My heart is bursting for the beauty of God and of life

God is just so beautiful I praise him for music. I praise him for ancient times and how he moved in men's hearts. I praise him for experiencing Him. I praise him for music and how it touches and moves us into worship.  This poem by St. Augustine spoke to me today---he was an unbeliever for so long and then came to know God. This poem touches on it.  If you play the music below on this post as you read it it will add to your experience!!!

This is a poem by St. Augustine---if you play the music below as you read the words it just adds something special!




Late have I loved you, O Beauty
ever ancient, ever new, late have
I loved You! You were within me,
but I was outside, and it was
there that I searched for You in
my unloveliness . I plunged into
the lovely things which You created
You were with me, but I was not
with You. Created things kept me
from You; yet, if they had not
been in You, they would not have
been at all.  You called, You shouted,
and You broke through my deafness
You flashed, You shone, 
and You dispelled my blindness.
You breathed Your fragrance
on me; I drew in breath and now
I pant for You. I have tasted You,
now I hunger and thirst
for more  You touched me,
and I burned for Your peace.

praising God for another day

 For blessed memories of wonder

 of delight

of astonishment

of cuteness, I give thanks!


For gorgeous music to raise my heart in praise
and......
for a funny photographer we met today----
for the camaraderie in an exercise class
for a new craft 
I praise God. 

English Translation
O nata lux de lumine, Jesu redemptor saeculi, dignare clemens supplicum laudes precesque sumere. Qui carne quondam contegi dignatus es pro perditis, nos membra confer effici tui beati corporis.	O Light born of Light, Jesus, redeemer of the world, with kindness deign to receive the praise and prayer of suppliants. You who once deigned to be clothed in flesh for the sake of the lost, grant us to be made members of your blessed body.

such a happy little birthday

I give thanks for Corwin's spirit as he opened the presents--here is just a taste. He kept making little happy sounds. I am so thankful for the thrill of presents, for movement, and delight!

sickness and thanks

Just wanting to catch up on my giving of thanks. We had a happy celebration on Saturday with little Corwin's birthday. I give thanks for the fun of family celebrations, for birthday games, and fun food. for the excitement of opening presents. I will post pics later.

Sunday--I give thanks for freedom to worship, for the depth and beauty of the Christian faith, for the vibrancy of history.

Monday--I give thanks that viruses usually pass with in 24 to 48 hours! I give thanks for the many varieties of tea! I am thankful for books written long long long ago by various saints--pretty amazing to me to read things as old as the Bible, and from various centuries.

Candlemas and thanksgiving

I failed to get my post in for thanksgiving or rather giving of thanks---. I may be late on some others this week as well! I will have to just play catch up--it is hard to post every day! 


Yesterday was Candlemas day also known as The Presentation (of Jesus).  It celebrates the day that Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord . It is sometimes referred to as Candlemas because around the eleventh century, christians began blessing candles on this day,"which is the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox." Simion, upon seeing Jesus, proclaimed, "My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." (Luke 2:30-32.  )  Christ is this Light---so the candles symbolize this light that was given to us.


I am so thankful for a day to reflect on and celebrate , Christ who is our light. I am thankful for days of celebration, days of beauty, days that take us back into the richness of history. I praise God for his revealing himself to us.


Speaking of celebrations:

We are getting ready to celebrate my youngest grandson's birthday this weekend. He turned one, and this monkey is for him.



I am thankful for Corwin's sweetness, for his delight in life, for his sweet laughs, and his exuberant joy. My desire is to live in many respects as this grandchild does!   Hope you all are full of thanks and you can join in anytime--the link is on the sidebar--it is a year of giving thanks--called one thousand gifts.  Thanking him for music and its beauty too!

Feb 1, 2012 thanks RED Lamp shade

There is something about a red lamp shade and its warm glow that just plain ole makes me happy!!  I love the warmth of red and the happiness. It makes me feel cozy all over. I can't be sad when I am confronted with red.  So this is what I start my thanks with today.



I have been enjoying my ladder bookcase. It is filled with books I have been studying--I am on a journey. I thank God for journeys....I thank Him for always being active in our lives.

I thank him for warm golden sunshine and glorious days. I thank him for a new yoga-stretch class---it helps and is a nice break in the week. I thank him for new experiences , new faces, and the joy of personalities. 

I thank him for a new recipe and the time and enjoyment of cooking and smelling it! This is a chicken quinoa recipe found here  http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2012/02/chicken-soup-with-quinoa.html

I thank God for time to be slow, time to smell, feel, touch, taste, hear....all there is in this world and some of what is in the next!

last day of January 2012!! Giving thanks for SC rice!

I received this rice as a gift at Christmas time. It is brown rice that is grown here in South Carolina. I love it! Someone told me that it was better than any other brown rice they had eaten. Well, my hubby and I love it! It is expensive--around 8 to 10 dollars for 2 pounds! But it surely is a treat.  We found it at the Bodega in Conway, SC, but it can also be purchased online here: http://palmettofarms.com/



I am so glad for fresh strawberries! These were from the USA-California. They were so fresh and tasty! I am so thankful for variety of food and the wonderful flavors of healthy food!


The last thing today that I give thanks for is the wonderful warm 70 degree weather we have been having. Cold at night and warm in the day. It feels like spring. It was wonderful for walking!! 

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.
Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. -   Raymond Inmon