Category Archives: Inspirations

Inspirational art, photo and writing collection relating to lifestyle themes.

On Living in the Present

On Living in the Present

living in the presentA Quote to Carry You

May 11, 2015

“‘What Day is it?’  “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.  “My favorite day.” said Pooh.”  A. A. Milne

On living in the present – There is a simplicity in living in the present; living each day as it comes.  I liken the ability to do that with having the heart of a child…something that all adults have experienced to some degree.  Imagine being able to awaken on Sunday morning and truly enjoy all of the blessings that unfold on that day of rest, rather that letting it quickly dwindle away because you’ve set your focus on the challenges that the start of the work week on Monday will bring. Or wouldn’t it be refreshing to take a walk in the rain without worrying that your hair will frizzle when it gets wet?  How about going ahead and splashing in the puddles without caring how muddy your clothes will get?  Or maybe try singing as loud as you want no matter who hears that you are terribly off key.  These are trivial things I know, but that’s my point.  In the whole scheme of things, are the “big” things in life that we worry about as important as we think?  Living in the present allows us to let go of the past, (it has gone, never to return), and stop grasping for the future, (it will arrive soon enough).  Why not give it a try?  You may find that living in the “present” really is a gift.

May you live today in the present…and may each day be your favorite one too.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Something About Being a Mother

Something about being a mother

This photograph captures what I tried to express in my poem below, “There’s Something About Being a Mother.” Pictured here is first-time mom Jennifer Spangler and her adorable baby girl, Lilli.

There is something about being a mother, that inseparable bond…between mother and child.

“Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart.”  Author Unknown

Something About Being a Mother

There is something about being a mother,

her love for her child creates an inseparable bond.

She sees every action, hears every word, she senses every thought.

Her love has no boundaries that her child can go beyond.

There is something about being a mother,

you have to experience being one to know…

how difficult, how wonderful, how caring for the needs of another,

can give you the strength to go to depths you otherwise would not go.

There is something about being a mother,

she gives all that she can for her precious child.

She teaches, she admonishes, she points to the best way to go.

No matter if she’s disappointed; her love is still tender and mild.

There is something about being a mother,

it is a privilege not every woman has known.

The awesome responsibility, the heartache, the joy.

She is like a beautiful blossom, that grows from a seed deeply sown.

Poem by Felecia R. Weber 2015, Onthewingofadove.com; photograph courtesy of Ian Spangler (Lilli’s proud daddy!)

My best wishes to all mothers, for a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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The Strength of a Woman

Strength of a woman

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater‘s Hope Boykin. Photograph courtesy of Matthew Karas.

The strength of a woman…it is not always physical; for she is capable of so much more.

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”  Proverbs 31:17

The Strength of a Woman

The strength of a woman,

goes beyond expectations.

It is not always physical;

for she is capable of so much more.

The strength of a woman,

how can one even touch the surface?

What may look like weakness to others,

is the very thing that fuels her power.

The strength of a woman,

though mysterious it may seem.

When her world seems to crumble before her,

she simply picks up the pieces and starts building again.

The strength of a woman,

it was uniquely created for her.

With it she has a purpose; with it she has life.

Nothing can destroy her; for her strength is grounded in God.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”  Proverbs 31:25

To all women…may you live powerfully in the strength that only God can provide.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On A Mother’s Work

On A Mother’s Work

mother's workA Quote to Carry You

May 4, 2015

“A man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.” Author Unknown

On a mother’s work.  To say that “a mother’s work is never done” seems like an understatement when it comes to my mom.  It seems that no matter how  late it is at night, or sometimes how early in the wee hours of the morning, I can always count on my mother being there to talk to.  It seems that she never runs out of energy; there is always that one last thing she wants to get done before going to bed.  That one thing invariably turns into those last few things, and before you know it…well suffice it to say that she seems to just be getting her second wind when midnight rolls around  That’s my mom; she’s always doing something.  I so appreciate that about her and I’m happy today that I am much the same way.  As far back as I can remember, my mom has worked hard, no matter what the task, no matter what time of the day or night.  There is something else that I remember even more so too.  Through my mothers work, she showed her love for my dad, my sisters, and me…and that is truly something that she has done, and still does, so very well!  Thanks for all you do Mommy…I love you!

May you be sure to take the time this week to let your mother know how much her work means to you.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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A Beautiful Thing

 

A Beautiful Thing

Photograph courtesy of Martin Watson

A beautiful thing…There is a certain freedom in having less rather than more. When all of the adornments have been stripped away…

“I thought I was rich because I had this one flower; but I see that all I have is an ordinary rose…”  Antoine de Saint-Exupery (The Little Prince)

A Beautiful Thing

What do you have when you think you haven’t anything?

What you have…is a beautiful thing.

There is a certain freedom in having less rather than more.

When all of the adornments have been stripped away;

and all that is left is the bare wood, or the rust colored clay.

What is left when the shelf is empty, when the wall is blank?

What is left…is a beautiful thing.

How can one make something from nothing?

“That’s impossible,” one might say.

I beg to differ, there is purity, there is strength, there is dignity;

for when all is exposed and left out to decay…

only the solid pieces remain…building blocks that sustain.

So what do you have when all you have left are shattered parts that once were whole?

There you have it…a beautiful thing…a new creation…from the old is born the new.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

“God can do more with an empty heart than a full one.” (Author Unknown)

Peace and love,

Felecia

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I Got A Song

i got a song

Colored pencil drawing by Felecia R. Weber 1983, OntheWingofaDove.com

I got a song, you got a song, all God’s children got a song…

I Remember When

“I know why the caged bird sings.”  Maya Angelou

I was reminded of the old spiritual hymn “Going to Shout All Over God’s Heaven,” when it was referenced in a sermon given at my church a couple of Sunday’s ago.   As I heard the first few words of the song, “I got shoes, you got shoes, all God’s children got shoes” being sung to illustrate a point in the sermon, my mind was flooded with childhood memories of me singing that song in our church choir, oh so many years ago,  I remember clearly being so nervous singing my very first solo in front of the congregation.  I felt my voice quivering as I closed my eyes and vocalized the lyrics word by word.  It took all of the courage that I could muster to continue singing the soulful tune, but as I listened to the verses that came out of my mouth, somehow my confidence grew and a calm came over me.  As I got to the end of the song, I felt that I truly could “shout all over God’s heaven!”

Indeed, my favorite verse from that hymn is “I got a song, you got a song, all God’s children got a song…”  There is something about singing that places me into a different mindset; it stirs up a solitude within me.  To me, the smoothness of that elongated sound that seems to dance along the musical chords being played by an accompanying instrument mimics the way God guides his children harmoniously through life.  Even though there are times when tumultuous tunes clamor loudly and off key, his voice can be heard beyond the raucous…because he resides in our hearts.  That is where he composes the most beautiful music, and he creates each song uniquely for you and for me.

Yes, “all God’s children got a song,” but the best is yet to come.  Like the birds chirping their morning melodies at the dawn of each new day, those of us who put our hope and trust in God truly do have something to shout about.  For he has not only blessed us with the hope of a new day, he has also given us the promise of heaven.  When I think of heaven, and the glorious eternity that awaits me there, something wells up inside of me and it feels as though it leaps right out of my mouth.  The hope and anticipation of actually being with my Heavenly Father face to face is something that I cannot fully imagine.  It is however, the very thing that fills my heart with so much joy, so much peace, that when I get there, I am certain that “I’m going to  shout all over God’s heaven!”

Today, may you too be filled with the kind of hope that makes your heart sing…and shout!

Peace and love,

Felecia

 

 

 

 

 

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On Nature

On Nature

on natureA Quote to Carry You

April 27, 2015

“There is a slumbering subterranean fire in nature which never goes out, and which no cold can chill.”  Henry David Thoreau (A Winter Walk)

On nature. There is something about our physical world that exudes a vibrancy that cannot be ignored.  Even when something in nature appears to be dead, like the cold, hard, rigid ground during the dead of winter, it eventually springs to life yielding a treasure trove of delight once warm temperatures begin to filter the air.  I liken the dramatic transformation of the earth when it transitions from winter into spring to what happens to us each night.  When we slumber, and fall off into a deep, restorative sleep, our bodies may appear to have stopped breathing as though we were dead.  However, beneath the surface of our skin, our internal organs are undergoing countless bodily processes that help to keep us strong, healthy, alive and well.  When we awaken we are filled with a fresh supply of energy…ready to start a brand new day.

As you live through your new day, may you take the time to enjoy the radiance of nature, and all that it has to offer.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Where Do I Go From Here?

where do I go from here

Pen & ink drawing by Felecia R. Weber circa 1980, OntheWingofaDove.com

Where do I go from here?  Wondering what is the next step one should take can apply to almost any situation in life.

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”  T.S. Eliot

Where do I go from here?  That is a question that I am certain has been asked by many at some point in their lives.  It is a questions that doesn’t necessarily have to do with traveling from one destination to the next.  Wondering what is the next step one should take can apply to almost any situation in life.  Life in itself is full of uncertainties, as well as countless opportunities.  Unlike plugging in an address into a GPS device and receiving a clearly charted out route, knowing what direction to take when it comes to making critical decisions can be quite confusing.  All too often, we find ourselves so far off course, that we feel lost.

where do i go from here

Pen & ink drawing by Felecia R. Weber circa 1980, OntheWingofaDove.com

So how does one answer the question, where do I go from here?  I know when I face a fork in the road in my own life, many times I tend to pause and linger too long “taking in the scenery.”  I research, study and weigh my options so much that I suffer from information overload.  I fill my brain with so much “stuff” that, what used to be the perfect amount of information to carry along with me as I move forward, has turned into an oversized mass that I cannot possibly proceed with on my own.  At that point, I feel disoriented and need to seek help from someone else.  Even finding someone to help me can be challenging sometimes…but not when I seek the right source first.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

Where do I go from here?  Although I may not know exactly how to navigate my way to making the best decision, I do know who will always lead me in the right direction.  God is fully capable of and willing to help each of us through any challenges that we face.  He’ll not only direct us and see us safely through any situation, he’ll also work the outcome to be the very best for us.  He’ll make the way clear for us and stay right by our side until we get to where we need to be.  There is one thing that has to be done individually first though…we need to ask HIM, where do I go from here?

where do i go from here

Pen & ink drawing by Felecia R. Weber circa 1980, OntheWingofaDove.com

Where will you go from here?  May you find your answer in Him.

Peace an love,

Felecia

 

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