Hope

When as a youngster I was struggling through the bleak and barren end of The Lord of the Rings, where Sam is making his journey into heart of darkness, I came across a passage which has had a profound and permanent affect on me. I shared it with Aunt P today.

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."--J.R.R. Tolkien

And so it is for us and all our struggles with darkness and despair, whenever and wherever they may come!

Quote of the day

"Most vegetables have more protein per calorie than meat and more calcium per calorie than milk. Nobody can consume too little protein by eating less animal products and substituting more vegetables, beans, and seeds."

-Joel Fuhrman, Disease-Proof Your Child; Feeding Kids Right

My New Life

Do you remember this graceful and courageous woman from nieniedialogues.blogspot.com?

This is what Sister Dalton calls "Deep Beauty." Happy Belated Mothers Day. (Click on the link below.)

My New Life

Going Green Giving Up Gum

First it was Peppermint altoids. So clear, so fresh, so curiously strong! It took me years to overcome their perfect power. I only wobble once in a while when I splurge on the chocolate-covered ones.

My low calorie,mouth-freshening replacement, as you all know, has been GUM. Especially Dentyne Ice. It is really nice, and does suffice.

But aspartame is BAD stuff. I'm giving it up! The replacement gum doesn't last as long or taste as good, but at least it will give me something to chomp on. I'm not committing never to eat a piece of artificially flavored gum, but it will be the rare exception that I do.

Pictured are two brands I'm going to try instead.

This is such a good, safe forum for handling our addictions. Who's next?? ;)

xoxo

PS I fixed the header.

The Lost is Found!

Hi Family,

Since we have been close together almost daily (which I will always treasure) my blogging has fallen off a bit. But I'm so excited. While organizing my journals, I found copies of the "Come" poem I wrote for Savior of the World. Rachel asked for it about a year ago, and I couldn't find it. Hooray for Dad, who had backed up my old computer. Here is the original version, and then the version which matched the meter the church wanted and has the verses they requested. I don't think I wrote the chorus to the second one.

Love to all of you, and gratitude to the Lord whom this celebrates.

Mom

PS Here is Andrew as Andrew in SOTW 2005, I believe.

Come Poem Original

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Manger;
May we see thy tender face?
Great Creator, here a stranger,
Infant in the humble place.
Darkness scatter! Morning swell!
Come, Dear Lord Immanuel!

Come, Lord Jesus, to thy Children,
Shepherd on the stony road.
Blind with sorrow, we are fallen;
Bear for us this mortal load.
In the thicket waits the ram;
Thou art he, Oh Son of Man!

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Garden
Thou hast trod the press alone.
While we slept, thy heart was broken.
Saw we not, nor heard thee moan.
Lord, we wait for only One;
Bid us rise, Beloved Son!

Come, Lord Jesus, in thy Glory;
Light of morning from the east.
Crush the serpent in thy fury;
Dry our tears, all weeping cease!
O'er the earth thy ransomed band
Shout, "Hosanna to the Lamb!"


Come Poem 2

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Manger;
May we see thy tender face?
Great Creator, here a stranger,
Infant in this humble place.

Come, Lord Jesus, to thy Children,
All creation waits for thee.
Bend to earth to lift the fallen,
Raise thy wings to set them free!

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Wedding,
With thy kinsmen, join the feast;
On this night, our joy is spreading,
Shedding starlight from the east.

Come, Lord Jesus, see the Dawning
Jubilation in the skies!
Hear the Heavenly Hosts responding,
Echoing our joyful cries!

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Wounded,
Broken heart in every child.
Worthy Lamb, thy love unbounded--
Ever tame, to claim the wild.

Come, Lord Jesus, to the Garden.
Thou hast trod the press alone.
While we slept, thy heart was broken.
Saw we not, nor heard thee moan.

Come, Lord Jesus, in thy Glory;
Light of morning from the east.
Crush the serpent in thy fury;
Dry our tears, all weeping cease!

CHORUS
Let our eyes behold thee, Lord;
Make our hearts hold dear thy word.
Bring us home no more to wander;
Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

Lark Galli