Commonplace, ordinary happenings give rise to deep contemplations in fifty-two thoughts intended to challenge yourself, lift your spirit, cause you to question yourself, and reassure yourself of life’s purpose and your place in it. Originally presented as radio spots on Australian Regional Radio and subsequently published in regional newspapers, the listening or reading public has responded with: “Keep them coming!”

GENRE: Poetry/Christian     ISBN: 978-1-920972-00-4     ASIN: B003Y74HA0     Word Count: 9, 477

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PREFACE

 

I have here used the Australian Grass Tree as background for these ‘Pause a Minute’ thoughts. There are so many growing on “Tarkarendi”, especially in inaccessible places. Each season I watch them and am fascinated by them and the life lessons they can be seen to exemplify.

They certainly do not rush in their growing. They have great resilience in their own environment, in good seasons or in bad.

When fire attacks, they erupt into furious fireworks – a veritable kaleidoscope of sparks – as the flame catches the long, cylindrical leaves.

But when the fire passes, leaving blackened trunks, they recover – in the Spring, again sending up the tight cluster of spikes, which as Summer unfolds, separate, to form a perfect shimmering sphere, glowing in the Summer sun. Brushed by animals, buffeted by wind, the leaves return to their appointed place in the sphere.

In good times of your life, may you glow where you are; when storms of life attack, may you return to your ‘place’ and in the longevity of years, may you endure, scarred but upright, like the Grass Tree.

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PAUSE A MINUTE

 

I often hear a bird, commonly called the storm bird. His call fascinates me. He seems to be saying, “Come on, come on.” Like a child calling urgently and persistently to his companions to come and play, to run free in delight and laughter, “Come on, come on.”

Jesus calls, “Come on. Come on.” Urgently, persistently He calls, anxious to take us in fun and joy. He knows the way for us to find happiness and full enjoyment. He IS the way. “Come with me,” he says. “Let me lead you, be my playmate, my companion.  Play the game my way. I’ll take you safely home to our father. He will welcome you and you will know love. There will be rejoicing because we have come. We’ll all be happy together.”

So, often we take our own way, though we don’t really know how to play the game. We play it our own way, make our own rules, and we get lost and the game is not interesting, leads nowhere, isn’t fun at all.

Sometimes we think nobody cares, nobody wants to share our life and we feel alone, unloved, unwanted.

But Jesus is always there calling, “Come on. Come on.” It is never too late. He’s always ready.

It’s just up to us to answer his call.

“Come on.”

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2. PAUSE A MINUTE

I was in hospital and feeling very drained, with the pain accompanying surgery. One day my daughter arrived with nail clippers and oil to see me. She rubbed my legs, cut my toenails and massaged my feet gently with oil.  I soaked up the soothing treatment and was so relaxed by the time she finished I was almost purring. The touch of love.

Jesus touched people with love.

Think what it must have meant to the leper – an untouchable person, who most likely hadn’t felt the touch of another human being for years – when Jesus touched him and healed him.

Think what it meant to the blind man when Jesus touched him and smoothed the spittle mud on his eyes.

Think what it must have been like when He took Jirus’s little daughter by the hand, and said “Little maid, I say unto you, arise!” and the little dead girl was restored to her parents.

Jesus IS LOVE.

Touch someone with love today.