Friendship Love: The Puzzle (by Peter Black)

A new decorative piece was added to our home, lately. It is a twenty-two by thirty-inch sealed, framed and glazed jigsaw puzzle – a Christmas gift from friends. It now adorns the music room-cum-office.

I can scarcely imagine the monumental patience, painstaking labour, stiff neck and shoulders that it cost Suzie to put together this lovely one-thousand-piece picture. It had to be a labour of love! Her husband Jay made, finished and glazed the frame then mounted the puzzle.

The completed picture portrays Jesus. It’s a rather inviting portrayal, and not one of those serious

sterile, unfriendly kinds. He’s reclining, with His back against a sloping rock-face. Black shadows swallow up much of the foreground, while dying – yet still golden – hues from the setting sun highlight His relaxed warm smile, as He gazes upwards into an indigo evening sky cheerfully studded with stars. A stout staff, grasped in his left hand, seems reflective of The Good Shepherd, who watches over His sheep, ever ready to hear their cry and protect them.

Now, back to Suzie and her putting the puzzle together. Jay explained that once she has determined which puzzle she’s going to tackle next, she removes the pieces and sets the box bearing the picture aside. She then sets herself to work entirely without reference to the picture. Multiple trial and error placements of the dark and black areas and other lighter, but characterless pieces, with little or nothing to distinguish them, eventually end up in their appointed place. Amazing.

That approach is in part what makes this puzzle so special. It is special, of course, because of our friendship. And yes, it is a labour of love (this thoughtful couple have shown us generosity and kindness on numerous occasions), but it is also the product of Suzie’s elevating the challenge for herself and overcoming it.

Life can be puzzling. Ever been in situations in which you didn’t know where you fit? First day in a new class or at a new school or as a freshman in college? Maybe you’ve felt uneasy as the newbie on the block or on the job. It can be quite uncomfortable; I know, for I’ve been in numerous situations like those. Sometimes I’ve wondered whether I’d ever really fit in, but I think that most often I have . . . eventually. Some things you can’t rush but have to patiently work at.

The picture or scenario we’d projected for our lives might have grown fuzzy and the pieces just refuse coming together. Trial and error become the order of the day. Even people who are staunch in their faith and memorize scripture verses from the Bible about God’s willingness to grant us wisdom to guide and lead us in the way we should go, can experience times when life is puzzling.

Our time-line will include occasions when we landed in dark places, when we’d much rather have been in a comfortable place where all is light an’ lovely. However, our Good and Great Shepherd knows exactly where we belong. He’s with His sheep in the dark of night as well as the light of day, and will take us to the place of present joy and eternal safety as we persevere in following and trusting Him.

Our experience of the darkness helps us appreciate the light.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. . . . Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1, 4 NRSV).

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Peter A. Black lives in Southwestern Ontario. He writes a weekly inspirational newspaper column, P-Pep! and is author of Raise Your Gaze ... Mindful Musings of a Grateful Heart, and Parables from the Pond.
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Writing Through Emotional Upheaval by Pamela Mytroen

     Our family took a hit in March and yet I was required to continue writing blogs, articles, and to edit pieces. At first I told my husband that I would never write again. (Picture the Drama Queen). Anxiety made it impossible for me to sleep or focus. But after a few days I was able to sit down and concentrate on a piece that needed editing. I found that if I compartmentalized, I could carry on. Now, when I write, I set a timer and I block out those relentless questions of what the future holds. "If I want to dwell on it later, I can," I tell myself. While this may not be the best approach to dealing with stress, it is working for me.

     There are still times when the situation flares up and pulls me down, and I must confess that I just can't get my focus to write. This is not something that is going to go away; I will likely be wading through it for years. Somehow I need to learn perseverance and push through. There are deadlines to meet and people waiting for my words. I can't just give up.

     I recently read the autobiography of Marina NeMat, "Prisoner of Tehran" (Penguin Canada, 2007). It was a difficult season of writing for her as it meant re-opening memories that she had wanted to seal off forever. But she wrote it so that the world might see what goes on at Evin Prison in Iran. She wanted the truth to be told.

"Prisoner of Tehran". A memoir by Marina Nemat. 

     Shortly after she and her husband immigrated to Canada, she met an Iranian friend at a dinner party in Toronto and by coincidence discovered that they had been imprisoned together in Evin. After a few phone calls back and forth, and talks about their time as political prisoners, Marina's new friend said she didn't want to talk to her anymore. "I can't do it. It's too hard. It's too painful," she said, her voice choked by tears. Marina understood and didn't argue, but it was this type of silence that had held her captive. "She had made her choice--and I had made mine" (page 4).  Marina felt that her own story needed to be told. She continued to write about the atrocities she endured and survived. Some of the emotions she experienced were shame, guilt, fear, and deep sorrow as she unlocked the carefully guarded memories, yet she carried on and finished writing her story so that the world might know the truth.

     How do you persevere through life's interruptions? What techniques do you use to write under the heavy cloak of emotional turmoil?

Pamela Mytroen

My sweet grand-daughter born in April with Mama watching closely in the background!

   

     

Renewing the Writing Vows by Pamela Mytroen

Do you remember when you fell in love with writing? After your first kiss you lived in a state of euphoria with a racing heart. Your hands flew over the keyboard as you tackled, and conquered, every Everest in your path. And then reality hit. The shine of the honeymoon faded. Amor began to sound more like grammar, and weak-in-the-knees turned to foot-in-mouth disease as we faced the everyday routine of deadlines, revisions, and word count.

Have you noticed how some writers manage to maintain that long-term love of pen, paper, and predicates? How do they do it? Looking inside the biology of a love-brain may give us a clue.

In 2011, Drs. Bianca Acevedo and Arthur Aron of the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, New York, used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on seventeen individuals who had been happily married for an average of 21 years. Their findings concluded that the brain activity surrounding long-term romantic love is very similar to the exhilarated brain of a newly-married couple.

What secret did they uncover? How does love linger over decades and last through never-ending laundry and loan payments? Acevedo and Aron hang lasting love all on one hook – Dopamine. It’s the same chemical in the brain that generates “I feel good” every time a drug addict takes a hit. No wonder they say love is addicting. 

“Our brains view long-term passionate love as a goal-directed behavior to attain rewards,” says Psychologist Adoree Durayappah-Harrison. In other words, married couples intentionally provide their spouse with long-term love in order to procure the rewards, which include the reduction of anxiety and stress, feelings of security, a state of calmness, and union with another.

Not all will agree that love is motivated by a mere “feel good” release of Dopamine. Surely something could be said for day-in and day-out commitment. Long-term writers, who have celebrated their silver and golden anniversaries would agree. However, we writers often need encouragement to persevere, and a prize around the next corner may be just the ticket.

What are some of the rewards of a long and committed writing life as opposed to a short-lived infatuation?

• ·      A body of published work
• ·      A distinctive voice
• ·      Development of self-discipline
• ·      Discovery of God and discovery of self
• ·      Growth in writing skills
• ·      Opportunity to excel across several genres
• ·      Mentorship of other writers
• ·      Legacy of perseverance
• ·      Deeper relationships
• ·      Lasting purpose 
• ·      Ability to cope with stress due to consistent routine 

Possibly the most important reward, and not necessarily found in a lab, is that of knowing we have obeyed the call and the Caller. Crafting words worthy of The Word is a gift we are humbled to receive. Emptying our pen and soul onto paper to fill up another lonely, empty soul is more than enough in return.  

Now that the veil has been lifted from the mystery of long-term love, kiss that lovely white screen before you, hold hands with your pen and cross the threshold once again! Let the dopamine do its thing while you enjoy the benefits of a long and faithful writer’s life.

Writers who focus on the rewards may be

                                         “more inclined to stick with the grind”.

Pamela Mytroen 

Durayappah-Harrison, Adoree. “Brain Study Reveals Secrets of Staying Madly in Love.” Psychology Today. 03, February, 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

Pam writes, nurtures children and grand-babies, bakes brownies, and teaches EAL, surrounded by the wind and winsome beauty of the Saskatchewan prairies.

Great Things in Small Packages (by Peter A. Black)

She toiled through the evening hours. With every kick and stroke she pushed and pulled through the darkness of night, pressing through the pain.
 

For almost twenty-seven hours, without a moment of sleep, she pushed ever forward, clawing at the water, defying six-foot waves that rushed relentlessly at her, smashing into her face, as though attempting to stifle her breath. Fighting cramping in her leg muscles, while willing her fatigued arms and shoulders to move, she ignored the deepening cold during the long hours from sunset to dawn.

Tempted, but never giving up, she pressed on until she achieved her goal. At less than five feet tall that wisp of a woman was only fourteen years, one hundred and fifty-eight days.

This human dynamo is Great Lakes marathon swimmer Annaleise Carr—the youngest ever, at the time of her Lake Ontario open-water swim (August, 2012), to complete the 57 kilometres, from the mouth of the Niagara River to the breakwater at Marilyn Bell Park, in Toronto. Shifted off course and hampered by adverse weather, she actually swam 77 kilometres.

Courtesy: Annaleise Carr's FB Page

In July, 2014 Annaleise cut short her intended 75 kilometre Lake Erie swim from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Port Dover, Ontario, at the 42 kilometre mark, by coming ashore at Long Point. That was a wise decision, for rough conditions and stormy weather prevailed. However, she completed the remaining 33 kilometre distance on September 1st.  

Why does she do it?

Compassion flooded her heart when she visited Camp Trillium in Norfolk County, Ontario, near Lake Erie, and there met children suffering from cancer. She witnessed the wonderful care, companionship and enjoyment that Trillium provides for them, and offered to volunteer. “Give me a call in five years,” said the director. Trillium’s volunteers must be at least eighteen; Annaleise was only thirteen.

A determined and creative individual, who loves God and people, she would not be deterred. And so, she conceived the idea of the swim.

In the two years since that Lake Ontario swim she has received a score of awards and numerous citations and commendations, from many organizations and various levels of Government. Public venues bear her name on commemorative plaques, and the town of Simcoe community swimming pool was renamed after her—Annaleise Carr Aquatic Centre. She was included in CHCH TV’s Top 20, 2012, and was also number 10 in CTV Kitchener’s top stories, the same year.

Listing all her recognitions to date is extensive. To mention here only a short list, selected from among the many:

~ World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) Woman of the year in 2012

~ Ontario Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Pin, presented by Lieutenant Governor David Onley

~ 2012 Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year

~2012 Canadian Sport Awards Spirit of Sport Story of the Year

~ Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, presented by Prime Minister Stephen Harper

~ Recipient, Peace Tower Canadian Flag, presented by Minister Diane Findley MP, on behalf of Prime Minster Harper.

The list continues to grow as accolades of her more recent accomplishments roll in.

Now a sixteen-year-old highschool student, Annaleise remains unassuming, despite the momentous attention surrounding her. The eldest of four siblings, she laughs and smiles her way through her day with her siblings and school chums. She hopes her passionate motivational talks in schools will inspire young people to aim higher and engage in helping others.

Fellowship room, Eden Baptist Church, ON
Peter, with Annaleise and her dad, Jeff Carr,
.

Despite her slightly restrained demeanour when addressing a mainly adult audience, she doesn’t curtail her passion and evident desire to allow God to use her skills and life to bless others – especially the children who receive help and hope through Camp Trillium.

Her efforts and inspiration has helped mobilize, in a ripple effect, many individuals, organizations and businesses. Their efforts, combined with hers have, to date, raised more than $260,000 in donations for the cause.

My wife and I are honoured to have met this remarkable young lady and her family. She acknowledges she couldn’t have accomplished her goals without them and a great host of others who volunteer.

Annaleise Carr is living proof: Great things can and often do come in small packages! And also that God will make a way for those who live for Him and desire to bless others. :)

~~+~~

Source Credits: 1. Live interview October 2014 – Rev. A. Brndjar and Ms. Carr at Eden Baptist Church, Ontario. 2. Toronto, 2014: Recordbooks / Lorimer; “Annaleise Carr: How I conquered Lake Ontario to help kids battling cancer” by Annaleise Carr as told to Deborah Ellis. 3. Simcoe Reformer / Norfolk County Tourism, Ontario. Booklet, 2014: “Conquering Lake Ontario”; #annaswims.

~~+~~

Peter’s new book, “Raise Your Gaze . . . Musings of a Grateful Heart,” was released in August.

Available from:  Angelhopepublishing@glynisbelec.com ; www.glynisbelec.com ; Email ; Amazon

Peter A. Black is a freelance writer and columnist in Southwestern Ontario, and is author of “Parables from the Pond” – a children's / family book (mildly educational, inspirational in orientation, character reinforcing). Finalist – Word Alive Press. ISBN: 1897373-21-X. The book has found a place in various settings with a readership ranging from kids to senior adults.


The Power of Perseverance -HIRD

By the Rev. Dr. Ed Hird

Many people around Christmas hit walls and feel like giving up. This season of joy can be a very blue time, sometimes even or especially for writers who often feel things very deeply.  For the past few months, I have been unable to access this blog to post articles on the TWG writers' rosters.  It was been very frustrating.  I was tempted to give up trying. Finally I dialed into http://blogspot.com rather than http://blogspot.ca and I could immediately post on this TWG blog.  What a miracle. I am so glad that I did not give up. 

Winston Churchill is famous for his advice during the Battle of Britain: “Never, ever, ever give up. Never give up. Never give up.”  It is so easy to let setbacks set us back, to let disappointments discourage us.  We can lose our first love, our original passion, our vision and focus.

Perseverance is the key to breakthrough in our lives, our marriages, our families and our work.  Without perseverance, we don’t finish well, we don’t fight the good fight, we don’t keep the faith.  The Good Shepherd once told a story in Luke 18:1-8 about a widow who was being exploited by a corrupt judge.  Widows have historically been some of the most powerless people, lacking protection and financial resources.  In some countries around the world, widows were even burned alive (Sati) on their husband’s funeral pyre.   This widow had no bribe to pay off the judge, so instead she wore him out with her pleading.

The Good Shepherd Jesus commended this persevering widow, and encouraged us to be persevering, especially in our prayer lives, never giving up.  Why are many people tempted to give up in their prayer lives? Sometimes the answers to our prayers often seem to take too long. Sometimes God says slow, or grow, or even no.   When there is great grief in our lives, our prayer lives can take a hit.  Our experience of tragedy can embitter us, and rob us of hope.  Jesus commended the persevering widow as a model for all of us.  God wants us to persevere.

Andrew Murray, a famous 19^th Century South African write, once said “Of all the mysteries of the prayer world, the need for persevering prayer is one of the greatest.”  A Facebook friend of mine, Matthew Lee Smith, sent me this note: “This Sunday, preach like Jesus is coming Monday! I am praying for you right now my friend!”  I am so encouraged when I know that people are praying for me. People can gossip about you, or they can pray for you.  It is a radical choice.  It is so easy to get discouraged and cut back in our praying for certain people. We may not even want to think about them, let alone pray for them.  It’s too painful.  God wants us to persevere.

Jesus was a man of prayer. The closer Jesus came to the cross, the more he prayed. Jesus prayed like no one else did.  He ever got a prayer named after him: The Lord’s Prayer.   This is a challenging time to be a Christian, to attend Church, to be a worshiper. Without prayer, we will get taken out, distracted, knocked off course.  If you are discouraged, pray. If you have lost heart, pray. If you don’t know the way forward, pray.  Prayer is the way forward. God always makes a way when it seems that there is no way forward.

God loves to keep his promises.  He loves to answer prayer.  Prayer is about leaning on the everlasting arms.  It is about trusting that He’s got the whole world in his hands, his faithfulness is great, and all that I have needed his hand has provided.  Prayer is about practicing God’s presence.  Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. He loves us with an everlasting love.  My prayer for those reading this article  is that we will learn from the persevering widow to never give up, to always persist, and to always keep on praying.  Merry Christmas.  Keep your eyes on the manger.

The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, Rector

St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver

Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)

http://stsimonschurch.ca

-an article for the November 2013 Deep Cove Crier

-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’

http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com

p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99 CDN/USD.

-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada

You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide

Another blank page stares me in the face; or a chapter needs to be edited and made more concise; or an article that's only half a page needs to be four. The challenge of writing - you climb to the top of a mountain and discover there is another obstacle waiting. 

It reminds me of a riding trip I did once, into Alberta's Rocky Mountains. I was with an experienced guide and our first few rides had been great. Then on the third evening he proposed a challenge. "I'd like to go up to the highest peak tomorrow," he said, "but it's a long ride, six hours at least, so who's up for it?"

Four of us headed out right after breakfast. As we approached a fast-flowing river our guide cautioned about not staring at the swirling water and what to do if we fell off. I was relieved when my horse lunged up the far bank with me still on his back. Then we began to climb. I looked up and thought, wow, that's one big mountain and we're only just starting; then, hmm, we're almost half way up; then we were leading our horses up the last steep incline to the very top. It was exhilarating to look out at that 360 degree view. But our guide told us there was a decision to make.

 “We can go back the way we came up," he said, "or we can follow this ridge to the other side of that mountain.” I followed his arm as he pointed. The ridge was long and narrow and the mountain looked far away. But we were all still a bit "high" from making the first climb, so we opted for the more adventurous route.

The strip of dirt we advanced across was just wide enough for the animals to plant their feet. Both sides fell away steeply. We were half way across when I felt my horse kicking out at the horse-flies that had appeared out of no-where. Our guide glanced back and warned us that if we felt our horses begin to slide off the narrow path, we should "get off fast. There's nothing to stop them if they start to go and you'll find yourself under 1000 pounds of horseflesh before you know it." Right, I thought. And why did I say yes to this, again? But there was no turning back now.

I was relieved, again, when we stepped off the ridge and began making our way around the second mountain. Then the trail disappeared and everywhere we turned deadfall blocked our way. After more than an hour trying to find a tail that would take us down we headed back up and around the mountain, then down the other side, "bushwhacking" through a dense growth of pine and spruce until we reached the river valley.

But another obstacle became obvious. The river before us was in full flood and the place where our guide had thought we could cross was too swampy for the horses to tromp through. So we headed upriver, looking for another spot to ford. Two hours later we decided to risk sloshing through the muskeg and into the river. We all emerged drenched and shivering on the other side, but glad to be at last on open ground where we could make some time getting back to the campsite. We had been gone for almost twelve hours and we knew our friends and family would be worried. 

When we finally climbed out of the saddles we were tired and hungry, not to mention sore, but exhilarated. We had stories to tell and memories to cherish about the journey.

As I face those blank pages, chapters to be edited and articles to be fleshed out, I remember that trek on horseback and I keep going. I think of all the famous books that were rejected time and again but eventually became best sellers. I think of friends who keep sending out their work and learning their craft even though the rejection slips pile up. And I remember that when you're half way across a high ridge or fast flowing river, there's no turning back. I know it won't be easy - there will be obstacles and barriers that seem insurmountable, but there will also be memories to cherish about the journey and an exhilarating view when I reach the top.

"and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1b.

****

Marcia is an award-winning author and speaker. Visit her website

The Shed - Black

An original edition of the following article was published in the June 24, 2010, issue of The Watford Guide-Advocate.

They were offered ‘On Special’, and my wife and I ordered one. We eagerly awaited delivery of the 10 X 7 foot shed. It came last week, in two packages. The smaller, perhaps weighing 50 pounds, contained the galvanized metal foundation. The larger box, weighing approximately 260 pounds – more than twice my scrawny weight – contained the shed.

Packages of nuts, bolts, and screws, sheets of painted steel, and lengths of galvanized reinforcement, adorned the back yard. This was our shed! Fortunately, instruction booklets were provided. But, my ... what a back-breaking, knee-joint-wearing, whole-body-muscle-aching job, it all turned out to be – and that’s not to mention the frustration and emotional befrazzlement of trying to figure out obscure aspects of the instructions, and too-small illustrations.

No, I didn’t curse ... not even once; but I groaned – a lot. And fussed. Why can’t they provide nuts with quarter-inch depth to go with these bolts, instead of these little eighth-of-an-inch things? They would be so much easier for the socket and wrench to grip, without slipping off all the time! A coupla’ dollars more for those, and it would save hours of pain and frustration. Were we tempted to give up? Close, but not quite.

At one stage, I’d been trying to figure out a particular instruction illustrated by a way-too-small diagram, and unsuccessfully applied considerable intellectual reasoning to putting several components together. The result didn’t look quite right. May woke up the following morning with the correct solution (so much for the male ego and the intellectual approach, eh?). She also suggested we take a gander at Canadian Tire, where a similar, though smaller, unit was assembled.

Ah, yes. Our eyes were opened, we gained insight through someone else’s efforts, and could then see our way ahead. And now, we have a handsome two-tone garden shed. It’s waiting for me to finish telling you about it, so I can get out there and install a plywood floor (not included with the purchase, I might add). We learned from our mistakes and gained insight into interpreting the instructions, by viewing that other completed project.

The lesson in all this? Live, look, and learn.

Living involves risk. We attempt things we’ve never done before, and go places in our experience we’ve never gone before. Living provides a life-long opportunity to learn and grow.

Looking and observing how others have handled situations in their lives provides opportunity for us to learn from their experience, especially from those who have faced similar challenges as we, for that can provide insight into our situation.
Our individual challenges are in some sense unique, yet there are often similarities with those of others, and our observing them can inspire hope and ignite renewed courage to press on and not give up.

Learning certainly is a life-long process, and is the result of living. Living intentionally. Living with purpose. Living with direction.

The biblical scriptures have been described as a road map for life and as an instruction book on living. And yet, the map in places may seem hard to follow, and the instructions obscure. That’s where the experience of others who have walked the way–who have built their lives and found valuable instruction, can help us.

Jesus Christ is "The way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and through Him we find our way to God and our heavenly home. Who wouldn’t give up a tin shed for that!
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Peter Black continues writing a weekly column in The Guide.
His children's/family book "Parables from the Pond" -- described as, "mildly educational, inspirationally-oriented, character-reinforcing fiction for children 6-10 or kids from 5-95!" was shortlisted by Word Alive Press, and published by them in 2008.

The Extra Effort – Lawrence

What happens when we give that little extra effort to our regular job? What happens when we give out that 110% we hear people speak about sometimes? What happens when we go beyond the call of duty?
One hears, from time to time, whether on the TV news or in the local newspaper, of someone who did just that. The reason it gets noted in the news is that people are surprised by it; surprised that someone makes that extra effort to help another person rather than walking away in case one might get hurt or involved in another’s business. (Sounds a little like the parable that Jesus told of the Good Samaritan, doesn’t it? Luke 10: 33.)

I have seen this extra effort even in nature. In fact, I have seen it this month in one of my indoor plants, which is what made me think about this concept of doing more than is expected of us and the joy that it brings to others. Yes, to answer my earlier question, that is what happens when we do more than is expected of us—it brings joy and happiness to those around us; it gives a lift to the spirits of others.

Now, to my plant story—a few years ago, I knocked a Christmas cactus plant on the floor. It actually survived the ordeal quite well apart from losing some of its earth out of the pot, which I replaced, and breaking off a couple of its leaves. I decided to plant the two leaves into some earth in a small pot and hoped that they would put down some roots. I had to take it on faith that the leaves would produce roots because they were hidden from me, but I knew that they had done so when, after several months, new growth began to sprout out of the tops of the leaves.
Eventually, I put the young plants into a larger pot and, when several years later they grew too big even for this pot, I provided a large pot for each of them.

We call these plants Christmas cacti though, in actual fact, the ones that I have bloom in October. They have beautiful pink blossoms, which grow out of the tops of their leaves. In 2008, all three of these plants bloomed well and were covered all over with healthy pink blossoms for about a month from first sprouting to their final withering and dropping to the floor.

Earlier this month, March 2009, I noticed that one of the plants was producing a bud. It’s true that sometimes they do put out little pink protrusions other than at their normal October blooming time but these usually shrivel up and come to nothing. This bud, of which I am speaking, was definitely showing signs of developing into a mature flower; it was putting forth an extra effort.

It is now almost three weeks until Easter and this one flower on this one leaf of this one Christmas cactus is showing forth, in parable, the glory of Christ’s resurrection.
I pray that all we who are Christians may make the effort to do the same—shouting out our own hallelujahs in our own joyful song.

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! Isaiah 35: 1 & 2, New Living Translation.

© Judith Lawrence
Read and listen to Judith’s monthly meditation on her website at www.judithlawrence.ca