by Kiersten Homalon | Jan 8, 2016 | Family + Relationships
It is far too often that I hear the term “Mom” thrown around. Especially in the world of the work force I will catch people, sometimes even myself throwing this pinnacle of a word around like its, well….. not much. Going into the new year my goal for my own life, and for the life of the mothers in my social sphere, I want to regard that word with respect. By intentionally offering this honor to my fellow mothers and of course my own mother. I pray that this ACTION will seep into my own maternal heart with each outward jester I make. Mothers are born to serve. And that is a calling that comes with a heaviness and an unfathomable reward. I am proud to be a mother…. and I am blessed to be amongst a community of Women who are also MOTHERS! What a privilege to be in a community to help blossom and grow one another! Who is a mother in your social sphere that you can build up and regard her title with RESPECT in an OUTWARD action? Watch the domino effect this will make!
A Mother’s Crown
A mothers eyes…. And the wrinkles beside them….
Revealing her choice and privilege
She is the one that stays back and focuses on bath times and reading baby books,
Stays back to clean and cook and discipline….
Often unseen…. Often not heard..
The wrinkles around her eyes….are the testament of her story
They are the stories of her denying herself repeatedly throughout each and everyday…
The wrinkles are reminders of her sacrifice which she does with pleasure for the family she would gladly die for…
Her wrinkles are the sweet reward for being the back bone, for being her husbands help mate, for choosing her family over herself….time and time again.
The wrinkles are her crown for the hard work of her hands and the throne for her humility….
From countless smiles… From laughter that came strait from her soul…. A type of joy only a mother would know.
The wrinkles that meet her every time she looks in the mirror….
They are her privilege to showcase…. Each line precious and dear…
Each crevice the evidence of serving her family…. Each line a reminder…. That Love is choosing all others before herself…. The reason she was created…
The wrinkles around mothers eyes…. Reveal the joy in her servants heart…. They are her reward….Above all they are her crown.
®Kiersten Homalon 2016
Philippians 4:4-8 “ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Have Grit Sweet Ones,
Kiersten Homalon
by Altimese Nichole | Jan 8, 2016 | Faith + Expressions
We all have seasons of planting seeds in our lives, and then a time of harvest. This cycle is constant. Even during the midst of our harvest, we are planting seed through our behaviors toward others and how we act during our seasons of blessings. It’s much easier to maintaining a heart of gratitude when all things are going well in our lives and great things are happening. However, how do we respond as we walk through the journey in the valley? Do we fight for control? Do we try our best to keep our composure?
When we encounter seasons in the valley—the best things we can do is simply be still and rest in God’s peace. In Philippians 4: 6-7 reminds us this:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When you’re praying about all things (and truly believing those prayers are in good hands), it becomes hard for you to not give thanks in the midst of your trouble. By doing so, your life will change forever. Your peace of mind will not reside on things or people on this earth.
Strive for peace and gratitude through prayer not because of all things, but IN all things. Through the stillness of your soul, gratitude will abide.
by Kiersten Homalon | Jan 8, 2016 | Faith + Expressions
Many Characteristics are claimed to your name
Your mightiness intimidating most, the enemy using lie to cover the truth and abstain from everything but lie
But how is it that I feel this Tenderness when some have no desire to get even remotely close
Fear of your wrath being stronger than the reality of your keen Heart
This hesitance a stumbling start to most
I wish they could feel that gentle nudge you give me to make steps of Bold
How can I reveal to them those moments that are too tender to even behold
Your presence consuming and your correction is sweet
Not like most fear, not little or even discreet
Warmth in your midst is the margin of this gain
Some fear you’re a giant who tramples with hate and distain
Truth, however is your eagerness for us to grow
You’re intertwined in our lives, Lovingly convincing us, that in this moment, you well know
The brush of your presence, your sweet words to remind
You guide me this way, because you are Gracious and Kind
So how is it that so many have lost sight
Of the gentle giant that many have left behind
You plead Joy with us Lord
And see Faith more precious than mere Gold
So now in the time of need, I see the depth of what you hope to behold
A people of Faith bonded together with glee
This may seem ridiculous or to many, even with out need
But if we open our eyes
Then its possible to see
That with Great Joy Comes an Triumphant Victory
Trampling death, circumstance,and the pits that inevitably come
God whispers to us that, with Joy, we OVERCOME
So this small word may be over looked
But its time now to revisit what God had intended when he started this Earth
Do you feel it now
The ground beneath us groaning
He’s looking for Warriors
The ones Joyfully following the call
An up rising, YES! and it starts with “Come one, Come all”
The Power is with in us
Bottled and captive for far too long
The only way to release it is to pry open these hammered crates
So let your Joy honor and reveal the power of Christ’s blood
Its time for the gates to open
And allow the flood
1 Peter:1-8 “So be truly glad.There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
®Kiersten Homalon 2015
by Torrie Oglesby | Nov 24, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
These tears I’ve cried are overflowing the tub now
And yet these scars are beginning to heal somehow…
The pain is becoming lighter with each step I take…
But this journey is long and the one thing I’ve learned is everything is not what it seems
But you don’t learn that until after you’ve been naïve…
Rock bottom, you’ve hit rock bottom and you’re on your way to recovery.
Yet it’s so hard to see how God would still love bruised up, messed up, angry me?
This season has left me dead.
They say the fire refines you.
But you can’t get through it without getting burnt
Their hurtful words, metaphorical bullets, ended up being the lessons learned.
They say there’s a time and season for it all
Maybe there’s hope for these dead bones to live after the fall.
And now I sit here searching for forgiveness and all the good things
But every time I do, the nastiness from yesterday is all that my memories bring.
And then I hear a whisper, “grace and forgiveness”
And I go to the place where Christ said “It Is Finished.”
And I realize that it’s that battle that Christ fought on the cross
That allows me to continue on this long journey and though I wandered I am not lost.
“Your wounds will heal, your heart will forgive. This season is over daughter…
It’s time to live.”
®torrie 2015
by Kiersten Homalon | Nov 17, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
In general, as Americans, I do not think that a single one of us can claim that we have nothing to be grateful for. We are privileged. Especially for me, as a Colorado born woman living in Hawaii amongst many cultures, some indigenous and others from overseas, I am constantly reminded of how privileged I am. Hawaii is a common ground for many who traveled here generations ago to work for the Dole Plantation, or for local farms and some for the cane fields. These are cultures that derived from third world countries, where poverty was their motivation to flee to the land of Aloha, out of a necessary means to provide for their families. This molded Hawaii into a hub that is desperately clinging to its Hawaiian traditions, while there is a wide variety of cultures embarking on it. I heard someone describe Hawaii as “A third world country, with first world amenities.” Many see Hawaii only in movies or in pictures in magazines, but the reality of Hawaii is so different than many will ever know, and it takes living amongst the people to fully understand it. My husband is a local boy who grew up on the North Shore of Oahu. His favorite memories involve his dad fishing with him early in the morning, tending to his roosters, and living in Haleiwa in a communal home with his entire multigenerational family and only fire to heat the water for their single outdoor shower.
My husband is a man, that came from a life that some would describe as little or maybe even lacking, but with his big heart and open eyes, he sees his life growing up as having everything. He grew up having the values of a world that has long been passed on the mainland and usually is only found in small farming communities. They value family above all and honor God with their thankfulness no matter what. This is what drew me in about the Islands, the people. This is what is TRUE Hawaii is.
It is no secret that living in Hawaii is hard. With prices of food, the ratio of supply and demand with housing out of balance, and the difficulty in finding suitable work, making a living is better described as, “Completely remolding your standard of living”. I for one have gone from my single days in Colorado in a 1 bedroom apartment for about $500 a month right in the heart of the most desirable part of town, to now looking for a rental, for my WHOLE family, and considering a 1 Bedroom apartment, for over $1800 a month. For most, when they realize that remolding standards and changing life styles are a necessity to survive here, they usually decide to leave. Like I said, Hawaii is not only what you see in the Magazines. Others, like us, come to a point where they see what Hawaii is about, and they deem it as necessary to be where their souls feel called. And the life style change for me has been a wonderful process of simplification that I think many could benefit from. Leaning on God has been something I have struggled with for years and now, slowly God is working on my heart, gently as He always is. I cannot even count the amount of times where my husband and I looked at each other knowing full well that our bank account and ice box were empty, and prayed that we could make it another week in this condition. Seems impossible, even to me sometimes, but with out fail every time God stretches our food, and reminds me that the Spirit of Aloha is abundant here in Hawaii. I cannot even count the number of times our family has been invited to a cook out and my husband’s aunty will send us home with enough home cooked food to last us through until the next pay day, in fact she insists and will pile your arms full of food as you’re walking out the door, simultaneously kissing you on the cheek. If that weren’t a blessing enough, our neighbors and friends continually bless us with fruit, avocados, mangoes, eggs, and the funny thing is, is that we haven’t told any of them that we were worried about having food to put on the table. This is the culture in Hawaii. It is hard for everyone here, and yet everyone gives and shares and cares for their family, their neighbors, their friends, and people they do not even know.
The spirit of Aloha I have no doubt is just another name for the Holy Spirit. Every time I return to the homeland, I will step off the plane and the Holy Spirit will sweep over me and uncontrollable tears of Joy flow, sometimes with out me even realizing! On the days that the pressure of life seems to get to me and my husband, we will stop what we’re doing, head to the beach to catch a sunset and in that moment, God gently reminds us the TRUTH of His amazing presence we have unlimited access to! The indigenous flowers here have time and time again been used for the Lord to speak to me, to guide me, and to fill my heart with so much joy. Hawaii, is not like it is in movies or in magazines, because if you live here, and you struggle here, and you bond together with the local people, then you know that it is so, so much better! I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else right now and I am so grateful that God continues to be our provision in EVERY aspect of our lives! I pray that more people get to experience this Spirit of Aloha and that it contagiously spreads for generations to come!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
Kiersten
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