In the Words of Others…

“One cannot be deeply responsive to the world without being saddened very often.” ~ Erich Fromm

“Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether.  It does not hate tragedy.  It never denies reality.  It stands in the very teeth of suffering.  The love of God did not protect His own Son.  That was the proof of His love—that He gave that Son, that He let Him go to Calvary’s cross, though ‘legions of angels’ mught have rescued Him.  He will not necessarily protect us-not from anything it takes to make us like His Son.  A lot of hammering and chisling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. ~ The Book of Common Prayer

 

Pictures from Mother’s Day + a Few Random Things

Well we had a great mother’s day this year. Or I guess I should say Mom and Grandma did.

Dad bought Mom a rocking chair and had my sisters decorate it. Check out their handiwork:

Church was great too. As always happens,Mom won the award for having the most children present. Also all the females in the family received roses to take home. 🙂

To top that off we had shish kabobs and homemade potato salad for lunch. Yum! And that was our Mother’s Day…told in 4 pictures and 77 words.

Moving on to other things:
I was browsing through my old blog today and came across a few amusing parts that I’d forgotten about. I think they’re worth reposting so I’m including them:

Written after returning from a trip to Wyoming to help take care of my sick grandmother:
“Best quote of the trip:
Mom *trying to get grandma to understand that she was confused and was being delusional again*: ‘Do you remember the other day when we were bringing you home and we stopped at the emergency room and you were saying you were on the hospital board…?’
Grandma: ‘Yes! And I was! “But I resigned and now I’m suing!!'”

“Last night I dreamed that my parents were considering putting me into a home for socially inept people. …kind of like a mental institution but housing the anti-social instead of those with not a single marble among them…”

And two ridiculous poems I wrote. One was a result of staying up too late and the other a result of some friends telling me to randomize. 🙂

A Sight Behelded

As I was walking down the street,
I met a man with six pairs of feet.
The first pair wore big red shoes.
The second pair sang the blues.
The third pair was really cheesy,
With bright green swirls that made me queasy.
The fourth pair had little bow ties;
The fifth, socks too big in size.
But the sixth pair was the best, you see,
Because with those he walked away from me.

~

There once was a world next door to ours
Where everyone rode in little green cars.
This neighboring place had big blue trees
And giant, purple bumblebees.
The people there were just as odd,
For they bathed in prune juice and feasted on sod.
It’s too bad this land is no longer there.
It and the earth would make quite a pair!

Lol. Good times. I miss that blog… But you know what they say (whoever ‘they’ are), “All good things must come to an end.” I’m not sure this post could be categorized as ‘good’, but it must end too. So…

‘May your dreams be filled with paper cups and lima beans’. Thank you, and goodnight!

 

The Far-Off Land

I re-read one of my favorite books the other day: The Far-off Land by Rebecca Caudill. The following is my favorite passage in the entire book. I believe that the wisdom it shares is timeless and significant.

“How will I know if I’m doing right?” asked Ketty.
“I’ll give you two rules to follow,” Sister Oesterlein told her. “They’re the rules you followed every day in school. First, be present.”
“Be present, Sister Oesterlein?” Ketty’s eyelids narrowed.
“Every morning when I called the roll, you answered, ‘Present.’ Remember? As you go into the far-off land, Ketty, every person crossing your path will call to you. He may not call so you can hear. But he will call just the same because he needs somebody to listen to him-to understand him, to speak to him in a friendly voice, to care about him, maybe to laugh with him. So, when people cross your path, and when voices speak, whether or not you hear the voices, be present.”
“How can I be present if I don’t know what a body needs?” asked Ketty.
“By loving people, Ketty, you will come to understand their needs. By loving and caring about people-all people. See people as we Moravians see them-not as friends or enemies, but as people, red people and black people as well as white, Tories as well as patriots, the gentleman’s slave as well as the gentleman. If love goes with you through the wilderness, Ketty, you needn’t be afraid. There isn’t any evil in the world that won’t give ground before a loving woman.”
“Be present,” murmured Ketty, trying to plumb the depths of the words,
“And do you remember how we began every day with reverence?” asked Sister Oesterlein. “The second rule is, be reverent. Reverence God and all that He has created. Especially reverence life, Ketty-all life. Reverence and enjoy the lovely things of earth-wind in the wheat fields, cucumber vines in bloom, the smell of scythed hay in windrows, the noise of thunder, and the stillness of the snow. Whatever falls to your lot, lean times or times of plenty, if you care about people and walk reverently, Ketty, you will be doing right. And you can make any far-off land a good land.” Chapter 2