Pencil in His Hand: A Mother's Journal of Stories, Thoughts, and Poems.

  Do you Want to be a Mary or a Martha? Plus A Garden Glimpse & Writing Chat  In this post: Martha, or Mary? Plus A Garden glimpse and some writing chat. Do you want to be a Mary or a Martha?   If you want to be like Martha, here are some tips: Write a very long to do list. It should include items that you don't really want to do but know you should. Skip breakfast: there's no time to sit still. And skip Bible reading and prayer. No time for that. There's too much to do! Make sure everyone within earshot is aware of how much you have to do. Grumble and complain before you even start on your to do list. As you work bang pots and pans and slam doors. This should make your point clear. You are unappreciated and taken for granted. Make sure to vocalise your discontent loudly as you work. Feel more and more stressed, put out, used, unloved, and unhappy with each miserable chore that you do. It's so unfair! Whether its in real life, or on social media, make sure everyone ...

  Flash Fiction, A Poem, Garden Glimpses, & an Update In this post: a mini inspirational story, a poem, plus what's up in my garden, and a blog and writing update . A sparrow, yet loved and counted. Photo: Ratanjot Singh.Unsplash. Little One The little one watches from her spot in the old apple tree. She peeks through the canopy of bright green leaves and ruby globes. She watches while resting in shady, cool, calm. She stares at the rushing, busy, blurry people. Where are they going? Why so rushed? People of all sizes and styles, yet all with the same harried, frazzled, furrowed frowns. She cocks her head, then fluffs her feathers: just a little sparrow, yet loved, fed, and counted. While people rush and worry, she lives, and breathes, and feeds, and flies; before she falls, and softly dies.  In Him. *** End of Self Now at end of self, decided: Give my all to You. Lay down each rock, and burden, sin: and start each day anew. *** Garden Glimpses January here in the southern...

  Free Stories & Chat, Plus A Writing Update. Jesus Saves Free stories, plus more! :) *In this post: 3 free micro stories with salvation and sanctification themes, plus chat and a writing update.* Welcome! A blessed 2024 to all of my readers. :) Welcome back to my blog: a little place of hope and encouragement. Here you will find a shelf full of free reads as well as links to all of my books. (I have self published a selection of inspirational stories as well as poetry and a couple of small devotionals on Amazon.) You can find all of the links here:  My books Please consider leaving a review on Amazon, or on the blog for those which are available here. Reviews really help by giving readers more confidence to purchase a book from an unknown author. Thanks so much. :) Feel free to browse the blog for some encouragement today. I have had a break from blogging, but not from creative writing this past month. If a new story impresses itself on my heart and mind, well, it has to ...

  Almost Christmas And now it's almost Christmas the year is rushing to a close, Time to wrap up all loose ends, thank the Lord for all my friends And now it's almost Christmas there is so much we must do, All the schools are closing soon, nearly time to deck the room Time to wish all readers well, end this year, slow right down, Now the time to stop and write: I wish you Jesus, our true light A.S.L News Thank you so much for stopping by today, and for all of your visits through the months. It's been a privilege to write stories for you. My blogs will be on leave for December.  I have posted a gift for you in the form of a longer story, The Gift Of The Lightlings. :) Love and prayers,  Alison *** ***

The Gift Of The Lightlings: An Inspirational Free Fantasy Story. Dear Readers,  I hope that you have a blessed Christmas time. My prayers are with you as we enter the new year. To end off the year, here is a nice long holiday read. Although there is no obvious Christian content in the story, you will find that the message shines through. *** Copyright: Alison Lawrence. 2023 All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction.  *** Dedication: To my blog family *** The Gift Of The Lightlings By Alison Lawrence Chapter One Thunk, thunk, thunk. Agri's hoe connected solidly with the soil. It wasn't naturally good, but he had worked hard to enrich it, and Leela would be pleased with the greens he was hoping to grow. Agri had labored hard to clear his small patch in the dense forest. The work was back breaking, and there was never enough sun. His heart was heavy as he worked on. He wasn't about to give up, but his hope was failing. Leela now carried their little one under her heart, a...