First day of Spring!

Although the weather in my part of the world has screamed springtime for a while now, today it is official! Bradford Pears, daffodils and Red Bud trees are all in bloom. Soon we'll see our beloved Dogwood's in full color! In honor of the season...Vivaldi's "La Primavera" (Spring)

Words

I recently posted about the death of Robert Sherman and what many of his songs meant to me. Once upon a time, my grandmother challenged me to learn to spell "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"...it took a little while, but I did it!

An now to find out it's not the longest word in the dictionary!

I've been mulling over a post about words, guess I need to get busy on it again!

Laetare Sunday

Because the midpoint of Lent is the Thursday of the third week of Lent, in the Eastern Orthodox church, Laetare Sunday has traditionally been viewed as a day of celebration, on which the austerity of Lent is briefly lessened. The purple vestments and altar cloths of Lent are set aside, and rose ones are used instead. Flowers, which are normally forbidden during Lent, may be placed on the altar. Traditionally, the organ was never played during Lent, except on Laetare Sunday.

Because we are halfway through the Lenten season, it's a good time to take stock of what you're doing. Did you make a commitment to give something up? How is that going for you? Perhaps you added a Study at church, or agreed to read certain books or texts, again, are you keeping up with this promise? If not, now is a good time to start again...or change directions and take another path.

Whatever your Lenten discipline, we can all use more prayer in our life. The two shown below are easy to memorize and add. The first, by St. Ephrem, can be said morning and night...to focus our thoughts and our lives. The second "The Jesus Prayer" can be used at anytime (or all the time) during the day to "center" us. Personally, I pray the Jesus prayer with prayer beads I made myself. In times of stress, strain or feeling down, I can hold the prayer beads in my hand to remind me the Christ is there for me. They have been a part of so many prayers, worship services, acts of discipline and I have an immediate reaction to the feel of them in my hand.

The Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

O Lord and Master of my life, keep from me the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power and idle chatter. Instead, grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humble-mindedness, patience and love. O Lord and King, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and to not judge my brother, for You are blessed now and ever and forever. Amen

The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

If you have a few moments each day that you can spend away from the world, reading the Scriptures are a wonderful discipline to add. I would suggest beginning with the Psalms (Psalms 113 - 118) are an excellent place to start. Add more when you're ready or maybe pick up a book of Daily Scripture Readings...or look on-line.

Whatever choice you make concerning Spiritual Disciplines, the key is following through, daily. And when the Easter sunrise dawns, chances are you'll continue what you've started.

St. Paddy's Day part 2

Ok, I know St. Patrick's day was yesterday but I just couldn't resist adding this today:

 

You've got to admit...it is funny!

St. Patrick's Day

 

The Chicago River dyed green for the Day!

From Busted Halo
It’s March. The air is getting slightly less frigid, the wind is blowing, the snow is (God willing) starting to melt. This can only mean one thing: it’s time to start rocking the green and drinking the beer. In other words, it’s time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Whether you’re Irish and Catholic or anything else imaginable, March 17 is a day of revelry and fun, where everyone takes part in the traditional celebratory green beer and expects kisses simply for being “Irish” (even when they’re not). All this revelry is understandable in celebration of such a wonderful saint, but the question has to be asked: Why do we celebrate a man of God with excessive drinking, songs, and the color green? It might not seem likely, but these modern traditions do actually make perfect sense, if you know the Irish.

....

So there you have it, the cultural and spiritual history of our common St. Patrick’s Day revelries. Are there ways to make the holiday “holier”? Yes. Are they as much fun as the whiskey and the green hair? Probably not, but that’s OK. God likes to “meet us where we are” on our road to Him, and if that road happens to pass through a bar or two on our way to heaven, I’m sure God understands. Have a happy St. Paddy’s Day, and try not to go overboard on the green beer. I’ve heard it leaves you with one helluva bad hangover.

If you'd like to read everything in between...go to the post linked above!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Feast Day of...

St. Patrick
British-born Patrick was captured by Irish pirates when he was sixteen and taken to Ireland as a slave. During this difficult time of his life when he was forced to herd livestock in the mountains, the youth drew strength from his Christian faith. When he was able to escape six years later he somehow found his way home to England. The young Patrick, much-changed by his years as a captive, decided to study for the priesthood.

In a series of dreams, Patrick heard Irish voices imploring him to return to Ireland. For the next thirty years he wandered around Ireland. In his ministry as an Irish bishop Patrick established a large network of churches and monasteries, trained Irish clergy, and baptized countless people as Christians.

Did he really drive all snakes from Ireland? Or explain the concept of the Trinity with a shamrock? We'll never be able to separate truth from legend, but the evidence of what he actually accomplished is in the centuries of a strong Irish Catholic Church that endures today. He died around 461.
from MethodX

Ballad of Barbara Allen

This song was first printed in 1750 but was mentioned in Samuel Pepy's diary as early as 1666. It was an old and familiar song even in Samuel's day. No one knows if the author was Scottish or Irish or English...but they do know that it was written somewhere on those islands.

My mother loved the Ballad of Barbara Allen...so much that we had it played at her funeral. The musicians did a beautiful job, but she loved this version by Jerry Reed the best...



         Ballad of Barbara Allen
In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
Made every youth cry 'Well-a-day'
and her name was Barbara Allen

'Twas in the merry month of May
When the green buds they were swelling
Sweet William on his death-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen

He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling
Said, Master, bid you to his side
If your name be Barbara Allen

Slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she went nigh him
And when she drew the curtain back
Said, Young man, I think you're dying

Oh yes I'm sick, I'm very very sick
And I will be no better
Until I have the love of one
The love of Barbara Allen

Father, Father, go dig my grave
Dig it deep, deep and narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow

They buried her in the old churchyard
Sweet William's grave was nigh her
And from his heart there grew a rose
And from her heart grew a briar

They grew and grew up the churchyard wall
Till they couldn't grow no higher
Then grew as one, to part no more,
The red, red rose and the briar.