Sailing the sea started with calm waters (the year 2025).
This reminds me of ‘The Deep Blue Sea’ LL Cool Jay with fright and laughter shared.
There were waves at times caused me to wonder, if I was alone. No, I was not.
At times I could hear him, other times it felt like He was asleep. However, His Word reminds me ‘He will not slumber’
Psalms 121:3.
While on the sea there were one or two passers-by pretending to be what they are not. Who wanted to say their thing?
but like the saying from Whitney if you remember ‘lay low’…. because they were just passer-bye.
I continued on the sea with its’ different waves, calm, beauty and even charm. Looking ahead to my destination to where he is guiding me with hope of reaching shore.
Like a meerkat looking ahead, her shoulders squared away from the path that she had come from.
Coming from the path stepping onto a rock, she paused only a few seconds; turns and looks where she has come from with a clear understanding of the journeys she has been on.
She steps onto the rock now looking out onto the plains with a flicker of her eye lid and lashes. She sees a bright tomorrow, knowing she has survived and becomes a victor.
Seeing plenty more bushels for camouflage and dotted green circle of vegetation with burrows alongside for covering.
Knowing her burrow her faith in God. She knows the importance of a roof over her head, the source of food and her constant cloak on her back. Laying in her burrow, a peace of mind with health.
There in her burrow she has her secret place away from the wilds both far and near.
She is a victor like her mother, who lives to tell the tale again.
Since 2020 I felt inspired to share from my own daily devotions, this opened doors for me which I am grateful for.
However, as part of my christian journey, there were high & low moments.
One of the doors open was caused by covid and my background in healthcare. My background in healthcare was deemed useful for working in a school, it opened after the summer holiday. During that academic year I covered 5 months leave, which went well (perhaps too well).
At the end of summer, a family member passed into heaven. The school year started with a challenge and so did the new year, with another family member in heaven.
Alongside this there were some learning, I did not know at the time but as months past it became obvious.
Further knowledge and understanding regarding my identity to do with my faith in God. That spilt into my soul for example being able to open up regarding talking late as a child and what impact that had on me growing up.
Growth which transient across my whole being as a person, to give another example of this growth is what is known as the fruit of the Spirit i.e., kindness.
Why I mentioned the above was my heart could have been bitter because there were other offences simply for standing up to what seemed right at the time; and the effects were awful.
Before it dawned on me the world needs kindness, and after made the connection to forgiveness (ref. our father prayer), something happened.
I need to stop! I have been writing and still writing which runs parallel to my everyday life. My eldest son age 16, finished yr 11th and will be at college. My middle son is doing well after some challenges, and my daughter going into year two will need me.
What I am saying, it is God’s kindness in disguise which has allowed me to see that it is time to pause, recalibrate for the new school year and enjoy our final year in the States.
Moving Forwards Praying I found myself saying the ‘Our Father Prayer’ not intending to. Interestingly saying ‘forgive us as we as we forgive those who sin against us…’ literally as I was saying these words, one by one thinking about each one them my conscience felt clear. I moved on in prayer ‘and lead us not into temptation’ in a second realising there could be a next time; for this reason the process is ongoing But first make the choice talking with Christ Jesus, the feelings will catch up. Moving on with prayer ‘But deliver us from evil’ meaning Christ protect us from dangers. Straight after I found myself saying ‘for thy rod and thy staff they comfort me’ an image came in my mind the shepherd and his rod with the curve head over the sheep neck gently pulling the sheep away from danger. Looking at the bible verse presently I see in the same verse ‘for thou art with me’, isn’t this marvelous? Moving on ‘for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen. Immediately I was able to think on how great my Lord is!
The journey with the constant sun. Along ‘it’ the sun set low and the night stars shine. Tomorrow comes with change (s) but how can a young mind understand these changes? Early tomorrows bring hardship with mainly childhood joy.
The tomorrows begin to spin a little faster like cards on some type of wheel. Adolescent has arrived. In the tomorrows, there are hardships; thank God church life brought some type of joy.
More tomorrows, going through the airport freshness is smelt. Night comes, where are the stars? there seem to be none. This tomorrow started like the early tomorrows, it brought good change, optimism and satisfaction regarding study & work. There was a reason for the stars not showing, because there was struggle too. The cards on the wheel goes fast again, this time adulthood.
The tomorrow slows with growth, a new sense of understanding. Where did the emotion go? I guess it has always been lurking around like a roller coaster, from time to time. I guess this has been suppressed/pushed back, maybe even worked through. It reminds me of love, hope and faith, the three pillars in Christianity.
At some time, gratitude has to be show so why not in the middle of it all. Life has not been all that bad amongst the pain and lost. Others would say but you haven’t had it so bad. And yes, I guess I haven’t had it so bad; let’s not think about the pain.
I can see why pain is often avoided. However, time requires’ one to get through it, in order to
survive. Maybe it is the reason I have survive without realising it.
A statement was made. Why don’t I sound British! I was taken a back in that moment for a couple reasons, one no one has ever said this to me before and two I am British and proud of my early years living in Jamaica.
Presently working on a short story as part of a writer’s group with the group’s aim of publishing a book. Already I was given what I believe to be another story plot which ties into being British Jamaican which I would like to do an insert of this plot title Accepting.
Continuing how does God see this. I am a born-again Christian and given how 2020 went regarding race and how I look, I believe I have something to say too.
Without speaking one cannot tell where my origin is from so there are assumptions for example am I from Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa etc; I smile at this. Few Years ago, I kind of struggled to say part of my identity due to stereotypical view of my Jamaican-ness, including some assumptions.
A snippet of Jamaica’s’ diversity given that three-quarters of Jamaican’s skin colour and or features do look West African, there is a mix due to the slave trade also. Now this has been used to judge, criticise and or for an advantage point as well; but the reason, I started here is again because of how I look.
Let us go back to the statement that was made at the beginning. It is interesting how little children straight away pick up on both the British and Jamaican accent. No wonder the bible tells us to come to Jesus with childlike Faith because it is innocent; secondly someone who has been expose to both accents can also figure this out.
A snippet of British history although what I am about to say is not hidden and is also known but is not highlighted. Britain along with other European Nations had Colonised most of the earth population so from Hong Kong to the Americans. Back to the statement that was made why don’t I sound British well what does Britishness sounds like? Do not get me wrong, it is not necessarily a bad thing to have some sort of idea to call your own, but it is when it can be used to ill-treat and or used to exclude someone, that is when it becomes wrong.
I know the person who made the statement did not mean anything by it. However, I am a child of God and so it is good to educate where I can.
To give a better understanding of what I have already touched on, I could go into my physical appearance and where I have lived which leads to topics such as Society, Prejudice and Discrimination. Let me say first there is good and bad in every society however I have faced a degree of some prejudice, boarder line racism (but what does His Word, say about all of this).
Firstly, He loves each one to us. Secondly, He celebrates certain aspects of our Culture for example When Paul talks about being half Jew and half Roman (Gentile); but when this gets in the way of us living in harmony and peace then it becomes a problem. I will give an example Peter (Jew) ministered to Cornelius & his household (Gentiles) they were saved, Firstly Peter went back to Jerusalem and reported the events. As the church expanded the Gentiles went down to Jerusalem and the Jew were pointing a finger at them judging and saying things. Later on, Peter in his humanness went along with his fellow Jewish friends so Paul spoke up for the Gentiles regarding being prejudice.
Five years ago roughly I heard about my sister-inlaw ectopic pregnancy and the lost of their first child but good news* her and my brother are having a baby girl! My job- August 2020 I started a new job in a supervisory role due to covid then went on to cover maternity leave for a member of staff as a teaching assistant. That member of staff came back to work so I was a little concern. Good news again, I resumed my supervisory role with the addition of being back in the classroom while that member of staff expresses her milk somewhere else. Okay it is for a short time each day but every little helps! Look at how God answers prayer. My reason for typing this out is to encourage myself in a time of need. My eldest coming to the end of year ten with exams for his GCSE’s next year, his current year report 10 is not looking good presently but like with everything else I am going to trust God to see him through in Christ Jesus.
Intro- I wanted to write a piece on love that is clinical and pure but is it? No, so what is it? Here goes.
Love starts with a small grain in the ground. There are two elements that kicks in the growth, faith and trust. Another vital component is time that allows one to accommodate the roller coaster ride, a roller coaster rattle and shakes; you got to hold on tight.
However, there is a silver lining that should not be crossed less it becomes ugly. True love is not anger for long but will maintain its’ distance at times.
Receiving love, it will flourish and bear, to be displayed up high. It can stand on its’ own or place in a pot to hang high like a flower in a flower basket, to the sunray.
The sea rolls in and out of the shores but there is a boundary of love which stops it from rolling all the way into harm.
The seed of love must have been kept and kept through the rough conditions. One can image that seed through its rough time, in the boxing ring skipping around to fight like the boxer Muhammad Ali, waiting to launch its punches to the wind of foolish talk.
In the boxing ring it paces itself, throws a punch, gets punched, has its time out and in that moment watches to reflect and stands up again to throw the final blow; afterwards, stands in strength of victory.
The flower beams in its flower basket, basking in its sunray on a beautiful balcony.
It’s a cold day Friday 12, February 2021 and I am sat in the car knowing there is a need for what I am about to say.
On the other hand, I could ignore it but not going to. Why could I ignore it because it seems small and heartwarming to me. I have attempted once before to knowledge what may seem small, was it the right time, place (I was situated in) or not enough thought given to knowledging what my Lord has done; may I add is still doing.
When you know what He (God) has done for you, it is important to give thanks and often times we continue with life itself without stopping to knowledge and give thanks and praise for such things. I am wearing my heart on my sleeves at this present time but I have to because regardless of what is happening around me, I just have to tell of what He has done, this is where gratitude is birth from.
