Category Archives: Writing

Writing collection relating to lifetime experiences.

Why?

Why?

“Curiosity,” graphite pencil drawing by Felecia R. Weber 2005, OntheWingofaDove.com

Why?  Why am I living in this time and place?

“There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.”  William Barclay

Why?

Why do I say the things that I say/

Will they make a difference to others today?

Why am I living in this time and place?

Can I truly overcome the challenges that I face?

Why am I always searching, wanting to do more?

Will I have the courage to step through the next open door?

Why was I born, what is life’s purpose for me?

Will I ever discover who I am truly meant to be?

Felecia R, Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

Life is full of questions isn’t it?   Granted, they are not always as heavy as the ones I asked in my poem above, but surely we’ve all asked similar ones from time to time.  Given the life changing events that I’ve experienced recently, I find myself asking “why?” quite frequently.  Sometimes the answers are revealed to me quickly and quite obviously.  Yet there are many for which I am still seeking a response.

“Trust in the Lord and lean not onto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

I’ve come to realize that I may never know or understand the reasons for the “whys” in my life…and honestly, that’s okay.  When it comes to asking “why” I suppose the “who” is the more important question.  For I know that God holds all of the answers in my life…what more could I ask for?

When your heart is full of questions, who, what, and why, may you turn to the Lord God, for goodness, love and mercy you will always find in His reply.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On the Unknown

On the Unknown

unknownA Quote to Carry You

October 5, 2015

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear and the oldest and strongest of fears is the fear of the unknown.”  H .P. Lovecraft

On the unknown – October is a month that brings with it an air of mystery.  Not only does it seem to usher in the sharp contrast of noticeably shorter days and a heavier mask of darkness during the nighttime skies, the undressing of the leaves from the trees all combine to create an eeriness to nature’s canvass.  Lately, I have found myself not wanting to venture outdoors once the sun starts to set, and I’ve turned on more lights indoors than I have during the past months.  I seek out the warming comforts of a hot cup of tea and nestling down under heavy blankets or wrapping myself up in my cozy sweaters, as if to shelter myself from the wiles of the outdoors.  I never know what to expect from one day to the next…the blazing sunshine of an Indian Summer day can fade into a blustery snow squall seemingly overnight.

Fear of the unknown has a similar quality.  When we face new situations or volatile times, we become uneasy and seek out the comfort of familiarity.  The unknown, no matter if it is something as common as the weather or as major as a life altering event, the mystery and uncertainty of not knowing what’s ahead can be frightening.

There is one sure way to face the unknown with confidence and security…his name is Jesus.  When we cast our cares upon him, the unknown becomes known, because he will reveal it to you perfectly in his timing and in his way.  When we yield to his love and care, there is nothing that we will ever face that he hasn’t already equipped us to handle.

“Fear not tomorrow, for God is already there.” Author Unknown

When the mystery and fear of the unknown threaten to creep into your comfort zone, may you always step out in the boldness of knowing that our Lord has already cleared the way…you need only follow him.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Planting Seeds

On Planting Seeds

planting seedsA Quote to Carry You

September 28, 2015

“Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution.  If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.”  Norman Vincent Peale

On planting seeds – Every season brings with it winds of change.  With every change comes a host of challenges.  I believe how we choose to deal with challenges that enter into our lives, determines how we’ll succeed at overcoming them.  No matter how large or small a problem has the potential of becoming, once the seed is planted, the way we prepare and sustain ourselves through it, determines whether we will harvest a bunch of weeds or a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers.

This concept makes me think of how I go about preparing for the transition from summer into autumn.  As a crispness fills the air, and the days grow shorter, these changes in nature remind me of the harsh weather that is sure to follow in a few months time.  As I spend time deep cleaning my home and packing away the lighthearted leisure of summer, I begin focusing on the contrasting heartiness of autumn, filling the rooms with the deep, earth tones that it brings.  I begin pulling out sweaters and jackets to shelter myself from the daytime chilliness and layer myself with blankets to keep warm when the briskness of the cooler nights bites.

I liken all of these things to planting seeds that stout and grow, enabling me to face an entirely new environment as the new season continues to move in.  Like fertilizing and watering soil for healthy plants to develop, knowing that I have prepared for the transition of one season to the next, somehow gives me a sense of comfort and security that an abundant harvest brings.  When I am confident that I have everything in order and ready for the coming months of seasonal change, I can truly enjoy all of the beauty that blossoms and surrounds me.

Like summer fading into fall, when we get through one challenge, another one is there awaiting our attention.  When the winds of change begin to blow in your direction, may you go about planting seeds that will yield a most enjoyable and magnificent bounty for you.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Colors

On Colors

on colorsA Quote to Carry You

September 21, 2015

“The best color in the world is the one that looks good on you.”  Coco Chanel

On colors – We are entering one of the most colorful of the four seasons.  Autumn brings with it the brightest of golden to the deepest of reddish hues.  There is something about the range of these bold colors that makes me feel vibrant and alive!  When I gaze at the trees of this season adorned in such rich tones, it makes me think of how magnificently God has painted each of us. Like the chromatic scheme that saturates the leaves in nature, we too have a way of embellishing the world around us with the way we wear the colors that we’ve been given.  From the soft pastels of compassion and caring that we extend to those who are in need, to the cheerful, dazzling smiles that brighten the days of those who may be struggling, we all possess within us the finest wardrobe, that when worn well, can positively enhance and inspire the lives of others.  What colors do others see in you?

May you always wear your colors boldly and beautifully!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Promises

On Promises

on promisesA Quote to Carry You

September 14, 2015

“I believe that to keep a promise, to keep your word, is a marvelous opportunity to show others what dwells within your hear.”  Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

On promises – When someone follows through on a promises they’ve made, when they actually do what they say they will do, I believe that speaks volumes about a person.  The very definition of promises, to commit oneself to definitely doing something, leaves no leeway for not following through on that which was pledged.  I believe that to keep a promise, to keep your word, is a marvelous opportunity to show others what dwells within your heart.

To me, the fact that whenever a commitment is made, the expectation that the action will be carried out, is what makes promises so valuable.  When a person keeps his promises consistently, he actually builds a reputation for reliability, honesty, and integrity; characteristics that display outwardly what lies within his heart.  These are the things that make for lasting impressions; the things that relationships are built upon; the things that follow a person throughout their lives.  I’d say that keeping promises is something to strive for…always, don’t you agree?

May your promises made always be promises kept.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Starting Over

On Starting Over

on starting overA Quote to Carry You

September 7, 2015

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”  George Eliot

On starting over – September for me always signifies the start of something new.  As summer fades, students head back to school, and many businesses gear up for the busiest shopping season of the year – the air seems to fill up with a sense of starting over.  If you are like me, there are may activities and traditions that I look forward to and enjoy during the autumn and the holiday seasons.  Although many of the activities are things that I do year after year, as it is with starting over, they all seem fresh and new each time I get to partake in them.  In fact, it is the feeling of anticipating new things to come, that makes those times so exciting.

What is it about starting over that you look forward to?  May your new beginning be filled with all that you’ve hoped for.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Gold – What’s in a word?

gold

“Bouquet of Sunflowers,” 1881, Claude Monet. Image form a page of the 2015 Desk Calendar, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Gold – for those who seek it, transformation takes place.

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.”  Bob Marley

Gold is a color, it’s value untold,

Gold is for many, precious to behold.

For those who seek it, transformation takes place.

Melted in the fire, impurities fade without a trace.

A yellow, soft metal, shiny and valuable, so true; pure solid, sought after…what is gold for you?

When I think of gold, I think of something special and valuable, something warm and sought after.  Recently a friend of mine complimented me on my engagement ring and wedding band; I still wear them because they are precious to me.  He remarked how the simplicity of the solitary diamond set in the yellowish hue of the gold bands made the rings so beautiful.  He went on to talk about the different levels of karats of gold and how the higher the number of karats, the softer, yet more pure, the metal is.  Although I’d never known that about gold, it made the whole concept of the value of gold more significant to me.

It has been my experience in life that the things that are the most valuable to me, are those that I’ve had to work hard for to obtain.  The value is not in the object itself, rather, it is what I’ve had to do or go through to get it that makes it so precious to me.  That same principle can be applied to the character of an individual.  As with gold, where the true value of the metal isn’t fully appreciated until it has been fired and shaped into a stunning piece of jewelry or some other work of art.  A person’s character isn’t fully developed until it has been tested and refined…and like gold, it is after such a transformation that the individual  will shine.

Gold, what’s in it for you? What is the gold that shines in your own character?  Whatever it is, may it’s beauty be visible to those around you and may you always share your wealth!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Trials

On Trials

on trialsA Quote to Carry You

August 31, 2015

“Trials have a way of wearing us down until only the purest, most valuable qualities within us shine.” Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

On trials – It is interesting how a conversation that I had with my dear friends this morning about the medieval sport of jousting, and later reading a comment about knights in shining armor, made me think about trials.  I suppose it wasn’t so much about trials, as what they are capable of producing.  Trials have a way of wearing us down until only the purest, and most valuable qualities within us shine.

Thinking more deeply about the transforming nature of trials, brought to mind the task of polishing silver.  Although it seems old-fashioned, and it is something that I rarely do, taking a tarnished metal object and turning it into a shiny treasure certainly illustrates what enduring and coming through a difficulty can do to an individual.  Similar to the darkened hue that tarnishes a few antique serving pieces that I polish and display for special holidays, going through a difficulty can bring a hidden ugliness or negativity that resides deep in inside the heart fast to the surface.

I’ve heard it said once that you can discern a lot about a person when they stub their toe, or when the hammer accidentally comes crashing down on their thumb, rather than the nail.  Sometimes what leaps out of a person’s mouth in an intensely painful moment isn’t very pretty. It isn’t until the pain subsides and healing begins, that the beauty of realizing that things could have been worse, or an unexpected act of kindness was shown that made the situation so much better radiates from us.  When I’ve faced times of trials, I often find that I’ve experienced so many blessings through those dark times, that I seem to shine more brightly during those particular times than any others in my life.

When you enter into times of trials, may your luster not be dulled for long…and may the beauty that comes out of those trials cause you to shine more brightly than ever before.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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