Jono Miller

When I was a kid I used to enjoy reading books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The most well known being Little House on the Prairie. I remember one of the books being called The Long Winter. That is what this winter has seemed like. As mentioned above, totally unrelated, but I received the following quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder and wanted to share it with you.

“Things and persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our own minds. How unconsciously we judge others by the light that is within ourselves, condemning or approving them by our own conception of right and wrong, honour and dishonour! We show by our judgement just what the light within us is.”

Too often I feel that we judge people who are different from us because we are trying to justify our own differences or points of view. I want to focus on love. If we look at the practical definitions of love in 1 Corinthians 13 we see that it takes the focus off us. I know I live a very self focused life – I challenge myself and you to be more outward looking. Remember the old adage, JOY = Jesus first, Yourself last and Others in-between.

Monday 28th December saw a huge amount of snow drop in Rzhyshchiv. Maybe 30 – 40 cm in the evening. Then about midnight the winds picked up and about 2 am we lost our electricity. More than 1000 towns across Ukraine lost electricity. All of our town was out for the night and my street had to wait 36 hours before we got power back, and because my furnace runs off electricity it means the house was cold too.

Everything got dark quickly and outside it was cold and windy. Igor and I were talking about how nearly everything we do in life requires electricity.

A couple of years ago I wrote a poem entitled Electricity.

What can you live your life with or without? 

Here is a quote from Marianne Williamson I recently heard on the movie “Akeelah and the Bee”. I found it both challenging and inspiring.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some; it’s in all, everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

The following is an excerpt from the writings of Amy Carmichael.

This evening the clouds lay low on the mountains, so that sometimes we could hardly see the familiar peaks. Sometimes the stars, too, were nearly all covered. But always, just when it seemed as though the mountains were going to be quite lost in the mist, the higher peaks pushed out, and whereas the dimmer stars were veiled, the brighter ones shone through.

Even supposing the clouds had wholly covered the face of the mountains, and not a star shone through the piled-up masses, the mountains would still have stood steadfast and the stars would not have ceased to shine. I thought of this and found it very comforting, simple as it is.

Have you ever been in that place? A lightness of spirit, soul and body. A feeling of floating, that all around you is good and noble and beautiful. That you have been led to a sacred place and touched on the cockles of your heart by an angel from heaven. Do you know what it feels like?

This past weekend, while taking the train to L’viv and back, I read The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. A number of friends had recommended the book and given me their spin on it. I don’t even want to tell you what it’s about. I want you to approach this book with an open and ready mind. It comes with my high recommendation.

I’d love to hear comments from those who have read it.

Let God be God!

One who lives life alone is a sorry person. No man is an island – and one who isolates oneself is the poorer for it.

Many times joy in my life has come from knowing that I helped, encouraged, inspired or taught someone. I also need to receive just as I love to give.

Разом нас багато – Together we are many – Нас не подолати – Nothing can overcome us.

In my spiritual fight to be real, to live life with and for God, I need my brothers and sisters – arm in arm – side by side.

STAND WITH ME PLEASE!

The Underground Cabinet, L’viv. Saturday December 6th, 2008

The Sum of all Things.

Without God – my life has no meaning. I can try and create meaning – or follow a formula created by another. I may find meaning for a time – but neither true nor lasting meaning. These creations of mine are usually short lived. The more obvious it is my own creation for meaning – the shorter lived.

Yesterday was our first snow for the winter. It's currently sitting at about minus 2 so the thin layer of snow is still covering the ground. Before it started snowing it was raining, so just beneath the thin layer of snow is some lovely dangerous ice. I've walked up the hill a couple of times and I must admit I feel rather unsteady on my feet. It will be fun taking the van out later today. It feels nice to have snow - a reminder that winter is definitely here, but it also makes me think of all the jobs I was planning to do before the snow came and how much longer it takes to do things and go places. Getting dressed, chains on the tires, ice off the windscreen, clearing paths (if I bother to).

On another note, I bought a copy of the Message at a garage sale last week. It is refreshing to read. In Matthew 5 I read this morning, "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule."

The Bugler lifts his trumpet to his lips and the eerie yet familiar sounds of the Last Post echo through the crisp morning air. Heads bowed we stand in silence, remembering the fallen.

They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.