NURTURE THE CALMNESS

Nurture the paradise within your soul. It will foster a blessed harvest of peace, tranquility, serenity and wisdom, leaving a sense of calmness throughout all the seasons of life.

~Marie T. Morrison~

GRACE

No matter the labyrinth of troubles, God is here, guiding us through the mazes. His mighty Spirit can hold our exhausting burden, lightening the load. Amongst the storm, no matter the turbulence, God’s grace will clutch our hands until it is calm once again.

~Marie T. Morrison

THE VISIT

Scripture says to us,

“You sweep mortals away,

lasting no longer

than a dream.

They fade like grass that is

renewed in the morning”(Ps 90:5)

When a loved one passes away,

we lose part of our own hearts

and souls. At times, it is hard

to keep going, though we know

God wants us to.. Waking up

to an emptiness does not make

the daily life easy to accept.

Seeking comfort from God

will nourish us. He is there,

showing us that though

our beloved is no longer

in our tangible presence,

there are the sprouts of grass

cropping up where we least expect it,

a gentle breeze felt as we are

out and about,

that resplendent flower seen

leaving us in awe

or a sudden calmness

replacing our anxiety.

Yes, our loved one

has been swept away,

but has come back to us,

visiting for all eternity.

~Marie T. Morrison~

A STORMY AND CALM TIME

As you feel agitation from the day, say a prayer to God. He will bring the calm to your storm.
~Marie T. Morrison~

FINDING THE CALM

Patience is a never-ending practice, taking tremendous perseverance. What works in one instance may not work for another. What we tolerate in friends is different for family members. Tongues can be sharper, according to the circumstance. God keeps us on our toes, giving us daily challenges, even testing our own skills at completing a given task. Remember the Spirit dwelling within, finding the calm, to keep us at peace.
~Marie T. Morrison~

A CALMNESS

Responding to a frenzied person with a quiet, calming voice can work wonders. God’s peace will have the chance to intervene. The agitation is swept out to sea, leaving a crisp, clean and fresh start on the next moment in life.


~Marie T. Morrison~

A QUIET MOMENT

It is 2:00 AM. A candle is lit, while my lavendar incense rests elegantly in a delicate vase nearby, releasing a pleasant, soothing, fragrance. Slowly, I sip my chamomile tea with milk, as I attempt to put my mind into a sense of calm. What dreams I will have, picturing fields of lavendar. The rays of the sun will show off all their glory, as I breathe in the sweet, heavenly smells of this exquisite, purple flower.

TEA

I love to sip a cup of tea. It is most relaxing. I start my day with a cup of Irish Breakfast tea, using loose tea placed in a small , empty tea bag, made for such a purpose. Mid-morning, I might go for the Earl Grey tea, finding it soothing as I work on a hobby, read or plan a lesson. It can raise my spirits, leaving me calm and good -natured, getting my creative juices flowing.
Remaining in high spirits, it is time to tackle the laundry, clean up the kitchen and perform other mundane household duties. I usually have the house in silence as I work, taking this time to say prayers for those going through rough times and to have my conversations with God. My conversations are as if I was talking to my best friend, which in a way, I am! I may be expressing gratitude for the previous day’s activities, or telling Him how I will need to come up with the right words to use while teaching a class for my Church.
Time goes quickly by. After my lunch, I may finish it off with a cup of red bush tea. This gives me energy to start my afternoon plans. I will likely be venturing out to the Church, to facilitate an adult group of students, sharing what I have learned with them. Often, I bring my thermos cup of brown rice tea with me, to keep my voice from getting hoarse, while at the same time, giving me a bit of nourishment to remain at my high level of excitement as I teach.
The rest of the day zooms by. It may consist of working with one more religious ed. student out of my home, a child unable to make it to Church classes. I offer a cup of peppermint tea to my young lady, while I have apple cinnamon tea. We wrap our hands around our mugs, sipping them as we discuss together different Bible stories, curled up on the couch, facing one another as we converse.
Tea is something I would offer to all my groups of students while I was still teaching full time. They loved it, sipping green tea with honey as I taught. Some had never seen a teabag before, ripping it open to pour into their cups. They quickly learned from their peers how to use the teabag properly. These same young people came to visit me, years after they were in my class, asking for a cup of tea while we visited. What a nice way to reconnect, making a pause in a busy life, to sit and enjoy the company of another.
We tend to forget about the simple things in life, such as enjoying that cup of tea. God wants us to nourish our bodies and our souls, rather than rushing around so. It does not take long to enjoy a cup, but it can bring a long-lasting effect upon one. Others feel the calmness, responding in the same way, letting the tenseness leave the shoulders and neck. This calmness can be passed on to the next individual, and so forth. It is the way God’s world should be, rather than getting angry because of the slow driver in front of us, or the person who takes forever to write a check and post it in the ledger before allowing us to reach the clerk at the counter. Even picturing that cup of tea in a time of tenseness can let the anxiety dissipate.
Spoil yourself. It is actually okay! Go find a favorite mug and purchase some fun flavors of tea. Grab a relaxing book, take off the shoes, cozy up on the couch, sip your tea and enjoy the moment! It is just what God has ordered!

LOVED ONES PASSING

A powerful piece of Scripture says to us, "You sweep mortals away. They are a dream.  They sprout again in the morning like cut grass (Ps.90:5). When a loved one passes away, we loose part of our own hearts and souls. At times, it is hard to keep going, though we know we have to. Waking up to an emptiness does not make the daily life easy to accept. Seeking comfort from God is the only way life seems possible. God is letting us know that though our beloved being is no longer in our tangible presence, there is still a feeling of a presence among us. These are the sprouts of grass cropping up, when we least expect it.  Maybe it will be seen in a splendid rainbow, a colorful flower bursting out among a spread of weeds,or a calmness occurring throughout the body in  moments of anxiety. Yes, our loved one has been swept away, but has come back to us, visiting us for all of eternity.

Spirituality-What It Means To Me

1. First, I would define spirituality as a 'presence' I feel in myself and in others. It appears to have a calmness about it, which radiates from within. As it radiates, it transcends its calmness to the next person. A breath is inhaled, allowing the spirituality to enter, allowing this human being to also feel the calmness.
   
   Spirituality is seen in the eyes of the carrier, as they take on a glow of happiness. As they shine, it cannot be helped but to begin to feel the same luminosity within oneself, shining with the warmness of intense love and caring. It is God's own love and caring being present, as we absorb what those eyes are telling us.
   
   Spirituality is seen in the smile. The smile which is full of blessings, thanking God for the gift of life, for the gift of feeling His presence, no matter where the smile carries us. The smile spreads from one person to the next, as God fulfills each and everyone with His passion for all of His children.
   
   Spirituality is in the way one listens to another. It is taking time to hear what is being said, commenting on what is heard. It is taking the message told and acting upon it, whether it is with a hug, a prayer, or the lighting of a candle. It is being there for someone after knowing what has been told to another.
   
   It is felt within the heart. The heart is strong, filled with warmth, reaching out to others. It is going beyond oneself, to always offer a hand, an ear, a voice, an observance, to those surrounding us.
   
   It is understanding. No judgments are made. It is nodding one's head, in agreement to what is occurring in the lives of our fellow brethren. It is showing one will be there for our brothers and sisters, no matter what.
   
   It is acting upon faith and displaying faith. It is living the way God wants to to live, based upon our strong belief in Him. It is never giving up, to continue to live the faith, how having God in a one's life serves as a continuing inspiration so many can see how wonderful life is, in spite of the downfalls we endure.
   
   It is never feeling alone. It is knowing the Holy Spirit dwells within us, never leaving us, not even for a given moment. It is always feeling His love, warmth, care, attention and thoughts, day and night, throughout our lives, in this Kingdom and in the next.