A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Poetry

Sustain a Theme found in books

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I will freely admit that this post took a bit longer than five minutes to write.  It took me time to prepare and then find links to books.  Sustain is such a power theme right?   Can characters find the courage and determination to find their way through.  It takes a lot to fight against an enemy, or to see a course of action through, especially when everything is against you. So let’s look at how sustain is a theme found in books.  I happen to love fantasy, and I’ve read lots of book as a reviewer, and I love God.  It all ties together in a way.   Maybe you’ll find some reads to enjoy (or share with others). 

text: sustain, a theme found in books Image of person running up some stairs

Sustain, a theme found in books

The Society of the Sword a
novel where the main character is
seeking to maintain a hold over a
mysterious power that gives him extraordinary
speed and coordination, but is fleeting
and leaves him exhausted once battle is over.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, I read it while back.
Not an easy read, but a good one.
Featuring the horrors of slavery,
and showing the benefits of held
faith in God. We even did a tour of
Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Shattered Pulse series. My niece
the author. Dragons, a quest to save
the world, a broken hero who needs to
discover his strength despite his weakness,
and friends/comrades willing to help
in one way or the other. Interesting characters,
scary situations, dangerous enemies, and
somehow, the good guys always pull through.

Teeth… as in Greenteeth. I had a hard
time finding a T book that fit the them
of being sustained. In Greenteeth the
characters had to go through a series of
difficult challenges in order to gain
needed skills to beat a very bad character.
It took courage and determination to see
their way clear.

Arrow’s Flight, Arrow’s Fall and
Arrows of the Queen. All part of the
Heralds of Valdemar written by Mercedes Lackey.
A novelist with some real life concerns that
make many shy of reading her work. These books
gave me much relief from life in days
gone by, the stories predictable and easy. Giving
the mental needed to sustain during a hard time.

If I were a Fish is a book I reviewed a
while back. A book that helps to fight
against bullying. It’s also a kids song
the is sorta catchy to help children
realize that bullying isn’t okay and
we need to work harder at understanding
the people around us.

Nehemiah a book in the bible.
It tells the story of the efforts of Nehemiah
who, with the support of the king, sought to
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It took a
lot of effort.  Listened to a bible study of this
book back in my 20’s when I needed encouragement
to stay the course. God is good.

a Beginning or an end?

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It’s a beginning that’s for sure.  Of just perhaps it’s not quite the beginning that we thought it was.  Every beginning means something right?  So is it a beginning or an end, or both?  Let’s be a bit philosophical tonight eh?  🙂  A word prompt needs to be like that sometimes eh? 

image of man with cartoon rocket ready to take off. Text is a beginning or an end?

a beginning or an end?

It’s a beginning that’s for sure
A beginning of a new year,
the beginning of the end.
A beginning to gardening season,
and end to a season of rest.

In the beginning God created the world
it was a time when the universe,
so to speak, was nothing but a void.
But God spoke and gradually, the more
he spoke, the more was created.
A beginning of creation, was also
the ending of nothingness.

A new job starts, a beginning with
hope and promise. Bills paid, food to
buy, mad spending money.
A ending to quietness in a day, of depending
on others for help, a lack of freedom to
help others. It’s all balance.

In the beginning every thing was perfect.
God and man talked and walked together,
harmony was real. But then a deceiver came
along and this harmony was ended. A beginning
of sorrow and hardship came into being.
But even in the hardship, a new beginning
was promised to us, we the children of God.

Vacation time away, a beginning
of rest and relaxation. Time away
from all that is normal and steady.
An brief ending to routine, a necessary
stability for mental health. A worry about
things left undone, or needing to trust
others to pick up the slack.

For to us a son is born
to us a son is given.
The governance of the world
will rest upon his shoulders.

a promise of a new start.
So we don’t need to fear the
future, because the future is
a promised new beginning, one that
promises an end to pain and suffering.

Before I forget, I put up a contest on my blog the other day!  A chance, if you are Canadian, to win a colouring book!   Go check it out eh?

Decisions are Made Everyday

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April showers bring May flowers, how does your garden grow?   Decisions, choices, pervade this season of life.  Well….   Any season of life right?  🙂  Decisions are made everyday.  Shall we explore that a little bit?

hand reflected in water, text decisions are made everyday

Decisions are Made Everyday

Everyday, decisions are made,
little bitty ones,
big, strong, life-changing ones.
and loads and loads of ones that
fit inbetween.

Decisions to try to be the
better person. To try to see
another’s perspective when they
seem to only see the negative in
anything you do. It’s very hard.

Decisions to not sell small pets to
someone for a variety of reasons.
They didn’t respect your illness,
decided a particular day had to fit
their agenda, or poked and prodded a wee
one without regard for the animal’s thoughts.

A decision to work earlier and finish
exactly on time to ensure timing worked
for another appointment as exhaustion
settles deeply into one’s bones. Falling
asleep as a decision made to set for a spell.

Winter gardening, early season sowing,
following the moon, following proven advice<br />of waiting till May 24 weekend to plant,
Vertical gardening, raised beds, and
4 x 4, three sisters, and plot gardens.
So many choices early in the year.

Best advice for gardening I heard this year,
plant what you know you or someone you
love will eat. Do not plant anything else.
He was talking about veggie gardens of course,
though the same can apply to flowers. Plant
what YOU like, not what someone else says.

Kinda fits with decisions about life right?
Doing what is right and good and fits with
your life and your calling in how to live.

Jesus did that too you know?
Driving out people from the temple
who were disrespecting it. Teaching men to
know him better and spread that news.
Choosing death and allowing life to fill
him up again. For those he loves and holds
in high regard. People he calls family.

Our decisions should reflect that you know?
His high regard for God.
Choices that hold others dear.
Decisions that say YOU are important, when
we look at those around us.

Reflect him well in our decisions eh?

On Schedule

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On Schedule is what I came up with as I pondered this week’s word prompt.  Can’t say I’m crazy about what I put down, but it’s what came to me.  I don’t really feel like changing anything either.  Figuring out schedules matters to me right now though, as for about a month I’ll be working two jobs.  Keeping myself on track will matter much! 

Text: on schedule Image of a calendar schedule on a tablet.

On Schedule

Put it on the calendar
if it’s not there it’s
not on my schedule.
“BUT MOM!!!!” (insert reason
why that wouldn’t work).
So things happened only if I
remember whatever event it
was and put in the calendar.

A smart child who adores
having systems that work,
but this one couldn’t compute
in his brain.

It still doesn’t,
even as an adult, the
idea of using a calendar or
even a handheld calendar computer
to keep organized
doesn’t work for his brain.

BUT it works for me, that and
the wonderful use of alarms.
My co-workers have gotten used
to the sound of my alarm
going off reminding me to
stay on track.

What do you use to
keep yourself organized
and on schedule?
Are you like my son and
keep it all in your head?
Or do you need a system of
some sort?

A Remnant Exists

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Remnant, this word makes me think of making clothes and the off cuts one gets. Remnants are what they are called and often seen as garbage.  Are they?  Depends on one’s perspective I think.  Of course, not being a seamstress I don’t know if I can do this thought justice. So let’s continue to think eh?   I’m reading a book right now where the main character could be considered a remnant.  He exists not fully understanding who he is.  Perhaps that is something I could work with… Let’s see eh?  

text: a remnant exists, image of cloth remnants

A Remnant Exists

A remnant exists,
the cut off from a gown,
a shirt, a hat. Bits and
pieces of material not worth
using to make what it was cut off
of. But there are those who
would happily take those
remnants and use them to create with.

A remnant exists,
a boy, hidden in time, from
evils that would see him
destroyed. He learned to
fight, to defeat all comers,
and partially destroyed his soul.

But he works hard,
a future he wants that
he just barely sees.
Could this remnant boy
turned man figure out
how to reinvent himself?
Can he bring himself to continue
to do good? Despite his past,
despite those leanings within
to not do good, to continue his
path forward.

It rather makes me think
of God’s remnant. His small
group of people he preserves
over the years. Noah, Abraham,
David, Jesus, the disciples,
and my fellow believers.
A small group always in the
midst, surrounded by so many
who think they are garbage, or
deluded, or worthless. Not taking
the time to see a different
perspective. See the value a
believing holds in a faithful,
proven, creator God.

Decline Happens

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Decline is the word of the day, a prompt that intrigues me while at the same time leaving me with a now what?   So I’ll write and see how it strikes me today.  I was delighted to read about Kate discovering a new project to work on.  It’s sad that she’ll have to decline activities in order to fulfill obligations, but how exciting to have a new project in the works eh?   Decline happens right?   Sometimes it a choice we make and other times it something that happens overtime. 

text decline happens, image of lady declining food

Decline Happens

Decline happens.

One can decline to
attend events, invitations,
and so forth.
And in so declining you are
choosing other things to be
more important than the event
or invitation offered.

It’s the way it goes right?
You say no to one thing in
order to say yes to something else.

It’s kinda like… I can say no to
doom scrolling in order to ride
my bike or walk on the treadmill.
I can say yes to talking with my hubby
before work instead of doing the dishes.

It’s all choices.
BUT decline of body and mind
isn’t all about choice.
One’s body changes as one gets
older and it takes more work to
to regain, or even to keep fit mentally
and physically. Aches and pains
are signs of a life well-lived but
sometimes it’s rather inconvenient.

But those inconvenient moments
provide encouragement to keep
on trying to stave back the decline.
To not let tiredness and defeat rule
the day…. to remember that God
calls me to be more and doesn’t say
“give it up if you’re tired”. Take rest
indeed, but use that as rest, not
an excuse to stop moving forward.

So what will I (or you) continue
to decline in order to help
stop the natural decline of living?


Lazy in Our Faith?

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Today that question is asked, can we become lazy in our faith?  If so, what does that really mean?  Is that a good or bad thing or possibly a combination?   And besides, just what does it mean to you to be lazy?   There are different takes on it I’m learning.  🙂   OH… and if you like to write, join us for this week’s word prompt with Miss Kate. 

image of man lying on couch looking lazy, text lazy in our faith

Lazy in Our Faith

There are times when I think
I don’t know the meaning of
the word lazy.
You’ll always find me
doing something, whether it be
scrolling on my phone (it’s doing something),
or exercising, or caring for critters,
reading, gardening, walking about,
working at home or as a grocery clerk.

You’ll rarely find me just
doing nothing (which to me is
the very definition of lazy).

BUT I’m learning from others that
being lazy doesn’t mean doing nothing,
but can just be chillin’.
Hanging out a home having a
day where nothing is planned, but
a time to relax and do what you will.

So a day of doing lego, could be
deemed as having a lazy day.
Sitting around reading, is
being lazy. Just as can be
gardening, doom scrolling, walking
about the block or whatever. It’s
an attitude of mind.

So here’s a question I need to ask
myself (and perhaps one you ask to).
Can we be lazy in our faith?
Should we ever be lazy in our
relationship to God?
We are told to work out our salvation
in fear and trembling right?

What does it mean for us if we do
become lazy in our faith?
Not taking the time to pray, or read
scripture, or ponder on things.
Are there consequences we aren’t
always aware of until perhaps
it seems insurmountable?

Or does becoming lazy in our
faith denote a high level
of comfort and lack of fear?
I don’t always know the answers
but asking questions can help
promote thinking it through.
And that’s a necessary process yes?