encouragement – Rivers Renewed

Nature and Healing

“The Earth has music for those who listen.”

Shakespeare

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”

Matisse

What moves our hearts? If we are to not be driven insane by the noise of this world, can we be brave enough to embrace the seen, in order to appreciate what we cannot see?

Nature is not often mystical and loving her has never been idolatry. Nature is God’s way of healing us.

Why else would there be flowers?

Walking in the Mountains

As the trail opened up on top of the ridge, I was surprised by the brightness of the sun. Wildflowers in the tall grass moved gently in the wind.

I marveled at my spirit being at rest once again, and I was lifted into a space…..I had always wanted to discover.

Autumn Still Speaks

Autumn still speaks to the heart willing

forming shapes of poems within,

and wordflow

filled with light.

The Encouragement of Peace

In our peace flow we are encouraged, having embraced our strength, we know now

that there is a safe space, that our ruins will not live in us

or define who we are. And we can become after all,

who we were always meant to be.

Amen.

Blogging Encouragement

How can we blog effectively in this social media driven world we live in? Do we need a bunch of new apps on our phone? Not really!

Be who you are, and continue to create the wonderful poetry, fiction, quotes, photographs, and art you do every day so beautifully!

And here are a few tips that I’ve learned:

Be there.

One of the most important things we can do to improve the health of our blogs is to visit other bloggers. If all you are doing is posting, that will not work out very well. Think of blogging as a community and we need to visit one another.

I had a college professor once that said 90% of life is just showing up. It’s that way with the blogging community as well.

Practice your craft.

Whatever you do in an excellent way…..give it your best! Write your best possible article or reach for that camera or drawing pencils and paints. Work on your projects and then don’t hold back!

You not only have a gift to share – you are the gift!

Be positive.

Yes, we all get down (even me!) but don’t live there. Offer hope and encouragement in your posts. Tell the world about the beauty and power of love.

This also includes leaving some comments to encourage others.

And enjoy yourselves!

Thank you so much for reading!

Peace.

Blogging and Comments

Well I leave comments sometimes because your posts are so beautiful! I hope you enjoy posting as much as I do reading them.

Each day or each post, you encourage and uplift, or provoke us to think about topics in an amazing way! Your writing, your photography, your artwork are incredible.

Hey Nico, what about travel posts on Portugal? Absolutely! It’s my favorite place I’ve never been to. Not yet anyway. Book reviews? Yes!! Send them my way.

And I try to be positive because we all need more positivity and good thoughts in our lives. Have you ever read some encouraging comments and they made your day? I try to do that.

I have been encouraged many times over the years, and I seek to pay it forward. Giving what I have received.

Ain’t that so cool?

Thank you so much for reading!

Happy Autumn!

Parables

When he walked in the streets of ancient cities, I don’t think the Messiah, (some called him a prophet) tried to impress anyone with his theology or to yell louder to prove he was right.

He simply taught with stories, sometimes called parables….

or he gave examples, unique illustrations of the human heart and how we should be to each other. Here’s one of my favorites:

“Before you try to take out the speck in your brother’s eye…..you should take out the wooden plank that’s in your own eye.”

Ain’t that something?

Encouraged by Our Healing

Encouraged by our healing we walk forward, holding our head high, acknowledging who we are now.

Yes, a little different in the shapes of our spirits. An affinity with being human, instead of that wounded animal snarling.

Our minds a little wiser and our hearts more willing to forgive.

In a sense a new creation. A wonder really of survival.

Wholeness, walking on two legs.

The Light Was Already Dancing

The light was already dancing as I walked into the woods today,

filtered through the leaves pulling me,

pulling…. my spirit further

into the healing. I stood

for a long time at rest, confident,

understanding finally

I was made,

part of the earth

part of the sky,

the sea.

And everywhere,

part of the light dancing.

The Most Amazing Person on the Planet

After all these years I’m still here blogging! Thank you everyone for reading and for your wonderful comments! I’m truly grateful.

If you’re new here, all are welcome regardless of your background, race, country of origin, your identity, your preferences or your faith. If you have no faith, I hope you will feel welcome here too! We all have a lot in common.

For those of you that are new here, I have just a few notes to share. My wife and I are older. Notice I did not say old! Just older.

As much as I love writing and blogging, the love of my life, the one I call “My Love” is the most amazing person on the planet and she is the one I want to be with. Due to the pandemic we like to go to the park together. And we pick up food and go outside to eat.

And because of our age we unfortunately need to go to the doctor sometimes. For example, I recently took her for her chemo treatment. And I get treatments for chronic pain.

So, I said all this because I do not blog from my phone anymore. I needed to “unhook” that part of technology. And I might be busy at the doctor’s or being in love or both. So please be patient with me in responding to your messages, seeing your posts, and visiting your site you asked me to check out for the first time.

Thank you again for being here!