SITTING AT MY TABLE

Only yesterday, I shared food with a table with complete strangers. It was the typical pizza, each of us laughing and visiting between bites of gooey cheese and bits of pepperoni. It was very relaxing, no one caring about the background of anyone at the table. God's goodness was felt, a time to count our blessings. All of our eyes sparkled, just as the eyes of the one smiling innocent child at our table, who had yet traveled many paths on the journeys of life. What a lovely hour of of simpleness, a fine way to nurture the soul.
~Marie T. Morrison~

"They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God's goodness to everyone. " Acts 2:46,47 (CommonEnglishBible)

RISING UP

A favorite phrase is, “I will raise you up..”. So many ways have I been lifted! God has raised my spirituality, my care for others, my humor, my learning, my teaching and my love for one another. I know I am not alone among my brethren. Praising God, as He lifts me, never ceases!
~Marie T. Morrison~

AT LONG LAST

Greetings! At long last, I am back to my writing. It has been quite awhile since I felt well enough to write. I went in to get medical tests done, only to come out worse than before the tests. Apparently, the tests triggered something else in the body, causing additional problems.


At times, I have felt so ill that I began to wonder if I would ever have a quality of life again. Those fleeting thoughts only lasted seconds, as I knew my life was much better than that of others. I had food to eat, water to drink, a roof over my head and a dear family to care for me. I also felt that my suffering was nothing compared to that of our Lord Jesus. In fact, I became closer to Jesus because of all the additional problems.

It is easy to take for granted what each of our days brings us. We tend to be busy from the moment we open our eyes and get out of bed each day. There is the morning rush, getting out the door, not wanting to be late for our destinations. Around us, everyone else is also running, usually with a sense of worry. “Will there be much traffic? Will I find a parking place? I hope I can get a seat and not have to stand during the ride. Why do I have to attend that meeting? It is always such a waste of time.”

Nowhere, in these conversations with ourselves, or with another person, is there a thought for God. We are just too busy. Our days remain busy, taking care of this need and that, forgetting the need to say a prayer, thanking our Lord for another day. At the end of the day, there is again the traffic to deal with on the way home, the meals to fix, the family activities to attend, the helping with a child's homework, and the house to clean. There is the television show to watch, so everything has to be complete by then. Once again, there is not the time to think about a prayer, praising Jesus for getting through one more day.

It is a vicious cycle, day in and day out. It is not until our health changes, and we cannot keep up with our hectic lives, do we sit back, remembering whom it is that lets us have a family, gives us beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and makes fertile ground so we may have food on the table.

Though I continue to wear out easily, I am adjusting to my new quality of life. I continue to pray for others listed in my prayer journal, aware we are never alone as we carry our crosses. Overcoming our challenges is a motive of God’s, teaching us to become stronger in our faith. It is faith that gives us hope. Once we have hope, we will believe God is right there with us, as we climb through the obstacles to reach our goals. If we fall, God will help us rise and persevere, no matter the journey. Thank you, dear Lord, for always being there.

HAPPINESS-with typos corrected!

Happiness is having God in our hearts.
Happiness is feeling God's happiness in our hearts.

Happiness is finding the soul-mate God planned for us.
Happiness is making a life-long commitment with this soul-mate.

Happiness is having soul-mates create an extension of themselves.
Happiness is watching these little beings develop their own gifts from God.

Happiness is having a toddler, not talking yet, taking my hand, to show me a ladybug.
Happiness is that though this tiny child cannot talk yet, can speak volumes within the silence.

Happiness is seeing the glistening dew as the sun rises.
Happiness is looking at the oranges and yellows cast upon the land as the sun sets.

Happiness is running into an old friend.
Happiness is having long conversations with this old friend, reminiscing about the past,
While also talking about what has happened since then.

Happiness is making a new friend.
Happiness is laughing, talking, and crying, with the new friend.

Happiness is stepping outside to get the morning newspaper, hearing the singing of birds,
After a long, long winter.
Happiness is watching the birds come to bird feeders, arriving in-mass,
To enjoy a meal.

Happiness is having a beautiful garden, filled with flowers of every kind and color.
Happiness is knowing my spouse will be the one to pull the weeds in the garden,
along with tending to every care and need.

Happiness is having my first words uttered each morning be,
“Good morning, God!”
Happiness is having my last words uttered each night be,
 “Good night, God!  Thank you for another day!”

Happiness is listening to the music I love.
Happiness is feeling how the music reaches deep into my soul.

Happiness is seeing my child smiling on stage,
Performing in front of an audience.
Happiness is having the emotions flow
As I watch my child.

Happiness is seeing the silhouettes of distant mountains,
Admiring in awe their massiveness.
Happiness is reaching the base of the mountains,
Feeling the earth under my feet.

Happiness is hearing the crickets chirp,
A sound of summer.
Happiness is that hearing how many chirps there are in 30 seconds, and adding 15 to it,
I will know what the temperature is at that moment.

Happiness is loving the beautiful shade trees of summer.
Happiness is sitting under those trees, having a delicious picnic.

Happiness is reading a good book.
Happiness is remembering what made the book special many years later.

Happiness is lending out a good book to a friend.
Happiness is hearing the friend share the same excitement as I had while reading it.

Happiness is being with the grandparents.
Happiness is listening to their stories of their younger years.

Happiness is a blue, blue sky.
Happiness is admiring the majestic clouds,
Sitting magnificently in the sky.

Happiness is having a good work-out.
Happiness is being glad when the work-out time is over.

Happiness is winning a competition.
Happiness is seeing how all those practices paid off.

Happiness is viewing the vast ocean and the beauty of it,
Casting off rays of greens and blues.
Happiness is sitting on the soft beach sand,
Hearing the waves splash, the cold water reaching my feet as I daydream.

Happiness is having a delightful conversation with God.
Happiness is hearing what God has to say to me during our dialogue.

Happiness is knowing God never leaves me alone,
Happiness is knowing God always helps me carry my burdens.

Happiness is being given a challenge to stretch my mind, body and soul.
Happiness is accomplishing the challenges I was given,
Recognizing God had a hand in it.

Happiness is playing a board game with family.
Happiness is enjoying the laughter and conversation
As the game is played, bringing everyone close together.

Happiness is seeing the golden leaves of fall.
Happiness is hearing the giggle of children,
As they are covered with fallen leaves.

Happiness is noticing a flowing mountain river.
Happiness is sitting on a rock in the middle of the river,
Writing a letter to a loved one.

Happiness is watching the snow fall.
Happiness is loving the wintry scene only God could give us.

Happiness is knowing all that makes me happy are gifts from God.
Happiness is praising God, thanking Him for the wonderful life He provides for all.