As the rain...

 Red geraniums after a welcome summer rain

As the rain and the snow
   come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
   without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
   so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
   It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
   and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
   will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
   will clap their hands.

Isaiah 5:10-12

Compline for a stormy Sunday night

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness...

Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne, and illumine this night with your celestial brightness; that by night as by day your people may glorify your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the inbox

A few emails came through the inbox today, from dear friends who know how to love and encourage. One is grieving, the other knows that road well. These two ladies also speak the language of music in ways I can only dream of.

And so the words to this song were sent along, They were intended to comfort another, but the truth can't help but spill over and encourage anyone in its path.

Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.”
Here see the Bread of Life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.

To hear a sample click here.

And for the record: when I get to heaven, I sure hope I can sing like Roberta Flack.

Fear not

If you have never taken the time to gasp at the beauty of the photography at Short on Words, today would be a good day to remedy that. I found these words awaiting me:

Say to those with anxious heart,
Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
And He will save you.

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy.

Isaiah 35:4-6

Just what the doctor ordered, Susan. Thanks so much.

Recent inspiration

Something to cook , from Tonia.

A story that moves me on many levels. (Caring for street people. My own masks. The truth that gets spoken in the most surprising places.) Thank you, Ann.

Something to knit, again from Tonia.

(Tonia inspires many at my house. Many. Often. Thanks, dear friend.)

The comment section at Donna's almost always inspires. I really, really enjoy that little stop on the internet. It is sort of the Cheers, where everybody knows your name, place for me.

This quote, posted last week, was the impetus for some EXCELLENT comments:

Very few people possess true artistic ability. It is therefore both unseemly and unproductive to irritate the situation by making an effort. If you have a burning, restless urge to write or paint, simply eat something sweet and the feeling will pass.

~Fran Lebowitz

You can read the comments here.

I do not agree with Ms. Lebowitz. At all. But, that's okay.

A quote that resonates a bit more for me:

"Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."

~Kurt Vonnegut

Again and again, Donna, THANKS.

Words to live by

The real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Found in:

MaryJane's Ideabook*Cookbook*Lifebook by MaryJane Butters

Lenten reflections

"I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not even what I hope to be. But by the cross of Christ, I am not what I was."

John Newton
via Brandywine Books

Inspiration

Dost thou love life?
Then do not squander time,
for that is the stuff
life is made of.

~Benjamin Franklin

HT: 4:53 a.m.

Great advice

"My advice: Don't wait for inspiration. Just get to work." Mrs. M-mv

There are many good reasons to read Mental multivitamin, but this attitude toward life is something I never tire of.

And it certainly applies to more (much, much more) than writing for a living. A room to clean? A relationship to mend? A school day to run? Unpleasant jobs, easy to procrastinate tasks, attitudes, life goals...for all these things I like to remember: Just get to work.

Yes, I believe in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but sometimes we need to step out and be faithful to our callings; we can be confident that the knowledge of His inspiration will come with hindsight.

Thankful

For dear Donna at Quiet Life:

I am thankful:

1) for daffodils
2) that the teacher's union will finally be settling on the contract for the year (without striking, without picketing.)
3) for the privilege of staying home to teach my children.

No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night ~ Elie Wiesel

Add To The Beauty

Add To The Beauty

We come with beautiful secrets
We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls
We come to every new morning
With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

It comes in small inspirations
It brings redemption to life and work
To our lives and our work

It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find it's worth

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful
This is grace, an invitation

By Sara Groves

In my inbox tonight

Simply the signature at the end of a thoughtful friend's email, this will stay with me, I am sure:

All that happens becomes bread to nourish, soap to cleanse, fire to purify, a chisel to carve heavenly features.

The quote is credited to Jean-Pierre de Caussade, The Joy of Full Surrender. I know nothing about the book or the author; "they could be pirates," as Emma says about Harriet Smith's unknown parents. But, the quote blessed me tonight as I am thinking about the challenges in life that chisel and cleanse and ultimately nourish our souls.