Did you hear their last cries ?

 

 

 We can only imagine the pain of those Christian students as they watched each other die  They answered  with truth the question of a deranged mind.

" what religion are you ? " 

 According to all media reports, the killer asked if they were Christian and when they answered 

"yes"

  they were shot in the head .

I say to you that our Lord surely heard their cries and comforted them as they took their last breaths. How very strong they were to not deny their faith.  Perhaps their Christian background gave them some inner peace, we can only hope so maybe a  peace that so very few of us will ever know.

According to
 
Matthew 10 :33

"but whoever denies me before men  I also will deny before my father who is in heaven "

For those that lost their lives in his name and the families that lost those they love. May you be comforted during your hours of pain. We are thinking of you and sharing your pain on this very sad day.

Olivia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjY3POqdTeg

Standing on the border

 

Their dripping shirts hung all askew

Breaths they catch with their rancid crew

Their blistered backs and reddened eyes

Pause to see the darkening skies

A chilling wind as they heard them say

“Don't want you here, now go away”

“A short stay please” and begging look

“I’m standing here, I’m not a crook”

No room for you the wind does say

“Can't feed our own, so go away”

“I’ll work real hard, soon you will see

I came to make my family free”

“Why did you not knock upon our doors

Instead of sneaking to our shores?”

“No patient pride do we possess

I did sneak across I do confess”

“We want to be here, please don't you see

Our crying eyes and hunger be ?”

“Life offers nothing in our homeland we

Starved and struggled to reach your land”

“But you’re not welcome here my friend

Go back to your own troubled land”

“I’m on your shore can you not see

I can't go back I am not free”

“Our borders fenced you cannot cross”

“I prayed to God with no remorse”

A pointed gun positioned high

With his last hope and tearful eyes.

“But my children live upon your land

I came back again to see”

With struggling breath and reaching hand


“Please take care of them for me.”

Olivia Bredbenner

A poem in my pocket

 

I carry a treasure dear to my heart

Only a reach in my pocket and then I start

To savor the memories of a love so true

The story is forever and the words so few

It has curled up and faded and is now worn

I memorized the words even though torn

A love that exists in the world of my mind

Undone by an illness that was so unkind

It's a treasure that no one can take away

Although people will come and some may stay

All our colors take turns in each of our lives

Memories and words last a lifetime and thrive

My pockets keep changing as fleeting time goes

Still holding the memories in music and prose

Ever etched into time and sometimes sung by the birds

The poem in my pocket lasts forever without words

 

 

 4/3/2010

Olivia xoxo

PUT THAT CREDIT CARD DOWN NOW !!!

O.K. I hate when this happens ...because I, like many of us this this winter have been pretty much snow bound and I realized that my boredom has led to the Internet. Not just following my friends on face-book but easily being led to all the shopping opportunities.

I will admit at this time I am easily led to those things that give me immediate satisfaction. Like the purchase of a beautiful salmon colored outfit that would look great for this spring. It would be perfect  and could hang next to a grey sweater set, and blue jacket, that still have the tags on them.

 Yes, I know I am blessed please don't pass on my secret  or not so secret vice.  I almost bought new and  lighter luggage, because it was designed to be safer and in a bright color that I loved.  There was only one thing wrong, I don't need it, and have not made any travel plans.

 However, I did see the best deals on the net to go to the Islands where it's sunny and warm and would only need a sundress, sandals and a bathing suit. So, who needs luggage anyway ? It costs too much when flying anyhow, however, the great special deal I saw was because it's a "stand only" flight.  How sad is that ? 

Have we lost control of our personal lives ?

It seems as if for some of us, our feelings of distrust is expanding to governments and the world around us. With all the latest news and said “scandals “ are our feelings now spiraling out of control ? Does the ability to collect data about everything from the brand of toilet paper we use to the personal politics we choose have the potential to be used against us ? We know that this is a possibility, yet this has now become our way of life.

One could say that we are now being consumed by our own consumption. Our information is everywhere as we Google and do other searches. Our opinions that we so willingly share are at risk of become widely read and has opened the door into our private and social lives, and it's off the hinge.

As we friend on Face-book and participate in other social medias we want to believe their promised security, often without even reading the small print. We have become addicted to feedback from one another and liking the personal touch it provides. Our tweets and twitters are read and we have the illusion that "we" are in control. Now that we have all this sharing going on we suddenly wonder what we should do when we feel like we are standing naked, without the infamous fig leaf. Many unknown peering eyes will “follow us” much like our shadow,often without the shining light.

Yet, it is best that we remain alert to our risk for over reacting to media news, and Internet chatter. We would be better avoiding the assimilation of every written word without knowing if it is even truth or the fabrication of a creative mind with a hidden agenda, thus falling victim to a mass paranoia. We are “out there” now and it may be too late to hide.

Although we think we are special and sometimes we are, other then our value as a consumer, hardly any of us will get the blink of an eye or even be of interest to anyone except for those who want us to purchase their products and services.

We are often feeling a loss of control over our own world. Our modern technology works for and against us. We can't have it both ways. So it is best that we just get over it ! In our time this includes a risk of falling victim to the manipulation of the masses. We would be wise to use more precautions and be alert to the risk of falling victim to a “turn key” society.

Is there any way to guarantee our privacy ? Probably not anymore,we are now enmeshed in a web so tight we could choke ourselves. In order to keep up with the world our technology now rules. Through the evolving crisis around privacy, and we have many, maybe something good will come out of the bad. What's next ? A computer chip in our ovens and microwaves ? Yes, that's what's cooking.

What puts us at even greater risk is that the truth does not always set you free. It binds you to its fall out forever. What sets one person free, can imprison another for a lifetime. If no one is ever held accountable for anything, then it's everyman for himself.

If a praying mantis has crawled into your space

The day didn't turn out the way I expected but ever so grateful anyway.

I knew the day would come when I would have a health challenge as many others have . Well it did. However, I will fast forward to my fortunate outcome, or I will be going off subject, and will never get to tell you about my Praying mantis.

My sons always fill my life  just by their presence. They are my roots to the most meaningful days of my life. So like their Dad was, they are so very special.  Nurses witnessing their strong presence at my bedside, couldn't help but comment in many complimentary ways. I felt their radiating love and at peace.

For awhile, I was in role reversal for a change, being cared for, instead of  "caring for" which allowed me the unique ability to understand the clinical environment, much like  the nurse I am or maybe more like an angel looking down from above.  I filled my soul with my private Lord's Prayer and said it to myself over and over again, never sure that I actually completed it.

Well, all good things did came together and I returned home in a week. My ailing heart battered and bruised but full of the healing love of family and friends.

Seeing the largest Praying Mantis that I ever saw at my door entry, my sister told me it had been there since my arrival home. Always amused by this insect, I decided it was a good omen, and researched a bit. I  found lots of negative things written about this insect. However, I also came across the "spiritual" side. So, because the writer in me preferred to focus on the positive. I again decided this was a good omen.

" If a Praying mantis has crawled into your space :"

 "Usually a Praying mantis makes an appearance when we have flooded our lives with so much business, activity or chaos that we can no longer hear the small voice within us. Taking a step back and some simple meditation would be in order here because the external din we created needs to be quieted so we can come back to our own truth. The Praying mantis always comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives."

" Allow stillness to feed your creativity, only in the quiet moments will your ideas gel and take root."
 
"The Praying mantis"

http://spirit-animals.com/praying-mantis/


Oh dear, now the poor thing has been lying too still for days.

 However, because someone I love said "leave him there he's still working."  there he rests. That sounds  just fine to me.

 

XOXO Olivia

Robin Williams, you made us laugh until we cried. RIP

Was his life so full of sadness

and his heartache hidden well

Was his humor but the armor

that hid a life of living hell

Did his salty tears fall down

upon the clown face that he wore

was his body wracked with pain

of an illness we never saw

When his laughter died away

was there not a soul sitting by his side

to hold the hands of someone

who could make us laugh until we cried

Was the outside smile upon his face

really coming from within

or just the painted picture

hiding sadness, or unforgiven sin

Our sympathy to all his family and friends

we feel somehow we all have lost

the pleasure of his company

our funny man, who gave us so much

Olivia Bredbenner 8/11/2014