Spring Fever, or Lent, if You Will

photo - telegraph. u.k.

  I blame the local D.I.Y store for their winter sales on paint,
 but hubby has bought enough for all but two of the rooms in the house,
 plus hall, landing and stairway,
 and is tearing away at the job.

 We are now on room three.  Our bedroom.
 Given  that he's almost seventy nine, has horrendously bad and painful knees,
 and problem eyesight, we progress fairly well.

 For fairly well read, me constantly repeating my mantras,
 "You have missed a bit",
(He does, and I can't help being a critic!)
 " Why don't you take a break?!"
 (He pushes himself, and I can't help being concerned!)
and me cleaning blobs of paint from places paint should never be,
 whilst he works himself to a standstill.

It's not exactly spring fever, but something very like it.

I must admit, seeing the transformation he is making,
 even those rooms I didn't think needed touching
 really did need freshening after all.

Seeing the gleaming white window sill that has just been  painted
against the yellowing frames that haven't, are pretty convincing.

Watching his preparation before he applies the fresh paper and paint
have made me think about this season of spring in the church's calendar.

(Did you know that Lent is an old English word for spring?
No, I don't think I did either.)

It would be so easy to cover over what's only slightly shabby.
Camouflage is so tempting.
Just keep covering what is underneath with another coat.



But No!


Sometimes hubby judges a simple wash down is all that is needed,
but a lot of the time he rubs the paintwork down.
Cleans out the old filling that's shrunk back,
or stands too proud. (Ouch!)
Then he puts in new stuff, and smooths it down so the cracks are gone.
Then, and only then,
as he deems the preparation is complete can the finish be applied.

Of course when we say finish, we know
 at some point it will all need doing again.

I always enter Lent with thanksgiving that
 even though transformation is a continuing process,
hour by hour, and day by day,
 as we seek to live in Christ,
this special season gives us time to focus on a deeper co-operation
with the spirit's work of renewal.

All it takes is the humility, (or we could say the readiness),
 to see the shabbiness that may have crept in,
and the little spots that need to be uncovered,
or emptied out,
 in order to be refilled and renewed.

We do not need re-decoration as our rooms do,
but we all need opening to the deeper radiance
of an inner life that will shine through.
Well, I know I do.


So, away with any need for camouflage, or covering up.
I'm entering Lent with that touch of spring fever!





Wishing you a fruitful Spring,
 or Lent, if you will.

Be Blessed this Weekend.

An Anchor of Hope

http://i.istockimg.com/file_thumbview_approve/21008246/3/stock-photo-21008246-white-dove-isolated.jpg

While the news from all over the world presses in with

so much suffering, sickness, and war,

 it becomes impossible to end

 the litany of prayer.

At the end of World War 11 words which have come to be known as

Inscription of Hope 

were found scratched onto a cellar wall in Cologne, Germany,

by an unknown Jew in hiding from the holocaust.

May the same vision of hope, and strength of heart,

be with all who seek peace at this time.

Inscription of Hope

I believe in the sun,

Even when it is not shining.

And I believe in love,

Even when there’s no one there.

And I believe in God,

Even when He is silent.

I believe though any trial,

There is always a way.

But sometimes in the suffering,

And hopeless despair.

My heart cries for shelter,

To know someone’s there.

But a voice rises within me,

Saying hold on my child.

I’ll give you strength I’ll give you hope,

Just stay a little while.

I believe in the sun, (Ooooo)

Even when it is not shining. (Ooooo)

And I believe in love, (Ooooo)

Even when there’s no one there. (Ooooo)

But I believe in God,

Even when He is silent.

I believe through any trial,

There is always a way.


To hear these words sung by New Jersey Honour choir click on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjrhRJ_hsuc

 as for some reason blogger is refusing to upload videos at the moment. 

Be Blessed

Read and Learn?

Scrolls of silver birch bark manuscripts lie waiting to be read.

I wish I could fathom their secrets,

but they have already written magic on my day.

Be Blessed