A clear view

This is what Mount Kinabalu looks like; we had to wait 5 days for this view. Most of the time it's hidden behind clouds and mists.
This reminds me of faith - being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see

Voice of Love

I heard the voice of the tempter say - Prove yourself!
Do something useful, powerful, sensational;
To show you are worthy of love.
So I strove to do my best;
Only to discover that -
Enough is never enough;
To prove I am worthy of love.

Then I heard a still, small voice say -
"You are My Beloved Child;
There is no need to strive;
You are chosen; pride of My life"
"It's not what you can do or say;
That makes up what you're worth.
It's how much I have loved you;
Long before Your birth."

A New Beginning

I came to this retreat,
With ashes in my hand,
Charred remains of failed attempts,
Of a contemplative stance.

I thought it would make me
More spiritual,
More transformed;
Better and wiser...
But I was wrong.

To find the One who loves my soul,
Requires that I understand -
That I am the one who's being pursued;
Drawn and embraced by His loving Hand.

Two donkeys

Two donkeys I met along the way
One Simon, one Rinda
Servants of God, I say

Who walked along with me some days
They watched and listened
And helped me find my place

At Papa's side & under His gaze
I thank You Lord for donkeys who
Are so full of Your grace!

Sheepdog

These words were inspired from a silent retreat which I attended recently over the Easter weekend at the Nest.

Make me your sheepdog Lord
Train me in Your ways
Let me hear Your every call
And see You face to face

Make me your sheepdog Lord
And help me to obey
Regardless of the circumstance
In everything You say

Make me your sheepdog Lord
O that I might be
Ever attentive and responsive
Only God to Thee

Make me your sheepdog Lord
And use me as You will
To herd the sheep You've lost
To pasture that will thrill

Make me your sheepdog Lord
As one who knows no fear
To climb the heights and plunge the depths
With the Shepherd I hold so dear

(picture of border collie taken from Wikipedia)

Pouring out of nard

I was inspired by the story of Mary pouring pure nard on Jesus in John 12:1-6

Lord I pour out my nard on you
Please take me as I am
The strong, the weak, the good, the bad
A sacrifice to the Lamb

Lord I pour out my nard on you
I don't have much to give
The whole, the broken, the Mary, the Judas
Please accept them as a gift

Lord I pour out my nard on you
I owe you a great debt
Your cross, Your tomb, the empty grave
Brought death and life resurrect

Lord I pour out my nard on you
Take these spices, make them new
The bitter, the sweet, the sour, the salt
Make me a fresh work in You

(picture of spikenard, ingredient of nard, taken from Wikipedia)

Beatrix Potter

I recently watched the movie "Miss Potter" with Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor and thoroughly enjoyed it! Although the movie has some historical inaccuracies, it was heartwarming and I particularly liked the animated scenes where the animal characters came alive.

Watching some of the scenes at the Lake District also made me homesick for Cumbria (I spent a year at Lancaster University and whiled away many happy weekends exploring the Lake District; a bus ticket only cost five pounds then).

I hadn't realised how accomplished Beatrix Potter was. A self-taught artist (her first book, ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit,'' was published in 1902 and sold 28,000 copies between October and Christmas that year); an astute businesswoman (she began merchandising a Peter Rabbit doll as early as 1903); a expert mycologist (she studied and drew lichens and fungi) and a sheep breeder with 14 farms covering 4,000 acres.

She bequeathed all her property to the National Trust, a charity dedicated to preserving British heritage. One of her quotes was - "Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality"