Tag: restoration

Rest, comma, pause

Thank you, dear friends and subscribers, for your very encouraging responses to my poem “Rest”.

Today, I am delighted to introduce a guest contributor, Aaran, with a piece entitled Comma!

She has become a dear friend in the USA, after subscribing to this blog a few years ago. She lives in Tennessee. Here’s her contribution:

Comma

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14

Eastern Comma butterfly

This beauty is called an Eastern Comma, of the Angelwing family

On an extremely hot Saturday during a drought, while having to drag the heavy water hose around the yard, keep my daughter on track, and plan how I would approach my husband about behavior I didn’t think was best for us, I was lamenting mildly to the Lord and asking for strength to deal gracefully with my family.

Seems quite often I have to correct, confront and wait on them; we do not work together as a well oiled machine! I do however want to deal with these situations in a loving way, not out of annoyance.

The Lord in his beautiful, gentle, loving way, reminded me through this beauty to pause and spend time with him, to fill up with his joy and goodness so I would not go down the spiral of complaining. The chorus to a song came to mind:

Come Away

(from album Uncountable Stars, Joanne Hogg)

See how, the winter is over
And the rains have been and gone
And flowers appear on the earth
And the season of singing has come

So wake up and come away with me my darling
So wake up and come away with me my darling
Wake up and come outside with me and see the sun (Son?)

Oh, don't hide your face from me
You know you're beautiful
Let me hear the sound of your voice
For it is sweet and lovely to me

So wake up and come away with me my darling
So wake up and come away with me my darling
Wake up and come outside with me and see the sun (Son?)
Wake up now
Wake up
and come away with me
Hmmmmm
Wake up now

Pause

Our Savior has a sense of humor too, knowing I’d have a smile in response to His gentle nudge of using something named ‘comma‘ to tell me to pause.

A good half hour passed before I decided to go back outside and get a photo – if my Comma was still about. Yep! He was waiting for me on the porch and even landed on me a couple of times.

That was the “fleece” that Jesus was truly talking to me this way, and it was not just fanciful thinking. He was reminding me to PAUSE, be with Him; remember we are past a lot of the painful times and are moving forward.

My dear friend Kate has been supporting me in prayer and wise words concerning my relationships, and frequently reminds me that God is doing a new thing; closing some chapters and opening new ones in the life of my family.

What an incredible blessing!

I wonder when you too might need to pause, and fill up with God’s goodness, before dealing with the difficulties in life. Let’s all remember to “come away” with the Lord for a few moments, or an extended time, whichever we are needing.

Love from across the pond.

Aaran McKinnon: August 2025

Can you see it?

It’s been a while since I posted a reflection and poem. Actually I’ve been very discouraged about this blog and have been wondering whether I would continue it. There’s always such a struggle to bring it to more people’s attention and such a mixed response!

But I sat down to listen to the Lord and I sensed that He wanted me to continue using the gifts He has given me, so I have been encouraged by that. Perhaps He is saying something similar to you, about your gifts?

Anyway, today I had an inspiration for a poem. If you’re living in the UK you may be noticing that there is an acceleration in the seasons right now. We live in Shropshire and the climate can be quite cold here as we are higher in the hills. That means our gardens are often 6 weeks behind gardens in the south.

However, I am noticing spring and summer flowers blooming together at the very beginning of June and this is exciting! The roses are particularly wonderful – thanks in great measure to TLC from Allyson who looks after our garden, particularly when we are away in the USA.

As I was looking out on – and enjoying – the spring/summer blessings of our garden, I was reminded of that passage in scripture in the prophet Amos when he talks about Israel’s restoration. And I had a new sense of expectation from the words in Amos 9. I’ll quote the scripture after the poem.

Can you see it?

I’m looking from my window and seeing all things new 
The buds are on the roses, but flowers are blooming too 
The leaves are very fresh and green, while some are copper red
This season is now summer, yet spring is not yet dead

There is acceleration. Last year - my photos show 
The roses were just budded. With blooms a way to go 
That streak of sunny weather from April into May 
Turns early June in ‘25 into midsummer’s day! 

And from my summer garden, a scripture comes to mind
The days are coming, says the Lord, and this will be a sign:
The one who reaps the harvest, overtaken by the plough
And he who treads the ripened grape, by one who plants vines now 

A picture of such blessing. Hills dripping with new wine
As seasons flow together, God’s people live His time
A time of restoration. A time of great return 
A time of His fulfilment. A time for which we yearn. 

So, if you see a glimmer. And hope is in your heart
Let’s thank Him for new signs of life. Be ready for the start. 
We’ll move into the harvest time. And set our hands to plough.
God’s people in His rhythm. And waiting for His NOW!

““On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the Lord who does this thing.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.

I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,” Says the Lord your God.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I know that those words have had a partial fulfilment for Israel. But my sense of their relevance today is wider. There is so much need for restoration and fruitfulness in God’s people and His church. There is so much need for goodness and righteousness and a harvest of souls for God’s glory!

Anyway, see what He says to you. And please let me know if it’s something that will encourage others, too!

The sky is grey today so the flowers aren’t shining, but I took a photo nevertheless.