Category Archives: Spirituality

Spiritual short story writing collection relating to lifestyle themes.

On Living Deeply

On Living Deeply

living deeplyA Quote to Carry You

June 22, 2015

“The universe is wider than our view of it.”  Henry David Thoreau

On living deeply – Summer has arrived, a whole new season has blossomed right before our eyes.  Isn’t it amazing how no matter what is going on in our daily lives, the cycle of nature silently revolves, uninterrupted and consistently.  Outside my den window right now, the trees are adorned with vibrant shades of green leaves swaying ever so gently in the mild breeze.  It is as though they are whispering a song of welcome to the new season.  In three short months time, those same branches will be splattered with hints of red and golden hues signaling that autumn is fast approaching.  Their leaves will surely rustle and clamor to a different tune by then.  I only hope that, like today, I will take the time to pause and receive the beautifully fascinating gift that God has created and bestowed upon us.

Living deeply, experiencing our world in the profound way that it deserves…can you imagine how much more valuable your own life would be if you do just that?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Shepherd – What’s in a word?

shepherdShepherd…I can think of nothing more comforting than the thought of me being a helpless sheep with Jesus as my Shepherd…

“The King of love my Shepherd is,

Whose goodness faileth never,

I nothing lack if I am His

And He is mine forever.”*

Protector, comforter, provider, friend, caregiver, gentle guide…the one I want to follow…

Shepherd…What’s in this word for you?  If you can tell me, please do!

“The Lord is my Shepherd,” (Psalm 23:1). I can think of nothing more comforting than the thought of me as a helpless sheep with Jesus as my Shepherd.  My late husband Stephen, without a doubt, also found great comfort in knowing that he needn’t fear anything, for under his Shepherd’s care, everything was complete.  This became more evident to me as I watched him live out his last day.  Although his body had deteriorated a great deal from the cancer that had spread so rapidly, he seemed to be adorned by a pensive strength that allowed him to walk through our home, room by room, seeming to take all of his fond memories into his heart for safekeeping.  He responded to my words and watchful care with a quiet, attentive grace, yet I knew that his mind was very far away.  At one point, as he rested a few hours before he passed, he stretched out his arm as though he was being gently led to a place that the serene expression on his face told me was where he was most willing to go…

“In death’s dark vale I feel no ill

With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;

Thy rod and staff my comfort still,

Thy cross before to guide me.”*

At that moment, the peacefulness that my dear one surely was experiencing made me pause and think of the green pastures and still waters that our Shepherd promises to lead us to and through.  When my Stephen passed, I know that our Shepherd, Jesus, restored his soul…

“And so through all the length of days

Thy goodness faileth never;

Good Shepherd, may I sing they praise

Within Thy house forever.”*

*All verses by Henry W.  Baker, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.”

Peace and love,

Felecia

 

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On Wanting and Needing

On Wanting and Needing

wanting and needingA Quote to Carry You

June 15, 2015

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.”  Psalm 23:1-3

On wanting and needing – I am sure you’ll agree that there is a difference between the things that we want versus the things that we need.  If you are like me, it seems like the things that I want far outweigh the things that I really need.  It also seems that many of the things that I want certainly are not what I truly need.

I couldn’t help but think of the 23rd Psalm when I began to consider the differences between wanting and needing.  Isn’t it interesting how the first verse indicates that the Lord, our shepherd or caretaker, provides so well for us that we are not in want of anything?  The description of being made to lie down in green pastures and being led beside still waters paints a beautiful picture of how wonderfully our shepherd fulfills all of the things we desire.  What is even more amazing to me, is the outcome of being under his care; he restores our souls…something that we all absolutely need, whether we realize it or not.

How about you?  When it comes to wanting and needing…have your wants led you to what (or who) you truly need?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Intimacy

On Intimacy

leisureA Quote to Carry You

June 8, 2015

“Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them.” Fulton J. Sheen

On intimacy…By definition, intimacy is a relationship marked by acquaintance or familiarity.  It is something essential, innermost, personal and private.   It is the foundation upon which close friends can build a lifetime of shared experiences.  Intimacy has a way of touching our hearts so profoundly that it can be one of the most valuable treasures that life can offer us.

Although having an intimate relationship with another is a most wonderful thing, it is not an inseparable one.  Be it by death or some other circumstance, it can end whether we want it to or not.  When the bonds of intimacy between individuals are broken, we needn’t despair.  When it comes to true intimacy, which I personally describe as being the deepest and purest love that anyone can ever experience, God is the answer, for his love is complete.  Having created us, he knows every intricate detail about each of us.  He is faithful and promises to never leave nor forsake us.  He knows how to fulfill our heart’s desire, and he longs to do just that…forever,  I can’t think of a better example of intimacy than that, can you?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Having the Courage

Having the Courage

“Fencer,” 1906, George’s Demeny. Image from a page of the 2013 Desk Calendar, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Having the courage…The look in my beloved’s eyes conveyed a bravery that I’d never seen in them before.

“When I am most afraid, I become my most courageous.”  Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

“Having the courage” can potentially lead to many noble and fearless actions.  Some may be as common as boarding an airplane for the first time; others may involve risking one’s life for another.  The first thing that came to my mind when I pondered the phrase, “having the courage,” was a particular memory about my late husband.

Prior to receiving the diagnosis of having tonsillar cancer, Steve underwent surgery to remove the suspicious tonsil.  I remember him noting how strange he though it was that his doctor would tell him that he was “very brave” during the surgery.  Steve remarked that all he had done was lie on the operating table, after all.  It was later when he received confirmation that in fact he did have cancer, that we both realized what his doctor meant when he stated that Steve was very brave.  Thinking back, remembering the moment when Steve relayed the diagnosis of his cancer to me, I got a glimpse of what “having the courage” really means.

The look in my beloved’s eyes conveyed a bravery that I’d never seen in them before.  As he spoke the words, “I do have cancer” to me, a quivering fear caused his eyes to fill with tears, then he immediately composed himself, stoically…and so it began…

Having the Courage

(a poem dedicated to my courageous husband)

To have received such devastating news,

indeed you were very brave, my love.

Your strength, your courage, your determination,

displayed the power that embodied you from above.

Although you suffered, your spirit thrived,

throughout all the discomfort, and the pain.

Having the courage to face whatever might come,

the memory of your bravery, will forever in my heart remain.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave your nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

When life challenges you with difficulties, may you always stand firm, having the courage to face them…remembering that God is always ready and willing to see you through them.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Going Through It

Going through it

“Fontainebleau Forest,” early 1860’s, Eugene Cuvelier. Image from a page of the 2015 Desk Calendar, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Going through it…it’s not about constantly looking back, thinking of what could have been, or why it’s not…

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” (Author Unknown)

Going Through It

It’s not about living life day after day,

hoping that things will always go your way.

It’s not about dreaming so hard, that all you do is sleep…

It’s about going through it.

It’s not about constantly planning.

trying to keep your life under control.

It’s not about trying to keep difficulties from happening…

It’s about going through it.

It’s not about constantly looking back,

thinking of what could have been, or why it’s not.

It’s not about being afraid to step out into the future…

It’s about going through it.

It’s not about trying to be something you’re not.

pretending to be someone one you were never meant to be.

It’s not about trying to please others; they don’t determine your self-worth.

It’s about going through it…living the life that is “you.”

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

Going through it

Photograph courtesy of David Brown

We cannot always know what life will offer to us.  Whether the terrain is bleak, or full and lush.  We rarely have any other choice except going through it.

May you always have the courage to face any challenge and accept with open arms any opportunity that your life is blessed with.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Words Cannot Express

Words cannot express

Photograph courtesy of Martin Watson

Words cannot express how I feel sometimes…

“I feel as if my life had grown more outward when I can express it.”  Henry David Thoreau

Words Cannot Express

Words cannot express how I feel sometimes.

Human emotions are so complex; they are difficult to define.

What seems to be the cause of so much joy one moment,

can cause heart-wrenching anguish the next.

How does one formulate that kind of flux into words?

Words cannot express what is missing from my heart sometimes.

Those times when I know there should be  something there,

but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is!

How does one explain what is unknown even to herself?

Words cannot express what I want to say sometimes.

They just don’t even scratch the surface of what’s going on inside of me.

How does one verbalize a pain so deep that it almost disappears because it’s unbearable?

Or when I’ve finally figured it out and my feet seem hardly to touch the ground;

how does one harness that energy long enough to translate to the world how fantastic it is?

Words cannot express who I truly am sometimes.

I am uniquely “me” just as God created me to be.

So do I really need to express myself in words? Is that even possible?

The answer has to be “no,” for words cannot fully express me…

but watch closely and you’ll know me by my actions…by how I live my life.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

“…it’s like I’ve crossed the proverbial line.  I’m not sure where I am going…all I know is that it is someplace deeper.”  Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Listening

On Listening

listeningA Quote to Carry You

May 18, 2015

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”  Micah 7:7

On listening – Do you ever hear someone say something to you but when you try to recall what they’ve said, you realize that you hadn’t really listened to them?  Listening involves a great deal more of engaging with someone else than we may think.  I believe that a large part of listening includes more than just hearing; it also means concentrating on what has been said and seeking to absorb and understand it.  When we take the time to go a little deeper and try to comprehend what is being said between the words, then we can fully know how to respond wisely.  As in the scripture verse above, listening also requires a certain amount of observing and waiting.  Sometimes it is difficult to decipher the full meaning of what someone is trying to say when it is written in a note or even relayed over the phone.  When we await the opportunity to converse face to face, we truly receive the message in full.  Many of the best things in life come about similarly.  Giving our full attention to what God is revealing in our lives and awaiting the outcome that we’ve long anticipated to be manifested completely, makes intently listening, (not only with our ears, but with our hearts as well), all the more gratifying.

May you take the time to listen intently to the world around you, and seek out what God is saying to you.  You may be surprised by how blessed you truly are.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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