B—Blessing of Expression

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

—William Arthur Ward

[I don't know Mr. Ward. I have never heard this quote until it came in a text yesterday from the makers of Ozempic, a drug my doctor has currently prescribed for diabetes. They have an entire system devoted to things like this. I even have a personal diabetes coach who works with me on goals for several months. It has nothing to do with my main post, but I wanted to be sure to make a note of it.]

This page is no longer in my notebook. It started a reminder note of what was in my heart as I hoped to share it with a young woman who danced during the church service at All Nations Church in the boxing ring in Dublin, Ireland the Sunday we were there. I didn't see her, and so I scribbled a note at the bottom of the page so one of the workers could give it to her instead.

For the benefit of search engines or those visually challenged, the note reads:

A blessing

of

EXPRESSION

Do not

be afraid

of the

BEAUTY

of it.

It is a cascade

of holiness that

reflects His beauty,

His perfection,

His passion, His

PRESENCE!

You are in my ♥

& I will hold

you in prayer!

As serendipity would have it, that evening she was one of the people invited by the church to attend our prayer meeting. What a night it was! Words often feel either pale in comparison or "too gushy" to be believable or even palatable for others to read. 

Even now, I am lightly pressed inwardly that the reception of such words is done by hearts that are prepared. It's not my words but their hearts and the Lord's orchestration. My main objective is to express and bless. Even the words I thought were for another, the Lord made known to me in that evening they were for me also. ♥♥♥♥

During that evening prayer meeting, she was ministered to and then began to pour her heart out in tongues and dance. It was fascinating! Our pastor just gave room for it all to play out. We were witnesses. There was a sense of travail and deliverance. Then the proclamation from prophetic lips: "The land shall dance again!"

So much more happened. So much went uncaptured. But the workings were released into the atmosphere and cannot be undone!

bless* (verb) ˈbles 

blessed, blest, blessing

transitive verb

1 (religion) : to hallow or consecrate by religious rite or word

2 (religion) : to hallow with the sign of the cross

3 : to invoke divine care for

4 a : praise, glorify

   b : to speak well of : approve

5 : to confer prosperity or happiness upon

6 (archaic) : protect, preserve

7 : endow, favor

Synonyms: consecrate, hallow, sacralize, sanctify

I may need to choose some of the synonyms above for use later this month because each of them has significant meaning to me. 

expression** (noun) ik-ˈspre-shən 

1 a : an act, process, or instance of representing in a medium (such as words) : utterance

   b (1) : something that manifests, embodies, or symbolizes something else

      (2) : a significant word or phrase

      (3) : a mathematical or logical symbol or a meaningful combination of symbols

      (4) : the detectable effect of a gene

2 a : a mode, means, or use of significant representation or symbolism

especially : felicitous or vivid indication or depiction of mood or sentiment

   b (1) : the quality or fact of being expressive

      (2) : facial aspect or vocal intonation as indicative of feeling

3 : an act or product of pressing out

Of all these definitions, the last highlight is the strongest to me "... a product of pressing out." Just this morning, I sat in what I am now calling "the blessing station" (my recliner) and had the wonderful opportunity of praying for and encouraging others. Two people are artists who are being pressed upon. (Add me, and there are three!)

Indeed ex + press = express, so an "exit" and "pressure" in my mind. From etymoline: literally "to press out" (source also of Italian espresso). I think of that strong, delicious elixir: coffee grounds pressed in; hot water forced through. With great pressure the grounds color the receptive water and a new substance emerges. Similar to the arts!

Maybe a definition of bless would be to "endow, fLavor"! LOL. Of course, I added the L. It is supposed to be there in my wee joke. (And I am pleased with the opportunity to use a phrase so often heard in my Ireland trip: just a wee joke!)

With that, I end this post knowing that I've dusted off an entire spider web of rabbit trails that could be pursued at any point. Pray for me! LOL. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

*"bless." Merriam-Webster.com. (31 March 2025).
**"expression." Merriam-Webster.com. (1 April 2025).

#AtoZChallenge
#DiscoverGratitude
#WordStudy

A—Appreciate : Recognize with Gratitude

I am beginning again ... in many things. This is not a "new" process, but a fresh one—different than others new beginnings, which I guess is always true. Circumstances are never exactly the same. 

Two years ago, I attempted to do the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge and got 1.5 posts in before I couldn't keep up. One year long ago, I think I did more but also did not finish (not even close). I remember trying to plan for a future year and collect alphabetical topics, but then they started themes. 

What changed for my attempt this year?

I heard God speak to my heart earlier this year, and I have not followed through: Find something to say every day.

My nerdsy self! Oh my. I wrestled with that. Is it to be public? Private? Social media? Non-social media? (LOL! Sometimes that's my favorite kind: nonsocial.) Old-school pen and paper? Google docs? Scrivener?

So here I am again. 

Because I recently had a major experience in Ireland that resulted in a new beginning, maybe I can use the GRATITUDE theme to explore in bits what a spiritual fresh start means for me. This isn't meant to entreat the masses. I just want to gather my own reflections and challenge myself to officially find something to say each day.

appreciate* (verb) ə-ˈprē-shē-ˌāt 

transitive verb

1 a : to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of

  b : to value or admire highly

  c : to judge with heightened perception or understanding : be fully aware of

  d : to recognize with gratitude

2 : to increase the value of

intransitive verb

: to increase in number or value

Before I launch into my first highlighted moment, I want to document that this was not at all what I thought God would do in Ireland. My expectation was that He would pick up with a mandate from two years prior where He asked me to petition Him regarding a prophecy I received. I did, and I kind of "left it there"—as if I threw my hands up and celebrated with a "Woohoo!" before walking out of that special place where and just counted it done. I didn't know how to tap into the execution of petitions, and am just now learning, so I thought that would be the objective for this sister trip. 

[Note: Scotland in the footsteps of Saint Columba was the first trip; Ireland in the footsteps of Saint Patrick was the second.]

My first moment I choose to APPRECIATE or recognize with gratitude is marked by communion and covenant. I suppose I could go into this more in two days for the letter C! I may. 

To explain this image, we were halfway through the journey and exploring Downpatrick. Our first stop was to The Saint Patrick Centre where I had the aha moment of finding a ring to express what God had done in me that weekend. Following, were in Saul Church for a time of prayer and communion, where I snapped this image with U (aka "you" to those I was "bring along" with me).

Finding a ring was only slightly premeditated. During dinner the night before, I shared with a couple the highly personal workings of the Lord in the previous days where I had betrothed myself to Him and His call for me. I made a slight comment something like, "I almost feel as if I need a ring!" In the gift shop as women perused jewelry, I remembered the statement, and there was one ring in my size. VOILA!

*"appreciate." Merriam-Webster.com. (30 March 2025).

#AtoZChallenge
#DiscoverGratitude
#WordStudy