2013 Iris Series – 03

“As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal somebody else.” – Maya Angelou

Message Anew – Hope in Healing

2013 Peony Series – 01

“I confess that I love him, I rejoice that I love him, I thank the maker of Heaven and Earth that gave him to me. The exultation floods me.”-

– Emily Dickinson

 

Heavenly

As an introduction to the Peony series I must share with you the meanings of the Peony in the language of flowers.  The meanings vary and include a wide range of emotions.

Peony: Shame, happy marriage, compassion, anger, bashfulness

The image posted above is titled heavenly because it appears that the flower petals float off into infinity, or heaven.  It is dreamy, like pink clouds. The quote links the meaning of the peony, happy marriage, with the title of the image.  Love and heaven united.

A Door Closed is Another Door Open…

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

Look Without Regret

 

“God enters by a private door into every individual.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Knock and the Door will Be Opened

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

2013 Tulip Series – 07

I have been away vacationing with my family and unfortunately had to miss posting an Easter blog.  So, a day late, but better late than never, here is my Easter post.

V is for Victory

Over Sin and Death.

V is for Victory

Resting on Old Wood –

A Reminder of the Cross.

V is for Victory

For Christ,

and the

 Grace,

Through Suffering,

He Bought Us.

copyright Robyn Graham

 “The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice.” – Henry Knox Sherrill

Think of Me

When the days are long,

Think of me.

When things go wrong,

Think of me.

There will be days you don’t feel strong,

Think of me.

When those days arrive, breakout in song,

And think of me.

You’ll have woes to carry along,

And you may not feel like you belong,

Just think of me.

Sometimes relationships are not lifelong,

Some are, just think of me.

And when you think of me,

Feel the harmony,

Of nature, healing, and just, letting be.

copyright Robyn Graham

Think of Me

In Harmony

Green represents nature, healing, and harmony.  The white clover flower means “Think of Me” in the Victorian Language of Flowers. The “me” in the poem is representative of my faith, I always have someone to think of to get me through a long day.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4

Silence

 

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence.  See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grow in silence;  see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.  We need silence to be able to touch souls.” – Mother Teresa

Find God, Find Silence, and Touch Souls

Tragedy

Time is bereaved,

Rage surges,

Anguish and sorrow swell in the hearts of some, while

Gratitude permeates the very being of those who were delivered.

Emotions, intertwined, ebb and flow,

Yielding never.

copyright Robyn Graham

Tragedy struck yet again.  Tonight’s post is in honor of the families in Newtown, CT who lost a child or loved one today in the horrific shooting event that occurred at an elementary school.  I cannot fathom the emotions that must be going through the hearts and minds of the victims’ families. My heart breaks for them.  They will ever be in my thoughts and prayers.  Please join me in hoping and praying that all people nearing the point of extreme emotional or mental instability obtain the help needed to prevent such devastating tragedies in the future.

Prayers Raised through the Smoke of the Flame

Which Path?

“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9 NIV)

Not All, Choose the Right Path

The Praying Mantis

I’ve been away from the world of blogging for a few days due to the chaos I call life in a family of five.  Knowing how busy life was going to be during the last couple of weeks of summer, I recently  made a list of the images I wanted to post, and the order in which to post them.  Despite this effort, I did not achieve a blog post the past two days.  Then today, as I was walking by my Dahlias I noticed the difference in each bloom and figured I had to grab my camera.  I photographed the large, beautiful flowers for a bit and then, out of the blue appeared a Praying Mantis on one of the large, fully open flowers. Once again my list of blog topics is pushed back, but I’m hoping no one minds.

After photographing the Praying Mantis, and taking a few more shots of the Dahlias, I had to confirm my thoughts that the Praying Mantis had symbolism of peace associated with it.  Sure enough, I found a plethora of information on this unique looking insect.  One website was especially interesting.  This website is Souled Out.org (http://www.souledout.org/earthday/mantis/pm.html). The information reported on Souled Out.org is below.

The praying mantis is the oldest symbol of God: the African Bushman’s manifestation of God come to Earth, “the voice of the infinite in the small,”* a divine messenger. When one is seen, diviners try to determine the current message. In this culture they are also associated with restoring life into the dead. “Mantis” is the Greek word for “prophet” or “seer,” a being with spiritual or mystical powers.

Meet the eye of a mantis and feel the presence of God. Interspecies communicator Sharon Callahan says, “the I of me, and the I of the creature became one and we rested on the breath of God.” She notes that a praying mantis appears sometimes in person, other times in a dream or even in an object of art, but always with the “shiny conscious eye ~ God looking at me through the eye of the Mantis.”

The praying mantis shows the way. In the Arabic and Turkish cultures a mantis points pilgrims to Mecca, the holiest site in the Islamic world. In Africa it helps find lost sheep and goats. In France, it’s believed that if you are lost the mantis points the way home.   

“Follow Mantis” means putting that core aspect of yourself, your foundation of Spirit, at the helm and let it direct your intellect and ultimately your life.

On other websites I found the following meanings:

• Symbol of the eye of God.
• She represents strength, adaptability, and ease of communication.
• The Praying Mantis will make an appearance when we need peace, quiet, and calm in our lives.  She visits to tell us that we need to be more like her and take our time and live at our own silent pace.

As I was reading all of the summaries of symbolism for the Praying Mantis I thought about how well each one of them could represent the reason she appeared on my Dahlias today.  First and foremost, I believe in the power of prayer and experienced it first hand a couple of times this week.  Secondly, I have had a lot of chaos and emotional unease looming the past few weeks.  I’m not sure if this is because my oldest child will be starting a new chapter in his life and moving onto middle school while at the same time entering the teenage years, or if it is simply the business and sadness that accompanies the end of summer.    I would like to think that this beautiful insect happened to arrive on my Dahlia at the same time I was photographing as a reminder to keep life in perspective, to realize how blessed I am, to slow down and take deep calming breaths, and simply love and cherish those around me.  A little message from God to keep myself in check.

The Oldest Symbol of God? A Reminder to Pray?

Peace, Quiet, and Calm?

Strength, adaptability, and Ease of Communication?

She really is magnificent.  Nature is so incredible.  She blends right in with her environment.  At first look I was disappointed that the Dahlia was not perfect, but had brown blemishes.  Then it it occurred to me that this was the natural process and she was using it to her benefit.  I wonder how long she stayed camouflaged watching me photograph.  The thought of it makes me smile.

Our thoughts shape our lives….

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” (Proverbs 4:23)

If only all thoughts could be as beautiful as this butterfly on the lavender……