THE STREAM

A stream steadily flows, the crystal clear waters washing away anything in its path. It is a good example of life, how we need to be moving on, no matter the obstacles. May the mind remain as clear as the crystal waters, not ever letting the past obstruct us from the currents ahead.

~Marie T. Morrison~

REACH FOR THE SKY

Obstacles are there to be conquered. Seen are new pathways, doors waiting to open. A journey begins, one where wisdom, courage, understanding, enlightenment, patience and passion for life soak into the soul. The spirit is strong, fearless, eager to encounter the world.

~Marie T. Morrison~

THE SENSES OF FAITH

We cannot see faith,
nor taste it.
We cannot touch faith
nor is it something we can smell
or hear.

I do see the man living his faith,
Saying things will be okay,
God gave him a beautiful family,
That prayers give them hope.
To overcome present obstacles.

As farmers invite neighbors
To enjoy plentiful food
From the crops of the land,
A taste of faith is experienced,
With prayers to God whispered,
For the land He gave them to be toiled.

A newborn child,
Cuddled in the warmth of its parents,
It’s new skin so soft and smooth,
Is touching faith,
A mother and father,
Devoting themselves to God & prayer,
Knowing they are bringing a new soul into the world.

Faith has no set fragrance, yet it surrounds us.
As we sit in fields looking out in gratitude at God’s glory,
There it is in the whiff of pine needles, a wild rose,
A child’s breath ,in the rich soil at our feet and in the salty ocean waves.

Praying to God, my best friend, I hear him talk to me.
That is faith. I hear faith in God’s creatures,
The birds singing their morning tunes, the chipmunks chatting for the nut.
I hear faith speaking in the rippling stream, the flowing waterfall and at sea.

We only need to open the senses to know faith is awaiting,
God will be there with us, to experience every wonderful sensation
In this beautiful world of His!
~M.T. Morrison~

MANY THANKS FOR THE CHALLENGES

MANY THANKS FOR THE CHALLENGES
During our challenges, we give thanks to God our Father. It is through them we become closest to Him. We grow in our wisdom as we plunge ourselves into each obstacle, praying to God to guide us, to help us as we overcome the battles we have been given. As success comes, we have a special song in our hearts, filled with words of love, thanksgiving, goodness and compassion for our Lord.

We will never reach a dead end, no matter the conflict in front of us. God will be there listening to our prayers, giving us the strength and courage to prevail. A new song of thanksgiving begins, our Lord with us, as we travel every leg of our journey.
~Marie T. Morrison~

A ROUGH DAY

Making a moral decision does not always come with a sigh of relief. It may make others unhappy, even cause the loss of a friendship. Obstacles can temporarily get in the way of accomplishing the selected choice, but staying fast and true to the self is what counts. It is something that will become teachable to the children and grandchildren in the years to come, showing how one did make it over the tough times, never losing a sense of dignity. It is a time to hold the head up high, always having God’s faith to carry His loving child through another rough day. ~Marie T. Morrison~

BUSY, BUSY

I have not been keeping up with my writing. This is not good, as it indicates I am not growing spiritually. God has not been able to fill me with His words because I have not taken the time to listen to Him. I have put other things first. Reflecting on what I have been doing, other than my normal routine, leaves my mind blank. It indicates I have put trivial things before praying with God, so trivial I do not even remember what they were.
It is quite easy to get too involved with the mundane executions of daily life. Sleeping an extra hour, reading the two newspapers and solving the daily puzzles as I sip my tea, tending to the dogs and picking up the house are only a few activities on how I fill my day.I am embarrassed to say how long I may stay on the computer, or trying to fix a problem this laptop gives me. One daughter wants me only to text message her from my cell, wasting another bit of time. Why do I give in? Because no matter how much I try to call instead, she will not pick up the phone. I toss it back and forth, asking myself, which will take the least amount of time, to text or to keep trying to call her. Since this is her only bit of rebellion as a teenager, I go along.
Back to what I was saying, on not having my time with God. I do talk about God a lot, conducting classes five days a week, sometimes twice a day. I make my lesson plans, being well prepared. However, this still is not giving me the special time God and I need together, just the two of us. I have managed to put Him on the back burner. Prayer time while I do my routine at the pool has been eliminated. This is hurting God in two ways; I am not having my talk time with Him and I am not taking care of the body He has given me. I preach to others about obeying the Two Great Commandments of loving God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind, and loving my neighbor as myself. He has blessed me with a beautiful spirit, intertwined with His, yet I am not nourishing it, tending to it so I may continue to grow in my love for Him. I have managed to place many obstacles in the path, preventing His love and kindness to prosper within my soul.
I must return to practicing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, those of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. It is okay to quit rushing to meet my self-made expectations. Maybe I will be able to cross everything off on my list of things to do, but what good is it if I have made no time for God? He is part of me in everything I do, yet I do not pause to praise Him and His mighty works. A dark void will overpower me if I continue to live my life this way. Maybe this has already happened to people I pass on the street, why they are not smiling and their eyes are sad.
Prayer needs to be my focal point,forgetting about those things on my list that I want to check off. Instead, 'pray' should be written at the top, middle and end of my list! Recently, I came across a “Three Minute Prayer,” by Father Lukefahr. In the first minute,he says to think about a wonderful blessing you have received in the past 24 hours. Thank God for this blessing. In the second minute, think about a significant failing you had in the past 24 hours. Ask Jesus to forgive you. In the third minute, think about a challenge you are to meet in the next 24 hours, praying to the Holy Spirit to help and guide you as you accept the challenge. As for my challenge,I ask the Holy Spirit to help me erase the obstacles I have placed on the path to prayer. Let Him guide me, as I pray to Jesus for forgiveness, not making God my priority. May I put one foot in front of the other, taking small steps, allowing me to feel His presence as I open up the door to let Him in.

How to Learn From A Butterfly

I happened to catch a show on PBS tonight, on the monarch butterfly. What a magnificent creature! More magnificent was the journey taken, from Canada to Mexico, covering 2,000 miles each fall and spring. The concept of migration has always fascinated me. I had not thought of the tiny butterfly going on such a long expedition. Yet, tens of thousands take the trip each year. It isn't an easy excursion. There is the weather and there is the harm given by man. Little did I know that while resting on a leaf among the crops, the monarch would meet its fate as the crop plane flew by. Spewing a spray among the crops, this beautifully winged being does not have a chance.

The monarchs do not stop. All along the way there will be obstacles. Yet, they carry on. Humans following the journey are amazed how nothing stops them. There is even a monumental range of mountains in Mexico they must encounter before they can reach their resting place.

Nearly two months later, they reach their destination. They do not understand what it means for them to arrive at this village. The people residing there are quite poor. Just as the farmers depend on crops for their livelihood, the villagers depend on this majestic being for theirs. Unbeknown to them, fireworks, food and drink provide a welcoming celebration. From the tiny booths, there are tee shirts and tote bags for sale, with the monarch being the celebrity.

It is interesting to observe God's role in all of this. In his mysterious ways, He tells the butterflies it is time to migrate. He leads them through terrific hardships, yet they keep moving. They don't have the capacity to think, “Should I or shouldn't I?”. They just go for it.
Maybe we can take a lesson from them. We get worried, what we should do next. We need to leave it in God's hands, as the butterflies do. They survive, bringing in the next generation of brilliant monarchs, coming to life all along the way as they return to Canada. We could also survive, if only we would give God the chance.

Being human, we have the tendency to question our actions, deciding what would be best for us. But as the butterfly, we should turn to God, having His will take care of us. It would bring less stress, replaced with joy. Leaving it in God's hands may bring us unexpected
bliss. Next time, think of the mindless butterfly, bringing beauty and joy, just as God can. Pray to Him, helping you let go of your boundaries. Letting go and letting God take over isn't easy, but it may bring unexpected surprises, filled with comfort and delight. May God bless you as you learn to spread your wings!

Listen

Often, we can get so wrapped up in telling our story, we don't listen to someone else. Yet, if we do listen, we can learn from one another. At times, a person just wants to be able to talk, to clear the mind.  At times, a reply isn't really needed, nor an opinion stated. It is nice to only offer a hug of support.  Doing so can make someone's day, to allow one to get over the obstacle which has been blocking the path to move ahead.  You may feel the strength of the Holy Spirit as you listen, but you don't need to say so to another.  Instead, let your actions speak for you. Pray silently, asking God to let others feel the peace you do. God has His own beautiful way of taking care of things. For now, you be the unexpected friend to help them silently feel the power of the Holy Spirit!