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

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.