Yum!

Today was my first day at home after graduating from Fountainview Academy, and home is more wonderful than I remembered. I woke up later than I'm used to, but it was still cool and misty because it had rained in the night. I tossed on my favorite zip-off pants, my old running shoes, and a hoodie, grabbed my sister and a warm water bottle, and went for a hike.
The hike wasn't too long, but it was pretty. Our acreage is at about 3000 ft of elevation, so it's a bit cooler around here and summer hasn't really arrived yet (right now I'm in our living room wearing a wool sweater and sitting by the crackling fire in our wood stove). Outside it's rather chilly, but the grass is tall and wet and green, and the spring flowers are still coming out.
After our little jaunt, my sister and I had our devotions and started on our day. I got a lot of violin practice done, and that felt good. I think the highlight of the day was this evening though. I helped mom make a traditional African meal of fresh garden veggies over cornmeal for supper, and my sister and I got to do an experiment for dessert. I've never made vegan/gluten free rice crispies before, and it's been so long since I had the real kind that I'd almost forgotten what they tasted like. Providentially, my little sis had some vegan marshmallows that she wanted to finish up, and we had some rice checks that I figured would be just as good as rice krispies.
At first they looked a little sketchy. Vegan marshmallows don't melt exactly the same as normal ones, they don't get quite as soft, so the cereal was rather difficult to mix in. My familiy laughed when they saw me trying to mix and shape the sticky mess. Some of my friends take pretty pictures of the food they make, and my sister thought I should do it too, but I thought I'd better not. It might be embarrassing.
I wish I could have a link here that made some of my rice crispies pop out of your computer screen and into your mouth when you clicked on it. They were so good. Childhood memories of sleepovers, birthday parties, and picnics floated through my mind as I chewed on my perfect little treat. It was sweet but not sickening, and the crunchy chewy balance was perfect. I'll have to make them again.
Praise the Lord for such a fun day.

Unawares

They said, "The Master is coming
To honor the town today,
And none can tell at what house or home
The Master will choose to stay."
And I thought while my heart beat wildly,
What if He should come to mine,
How would I strive to entertain
And honor the Guest Divine!

And straight I turned to toiling,
To make my home more neat;
I swept, and polished and garnished,
And decked it with blossoms sweet.
I was troubled for fear the Master
Might come ere my work was done
And I hasted and worked the faster,
And watched the hurrying sun.

But right in the midst of my duties
A woman came to my door;
She had come to tell her sorrows
And my comfort and aid to implore,
And I said, "I cannot listen,
Nor help you any, today;
I have greater things to attend to."
And the pleader turned away.

But soon there came another -
A cripple, thin, pale and gray -
And said: "Oh, let me stop and rest
A while in your house, I pray !
I have traveled far since morning,
I am hungry and faint and weak;
My heart is full of misery,
And comfort and help I seek."

And I cried, "I am grieved and sorry
But I cannot help you today.
I look for a great and noble Guest,"
And the cripple went away;
And the day wore onward swiftly -
And my task was nearly done,
And a prayer was ever in my heart
That the Master to me might come.

And I thought I would spring to meet Him,
And serve Him with utmost care,
When a little child stood near me
With a face so sweet and fair -
Sweet, but with marks of teardrops -
And his clothes were tattered and old;
A finger was bruised and bleeding,
And his little bare feet were cold.

And I said, "I'm sorry for you -
You are sorely in need of care;
But I cannot stop to give it,
You must hasten otherwhere."
And at the words, a shadow
Swept o'er his blue-veined brow -
"Someone will feed and clothe you, dear,
But I am too busy now."

At last the day was ended,
And my toil was over and done;
My house was swept and garnished -
And I watched in the dark - alone.
Watched - but no footfall sounded,
No one paused at my gate;
No one entered my cottage door;
I could only pray - and wait.

I waited till night had deepened,
And the Master had not come.
"He has entered some other door," I said,
"And gladdened some other home !"
My labor had been for nothing,
And I bowed my head and I wept,
My heart was sore with longing -
Yet - in spite of it all - I slept.

Then the Master stood before me,
And His face was grave and fair;
"Three times today I came to your door,
And I craved your pity and care;
Three times you sent me onward,
Unhelped and uncomforted;
And the blessing you might have had was lost,
And your chance to serve has fled."

"O Lord, dear Lord, forgive me !
How could I know it was Thee ?"
My very soul was shamed and bowed
In the depths of humility,
And He said, "The sin is pardoned,
But the blessing is lost to thee;
For, comforting not the least of Mine,
You have failed to comfort Me."

- Emma A. Lent

The Fool's Prayer

The royal feast was done; the King

Sought some new sport to banish care,

And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,

Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

 

The jester doffed his cap and bells,

And stood the mocking court before;

They could not see the bitter smile

Behind the painted grin he wore.

 

He bowed his head, and bent his knee

Upon the Monarch's silken stool;

His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,

Be merciful to me, a fool!

 

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart

From red with wrong to white as wool;

The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,

Be merciful to me, a fool!

 

"'T is not by guilt the onward sweep

Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;

'T is by our follies that so long

We hold the earth from heaven away.

 

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,

Go crushing blossoms without end;

These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust

Among the heart-strings of a friend.

 

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--

Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?

The word we had not sense to say--

Who knows how grandly it had rung!

 

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.

The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;

But for our blunders -- oh, in shame

Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

 

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;

Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool

That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,

Be merciful to me, a fool!"

 

The room was hushed; in silence rose

The King, and sought his gardens cool,

And walked apart, and murmured low,

"Be merciful to me, a fool!" 

 

-Edward Rowland Sill

O World

O world, thou choosest not the better part!

It is not wisdom to be only wise,

And on the inward vision close the eyes,

But it is wisdom to believe the heart.

Columbus found a world, and had no chart,

Save one that faith deciphered in the skies;

To trust the soul's invincible surmise

Was all his science and his only art.

Our knowledge is a torch of smoky pine

That lights the pathway but one step ahead

Across a void of mystery and dread.

Bid, then, the tender light of faith to shine

By which alone the mortal heart is led

Unto the thinking of the thought divine. 

 

-George Santayana

Sun and Rain and Dew from Heaven

 Sun and rain and dew from heaven,

Light and shade and air,

Heat and moisture freely given,

Thorns and thistles share.

Vegetation rank and rotten

Feels the cheering ray;

Not uncared for, unforgotten,

We, too, have our day.

Unforgotten! though we cumber

Earth, we work His will.

Shall we sleep through night’s long slumber,

Unforgotten still?

Onward! onward! toiling ever,

Weary steps and slow,

Doubting oft, despairing never,

To the goal we go!

Hark! the bells on distant cattle

Waft across the range,

Through the golden-tufted wattle,

Music low and strange;

Like the marriage peal of fairies

Comes the tinkling sound,

Or like chimes of sweet St. Mary’s

On for English ground.

How my courser champs the snaffle,

And with nostrils spread,

Snorts and scarcely seems to ruffle

Fern leaves with his tread;

Cool and pleasant on his haunches

Blows an evening breeze,

Through the overhanging branches

Of the wattle trees:

Onward! to the Southern Ocean,

Glides the breath of Spring,

Onward, with a dreamy motion,

I, too, glide and sing--

Forward! forward! still we wander--

Tinted hills that lie

In the red horizon yonder--

Is the goal so nigh?

Whisper, spring-wind, softly singing,

Whisper in my ear;

Respite and nepenthe bringing,

Can the goal be near?

Laden with the dew of vespers,

From the fragrant sky,

In my ear the wind that whispers

Seems to make reply--

“Question not, but live and labor

Till yon goal be won,

Helping every feeble neighbor,

Seeking help from none;

Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone--

KINDNESS in another’s trouble,

COURAGE in your own.”

Courage, comrades, this is certain

All is for the best--

There are lights behind the curtain--

Gentles let us rest.

As the smoke-rack veers to seaward,

From “the ancient clay,”

With its moral drifting leeward,

Ends the wanderer’s lay.

-Adam Lindsay Gordon

Sleepless...

I don't understand it. I can't wrap my mind around it. Not until my mind has grasped it will I be able to let it go.

Laurie's Ant and God's Shoe

This is part of a worship that one of my deans gave in the girls dorm. It really touched me, so I thought I would share it.

 

I (Laurie) was sitting on a rock out by Seton Lake and there was a little ant crawling on the ground by the rock. The little ant was carrying a leaf about twice her size and was obviously struggling. As I watched her pull and tug and drag the leaf through the dirt I wanted to help her. “Little ant,” I said, “little ant, can I help you? I can take your load. I’m really big and it would be easy for me to carry it for you. See, here’s my hand. I could even pick you up and carry you where you want to go.” But the little ant just kept pulling and tugging and dragging her leaf through the dirt, she didn’t even pause to look up. 

I continued to watch her stumble along until she reached my shoe. If an ant has ever sighed with discouragement, this one did.  My shoe was yet another impossible obstacle in her path.  Again I tried to offer her assistance, but she didn’t notice. She was too occupied with her great big burden.

Many times I am carrying a big burden: my past, my sins, my sorrows. I struggle through this dirty world trying to carry something twice my size. It is heavy, and I stumble and trip and fall. It is hard. Yet all the while God is calling to me, “Little child! Little child, can I help you? I can take your load. I’m really big and it would be easy for me to carry it for you. See, here’s my hand. I could even pick you up and carry you where you want to go.” Sadly, I often am too busy trying to carry my load on my own to notice Him trying to help me.  Many times I come to something huge and think it is just another discouraging obstacle when really it is God’s shoe. If I were to just raise my eyes I would see God smiling down at me and offering me His hand.

“ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-31 KJV)