Morning Has BrokenSung by Cat StevensLyrics by Eleanor Farjeon
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This song has always been a favorite of mine. It's a song from my youth. When it came on the radio, I always stopped and listened to the words, which gave me a new perspective. --AS. |
 More music...One thing I do miss in January is not being able to have the windows open with regularity. On any summer Sunday morning there is music in the air which travels from atop a nearby church. I can sometimes still hear it carried on the breeze if I really listen closely. --AS. |
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Maxfield Parrish I've had people ask me what I meant by "A Maxfield Parrish sky" in my poem Daybreak. Maxfield Parrish was an artist of dreams. One of his most famous paintings was, in fact, entitled "Daybreak" Others were "Morning", "The Canyon" and "New Moon" His paintings weren't ordinary, nor were his skies, which were usually full of sunlight, clouds and the brightest blues, golds and teals --evoking a mystic, dreamlike feeling. He may have been the first "painter of light". See more of his work here and here. My grandparents had an old Parrish print on the wall of their old house that I always used to look at. It was The Dinky Bird and it depicted a nude girl swinging through the clouds with a castle up in the air. Although beautiful, it was also the first nude painting I could remember looking at and thought my grandparents were very brave to boldly display such a daring print. I understand that this print is very valuable and quite collectible now. |
Gratitudes
for January
| I'm grateful... That I don't need handicapped parking spaces. That people showed up to hear my husband play his music. For unexpected afternoons off --that I choose to tell no one about and spend the day alone...doing as I please, and just being ME. For friends to go to lunch with. Lunch at a sidewalk cafe in January and its not cold. Online friends that send emails saying that they are praying for me. Brothers who call to see how I'm doing. That I never found smoking anything I'd care to do. For answered prayers. For not liking to go to the mall, or Wal-Mart. I don't liking shopping much at all. |
For suppers at home--alone with my
husband. For 50% off sale racks and finding a top and pants that match perfectly for half price. For my cat-- who always knows when his purring, whiskered face is just what I need at precisely that moment. To be able to watch the ducks and geese at the park beg people for sandwiches. That my mother-in-law has a good friend her own age that she can visit with when she's feeling lonely. For weekend chats on ICQ with Gregg while Iron Chef is on and laughing about it. For Ann , Robin, Craig, Laura and Janet--my partners on the Front Porch Swing. For anything lavender scented. For "good hair" days. |
For
Jessica and old high school friendships. For days without stress and when all goes well--and realizing it. For second-hand bookstores and finding Gladys Taber books on eBay. For days when I didn't watch the TV news and didn't have a clue about what was going on in the world! For coming home and finding the dishes done!!!! For compliments on a job well-done. For good weeks and kind words. For a good night's sleep. For warm days in January. For good news. |
| Me Beneath The
Heavens
--Aunt Sadie |
| January
Comes To An End January has been a harsh month for our family. My husband's health problems have given him a lot of difficulty, his Uncle Don was in the hospital with heart/pacemaker problems, my mother-in-laws memory problems due to Alzheimer's have continued to worsen, and added stress on the job have all made this a very challenging month. I can honestly say that I'm grateful to see January come to an end, but thankful to God that all has turned out okay, after all. The days of January and usually dreary, and although it has been a much warmer month than most, the shortened daylight hours find me needing brightness and sunlight and warmth. The thoughts of curling up on my yard swing with a book are pleasant and one of things I anticipate most about warmer weather. Each day now, becomes a step towards Spring and a promise of renewal and fairer days ahead. To me, Spring is a symbol of rebirth, of hope and of miracles. I believe in miracles and I believe things will get well for us again. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~Asking and Faith~ I have a couple of favorite scriptures that are the glue that keeps me holding on to hope, and is the basis of all my strength:
--Matthew 7:7,8 This scripture keeps running through my mind and being a believer in the Bible and its promises, I will not give up on it. There is no "fine print" and it is stated so simply. I know that someday, my Heavenly Father WILL heal my husband and help him to continue on to a long Earthly life. We must have faith to go ask and then the faith to believe that God will provide for the need. If we ask and then don't believe that God will supply, then we have defeated the purpose of asking!
This scripture says "all things", and throughout the New Testament, Jesus answered the cries of those who came and asked in faith. What is faith?
How much faith do we need? Matthew 17:20:
I have a mustard seed in a necklace that was given to me by my dear cousin. A mustard seed is a tiny thing, yet Jesus said that if we have faith as in a grain of mustard seed, nothing is impossible! I believe that the Bible, The New Testament, and the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I believe that miracles can happen and I believe in the power of prayer! I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior. This is what I hold on to--to help get through each trying day, each worry,each obstacle and each fear. My beliefs give me strength I know these things will help you too. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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