"You'll never find peace of mind
until you listen to your heart."
-- George Michael (1963-2016)
British musician
"Put your ear down by your heart
and listen hard."
-- Author Unknown
Monday, December 26, 2016
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Saturday, December 24, 2016
"December Twenty-fourth" by Eleanor Slater : Christ in Poetry
DECEMBER TWENTY-FOURTH
by Eleanor Slater
Tomorrow you are born again
Who died so many times.
Do you like the candle-light,
Do you like the chimes?
Do you stop to wonder
Why men never see
How very closely Bethlehem
Approaches Calvary?
Source: Christ in Poetry (1952), an anthology compiled and edited by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark
by Eleanor Slater
Tomorrow you are born again
Who died so many times.
Do you like the candle-light,
Do you like the chimes?
Do you stop to wonder
Why men never see
How very closely Bethlehem
Approaches Calvary?
Source: Christ in Poetry (1952), an anthology compiled and edited by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark
Thursday, December 22, 2016
"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost - Audio Poem of the Day
Listen to a recording of a man reading this poem by Robert Frost, a poem that is good for children: The Road Not Taken - Poem of the Day
Robert Frost (1874-1963)
American poet
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
The Wondrous Gift
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
PHILLIPS BROOKS
From the hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (ca. 1868)
This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ.
FRANK McKIBBEN
Quoted in An American Christmas
(Ideals Publications Incorporated, 1996)
Monday, December 19, 2016
About A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
"Marley was dead: to begin with." So begins Charles Dickens's Christmas story A Christmas Carol. On this day in 1843, according to the Associated Press, "A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, was first published in England." To read more about that classic Christmas story, click here.
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
First edition cover (1843)
Friday, December 16, 2016
'Happiness" by Jane Kenyon : Poetry Magazine
Read the poem Happiness by Jane Kenyon, and listen to a recording of a woman reading it.
Jane Kenyon (1947-1995)
American poet
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
A poem by Emily Dickinson about the moon
An untitled poem
by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
A Night or two ago --
And now she turns Her perfect Face
Upon the World below --
Her Forehead is of Amplest Blonde --
Her Cheek -- a Beryl hewn --
Her Eye unto the Summer Dew
The likest I have known --
Her Lips of Amber never part --
But what must be the smile
Upon Her Friend she could confer
Were such Her Silver Will --
And what a privilege to be
But the remotest Star --
For Certainty She take Her Way
Beside Your Palace Door --
Her Bonnet is the Firmament --
The Universe -- Her Shoe --
The Stars -- the Trinkets at Her Belt --
Her Dimities -- of Blue --
This poem is in the public domain. It was first published in 1896.
by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
A Night or two ago --
And now she turns Her perfect Face
Upon the World below --
Her Forehead is of Amplest Blonde --
Her Cheek -- a Beryl hewn --
Her Eye unto the Summer Dew
The likest I have known --
Her Lips of Amber never part --
But what must be the smile
Upon Her Friend she could confer
Were such Her Silver Will --
And what a privilege to be
But the remotest Star --
For Certainty She take Her Way
Beside Your Palace Door --
Her Bonnet is the Firmament --
The Universe -- Her Shoe --
The Stars -- the Trinkets at Her Belt --
Her Dimities -- of Blue --
This poem is in the public domain. It was first published in 1896.
Emily Dickinson
American poet
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Poem by Emily Dickinson on elusive Peace
An untitled poem
by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
I many times thought Peace had come
When Peace was far away --
As Wrecked Men -- deem they sight the Land --
At Centre of the Sea --
And struggle slacker -- but to prove
As hopelessly as I --
How many the fictitious Shores --
Before the Harbor be --
This poem is in the public domain. It was first published in 1891.
by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
I many times thought Peace had come
When Peace was far away --
As Wrecked Men -- deem they sight the Land --
At Centre of the Sea --
And struggle slacker -- but to prove
As hopelessly as I --
How many the fictitious Shores --
Before the Harbor be --
This poem is in the public domain. It was first published in 1891.
Emily Dickinson
American poet
(born on this day in 1830
in Amherst, Massachusetts)
Friday, December 9, 2016
"Good Tidings of Great Joy" : The King James Bible
On this day in 1965, according to the Associated Press, "'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' the first animated TV special featuring characters from the 'Peanuts' comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, was first broadcast on CBS." Here is the poem that is, as Linus, after reciting it, said, "what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
from the Bible: Luke 2:8-14 (King James Version)
And there were in the same country
Shepherds abiding in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
And the glory of the Lord shone round about them;
And they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, "Fear not:
For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
Which shall be to all people.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
"And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel
A multitude of the heavenly host
Praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will toward men."
GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
from the Bible: Luke 2:8-14 (King James Version)
And there were in the same country
Shepherds abiding in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
And the glory of the Lord shone round about them;
And they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, "Fear not:
For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
Which shall be to all people.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
"And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel
A multitude of the heavenly host
Praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will toward men."
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
"Hush, All Ye Sounds of War" by William H. Draper : Christ in Poetry
In the King James Version of the Bible Isaiah 9:6 reads: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Here is a poem about the nativity of Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace.
HUSH, ALL YE SOUNDS OF WAR
by William H. Draper
Hush, all ye sounds of war,
Ye nations all be still,
A voice of heav'nly joy steals over vale and hill,
O hear the angels sing the captive world's release,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.
No more divided be,
Ye families of men,
Old enmity forget, old friendship knit again,
In the new year of God let brothers' love increase,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.
Source: Christ in Poetry (1952), an anthology compiled and edited by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark
HUSH, ALL YE SOUNDS OF WAR
by William H. Draper
Hush, all ye sounds of war,
Ye nations all be still,
A voice of heav'nly joy steals over vale and hill,
O hear the angels sing the captive world's release,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.
No more divided be,
Ye families of men,
Old enmity forget, old friendship knit again,
In the new year of God let brothers' love increase,
This day is born in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace.
Source: Christ in Poetry (1952), an anthology compiled and edited by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark
Morning Prayer in Time of War
According to the Associated Press, "On Dec. 7, 1941, Imperial Japan's navy launched a preemptive attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, one of a series of raids in the Pacific. The United States declared war against Japan the next day."
The following "Morning Prayer in Time of War" is from A Pocket Prayer Book and Devotional Guide, compiled by Ralph Spalding Cushman and published in 1941 by The Upper Room:
"O Lord God Almighty, who from Thy throne dost behold all the dwellers upon earth, look down with pity upon those on whom have fallen the miseries of war. Have compassion on the wounded and dying; comfort the brokenhearted; assuage the madness of the nations; make war to cease; give peace in our time, O Lord, we ask it in the name of Him who is the Prince of Peace, even Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
The following "Morning Prayer in Time of War" is from A Pocket Prayer Book and Devotional Guide, compiled by Ralph Spalding Cushman and published in 1941 by The Upper Room:
"O Lord God Almighty, who from Thy throne dost behold all the dwellers upon earth, look down with pity upon those on whom have fallen the miseries of war. Have compassion on the wounded and dying; comfort the brokenhearted; assuage the madness of the nations; make war to cease; give peace in our time, O Lord, we ask it in the name of Him who is the Prince of Peace, even Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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