The Psalter, Wall Words and Small Boys

The small lad in question is the eldest of the great-grands.  He is the fearless leader, the little sister's champion, the one who harasses the next closest cousin.  He is bright, always questioning, gathering information. Now he is learning to read.

On my walls words are stenciled.  Small Lad grew excited the first time he recognized this design as words, words to read.  Up he hopped on the back of the sofa (not an action approved by his mother, by the way) so he could get close enough to read the archway.  It occurred to the Grand-Nan that these were important words and to assist in his reading.  "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations...."  That is why this photo, while lacking in resolution, is so important.  He is listening as the words are read aloud, those dear words that have come down the generations.

Today's Psalter reading begins with Psalm 102.

"..My days are gone like a shadow:

and I am withered like grass.

But Thou,  Lord, shall endure for ever;

and Thy remembrance throughout all generations...

that they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion..

The children of thy servants shall continue

and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight."

That is the reason for wall words, for repeating them to Small Lad.

My time 'as the grass' is definitely in the withering stage.  

But my prayer for all our dear Grands and Greats is that they will grow, 

stand fast and shine forth in their generations.

And that they will always love words..particularly the Eternal words of Truth.

On The Passing of a Friend

Dora Saint

April 17, 1913 - April 7, 2012

(Miss Read)

A friend is one who is a trusted, a comfortable, easy companion.

While Miss Read and I never actually met, we have walked down those charming Cotswold lanes countless times together. She has pointed out the beauties of that countryside as well as relating to me quirks and foibles of those who live in her favored villages.

How I love Cotswold scenes. They have been my secret place ever since childhood. But I didn't meet Miss Read until adulthood. We were introduced by Beloved Niece and I'm ever so grateful to her, to them both.

Visiting Thrush Green and Fairacre in the companionship of Miss Read has been a favorite escape through the years. These books, these scenes have become delightfully familiar.

They have become places of comfort. And laughter too.

In truth, during these past darkish months, I've pretty much lived in Fairacre; at least in a constant bedtime visitation.

So to you Dora dear, dear friend, rest in peace and thank you for the many hours of pleasure you have provided myself and so many others through the years.

I will continue to visit with you in your countryside in future days.

Count on it.

A Blessed Easter To All

"On this glad day the glorious Son of Righteousness arose...."

These words, penned by Charles Wesley on the one year anniversay of his conversion, express for us all the simple Truth we celebrate This Day.

It is only fitting that this phrase is in the larger hymn familiar to us 'O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemers praise.'

This hymn of Charles' is all about the freedom we have because of Resurrection power. Each verse tells of yet another freedom that is ours in Christ.

In keeping with this, and the thought that has been impressed on me most this Lenten season is that "He breaks the power of canceled sin...." The Fact of cancelled sin we acknowledge. Yet so often, like Marley's ghost we travel on our way dragging our rattling sin-chains behind us. May we ever remember that sin was canceled and chains broken by the Power of the Cross .

May we walk in freedom as He intended, as He intends.

May we ever remember what Love cost to purchase our freedom.

This Day and always may we rejoice in that great gift. And truly a thousand tongues are insufficiant to sing our Great Redeemer's praise.

Quaint Words Like Arrows~

Devotion is a worthy darling,

that God sends to the heart to glad it with;

but unworthy is he to have this gift,

that make no dwelling homestead in his heart to it.

We see that above us is with our belief,

but it savours us not,

for we are so full of earth that we have lost our taste.

~ 15th Century

These words charmed me with their sweetness as I read, and then came the last phrase: for we are so full of earth that we have lost our taste.

Indeed.

Losing ones taste, ones appetite is a sad business. It happens and for one who enjoys food, the delight of living is diminished. Nourishment becomes lackluster routine. Duty.

So it is in the spiritual realm as well, isn't that so? When we become so full of earth, so focused on the here and now, we not only lose sight of what we are to be about, we lose our appetite for the rich and wondrous food on the table prepared for us in the wilderness.

This may seem for you, Dear Reader, a very random thought as this Lenten season draws to a close, but my confession is that This Day, these were the words needful to this drooping soul

and spirit.

May we truly provide 'homestead for the Darling given us'. May we "seek those things which are above", as the Apostle Paul commanded us.

May our hearts truly be glad for gifts given.

Thinking Like The Birds

"...abiding under the Shadow of the Almighty,

it sits on its little twig content,

and lets God take care."

~Martin Luther

photo: Cornel lab of Ornithology