PASSIONATE GRATITUDE

God grants individual gifts, leaving each of us fully blessed. Our faith deepens as we use the gifts, fulfilling the passions He desires us to pursue. In gratitude, we silently say our prayer of thanks.
~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~

HOPE II

H elp is given, wanting to reach your heart.
O mnipresent is the Holy Spirit, filling your soul with love and care.
P erpetual prayers are said by our brethren, keeping you safe from the storm.
E ncouragement comes from God's hands, as He holds you tight.
~Marie T. Morrison~

~~We can never give up on hope!~~

HOPE

H old on, don’t let go.
O ffer prayers to God, asking for His blessings during the difficult times.
P ersevere, stay strong, remember you are never alone.
E ndure what is given to you, because yes, things do get better!
~Marie T. Morrison~

GOD'S HEARTBEAT

GOD’S HEARBEAT
Observing others that are dirty and homeless, filthy rich or just the regular ol’ guy next door, we remain as One Body. Let us heed how we are alike, sharing the same Spirit, holding God’s heartbeat within us. Pray that all be raised by Him, not only a few.
~Marie T. Morrison~

A LOOK AT SEPTEMBER 11

Many of us can remember the day President Kennedy was assassinated. We know where we were when we heard the news. We can say the same about hearing the news of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. There were also the unexpected deaths of Elvis and John Lennon. Each individual left some form of impact on us. We could tell other generations how it was like, being part of history.

We had no idea that the next chapter in history would involve the assassination of thousands, on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The killings this time were not prominent figures of our society. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters died that day. They kissed and hugged their families good-bye that morning, expecting to return home that evening. Many were looking forward to the upcoming football season, while others were thinking about the open house that evening at a child’s school. There were the newly engaged, dreaming of wedding plans, and those finding out they were going to become a mom or dad, excited to become a parent for the first time, or maybe for the second or third time. The new baby would join the family of siblings, ages two and four.

There were others flying to get home, anxious to be back with their loved ones. Some were on business trips, preparing to make a presentation or be attending one. Cell phones were at work, callers telling those on the other line to have dinner ready, looking forward to a favorite casserole. Still others were in the military, doing what was necessary to keep our country the safe place that it has been since 1776.

In an instant, all of this was taken away from us. Instead of mourning one individual, there were those thousands of individuals to mourn. The wrath of one group of people changed innumerable lives. Mommy or Daddy would not be coming home; those season tickets for an NFL game would go unused. Weddings were not going to take place and becoming a parent within the year was no more. In its place were fear, grief, tears, questions and anger. Dissipated was the nuclear family, broken, unable to be replaced.

Living two thousand miles from this heinous act, I could provide prayers for many. However, to feel the terror those did on that day is not something I can empathize. I can express my condolences, but I cannot say, “I know how you feel.”

I was not covered with ashes, the results of destruction. I did not hear the sounds of panic, nor did I take in the odors they inhaled. When I shut my eyes, I do not see plumes of smoke, the mass running of thousands to nowhere, or people jumping from windows to their death. I did not have someone knock on my door to say my loved one didn’t make it, nor did I have to rush from one person to the next, photo in hand, to ask if someone had seen this important person in my life.

It has been nine years since the assassinations. Those who were in grade school are now in high school. Weddings have taken place and babies have been born. The void remains, however, of those lost that day. Survivors remember as if it happened yesterday.

Many more have lost their lives since then, giving up their freedom so we may keep ours. Loved ones continue to experience falling to their knees in agony, after hearing of another death. The sense of security no longer exists as it did before. The unknown lingers heavily on the minds of all people. There is a look of alarm in the surviving victims, never letting one’s guard down. Lives have been rebuilt, but not at the same endurance and strength as before. There is a determination to be the ones in control, but in the back of everyone’s mind is the thought to be careful, to be ready for anything.

I commend those who were directly affected on September 11, 2001. They have had to keep living, in spite of the torment experienced. Time goes on, with that second hand never slowing down on the clock. Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into months and months into years. No one can turn back time. It has been a long, continuous, journey, not over yet. My prayers and compassion will always be there, as they travel this arduous road.

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!

MY LIST

Several years ago, a friend shared with me what her son does when he says he will pray for another. He writes down the name of the person. What a splendid idea, I told her. Since then, I have done the same. I write the names in my prayer journal, not allowing me to lose my list. Someone I know may pass me on the sidewalk, asking me to pray for a daughter, son, parent or friend. I immediately ask the name of this loved one, writing it down. Later, as I run into the individual making the request, I can ask how this person is doing, addressing the individual by name. I usually get a look of surprise, that not only am I remembering the request, but also that I recall the person’s name within the request.
My prayer list grows continually. At times, I may add the name of the same person twice. One month, it may be for a particular reason, while several months later, it is for something completely different. I never let go of the previous names on the list; I figure the more prayers someone has, the more one may be blessed!
All of us say to another, “You’ll be in my prayers.” We go home, having a distant vision in our memory, of someone asking us for an extra prayer. It is easy to say, “God, pray for all of those people asking for an extra prayer.” Imagine how nice it is, to address these people by name! It allows me extra time to contemplate how special each of God’s creations is. At times, it is especially sad, knowing I am praying for a deceased member of the said family, such as a young teenager after having an unexpected illness, for a parent, or for someone going through the wraths of cancer.
Other times, I add names on my own. I will write individuals on my list, hearing of a trip they are about to take, an illness or the passing of someone dear to the family. Little do they know I have written down their names, thinking about them and asking God to help them carry their burdens, sadness and joys. Recently, I ran into someone whom I knew had been going through a hard time. I asked how she was doing, truly interested in the heavy loads she is carrying. In today’s busy world, it is easy to put everyone under one umbrella, rather than thinking of them as individuals with single concerns. Though she was rushed, she stopped to talk, as she was not used to someone showing interest in her sorrows.
It enlightened me, seeing how much it means to others, to show a personal interest in the concerns of another. My writing of the names is not for me; it is for those who are calling out extra prayers to God, in times of need. Think about writing down those names. You will see how much you grow in your words to God! You may be helping those in need more than you will ever know!