MORNING VERSE, LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart

and try to love the questions themselves.

Don't search for the anwers,

they could not be given to you now

because you would not be able to live them.

The point is to live everything

Live the quesions now.

Perhaps then, someday in the future,

you will gradually without even noticing it,

live your way into the answer.

Rainer Maria Rilke - Austria

2 WISE SAYINGS

If there's ice in November that will bear a duck,

there'll be nothing after but sludge and muck.

If the ice will bear a man before Christmas,

it will not bear a mouse afterwards.

LOST PASSWORD UPDATE

I am unable to upload pictures at present. It seems I have not been downsizing them properly and I will have to see my son for a lesson, hopefully at the weekend, stay tuned.

In the meantime I remain busy both at work and at home. There is a big round moon looking at me at present. I added to my book collection last weekend and purchased several books written by the 1920's/1930's travel writer H V Morton. He seems to have travelled all over the place including France, the Holy Land, Italy, etc. His books are very colourfully written and when reading it is easy to imagine being alongside him.

BARE BOUGHS

In Winter the bare boughs that seem to sleep

Work covertly, preparing for their Spring

(Jalil al-Din Rumi (1207-73) Persia

UPDATE ON LITTLE WHITE RABBIT

Little White Rabbit has gone to Lapland to see Santa and to get some Christmas presents but hopefully he will be back soon.

TWO AUTUMN VERSES

I saw old Autumn in the misty morn

Stand shadowless like Silence, listening

To silence

(Thomas Hood - from "Autumn", England

Green to Brown

Autumn withdraws summer's green

back into its wardrobe

let us hope that green suits us just as much next year.

(Modern haiku from Halifax, Canada)

MORNING HYMN

For some reason I have had this hymn going through my mind this morning, it is quite modern and has a pleasant tune:

God is here! As we his people

meet to offer praise and prayer,

may we find in fuller measure

what it is in Christ we share.

Here, as in the world around us,

all our varied skills and arts

wait the coming of the Spirit

into open minds and hearts.

Here are symbols to remind us

of our lifelong need of grace;

here are table, font, and pulpit;

here the cross has central place.

Here in honesty of preaching,

here in silence, as in speech,

here, in newness and renewal,

God the Spirit comes to each.

Here our children find a welcome

in the Shepherd's flock and fold,

here as bread and wine are taken,

Christ sustains us, as of old.

Here the servants of the Servant

seek in worship to explore

what it means in daily living

to believe and to adore.

Lord of all, of Church and Kingdom,

in an age of change and doubt,

keep us faithful to the gospel,

help us work your purpose out.

Here, in this day's dedication,

all we have to give, receive;

we, who cannot live without you,

we adore you! We believe!

Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000)

From Singing The Faith

MORNING HYMN

This is a hymn not often sung today. The words of many hymns are now changed but I still enjoy singing them as they were written. (I am unable to add photos today as I seem to have run out of space and need to buy more - apparently, will have to see)

 

O Lord of every lovely thing,

The Maker of them all,

Who from the winter's gloomy wing

Doth shed the splendours of the spring,

On Thy grat name we call.

With flowers that through the valleys teach

Thy love and truth divine,

With streams that sing, and hills that preach,

With waves that laugh on every beach,

We praise Thee we are Thine!

Not Thine alone, because from Thee

Our life and breath we hold;

But Thine because in Christ we see

The grace that sets our spirits free,

And for the truth makes bold.

Count us amongst the radiant choir

That sounds Thy name abroad,

Set in our hands the heavenly lyre,

With songs of love our hearts inspire,

The mighty love of God.

Until with those who toiled and dreamed

To build Thy kingdom here,

With those the world hath ne'er esteemed,

With all the hosts of Thy redeemed,

We in Thy home appear.

(Robert Wilfrid Callin 1886)

LITTLE WHITE RABBITS WALK THROUGH THE HILLS

Just look at those lovely hills

Oh what's this?

It's a little train but it makes a lot of noise

This gorse is a bit prickly

I need a rest

Lots of sheep

Lovely lichens in this wood, comfy seat

Wonder who lived there

Lone sheep, baa

Peter and Murphy

It's getting cloudy

THE STORY OF BEDDGELERT

 In the 13th century, Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, had a Palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, "The Faithful Hound", who was unaccountably absent.

On Lleweyln's return, the truant stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. The Prince, alarmed, hastened to find his son and saw the Infant's cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood.

The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound's side thinking it had killed his heir.

The dog's dying yell was answered by a child's cry. Llewellyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby lay the body of a might wolf which Gelert had slain.

The Prince, filled with remorse, is said never to have smiled again.He buried Gelert here.

The spot is called Beddgelert.

LITTLE WHITE RABBIT MEETS GELERT

I am sitting on the bridge in Beddgelert

I am going to visit Gelert's grave

Gelert's grave

LWR & Murphy look at Gelert's statue

Onwards I go, I am going to climb up a hill

"I TO THE HILLS" - MORNING HYMN

I to the hills with lift mine eyes

From whence doth come mine aid;

My safety cometh from the Lord,

who heaven and earth hath made.

Thy foot He'll not let slide nor will

He slumber that thee keeps;

Behond, He that keeps Israel,

He slumbers not, nor sleeps.

The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade

On thy right hand doth stay;

The moon by night then shall not smite,

Nor yet the sun by day.

The Lord shall keep thy soul;

He shall Preserve thee from all ill.

Henceforth thy going out and in

God keep for ever will.  Amen.

(Scottish Pasalter 1750)

MORNING THOUGHT

Facing the truth

From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,

From the laziness that is contented with half-truth

From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,

Good Lord, deliver us.

(Modern prayer from Kenya)

GARDEN VISITOR

We had a colourful visitor in the garden on Tuesday

PSALM OF CONTENTMENT

I found this modern prayer in one of my books and it seems appropriate for the current season

O sacred season of Autumn, be my teacher

for I wish to learn the virtue of contentment.

As I gaze upon your full coloured beauty,

I sense all about you

an at-homeness with your amber riches.

(Modern prayer by Edward Hays, USA)

LITTLE WHITE RABBIT SAYS GOODNIGHT

Goodnight

LITTLE WHITE RABBIT VISITS ELLESMERE PORT

Little White Rabbit visited Ellesmere Port today, look what he saw, he even went to the library....

 I am on my way to the library, not far to go

This must be it, I've arrived

I can't see through this window

Look at this new machine, no need for a librarian

A few more poppy wreathes since I was here last

There's the Civic Hall

They've just turned the fountains off, now I can't paddle

Healthy Living Centre, looks interesting

Not many about today, it's not market day

There's a bus going to Liverpool

Another bus and

Oh, another bus, must be the bus station

Cherrybank, that's a nice name, where's the cherries?

Now there's a large tractor

Ambulance station

Fire engine

 

LITTLE WHITE RABBIT PLAYS THE PIANO AGAIN

Little White Rabbit decides to play the piano again, it is a long time since he played, listen carefully and see if you can hear what he is playing.....

"That was hard work"

THE DAY AHEAD - MORNING THOUGHT

Who can tell what a day might bring? Therefore,

gracious God, cause me to live every day as if it

were to be my last, for I know not that it

may be such. Cause me to live now as I shall

wish I had done when I come to die.

(Thomas a Kempis (1379/80-1471), Germany

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN

"They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them"

When you go home, tell them of us and say

"For your tomorrow, we gave our today".
(Kohimah tribute)