Christmas: Nobody is an outsider to this happiness!

Nativity scene courtesy of Advocate Art. Christmas card sold in aid of #Brooke Action for working donkeys

Hello dear friend,
Thank you for dropping in. I hope you are enjoying a good Christmas season. Mine is better than last year but will never be the same again since Mum and Dad passed on to heaven.

As with last year my favourite part so far was Midnight Mass. I volunteered to be a greeter for the fourth time in a row. I find this really helps me to contain my emotions. When you have to focus on giving everyone a warm welcome and ensure they have a booklet which contains all the carols and the order of service your own concerns slip away.

This year though, I got a surprise when our parish priest asked me and three other unsuspecting parishioners to do a reading throughout the carol service. But we  all rose to the occasion. When I had a quick pre-service peek at my reading I was wowed by the beauty of the words. And when I read the sermon out to the packed church I couldn't stop smiling as I spoke. I am sharing the reading with you in the hope that it inspires you too.

God bless

Teresa
Sermon on the Nativity by Pope St Leo the Great

O Christian, be aware of your nobility.

This is the day our Saviour was born: what a joy for us, my beloved! This is no season for sadness, this, the birthday of Life - the Life which annihilates the fear of death, and engenders joy, promising, as it does, immortality.

Nobody is an outsider to this happiness. The same cause for joy is common to all, for as our Lord found nobody free from guilt when He came to bring an end to death and sin, so He came with redemption for all. Let the saint rejoice, for he hastens to his crown: let the Sinner be filled with joy, for pardon is offered him: let the Gentile be emboldened, for he is called to life.

When the designated time had come, which God in His deep and impenetrable plan had fixed upon, God's Son took the nature of man upon Himself in order to reconcile man to his Creator. Thus would the devil, the father of death, be himself overcome by that self-same human nature which he had overcome.

The angels therefore exult at the birth of the Lord: they sing "Glory to God in heaven"; they announce "Peace on earth for men on whom His favour rests." For they behold the heavenly Jerusalem being constructed from out of the peoples on earth. How greatly ought mere men rejoice at this mysterious undertaking of divine love, when the angels on high thrill so much at it!

O Christian be aware of your nobility - it is God's own nature that you share. []

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Put Christ back into your Christmas cards!

Hello dear friend,

Thank you so much for stopping by! Today I would like to encourage all Christians to send Christmas cards relevant to the birth of Jesus.

Many Christian friends and relatives have said they do not send religious cards as they can’t find any. The place I buy mine is at the church I go to. So do check yours out as the first port of call. After that, if you can’t find any in your local shops - I have noticed though, that since the pandemic there are more available - there is a list of links below to make it easier for you to get your hands on something relevant to the religious celebration this year.

What it really takes though, I feel, is a decision to only send these relevant cards instead of usual robins and tinsel. Hands up – I used to send these too! Robins happen to be my favourite birds by the way, and I love a lot of tinsel decked around my home and Christmas tree. The decorations sit happily beside my nativity scene crib. But some years ago I made the decision to stick to the point of Christmas in my cards: a religious festival. And when I visit friends and relatives at Christmas and see that often the only religious card among the strings of cards on display in their homes is mine it makes me sad…

You know it would make you feel better to start the celebrations in the right way: commemorating the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Come on, let’s put Christ back into Christmas!

Blessings

Teresa

Here is a selection of the links I found on Google for religious Christmas cards. I have not bought any from them so I have none to recommend personally. But I do read Our Daily Bread daily and can vouch that it is an inspiring read so I’ve put them at the top of the list.

https://ourdailybread.org/christmas/

https://premierchristianmarketplace.co.uk/collections/christmas-decorations?utm_source=Premier%20Christian%20Media&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=13630771_MKT%20shop%20blackfriday%2025.11.2022&utm_content=mainbanner&dm_i=16DQ,845KJ,J9EB8Q,X863P,1

https://www.pilgrimgifts.co.uk/cards-and-special-occasion-ideas/christian-christmas-cards

https://www.eden.co.uk/christmas-cards/

https://www.kevinmayhew.com/cards-and-gifts/christian-greeting-cards.html

https://www.cpo.org.uk/catalogue.aspx?cat=1610

 https://justcardsdirect.com/

https://www.ritchiechristianmedia.co.uk/christian-gifts/christmas-cards

https://discoveryhouse.org.uk/cards-stationery/christmas

https://gospelcardsetc.com/

https://www.zazzle.co.uk/christian+christmas+cards

https://www.oscar.org.uk/resources/ministry-resources/christmas

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Religious-Christmas-Cards/170098/bn_7023637313

http://www.orchardcards.co.uk/christmas-card-packs/religious-nativity-christian-charity-christmas-cards.html

https://www.greetingscards.co.uk/personalised-christmas/religious/?sort=1&p=1&perPage=40

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Fearful of the future? Try this for peace of mind!

#St. Faustina Kowalska
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_Kowalska

Hello dear friend,
Thanks for stopping by!

The 5th October is the feastday of St Faustina Kowalska, a Polish Catholic nun and mystic who died on this day in 1938, aged 33, and was sainted in the year 2000. Her apparitions of Jesus have inspired great devotion in the Universal church to Christ's Divine Mercy. And the saint bears the title Secretary of Divine Mercy.

To find out more about this saint you can visit, for example, the website dedicated to her by clicking on this link. https://www.faustyna.pl/zmbm/en

I recently found a copy of her book among my late-father's belongings. Dad had a great love of Divine Mercy. Today I began to read Divine Mercy In My Soul, a diary by Sister M. Faustina Kowalski, published by Marian Helpers Press.

Following on from my last blog on poetry I wanted to share one of the saint's poems. I hope that, like me, you are impressed that a saint is but a human being who tries hard to rise above the trials of this life. It it also a good reminder to try to stay in Today instead of galloping headlong and fearful into the unknown tomorrow.

O My God
By St Faustina

When I look into the future, I am frightened,
But why plunge into the future?
Only the present moment is precious to me,
As the future may never enter my soul at all.

It is no longer in my power,
To change, correct or add to the past;
For neither sages nor prophets could do that.
And so, what the past has embraced I must trust to God.

O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire.
I desire to use you as best I can.
And although I am weak and small,
You grant me the grace of your omnipotence.

And so, trusting in Your mercy,
I walk through life like a little child,
Offering You each day this heart
Burning with love for Your greater glory. []


Wishing you a blessed day!

Teresa

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

National Poetry Day: Give Him a Chance!

Hello dear friend,

Thank you for stopping by!

Today is National Poetry day so I took a look through my small collection to pick one out to share with you.

Also, though, my lovely friend Jan sadly lost her mum this morning... Yes, it's another one of those 'I don't quite believe it' moments.

For this reason I chose the poem below. And for this reason too I chose the photo above of an angel on a chariot which I took when visiting Rome with Jan some years ago. It seems fitting.

13^th February 19 Despair

By Teresa O'Driscoll

What do you do when you’re in despair?

I turn to God ‘cos I know He’s there.

But what about you?

Do you know Him too?

If the answer is No

He’s still the place to go.

You don’t need fancy words

He’s heard them all before.

What He wants from you is a chance.

With me? You might ask. Yes, you!

Just speak from your heart

And tell Him your all –

The pain, the doubt, the fear.

Be open and trust

after all He is Love

And give Him that chance

to let you know He’s near.

And you will find that’s all you’ll ever need.

God bless,

Teresa x

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Angels are real: I saw one!

Angels are all around us

Hello dear friend,

I hope you are having a good day. I hope I can make it better by telling you that angels definitely do exist. I have seen one! Also, it is my belief that one of my friends became an angel after her death.  I am sharing these things with you to give you hope and encouragement.

First let me tell you about the angel I saw. I was in noisy and crowded café having a meeting with my friend Erica from church about a new project we were thinking of doing together. As we swapped ideas the talk was lively and positive. Finally I said to her, “You know, I feel the Holy Spirit very strongly here with us. And I wouldn’t be surprised if we were surrounded by angels listening to our conversation!” With that I looked up and saw an angel. It was a quick glimpse, no more than a couple of seconds. 

I said to Erica, “I’ve just seen an angel! And it had its hand under its chin like this.” I demonstrated with my hand under my own chin in a listening pose. “It was confirming that it was listening!” My friend and I looked wide-eyed at each other. The angel – I couldn’t tell if it was male or female – was a pale golden colour and ethereal in appearance, it had short bubbly curls, and looked like a child. So I think what I saw was a cherub.  I think I had a peak at ‘the other side’ of life; which is also Life!

I said to Erica, “I think we can take it that we are supposed to be doing this project together.” And she agreed. We have had a few further meetings and it is coming together very nicely. I’ll let you have some details when the time is right.

To continue for now with angels I want to tell you that the above picture is a bookmark which my dear friend Thalia gave me. If you read my last blog headed “A challenge to spiritual growth!” you will have already heard that she has gone, this ten years since, to join the angels. Actually, I do mean that literally as, after her death, I had an experience which told me that she had become an angel. I questioned this as I thought angels were angels and people were people. But the explanation I was given was, “She willed it.” And when I mulled it over I believed it. I have never known anyone so focused on angels as Thalia.

I will leave you with a photo of Angel Thalia and a poem I wrote shortly after her death.

Love and blessings

Teresa 

Thalia

Ode to Thalia

By Teresa O’Driscoll, 4^th March 2009

Dead and buried.  Over.  Done.

89 years of living, learning, growing,

all locked up in a box.

Only half a story.

Eternal.  Spirit.

Everlasting Love -

Joining the angelic host

kneeling at the feet of

Our Father.

Gone on before me.

Living in my memory.

Living in Spirit and in Truth.

I believe therefore -

I am.

I believe therefore you are:

Alive and Vital;

renewed.

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

A challenge to spiritual growth!

Perhaps, like me, you love the month of September! In childhood it was the invigorating beginning of a new school year. Now, I consider it a great opportunity for a general fresh start to my life. And those of you who know me well know that I am a huge fan of those.

So when, clearing up some paperwork, I came across the small poster you see in the picture above, it hit the spot perfectly. It was given to me by my dear friend Thalia who went to join the angels ten years ago. It was a lovely example of what an inspirational person she was. I have typed the contents out so you can read them easily.

On the left is the sublime bible passage from Corinthians about love. While on the right is the poem The Invitation by Orah Mountain Dreamer.

Both, in different ways, throw down the gauntlet, as they challenge us to grow spiritually.

I hope you enjoy them and are prompted to join me in that fresh start.  

Love and blessings

Teresa

First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a limb or an organ of it. Within our community God has appointed in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, thirdly teachers; then miracle–workers, then those who have gifts of healing, or the ability to help others or power to guide them, or the gift if tongues of various kinds. Are all apostles? All prophets? All teachers? Do all works miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues of ecstasy? Can all interpret them? The higher gifts are those you should prize.

But I can show you an even better way.

I may speak in tongues of men or of angels, but if I have no love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophesy and the knowledge of every hidden truth; I may have faith enough to move mountains; but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give all I possess to the needy, I may give my body to be burnt, but if I have no love, I gain nothing by it.

Love is patient and kind. Love envies no one, is never boastful, never conceited, never rude; love is never selfish, never quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs, takes no pleasure in the sins of others, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance.

Love will never come to an end. Prophecies will cease; tongues of ecstasy will fall silent; knowledge will vanish. For our knowledge and our prophecy alike are partial, and the partial vanishes when wholeness comes. When I was a child I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child; but when I grew up I finished with childish things. At present we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror, but one day we shall see face to face. My knowledge now is partial; then it will be whole, like God’s knowledge of me. There are three things that last forever: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of the three is love.

                                                                 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for

and if you dare to dream of your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool

for love

for your dream

for your adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon

I want to know if you have ever touched the centre of your own sorrow

if you have been opened by life’s betrayals

or have become shrivelled and closed

from fear of further pain

I want to know if you can sit with pain

mine or your own

without moving to hide it

or fade it

or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy

mine or your own

if you can dance with wildness

and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes

without cautioning us to

be careful

be realistic

to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true

I want to know if you can

disappoint another

to be true to yourself

If you can beat the accusation of betrayal

and not betray your own soul

If you can be faithless

and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty

even when it’s not pretty

every day,

and if you can source your own life

from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with Failure

yours and mine

and still stand on the edge of the lake

and shout to the silver of the full moon

“YES”

It doesn’t interest me

to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up

after the night of grief and despair

weary and bruised to the bone

and do what needs to be done

to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand

in the centre of the fire

with me

and not shrink back.

It doesn’t matter to me where or what or with whom

you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you

from the inside

when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone

with yourself

and truly like the company you keep

in the empty moments.

                                    Orah Mountain Dreamer, May 1994  

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity