Use the word rain in any form to share your thoughts.
Alternatively, here is a picture which is experimental on Unsplash.
I stand alone
dying from thirst
No rain
While parts of our world are in the wet season and have too much rain, some areas are desperately needing rain, real and spiritual.
Whether it be actual rain you need or spiritual rain you need, kindness during that season always brings a light of hope. May kindness rain down on you quenching the thirst from hard times.
I have to shout out many congratulations to all the participants of Volume 2 of The Short of It, Reflection and Revelations. I finally got my copy.
If you have not gotten your copy, and you enjoy poetry, this is a good compilation of work and a must-read. While there is some of my work in this book, I do not consider myself a poet. I am a storyteller. Being a poet is a gift of being able to use minimal words and create a beautiful story. I need more words, but thank you Susi for allowing me to be part of your talented writers.
Several of the writers of this series, I follow here on Word Press and some I enjoyed being a part of in Volume 1. May we all continue to share our hearts to help others smile, heal and continue on in this life.
And as a reminder, always be kind. Kindness opens so many doors of healing and hope to others, that we all benefit from it.
Our Real Home is now available at Amazon in Kindle format and paperback.
This is fictional story of real life characters as they explain how they see Heaven. I made these book marks for a few of my friends.
The main purpose of this book is encouragement. Encouragement with how the Bible explains to us what Heaven is like and encouragement of just how much we are all loved by God. While the story may make you smile as these characters learn of the beauty that they were made for, it is a testament, according to scripture, of just how much God loves each of us and that he created each of us for a purpose, man and beast alike…so that he could spend eternity with those who love Him. My opening comments of the book…
The sole purpose of this book is showing the encouragement we all need by giving a visual perspective of God’s love for everything He creates. God has a special love and purpose for man, who is made in His image, and for animals who possess a special connection with God’s love. This story is written from the perspective of how I believe a dog is created and how a dog thinks. At the base of any dog’s heart, there is an inherent form of love and devotion, given as a gift from God. This gift is then given freely from the dog to his owner, even when that love or devotion is not deserved. The dog knows no different way to be. Hopefully, to anyone who is an animal lover, the love and devotion you have received from your past pet(s) can now be shared with people. Then in time, you may acquire another pet companion – not to replace one you have lost, but to strengthen you further still, and to expand that love you have been shown with others – animals and people. Life on this earth is hard on a good day and can be worse on hard days. It is my sincere hope that this book will be an encouragement for anyone reading it to realize the love, beauty, and patience of God for everything He creates. God’s identity never changes, but how we see Him changes as we follow His Word and grow closer to Him.
Do you believe in angels…real angels. I do. Scripture speaks of angels as messengers of God. I believe God uses all of creation to speak to our hearts non-verbally….and occasionally verbally of needed. This book takes on the light side of the “what ifs”. There have been many stories about angels…and we have all heard them. What if…
Regardless of your interest in this book, may you always be encouraged knowing God loves you more than you could ever imagine. Have a blessed day and don’t forget about the beauty of all of creation.
And remember to always be kind.
For the last two months, I have been among the missing in the blogging world but I have been very busy. September through December is always a busy time with college football. Go Dawgs!
Then November we add more busy as we put up Christmas…and there is a lot of Christmas – 5 big trees, 3 small trees and décor everywhere…
Then two weeks ago was the college football playoffs between four teams…we won our match – Go Dawgs!
Monday night of this week was the National Championship for College Football…again we won…back to back championships…
Go Dawgs…super year.
Then today, after two weeks of intense editing, I was ready to create the cover for my new book. This book has been in the works for seven months and I hope to get it released next month. No, its not about football or Christmas, but it is about a very special dog – Dittims.
Dittims was a very large Great Dane, 189 pounds, mostly white and as some white dogs can be – he was mostly deaf. And later in life, his beautiful blue eyes began to lose sight. Even though I lost him close to nine years ago, I will always remember the lessons he taught me. Regardless of the issues you may have, you can still find joy and the love of life if you allow it to come in. This book was written as an encouragement for those who may be hurting, have lost loved ones or loveable pets, or just need the hope of Heaven to hang on to. Our Real Home is Dittims’ perspective, along with all the other dogs I have had in my life, to share the beauty of Heaven as they see it with biblical scriptures throughout to help back up some of what they are seeing. Yes, it is still fiction, but it brings about the encouraging hope of what is to come for all of us. It’s a compilation of silly stories the dogs share with each other, stories of aching loss on earth replaced with the joys of Heaven and the hopeful chance of a reunion of loved ones in heaven, man and animal alike.
The sample market I have given it to seems to have enjoyed it and if you are an animal lover, I hope you will give it a try. I will announce its release as soon as it is done. And if you are not much of a reader, that is fine, just make sure you love on your pets while you still have them. They have wonderful gifts to share with us if we will only listen and watch.
And as always, I remind you to be kind in all that you do. You never know what angel you may be tending to.
Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge which was started by our star writer Christine Ray. We hope to offer all of you something that will spark your creativity and willingness to participate.
I thought I would accept this challenge as I needed something to do but as I finished it…it was an 8 page short story instead of a poem…so we are backing up and punting. Hope you enjoy.
Beauty Within
The beauty concealed that is within
A reflection of what has always been
It is not a hopeful of what could be
But a timeless picture of what we see
A yellow rose concealed in joy
Is a timeless flower for us to enjoy
And in closing, I remind us as always to be kind. Kindness shows a beauty beyond time.
Cranny’s #1 Minute Fiction Challenge this week made me laugh as my mind went in a whole different direction. Come join in to share you thoughts.
The Glass Box
“Hey George, come look. Those weird creatures are coming up out of the ground again. Hurry, come look before they leave.”
“Ignore them Martha,” said George as he moved away out of sight. “The more attention you give them the longer they stay.”
“But George they are fascinating to watch. Come look.”
“No.”
“One of them has that light box thingy that gets bright when he puts it close to his face. I wonder what it does?”
“George, are you listening to me? Don’t you even care?”
“No.”
Have you ever wondered what goes through the minds of animals at the zoo? I bet they think we are the weirdest creatures of all.
Regardless of the creature you come in contact with, always be kind…but if you need to run first, then run and be safe, then be kind from a distance.
Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge. The prompts are designed to be quick challenges that can be written in 10 to 15 minutes, inspire you creatively, are fun, and get everyone interacting.
For today’s prompt, use the theme of unraveling in a piece of writing.
Life
Life should be filled in purity
Instead it shows prematurity
Unraveling itself in immaturity
Firmly bound in obscurity
Remember to always share kindness with those who feel lost in this world. It will help them find heir feet of security.
After blogging now for several years I started doing encouragements for my church, then I started occasionally posting them here. Then came along Susi Bocks’ encouragement of my writing and many of you who have appreciated my encouraging thoughts and have been very kind to me. Thank you for giving me a small voice. Twice now, The Short of It/I Write Her has featured my writing which has encouraged me to the point that I wanted to share some of the short stories I have written that are TOOOO long to post. So I took Susi’s advice and created an anthology featuring my short stories and some of my poetry. A couple of these poems, Susi featured this February.
If you are interested, you can go to Amazon and purchase either the Kindle version or the paperback version of Hope (An Anthology of Christian Perspective) and I hope you will be encouraged.
I thank you in advance if you do but my hope is that even here I can encourage one person who needs a hug. We all need hugs. Below is one of the poems of the book that I also had posted on my blog last year. This kind of sets the theme of the book.
Raindrops of the Heart
Raindrops of the heart can be a sad place to start
As life of those loved around us do inevitably depart
But Raindrops of the heart can also come from joy
As we remember the fun things we both did enjoy
Raindrops of the heart do not always come from grief
As laughter of the heart shows raindrops of relief
Raindrops of the heart are moments to be shared
As raindrops from the heart show moments that we cared.
Thank you for reading today. Remember the power and beauty of Kindness and share it often.
Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge which was started by our star writer Christine Ray. We hope to offer all of you something that will spark your creativity and willingness to participate.
Today’s prompt: Write a poem that starts with bitten
Bitten
Bitten as I was on the celebrated day of hearts
Smitten as I was, now gone before it starts
Written on the hearts of many a love song
Mittens would be better and not felt wrong
Kittens are much warmer with love that lasts
Sittin’ and smiling’ and remembering our past
Thanks Go Dog Go Café for giving us a fun chance to play with words. And in closing I remind all the comfort, power and value of kindness. It can bring light to any dark room.
As I was reading my devotion this evening, I was reminded of the hope for Israel as Micah explained the guilt, misery and punishment the Lord had against Israel some 750 years before Christ. The Bible is filled with story after story of Israel following, then falling away, following again, then falling again…a cycle we still see today. Not just with Israel but with the entire world. But scripture also reminds us of His infinite love for us, a love we will never understand on this earth but a love that is always there for each person willing to accept it. May the words of my story this evening, bring you hope if you find yourself in a dark place. HIS light is always there for you.
Never Lose Hope
I sit in the darkness and gloom. My head hangs low in shame. It’s my own fault that I am in this mess. Though I sit here lost and scared, deep within me a hope burns. There is still a light out there beyond this darkness, a love beyond compare than beckons me to not give up.
“Do not gloat over me,” I shout into the dark. “I may have fallen but I am not forgotten. I am loved. I may be bearing the guilt of my shame but I know…HE…loves…me. He will come for me, He always does. He always does…”
A day is coming when Mother Earth will twist in the torment of her desolation caused by the greed and waste of mankind. Nations will be stripped of their power and thrown down in the dust of their inequities.
“It will be my turn to gloat,” I shout, yet I understand now, more than ever, the silliness and waste of that attitude as I am reminded of my error. We are all part of the great creation. He will not forget us forever. HE delights in showing mercy…even when we don’t deserve it.
Who is a God like you?
Anita Neal, 2/10/22
As we ponder the age old question of God’s existence, I can assure you God is there and His love for you is profound and very real. May you feel that love surround you and bring you peace.
And as always, I remind you of the power and the beauty of Kindness. Kindness can light a candle in the darkest corner.
For the Love of 