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

  Foxy's Christmas *** Dear Readers, I am just popping in quickly with a Christmas present for you and your children. If you don't have any young children, don't go away, as it is also for anyone who is young at heart! *** Foxy was proud to have been chosen to sit next to the row of books on Mom's bookshelf. From the bookshelf, he had a grand view of the room and of all who passed by, for Mom's room was at the centre of the house. Foxy had heard her call it a "thoroughfare" in an irritated tone. But Foxy was glad that he hadn't been placed in a quiet corner. From his lookout, he could listen to Lyddie and Ruby tell Mom all about their stories and games. He was admittedly, a bit jealous of two characters named Mr Mushroom and Giraffe, who both seemed to have many adventures. Foxy was not a store bought toy. Mom had lovingly made him from brown, black, and white wool. He had a little black nose, brown button eyes, and a print bow. If truth be told, he wa...

  Dear Readers, Just a quick note to let you know that I am using this time away from blogging to write, amongst other things. God willing, I will begin to post once more in early January. You can look forward to short stories, non-fiction, as well as poetry. I will also be posting Afrikaans and gardening content on my other blogs. So until then, may God bless and keep you. Wishing you a Jesus filled Christmas and New Year. Love, Alison

View River   A Few Poems Never Alone Even if I where a lonely cloud wandering I would never really be alone for Jesus is in my heart and always will be. I love Him, you know. Not with a perfect love; not the way I want to. But I truly do love Him. Even if I were a solitary star glowing faintly, I would not be all alone: for the Great I Am is always with me. Even though I am unworthy, so unworthy, He is with me and He loves me so: with a holy, pure, eternal love. A love which I am only beginning to grow in, slow, o, so slowly. So here I am, a human being, alone in my me-ness; alone in my uniqueness, yet never alone. I am misunderstood, yet Jesus understands. Forgotten, yet remembered by the Lord. Swimming in my struggles yet held close, so close by Him. So yes, I may appear a lonesome sight; a woman wandering in her own world, silent and solitary, wrapped in her thoughts. Thoughts which He knows. Following a path He walks with me in a world which suddenly seems a great deal less lon...

  Johannes Plenio. Unsplash Remembering I remembered today to look Your way, to pray. In the middle of everything. I remembered today  in the midst of chaos, pain, despair You do care and You are in my heart. I remembered today  here where it hurts, that Lord, You promised to fetch us and to take us away... *** pencil in His Hand

  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Robert Bagramov. Unsplash Dearest Readers,  I just want to keep it really simple today. I want to encourage you in these dark days with joyful thoughts of what lies ahead for each blood bought child of God. It is a command, not a suggestion that we do this. For the Lord has promised to fetch us; to hide us whilst He pours His wrath out upon the earth. No, we are not destined for wrath.  As believers, we experience much tribulation here on earth, but The Great Tribulation is reserved for the unrighteous. I have referred before to a dream I had many years ago, in which I was walking along in much anxiety whilst carrying a heavy load of books. These all tumbled to the ground as I was lifted up to meet my Lord:  Jesus, whom I confess to be my Lord and Saviour. Today, let us all remember that time is short. Like the Israelites when they were about to leave Egypt, we need to be ready, having forsaken all earthly ties. If you are not saved, read th...

  The Conversation  Gavin was so absorbed in his book, that he barely noticed that the train had stopped at a station. "Mind if I sit here?" He looked up. A young woman with friendly freckles across her nose and wide brown eyes stood in the aisle. He nodded, then smiled faintly and she quickly stowed her large backpack. "I'm Sybil." The young woman offered. "Thanks." "No problem. Travelling to Barton?"  "Nope. It's Dunmore I'm headed for. You?" "Same." Gavin was cautious. He wasn't sure he felt like a chatty companion. He'd been looking forward to finishing his book. It had hooked him from the first chapter. But thankfully, Sybil didn't bubble on. She just smiled before taking her own book out.  Gavin went back to his reading, not without noticing that it was a Bible that Sybil had opened. Unusual.   Sybil glanced towards him. She liked to study people, and would often strike up a conversation in the ho...

  Where Light Reigns Neo shouldered his pack and stiffened his shoulders. He locked the door of his childhood home and wondered whether he would ever return. It was unlikely. He'd grown up on the nourishing stories his father and mother had told him about the City of Light which lay at the centre of the world. If he could somehow make it to that city, he might  never return to the Gray Kingdom. But first, he'd need to travel through the Gray Kingdom and on to the borders of the Kingdom of Darkness. His only hope of survival would be to find the secret ways which led to the centre of the world. To journey through the neighbouring empire of evil would mean certain death. Neo shuddered. The thought of traveling so far only to be viciously murdered by thugs or thieves was more than he could bear. His steps faltered. "Neo! Neo! Wait for me!" The familiar silky voice brought him to a complete stop. Mira. How like her to turn up just when he was feeling weak. "Hi Mira....