Is There More to Life?

After a somewhat 'dark' week during which I felt that something was 'disturbing my spirit', today was wonderful.

I spent most of the day being part of an Alpha Holy Spirit Day.  The Alpha Programme which came out of the Anglican church many years ago,  is not a bible study or a crash course in religion!  It  is a ten week course which explores the meaning of life and one's relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is a very personal, uplifting, and non threatening course which ultimately can bring one into a deeper understanding of life and enhance the faith of those who do believe in God and also, bring non believers to Christ.  It is anything but boring, is fun and involves food.  Plenty of food.  I always tell people to be prepared to gain a little weight whilst doing an Alpha course as this is hospitality at its best!!

I have over the years, worked on many Alpha Courses and have seen peoples' lives change as a result of their participation.  I have  seen relationships change for the better be it a marriage or a friendship.  I have seen attitudes change, brittleness disappear, forgiveness taking place and non believers coming to faith.  And also I have seen people 'giving' their lives to Christ.

Giving one's life to Christ does not mean sackcloth and ashes, continuous fasting, piety  and being permanently on one's knees!!  That is a far cry from Christianity.  Christianity is fun. It's a way of life.  It's following in the footsteps of Christ and trying to live out His expectations of us. It's living by example. No easy task!!

Anyway, there I was today at the Holy Spirit Day having given the refresher Ministry talk to prayer leaders last Thursday evening when I was still shrouded in the thing that was disturbing my spirit! This evening that cloud has gone.  Today I saw people who were wary of what might happen, receive the Holy Spirit.  I saw tears, heard laughter, felt the beginnings of healing and personally once again, felt an extraordinary peace as the Holy Spirit moved among the group.

Want to know more about Alpha?

 http://www.alpha.org/  in the UK or

http://www.alphausa.org/Groups/1000047505/What_is_Alpha.aspx

Self Protection

MAGPIE 171

Walking, Walking Singing in the New Dimension? 1979 by Marris Graves

Photo courtesy Tess Kinkaid, Magpie Tales on Blogger

Awakening to the world

Feeling human

A thanksgiving prayer

And life was good

Daily crackle onslaught

Too early

Disturbing my spirit

So life became bad

Suck in sharp irritability

Quick retaliation

To unnecessary remarks

Interpreted as criticism

Change of hairstyle

Good last night

Cannot ever compensate

When clothes don’t fit

Fumes from bumper to

Bumper traffic

Impatience of drivers

Road rage abounds

Suffocating heat makes

Noise even louder

As the city

Springs to life

Different ethnic groups

Unbearably sullen

Step over homeless

Asleep on pavements

Cool of my sanctuary

Behind office door

Down the valium

Pink aura protects 

Barbara M Lake ©

Trinidad WI

June 2013

Indian Arrival Day and Corpus Christi 2013

In the last month I have had 896 hits on my various Indian Arrival Day blogs which I began in 2010.  I decided not to write one this year as there is very little I can add to the last three posts apart from the fact that it is 168 years since the first Indians arrived here in Trinidad and Tobago on the ship, the Fatel Razack and began work in the cane fields as indentured labourers.  

This year the Roman Catholic Feast of Corpus Christi falls on the 30 May which is also the celebration of Indian Arrival Day so instead of one Public Holiday incorporating both, the government in its infinite wisdom, decided that tomorrow, Friday should also be a Public Holiday.  Talk about catering to the masses!!  

Corpus Christi is a liturgical solemnity celebrating the tradition and belief in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and His presence in the Eucharist.  It emphasizes the joy of the institution of the Eucharist

On this day when we celebrate both Indian Arrival and Corpus Christi I am once again  struck by the diverse culture of this twin island Caribbean nation.  Whilst the two islands are predominantly Roman Catholic, a great many of those of East Indian descent are of the Hindu faith.  I am heartened by the fact that religious intolerance is not a major factor in this country.

So to my friends out there, whether you are celebrating your Catholicism or the arrival of your ancestors, I wish you all a very happy day. 

A Sad Day in Woolwich, London UK

After a traumatic day when London and by extension the United Kingdom was turned inside out, I wish all my friends a peaceful night. Oh that we could work together to rid this world of the fanaticism that will ultimately destroy us if we allow it to.

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything” ― Albert Einstein

Dandelion and Burdock

MAGPIE 169

Lighthouse Dandelions by Jamie Wyeth

Photograph courtesy Tess Kinkaind, Magpie Tales on Blogger

What is an English summer

Without

Rubbing your body

With burdock leaves

Soothing

Away

Prickling

Nettle bite

Stinging the skin

What is an English summer

Without

Sitting in a field

Holding the stalk

Up high 

And

Blowing

Dandelion fluff

Into the breeze

What is an English summer
Without
Lazing with friends
Raising a glass
Of dandelion
And 
Burdock
Drinking a toast
To each other 

Barbara M Lake

Trinidad W!

May 2013

Mother's Day 2013

I posted the following on Face Book in the early hours of this morning and I'd like to share my amazing experience.

The most extraordinary thing has just happened. I am sitting here in my kitchen at around 1.00am with the windows wide open. I was looking for yellow roses to put up in a bid to send all good wishes for Mother's Day to my friends, be they mothers of their own children, nephews, nieces, 'adopted' neighbourhood children, fur kids, grandmothers acting as mothers whilst their daughters go out to work, fathers who act as mothers because their children for one reason or another do not have mothers when the sweetest of scents surrounded me. I know the aroma does not come from anything that's growing outside my kitchen window. The scent has lingered and continues to do so. Yellow roses were Daddy's favourite flower and not an anniversary or birthday passed without him having them delivered to Mummy. I suddenly feel very, very safe. Happy Mother's Day!

Change!

In a bid to rid my blog page  of all the glitches which include whizzing all over the place, scrolling up and down without help, turning English into Romanian and vice versa, now translating English into Portugese and all the other gremlins who have decided to cross my page in the last few months, I have taken a stand. 

Instead of erasing my blog totally, I have changed the background, the colours and removed some things in the side bar.  I'm not sure I like it very much -if at all but there had to be a major

if I was to continue!!