The Cycle of Life. Christine Johnson

This time of year always reminds me of the ever-changing cycle of life. Spring's reawakening and brilliant colors usher in a burst of energy for those of us living in the north. The days get longer. The sun wakes me at five in the morning and stays up until almost ten o'clock at night. I feel energized.

Autumn brings a less exciting promise. The sun will sleep longer. The leaves turn color and fall to the ground as the earth prepares for the long winter's rest. My energy wanes, and I look forward to an extra hour of sleep when we move from daylight saving time to standard time.

It's at this time of year many years ago that my grandfather died from cancer - my first brush with death. Recently, friends have lost family members - sons, husbands, wives. How easy it would be to see only the falling leaves and the stark earth, yet God has given us a promise through His Son. I see that promise in the vibrant colors of autumn leaves. They remind me that spring will arrive in due time with rebirth and renewal. So too will life begin again in an entirely new and vibrant way, far beyond anything we can imagine. Through all seasons, He is there, showing us hope.

Give someone a hug today and shine a little light in their lives.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)



Christine Johnson
Groom by Design - coming July 2014
http://christineelizabethjohnson.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChristineJohnsonAuthor
Twitter: @ChristineJWrite

Remembering the Titanic

As we close on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, I thought I would say a few words on the subject.

While the exact number of casualties was in dispute, we can still tell you that too many lost their lives that fateful night. 

And yes, there was a novel written years before that bore eerie similarities to the Titanic tragedy. In fact, there were several. Check out this link for the almost hair raising tales. Titanic predictions

But in actuality, the theme of a giant ship sinking and not having enough lifeboats was actually common back then. Remember the time in which these events and stories took place. The middle class was rising from the poor ranks and all men and women were gaining rights usually preserved for the the wealthy and powerful. Such stories as those written before the Titanic sailed were natural warnings of a world in a state of flux.

As our world is, also. 

Now, as cities tied to this terrible disaster commemorate it, such as in Halifax, where most of the victims are buried, and where you can still find many artifacts from the doomed oceanliner here, we can reflect on how important, and how fragile, our lives are.  

We are all important, and the inquiry that resulted from the Titanic disaster recommended measures to emphasize that.

On the 15th of April, take a moment to remember the disaster, and how each life is precious and should be treated as such.   

 Photo: RMS Titanic newsprint image from The Daily Graphic - London, 20 April 1912. Source: Nova Scotia Archives

By Barbara Phinney
Fatal Secrets
Silent Protector
Souvenirs
find these stories and others here