Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep - while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
A Dream within a Dream - Edgar Allan Poe
Monday, 6 August 2007
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Smelling good and feeling pretty?
It is the beginning of yet another week here at college, and it seems that it all flies by sooo fast! We are in Week 2 of college, five more weeks to go and then it is the end of term again. As I look out of my bedroom window here at college, just through the haze of green curtain, there’s a glimpse of pink. An old magnolia tree is filled with so many buds that are just starting to bloom. So much prettiness just waiting to be released, until the whole tree will be covered with pink and white blossoms, that smell glorious and are very pretty. I sometimes feel a bit like this tree, the slumber time of winter, with it’s cold weather and dreary skies now giving way to some more sunshine and fun times. It’s time to put the period of hibernation aside and bring out all the summer dresses and sandals, time to paint our toenails bright colours and smell good and feel pretty. I can’t wait!
Thursday, 26 July 2007
It is well with my soul
I've been working through some tough stuff this week and for the first time in ages it feels that it is well with my soul.
This hymn was written by Horatio Spafford after several traumatic events in his life. The first was the death of his only son, followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a wealthy business man). Two years later, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S. S. Ville Du Havre. He sent his family on ahead while he was delayed on business. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with another ship, and all four of his daughters were killed. His wife Anna, alone survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
This hymn was written by Horatio Spafford after several traumatic events in his life. The first was the death of his only son, followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a wealthy business man). Two years later, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S. S. Ville Du Havre. He sent his family on ahead while he was delayed on business. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with another ship, and all four of his daughters were killed. His wife Anna, alone survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Friday, 20 July 2007
The Woods
The Way through the Woods - Rudyard Kipling
They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath,
And the thin anemones.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.
Yet, if you enter the woods
Of a summer evening late,
When the night-air cools on the trout-ringed pools
Where the otter whistles his mate.
(They fear not men in the woods,
Because they see so few)
You will hear the beat of a horse's feet,
And the swish of a skirt in the dew,
Steadily cantering through
The misty solitudes,
As though they perfectly knew
The old lost road through the woods.
But there is no road through the woods.
They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath,
And the thin anemones.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.
Yet, if you enter the woods
Of a summer evening late,
When the night-air cools on the trout-ringed pools
Where the otter whistles his mate.
(They fear not men in the woods,
Because they see so few)
You will hear the beat of a horse's feet,
And the swish of a skirt in the dew,
Steadily cantering through
The misty solitudes,
As though they perfectly knew
The old lost road through the woods.
But there is no road through the woods.
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
forgive and forget??
It all started when someone lent me some music by Damien Rice not so long ago. Since then I've been listening to some old music and lately, being in this reflective holiday mood, so many memories of the past years seem to have resurfaced. Incredible how powerful music can be in remembering things.
I've been wondering about past relationships, both the good and the not so good ones. What is it that one can take with you to a new relationship and what do you just HAVE TO leave behind? Is it possible to leave the hurt and heartbreak behind? Is it possible to truly forgive AND forget? I find it easier to forgive but the memories are not easy to forget, even the painful ones. And I wonder if God intended for us to go through this all - the broken heartedness, the broken promises, the hurt, the joy, the pain, the emptiness?
Just thinking it through, here's the words that I've been listening to ...
This Boy - James Morrison
This boy wants to play,
There's no time left today,
It's a shame 'cause he has to go home.
This boy's got to work
Got to sweat just to pay what he gets to get left all alone.
Well let's step outside,
Let's go for a ride,
Just for a while.
No we won't get caught,
Well that's what I thought, until we cry.
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn't been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
For years I've been holding it down.
This girl tries her best everyday,
But it's all gone to waste 'cause there's no one around,
This girl she can draw she can paint,
Likes to dance she can skate,
Now she don't make a sound.
We'll play in our park,
'Till it's too dark for us to see
Well we'll make our way home,
With mud on our clothes,
She won't be pleased.
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn't been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
And I,
Love to forgive and forget,
So I,
Try to put all this behind us,
Just,
Know that my arms are wide open,
The older I get, the more that I know.
Well it's time to let this go.
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn' been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
And I,
Love to forgive and forget,
So I,
Try to put all this behind us,
Just,
Know that my arms are wide open,
The older I get, the more that I know.
I've been wondering about past relationships, both the good and the not so good ones. What is it that one can take with you to a new relationship and what do you just HAVE TO leave behind? Is it possible to leave the hurt and heartbreak behind? Is it possible to truly forgive AND forget? I find it easier to forgive but the memories are not easy to forget, even the painful ones. And I wonder if God intended for us to go through this all - the broken heartedness, the broken promises, the hurt, the joy, the pain, the emptiness?
Just thinking it through, here's the words that I've been listening to ...
This Boy - James Morrison
This boy wants to play,
There's no time left today,
It's a shame 'cause he has to go home.
This boy's got to work
Got to sweat just to pay what he gets to get left all alone.
Well let's step outside,
Let's go for a ride,
Just for a while.
No we won't get caught,
Well that's what I thought, until we cry.
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn't been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
For years I've been holding it down.
This girl tries her best everyday,
But it's all gone to waste 'cause there's no one around,
This girl she can draw she can paint,
Likes to dance she can skate,
Now she don't make a sound.
We'll play in our park,
'Till it's too dark for us to see
Well we'll make our way home,
With mud on our clothes,
She won't be pleased.
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn't been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
And I,
Love to forgive and forget,
So I,
Try to put all this behind us,
Just,
Know that my arms are wide open,
The older I get, the more that I know.
Well it's time to let this go.
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
I got to let it go
CHORUS
I'm still here,
But it hasn' been easy,
I'm sure that you had your reasons,
I'm scared for this emotion,
For years I've been holding it down,
And I,
Love to forgive and forget,
So I,
Try to put all this behind us,
Just,
Know that my arms are wide open,
The older I get, the more that I know.
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Psalm 131
Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty,
I do not get involved with things
too great or too difficult for me.
Instead I have calmed
and quieted myself
like a little weaned child with its mother;
I am like a little child.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.
I've been doing a fair amount of reflecting this holiday and trying to make some big decisions about the future. I was thinking of this Psalm a lot. It's so comforting to know that we can take refuge in and gain our peace from God's sovereignty over our lives.
my eyes are not haughty,
I do not get involved with things
too great or too difficult for me.
Instead I have calmed
and quieted myself
like a little weaned child with its mother;
I am like a little child.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.
I've been doing a fair amount of reflecting this holiday and trying to make some big decisions about the future. I was thinking of this Psalm a lot. It's so comforting to know that we can take refuge in and gain our peace from God's sovereignty over our lives.
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