Tag Archives: rich inner life

A message from moths

Posted on August 30, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

The poet Shelly referred to the way that moths are drawn irresistably to the light of a star as a powerful symbol of our own yearning for something beyond the limitations of this life. For some reason we don’t understand, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alistair McGrath, God, inner yearning, Spiritual discernment, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A message from a bird

Posted on August 30, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

I remember once sitting in my car overlooking Moreton Bay, and opening a Bible to read something at random. The passage I ended up reading was a psalm and was titled God’s Provision for His People. I thought it higly … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Faith, Faithfulness, Money, Obedience, Trust in God | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

If you’re happy and you know it…

Posted on August 29, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Dictionaries often define the word ‘happy’ as ‘lucky’ or ‘fortunate’. But there’s another definition that describes it as ‘the capacity for enjoyment.’ I like that because I’ve long believed that it’s not how much we have that makes us happy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, enjoyment, Happiness, perception | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Count your garden by the flowers

Posted on August 19, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Four hundred years ago it was common for churches in England to inscibe on their walls the words ‘Think and Thank’. It was to remind worshipers that the greatest boost for faith is to make yourself count your blessings. There’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Blessings, Positive Thoughts, thankfulness, Transformation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

We are the way we think

Posted on August 19, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

The eminent philosopher William James, believed that of all the marvellous discoveries of the modern world the greatest was that people can change their lives by changing their attitudes. We are the way we think, and I am the only … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Fear, Positive Thoughts, Renewed Minds, Spiritual Insight, Transformation, Wisdom | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Happiness is like a butterfly

Posted on August 19, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

The greatest conundrum of modern life is that we don’t become happy by pursuing happiness. Harold Kushner talks about this in his evocatively titled book ‘When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.’ ”You become happy by living a life that … Continue reading →

Posted in Generous spirit, Happiness, Personal Growth, Spiritual blindness, Spiritual Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beauty sleep

Posted on August 3, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Do you know that we spend a third of our lives having no idea of what we are doing? It’s when we are sleeping. We don’t really understand why we sleep except that, if deprived of it for just ten … Continue reading →

Posted in Peaceful Sleep, Rest, Sleep, Sleeplessness | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Light of Life

Posted on June 15, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

Just before his death Mark Twain wrote: “A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; they squabble and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; those they … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Futility, Hope, Light of Life, Meaninglessness | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

That’s what keeps me ticking!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s an old story about a grandfather clock that had stood for generations in the same corner, faithfully ticking away. Then it got sold to a new owner who noticed the heavy weight hanging inside it, and removed it from … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Life's journey, Living Life, Trials and testings, tribulation and trouble, Troubles | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Quixotic Christianity

Posted on May 24, 2014 by vincentsmithauthor

The classic novel Don Quixote is the story of a senile Spanish gentleman, who imagines he is a knight living in the age of chivalry. He leaves home to go and fight dragons, some of which are actually windmills, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Affirmation, Aspiration, Don Quixote, God, Seeing the best in people, Seeing the possibilities, Spiritual Insight, Transformation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment