Small Bricks Build Magnificent Houses

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bricksWe don’t have to look very far to see need, distress, and people who need help. We are confronted by injustices , on our TV screens, on a daily basis, and our newspapers are full of reports of disasters and humanitarian causes both in our own nation and in other nations too.

It can be overwhelming at times and easy to shut off from the ugliness we see, albeit knowing we should try to do something, somehow.

As I do, I was pondering the enormity of this, and in my reading the Scriptures today, in the book of Galatians 6: 9-10 “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.”

It made me see again that sometimes, as we look at the huge needs in our world, and as we try to see where our finances can help, even if its small, we can overlook the need in our home, our family, our local community of friends!

Oh I’m not saying that we should forget the needs afar off, but many times there is a person within our reach that needs our attention!

We have a greater capacity than we know … to be generous and kind. It may not even touch our bank accounts but be the generosity of a kind deed, a visit, and word spoken kindly and with honour.

I encourage you today… within your own world of family and friends and neighbours… don’t grow tired of loving. Don’t wish it was your turn to receive… but today, look for a way to make someone’s day better through thoughtful words, generosity in speech and kindly courtesy!

It may not relieve poverty on a world wide scale… but it may relieve the poverty of someone’s tough time and cause them to see kindness around them that helps them look up and move forward.

Small bricks? Maybe …but many of them build magnificent houses!

Put Up or Love Up?

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I’ve been thinking, again! Pondering over people and relationships… ones that are good, ones that work and those that are having their struggles, as most of us have at times. I remember once, many years ago, reading a magazine in a waiting room, somewhere. It was one of those “problem columns” where someone has posed a problem and the readers are invited to give their answers or perspective on it.

The “problem” was with a lady who had been married for a number of years; she was finding her husband’s ways, snoring and his habits very, very irritating… to the point she was wondering if love was over and should she put up with him any longer?

I have remembered the answer that was given… or at least part of it: a lady wrote Continue reading

Boxes

Boxes
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I lay in bed the other night, before I slept, and took this photograph of a corner of my room!

As I looked at it I realised that I really ought to de clutter these boxes of things… which are really needing to be “dealt with”! But… ah BUT!… they are all in boxes and are packed away and it takes effort, time and determination to bring them out, open them and go through the boxes of notes, memories, photos, more notes, studies, memos to look into, more notes!!.

Well you get the idea… it’s something I really should go through and diminish and only keep those things that are worthwhile and useful.

How like life is that? Continue reading

Treasures in hidden places

Oil - honey
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I have been laid up after an operation for nearly 4 weeks now! Oh I’m healing well 🙂 , and beginning to get mobile, slowly. I has been a rather painful time and extremely frustrating as I don’t do “nothing” very well… and I’ve had to learn to let others do things for me – in their times, not mine!. I’ve had to learn to wait, not mind when it’s not happening as quickly as I’d like, or the way I’d like!

I’ve been having a new kitchen fitted at the same time (don’t ask why now!) I was told – a week! It’ll be completed in a week! Four weeks later and I’m still waiting for the floor to be fitted, the kick boards to be placed and the finishings, of course! It’s draughty and bare in there and hard to move around because of all the stuff!

Yet I’ve discovered some treasures during these days: Continue reading

Surprise!

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Funny how life has a knack of throwing surprises at you!

And funny how sometimes you don’t react the way you think you would!

I have recently heard news that, I thought when faced with this situation, would make me either very emotional or want to sort it out immediately!

And so I was ready to brace myself for my reaction when I met this person face to face and heard what they had to say!

Surprise of all surprises, my reaction was not at all what I thought it would be! There was a calm, peacefulness in me that I didn’t expect. I found myself feeling very at ease and almost with a philosophical sense of – Continue reading

Returning!

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Ever been away for a while – holiday, visiting folk or just been somewhere and it’s time to go home?

Sometimes it’s like “Oh no!! I have to go back” but when you get there – it’s actually OKAY!

Or times when you know it’s time to go home – for your own good, for the family’s good – or just because you can!

I have been looking at how God calls us to “return” … to Him , to the closeness we once knew, to the place of actually knowing Him again, to the “home” that our hearts yearn for!

How easy it is sometimes to kid ourselves into thinking… Continue reading

Applaud now!

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I don’t often disagree with people I admire … but I did this time.

She told me it wasn’t wise to let your co-workers and employees know that they were appreciated  too often, and that they, especially if they were paid workers, should know that  it was “just their job”!!

Maybe it doesn’t work for others, but I like to let my co-workers, and employees know that I appreciate the time and effort they give to working hard, working well and helping them enjoy the work their hands are doing, the for-thought they need to give to their work, for turning up, for doing the mundane with a cheerful heart… not always easy when the work load is busy. Not always easy when you’re having an off day yourself and the place you work in is full of people in various Continue reading

Cornflowers and Anemones

Cornflowers
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Today I looked out of my kitchen window and, amidst the grey drizzle of rain, I saw some anemones and cornflowers growing on my patio.

I thought back to when I planted them. The anemones were shrivelled, ugly looking wee corms that I planted, and I planted them because I had them, rather than out of anticipation of a great crop!

It really captured my thoughts!  So grey, so wet, and such a sad summer this year, yet here – in the midst of the grey were some beautiful, bright flowers that were just being bright and growing, despite the lousy weather!!

It made me think of what these anemones (with a few pretty Continue reading