Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Thanksgiving

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in

And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway --
Thanksgiving comes again!
    ---Old Rhyme.


 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Song of the Three Young Men

 
Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
And blessed is Your glorious and holy Name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed are You in the Temple of Your holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Blessed are You who looks upon the depths, and sits upon the Cherubim [fiery angels; statues of these were atop the Ark of the Covenant in the Jewish Temple]: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed are You on the glorious Throne of Your kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Blessed are You in the vaults of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified for ever.
O all you works of the Lord, bless  the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you heavens, bless  the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you waters above the heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you Sun and Moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O every shower and dew, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you winds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you ice and cold, bless  the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you frost and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you lightning and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you mountains and little hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you things that grow on the earth, bless  the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you whales and all that move in the waters, bless  the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you birds of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever...
O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord, praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O you holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever...
O give thanks unto the Lord, because He is gracious: for His loving-kindness lasts forever.
 
--the alleged song of the men who sang while in the fiery furnace.  From an apocryphal section inserted after Daniel 3:23.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Extreme Northwest Arizona



Click below links on "desert" to find poems that are reminiscent of this area near Chloride, AZ. 

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Come Unto Me, You Weary

“Come unto Me, you weary,
And I will give you rest.”*
O blessèd voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of consolation,
Of pardon, grace and peace,
Of joy that has no ending,
Of love which cannot cease.
 
 "Come unto me, you wanderers, 
And I will give your light."
O loving voice of Jesus, 

Which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness

When we had lost our way;
But He has brought us gladness 

And songs at break of day.


"And anyone who comes forth, 
I will not cast him out."
O patient love of Jesus, 

Which drives away our doubt,
Which, though we be unworthy 

Of love so great and free,
Invites us very sinners 

To come as we may be!

--William C. Dix, ~1867; adapted c.m.b., 2014

Dix wrote of this hymn:
I was ill and de­pressed at the time, and it was al­most to idle away the hours that I wrote the hymn. I had been ill for ma­ny weeks and felt weary and faint, and the hymn real­ly ex­press­es the lan­guid­ness of bo­dy from which I was suf­fer­ing at the time. Soon af­ter its com­po­si­tion I re­cov­ered, and I al­ways look back to that hymn as the turn­ing point in my ill­ness.
*"[Jesus said]' 'Come unto Me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.'"  (Matthew 11:28-30)
 

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Creator Spirit

(Blessed Pentecost)

By the Word of Yahweh were the heavens made,
And all their hosts by the Spirit of His mouth.  (Psalm 33:6)

You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And you renew the face of the earth.  (Psalm 104:30)*
 
(*Biblical Translations by Marie Byars)
 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Song (Two Doves Upon The Selfsame Branch)

Two doves upon the selfsame branch,
  Two lilies on a single stem,
Two butterflies upon one flower:--
  O happy they who look on them.

Who look upon them hand in hand
  Flushed in the rosy summer light;
Who look upon them hand in hand
  And never give a thought to night.


--- Christina Rossetti  (1830 - 1894)  

(Although this poem is not specifically Christian, the poetess was)