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Trish Southard

Trish Southard

Category Archives: Words That Heal

I need a safe place…

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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Christianity, Holy Spirit

I slipped into my seat on the front row at church. My usual spot is next to my husband, who is the pastor. Halfway through the message, I smell honeysuckle and orange as my sweet friend Eileen’s hair brushes the left side of my face, and she taps me on my right shoulder. Trish, there is someone here who needs you. I quietly step into the hallway to see a slight woman in her early 30s hunched over sitting on a child’s bench. Her auburn hair extends far down her back. She is lovely, with golden skin, and she looks up at me. She has startlingly green eyes. Kind and luminescent that are red from crying.
“Hello, how can I help?” Autumn shares she needs a safe place to stay, she lives with three women and a man, and it is not a good situation. Of course, we can help. I sense she is letting her guard down a bit. Her next question”Do you have any food I can eat?” I led her into our food pantry, which is stuffed full. She gingerly fills a bag with tuna cans and peanut butter. She looks straight into my eyes and states, “I’m so sorry I smell like smoke” I smile and offer her a hug which she takes. She holds on like she doesn’t ever want to let go. So I share my Mom loved Marlboro lights, so the smell is lovely to me. The sides of her mouth turn up slightly, and she inaudibly laughs.
I ask her if it is okay for me to pray for her and pray down Jesus. I share how beloved and precious she is to Him and that He loves her. The room fills with His Holy Spirit, and I hold her close as she weeps. She has tattoos everywhere, the also lead from her neck and then all over her face, and fire engine red-tipped fingernails with glistening crystal tips brush her cheek. Nails that look like someone paid a fortune for them. I know she is probably on something, and she also makes her way in the world by selling her body. I’m wrecked and broken-hearted for my new friend Autumn. My heart aches. I want to take her home, and away from her life, she knows or anywhere she wants to go besides her home. I share that it will only be 10 minutes, and Todd will finish his message. She waits 5 minutes and states I’m going home to eat. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I watch her quickly walk across the school parking lot and in-between homes and can no longer see Autumn and her auburn hair. I sit outside the church with Todd wondering how I could have persuaded her to stay. An hour passes, the wind is fierce against my face, the sky foreboding gray, and Autumn never returns. I have prayed for her every day, hoping she would step through the church doors again.
Eileen has a safe house near her neighborhood, but at this point, all we can do is pray Autumn into Isaiah 43:1-2. It states ” Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you. I’m asking God to do a new thing for her, to set angels all around her. Not a day has gone by this month without me praying for her freedom and that she is in a safe place. I thank God for placing us in the neighborhood near her home so she could walk to us that day or maybe again someday soon.

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Apple Cider Vinegar Medium Roast

05 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, God's best, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, sour words, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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blog, Christianity, Coffee, Faith, Palm Sunday, Spirituality, Texas, Word

It was dark when I entered the kitchen on Palm Sunday. I immediately noticed a half-full carafe of water on my husband’s coffee pot—what a pleasant surprise. I poured the water in the side cylinder and brewed up

photo of coffee mug on top of book

Photo by fotografierende on Pexels.com

his favorite decaf Dunkin Donuts medium roast.

He walked out shortly after and said, “Oh, thank you, honey, how thoughtful.”, took a sip, and suddenly a vast expanse of quiet loomed.

“Ahh, I was cleaning the pot with vinegar last night, tastes like you may have used that water.”

Nice, what a way to begin your Sunday morning. Coffee and vinegar.

As we all spend extra time together sheltering in place, are your words edging on the sour?

Do they give grace to those who hear?

Are your Zooms and calls filled with words that build up others in need?

“No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29 HCSB

 

Shovel Guy

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Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, dogs, Places With God, Sweet, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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Christianity, Faith, Health, People, Spirituality, Texas, Walking the dog

I walked in front of a garbage truck the whole time I was out for my lunchtime stroll. It seemed to rev up loudly each time it moved beyond a few cans. It reminded me of how it feels when a person in a bad mood makes contact with you; it’s also with the stench and noise of their bad attitude.

Daisy age 16Don’t assume ownership and try to fix the venomous words spewing. It’s not ours to own. It’s the Lord’s work to repair.

There was a neighbor who was always angry when I walked our sweet Daisy by his yard. He was so upset one day, he took a shovel and began tossing dog poo out in the street with a shovel. He said, “You people need to pick up after your dogs.” By the size of the doggy doo, I knew it was a much larger dog than Daisy, leaving him treasures. I looked over, showed him my bag and softly said we always use a dog waste bag. “He replied, I bet.” At this point, I moved quickly, so I wasn’t on the receipt of a shovel full of ….. Daisy decides to hang out by his red fire hydrant and locks in her legs and won’t move. She’s checking pee-mail, and I’m getting nervous as shovel guy moves closer. I want to lecture him on contaminating our ecosystem, but as the shovel approached, I scooped up our sweet Shitzu and walked on the other side of the street. I continued to do so each evening until he recently moved.

I couldn’t fix my neighbor. He is the Lord’s to repair.

No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, to give grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Ephesians 4: 29-32

What Scares Me – Part 3

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Faith, God, Healing Words, Jesus, More time with Jesus, Organizational Tips, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, simplify, What Scares Me..., Words That Heal

Shoal Creek

Shoal Creek

Being cooped up.

I’m an outdoor girl.

Mothers Day or my birthday are usually a day of canoeing, hiking or horseback riding.

Studying for my big exam this spring I missed taking in the grape kool-aid (mountain laurel) air with honey suckle top notes.

The scent of flowers and birds singing all calm me.

My coursework of memorizing laws and regulations kept me from my daily visit to the creek to breathe in the fresh air-conditioner free air.

Stepping out for a few minutes this spring, a young gentlemen from the next building whistled out the mocking jay haunting melody making me laugh.

I must remind him of a much older Katniss Everdeen.

Getting out of the routine of being outside scares me. Spring seemed to rush by without me noticing.

Don’t be scared… go outside.

What Scares Me – Part 2

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Uncategorized, Words That Heal, Work and Spirituality

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Faith, Healing Words, More time with Jesus, Office, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, simplify, Words That Heal

Every day I like to do something that scares me.

Choosing faith over fear, I went to work at a friends firm in Austin.

It scares me.

I’m scared in a good way.

Praying all day I can stay razor-sharp and accomplish as much as I can for our clients.

I am not commuting or working alone.

You have not to do it in your unaided strength: it is God who is all the while supplying the impulse, giving you the power to resolve, the strength to perform, the execution of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

In a nut shell my work encompasses being a tenacious problem-solver for each person I meet throughout my day and doing it with excellence.

The Office

The Office

Healing – Part 10

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Church, Faith, family, God, Grief, More time with Jesus, Neighborhood, Radiance, Rejoice, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, simplify, Sorrow, Talmud, Texas, Tremble, Words That Heal

Go to Church

Find a bible-based church that’s not so large you get lost in the shuffle.

“See and be radiant and your heart will tremble and rejoice.”  (first half of Is. 59v.5)

Experience the transformative power of God’s Word.

Sorrow is better than laugher, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Ecclesiastes 7:3

Just soak it all in.

Rest.

Worship.009

Teaching.

The old.

The young.

Cry.

Church is a safe place to weep.

The deeper the sorrow, the less the tongue has to say.

The Talmud

Healing – Part 9

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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Approaching Age, Autumn, Betty Flamm, Grief, Limitations of Life, Mellowness by Lin Yutang, Poems, Poetry, Pumpkins, Sorrow, Spring, Summer, tweetspeakpoetry, Wisdom

Poetry

Pumpkins   Rebecca Price     Photography

Evening Pumpkins
by Rebecca Price

Spend time reading poems, writing poems and sharing poems with others.

The following poem is the favorite of Betty Flamm, the wise and beloved matriarch of our book club.

Betty’s godly presence guides, influences and brings us all up to a higher state of thought.

Mellowness

I like Spring, but it is too young.

I like Summer, but it is too proud.

So I like best of all Autumn;

Because its leaves are a little yellow,

Its tone mellover,

Its colors richer,

And it is tinged a little with sorrow.

Its golden richness speaks

Not of the innocence of spring,

Nor of the power of Summer,

But of the mellowness and kindly wisdom

Of approaching age,

It knows the limitations of life,

And is content.

-Lin Yutang

Take a dip at http://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/blog-3/

A poem every day http://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/every-day

Healing – Part 8

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A Quiet Place With God, Beautiful Women, Bible, Christianity, Faith, family, God, Jesus, Lord, Religion and Spirituality, Words That Heal

Develop relationships with people in their 90’s.

They have walked through great and irreparable loss.

A seasoned perspective.

My Aunt Virginia almost 94, and a friend Frances, who is  94 seem to have a quick way of pulling me to a feeling of ease.

A beautiful sheath of lilies unfolds in my mind and the scent wakes me, when encouragement or advice comes from these women of distinction .IMG_1005

Show respect to the aged; honor the presence of an elder; fear your God.

I am God.

Leviticus 19:32 The Message

Healing – Part 7

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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A Quiet Place With God, angst, Bible, Calm, Christianity, Faith, God, Healing, Licorice, Loss, Psalms, Religion and Spirituality, Sadness

A well dressed gentlemen walked past me in the library.

His perfectly polished cordovan dress shoes were in contrast to a strong alcohol odor passing by and nauseating me.

Liquor seeped out of his skin on a Sunday afternoon.

I was just relaxing catching up on the latest periodicals, but another story began to unfold in my mind.

Sadness so unbearable some turn to old vices.

My old vice was candy, especially black licorice.

Blue after visiting with a grieving dear friend, I bought a box.

A strange calm arrived as I bite into the chewy, salty, tart sweet.

Perhaps this well-groomed young man had suffered a loss of some kind.

When the dark angst hits go outside and read the psalms beginning at 100.

Read out loud till you hit 107 verse 20.SONY DSC

He saved them from their distress.

He sent His word and healed them;

He rescued them from the Pit.    Psalm 107 v. 20 HCSB

 

 

Healing – Part 6

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A Quiet Place With God, family, Mourn, Protection, Religion and Spirituality, Rest, Retreat, Words That Heal

The dove is missing!

For two days it bounce around my backyard without flying.

I fed it corn,  left water for it, and set up a hay bale to offer shade and protection from my door.

And now it is gone.

My hope became horror after I saw the feathers…lots of feathers, signs of a struggle.

Later while walking our small dog, fecal evidence betrayed our toy predator.

Our Shitzu was more Sun Tzu, a warrior bird dog, not a palace pet.

Mourn, rest, stay away from the kind of chaos that can attack us when we are in a vulnerable state.

 

 

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