Renowned offspring of David, Light of Patriarchs, Spouse of the Mother of God, Chaste guardian of the Virgin, Foster father of the Son of God, Diligent protector of Christ, Head of the Holy Family, Joseph most just, Joseph most chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most strong, Joseph most obedient, Joseph most faithful, Mirror of patience, Lover of poverty, Model of artisans, Glory of home life, Guardian of virgins, Pillar of families, Solace of the wretched, Hope of the sick, Patron of the dying, Terror of demons, Protector of Holy Church,
Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap. – Barbara Jordan
Lent is upon us and I thought we would share a peek at our little prayer table and how it looks right now. It sits off to one side of the living room and the little ones gravitate there when I am working nearby in the kitchen.
I loved Ann Voskamp's idea for Ash Wednesday so we began lent there. We had a good talk about the Our Father prayer and really listening to what we are saying when we pray. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Which is essentially saying, Dear Lord, please treat me the way I treat others. It's a prayer with a bit of a catch. Sigh.
Alongside the bowl of 'dust' is a bible and a bowl which holds strips of paper with relevant verses to look up. Last week they were all about forgiveness. We have had lots of discussion about what forgiveness is and isn't. As in, forgiving an offense does not mean you approve of it. Forgiveness also does not mean you must remain in close contact with the offender. Sometimes that would not be wise nor safe. But we must always, really and truly, let it go inside.
Above the table last week was Ann's printable. Today it was replaced with this illustration of the week's gospel story about the Temptation of Christ. There are new bible verses: Download Temptation We have printed some coloring pages and will use some ideas found here and here this week. (there are obviously more resources on those two link than ANY one family could do. We will pick one or two this week.)
Life is like a mountain railway, With an engineer that’s brave; We must make the run successful, From the cradle to the grave; Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels; Never falter, never fail; Keep your hands upon the throttle, And your eyes upon the rail.
You will roll up grades of trial; You will cross the bridge of strife; See that Christ is your conductor On this lightning train of life; Always mindful of obstruction, Do your duty, never fail; Keep your hands upon the throttle, And your eyes upon the rail.
You will often find obstructions, Look for storms and wind and rain; On a fill, or curve, or trestle They will almost ditch your train; Put your trust alone in Jesus, Never falter, never fail; Keep your hands upon the throttle, And your eyes upon the rail.
As you roll across the trestle, Spanning Jordan’s swelling tide, You behold the Union Depot Into which your train will glide; There you’ll meet the Sup’rintendent, God, the Father, God the Son, With the hearty, joyous plaudit, “Weary Pilgrim, welcome home.”
This hymn is attributed to Eliza Snow. I pause at that line in the middle,
"They will almost ditch your train."
Many of us know those words, know that truth, we have known storms that come dangerously close to derailing us entirely. But there is no looking left nor right on the rails. Backward glances avail nothing. Our focus must always be onward.
Always onward.
So as I listen to one of my favorite renditions, again I ask myself,
It's funny because I have certainly read to the kids about Lincoln over the years. In fact, we read one of our favorite biographies last week. Perhaps it was seeing it laid out this way that caught my attention:
1. He had a difficult childhood
2. Less than one year of formal schooling
3. Failed in business at age 22
4. Defeated for legislature at 23
5. Failed again in business at 24
6. Elected to the legislature at 24
7. Fiancee died when he was 26
8. Defeated for speaker at 29
9. Defeated for electorate at 31
10. At 33 married a woman who became a burden not a help
11. Only one of four sons lived past age 18
12. Defeated for congress at 34
13. Elected to congress at 37
14. Defeated for congress at 39
15. Defeated for senate at 46
16. Defeated for vice president at 47
17. Defeated for senate at 49
18. Finally elected president
Defeated. Defeated. Defeated. Surely a man would have reason to consider that to be the operative word in that life list… at least if you didn't know the rest of the story. And Lincoln did not know the rest of his story while he was still living it. He just chose to ignore those repeated defeats and press on. That is no small feat, especially for a man who is thought to have suffered from depression. It takes an iron will and great vision to persevere like that.
This is what I am mulling over on President's Day.
"There are many who want me to tell them of secret ways of becoming perfect and I can only tell them that the sole secret is a hearty love of God, and the only way of attaining that love is by loving. You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art."
– St Francis de Sales
Little love apprentices at work around here this week.
"The lens of loss and trial has a way of bringing blessing into sharp focus. It is the the relative ease of the uninterrupted daily that muddies the water, allowing discontent to filter in. It can make it hard to see love, to show love, to feel loving. How often we become farsighted as marriage ages, seeing clearly that which is beyond our reach, while what is right there before us blurs and fades from our sight…"
Starry Sky Journal 