Tag Archives: Spirituality

The Stranger Who Held My Hand

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Many years ago, during a very trying time in my life, I had a dream where I was walking alone on the observation deck of the TD Centre, Canada’s tallest building in the seventies.

I circled the deck endlessly, feeling sad and depressed after the breakup of my twenty-one year marriage. Somehow, being fifty-six stories above the earth, seeing the city in panorama, was like looking at my future without a partner and I began to cry.

Suddenly, a faceless male figure, dressed in a robe came beside me and held my hand as we continued the walk.

I woke up to a powerful tingling sensation pulsing through my entire body.

I was reading All Things Are Possible Through Prayer by Charles Allen for the umpteenth time (it is such a wonderful book), when I came across this:  “And when a person has a firm hold on God’s hand, he has the power and strength flowing into him to keep him on his feet.”

I had highlighted the passage at some time, and now it reminded me of my dream.

I have always felt that the person in my dream was Jesus.

That dream gave me the strength and confidence to endure the years of single parenting, financial hardship, and life without love until it appeared once again to a waiting heart.

 

Writing From the Heart

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How can I truly make a contribution through my writing? What is my gift and my mission?

This an excerpt from “Writing From the Heart” by Hal Bennett

The most valuable asset we have as writers is ourselves.  Everything that happens to us is potentially raw material for anything we might write.  I am convinced there is such a thing as divine inspiration…it is undoubtedly the most powerful source of our creativity.

We are never more generous, never more blessed, than when we give of ourselves through that little piece of the Creative Spirit that lives in each of us.

Writers need to know how to talk to their readers. The most important and generous thing any of us has to give as a writer is our own voice, how we each experience our lives.       End of excerpt.

I hope you can see how this lovely piece of advice would inspire me to write my story.

Tomorrow:  A Very Spiritual Dream

My Travels

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I have been fortunate enough to do my fair share of traveling while on this Planet Earth, where there’s so much to see and do. There are those who have travelled much more than I, but there are others who have travelled less. Although there are many places left for me to visit, I am content with where I’ve been.

Chapter Thirty-Seven  –  My Travels

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao-Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

Trinidad

I wish I was going somewhere was the thought that popped into my mind as I listened to the excited chatter of my work-mates planning their upcoming vacations. But I was going nowhere. I was saving money for my daughter, Cathy’s, wedding the following year. Monica and I normally had separate coffee breaks, but one morning they coincided. During that fifteen minutes of respite my friend invited me to go to Trinidad with her in August. She was going home to visit her parents in San Fernando. “It will only cost you your flight, and whatever spending money you might need,” she enticed. My silent wish had come true….. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me….(Psalm 139:9,10) Tomorrow  –  Chapter Thirty-Eight  –  It Happened in an Instant  –  A Lesson in Safety

You’re Too Pretty to Smoke

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I don’t know about any of you smokers out there, but if you have ever tried to quit, you know how hard it is–for most of us.  It was the worst habit I had entertained in my whole life, and when I realized how horrible I began to feel after years of inhaling all those toxins, I wanted to quit. Oh, the agony of it all!

Chapter Thirty-Six  –  You’re Too Pretty to Smoke

“God, I hate smoking! Please help me quit. I’ll suffer anything you want; just help me to quit. Amen.” It was a fervent prayer, and I meant it.

“Just take a drag in.”

I was twelve years old when Jeannie Braid stuck that first cigarette in my mouth and put a match to it. She was two years older than I, and a seasoned smoker. The world whirled. My throat felt as raw as a skinned knee on cement.

“Blow it out, you dumb ox!” Jeannie yelled.

I coughed and sputtered as a thin stream of smoke escaped my lips. It was not as much as I had I taken in. I had swallowed the rest. It was awful. I thought I was dying.

“Okay, now take another puff and blow it out right away!” was the next command.

Still dizzy, I stupidly did what she said—and I was hooked for the next forty-seven years of my life……

I have fought the good fight….(2 Timothy 4:7)

Tomorrow  –  My Travels  –  A Lesson in Adventure

A Lesson in Perseverance

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We can’t get through life without problems. They come in many forms: illnesses, relationships, financial, to name just a few of the most common ones. My life ran pretty smoothly for the most  part, but when the problems loomed, I can see now how they served to give me inner strength.

Trials and Tribulations  –  A Lesson in Perseverance

Some of the traumatic events of my life stand out more than others, and I won’t write about them chronologically, or include them all.

One, in particular, happened after the birth of my fifth child, Kelly, in 1967. It was a relatively easy birth considering it had been seven years since I had last pushed a baby into this world. We were home from hospital an hour when I felt an uncontrollable itch on my back. Nothing would soothe it. Within a few days my entire body was covered in angry looking welts, which gradually turned into blisters. Doctors were baffled, and even biopsied a blister, to no avail. They treated me with a drug used for leprosy, and later, Cortisone shots left me with a moon face, and no relief…..

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance    (James 1:2,3)

Tomorrow  –  About Job and Me  –  A Lesson in Relating

The Final Breath

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Dying is our final act of life. It was my privilege to be at my Irishman’s side as he completed his life’s journey; to hold his hand, and simply be there for him and with him when he took his final breath.

Chapter Thirty-Two  –  The Final Breath

Holding Jerry’s hand, and quietly praying, I felt blessed to be in that time and space. As his breaths became fewer and farther between, a feeling of serenity came over me, and I silently urged him to let go, and let God carry him the rest of the way.

Moments before his final breath, a single tear rolled slowly down Jerry’s cheek. I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t imagine a finer farewell. And then he was gone. I took his tear on my finger tip, and mingled it with the tears on my own cheeks as I let go of my Irishman’s hand. It was 11:29 pm. Jerry’s life journey was over, and mine without him had just begun.

“….he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24)

Tomorrow  –  Trials and Tribulations  –  A Lesson in Perseverance

Writing Through the Rage

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When stress is mismanaged it can be a catalyst for disease, disfunction and depression. There were times when I didn’t handle stress too well and it did take its toll on my health.

Chapter Thirty  –  Writing Through the Rage

I felt a wave of nausea in the pit of my stomach, and realized just how stressed I really was. I wished I could admit myself to a hospital, get a private room, and cry until there wasn’t a tear left in my body. I must write through this, I thought frantically, knowing how close I was to losing it altogether. I drove to a nearby mall, bought a notebook and pen, and sat down with the hot chocolate and tea biscuit.

As I began to write, I noticed the people strolling the mall. An elderly couple walked hand in hand, arms entwined, accentuating their togetherness. It touched my heart. Jerry hardly knew who I was anymore. A teenage boy and girl jostled each other affectionately. Their easy banter reminded me of the many times we had laughed and joked together in the comfort of our relationship. A little boy, about two years old, gave me a twinkling smile as he toddled past, his mother close behind. Jerry and I had raised separate families, but enjoyed the thrill of watching our many grandchildren meld into our lives over the years. Three times I smiled at what I saw, and that was good. I realized in that moment that I always managed to smile through my tears and heartache— that was God……

The Lord is my shepherd…he restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1,3)

Tomorrow  –  Minding God’s Own Business  –  A Lesson in Service

The Way I See It

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There are many times in life when it (your life as you know it) just comes to a halt…not death…just a halt. It happened to me in 2004.

Chapter Twenty-Nine  –  The Way I See It

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  (John 15:13)

The way I see it, this doesn’t mean that you trade places with the guy tied to a railway track with an oncoming locomotive barreling down on him¾ or with Jesus on the cross.

In 2004, I worked three days a week at the Canadian Bible Society book store. It was a part-time job that I loved, and had done for close to five years after my forced retirement from the Mustard Seed Gift Shop. It was a perfect match for my spiritual beliefs, retail background, and love of books.

Volunteering at Providence Health Care Centre every Tuesday morning was another activity I loved.

Lunch or coffee with friends or family was also a weekly occurrence. At church, I was a member of the Worship Committee, and sang in the choir.

That life gradually changed when Jerry was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease…..

“….whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Tomorrow  –  Writing Through the Rage  –  A Lesson in Stress

Hello and welcome to my blog.

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I am Patricia Ann Boyes and have just become a first time published author at the age of seventy-seven. I am so excited! The title of my book is My Precious Life, and is now available for sale in Hardcover, Paperback, Kobo, Kindle and various e-books. The book is available on many online book stores such as Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.uk, Westbow Press, to name a few.

In April of this year I posted an excerpt from each of the forty chapters, and they can still be read by scrolling down to the beginning of this blog. “My Precious Life” is meant to be an inspiration to those who are struggling with life’s lessons, and wondering what they are all about. The feedback the book is receiving is touching on just that. “Wonderful…I couldn’t put it down…inspiring…” These are some of the comments coming back to me, and I’m so thankful for the interest it is generating.

After I posted the first forty excerpts, I continued to blog a post a day, and am still blogging! I love it, and have met some wonderful people in the blogging community. Here again, comments are positive and uplifting.

Here is a link to my church web site. My church is a focal point in my life and is featured in my book which is why I’m including its link.

Thank you for visiting “My Precious Life”. I look forward to hearing your comments on “My Precious Life” the Blog and the Book:

http://www.amazon.com/Precious-Life-Patricia-Ann-Boyes/dp/1490835504/ref=sr_1_1?  ie=UTF8&qid=1413155276&sr=8-1&keywords=my+precious+life

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