Magi – What’s in a word?

Magi

“Gifts of the Magi,” by Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

Magi…wise men, seeking hope from afar…

Wise men seeking hope from afar.

What was it they sought,

as they followed that star?

Majesty, power, greatness and all?

No, what they found was far greater,

and at the sight; to their knees they did fall.

Majesty, wise men, star, night, humble, royal, Bethlehem, a wondrous sight.

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

The Magi were thought to be mysterious and wise.  They followed the star that led them to the place in which they expected to find someone so impressive that they traveled afar, bearing luxurious gifts.  But what they found was a most humbling sight indeed.  For as the shepherds were told, “This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  (Luke 2:12).  No grandeur, no pomp and circumstance, yet the King of Kings was born…and He still reigns.

The Magi sought Jesus by following a star.  May you seek Him in your own way…and may you find Him.

Peace and love,

Felecia

 

 

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On Following

On Following

followingA Quote to Carry You

December 15, 2014

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”  Matthew 2:9-10

The story of the Magi in the Bible has always possessed an air of mystery in my opinion.  How did these three wise men know that following the star would lead them to something worthy of the precious gifts that they brought with them to give?  They traveled from places afar, they had so little to go on…following a star?  Perhaps more than mystery, these wise men provided a strong example of faith.  They believed in something so strongly that they forfeited a great deal of time and incurred much expense in order to receive it.  In following that star to give exquisite gifts from their riches, they received something far more valuable; something that cannot be bought, for the price has already been paid.

What are you following?  May it be the same thing that the wise men sought and found…and may you also receive the gift that gives through all eternity.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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The Wisdom In Waiting

wisdom in waiting

“Winter Yosemite Valley,” 1933-34, Ansel Easton Adams. Image from a page of the 2013 Desk Calendar, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

The wisdom in waiting…as we all know, the snow takes time to melt no matter how brightly the sun is shining; and so, we wait…

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1

The wisdom in waiting is rather difficult to imagine during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season.  It seems like time flies through our fingers as fast as the snow covers the ground during a wintery blizzard.  No sooner do we check off the items on our seemingly endless holiday “to do” lists, then another flurry of new tasks fill our hands!  Isn’t it strange, though, that with all of our time drifting away, it seems like Christmas takes forever to arrive?  So, we wait…

I have gone through a very difficult time this year.  Like the “nor’easter” winter storms that we’ve been experiencing lately, I feel like I’ve been trudging through a heavy whirlwind of difficulties.  I’ve often found myself wanting to fast forward through this trying season straight to happier times.   But, as we all know, the snow takes time to melt no matter how brightly the sun is shining; and so, we wait…

Indeed there is wisdom in waiting, and despite my circumstances, I have found that the longer I wait, the more prepared I am to receive what I am so desperately waiting for.  Like a child on Christmas morning, when I finally get to enjoy what I’ve longed for, it makes the wait so much more worthwhile.  Then, the dreaded blustery storms that threatened to hinder me from moving forward seem like soft and silent winterscapes that fill my eyes with the quiet beauty of the season.

“There is wisdom in waiting, even though it can’t be seen.  When troubles surround us high and low. Waiting increases our expectations of what we long for and dream; and surely, it causes our faith to grow.” Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

As you weather the storms that seem to steal away your time this holiday season…may you too find wisdom in waiting.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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The Dog Who Loves Christmas!

The dog who loves Christmas

Meet Oscar! The Dog Who Loves Christmas! (Oscar belongs to my dearest friends Dick and Marilyn Hill).

Meet Oscar, the dog who loves Christmas!  T’was the night before Christmas, now where is that little dog?

The Dog Who Loves Christmas!

T’was the night before Christmas,

now where is that little dog?

He’s snuggled before the fireplace;

why not throw on another log!

The dog who loves Christmas

Oscar lounging by the fireplace.

With the house all decorated,

in bright colors of red and green,

Oscar dashed right outside,

but in the snow he could hardly be seen!

He dog who loves Christmas

Oscar playing in the snow.

Oscar, the dog who loves Christmas;

he’s such a good sport.

When he plays he often rolls like a ball,

for his furry legs are so short!

The dog who loves Christmas

Oscar takes a “time out.”

Now do not be mistaken,

although a little dog is he.

Oscar fills the hearts of those around him,

like the blazing warmth of a beautiful Christmas tree!

The dog who loves Christmas

Oscar takes time to spend a moment loving his sister Halo Rose.

Poem by Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com; photographs courtesy of Marilynn Hill.

The dog who loves Christmas

Merry Christmas!

“Calling all dog lovers!”

If you have a four-legged furry friend that you’d like to have featured in a poem on my blog, email your cutest photographs and a short bio to me, Felecia at frosew04@gmail.com.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Waiting

On Waiting

waitingA Quote to Carry You

December 8, 2014

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31

Remember when you were a kid and it seemed like it took forever for Christmas morning (or in our case, the wee hours of Christmas Eve night) to arrive?  Waiting to tear into the fancily wrapped packages under the tree; waiting to bite into all the candy coated Christmas cookies that you helped to bake during the weeks before.  Waiting was difficult to do back then, and sometimes it can be the hardest thing you can do now.

On the flip side…think of all the wonderful fun you had playing with all of the toys and games once they were they were opened.   And how could you possibly fit another bite of cookies and candy canes into your mouth without exploding…but they were all so delicious!  Oh the sweet rewards of waiting, eh?

Waiting is not always pleasant, but when the wait is over…oh what glorious gifts await us!

May you wait with anticipation and hope for the wonderful gifts that God has prepared for you this Christmas season!

Peace and love,

Felecia

 

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Believing Through the Darkness

believing through the darkness

“Lights in the Darkness,” photograph by Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

Believing through the darkness into the light…what a revelation awaits us there!

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”  John 1:4-5

If you’ve been busy getting started on decorating your home for Christmas as I have, you will likely agree on how frustrating it can be to untangle the string of Christmas tree lights before hanging them (or tossing them away!).  The title for this post Believing Through the Darkness came to my mind just at the moment I did grab the trash can and was ready to throw my wad of lights into it.  Taking a deep breath, I decided to plug in the darkened bulbs one last time, and you know what?  The tiny lights seemed to sparkle, as though they were smiling at me.

Believing through the darkness, those times when our lives are not so cheery and bright, can be just as frustrating as dealing with tangled lights.  The thing is, we can’t just toss our lives away now can we?  Nope, we have to live them one day, one hour, one minute, one second at a time. Each increment of time can represent the knots in the string of lights that get even tighter when we tug and pull on them trying to get them apart.  The more we think about a problem that has us completely tangled, it wraps around us so tightly that we become trapped under a heavy coating of darkness that seems to smother us.

When I started tackling my mound of twisted strings of lights for a second round, I took one strand at a time and followed it through to the end.  As I cleared one strand, and then another, it felt as though I was following a unique path full of twists and turns with each one.  The same is true for each of our lives…we travel along dark and bumpy roads, yet when we get to the clear, smooth highway just ahead of us, our journey becomes filled with the warm glow of hope that sees us through to our destination.

I eventually got the lights all in order and strung around the tree.  My frown turned into a brilliant smile, as I stood staring at all of those tiny sparkles that dazzled before my eyes.  What a delight it is to see my little tree standing there, adorned with the twinkling array of colors and welcoming me home when I pull up to the driveway…it is the same glow that fills my heart when I think of the true light that fills my life; who’s birth we celebrate during this Christmas season.

May the life that Jesus Christ offers be the true light that guides you on your life’s journey.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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What I Believe

What I Believe

“Feeling Blessed,” photograph courtesy of my sister, Marjorie Karimi

What I believe is full of hope; it is very real and oh so very true…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

What I Believe

What I believe is not just a story,

of days gone by long ago.

No, it is more than I could ever imagine;

a gift that only God could bestow.

What I believe is rich, and abundant;

it makes my heart overflow with joy.

It shelters and protects me when I am afraid.

Indeed it’s like a fortress that no enemy can destroy.

What I believe is not dead, but bursting with life,

that which fills the heavens and earth.

How awesome, how wonderful, how magnificent it is;

and it all began for us on that glorious night of His birth.

What I believe is full of hope;

it is very real and oh so very true.

It is founded on God’s unending love,

and He freely gives it to me and to you.

Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

May your heart be filled to overflowing with the love that God has for you…and may you always believe in Him and what He gave to us on that first Christmas night.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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On Believing

On Believing

on believingA Quote to Carry You

December 1, 2014

“It’s not just that we believe; it is what we believe in that determines whether or not it is worth believing.”  Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

We’ve all hear the phrase “seeing is believing” before…but is it?  In matters of faith, believing in those things that we cannot see can be much more real than what we see with our eyes.  I can tell you from my experiences that living by faith in God is real, and His promises are true and sure.  I cannot see Him with my eyes, but the things God reveals to me within my heart are so much more vivid and alive, and they spill over into my life day after day.  Indeed, when we place our faith in God and all that He promises, seeing truly is believing and worth every bit of it.

This season in which we celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is the perfect time to start…won’t you consider believing in Him?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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