A Perscription for Wellness

Take one small cottage,
fill with family round a table of food,
voices in harmony around that table singing the Doxology
and there you have it.

No, that's really not all, only the beginning.

The Son & Heir and his family visited this week. All other family able joined in for the day, each after their day's work. Effort was required by all but family gatherings have become most important these days.
Eighteen in all gathered, including the three Littles.

Such a gathering reminds me once again of my vast storehouse of blessings, blessings in human form followed by the blessing of sweet memories to keep close to the heart for coming years.

We are four generations now. That fact alone causes wonder. In a quiet kitchen moment my 6 foot plus tall grandson snuggled in and asked "Nana, did you ever think you would be a great-grandma?". Frankly, it never occurred to me. And in addition to the wonder of that fact there comes the sobering truth. What memories will this present generation of Littles carry through their days? What seeds will settle in their little spirits that will sprout and grow, and hopefully bring forth good fruit?

This thought burned in my heart as I watched (I know, the eyes should have been shut,) their little faces as the family sang praise to our God. Their eyes were large with wonder. Each of them know the hymn but their little mouths were tight closed as they too watched and listened. How I pray that this sound of praise will take deep root and carry through their lives.

But there are and were assorted other moments to store up. There was the science teacher uncle holding deep conversation with the grown up grandson. There was the daughter sitting at the The Dad's feet just chatting in the common way. There was the wonder of a grand daughter, now wife and mum chatting as an equal with the auntie.

There is much silliness that goes on with our group, there is singing - and this time even ukulele playing - but best of all for me is witnessing the quiet conversation between this one and that in the midst of the commotion. There is always a making time and room for such talks.

One of the sweetest events was a sharing between the tiniest of the Littles, 18 months and the tallest of the grandsons, nearly 20 years. They sat gazing at each other in wonder softly singing the alphabet song. Will she remember this kindly giant who lovingly entered her little world? He will no doubt, as will I.

There were many more moments, of course, not the least of which came at the end with Son & Heir sharing his composition set to Isaac Watt's hymn of Psalm 116. This was a special gift to The Dad.

Did I mention blessings?
Oh my yes. Blessings indeed.
And good medicine?
Absolutely. The very best.

Two For This Day

Some days the thoughts are scattered, the spirit unsettled and searching. Then everything picked up, regardless of the source speaks to the issue at hand.

For today, Dear Reader, I shall offer only two voices with one and the same thought. The style varies, the words are different, the message the same.

And yes, both answer the question of the day that is on the heart, the question regarding future decisions, choices, steps.

"It has been well said that no man ever sank under the burden of the day.
It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear.

Never load yourselves so, my friends. If you find yourselves so loaded, at least remember this:
it is your own doing, not God's.
He begs you to leave the future to Him, and mind the present."

~George MacDonald

"As for the things which God has prepared for those who love Him, the Bible tells me that no man can conceive them.

God has conceived them;
God has prepared them;
God is our Father.
That is enough."

~Charles Kingley, Sermons for the Times, 1855

Yes. I touched the pages to see 'if the ink was dry'.
It was.

A Differant Sort of January and Habakkuk's God

It has been a January like no other and I can say I'm ever so glad it is behind me.

January has always meant cleaning out closets, putting order where clutter festers, and reading the book of Deuteronomy.

I began Deuteronomy, some clutter was routed and other than that, nothing. It was a month of blizzard conditions. Much of our area was without power. With grateful heart I report that Mercy saw to it we remained lighted and heated.

The month was mostly spent in this ER, that doctor's office, that hospital room. Much has been learned through this and much reflection over the year has been made. (More on that later)

There were bright spots to be sure. The church where we have served for 10 years put on a lovely 'retirement' party for us. Forty years of ministry was acknowledge by the coming of many from far and near. That afore mentioned snow business hindered many from attending. However, in His way, as is always His way, the Lord brought just the right people and gave the perfect measure of grace and strength for the event.

Now we go forward in the days ahead - into the unknown as always, but assured - finally and again - of the One who leads the way.

These have been testing days, long days followed often by longer nights, but here we are. And through it all, the stored up promises of scripture and hymnody have been what carried and kept the mind in order, the spirit fresh, when there was little time for little more than snippets and sips of the water of the Word.

And once again, I stand next to the prophet Habukkuk taking comfort in his words penned so long ago. These are words to which I've run clinging so often through the years.

The Chaldean hordes may have threatened but God proved once again to be the Everlasting Rock. Dreams and plans lay in crumbles but "the earth was filled with the knowledge and the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." All so often seemed hopeless, helpless, lost, with strength gone and the fabric of life unraveling and yet.... AND YET! That glorious, resounding, magnificent 'nevertheless', those grand familiar words of so long ago calling out once again from the watchtower.

Though the fig tree may not blossom,

though no fruit is on the vine,

though the olive crop has failed

though the fields give us no food,

though the folds have lost their flocks,

and in the stalls no cattle lie,

YET in the Eternal we will find our joy,

we will rejoice in the God who saves us.

The Lord, the Eternal, is our strength,

He makes our feet sure as the feet of hinds,

and helps up to keep our footing on the heights!

Praise His yet again!

~James Moffatt trans.

A Rousing Prayer for the New Year

Frank W. Boreham

1871-1959

Frank Boreham's writings are among my favorites. There is a shelf of him, well as shelf and a half to be more accurate, in my cloister chair corner. Forty titles in all, and this is not all of his books. I have read my forty all, at least once. Some repeatedly.

Today's quotation begins a compilation Daily Readings from F. W. Boreham. Mine is a battered paper back copy, a treasure found in a used book shop in North Bay, Ontario. It is a treasure by its content but also because it was found on a most memorable trip trans-Canada the Husband and I made in 2000.

Boreham was a preacher, pastor, essayist. He had the poet's gift and the human touch. He was staunchly evangelical. He wrote with gentle humor but also thrilling passion. While his writings sometimes seem too sanguine, possibly verbose for our times, still Dear Reader, I recommend him to you. He will lift your spirits, open your eyes to the common place wonders of Creation, and encourage your walk with the Creator.

"Come, O Thou Conqueror Renowned", I cry,

"and repeat on the battlefield of my heart

Thine ancient and glorious triumphs!

In all my daily warfare with the world, the flesh, the devil,

let me feel Thee slaying Thine old-foes all over again!

By Thine Almighty Power -

the Power by which the worlds were made;

the Power of Thy resurrection -

secure in me the victory

over everything that cools my affection for Thyself,

over everything that impedes or arrests my spiritual pilgrimage,

over everything that obscures my vision of life's real issues

and of life's true goal!"

The faith that overcomes is a living faith in a Living Conqueror.

I place my hand in His.

...gang aft agley-ing

[With a slight nod to Robby Burns who said it first about the best laid plans of mice and men.]

Truth to tell, there are two sets of plans. Always.. man plans and God plans.

The grand finale here was planned for Christmas Day in the morning. All the children and grands, geographically able, would come to share the final worship service with us for the Patriarch's last day in the pulpit. A retirement, it was labeled, but it was oh so much more than that.

For our family, it truly was an important event. Generations of preacher/pastors have been the way of things. With this leaving, the line at least pauses until we see who the Lord may raise up in coming generations.

To make this closing a reality, some of the family units put aside their Christmas plans already in place in order to come. Others were scheduled to join our table for dinner following.

The day dawned. The Preacher was unable! Swift calls were made "if you haven't left yet..." sort of calls. Those coming from afar had indeed left yet and in fact were nearly at our door.

Because the change was sudden, alas, I was still sporting my not so glamorous, mismatched early morning attire. [Isn't it sad how we go for comfort when we don't expect callers? - the elegant pink fleece Laura Ashley remained in the closet.]

Group by family group began assembling. [I did manage to dress appropriately on one point, although the Stewart plaid slippers remained for the day.]

As it turned out, it was a lovely day, a fine gathering. The comings and goings of all over-lapped so that each saw the others. That hadn't happened on a Christmas Day in donkey's years. There was much gentle visiting. Each of the children and grandchildren had alone time with the Dad/grandpa. Also a rare happening.

Those that needed to go, went and hopefully with joy. Those who remained ate the planned meal and with joy.

The only traditional element that remained that day was the singing of the Doxology after the prayer, before the meal. The harmony, the spirit are always meaningful. Some how through the years, this has become the centerpiece of any gathering.

So the day's plans were quiet turned on their head. But as it was, our God-planned day turned out to be sweetly memorable in every way. The Ending didn't take place with fireworks and bangs and a cast of many, but rather with a soft sighing and in the bosom of the family only. It was a day oddly blessed in every way.

Now the Christmas trappings are all away in their boxes waiting another year. With them go the already precious memories of this season just past.

This is a simple account, and provides a gentle reminder to hold all our own scripted plans carefully and with open hands.

What better attitude for the unknowns in our year ahead?

So we go on..open handed, carefully and with joy, confident that His plans are already in place and will be revealed one by one when the time is right.

On Christmas Day in the Morning

The Baby we worship today is alive eternally,

both in our hearts and beyond time and space,

the King Who must reign.

~ J. B. Phillips

But where Thou dwellest, Lord,

No other thought should b,

Once duly welcomed and adored,

How should I part with Thee?

Bethlehem must lose Thee soon, but Thou wilt grace

The single heart to be Thy sure abiding place.

~ John Keble

The Word: Promised, Given, Made Flesh

This Christmas season, the reality of the Incarnation has meant more to me than ever before. Perhaps it is simply age, but I think rather it is the needing to know that Immanuel truly is with me in my daily round. When the world goes on its merry way, whirling and humming in its ever moving swirling pattern, it is easy to feel alone particularly when the path of the moment has potholes and boulder strewn between bogs and marshes.

Yet, there are always faithful reminders to encourage, to lift the eyes and the spirit.

"God's with-us-ness means that He has taken our nature upon Him to accompany us as friend and shepherd during the pilgrimage...." so Paul Zahl has written. Once again, footprints.

There is this too, lines from Dora Greenwell's wonderful hymn:

And art Thou come with us to dwell,

Our Prince, our Guide, our Love, our Lord?

And is Thy name Emmanuel,

God present with His world restored?

...The world is glad for Thee! ...And all is well,

And fixed and sure, because Thou art,

Whose name is called Emmanuel!

May our Lord Emmanuel, fill your minds and hearts, Dear Reader, with the assurance of His presence season.