Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts

Friday, August 20, 2021

Beautiful Light This Week

 Hi friends,

Popping in to the blog after a time away because I captured a beautiful sky today and a yesterday.  Now that the heat is not quite as intense, I find the light very beautiful. I get out bit more now that Covid restrictions have largely lifted. I still take precautions as most people do and all places have protocols in place as a condition of re-opening.


The very intense weather we've had this summer has been very hard on the garden. I've also had a real problem with sow bugs this year and they have chewed up most plants with leaves and thus the plants haven't thrived at all. I'm grateful that some things survived despite the challenges.




Updates:

In other news, I've been off line a lot during the past few weeks.  I wanted a break to try and enjoy what's left of the summer and restore my equilibrium.  I've found it a pretty stressful time this summer. In addition to dealing with Covid like everywhere else, my province has also been dealing with intense heat for several weeks.  We are dealing with a large number of wildfires across the province and the destruction of several villages and towns and many people are now homeless.  I'm not directly impacted by the fires but I know people who are and of course, I just feel for the people who have lost everything since I don't think they are getting the help they need from our elected officials.

I wanted my niece to visit late summer but the wildfires mean that this has had to be put on hold indefinitely because of where she lives. We are just waiting to see what happens from day to day and maybe we will manage to get a visit in before the warm weather has come and gone. 

In the meantime I've been dealing with other things like small house projects and organization. I've been slow to get things done due to the heat. I'm still hoping to get a lot done before the cold weather sets in.

One of my favourite things to do is read and I have been doing a bit of that.  The books below have been completed recently and I would recommend all of them. The first two books are works of historical fiction based during the time of the Last Empress of China, Empress Dowager Cixi. These books have different perspectives on Empress Cixi but both are very interesting. The third book is a biography of American Bob Gersony, consultant to the US government, who lived a very interesting life working and reporting on the major conflicts of the world.



The next book is one I came across  when scouring the internet. I came across someone who had recently read the book and though she didn't say much about it she seemed to enjoy it. I'm always open to following up on books I hear about and it happened to be at my local library. I didn't much enjoy the opening chapters.  I became annoyed with the constant references to water and watery things  but it is a major theme of the story. I'm about a third of the way through the book now and I enjoy it much more.  If the title intrigues you, have a look at this review which is far better done than what I could say in a couple of words.  This book definitely has it's fans. As for me I'll reserve my final verdict until I'm finished reading the entire book.


Last but not least, I've been dealing with many needs in Kenya amongst the people that I  know or the people that they know.  I've been trying to deal with them without any outside help and I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed. When you are dealing with life and death situations and with people who are in desperate situations, it can be very, very difficult to turn away from them.  It is a lot for one person to deal with at any given time. I'm still praying for regular and consistent helpers but that is all in God's hands.  In the meantime, I continue doing what I can.  

Livingstone in Kenya is still in plaster and has returned to the doctor for another x-ray and follow up. I'm not quite sure how long he will remain in a cast but it generally takes 3 months minimum for healing and I'm guessing in his case it will take longer due to lack of nutrition and health as his starting point. I mentioned last time that the mature pregnant woman named Rose had to be rushed back to hospital after being released for Covid treatment. She was in great pain and bleeding. I'm happy to report that she stabilized and went home again. I'm praying she will be okay until she delivers her child. We purchased all the school books for 3 other of her children and they returned to school several weeks ago. It's very challenging for parents to ensure their children can go to school. Even though primary school was made free several years ago, there are a host of other costs involved. Most students are boarded out at school and so the parents must pay for everything involved in that and if students are in day school there are still costs involved like school books, uniforms and so on.  Thank you to those of you who prayed over these needs, especially for Rose and her unborn child. We give thanks that Rose has recovered from Covid. There have been other people who need help with food, air time and other essential needs. It always amazes me how some people are able to get by when really pushed to the wall. This is a huge reason why many of the people in the villages do not plan for tomorrow. One can only deal with each day as it comes when you don't know if you have the funds to deal with all the basic needs. Education is a constant concern for parents as they struggle to keep the children in school but medical needs are always overwhelming. The costs are simply too great.

I'm hoping in the next few weeks to make some progress on various small projects around the house.  The projects are small but they tend to take me a lot of time and there are a lot of projects. Whatever doesn't get done today will get done another day. Even so it would be good to get things done.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday today.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Pillowey Clouds

Clouds,
Fluffy, grey, pillowey clouds
cover the sky.

They seem forboding
yet the pink on the horizon says not to worry.
Only a little dew is on the way to soothe the land.

Nonetheless, it's night now and I take refuge inside.
Sleep comes soon, another day is fully spent.

~ by Joyful Servant 13/07/09

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Rest


Sunday.

I am going to put my feet up and rest. Or take a walk, or meditate in the garden, or simply relax. I hope you enjoy your day with friends, family or simply yourself and God. For God tells us to rest.


Psalm 23

1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


I cannot recall the precise words of a sermon once given my current pastor but it was the first time I'd heard it put this way. He said in addition to assembling together as the body on the Sabbath Day, we ought to do things that bring us closer to God. So whether that be doing a favourite hobby, spending time outdoors or with family,or something else, in all things we can use it as an opportunity to enjoy the life that God has given us and reflect on what God has done for us.

I think it is hard for most people to rest, including me. We always feel we need to be doing something gainful. But out of necessity, I am having to rest more and more as time goes by and in so doing, learn that it is okay.

I am not wasting my time by being idle. On the contrary. I am using my time as a form of worship in doing things which give me joy and quiet. At the same time they bring me into deeper communion with God and restore the body that God gave me.

I pray you also have a rest.

It Was a Spectacular Day! ~ Skywatch

Hello friends and fellow bloggers, It was a spectacular, sunny day where I live. It's still rather chilly from my point of view but the ...