Merry Christmas

Earth strike up your music,

Birds that sing and bells that ring,

Heaven hath answering music,

For all Angels soon to sing.

Earth put on your whitest,

Bridal robe of spotless snow,

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

-Christina Rossetti

Be Open

may my heart always be open

E.E. Cummings

may my heart always be open to little

birds who are the secrets of living

whatever they sing is better than to know

and if men should not hear them men are old

may my mind stroll about hungry

and fearless and thirsty and supple

and even if it’s sunday may i be wrong

for whenever men are right they are not young

and may myself do nothing usefully

and love yourself so more than truly

there’s never been quite such a fool who could fail

pulling all the sky over him with one smile 

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Jolly "Hands Around"

October’s Party
by George Cooper

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came.
The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples,
And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses maple
In scarlet looked their best.

All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.

Then in the rustic hollow
At hide-and-seek they played;
The party closed at sundown
And everybody stayed.

Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."

.

Rewards

"Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is His reward."

-Psalm 127:3

Try, Try Again

I was not sure if blogging was for me, but I thought I would give it another try.....Let's see how it goes....

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst 

From the moment he wakes up things just do not go Alexander's way. Gum in his hair, getting out of bed, he trips on a skateboard and drops his sweater into a sink full of water. At breakfast, his brothers Nick and Anthony reach into their cereal boxes and pull out amazing prizes, while all Alexander ends up with is cereal.  It is all down hill from there...criticized for his singing, reduced to third best friend and no dessert in his lunch. No wonder Alexander wants to move to Australia!

Haven't we all had days like these?  While I don't foresee a move to Australia, I have been trying to change my attitude about these days.  Below is a list of 100 blessing that I've compiled to remind myself that I have many more reasons to be happy rather than sad.

In no particular order....

My Blessing
1. my health
2. my mother
3. my father
4. Paine (my son)
5.Madeline (my daughter)
6.  Hayden (my son)
7.  Paul (my husband)
8.  my brother and sisters
9. sleeping late on the weekend
10. beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows of Autumn
11.  good friends, who love me
12.  never knowing real hunger
13. always having a home
14.  being able to read and write
15. a warm safe bed to return to at night
16. central heating
17. good books
18.  a comfortable chair
19.  freedom to worship
20. Miss Kitty (our sweet seven year old cat)
21. my husbands unfailing love
22. getting control of the t.v. remote
23. good movies
24. soothing pots of tea
25. God's love
26.  the good health of my children
27. good health of my mom
28. good health of my dad
29. Chelsie (our beautiful Sheltie that died last year)
30. freedom to make my own decisions
31. delicious food
32. wonderful childhood memories
33.the right to vote
34. walking quietly in the woods
35. watching birds
36. growing up with horses
37. warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies
38. comfort food
39. hot shower to soothe aching muscles
40. a funny joke
41. sitting in the sunshine
42. chocolate
43. smell of citrus
44. bubbles
45.Thanksgiving celebrations
46. Peonies
47. the smell of freshly mowed grass
48. red, juicy apples
49. field trips with kindergarteners
50. birthdays
51. cake
52. teaching Sunday School
53. quiet time
54. mood lifting music
55. freshly painted rooms
56.Christmas with family
57. reading under an apple tree
58. warm colorful quilts
59. Christmas church services
60. dinner in the oven
61. the kindness of strangers
62. a baby's smile
63. lilacs in the Spring
64. Thursday morning bible study
65. used book stores
66. modern appliances that make life so much easier
67. seeing the sun rise over the hill in Cooperfield (our neighborhood)
68. seeing the sun set over the Pacific Ocean
69. collecting seashells on Coronado Island
70. flying in an airplane
71. a new perfume
72. mystery shows on t.v.
73. going to the movies
74. a quiet house
75. taking a beautiful drive
76. baking cookies
77. painting a beautiful picture, when I didn't know that I could.
78. having a reliable car to drive
79. spending the day with my Aunt Minnie
80. the internet - being able to communicate with anyone/anywhere
81. cuddling in bed with Hayden
82. watching Paine play football
83. having an afternoon with my parents
84. spending a few hours alone in Joseph-Beth (local bookstore)
85. the smell of a new baby
86. fresh brewed coffee
87. a surprise snow storm
88. finding money in a jacket pocket
89. fresh gingerbread
90. being inspired to create
91. waking up full of energy and in a great mood
92. reading something that resonates
93. freshly washed hair
94. the beauty that is my dad's garden
95. cold watermelon on a hot day
96. lemon scented furniture polish
97. cool, clean cotton sheets on a hot summer night
98. standing between the lines of clothes hung to dry
99. warm flannel sheets
100. freedom to give and receive love

I feel better already!

Work Out What God Works In

Photo of a Celtic cross at sunrise copyright Craig Goodwin

 

 

"Work out your own salvation."  ~ Philippians 2:12

 

" Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a disposition which renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do.  When the Lord is presented to the conscience, the first thing conscience does is to rouse the will, and the will always agrees with God.  Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time."

 

~ Oswald Chambers 

 

 

I've Been Blessed

A home church is such a personal decision.  For several years, we visited church after church and never found what we were looking for.  One day, in the heart of the city, I happened upon this lovely little church...

I at once felt at home and spent almost eight years worshipping in this lovely space....

Not only was the church beautiful, but we were blessed with the awe inspiring music of these very talented people (my son and daughter would be included in this group)....

Madeline, first row, second from the left, and Paine, second row,second from the right. 

Recently, Lanier wrote about one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Goudge, and shared that the cathedral depicted in The Dean's Watch was based on Ely Cathedral.  I had to share with her my connection, if but a paltry one, to this glorious cathedral.

In 2009, my beloved choir had the honor of a residency at Ely Cathedral.  I promised that I would post pictures....Enjoy!

Ely Cathedral as seen from the Lamb Hotel

The amazing architecture

There are no words...

The details are stunning....

                                                                   Dizzying heights....

The Cathedral song school...

                                                        The entrance to the choir stalls....

I am so proud of them!

Our choir practising....

The unbelievably talented Mr. Zach, our former Children's Choir Master, and the lovely Margaret from our Saint Cecelia's Girls Choir.

Is Mr. Zach truly talented?  Well, this is his new job site....The American Cathedral in Paris, France.  I am so proud to say that he was my daughters first music teacher!

We have recently moved to Georgia and it is heartbreaking to leave a place and friends, that are more like family, but I've enjoyed writing this post and getting to reminisce.

Visit here , the site of our Choir Master, to enjoy the sheer beauty of the music I was blessed to hear every Sunday. 

He Has Risen!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Matthew 28:1-10

Don't you just love weddings?

A pretty little church....

Pews that have seen a lifetime of prayers...                                                                                                   

Pretty little brides-maids...                                                                                                                            

Last minute adjustments...                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                

The joining of hands...                                                                                                                                  

 

The formation of a new family...                                                                                                                 

Hark! The merry chimes are pealing,

Soft and glad the music swells,

Gaily in the night wind stealing,

Sweetly sound the wedding bells.

- Eliza Cook

Don't Buy Stuff

It's funny how it's the simply things that are often the hardest to learn lol

In Character

The canopy created by our family's apple tree was always a much loved place to spend a day reading.  I would grab an old quilt, a glass of sweet tea and a favorite book to while away the hours of summer vacation.  Complete immersion in my latest read would have me "becoming" my favorite characters.  I was Anne Shirley, a poor orphan, feeling alone in the world, but she was soon replaced by Jo March. Being one of several sisters, Jo suited much better, but ,alas, I am the youngest and lacked Jo's fearlessness. She was soon replaced.

A love of reading has continued into adulthood and it is well known that I would pass on food to buy a good book :)  Reading has always been my escape to foreign lands and customs, lifestyles that were completely different from my own, yet contained truths that I could not deny.  These characters, spun from the imaginations of truly brilliant writers, became a part of me.

From Jo I understand my desire to write and my love of family.  Charlotte (Charlotte's Web) taught me that the least likely friends are often the most loved. Anne made me realize that often what you wish for isn't what is right for you.  What little girl can't understand Anne's angst over her red hair and freckles?  Without said physical characteristics she wouldn't have been ....well....she just wouldn't have been Anne!

 "Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are" is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread."    ~Francois Muriac

I re-read these books often.  They are not only the books of my childhood, but the gentle rasp that shaped my personality.  My sincere gratitude to those amazing writers with their God given gifts.

 

Once Again

We are moving....again.  Here is the short version of the story....


Sweet husband got new job and moved to Georgia.  We put house up for sale, found house to lease  and moved.  Within three days of our arrival sweet husband was sent to Korea for a few weeks. ( I wasn't believing him to be so sweet at that point).  Leased house had stinky, mystery smell, bugs, mold and as a bonus....scorpion in the basement.  Called sweet husband in Korea and cried.  Proving that he truly is sweet, he said for us to head back to Kentucky.

 That is were we've been since....

Now we are moving.....in three short weeks. 

It is just as hard to leave as it was before, but we know that it is for the best.  I will chose to be happy and look forward to what this new adventure has in store for us. 

I pinky promise to write if you'll pinky promise to comment....Deal?

It's The Simple Things

Bleak Winter

The ceaseless gray days of winter are starting to get me down.

Our lives are being dictated by the latest weather forecast and too many days trapped inside has left us feeling positively horrid. (Make sure to read that last sentence with your very best Boston Brahmin accent)

 In an effort to push back the dreariness, I've chosen to completely ignore energy conservation and leave the lamps on virtually all day.


I will drag myself from an attitude of abasement by making a list to remind of the simple pleasures life has to offer.  After all, it is the simple things that truly light up our lives....no electricity needed!

My list...

the warm, cosy fire that I've had burning for most of the day

a cup of tea while sitting in my favorite chair

hot, fresh croissants...that I made from scratch!

bouquet of tulips on the mantle... sent by my loving husband

a weekend trip to a warmer climate

the joy of seeing The Young Victoria

What makes your list?

Above The Pearls

Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones

It appears that I've decided to become 'all fancy' and get my own .com!  For a person with no inclination for html, I did it all on my own and I'm quite proud of that fact.  I now feel like an absolute princess....so, when you pass by please remember to wave....above the pearls and below the tiara.  ; )

You've Gotta Laugh

Snowing....again!  Sometimes you've just gotta laugh.  This might help 

Snow Day!

Mother Nature has been keeping us on our toes recently.  Lots of snow and incredibly cold temperatures have blessed us with two "snow days".  While we enjoy these unexpected mini vacations, I look around and see the havoc these snow days wreak on my home.

Hats, coats and gloves are strewn all about the front foyer and extra laundry is piled from frequent changes.  The remains of hot cocoa and cinnamon toast litter the counter top and I wonder if I have the energy to tackle it all.

I've had a cold for the past week and have been left weak and sleep deprived.  At times like these I just want to run away, but we all know that it isn't realistic :)  Being a homemaker is a 24/7 job and, while you don't get sick days off, you can lighten up on yourself.

Know and accept that things are not going to be perfect for a while.  Do the bare minimum!  No, the floor does not need moped right now.  It can wait...but, a quick spritz and wipe of the countertops is doable and should not exhaust you.  Hopefully, it will even give you a little lift to see that shiny expanse of clean.

Have the children gather all of their wet clothing and toss them (the clothes...not the children lol) into the washer.  If they are big enough to play in the snow, then they are big enough to contribute to the clean up of it.  Besides, they will love to slip on those socks, gloves and hates, toasty and warm from the dryer.....and head back out.

Remember, whether ill or not, this is your snow day, too.  Pamper yourself a little with some hot cocoa, a good book and some warm fuzzy socks.  Here in the south  we don't often get these surprise vacations, so let's all enjoy it!

Life

Jack Davis Art

I came upon this recently on ylcf ... Lanier always posts such lovely things.  It is  a perfect poem for this time of year.  Enjoy!

             Life by Henry Van Dyke

"LET me but live my life from year to year,

With forward face and unreluctant soul;

Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;

Not mourning for the things that disappear

In the dim past, nor holding back in fear

From what the future veils; but with a whole

And happy heart, that pays its toll

To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.

So let the way wind up the hill or down,

O’er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy:

Still seeking what I sought when but a boy,

New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,

My heart will keep the courage of the quest,

And hope the road’s last turn will be the best.