Author Archives: Patricia Ann

The World is an Oyster

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“Why, then the world is mine oyster,” are the words Shakespeare put into the mouth of his character, Pistol, in The Merry Wives of Windsor. And so came the saying, The World is an Oyster.

For some reason the words popped into my head one day along with “and you are its pearl.”

The world is an oyster, and you are it’s pearl. Doesn’t that make you feel on top of the world? Well maybe it shouldn’t. Read on.

Oysters are a great delicacy to some but the pearl oyster is an oddity in itself because it’s ability to form a pearl comes from an irritation.

If you think of the pearl as a precious gem born of an irritation it may not make you feel on top of the world. But, when you think of how hard the oyster had to work to rid itself of the irritation and form the pearl…and then there is this:

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45,46 NKJV

Image of a white pearl in shell. royalty-free stock photo

 

Open Minds and Powerful Thoughts

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This post is about one of my favorite pastimes…thinking. I’ll start with one thought that just came to my mind after all this research and it is this: I love an open mind where I can walk right in and garner new thoughts and ideas whereas a closed mind is similar to banging one’s head against a brick wall. The following are quotes I found on a very hot Saturday.

The mind is like a parachute; it doesn’t work if it is not open. Frank Zappa

Age is a case of mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. Mark Twain

Thought is a powerful unseen influence. (Much like the Holy Spirit.)

“Stay open to new ideas, to new perspectives, to changing your mind. Never stop learning and growing! Akiroq Brost

“An open mind is a traveled mind.” Tawanna Browne Smith, Author

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. Henry Ford

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

All action results from thought, so it is thoughts that matter. Sai Baba

There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception. Aldous Huxley

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money. Thomas Jeffery

“Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.” Anonymous

The human mind is our fundamental resource. - John F. Kennedy

 

The Unseen Force Revisited

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Last Sunday I described the Holy Spirit as an unseen force, the analogy being the wind.

It was brought to my attention that a better description would perhaps have been…a power, a presence, a person…and I totally agree because I also think of Spirit in these terms.

It was suggested that “the force” was often connected to the movie, Star Wars’ “May The Force Be With You.” Funnily enough, I likened “The Force” as the Holy Spirit. As it turns out, the makers of Star Wars were trying to inject some spirituality into the movie to get people to think about God in some way, “the force” being their way of a subliminal message. (I gleaned this from researching the word “force”.)

Among the meanings for the word “force” in The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary are:

strength or energy, especially of an exceptional degree

active power

capacity to persuade or convince.

Because I have always thought of Holy Spirit as a powerful force in my life, who has persuaded and convinced me of many things, I wrote about Him that way without taking into consideration the way others see Him.

And so I stand happily corrected and thankful to my teachers for another lesson learned.

 

 

 

The Unseen Force

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While watching the leaves on my birch tree fluttering gently in the breeze, it came to me how that movement was very noticeable but the source of the movement was not.

Recalling a recent thunderstorm where my veranda chairs took off across the lawn and tree branches were bent almost to the ground I remember thinking that while the strength of the source was visible, the source itself was not.

Years ago I was blown off my feet by gusting winds while keeping my head down against them. I literally sailed through the air like Mary Poppins, and although I felt the force, I did not see it.

The Holy spirit can be compared to the wind responsible for all these happenings. He is at times an unnoticeable movement in our lives, and at other times a strength that can move deeply rooted trees, and still other times, a gale that can cause us to soar through life even when we’ve got our heads down against the winds of change.

Thanks to our assistant Pastor Monica, who, in doing a five week series on the Holy Spirit, has made me more aware of this unseen force. Happy Sunday.

 

Tree, Palm, Tropical, Wind, Storm, Weather, Nature

 

Learning a New Word – UBUNTU

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The following came my way from a friend and is a gentle reminder that we are not alone and so should not think only of ourselves. Taking time to visualize this little scenario brings a smile to my face.  Ubuntu. I really like this new word. Happy Saturday.

 

It’s All In Your Mind

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How many of us have had this sentence pronounced on us after disclosing a thought or ailment. Well, it turns out it is true, whatever it is is all in our mind.

Many books convey information on the subconscious mind and I, for one, find it fascinating. More than once I have read that the subconscious mind is an obedient servant and whatever we tell it, it obeys. I gleaned this from a book in 1984 “…the subconscious mind has no sense of humor. It cannot take a joke. It does not chuckle in amusement if we make such statements as , ‘That’s a real pain in the neck!’ On the contrary, to the subconscious mind, an order has been given and, like any good servant, it goes about its business to achieve the goal to which it has been assigned…in this case, a pain in the neck.”

My late husband constantly complained about everything being a pain in the neck and he suffered from chronic neck pain. I read the above passage to him one evening and suggested he try to stop telling himself that everything was a pain in the neck.

Well, he really tried to heed this advice and it took some time but his neck pain was gone.

Someone else constantly complained that everything was a pain in the — (backside). This person died of painful colorectal cancer.

Our minds are truly an amazing part of our being, and learning more about our subconscious mind can be extremely helpful in living life to a fuller extent.

 

 

 

Following

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I saw this picture the other day and it reminded me of Matthew 4:19…“Come, follow me,” Jesus said…and I did.

It also reminded me of the movie, The Sister Act and the wonderful way it portrayed the song, “I Will Follow Him”. Enjoy.

seasonalwonderment: “~ Spring is in the Air ~ ”

 

 

The Sooner the Better

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Learning the ways of God can be very humbling. Some say they don’t bow to anyone but if we’re lucky, sooner or later God will have His way, and, as it is written, so it shall happen…the sooner, the better. Happy Sunday.

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'” Romans 14:11

A boy kneeling and praying

For Hurting Hearts

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There are many people walking around with hurting hearts. Life lessons come at us from many directions and at one time I read these two online from a Life Lessons site and made note of them:

“One of the happiest moments in life is when you let go of what you cannot change.”

“One of the most courageous decisions you will ever make is to finally let go of whatever is hurting your heart and soul.”

I know, I know…it’s sometimes difficult to let go but it does make sense, don’t you think? There’s help in a little prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”