trying to escape again. There he was acrobatically perched on the top of his wheel, his little body stretched beyond its limit, his cheeky little pouches stuffed rock hard with food. Talk about determined! I didn’t have the heart to take his beloved wheel away, so it wasn’t a big surprise when later he got out again.

This time I found him on the basement floor. He had found an open spot at the bottom of our main floor closet that would take him onto a high ledge in the basement, unfortunately he missed the ledge and landed on the cold cement floor where I found him still alive. I gently lifted him onto a cloth and placed him on my chest hoping he could recover. I petted him and whispered soothingly hoping he’d be ok, but in a matter of minutes my chest became warm and wet. Sammy had passed on.

I honestly don’t remember where we buried him, but whenever I think of him I get this mental picture of Sammy with a stick over his shoulder, a checkered bag tied to the end of it, on another adventure.

Then I have another thought - - one that only a mother would have. “I bet there’s hamster pee all over this house!!”

True story!

Have a great day,

C~

Of Bountiful Apple Trees

When you meet him you’ll notice a twinkle in his bright, light blue eyes and a happy-go-lucky smile that he wears for friends or strangers. My father-in-law is a wonderful man who is loved by many. He and his wife once lived in a house with two large sprawling trees in the front yard, with a smaller rectangular shaped backyard, fenced in on three sides. The neighboring property had a large apple tree right near the fence. 

Every year around harvest my father-in-law would go pick the ripe fruit from the large boughs spilling over onto his property. Why allow them to fall to the ground? With a smile at Gods provision they prepared them for the cold months ahead. 

One day the neighbor cut back all the boughs leaning over the fence. Nothing had been mentioned one way or the other and it was completely legal to pick fruit on ones’ own property. It was a questionable gesture, but it was his tree to cut down.

It wasn’t until the next summer that we heard about it. “Do you remember that apple tree that used to be in our neighbors backyard - - the one right beside the fence?”  “It had good apples on it!” Then he reiterated how he would pick the fruit on his side and how the neighbor had cut it back last year. “I guess he cut it back a bit too much, because it died this year.”

These gracious in-laws of mine hadn’t even considered any foul play. Up until then, the neighbor had a lovely sweet bounty every year, but now he had nothing. His actions had got the best of him and in the end he tasted the fruit of it - - and I doubt it tasted like apples.

Regardless, I guess sometimes our actions get the best of all of us! It truly is better to be generous when we can be. It is more blessed to give than receive, after all.

Have a great day!

C~

Update: May 5, 2023

Happy 93rd bday young fella,❤️

Don’t Quit!

I found this poem and chose to memorize the first verse of it when I was a teenager. It spoke to me then but even more-so now. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. We are here to learn who we are and whose we are and to help others on their journeys. As hard as it gets, we keep moving, learning and appreciating the good — and there’s lots of good. Enjoy!

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, 

When the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out; 

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- 

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down, 

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out-

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Edgar Albert Guest

Signs of the Fall of Empires

I recently read a book by Dr. David Jeremiah named 'What in the World is Going On?' The title alone captivated me because I have thought the same thing! This world doesn't feel like such a safe place to me. I hope for the best but when I look around me - I wonder.

There is an excerpt from this book that outlines the progress of the rise and fall of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history (attributing to them an average lifespan of approximately 200 years). Here is the outline, according to Dr. David Jeremiah.

"From bondage to spiritual faith

From spiritual faith to great courage

From courage to liberty

From liberty to abundance

From abundance to complacency

From complacency to apathy

From apathy to dependence

From dependence, back into bondage."

It makes sense to me because I’ve seen the latter 5 parts of this list following WW1 and WW2. Can we figure out where exactly our nations currently sit in this cycle? What are some of the signs we should look for?

In the book “Family and Civilization” by Dr. Carle Zimmerman, there are 11 symptoms of final decay which were present in the fall of both the Greek and Roman civilizations. Do any of these look familiar to you?

1. No fault divorce

2. Increased disrespect for parents and parenthood

3. Meaningless marriage rites/ceremonies

4. Defamation of past national heroes

5. Acceptance of alternative marriage forms

6. Widespread attitudes of feminism, narcissism, hedonism

7. Propaganda of anti-family sentiment

8. Acceptance of most forms of adultery

9. Rebellious children

10. Increased juvenile delinquency

11. Common acceptance of all forms of sexual perversion.

I have to admit, looking at this list is also a little disconcerting. We currently exhibit all of these symptoms, and I believe many of our world’s nations exhibit these symptoms to some degree.

So then, what in the world is going on? What are your thoughts on it?

Thanks for stopping by!

Carmen

The Satisfied Life

I see them walk by with empty eyes, frowns on their faces, hurried steps. They are focused on their needs and wants, because it is in these that they hope to find happiness and satisfaction.....

I watched a portion of Home Makeover last night. It featured a family of seven living in a house that was crumbling around them. They used paper plates to eat on because their kitchen cabinets could not hold the weight of regular plates. The support joists under their home were crumbling from termite damage. There was one bedroom between five kids with two bunk beds. They had one closet between them.

Regardless of these things, the parents were infectious! They were the epitome of joy aiming to make their own home a happy one; teaching their children the happiness of family. They had very little, yet they laughed at their problems and wore a smile in the worst of situations. Really, they made the best of it! Then in their spare time they helped people with marriage problems. Wow!

The strange irony of life is that satisfaction does not always come from receiving. It is in choosing to be content, by helping others out; in loving and laughing and being thankful. The one with the most toys doesn't actually win because there will always come bigger and better toys. It's a never ending cycle.

It may just be a smile, a hug, a cup of water, a gift of time or money, but it could mean everything to someone, and that will make both of you happy.

Thank you for visiting!

On Money and Happiness

We are such a privileged people. Seriously--who wouldn’t want to live in this century?  We have so much that previous generations never had. Public airplanes, vehicles, computers, TV, radio, cell phones, natural gas, electricity, indoor toilets, mega grocery chains, and much more that we don't even think about because it is so commonplace to us. Never mind that some of this technology is only 20 or 30 years old. I sometimes wonder if all that hasn’t clouded our minds and kept us so busy thinking about things that have no true meaning or lasting value. They are but temporary pleasures that mean nothing in the reality of eternity.

There are enough resources in this world for all of us to be comfortably wealthy...ALL of us. Yet, it’s all owned by a handful of families. That’s the reality of the world.  

Experience shows us that there’s always going to be violence and injustice. There will always be someone bigger with more authority. The more we have, the more we want. It is never enough and yet we willfully overlook the fact that money can sprout wings and fly-- suddenly.  Money is no guarantee of anything and it certainly doesn’t guarantee happiness.  

The truth is, contentment is hard to find on any level. We’re not satisfied with money (ask the rich), we’re not satisfied without money (ask the poor). We’re not happy with the way things are run in our lives, in our economy, in our world. We want authority whether it is in government, in church, in our homes. We have so much, and yet we’re not happy.

Why does happiness elude us? An ancient King said it this way:

“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

I found that last verse interesting. How many of you know people that live in the past. All they do is relive their youth; their glory days. However, someone that has the ability to enjoy his days doesn’t dwell on the past. He is content with his life today. That certainly is a gift, whether rich or poor!

I came across this little video a while ago and it just tickled my funny bone. I really, really, really encourage you to check it out! Enjoy!

Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy

Thank you all for visiting! Come back soon!

What's Love Got To Do With It?

What's Love Got to do With it? 

It's so easy to get caught up with life in general. People go about their days impacting others and often don't realize how they've affected someone else. I wonder, how often have I left someone devastated, hurt, happy, grateful, regretful, etc. Could I have reacted differently, or could I have been more understanding? Often we wonder why people behave the way they do or why they say the things they say and there's usually always a reason, we just don't often know what it is. 

I needed a reminder today. I have to remember it every day. One word...

Love

Whenever possible, always love, no matter what the circumstance is. It's truly all about love!!!


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Random Acts

Today’s world has changed so much, and it's easy to let that get us down. Things are difficult and many have lost their jobs along with their sense of independence and self-esteem. Many people are fighting for their lives, as cancer or some other disease takes their bodies.

There is so much suffering in the world; dictatorial regimes, poverty, hunger, abuse, crime. It's all so overwhelming. You want to help, but how? How can we affect change where we live and then worldwide? 

I believe the best place to start is in your own backyard and move out from there. It's the random act of kindness that changes the world. If we could just "think a little more of others, and a little less of ourselves," we'd be on a journey of a lifetime.

I'm reminded of a song I used to sing:

Let me be a little kinder,
Let me be a little blinder
to the faults of those around me.
Let me praise a little more!
Let me be when I am weary
just a little bit more cheery,
Think a little more of others
and a little less of me.

Let me be a little braver
when temptation bids me waver
Let me try a little harder
to be all that I should be.
Let me be a little meeker
with a brother that is weaker.
Let me think more of my neighbour
and a little less of me.

There are more verses, but you get the drift.

Random acts of kindness can be done anywhere at anytime whenever opportunity presents itself. I love my friends and family and will always be kind to them and look for ways to bless them, but what of those that have no one, or who are down or dying? Who do they have if not me and you?

So this is my challenge to anyone reading this post. In spite of your own circumstances, can you take a moment to bless someone with a random act of kindness?

Here are 10 ideas to get you going:

Leave flowers at someone's doorstep with a little card explaining what or Who your inspiration is.

Pay a poor local teen to mow an elderly neighbour's yard.

Tape a loonie to a pay phone.

Write letters to people in a senior's home...or visit them, talk with them, read to them.

Buy a homeless person lunch or coffee.

Plug someone's parking meter.

Smile at everyone..make them laugh if you can.

Compliment a stranger and wish them a good day.

Be nice to that annoying phone solicitor, and wish them a good day. They're just doing a poor-paying job.

Stop to help someone.

Need more ideas? Here's a link to some great stories!

http://www.peopleandpossibilities.com/33kindnessstories2.html

Have a wonderful day!!