Spring Brings With It Hope

Spring brings with it hope, 

an opening of the heart to kinder Rays, 

and thus uncurl and unfold in beauteous ways,

our souls to warm and greener days of May....

photo taken in Ambleside, UK

If you want the fire of God, you must become the fuel of God

                      If you want the fire of God, you must become the fuel of God.
                                                                                          --Tom Tenney

photo taken in Cambridge, UK


 

 

Encourage Each Other in the Light

When I see  your light shining in the darkness, my heart 

leaps for joy! 

Let us encourage each other by letting

our light shine brightly in the darkness around us.

And when you feel tired and lost,

do as Christian did, as he made his way

to the Celestial City: just follow the Light. 

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life..."  (Philippians 2:14, 15, 16a)

photo taken in the chapel at Corpus Christi College,

Cambridge, UK on the Feast of Corpus Christi

On the Journey with Jesus!

The boat on the sea is one of the earliest Christian symbols for the church in its journey through the world. Just as the boat is tossed about by the waves so is the church pounded from all sides by worldly and spiritual forces hostile to the kingdom of God. In the midst of crises, Jesus comes to restore peace and harmony in His church. But He comes in a form and manner in which He is easily mistaken for the enemy. He comes in a way that makes many well-meaning Christians cry out in fear “It is a ghost!” (Matthew 14:26) as they try to keep Him out. But if we listen carefully we shall hear through the storm His soft, gentle voice whispering in the wind, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (verse 27). ....

May the Lord increase our little faith so that in all the storms of life we shall have our eyes and our trust constantly fixed on Jesus and His power and not on ourselves and our weaknesses

--Fr Munachi E. Ezeogu, CSSP (A Holy Ghost Father)

photo taken at the Abby Church of St. Edmunds, Bury St. Edmund, UK  

They Also Serve Who Only Stand and Wait

When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;


They also serve who only stand and wait."

--John Milton

this poem, called "On his blindness" written when Milton lost his sight and therefore,

felt himself somewhat, if not entirely useless,  reveals the profound

truth that it is not our gifting and how we use them that matters

but that we wait, before and for, God--(even if it makes you

feel like a potted plant.) :)

For some reason it always makes me cry.

You can hear it read, here:

http://www.sonnets.org/milton.htm#002

photo taken in St. Ives, UK

For the sake of
Your sorrowful passion,


Have mercy on us,
and on the whole world.


























photo taken at the Chapel of Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge, UK

I Drift Along in the Peace of God

I drift along, in the peace of God, knowing that I am His, and that He is, gloriously, mine.
I drift along, in the peace, in the deep peace of God.   


photo taken in St. Ives, UK

Each gift, however different, is equally beautiful and equally needed

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  (Romans 11:4-8)


photo taken in Bury St. Edmunds, UK 

Where faith is there is courage, there is fortitude, there is steadfastness and strength. . . . Faith bestows that sublime courage that rises superior to the troubles and disappointments of life, that acknowledges no defeat except as a step to victory; that is strong to endure, patient to wait, and energetic to struggle. . . . Light up, then, the lamp of faith in your heart. . . . It will lead you safely through the mists of doubt and the black darkness of despair; along the narrow, thorny ways of sickness and sorrow, and over the treacherous places of temptation and uncertainty.


James Lane Allen



photo taken in Malvern, England

And the Cream of All My Heart I Will Bring Thee

King of Glorie, King of Peace,

I will love thee:

And that love may never cease,

I will move thee.

Thou hast granted my request,

Thou hast heard me:

Thou didst note my working breast,

Thou hast spar’d me.

Wherefore with my utmost art

I will sing thee,

And the cream of all my heart

I will bring thee.

Though my sinnes against me cried,

Thou didst cleare me;

And alone, when they replied,

Thou didst heare me.

Sev’n whole dayes, not one in seven,

I will praise thee.

In my heart, though not in heaven,

I can raise thee.

Thou grew’st soft and moist with tears,

Thou relentedst:

And when Justice call’d for fears,

Thou disentedst.

Small it is, in this poore sort

To enroll thee:

Ev’n eternitie is to short

To extoll thee.

The Temple: George Herbert 1633

photo taken in cathedral at Ludlow, England 

 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.



 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--
and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are,


 so that no one may boast before him.


It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.


Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

( 1 Corinthians 1: 28-31)
 
 
(preacher in the marketplace, Abergavenny, Wales)

The Life of True Holiness ....

The life of true holiness is rooted in the soil of awed adoration.
It does not grow elsewhere.

--J.I. Packer

photo taken in Abergavenny, Wales
(roots growing on bark of a tree)

Rest Assured in God

You may rest assured that God will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. It is when we are powerless that God does all, and thereby manifests His power and goodness in a striking manner.



- John Baptist de La Salle



photo taken in the Yorkshire countryside, UK

Be My Journey and my Far Destination!

Great Light, Mover of all that is moving and at rest, be my Journey and my far Destination, be my Want and my Fulfilling, be my Sowing and my Reaping, be my glad Song and my stark Silence. Be my Sword and my strong Shield,be my Lantern and my dark Night, be my everlasting Strength and my piteous Weakness. Be my Greeting and my parting Prayer, be my bright Vision and my Blindness, be my Joy and my sharp Grief, be my sad Death and my sure Resurrection.

--Stephen Lawhead, Merlin
taken from the Celtic Daily Prayer Book,
Northumbria Community, November 20

photo taken in Ambleside, UK

Spiritual Friendship

Let this law, therefore, be held in respect among friends, namely, they expend themselves and

their goods for one another in such a way that he who gives preserves a cheerful aspect,

and that he who receives does not lose confidence. When Boaz observed the poverty

of Ruth, the Moabite, he spoke to her as she was gathering ears of corn behind his

reapers, consoled her and invited her to the table of his servants, and sparing in kindly

fashion her embarrassment, he ordered his reapers to leave ears of corn even

purposely so that she might collect them without shame. In the same way we ought

the more adroitly seek out the needs of our friends, anticipate their requests

by good services, and observe such demeanor in our giving that the recipient,

rather than the giver, appears to be bestowing the favor."

--Aelred of Rievaulx, "Spiritual Friendship" --

Aelred of Rievaulx was born in 1110 in Northumbria, UK. He became the

abbott of  the famed Cistercian Rievaulx Monastery in Yorkshire. His work on 

Spiritual Friendship is a classic. Rievaulx was dissolved by Henry the 8th

in the 1538. It's ruins still stand.

photo taken in Abergavenny, Wales

Grace to be Taught New Things!

"In these days, God taught me as a schoolteacher teaches a pupil."

I remind myself that there are things God has to teach me yet,

and ask for the grace to hear them and let them change me.

--Ignatius of Loyola

photo taken in Worcester, Uk

Holy Curiosity: Contemplate the Mysteries of Eternity!

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” ~Albert Einstein


photo taken near Abergavenny, UK

An Amazing Coincidence: Some things never change, some things do!

I was so excited to post the picture of Kirkstone Pass yesterday with a wayfarer quote that I had just found. Then later in the day, I was cleaning out a file of old postcards and found the exact same scene,
photographed at just about the exact spot OVER !00 years ago. It was so amazing! Little had changed in the picture--the telephone poles were gone, but it was basically unchanged. What a blessing! I just wanted to share the postcard with you, and the original scene again....In the midst of a world of change, I am just so glad that some of the most beautiful scenery in the world has not been
spoiled. Thank God!

Thou Wayfaring Jesus, a pilgrim and stranger

 

Thou wayfaring Jesus, a pilgrim and stranger,

exiled from heaven by love at Thy birth:

Exiled again from Thy rest in the manger,

A fugitive child 'mid the perils of earth--

Cheer with Thy fellowship all who are weary,

Wandering far from the land that they love;

Guide every heart that is homeless and dreary,

Safe to its home in Thy presence above.

... Henry van Dyke (1852-1933),

photo taken near Kirkstone Pass, Lake District, UK

The Sweetness of Devotion

Devotion is the real spiritual sweetness which takes away

all bitterness from mortifications, and prevents consolations

from disagreeing with the soul; it cures the poor of sadness,

and the rich of presumption; it keeps the oppressed from

feeling desolate, and the prosperous from insolence; it averts

sadness from the lonely, and dissipation from social life; it

is as warmth in winter and refreshing dew in summer; it knows

how to abound and how to suffer want, how to profit alike by

honour and by contempt; it accepts gladness and sadness with an

even mind, and fills men's hearts with a wondrous sweetness.

... Francois de Sales , Introduction to the

Devout Life [1609]

photo taken near Monsale Dale, Derbyshire, UK