Back in Wales: The Lord is my Shepherd!

                     Gilfach Goch, Wales

Hello, and welcome! 

Thank you so much for dropping in! I hope you are keeping well! I have posted four memories of Corfu - where I lived for a few months before repatriating from many years in Greece back to my native Wales. (See blog: Blogger: Posts) I had originally posted these on World-wide Bible studies.org. Completing my trip down memory lane here is the fifth, and final article. This one was written after my return to Wales. It is set in Advent but with mentions of Easter too, so, as we are still in Eastertide I think you will appreciate its relevance today. I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you a little closer to our Heavenly Father!   

Welsh Advent and Pastoral Riverside Walks: Be the best you can be! (Matt. 5:48)

It is some time since I last wrote as I have been busy settling in to my new Welsh home after repatriating from Greece. You may recall that I spent the winter in Corfu. That sojourn prepared me well for the tranquillity of my new home, Wales in Gilfach Goch (pronounced loosely as Gilvac Gok) a former coalmining village which has returned to its naturally beautiful state. (See the above photo.) Walking out of my house and up beside the nearby river, usually with only sheep for company, my mind frequently turns to Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want; He makes me down to lie in pastures green. He leadeth me, the quiet waters by.” This psalm has been set to music as a hymn and I often find myself softly singing these words during my meanderings. (We Welsh do love to sing, don't you know?!)

At this time of Advent, though, as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ our Saviour, this psalm takes on a special significance, belonging, as it does, to the trilogy of psalms that foretell of His coming upon the earth.

Psalm 22 prophesies that Jesus will suffer for us. Indeed, it opens with the words that He spoke during His agony on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And then gives details of the form of His suffering, including: “…they have pierced My hands and My feet – I can count all My bones – they stare and gloat over Me; they divide My garments among them, and for My raiment they cast lots.” Ps 22:16-18 While Psalm 24 reveals that Christ will be the sovereign King. “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.” Ps 24:9

Having read those psalms my mind then skips to the Gospel according to John where I read those words which always make my mind stop with incredulity: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, yet the world knew Him not.” (!!!) John 1:10-11 Still, as I write those words I am shaking my head with disbelief. We owe Jesus Christ everything. Yet, too many in the world, even after millennia, still do not know Him. And so, I have decided that my Advent preparation will be three-fold:

Firstly, I will ponder on what He has done for me and thank and praise Him.

Secondly, I will speak of Him to whomsoever I meet in my daily life, when it feels right, in the hope that my quiet words may bring Him closer.

Thirdly, I will pray that this Christmas all Christians on earth will put their focus onto the real meaning of Christmastide. That they will, for instance, send each other Christian greetings, not wishy-washy “happy holiday” greetings, and put prayer and thanksgiving to God at the centre of their celebrations. And, yes, I promise to do that too!

If we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ coming on earth for us in this way, on Christmas morning we will be able to hear the opening words of John’s gospel and be filled with joy; no matter what our circumstances. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-4 

In case I do not post again before Christmas may I take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very happy and holy Christmas! 

I pray that we will strive to spiritually make the most of the last 9 days of Eastertide, which culminates in the Feast of Pentecost. 

God bless,

Teresa x

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

Find more inspiration through my books:  

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.

A great review: In this practical book, author Teresa O’Driscoll suggests that while formal prayers are a foundation of our faith life, these tend to be one-way communications. Our relationship with God can be deepened further, she writes, by having conversations with him — we tell God what is on our minds and then we listen to his response. Pray Then Listen is the result of one such conversation.

Günther Simmermacher editor of  Southern Cross Magazine Australia

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore/ In New Zealand / In Australia

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!

A great endorsement: 

Take this book down to the beach in the morning, and I guarantee when you return sunburnt to your room at the end of the day you will see no one around you, from waiters to fellow holidaymakers, in the same way. The characters seeking escape amidst the idyllic beauty of Corfu never manage to shake off the problems they have run from, while O’Driscoll beautifully captures the intrigues of a tightly knit traditional Greek community.

Donald Finnaeus Mayo, author of The Insider’s Guide to Betrayal and Francesca

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

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

You may like to see my blog on the Backstory of this novel

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

Here's a great review: I was ill for a couple of years and had a great loss in my life. This book brought so much peace to me and even though I had been angry with God and blamed him for all my troubles, I found my way back to my relationship with him.

Rose Barrett Wilkinson

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

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

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

2 Sundays of Advent to Christmas (5 days for posting cards second-class)

Georges de La Tour ca. 1644

Hello dear friend,

With two more weekends to go in Advent there is still time to increase the bliss-factor of your Christmas with a little extra spiritual preparation. Yes, there are Christmas cards to be sent (list, buy, write, address, post - gulp! stamps are sooooo expensive in multiples) and presents to be dealt with in like manner too. Then, there are menus to plan, cleaning to be done, decorations to be put up, Nativity plays to attend and office lunches and parties, and, oh so many other things to do before the Big Day. 

But please Stop!

Take a deep breath, and remind yourself what this is all about: physical preparations are only a part of the equation.

First, let’s consider what Advent is

Advent, first season of the Church year (includes the four Sundays leading up to Christmas) comes from the Latin word, adventus meaning arrival, and is a time of spiritual preparation before we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Traditionally, it is also known as “little Lent” and is best marked by increased prayer, fasting (not pre-Christmas greed as the telly ads showing people guzzling tins of chocs would have us believe!), and good works. All this focuses the mind and heart on the “reason for the season”, so it follows that: the deeper your spiritual preparation the more joyous your Christmas can be!  

Being a great advocate of simplicity for maximum effect I would like to share something that could assist your spiritual goal:

Advent meditation

Put aside a minimum of 5 minutes for this meditation. (If you use public transport to get to work you could do this on a bus or train.)

Slowly read over the Bible passage below using all of your powers of imagination to bring the scene to life by picturing yourself there in the presence of Mary and the angel Gabriel.

To help you do this you could ask yourself:

* What do the two look like? 

* What time of day is it?

* What is the temperature like?

* What expression is on Mary’s face - does she, for instance, look scared when the angel arrives and joyful when he leaves?  

* And so on…

Then, try putting yourself into Mary’s shoes for a few moments and ask yourself how you would have reacted. Would you, do you think, have had the courage to agree to become the mother of the Son of God?

Bible reading

…God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour.  You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must call Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord will give Him the throne of His ancestor David and He will rule over the House of Jacob forever; His reign will have no end. Mary said, “You see before you the Lord’s servant; may it happen to me as you have said.” Luke 1.26-38

After the meditation

Let the vivid images of the Annunciation flood through your whole being until you feel at one with God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and also with Mary who said “Yes” to God. 

In the coming days try to recapture this scene and feeling often, even for a few seconds as you go about your business and physical preparations for Jesus’ 2012^th birthday.

God bless  

Teresa x

FYI Last posting days for Christmas cards

Tue 18^th Dec 2^nd class (standard cost 50p)

Thu 20^th Dec 1^st class (standard cost 60p)

For fuller info please see: http://www.royalmail.com/greetings?campaignid=lastposting-pers

Picture above copied from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus_in_art

Coming next: Christmas charity giving – have you heard of +Mary’s Meals?

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