We were able to witness Mother Nature’s beauty and power over the last few weeks in my part of the country.  Her performance was beautiful!  The scenes She created were just so magnificent!  One of the great things about this performance was it allowed our performances of day to day living to stop.  All our hurrying, appointments, meetings, activities, and more came to a stop.  We were given a few moments in life to stop and enjoy life.  The silence, the beauty, the other creatures we share the Earth with, and the time with those we love.  We played, reflected, relaxed, and enjoyed a few quite moments of true living!  I have come to appreciate these moments given to us.  If Mother Nature sends you a message this week, take Her up on it and live to the fullest through these moments!

Her Winter Touch

She lightly blows Her breath,

And the land turns white.

Soft and gentle,

One layer at a time.

She sends the crystals.

All with the same elements,

But all individuals and different.

Each joining hands to make the perfect covering.

With the tip of her finger,

She paints the trees lightly with white.

She gently whispers white dust up and down the cedars.

The scene becomes magical!

As She touches the rocks,

She lays the snow around them.

They begin to glisten.

Appearing as jewels buried.

She misses the humans.

They give Her joy as they delight in Her gifts,

But they cannot come out in the ice cold.

A tear falls from Her eye forming long icicles where they fall.

The blanket she has laid.

Allows all the creatures that were hidden.

To come out and play.

Tracks of everyone dot the white landscape.

She gently pulls the bottom of Her gown along the ground.

Dusting the grass with flakes of white.

As she pulls Herself on the edge of the wind,

Gliding away into the clouds.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

I cannot go without mentioning the other side of Mother Nature’s visit this week.  We so appreciate those that get out and still do their jobs during these days.  Our law enforcement, health care workers, city and county utilities, and so many more.  We are so very grateful for you! Also, our prayers and love go out to all who have been adversely affected by the rough weather.  Our hopes go out to you for a great recovery.  Thanks to everyone taking time to be with me this week.  I hope the reading has inspired you to approach life in a wonderful way.  Look this week for all the moments God gives us through Mother Nature and Her gifts!  And someone please have a serious talk with that groundhog about an early Spring!

Love,

Rennae

Blessings 

For those who have never experienced pain, my prayers are that you will never.  Pain, which can be physical or mental, makes life so very difficult.  And many times physical pain can lead to mental pain, although both can occur alone.  People with pain have to view every day and every moment of each day with strength and courage to keep going.  That sounds easy until you are the one having to push yourself to not give up.  Every day we are around people experiencing great pain.  We may not even know it, so this is one reason it is better to give everyone the benefit of doubt.  We never know what pain people have gone through or are going through.  If you are that person in pain, never, ever give up.  Make sure you have a support family.  Someone or a group of some ones that can give you a better perspective on life and living.  If the mental pain increases absolutely seek a professional.  We are not alone in this world, and professional counselors prove that to all that they see.  If your physical pain continues, be your own self advocate with the physicians you see.  Press these professionals until they find the source of the pain.  People do not hurt on purpose.  Physical and mental pain can be beat!  Focusing on living our lives to the fullest will help us to see all the many blessings we do have!  If you are in pain, keep your ounce of hope this week, no matter how small.  Reach for your smallest blessing and hold it tight!  Like the mustard seed, the smallest hope can become enormous in the presence of faith!

The Life of Pain

I feel like a normal person.

I can laugh and have a conversation.

Just like a regular person.

When I am doing this while sitting,

I really feel real.

Then with all my strength,

I try to stand.

The pain bolts through my body.

Then as I take the steps,

The pain makes a continuous bolt.

With each step,

I remember.

I am not normal.

The difficulty walking and moving

Cannot be what normal is.

When I am driving a car,

All seems like a regular driver.

I feel like a real person.

One cannot tell that my back

And my legs are weak.

As I swing my legs to get out of the car,

The ting of pain says slow down.

One foot goes down.

Then the other,

And the standing says the pain remains.

Waking up from a restful sleep,

All seems so well.

When my feet slip into my house shoes,

And I make that first stand,

The pain quickly reminds me there is no peace in taking a step.

As I sit,

My mind says do this or do that.

You can get all these projects done!

Then as the mind puts the physical into motion,

The pain puts a halt to all the projects.

I head to the grocery.

Looking like any other shopper.

Until my back gives way.

Then I lean further and further over the cart.

The debilitating pain keeps me from making it through the store.

I head to the patio.

In hopes of feeding the birds.

With each step I have to breath deep,

To keep the pain from stopping me.

In between feeders I have to sit just to survive.

My joy of gardening, cooking, and decorating has just come to a standstill.

Pain does not allow for these types of joy.

I try to hold on and do these to some degree,

But the pain rises and days after are spent on recovering and more pain.

A soothing bath is so welcomed.

However, it becomes a major undertaking.

The motions have to very slow and very intentional,

In order to not fall and be more damaged.

What once was soothing now is stressful.

I pray that the pain will go away.

I do have faith.

Although it has worn thin begging God to heal me.

No matter what I do or don’t do,

The pain is there.

I try to doctor and protect the damaged body.

But It means giving up things.

It means sitting out on art exhibits, shopping trips, or dinners.

To be brutely honest,

It is very difficult to live with.

Some days I want to give up.

I just think its easier to sit down and not move.

Then I remember, I am not here for just me.

I am here for those I love.

And for those that love me.

God has me here for a special purpose.

I would never let that opportunity go by.

I will hold my faith strong.

My hope will rise up,

And I will live the fullest life through pain!

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

Thank you for being with me this week.  Pain is a tough subject that we often smooth over or ignore all together.  Remember, we do not know what others go through in this life.  Pain is very real.  It needs to be acknowledged and treated, whether it is physical or mental.  Let others know they are never alone in this world.  May your week be pain free and filled with love!  Plant your mustard seed of hope and watch it grow!

Love,

Rennae

Journey

I just cannot understand why people find it so difficult to love others.  It does not take a big effort nor an above the norm action.  Love encompasses the smallest act in the most genuine heart kind of way.  It is not the big things people remember about love.  It is the moment by moment, day by day, year by year, commitment to demonstrate love.  Love also does not apply to one “kind” of person.  It applies to all people, rich or poor, with a home or without a home, gruff or sweet, not one religion over another, and the list could go on!  Now there are those people who that make it very difficult to love them.  Usually because they are afraid or have been hurt so deeply by trusting the love of someone else.  But even these individuals need our love.  Make it your goal this week to reach out and love someone.  It can be someone you know or even better someone you do not know!  As Corinthians 13:13 paraphrased says, “And the greatest of these is love (charity)”!  Whoever would have thought you were being charitable when you were giving out love!  Give it away this week—all that you can!

Soul Love

Having my coffee ready in the morning.

Texting me with morning blessings.

Taking your time to see my Dad.

Carrying my chair to set on the beach.

If you don’t know love,

This is it.

Taking time to talk on the phone with me.

Holding my hand as I walk down the hall to the doctor.

Putting my sock on the foot I cannot lift.

Buying lunch on my birthday.

Love appears in many forms.

This is love.

Celebrating life with me.

Taking me on a shopping trip.

Laughing at me,

And laughing with me!

Love is always genuine.

You show me great love.

Sending me a card that makes me smile.

A positive written message through text.

A hug of reassurance.

Holding hands during prayer.

Love can be spread so quickly.

Demonstrated in the simplest way.

You return my shopping cart.

You offer to take and put my purchases in my car.

You make me smile with small conversation as I check out at the grocery.

You genuinely say have a nice day as you serve me.

All motions of love.

Love can be shown by anyone.

Picking up my fallen wreath in the yard.

Having lunch with me at the tearoom.

Your voice and tone says I need you.

Conversations of respect for each other.

All actions of love.

Love without strings.

Taking me to a show and having patience getting me there.

Lifting me up with your words of encouragement.

Just being with me in silence.

Just letting me cry on your shoulder.

All ways to love.

Love that we never forget.

For those who think love is a big gift.

Or those that think love is only taking.

It is not big, or glamorous, gaudy, extravagant, or difficult.

Love is small, it is every day.

It is given away without expectations.

Love comes from a place of peace.

Love is simple.

Love is kind.

Love is the smallest act of giving.

Love is the greatest act of receiving. 

Love holds us together.

Love gives us hope!

Love is in front of all of us.

We just must look and be willing to share it.

Love is the gentle nudging.

Love can only be given from deep within the soul.

Soul love within each of our hearts.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

Love this week with everything you have!  I am so blessed everyday to receive love in the many ways I discussed in my piece today.  And I have been able to give love away in even more ways!  I hope this week your love is great—giving and receiving!  As always thank you for being with me this week.  You show me love every week you join me.  My love is in the form of thanks to each of you for helping me to encourage others!  Thank you!  May the love be with you!

Love,

Rennae

Grace 

I require a lot of stimulation and visuals for my mind’s creativity to work.  This is also true for my day to day journeying.  When things become too quiet and silent, I can panic.  The silence frightens me.  I am afraid I will go places that my mind does not need to go.  However, the silence is necessary.   We have to experience it on our journey.  Many of us seek silence as a refuge.  We view the experience very differently.  Our discomfort comes from the noise rather than the silence.  These individuals need to practice just the opposite of today’s reading.  I have found when I step in or out and accept which ever refuge I have, I can learn great things.  When I step into the silence and accept it, it makes me listen to my soul, my heart, and my Holy Spirit.  I grow and mature.  If silence is your enemy, step out and be brave this week!  Both are so important in order to complete our lives and provide guidance on our journeys!

In The Silence

It is very silent.

No sound.

No movement.

Quiet.

The quietness can be welcoming.

Or it can be frightening.

It tells of better days.

Or it tells of days wished for.

Silence can be a learning tool.

It can guide us through this life.

It is a time that puts us closer to the Holy Spirit.

Or it is a time that draws us down into the darkness.

Do you hear it?

Yes, that’s it!

You can’t hear it.

No thought, no conscious, no nothing.

Silence has to be accepted.

One cannot fight it.

It has to be absorbed.

It has to be admired.

Let the silence teach you.

Hear it out.

You might be told secrets of yourself.

It is better finding out who you really are.

The quiet can release your inner energy.

To think in places.

Or to dream on paths.

You never thought possible.

Silence can take us to see the scary parts of ourselves.

And it can show us the most precious parts of who we really are.

It speaks so loudly,

That I sometimes cannot hear anything else.

Do not let the fear stop you.

Speak!

Cast your anxiety upon the emptiness.

Let it build your confidence.

Quiet.

No movement.

No sound.

Silence.

Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman

I pray the silence speaks to you this week, and you can learn and grow.  We need silence, just as we need noise sometimes.  Find yourself, whether you are in the silence or the noise, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the examination of your heart, and the searching within your soul.  Thank you so very much for being with me this week!  I appreciate your contribution in spreading encouragement and positivity to so many people.  I know our days are very busy, and the time you share with me is so very valuable.  I pray you can be blessed, and you can bless those around you!  Now let’s be quiet a little!!!

Love,

Rennae

Journey