Sorrow Tugs....

There's a lot of joy in the smiling world,
there's plenty of morning sun,
And laughter and songs and dances, too,                                                             

when-ever the day's work's done;                                                                      
Full many an hour is a shining one,
when viewed by itself apart,
But the golden threads in the warp of life
are the sorrow tugs at your heart.

Oh, the fun is froth and it blows away,
and many a joy's forgot,
And the pleasures come and the pleasures go,
and memory holds them not;
But treasured ever you keep the pain
that causes your tears to start,
For the sweetest hours are the ones that bring
the sorrow tugs at your heart.

The lump in your throat and the little sigh
when your baby trudged away
The very first time to the big red school —
how long will their memory stay?
The fever days and the long black nights
you watched as she troubled, slept,
And the joy you felt when she smiled once more —
how long will that all be kept?

The glad hours live in a feeble way,
but the sad ones never die.
His first long trousers caused a pang
and you saw them with a sigh.
And the big still house when the boy and girl,
unto youth and beauty grown,
To college went; will you e'er forget that first grim hour alone?

It seems as you look back over things,
that all that you treasure dear
Is somehow blent in a wondrous way
with a heart pang and a tear.
Though many a day is a joyous one
when viewed by itself apart,
The golden threads in the warp of life
are the sorrow tugs at your heart.

  Edgar A Guest.

In keeping with my theme and mood this week; I love this poem. Enjoy; and may those sorrow tugs keep us looking to the One who is our strength and peace.
Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you. John 14:27

Life's Bittersweet Sentiment

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of
   holding on and letting go.
        (Havelock Ellis)

Summer's door has been flung open...          
I cast one last furtive glance towards
what can nor ever will be again.
I know life must be a forward journey.
That we live and learn, and the past
in all it's joys and sorrow,it's highs and lows...
shape us into who we've become today.

I pray I will not; because of fear or selfishness,
keep my children from experiencing all that life has to offer and teach them.
May they be rapt learners.
It takes a certain type of bravery from Above to be able to cross that bridge to the unknown.
Whether it's a child's first day of school or the last.

We must be strong and remember to hold the memories close enough to comfort us,  but far enough away not to cripple.

I always get sentimental at the end of the school year and beginning of summer...

It seems to reiterate so profoundly the ceaseless ebb of time.

Today second daughter wrote her last exam for grade 11,

then I took her to the camp she will be counselling at for the summer.

(hence the somewhat somber mood!)

            
                              

Necessary Love...

 Never underestimate the power of small kindness. I really had no idea when I decided to wave faithfully every morning to our grumpy and austere bus driver that I would be so transformed.

I started waving and encouraging the kids to be kind and gracious, despite his crankiness. Well our love chipped away a coarse exterior exposing a smiling,waving and appreciative man.

I have tears in my eyes as I write this as I realize that what I started out to try and change and soften someone elses' heart ,which is so exciting to see, I also come away changed, humbled and thankful .

It really is God's love for me that makes it possible for me to extend it to others, and sometimes the

smallest deeds are the most profound.

                                                                        

              The people who are the hardest to love;

                              are the ones who need it the most.

                                             ~Socrates~

June ; A Reverie In Green

On God's green earth the ocean swims in brilliant blues
The yellow sun warms me and you
'Til it's chased by an iridescent moon
On God's green earth

On God's green earth the mountains climb with purple haze
Against a sky of stormy grays
There are ebony nights and silver days
On God's green earth

We live, we laugh and love and dance
'Cause God makes all things beautiful and perfect in His hands
We rise from the ashes of our past
'Cause we've learned the truth at last
Love is not blind
Every color shines
On God's green earth

On God's green earth...if every color was the same
And every child had just one name
There'd be no beauty for each of us to claim

On God's green earth
We see the scars of yesterday
Of wars that we cannot erase
But we can walk hand in hand in healing grace
On God's green earth
(Twila Labar, Joel Lindsay) song by Point Of Grace

                         I wonder what it would be like

to live in a world

where it was always June.

L M Montgomery.

My New Follower

I didn't realize I was missing anything. Almost three years ago we said "good- bye" to our beloved Woody.

I decided we would be fine, there could never be another dog like him anyway..

                                

Then a few weeks ago, my daughter found Canyon and he needed a home."please Mom

"I will take care of him" she insisted.

I recanted ;and I must admit I like the company.

When I go out to my garden he follows,

and when I go to the barn for eggs he accompanies me.

He lies beside me while I work in the flower beds or just putter around.

He has much to discover here horses,sheep, riding lawnmowers,garage door openers,and cats to name a few ,hopefully he will adjust and feel at home on the farm!

.

Brittany and Canyon

Don't walk in front of me;I may not follow.Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
                  Just walk beside me and be my friend.(Albert Campus)

                                            I think he just may be the most placid dog ever!!

By God's Grace I'll Try...

Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

[Reportedly inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta, and attributed to her. However, an article in the New York Times has since reported (March 8, 2002) that the original version of this poem was written by Kent M.

  

Peony, The Queen of Flowers ?

 If I could plant only ONE  flower; it would have to be the
                          white peony.
To me, it is truly a gem of a flower in its understated elegance.
 

But as I consider a garden full of white peony ,I have to admit I would miss the staid lupin ,or the flamboyant poppy and what about the myriad  of other lovely flowers!

Yes, as much as I love the white peony,I am so thankful

for ALL the flowers, and everything they offer us!

Exclusiveness in a garden

is a mistake as great as it is

in society.

(Alfred Austin)

a repost from a year ago....the peonies have just started blooming....

hope your week has too...

Yes ,It is all Good,Thank-you.

God,thank-you for today and all it's blissful newness.

For this glorious always out of fruit and cookies, and long lines of laundry stage of life.

For girls with imaginations; unfettered by fear.

For yesterdays' fumblings, ,failures ,and small victories, that create this beautiful collage.

For happy ending to that lost ,little girl.

For visiting nephew after kidney transplant and seeing the peace of God.

For learning how to let go...LEARNING ,not THERE yet!

For this gorgeous month of June: which is a tangent mix of every emotion.

and ofcourse that wonderful first bowl of garden lettuce!!

Heart Gardens

Sweet flowers grow slow,while weeds make haste.(Shakespeare)
  or to paraphrase....

Good habits take time,while bad ones run rampant.

     my morning reading was in Psalms 19.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Psalms 19:13

Our hearts not unlike a garden, need careful cultivation in order to keep weeds or bad habits from taking over.
Let's keep the soil of our hearts weeded, so that our lives can be a flourishing garden.

 

One of the worst mistakes you can make as a gardener,

is to think that YOU are in charge.(anonymous)

Weekend Wishes

well ,I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
I enjoyed mine, my grass and gardens are bursting into a lush ,green, melody. had a beautiful ride on my bike tonight as the sun was setting.(no camera)

last night my oldest daughter and I watched a movie from the archives, at least to her... as she would of only been two when it came out...
it is one of my all time favourites, here's a clip

it has all that makes for a great movie.... drama, comedy  and romance. It was such a pleasant way to escape.
I'll leave with a picture I took this evening, I hope it conveys the blessing I wish on you and your week.

          
    ...may I never miss a rainbow or a sunset....
 because I was looking back.