After a long afternoon yesterday, my Babe and I are taking it easy today. Not sure that I would have believed, twenty (or even ten!) years ago, that unexpected exertion on one day would lead to exhaustion the next, but…here we are!
Came across this just now 🙂
I’m not one to advocate ignoring troubles for the sake of pretending to be joyful. I prefer to look at what’s happening, decide what I can do about it, and remind myself of what’s good in my life in the process.
So, rejoice!
Even in the midst…
And if your day is just that much harder right now, and you need some roses…
“So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 (TPT)
He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
– Ezekiel 37:3
“Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration.
How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness
you’ve done for me?
You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done.
You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease.
You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life.
You’ve crowned me with love and mercy.
You satisfy my every desire with good things.
You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again
like a flying eagle in the sky!”
– Psalm 103:2-5
This week I watched a Songs of Praise that was filmed for Easter, in Jerusalem. Most of the songs were ones I’ve sung (or heard) many times, but there was also a hymn that I’ve not come across (this is from an earlier show – couldn’t find the one from Jerusalem).
Christ’s death and resurrection is the centrepiece of Easter, and we sing a variety of hymns telling the story. This one reminded me of the wonder of resurrection – the world right now is weary, and it feels like any new life might be tired and colourless, straining to break clear of the dirt…
And yet, every year, new growth shoots from the ground, green and vibrant, ready to become mature and fulfill what it was made for.
Love has come again.
And Love has brought new, green, growing life – every day, whenever we need it!
A while back I posted about “The Blessing”, sung by churches across the UK. I’ve just been listening to other versions from around the world, for a bit of an international morning! 🙂
From the Arab world
to Nigeria and South Africa…
…a change of pace in Ireland
then back to the blessing in Australia!
And finally – be blessed in Hebrew…
Lots of different languages and cultures, but all family ❤
I may never meet these people in this life, but I'll see them in the next!
All the more reason to sing with them now…
I’ve been enjoying watching Songs of Praise on Sunday mornings – hymns and choruses to sing along to, and inspiring stories as well. My memories of old episodes seem to be of dreary, slow hymns sung by choirs that were trained to achieve near perfection… I have no idea if that’s what they used to be, or if that’s just my flawed recollection. The episodes I’ve been watching are more recent, and the songs are sung by various congregations in the area of filming for that week. I love that! Ordinary people, of all ages and situations, belting out praises joyfully and without too much in the way of professionalism. There may be an organ playing, or a full (or partial) band. Some stand still, some raise their hands with abandon, some just do that weird shuffle thing that’s sort of in between… I don’t care. I just love seeing people share joy in praise – it feels a bit like I think heaven will be.
Recently, the show was filmed in Coventry, centring around the cathedral. Coventry was badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War, and the cathedral was nearly destroyed in 1940. The decision to rebuild was taken straight away, as a sign of faith, hope and trust for the future. The ruins of the old church remain, with the new building at right angles to the old, built from the same type of sandstone. The cathedral’s Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation provides support in areas of conflict around the world.
From the beginning of time there has been conflict, between cities and countries, and between individuals. As Christians, we are called to peace, and to a ministry of reconciliation. We each get to choose how we respond to conflict/hatred/injustice…
It’s just past midnight – that time when the silence crowds in and the winter cold creeps just a bit closer to the bone. Thoughts and memories tumble, with a little sadness mixed in.
I wasn’t looking for this song, but it came up, so I listened. It felt like a warm blanket, the chill receding into the darkness…
As an Australian, I was not brought up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian minister, trained in music, who spent most of his life living out his mission to children through the medium of television. His show focused on love and kindness, but also covered difficult topics (such as death, war or divorce) with honesty and in a way that children could comprehend.
In 1969, even though the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had supposedly ended segregation in public places, some places were still opposed to desegregation. These included some public pools. In May of that year, an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood showed a short clip where a black character (Officer Clemmons), who is also a policeman, is invited to cool his feet in a children’s wading pool.Mister Rogers is already enjoying the cool water, and when Officer Clemmons declines the invitation because he doesn’t have a towel, Mister Rogers says they can share his. It’s hard to find a good clip of it, but here’s the best I could find –
Not all of us are good at physically speaking loudly. We can all “speak” loud and clear in our own ways, though, even if it sounds quiet and unassuming. Fred Rogers knew exactly what he was saying here, and used his voice the best way he could.
Years later they recreated the scene. This time Mister Rogers took the towel and dried Officer Clemmons’ feet himself, echoing Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13. It’s something we don’t see much of in the church anymore. Perhaps we could stand to look again at the words and actions of the Servant King…
Back to the original question – who is my neighbour?
25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” 26 He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” 27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” 28 “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.” 29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?” 30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. 33-35 “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’ 36 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” 37 “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)
Here’s a song we sang Sunday at online church. It’s one we’ve sung quite a few times before.
With the weather getting colder recently, I’ve had a bit of a cough, so it’s been fluffy socks and warm clothes for me! These verses from the song have also been a comfort –
“It’s Your breath
in our lungs
so we pour out our praise…”
I was born and raised in North Queensland. I had various fevers, and most of the childhood diseases, growing up. I don’t remember ever having the common cold, though!
When I moved to England at 25, I had no immunity to the bugs there, and seemed to have colds on a regular basis. The blocked nose, difficulty breathing, coughing… I’d never had those before, and thought I was dying! The doctors pretty much laughed at me, but again I found comfort in the songs we sang at church. There was one in particular at that time, which included these lines –
“To You, I bow:
The King who commands my every breath,
The Man who has conquered sin and death,
My Lord and my King;
My everything.”
I don’t know what the future will bring.
But I do know a King who does!
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 