Blog: Mel's Muse

Ten Tent Pegs 7: Conflict

As we’ve already seen, because his mother was unmarried, Jabez was born into shame. His prayer, “Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm” v4 (some translations use ‘evil’ instead of ‘harm') suggests that he was aware of the trauma that might befall him.

If he was born...

Posted at 16:12pm on 7th March 2026

Ten Tent Pegs 6: Confusion & Delusion

SELF-EMPOWERMENT:

“The first rule of engagement: Know your enemy; know yourself.”

One of the earliest gifts my eldest grandson received was a pair of binoculars. Almost from the time he could walk, he was encouraged to climb on a kitchen chair, put his binoculars to his eyes, and survey the field...

Posted at 12:18pm on 19th February 2026

Ten Tent Pegs 5: Creativity

For much of the early part of my adult life I had no idea who I was, or what was expected of me. A perfectionist, I judged myself harshly. A diary entry, written in my twenties and discovered in a box in the attic some years ago, reads: “I fail...

Posted at 10:46am on 27th January 2026

Ten Tent Pegs: 4 Character

If you’re anything like me, there have probably been times when you’ve listened to someone telling you about a calling, or a vision to do something wonderful and, far from finding it inspiring, you’ve felt intimidated.

Or perhaps you’ve read about how such and such an organisation or charity began. The...

Posted at 15:37pm on 11th January 2026

Happy Christmas - The Reality!

Happy Christmas to you, one and all. A period of partying and drinking; contacting by card, and celebration; a day of happiness and rejoicing; giving and receiving. But . . . sadly, few of us recognise the real meaning of Christmas – especially children. Historically, it is the birth day...

Posted at 16:39pm on 24th December 2025

Ten Tent Pegs: 3 Conversion

In Tent Peg 2: A Cortege, we looked at what is known as Jabez prayer, and the way in which he came to faith and followed God. Here, we see how conversion begins.

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter...

Posted at 15:32pm on 20th December 2025

People Pleasers: Managing Conflicting Priorities

APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY: FOR SOME REASON, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOG IN TO MY WEBSITE

Trying to please everybody frequently results in pleasing nobody – least of all yourself. The old maxim: You can please all of the people some of the time; some of the people all of...

Posted at 16:13pm on 8th December 2025

Ten Tent Pegs: 2 A Cortege - Following Behind

WHAT DOES FOLLOWING MEAN?

In my previous post, Tent Peg 1: Courage, we saw how many of us go through our entire lives see-sawing up and down; plunging in and out of alternate patches of fog and moonlight; passing the same landmark on several occasions from different directions; hearing those train...

Posted at 16:13pm on 1st November 2025

Ten Tent Pegs: 1- Courage

TENT PEG 1: A SEE-SAW OF FEIGNED COURAGE & EXCUSES

I read, a long time ago, of an eighty year old granny who decided to go sky diving for the first time, to raise money for charity. Her courage fascinated me. So, although nowhere near eighty, myself, at that time,...

Posted at 15:11pm on 19th October 2025

God's Love For One & All

Degeneration of my spine, and the extreme pain it causes, could have been debilitating if my Doctor hadn't arranged for me to attend an appointment at the Pain Clinic. Asked, on my first visit, when the pain was at it's worst, I replied that it was when lying down, and...

Posted at 15:43pm on 25th June 2025

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