March Twenty-Eighteen

March Twenty-Eighteen 

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,

so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze

that it made you want to throw

open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary's cage,

indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

a day when the cool brick paths

and the garden bursting with peonies

seemed so etched in sunlight

that you felt like taking

a hammer to the glass paperweight

on the living room end table,

releasing the inhabitants

from their snow-covered cottage

so they could walk out,

holding hands and squinting

into this larger dome of blue and white,

well, today is just that kind of day.

-Billy Collins 

For this day of possibilities;

the roads that we have walked,

glances and greetings exchanged,

conversations and silences,

decisions made or deferred,

successes and failures,

prayers whispered or left unsaid,

blessings given or received,

for this day of possibilities,

and the one that is to come

we give you our thanks.

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering

Now may the God of love surround us,

the God of love protect us,

the God of love bring us safe

through this night and all nights,

the God of love bring us awake

once more to dawn’s fresh light.

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering

Parenting is about swallowing hard and staying soft — and mastering the art of letting go and holding on and letting come what comes. –Ann Voskamp 

Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us, so be quick to love and make haste to be kind.- Henri Frederic Ariel

Lord! Give me courage and love to open the door and

Constrain you to enter, whatever the disguise You come in,

Even before I full recognize my guest.

Come enter my small life!

Lay your sacred hands on all the common things and

Small interests of that life and bless and change them.

Transfigure my small resources, make them sacred,

And in them give me Your very Self.  

Amen.

-Evelyn Underhill

May this be a day of hope,

of expectation,

relishing each moment

as a gift from you.

May this be a day of freedom,

of breaking free,

loosening the chains that

still surround us.

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering

May this be a day of peace,

of wholeness,

knowing that our lives

are in your hands.

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering

May this be a day of joy,

of blessing

living in your kingdom

as a child of God.

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering

“God,” I asked, “What brings you joy?”

“Oh, my child,” God said, “The list is so long.

Hearing you say my name and seeing you soak in this beautiful creation bring me joy. When you stand with family, neighbors, and strangers, and sing or work together, my heart risks overflowing with joy. When you remember the children, and the quite, and the hurting- I swear my heart could take flight.”

“And when your heart takes flight,” I asked, leaning forward with curiosity, “then what happens?”

And God leaned back and laughed the most musical, heart-filled, soul-reaching laugh I’d ever heard, and that’s what I remembered- joy is contagious, and it is a gift. And then I started singing.

-Sarah Are 

Today I will choose love.

Tomorrow I will choose love.

The day after that, I will choose love.

If I mistakenly choose distraction, perfection, or negativity over love, I will not wallow in regret. I will choose love next.

I will choose love until it becomes my first response, my gut instinct, my natural reaction.

I will choose love until it becomes who I am.

-Rachel Macy Stafford Only Love Today 

Happy Easter from our family to yours....