She hath wings

Learning to soar above life's storms

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about

I am a wife and mother of three beautiful children. I love to write, do craft, cook, visit the beach, shop, go for walks in picturesque places, play music and sing.

  • What Is Your Goliath?

    Many people have heard of the David and Goliath story from the Bible. It happened to be last Sunday’s sermon topic at church and I was impressed that it was addressed with a fresh perspective. It was immensely practical, not only looking at how David slayed Goliath, but also relating back to the struggles we face. Everyone has a Goliath or two (or many!) in their lives.

    For my entire life, as long as I can remember, I have struggled with a number of areas in which I feel “stuck”. I have tried so many times to change in a more permanent way, only to find that I return to a particular mode of thinking or behaviour when times get stressful or disheartening.

    Yesterday I started reading information on strongholds when it came to mind. So much of what I read made sense. Sometimes we cannot change a pattern of thinking or behaviour on our own. It can be helpful to tell someone else that we struggle and also seek the truth about the matter (for myself, I do this via the Bible on major issues). Only when we know the truth can we start to replace the lies that have held us captive and start to make lasting change.

    What is your Goliath? It’s important to know that nothing is impossible to change – there is nothing that cannot be overcome by God’s help.

  • A Reset

    A Reset

    Sometimes we need a reset. Time away from the ‘everyday’ and having different scenery to fill the senses as well as a break from the daily routine. Our family holiday came at a crucial time- tension was running high, the noise was always too loud and the whining from the children was a little more than I could bear.
    I’m so grateful for the few days we had in Hawk’s Nest NSW. A beautiful spot with a bay, surf beach and river. The town is typical of holiday spots I visited in my childhood but unspoilt by commercialism.
    It is here that I finally regained a sense of what I needed to do in the next quarter- how I can progress beyond merely getting through each day.
    There is something magical about a holiday- new places to explore, being kinder to ourselves than usual, as well as the new creativity that comes away from the distractions of home.
    I longed to find a way to spend time with my kids without longing for alone time and I finally had a holiday where they had more of my time than not. We went in the spa, played on the sand at Jimmy’s beach, travelled on the ferry to Nelson Bay and were fortunate to see lots of water birds, fish, some Hawks as well as native Australian birds such as kookaburras, rosellas and wrens. Seeing a dolphin jumping out of the water near the entrance where the boats come in was something special to share with the kids, too.
    I coloured in with both kids, did my son’s homemade activity book and had several fun sing alongs. I giggled at my toddler’s silly songs and sayings like ” I’ve got cutey hair” . They clambered up the giant sand dunes at Dark Point (Myall Lakes National Park) and fed farm animals and kangaroos at the Oakvale Wildlife Park about a 40 minute drive from Hawk’s Nest. I could go on but I am just counting my blessings as I travel home now, wondering how I can take this restful self back with me.
    It is so important to stop and enjoy life’s moments rather than waiting for a perfect day to come. Everything else can wait but living cannot.

  • I Miss You

    I miss you-

    Your happy, wide smile,

    Your dancing eyes,

    Wisdom of the years;

    Words unnecessary.

    I miss your caring embrace;

    I was well esteemed;

    Now -I am invisible.

    Grief upon grief –

    You said no ‘goodbye’.

    I’d send you smiles –

    Enough for a lifetime

    If I knew that you would see them.

    They would light up your room-

    Warm you from the cold –

    Be with you always.

    But I miss you…

    And you may never know.

    © M.Patterson 2016

  • The Big Goose

    The Big Goose

    There’s something so Australian and so 1980s about “The Big…” (fill in the blanks). The Big Pineapple, The Giant Earthworm, The Big Banana – just to name a few. (I happened to look up a few more if you are interested; most are outlined in this article).

    It is with amusement that I visited “The Big Goose” with my family last weekend , wondering whether I would be met with an inflatable or giant feathered thing on arrival. I wasn’t, but I certainly was accosted by several geese who made sure I knew they were the resident mascots! Further to my amusement was a runaway guinea-pig. When I asked the keeper if I should catch the fugitive, I was met with a broad grin and informed that it escaped so often, they decided to just let it roam free!

    I asked my toddler whether she liked the rabbits or the guinea-pigs best and she exclaimed, “the daddy pigs!”. Ha ha! Pigs and pandas are two of her favourite animals. Hopefully she wasn’t trying to backhandedly insult her father like Peppa Pig does!

    The sheepdog wasn’t doing its best “death-stare” and so it had to repeat the sheep round-up after failing to be of much use in front of the audience!

    It was a great place to visit , with its ostriches, kangaroos, alpacas, many bird species and baby animals to feed . The animals were well behaved in the reptile talk (don’t worry – no crocs!) and the camels and goats were not as scary to feed as I imagined!

    While the farm wasn’t marked by a “Big” frontage, it was a sprawling place with plenty to do and scored a “big” thumbs up from our kids.

  • Pebbles

    Pebbles

    Like pebbles falling through my pocket

    A priceless collection lost,

    I progressed for a while along the path

    Forgetting what it cost

    I didn’t realise that Your will

    Was that I should take with me

    Every single lesson learnt

    Which had helped to set me free

    Ashamed and broken, I bowed my head,

    Wondering if I should look back

    To pick up all the lessons and promises

    I lost along the track

    I looked at You, and saw a nod,

    So I made up my mind to give

    Every moment of surrender to You

    As a thankyou for letting me live.

    I hope that one day, these boring old stones

    Will be diadems in Your crown,

    As I re-embrace Your promises and then

    Learn to lay them down

    © M. Patterson 2001

  • The One I Couldn’t See

    Tonight I finally forgave you

    For the years you stripped away;

    The friendly words, respect and friendship

    Gone in just one day.

    For the confidence removed,

    Where once I held my head up high

    And speaking into your life was something

    You did not deny

    I wished you well and closed the door

    On those much younger years;

    My eyes were able to sparkle again

    Instead of being filled with tears.

    No longer held in the paralysing vice;

    Your approval, I didn’t need –

    But oh, forevermore, the wound

    Will sometimes open and bleed!

    I went my way and you went yours

    And we’ve both found success –

    I couldn’t have seen potential back then –

    My life was such a mess.

    Your rejection was the catalyst –

    I couldn’t stay the same anymore;

    I had hurt a very longstanding friend

    Though I knew not the final straw.

    I’ve transformed considerably since that day-

    I thank you for reminding me

    That the friend I needed all along

    Was the One I couldn’t see.

    © M. Patterson 2019

  • Kind Eyes

    You have kind eyes-

    The kind that melt me every time.

    They tell me you’ll never say goodbye

    And you love me as I am.

    We’ve travelled many years as friends-

    Sometimes closer than you knew.

    Times with you are always

    Happy times

    Your eyes convey the knowledge

    That you understand

    Or you will try ever so hard.

    We’ve grown up a lot

    Through the years

    But one thing never changed

    And never will…

    Your kind eyes.

    © M. Patterson 2015

  • Calm My Storm

    Inside my soul

    A storm is raging

    A battle – a war

    My flesh is aging

    The spring in my step

    The joy in my smile

    Gone.

    The eye of the storm

    The subtle ceasefire

    For a moment all is calm.

    Rejoicing comes

    The battle won?

    I dive into the busyness of life.

    Once more I put my heart and soul

    Into all that I can.

    But the mind is cruel.

    Too much, too soon

    I crumble.

    Careful steps

    Precautionary measures

    I am picked up from the dust.

    The rain beats down

    The wind picks up

    Swords are drawn.

    But I am standing

    I am smiling

    In my heart

    I am running.

    One must have a place to run to

    A reason to run

    Or energy is wasted.

    Tears flow

    My face is warm

    My heart grows weary.

    Hiding in the shelter

    I breathe deeply

    Slowly my lungs are filling

    My mind is clearing

    I am content to rest.

    I cry from the depths of my soul

     “Calm my storm.”

    Until then, I will hide and rest

    Here in the shelter.

    © M. Patterson 1998

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