The Tansy Patch

2012: A Gift of Grace

2011-12-31T22:10:00.009-05:00

"We spend our lives dreaming of the future, not realizing that a little of it slips away every day." ~Barbara Johnson

2012, a new year, a new beginning, the future within grasp, at last. But is not the future now? Is not every moment the future of the moment before? Indeed, every moment we are living our future.

Let us live life in vibrant color, in the moment called "now," in the presence of the Almighty. It is easy to speak and to write these sentiments, but how do we live it? How do we capture the beauty every day? The answer is found in God, in Whom life begins and ends, Who paints the golden beams of the rising and setting sun, Who directs the events of each day, Who scatters the night with fireflies and watches over us as we sleep. The answer is found in living every day with Him, "counting the ways He loves," recording His tokens of grace. Several special friends and I are beginning the new year with a project, a journey into the beautiful presence of God. We are recording His gifts of grace, those miraculous blessings that flow from Him every day. Please join us. You will soon find that these gifts of grace are not to be recorded only, but to be shared with others, as well. Grasp and give His grace. It is boundless, ceaseless, unconditional, overwhelming.

Included in my New Year's Resolutions are the following:

Chronicle His daily grace.
Study His Word.
Read books that broaden the boundaries of my knowledge of Scripture.
Pray ceaselessly.
Trust the Father unconditionally.

"If God didn't withhold from us His very own Son, will God withhold anything we need? If trust must be earned, hasn't God unequivocally earned our trust with the bark on the raw wounds, the thorns pressed into the brow, your name on the cracked lips? How will He not also graciously give us all things He deems best and right? He's already given the incomprehensible. Christ our Cross-beam." ~Ann Voskamp

Do not allow my schedule to become overloaded, nor my leisure time to be spent foolishly.
Use my time and talents to serve first God, then others.
Write.

"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen." ~Martin Luther

Create and collect treasures for my hope chest.
Play the "glad game." (from Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter, and the 1960 movie of the same name)
Read. (Yes, please! In the car, on the porch, by the fire, in the rain, in crowds, all alone, with a friend, in my bed, in a tree, by the sea...)

"No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books." ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Capture moments through my camera lens.
Visit Narnia. (or Ireland--either is quite acceptable) :)

Among our blessings this year, Lord willing, our family will welcome two new precious lives into the world. My sisters and their husbands eagerly await the of arrival their new babies :) Please remember them in your prayers!

Our Father, this year, "...Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." ~Psalm 90:12

Beauty: A Craving of the Soul

2011-11-19T15:30:00.005-05:00

"Something of God...flows into us from the blue of the sky, the taste of honey, the delicious embrace of water whether cold or hot, and even from sleep itself."
~C. S. Lewis

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork." ~Psalm 19:1

Step onto the leaf-littered ground and listen to the crackling beneath your feet. Lift your face toward the beaming sun and savor the warmth of its golden glow. Close your eyes and tune your ears to the whispering of the November breeze. Do it deliberately. Determine to capture the day's magic, its divine enchantment, the presence of Almighty God.

"God is present in all the moments, but I do not deify the wind in the pines, the snow falling on hemlocks, the moon over harvested wheat. Pantheism, seeing the natural world as divine, is a very different thing than seeing divine God present in all things."
~Ann Voskamp, from One Thousand Gifts

The soul craves beauty. A breathtaking sunrise; a fog-enshrouded lake; a tiny wide-eyed baby; wildflowers of deep violet, beaming yellow, and twinkling blue; the appearance of the first star each night, sunlight painted on the floor from an open window; the dancing flames of a campfire in autumn...All these wonders are graciously bestowed on us by our Father in Heaven.

Some beauty is not often recognized as loveliness; it is cast aside as insignificant. But it is just as awe-inspiring as the tallest snow-capped mountain or the daintiest pearl-pink rose. This beauty unfolds to us in the form of well-worn, gnarled hands--hands that have served the Father in years of service to others; a shattered bottle of expensive perfume--perfume poured out at the feet of the Master; crutches in the hands of the wounded--wounded in obedience to duty to God and country; a crude wooden manger in Bethlehem...And this beauty appears in one Man's rough, nail-scarred hands, in His tear-streaked face, in His dirt-stained, weary feet, and in the very shadow of His presence.

"The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing to find the place where all the beauty came from." ~C. S. Lewis

I, like C. S. Lewis, long to find the place where all the beauty came from. Whenever I wonder and whenever I doubt, all I must do is gaze upward. HE is there. HE is where all the beauty came from. HE is beauty defined.

"He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the waters in His thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it His cloud...Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"
~Job 26: 7-9, 14

*These pictures were taken on a walk near our house--how very blessed I am to experience such glory in my own backyard! Do we not all experience beauty daily for which we fail to thank God? Let us thank Him today for His presence and His power!*

Feminine By Design

2011-10-27T01:54:00.005-04:00

A few lessons I would love to share from Scott T. Brown's Feminine by Design: The Twelve Pillars of Biblical Womanhood...

She Shall Be Called Woman
"The breathtaking significance of womanhood is revealed in the Garden of Eden, in what appears to be the first poem in the Bible. God must have felt it was important to explain quickly that your dignity comes from Heaven. Because of this, men are commanded to treat women with extreme care and to protect them to the death...
It matters greatly what you believe about the nature of a woman. The atheist believes that a woman is simply a random collection of atoms and you can do whatever you want with her--divorce her, abuse her, abandon her. It doesn't matter for she is only a random, meaningless collection of atoms.
The Hindu believes that women are a liability and their doctrine of womanhood gives men the freedom to despise and even kill them. For example, if your husband dies, you may be burned on his funeral pyre because you are viewed as a liability.
In Islam, women are viewed as property, to be used for pleasure and exploited for procreation.
If you are a female born in China, you may be killed at birth for you are not regarded as valuable to society. Males are judged to be of higher value than females.
In non Christian philosophies and religions of the world, women are devalued. But in striking contrast, Christianity places women in high honor. One way that God honors women is by surrounding them with protectors who are under specific commands to know, protect and nurture, and even die for them (Deuteronomy 30, Ephesians 5:25, 6: 1-4). Because of the forces at work in the world and in your own heart, you will often be faced with the temptation to think wrongly about yourself. You will perhaps even loathe your frame or your skin and be filled with discouragement. In contrast, every daughter of Zion should marvel that she is made in the image of God."

God's Divine Order
"For Adam was formed first, then Eve." ~1 Timothy 2:13

"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." ~1 Corinthians 11:3

"To get any of these out of order is to rage against God's design. It would subvert the divine order to place man as the head of Christ, or a woman as the head of God. In the same way, it is equally rebellious to place a woman over a man. For if it is lawful that you could put a woman over man, then it would follow that you could put man over God, or a woman over Christ.
It is sinful to blur the differences between men and women. The philosophy of androgyny insists that men and women are the same. They should be free to look the same, act the same, dress the same, and pursue all the same things. Beware of those who would redraw the lines of masculinity and femininity (Deuteronomy 22:5). Beware of those who would put women in leadership over men in the church and in that state (1 Timothy 2:11-13, 1 Corinthians 14:34, Isaiah 3:12, Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 1:13). Beware of those who would send women into combat (Deuteronomy 20:1-9, Numbers 31:25-27, Exodus 30:11 and 16, 1 Peter 3:7). Beware of those who would have women teaching the Word of God to men (1 Timothy 2:11-13, 1 Corinthians 14:34). Tragically, if you embrace this distorted vision of womanhood, you will lose your femininity, and be robbed of your distinctive beauty in creation. In so doing, you will withhold an aspect of the glory of God from your family, your church, and your community. In addition, when women lead, it makes for weak men, powerless churches, and dysfunctional governments. It is a sign of the judgment of God on a culture (Isaiah 3:12)."

A Disciple of God
"Christianity has no praise for empty-headed women, for it is the Lord Jesus Christ who makes women into lifetime learners."

"Let a woman learn..." ~1 Timothy 2:11

"Christ's women are 'disciples,' for He would fill their minds with knowledge that will satisfy their souls. This is why daughters will find their greatest happiness when they are true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. When you confess your sins, repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved and you will hunger for true food. This hunger will draw you to the feet of Christ to learn from Him. When you make Him your Chief Shepherd, you will find renewal for your mind and direction for your life through the discipleship of Christ."

"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom..." ~Colossians 3:16

Imperishable Beauty
"There is no neglect of beauty in Christianity, for God would have the daughters of Zion be beautiful...Peter casts a vision for multifaceted beauty that is not merely outward."

"Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." ~1 Peter 3:3-4

"Consider God's desire that you would possess a deep unfading beauty that enhances outward appearance. In this way you will not be restricted by shallow outward beauty. Instead of becoming obsessed with appearance that passes away, He calls you to nurture what is eternal and precious...
This is a beauty which adorns itself "in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:9). To dress modestly then, is to fulfill the principle of "shamefacedness," which breeds a sense of humility and reserve that causes a woman to shrink from the boundaries. This stands in sharp contrast to the boldness and showiness that is often encouraged among women."

A Helpmeet
"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'" ~Genesis 2:18

"God designed women to be helpers, not leaders. This statement in Genesis 2:18, which makes them helpers, applies to all women. Some think the helping role applies only to married women. On the contrary, the Bible declares women to be helpers by nature, not only by marriage. This quality is part of her intrinsic constitution as a woman...
Instead of cultivating the patterns that would develop you into a beneficial helpmeet for your future husband, you will be tempted to disperse your energies everywhere else outside the home. Instead of cultivating a helping centered life at home, you will be helping everyone and everything else but home. This is not an argument against a life of helping others, for on the contrary, home life is designed by God as a center of help for others beyond the family. However, this "helpmeet" principle argues for priority and focus. God has not designed a woman to be the helper of every man, but only her own husband (Ephesians 5:22)...Young ladies must understand why God would call women to a focused life. Here is one reason. A man's responsibility before God is so large that he cannot do his duty with his own strength. His duty is bigger than he is and it requires your participation. There is no way he is able to "take dominion" over the earth without your wisdom, your encouragement, your labor, your words, your ear, and especially your affirmation. A man can endure and accomplish almost anything with the support and affirmation of a godly helper. This, daughter of Zion, is how important you are. You can help create something wonderful by fulfilling your role as helper. And in doing so, you not only glorify God, but you come alongside God Himself to make a man more than he is on his own.
This is why your days in your father's house need to be days of preparation for a life of service--serving Christ by serving your father and your family. In doing so, you are fulfilling your divinely inspired role and preparing yourself for the future."

A Keeper at Home
"And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled." ~Titus 2:4-5

"Titus 2:5 says that a woman's focus away from home causes the Word of God to be blasphemed. Why? The woman who neglects ruling and nurturing her home leaves everyone in a vulnerable position. Bad things happen at home when her energies are directed elsewhere. This is why it is so striking that there is no one quite so marginalized as the keeper at home.
Those who choose to be keepers at home will be mocked and belittled. They will be made to feel guilty. They are scolded that they are wasting their lives. They are told they are not making quite enough of themselves...
You must understand the motivation behind the hateful wiles of the devil against homemaking. The roaring lion is seeking to destroy the souls of the next generation. He prefers unprotected homes. Instead of ruling and nurturing their homes, they are ruling and nurturing elsewhere...
The beauty and power of home life is hard to overestimate when a "wise woman builds her house" (Proverbs 14:1). She builds investment and beauty and stability that would make a family say, 'There's no place like home.' God has appointed a home to be a center of the ministry of the church; a source of peace for all who enter there; a place of hospitality. The home is the fountain of society, and the spring from which flows the members of the church, the ranks of business, and the citizens of the realm."

Be Fruitful and Multiply

"Whenever the Bible addresses having children, it always exalts fruitfulness and multiplication. When you find a monolithic message like this one, pay close attention, for the heart of God is being communicated in no uncertain terms. This mandate to be fruitful and multiply explains another important dimension of your role as a woman...
In contrast, the popular voices of the modern age teach women to be liberated from the constraints of children. They teach women of the inconveniences and dangers of pregnancy. They preach the virtues of small families and the legitimacy of methods for comtrolling fertility. To achieve this they advocate...even the abortion of living babies.
O daughter of Zion, God delights in those who love what He loves. It should be obvious enough that God loves motherhood and children...God must delight in the exciting news that a child is growing inside one of his daughters. This calling to carry a baby is a very special calling."

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" ~Psalm 127:3-5

The Lord Has Taken Away

2011-10-26T00:09:00.003-04:00

"Some of us have suffered great physical pain that bites into our spirits and causes depression. Others have suffered heavy financial losses and been deprived even to the point of extreme hardship.
Are you complaining against the Lord for this? I pray not! The Lord has been pruning you, cutting off your best branches; you seem to be continually tormented with the knife. Just suppose that your loving Lord has caused this; suppose that from His own hand all your grief has come, every cut and every gash. If this is true, put your finger to your lips and be quiet until from your heart you are able to say, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21).
Recently, I sat in the garden with my friend and secretary. We were in perfect health, rejoicing in the Lord's goodness. We were happy as we sat there reading the Word of God and meditating. Dare we think of being so happy? Within five days I was stricken with disabling pain, and worse, far worse, he was called upon to lose his wife. Here is our comfort: the Lord has done it. The best rose in the garden is gone. Who has taken it? The Gardener. He planted it and watched over it, and now He has taken it. Does anyone weep because of that? No! Everyone knows it is best that He should come and gather the garden's finest.
Are you deeply troubled by the loss of your loved one? Remember, the next time the Lord comes to your part of the garden, He will only gather His flowers. Would you prevent Him from doing this, even if you could?"

~Charles H. Spurgeon, from Beside Still Waters

Surrender

2011-10-08T04:02:00.006-04:00

"Now the proper good of a creature is to surrender itself to its Creator--to enact intellectually, volitionally, and emotionally, that relationship which is given in the mere fact of its being a creature. When it does so, it is good and happy. Lest we should think this is a hardship, this kind of good begins on a level far above the creatures, for God Himself, as Son, from all eternity renders back to God as Father by filial obedience the being which the Father by paternal love eternally generates in the Son. This is the pattern which man was made to imitate--which Paradisal man did imitate--and wherever the will conferred by the Creator is thus perfectly offered back in delighted and delighting obedience by the creature, there, most undoubtedly, is Heaven, and there the Holy Ghost proceeds. In the world as we now know it, the problem is how to recover this self-surrender. We are not merely imperfect creatures who must be improved: we are, as Newman said, rebels who must lay down our arms.
The first answer, then, to the question why our cure should be painful, is that to render back the will which we have so long claimed for our own, is in itself, wherever and however it is done, a grievous pain. Even in Paradise I have supposed a minimal self-adherence to be overcome, though the overcoming and the yielding, would there be rapturous. But to surrender a self-will inflamed and swollen with years of usurpation is a kind of death."

~C. S. Lewis, from The Problem of Pain

The Disciplined Life

2011-09-22T21:52:00.005-04:00

"The Western world loves to play. Up to a point this is good. But when play--whether vicarious play via TV or grandstand, or play via personal participation--consumes a larger proportion of leisure time, money, conversation, and interest than is warranted by its cultural and recreative returns, then the play becomes the mark of a decadent age and the badge of softness rather than strength. It takes discipline to learn a new art, or science, or skill; it takes no discipline to watch a ball game or a wrestling match.
There was a time when intercollegiate debating drew big crowds. Now the debates are held in side rooms, while the crowd cheers at the basketball game. This shift of interest from the intellectual to the recreational has occurred even in Christian colleges--so widespread is the accent on relaxation and recreation. It must be emphatically asserted that the shift of excited popular interest from debates to basketball is a sign of cultural decline.
True enough, some discipline is involved in athletic training. But the discipline of the mind is on a higher level. Apart from divine intervention, the nation which produces the most scientists and educators will dominate the world, not the nation that produces the best sportsmen."

"One mistake is to confuse disciplined living with holy living. The two are not the same. Holiness is a religious reality which transcends self in its terms of reference. Discipline, on the other hand, may begin and end with self-interest. Holiness is meaningless except as it defines one's relationship to a holy God, and one's moral state in the sight of that God. It is possible for a man to achieve disciplined living while bypassing God altogether. God may not be in his thoughts at all. But in holiness God is never out of them."

...These are a few challenging thoughts from Richard S. Taylor's thought-provoking The Disciplined Life (1962), a book that has proved exceedingly beneficial to me in my Christian walk. I hope to share more excerpts soon!

September

2011-09-18T13:03:00.000-04:00

The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-

Ripe fruit, old footballs,

Burning brush,

New books, erasers,

Chalk, and such.

The bee, his hive,

Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.

~John Updike

Surely the Lord is in This Place

2011-09-13T22:59:00.001-04:00

The June sun...photo taken at the beach on a glorious summer day

"The Puritans believed in an ever-present God. Oh, to be able to feel God everywhere, in the little as well as the great, in our rising up and our sitting down, in our going out and our coming in. I cannot imagine a life more blessed or a spirit more related to the spirit of the glorified than the mind and heart of the person who lives in God, who knows and feels that God is ever-present.
If you are in personal danger, or in the midst of a storm, or facing illness, and if you hear a voice saying, 'Surely the Lord is in this place,' you will be perfectly at rest. The anxious air grows pure if He is there. Lightning cannot strike you, or if it does it will be joy. The storm cannot devour you, nor the hungry ocean engulf you, or of one does it is happiness if God is there. There is no need to fear. Nervousness is wickedness when 'the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you' (Deuteronomy 33:27).
You may be in great poverty. Your walls may be bare and your furnishings scant. And still you may say, 'Surely the Lord is in this place.' Remember the old Christian's exclamation, 'What, all this and my God present with me?' Better to have poverty and feel His presence than to own the world's riches and not know that He is there.
Some of you are in deep affliction. Your difficulties are so great that you do not know where things will end, and you are deeply depressed. But remember, 'Surely the Lord is in this place.'
Some of you are called to some extraordinary duty and do not feel strong enough. Follow that call, for surely the Lord is in that place. He will help you."

~Charles Spurgeon, from Beside Still Waters

Enduring Beauty

2011-09-10T00:58:00.008-04:00

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." ~Proverbs 31:30

"Hearing a young lady highly praised for her beauty, Gotthold asked, 'What kind of beauty do you mean? Merely that of the body, or that also of the mind? I see well that you have been looking no further than the sign which nature displays outside the house, but have never asked for the host who dwells within. Beauty is an excellent gift of God, nor has the pen of the Holy Spirit forgotten to speak its praise; but it is virtuous and godly beauty alone which Scripture honors, expressly declaring, on the other hand, that a fair woman which is without discretion is as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout (Proverbs 11: 22) Many a pretty girl is like the flower called the Imperial Crown, which is admired, no doubt, for it's showy appearance, but despised for it's unpleasant odor. Were her mind as free from pride, selfishness, luxury and levity, as her countenance from spots and wrinkles, and could she govern her inward inclinations as she does her external carriage, she would have none to match her. But who loves the caterpillar and such insects, however showy their appearance, and bright and variegated the colors that adorn them, seeing they injure and defile the trees and plants on which they settle?...Even so external beauty of person deserves no praise, unless matched with the inward beauty of virtue and holiness. It is therefore, far better to acquire beauty than to be born with it. The best kind is that which does not wither at the touch of fever, like a flower, but lasts and endures on a bed of sickness in old age, and even unto death."

~from 6,000 Sermon Illustrations, compiled by Elon Foster

"He Commandeth...the Winds"

2011-09-06T22:37:00.003-04:00

"And He said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of Man is this! For He commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey Him." ~Luke 8:25

"...The thunder and lightning were almost incessant: rain blew against the windows, not in drops but sheets, and intermittent volleys of hail bombarded them. The wind had risen suddenly with the storm and shrieked around the church. It was not her old, dear friend of childhood, the bat-winged, misty 'Wind Woman,' but a legion of yelling witches...How the windows rattled as if demon riders of the storm were shaking them!"
~from Emily Climbs, second in the Emily trilogy by L. M. Montgomery

We, on the eastern coast of North Carolina, experienced Hurricane Irene last Friday night and Saturday morning.
The mention of an impending hurricane stirs immediate emotions--a blend of excitement, fear, and dread. On the one hand, a hurricane is a frightening occurence. The wind moans and cackles, ripping through trees and all else in its path in a wild fury. It takes no thought for preserving what we deem important, our houses and trees and cars and power lines. On the other hand, no phenomenon can display the mighty power of God as a hurricane can. In the midst of its intense brutality exists overwhelming beauty.
One strike of lightning, and the house is plunged into darkness. An eerie silence settles in the rooms as every fan and appliance ceases its humming. The darkness is thick and threatening. My heart beat quickens. Then the flickering glow of a tiny candle pierces the overwhelming blackness and scatters the shadows in its path. A verse from Matthew immediately enters my mind.

"Ye are the light of the world; a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." ~Matthew 5:14

This was the theme verse of the Bible school I helped with in York, Pennsylvania only last month. I recited, repeated, and sang the words over and over to teach them to the excited children. But had I even grasped their meaning? We are called by God Himself to be His light in the black world in which we reside. We are called to dispel the shadows and drive away the darkness that threatens to overtake our land.
The task can seem daunting. What is one person compared to the vast, looming darkness? But after all, one could ask the same of that tiny flickering candle, yet it fearlessly glows, and its impact is incalculable. For where light resides, darkness must flee.

"...That you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." ~Philippians 2:15

I missed our electricity immensely for the two days it was out of commission, but in the darkness of our home Saturday night, I made some memories I will cherish forever. My mom and I talked and played Scrabble by the light of a kerosene lantern. In the stillness of the house, I listened to my dad's guitar playing and his familiar voice singing Kind Shepherd, Lead Him and Poems, Prayers, and Promises, and Perhaps Love, and numerous other old songs I love. As the flickering candle atop the piano cast strange dancing shadows across the pages of music, I played song after song. These are the moments we will remember forever, and as I learned in the midst of Hurricane Irene's wailing tantrum, they often occur at the least likely of times.

Thoughts and Fancies

2011-08-19T18:12:00.001-04:00

Is there a felicity in this world superior to quiet, country life? Superior to trying new recipes in the kitchen with the windows wide open and a soft breeze dancing through the house? Superior to tiptoeing across a creek in a fluffy white skirt after church on Sunday? Superior to sharing the first sweet taste of watermelon of the summer with family and watching the touching exploits of The Waltons? Superior to reading aloud Sleeping Beauty and The Four Elves to a precious, barefoot niece on the front porch? Superior to singing along with a Celtic CD while doing the laundry on a rainy day? Superior to spending time studying and reading in daily devotions, becoming utterly overwhelmed by the mercy and love of God?

I think not. God has been teaching me alot this summer...And though the carefree days of yet another summer have come swiftly to their end, I intend to carry these lessons with me into the fall and winter and new springtime and throughout every new stage of life. As you begin a new schoolyear with packed schedules and difficult deadlines and various activities, remember not to lose sight of the most important things...and people in life. Treasure the days and moments, be they good or bad, and most importantly, dwell in the Savior every morning, noon, and night. That is the secret to finding content and fulfillment in the best and worst of times.

My summer reading list still sits as hearty and plump as ever. I'm afraid I've only barely dented it, but is there anything so terribly wrong with continuing it past the summer? I have recently completed some exceptional books for which I intend to post reviews soon:) Two of them being The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (I am convinced that Tolkien never fully grew up but carried all of his childish imaginings into adulthood. What a capital fellow he must have been!) and The Disciplined Life by Richard S. Taylor (an excellent challenge for the Christian life).

I love watching old movies and imagining living in long-past eras. Why, oh why, don't ladies still wear white gloves and long, elegant dresses? I have bemoaned the fact for years.

I have discovered several things this summer. One being, the only way to eat corn is on the cob, fresh from the garden, and salted and buttered to your heart's content. Another being, discussing theological and biblical issues with my dad late into the night is one of my favorite pastimes. You should try it sometime:)

Yes, this post is lengthy and without rhyme or reason. I apologize. But I did have a splendid time writing it, so perhaps you enjoyed reading it...just a little? :)

Filled with His Glory

2011-08-07T01:41:00.002-04:00

Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
~Psalm 72:19

"This is a large petition. To intercede for a whole city needs a stretch of faith, and there are times when a prayer for one man is enough to stagger us. But how far-reaching was the psalmist's dying intercession! How comprehensive! How sublime! "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory." It doth not exempt a single country however crushed by the foot of superstition; it doth not exclude a single nation however barbarous. For the cannibal as well as for the civilized, for all climes and races this prayer is uttered: the whole circle of the earth it encompasses, and omits no son of Adam. We must be up and doing for our Master, or we cannot honestly offer such a prayer. The petition is not asked with a sincere heart unless we endeavour, as God shall help us, to extend the kingdom of our Master. Are there not some who neglect both to plead and to labour? Reader, is it your prayer? Turn your eyes to Calvary. Behold the Lord of Life nailed to a cross, with the thorn-crown about his brow, with bleeding head, and hands, and feet. What! can you look upon this miracle of miracles, the death of the Son of God, without feeling within your bosom a marvellous adoration that language never can express? And when you feel the blood applied to your conscience, and know that he has blotted out your sins, you are not a man unless you start from your knees and cry, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Can you bow before the Crucified in loving homage, and not wish to see your Monarch master of the world? Out on you if you can pretend to love your Prince, and desire not to see him the universal ruler. Your piety is worthless unless it leads you to wish that the same mercy which has been extended to you may bless the whole world. Lord, it is harvest-time, put in thy sickle and reap."

~Charles Spurgeon, from Morning and Evening

Summer Sun

2011-08-06T17:11:00.001-04:00

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hayloft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

~Robert Louis Stevenson, from A Child's Garden of Verses

Summertime Bliss

2011-08-05T21:47:00.006-04:00

What is the secret enchantment that summertime holds? It is the special little moments that happen from sunrise to sunset each day. It is the everyday miracles that are often overlooked...

An endless supply of ice-cold pink lemonade...Every sip must be savored appropriately.

Late-night episodes of Bonanza with Daddy...Oh, for the days of the Cartwrights!

The blessing of helping with two Vacation Bible schools...the excited children with kool-aid-stained faces and endless energy:)

Breathtaking blue-sky days that leave you no choice but to take a long walk outside.
Click to listen to Frank Sinatra singing "Blue Skies"

Sweeping the porch with McKenzie on a hot afternoon...She swept behind me with a little feather duster:)

Watching the Kit movie with Grandma and Paw Paw...and bowls brimming with popcorn. Click to watch Kit: An American Girl trailer

Losing yourself in a new adventure...Kingdom's Dawn (Chuck Black), The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien), The Rim of the Prairie (Bess Streeter Aldrich)

Accepting new challenges in your Christian walk from Mere Christianity (C. S. Lewis), The Disciplined Life (Richard S. Taylor), What He Must Be If He Wants to Marry My Daughter (Voddie Baucham), The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (D. A. Carson)

Playing new songs on the piano while the sunlight streams in through the window...selections from Pride and Prejudice, Josh Groban, The Sound of Music

Relaxing with episode after heart-warming episode of Father Knows Best.

These are the unrivaled charms that summertime holds. Perhaps the secret enchantment is not so much in summertime itself, but in the eyes of those who have learned how to recognize it. What do you think? :)

Will You?

2011-08-05T20:13:00.006-04:00

Will You keep me from all danger, God?
And never let me fall?
No, child, but I’ll walk by you
And pick you up when you call.

Will You turn my enemies away, O Lord?
Protect me from their schemes?
No, child, but I’ll fight by your side
Each time you fight for Me.

Will You give me wings to fly, Master?

To leave behind my cares?

No, child, but you may rest beneath mine;

You will find solace there.

Will You keep me from my sadness, Father?
And take all my troubles away?
No, child, but I’ll dry your tears

And renew your strength each day.

Will You promise to love me, Savior?

For ever and a day?

Yes, child, I promise to love you;

Now will you do the same?

Two Sides of the Truth

2011-07-19T18:22:00.006-04:00

"Here is another way of putting the two sides of the truth. On the one hand, we must never imagine that our own, unaided efforts can be relied on to carry us even through the next twenty-four hours as 'decent' people. If He does not support us, not one of us is safe from some gross sin. On the other hand, no possible degree of holiness or heroism which has ever been recorded of the greatest saints is beyond what He is determined to produce in every one of us in the end. The job will not be completed in this life, but He means to get us as far as possible before death. That is why we must not be surprised if we are in for a rough time. When a man turns to Christ and seems to be getting on pretty well (in the sense that some of his bad habits are now corrected) he often feels that it would now be natural if things went fairly smoothly. When troubles come along--illnesses, money troubles, new kinds of temptation--he is disappointed. These things, he feels, might have been necessary to rouse him and make him repent in his bad old days; but why now? Because God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher level: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnesessary: but that is because we have not ever had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us."

~from Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

God's Providence

2011-07-05T20:58:00.003-04:00

I hope that everyone has had a blessed Independence Day!
Over the last few days, our family has been shown God's providence and miraculous intervening. I will explain specifically how soon. First, I'll post a few pictures of our Independence Day celebration...

We were very excited to have April and Ladd for a visit just in time for July 4th! Not only did they bring with them my adorable nephew Jackson and niece Oakley, but also a delightful new family addition...

Meet Sally Mae:)

Though you wouldn't know by looking at this picture, baby Oakley loves to smile:) and her laugh is contagious. She brings bright sunshine into all of our lives.

Here she is with my beautiful sister April (her mother)...

And with our wonderful grandma:)

My other sister, Kimberly, made these adorable patriotic cupcakes for our celebration.

I love being "Aunt Emmy" :)

Ladd carrying little Jackson on his shoulders for a better view of the fireworks...

A few small fireworks to light up the night

A boy and his dog:)

Enjoying McKenzie and Sally Mae

Now, to explain the miraculous encounter we experienced on the evening of Independence Day. Due to the recent forest fires that have been threatening our county for about three weeks and the lack of much-needed rain, somehow a large fire was ignited in the woods by our house and our grandparents' house. My uncle Terry was the first to spot it on his way home from our house after the cookout. The firemen were called, and arrived quickly. However, before they reached the scene, everyone worked hard to contain the fire, beating at the flames with towels and trying not to breathe in the thick smoke. If the firemen had arrived any later, the flames would easily have spread too far to control. I was very proud of my family for pulling together to fight the glowing flames and for looking out for each other. It was a frightening time, but our mighty God once again proved His power and providence in keeping everyone safe and allowing the fire to be quenched before it spread too far. How I love Him, and I how I long to trust Him completely even in the most dismal of circumstances. I owe Him everything, yet He paid my debt and has never left me for a moment. Such a faithful Friend can be found nowhere but in Him!

Please continue to pray that we soon would see rain and that the nearby fires would be put out. Pray for more of God's miraculous protection and care to be revealed. Words cannot describe how wonderful He is!

Please take the time to read one of The Tansy Patch's old posts, The American Dream. It is a challenging and inspiring reminder from the Rev. Peter Marshall of the importance of our country and the principles upon which it was founded.

Have a blessed week!

My Kindred Cousins

2011-06-27T23:11:00.003-04:00

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" ~C. S. Lewis

I'm sorry to have been neglecting my duties recently in The Tansy Patch...but I have just spent eight blissful days with some very special people, and I would not trade those days for anything.

Those very special people were my Aunt Susan, my cousins Jessica and Josiah, and their little nephew Gunner.

"Among life's precious jewels,

Genuine and rare,

The one that we call friendship

Has worth beyond compare."

~ author unknown

Some friendships cannot be explained in words. They cannot be defined in any dictionary. No writer's pen can express the depth of their worth. These friendships are rare and priceless treasures, and they are to be cherished forever. A person is abundantly blessed if he meets one such kindred spirit in his lifetime, and I have been privileged to have several right in my very family.

During their visit, we spent many wonderful hours together. We talked and laughed to our hearts' content. We had not one, but two, movie nights, which included such classics as The Princess Bride, Tangled, The Ghostbreakers (starring the incorrigible Bob Hope), and The Lord of the Rings....Thank you, Josiah, for telling me where the creepy parts were, so I could be prepared haha:)...

They took me on adventures to the beach...

Josiah and Gunner

The four of us

God's handiwork revealed

to the aquarium...

You have to admit...he would make quite a charming prince:)

to the breathtaking Elizabethan Gardens...

...and to the Wright Brothers Memorial.

This excerpt from Gene Stratton-Porter's 1913 novel Laddie, reminds me so much of our family's recent visit that I had to share it...

"It was Sunday after dinner. We had been to church and Sunday school in the forenoon, and we had a houseful of company for dinner. All of them remained to spend the afternoon, because in our home it was perfectly lovely. We had a big dinner with everything good to start on, and then we talked and visited and told all the news. The women exchanged new recipes for cooking, advised eachother about how to get more work done with less worry...and to make their dresses. At last, when everything was talked over, and there began to be a quiet time, father would reach across the table, pick up a paper and read all the interesting things that had happened in the country during the past week; the jokes, too, and they made people think of funny stories to tell, and we just laughed...Before he finished, he always managed to work in a lot about being honest, kind, and loving God."

Simply substitute World magazine for the "paper" and add a few hours-long theological discussions and a couple of episodes of Father Knows Best to the story, and you just about have a picture of the wonderful evenings of our family's visit.

Jessica and I had a splendid time making skirts while Josiah shared with us survival tips, such as how to cook in a hollowed-out tree trunk, how to tell poisonous leaves from non-poisonous ones, which trees are edible, and many other facts which we never know when we might need:)

Exhausted after a long day of shopping for material to make summer skirts

Homemade skirts!

Yes, I have cried many times over the difficulty of saying good bye...But kindred spirits are never truly separated. A special bond unlike any other binds them together no matter the distance between them. We are already planning our next adventure together, which we pray will take place in only a few months. The time until then seems to stretch long in front of us, but time always passes more quickly than we intend for it to. After all, it seems like only a brief time ago that these same wonderful cousins were visiting so we could have sword fights with tree branches, put together our own theatrical performance of Hansel and Gretel for our family, and spend hours planning and writing new story ideas.

Thank you, Jessica, for being a true kindred spirit, for our childhood pen-pal days, for our long hours of discussing hopes and dreams for the future, for inspiring me with your creative ideas to become a better, more industrious homemaker, and for encouraging me in my walk with God. :)

Thank you, Josiah, for being my adopted brother, for making me laugh no matter what, for introducing me to Julian Smith, for being the first to share my love of Irish music, and for promising to protect me, even from the "attic man." :)

Thank you, little Gunner, for holding the door for me, assuring me that you "like me," and making all of us laugh with your toy shark. :)

Thank you, Aunt Susan, for letting me tag along on all of those grand adventures, for always having a joyful spirit, and for being a wonderful aunt to me. :)

I love you guys!

Father's Day

2011-06-21T17:21:00.005-04:00

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers...
~Micah 4:6a

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
~Proverbs 3:11-12

Daddy, thank you for being the man you are...The man I can go to when I need someone to pray with me, the man I love to hear play his guitar and sing, the man with whom I love to watch Bonanza, The Rifleman, and The Guns of Will Sonnet, the man who encourages me in my hobbies and interests, the man who loves to work in the yard and to live in the country, the man who is strong and brave and loving and wise, the man who read me Little Pilgrim's Progress and "The Knights of the Silver Shield" and who built a bridge with me when I was little, the godliest man I know, the man I am proud to call "Daddy." I love you!

I want to share three songs that are special to my dad and me. Of course, there are many more, but I decided to narrow it down to three.

Click to hear "Come By the Hills," sung by Damian McGinty of Celtic Thunder

Click to hear Theme from Anne of Green Gables

Click to hear "My Little Girl," sung by Tim McGraw

The Art of True Homemaking

2011-06-08T15:49:00.002-04:00

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it..." ~Psalm 127:1

It is a little hard to tell, but this picture is of our family's names--Tim, Genia, Kimberly, April, Emily. When my parents had our house built about fifteen years ago, my dad engraved all of our names and the reference "Psalm127:1" into the concrete of our carport. They recognized the importance of making Christ the foundation of their home--literally.

Of course, merely engraving a verse on the ground does not make a house a Christian home. The family must determine to love and serve the Lord their God each and every day. I thank God for my wonderful parents who have always set before my sisters and me a strong example of godliness and biblical living. This is the legacy that will last eternally.

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

~Proverbs 24:3,4

Only the Beginning

2011-06-02T21:08:00.002-04:00

Jacksonville Christian Academy's graduation night is coming up--tomorrow! Of course, I still have one year remaining in high school, but I must bid farewell some very dear friends...Graduation is always an exciting but hard time. I have a special message for two best friends that will walk the stage tomorrow night and receive their hard-earned diplomas.

To Catherine...
What will I do without you? I doubt anyone else will understand my dreams of spending the night in a tent in a graveyard and marrying Michael Buble (How shocked we were when he got married--"You mean, he wasn't waiting for me?" Lol). We've had some great times "jamming out" to Taylor Swift, crying over bad days and disappointments, sharing enough laughter to fill a lifetime, talking about everything under the sun while fixing our hair in the bathroom at school in the morning, watching and crying over love stories, sneaking out late in a rainstorm to turn off the car headlights, losing the room keys on the missions trip, and daydreaming about the future. And to think, it all started with a jalepeno pepper! You're my "best fry."

Valentine's banquet (2007)

To Hannah...
Who will reenact the Eragon sword fight with me next year? Who will eat fried rice, and cry over sweet wedding songs, and rave over Mr. Thornton with me? Thank you for the laughter, tears, long talks, coloring fests, and movie nights! And we never would have known what great friends we would be if we hadn't found out that we both didn't have a TV:) Lol Your dog really does sound like a man snoring--so you can't blame me for getting scared! Always remember, "As you wish."

Hannah's 18th birthday party (2010)

I love you, girls! Thank you for being friends I can depend on. And, of course...Congratulations! Remember that though this is the close of one chapter in your lives, it's only the beginning of a new adventure!

Storybook Characters

2011-06-02T00:27:00.002-04:00

A short essay by "Lady Emilie Etoile"...Keep in mind that she was but an amateur when she wrote this:) (This was actually written for a school assignment earlier in the year--hence the formality of the wording. I hope it will be beneficial to other young aspiring writers.)

Storybook characters are portrayed in numerous shapes, sizes, occupations, and personalities. Each tale is unique and may boast of numerous types of characters, who are rarely presented in the same manner. However, a traditional story contains three foundational characters, each of whom possess recognizable traits. These characters are the hero, the villain, and the mentor.

The first requirement of the hero is that he must stand for a noble cause. He must be courageous, willing to fight and even die for his convictions. The hero may be afraid at some point in the story, but he must not allow his fear to hold him back. As admirable as he is, a hero must not be portrayed as perfect. Various events in the story must weave together to teach the hero a lesson and to strengthen his character.

Unlike the selfless hero, a villain considers only his own desires. He, too, must be willing to fight for his cause, but it is a cause far less noble. Ruthless, the villain will allow nothing to prohibit him from having his way. In a villain's personality, however, there must be presented some characteristic of goodness that merits approval from the reader. Otherwise, the character would seem wholly fictitious, and the reader would have difficulty relating to him.

The mentor is a friend to the hero, though he may not always seem to be. He tells the hero what he needs to hear, even when the facts are unpleasant. The goal of the mentor is to help the hero become the best person that he can be. He pushes the hero beyond his limitations and encourages him. Most importantly, the mentor believes in the hero, even when no one else does.

Though each story is unique and may contain various types of characters, the traditional tale includes a hero, a villain, and a mentor. If developed well, these characters can seem to be real human beings, rather than simply ink on paper. When this occurs, their story becomes intriguing, and the reader longs to experience every page.
Copyright ©

To My Redeemer...

2011-05-25T23:53:00.004-04:00

(from Your little girl, Emily)

I love Your laughter; it is deep and strong. When I hear it, I overflow with joy, and I cannot help but laugh, too.

I love Your tears; they are warm and sincere. When they trickle down your cheek, I long to wipe them away.

I love Your hands; they are rough and work-worn. The nail-scars make them beautiful. When I touch them, I long to cling to them forever.

I love Your voice; it can be loud or soft. When I hear it, I long to listen with all of my heart, so that I will not miss a single word.

I love Your embrace; it is gentle and firm. When I run into your arms, my fears dissipate, and I am safe.

I love Your feet; they are dusty and tired, because You have traveled far and sacrificed much to redeem me. When I see them, I long to wash them gently and dry them with my hair.

I love Your eyes; they see my true feelings, thoughts, and desires. Many times, You’ve had no place to rest and close them in sleep. Many times, You’ve shut them in prayer. Someday I will see them, those beautiful eyes.

I love Your names--Messiah, Jehovah, Redeemer, Master, Emmanuel…but my favorite is Abba, because it means Father.

I love You…because You loved me first.

A New Kind of Man

2011-05-16T20:49:00.002-04:00

'Niceness'--wholesome, integrated personality--is an excellent thing. We must try by every medical, educational, economic, and political means in our power to produce a world where as many people as possible grow up 'nice'; just as we must try to produce a world where all have plenty to eat. But we must not suppose that even if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world--and might even be more difficult to save.
For mere improvement is not redemption, though redemption always improves people even here and now and will, in the end, improve them to a degree we cannot yet imagine. God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man. It is not like teaching a horse to jump better and better but like turning a horse into a winged creature. Of course, once it has got its wings, it will soar over fences which could never have been jumped and thus beat the natural horse at its own game. But there may be a period, while the wings are just beginning to grow, when it cannot do so: and at that stage the lumps on the shoulders--no one could tell by looking at them that they are going to be wings--may even give it an awkward appearance.

~C. S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity

...Her Price is Far Above Rubies

2011-05-09T00:35:00.001-04:00

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
~Prov. 31:10
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
~Prov. 31:28

I believe this clip from that amazing movie A Man Called Peter (about Peter and Catherine Marshall) wonderfully explains a virtuous woman...

Thank you, Momma, for being a virtuous woman and a true kindred spirit. I love you with all of my heart. Happy Mother's Day!

I know that I mention Rev. Peter Marshall often. I cannot help but share his testimony, as he has become one of my greatest heroes.

Peter Marshall was a poor Scotsman who grew up with a deep love for the sea. Several times in his youth, he attempted to stow away on ships, but he was always brought home to his mother.

One night, when Peter had grown into a young man and was attending college, he walked home at night through a thick fog. He thought he heard his name being called, but each time he turned, he saw no one. Hastening toward his home, he suddenly fell to the ground. As he looked up, Peter saw that he sat on the brink of an enormous cliff. Had he not fallen, he would have walked directly over the edge and likely would have died. Somehow Peter knew that God had rescued him from his death and was trying to speak to him.
Soon thereafter, Peter Marshall was saved and accepted the call to preach. He became as dedicated a Christian as anyone could find. Eventually, Peter felt led by God to come to America. Afraid and nearly penniless, Peter boarded a ship to America. He worked hard to earn the money to live as he studied at a Bible seminary.

When Peter accepted a position as pastor of a church, he quickly became a popular speaker. Crowds gathered from many states to hear him. Many were led to Christ. A certain young lady named Catherine faithfully attended his services and admired him from afar, but she lacked the courage to introduce herself to him.
One day, Catherine was asked to speak to ladies at a conference in which Peter would also be speaking. Peter Marshall was asked to give "the young lady from the college" a ride to the event, and the rest, as the famous line states, is history.
Rev. Marshall and Catherine were eventually married and gave birth to a little boy, whom they named Peter John. Their son was Peter Marshall's pride and joy. He called Peter John his "wee laddie." Rev. Marshall loved nothing more than preaching the word of God and spending relaxing time with his family. His love of the sea never faded, and he decorated the walls of their house with seascape paintings. Each summer, Peter would take his wife and boy to a seaside cottage, where they spent several blissful months of the year, away from the busyness and burdens of the church, which were taking their toll on the pastor's health.
Soon, Peter accepted a church in Washington, DC, and eventually became the Chaplain of the U. S. Senate. He was a devout man of prayer and a well-loved speaker.

For a few years, Catherine battled tuberculosis, and Peter stayed faithfully by her side. She became too sick to attend church with him and little Peter John for a time, but she listened to his sermon on the radio from her bed each week. During this time, Catherine nearly fell into depression, but with a multitude of prayers from friends, family, and loved ones, Catherine was miraculously healed.
In his early forties, Peter Marshall's health began to fail, but he forged ahead, exhausting himself with ministry work and preaching. Catherine never ceased to worry about him and to warn him to slow down, but Peter insisted that God would take him to Heaven when He wanted to, and until then, he would serve Him the best that he could.
After Rev. Marshall was diagnosed with a serious heart condition, thousands of people from all over the country called and sent letters to Catherine to tell her that they were praying for him. His own church family held a special prayer night at the church, where many gathered to pray for hours. That night, Peter miraculously recovered.
But he was not healed forever. After about two years of strenuous ministry work, Peter Marshall had a heart attack while preaching one Sunday morning. He was rushed to the hospital, where Catherine spent the day with him before returning home to care for Peter John. Before leaving the hospital, she whispered to her unconscious husband, as he had said to her every night before, "Good night, darling. See you in the morning."
But he was not to see her again. Peter died the following morning. His death deeply affected thousands of people.
There is much more to the story, but this, I hope, will convey to you what a great man of God Peter Marshall was, and how amazing our God is. He took a humble, poor Scotsman and molded him into one of the greatest-influencing men of faith in history.
Why Rev. Marshall died at the young age of 46, I do not know. Why he had to leave behind a distraught wife and child, I do not know. But God knows. Catherine Marshall did not lose her faith. In fact, it was strengthened. Though she battled with asking God why, she continued to pray, and the peace of God filled her as she had never been filled before. Eventually, she recorded her and Peter's story in a book. That book has affected my life more deeply than any other, save the Bible. It is called A Man Called Peter. To this day, I cannot think of Peter and Catherine Marshall without shedding tears.
In 1955, A Man Called Peter was adapted into a movie of the same name. Multitudes of people who watched the movie in theaters wept and came to Christ because of Peter and Catherine's story. The movie is so deeply touching that I cannot watch it very often, for each time I do, my heart breaks. It is a wonderful movie that everyone should see, but know that even people with the hardest of hearts will likely be reduced to tears when they see it.

I hope you all had a blessed Mother's Day!

Destination: Paris, France!

2011-05-06T01:15:00.000-04:00

As we pass a tiny flower shop, the intoxicating scent of fresh-cut spring flowers piques my senses. People and chatter spill from a sidewalk cafe. Beautifully-scripted French words embellish expensive-looking, towering buildings. My sandals softly clatter across the worn cobblestones.

We stroll the bridge over the Seine River at dusk. The sky blushes pink and smiles golden, reflecting on the sparkling water in a magical display. A chilling breeze weaves its gentle fingers through my hair.

Soft strains of music reach my ears. As we walk a little farther, I see that two young men are playing violins up ahead. Their music is enchanting to hear, and I long to linger for hours.

Ancient palaces, crumbling walls, marble columns, and life-like statues that have stood for ages proclaim a simpler, perhaps more glorious time. I try to imagine what the streets and the people must have looked like in those long-past days. If only I could conjure a more accurate vision.
Doors in the city of Paris fascinate me. It seems that each one is unique and possesses its own personality. Ornate embellishments, bright colors, stately designs...As I pass them, I am curious as to what might exist on the other side.

As we continue down the street, we see palaces that look as if they belong only in fairytales. I stare wide-eyed at them and try vainly to capture all of their splendor through a camera lens.

I want to breathe it all in, to remember everything just as it is, for I know that these moments are fleeting. I will be in Paris for only a brief time...all too brief.

From the day of our arrival, I notice that Paris is a paradoxical place. How can some areas of Paris be so thoroughly enchanting and utterly marvelous, while others are filthy and terrible and heart-breaking to look upon?

I clamber out of a postcard shop, giggling with my friends over some silly incident, and glance down the sidewalk. My laughter halts in my throat, and my smile disappears in one split second. Is that a man...sleeping on the sidewalk? The cold, dirty sidewalk? Surrounded by trash? Is that a human being just like me...with no shelter, no home? A human being who lives this way every day? Suddenly, I want to cry. I feel guilty and ashamed to walk by as if I didn't see. But I do. I whisper a prayer that he will be safe, that God will reveal His hope and love to that desperate man. And all I can think is, That could be me.

I am snatched into reality as I remember that the world is filled with horrible, hideous things. But as I quiet down and listen for God's voice, I am remindedd that the world also overflows with beauty, life, and love, with joy, hope, and miracles. I am reminded that God gives us the good things to help us through the bad ones into which we, as a human race, chose to plunge ourselves. I remember that even in the worst of times, God graces the world with His presence. He is there.

We duck out of the rain and into a small restaurant for dejeuner (dinner), where we attempt to communicate to the waiter that we would like a Margarita pizza, not the alcoholic beverage. I despair at my futile efforts to master the French language as the waiter's silky accent flows flawlessly from his lips.

I feel a hint of glee when he grins widely at my parting "Bon soiree" (Good night). I have at last correctly uttered a French statement. He chatters happily and waves au revoir.

I sigh as I shift myself into a comfortable sleeping position. The nights in Paris are not quiet as back home, but are filled with life and lights and sounds. Still, a calming peace settles over me as I remember, "Emily, you are in Paris, France!" A smile spreads across my face. It is at last my chance to have a real adventure.

On this journey in Paris, several of my dreams came true. You will remember that my dream list included visiting a castle and having a picnic on the Eiffel Tower? Both of these dreams became reality last week. We wandered the marble halls and beautifully-painted and sculpted rooms of the Palace of Versailles. We entered the bed chamber of Marie Antoinette and walked the same floors that Louis XIV did. We saw magnificent paintings and statues and walked through the famous Hall of Mirrors.

And the gardens! Oh, the gardens of Versailles were simply magical. There were gorgeous fountains and trees in full bloom, rickety gates and inviting benches by the pond.

At the Eiffel Tower, we climbed to the second level, then rode the elevator to the very top. On the first level (after 700 steps), we paused to share a picnic lunch. (Each day of the week, we stopped outside somewhere to make sandwiches for a picnic lunch. Fresh French bread is delicious, the chocolate melts delightfully in your mouth, and the cheese is very savory, as well.) The Eiffel Tower is much larger than it appears in photographs, but it is perfectly sturdy (I assume), and I am thrilled that we had the opportunity to reach the top.

You will also recall, I am sure, that I am completely, fanatically, ridiculously obsessed with "The Phantom of the Opera" novel, movie, music, and play. A definite highlight of our trip was visiting the Grenier Opera House, where that truly epic story was set.

The three girls on the trip (me and my amazing friends Heather and Chloe) all love the Phantom. We gleefully ascended the grand staircase, searched for hidden nooks and doors (in the hope of finding the Phantom's lair), and finally located Box 5, the Phantom's reserved box. We promptly squealed with delight at the sight of it. When I listened very closely, I could imagine the Phantom's deep, haunting voice singing "The Music of the Night." *swoon*

Remember that quaint old bookstore I hoped to visit? The one with the perfect name, Shakespeare and Company? The one with ladders to reach the high shelves that lined the walls? We went. I could easily have lost myself among the dusty, old books for days, but since I had only a few minutes, I joyfully contented myself with inhaling the scent of old pages and smiling at the fellow-bibliophiles that loitered about.

We actually returned for a second visit on another day, and I bought a charming book of Grimms' fairytales to save for my future children. We asked the lady at the counter to stamp the inside cover with the special Shakespeare and Company seal. That shop is a truly wonderful place. I would love to return someday and thoroughly peruse those shelves.

For the Sunday service, we attended the American Church in Paris. The service was different from my home church, and I was not certain what to think at first. But I quickly decided that I liked the formality of things and the deep reverence for God I could sense all around me. Here, it seemed, people realized that this life truly is all about God. It must never be lived for ourselves. I was deeply touched and challenged by the pastor's message.

While in Paris, we also toured Notre Dame, saw Napoleon's tomb, walked around the outside the beautiful Louvre (though we could not go inside because it was closed for a holiday--a big disappointment), climbed the Arc du Triomphe, ascended Mon Martre, the tallest hill in Paris, visited Sacre Coeur, the cathedral on that hill, and I left flowers on the Princess Diana monument (this was done to fulfill a request from my dear aunt, who loves all things Diana)...

Not to stray from the topic, but I have loved reading about the royal wedding and perusing pictures of Prince William and his new bride Kate. I do not condone everything about their lifestyles, of course, but it is such a romantic story. The handsome, shy, and brave prince falling in love with a "commoner," a sweet, beautiful girl who becomes his faithful friend and confidante. I suppose every girl dreams of such a fairytale love story--and such a magical wedding...

There were a few rather frightening incidents in Paris, but God protected us from any real danger. Once, as we girls were walking down the steps of Sacre Coeur, a group of five or six men would not allow us to pass. We soon realized that they were trying to sell souvenirs to us, but they definitely approached us in the wrong manner, pulling us back as we tried to pass. Thankfully, we spotted our teacher, Mr. C, at the bottom of the steps and were finally able to run down to him through the crowd.

The loud, bustling streets of Paris at nighttime were not exactly places that made me feel secure, but I knew that God was with us, and He made me far braver than I would have been on my own. Besides that, Paris lit-up at night is a gorgeous sight that no one wants to miss.

It is an extremely complicated story, and I am not certain that even I understand exactly how it happened, but somehow, in attempting to return home from Paris, we missed three flights and were greatly delayed. We ran through airports, luggage in tow. We went through numerous security checks. My suitcase was sent to the wrong place. Twice, the planes were delayed for repairs. We ended up staying an extra night in a hotel in Charlotte...but somehow, we made it safely home (only one day late) and managed to have a splendid time through it all, making memories that we will surely carry with us forever.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for allowing us to have such a wonderful experience and for protecting and blessing us so greatly. Thank you, Mr. C, for helping to make one of my dreams come true. Thank you, Momma, for chaperoning the trip and being my best friend. Thank you, dear, dear fellow-classmates who worked hard all year to raise money for the trip. We went through alot to get there--from clearing fields of branches and thorns (I still have scars from that!), to selling box after box of Krispy Kreme donuts, to long days making spaghetti dinners, to cooking and serving funnel cakes in the cold, windy weather...I know that for me, Paris was worth it all.
Let's just say, I am a truly blessed girl.

Packed for Paris

2011-04-25T17:20:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we leave for Paris, France...at 5:00 in the morning. I am completely thrilled and thoroughly nervous! Six French class students and two adult sponsors (one of which is my excited mom)...Only one of us speaks French fluently--our teacher, Mr. C.
But hasn't our class studied French for two years, you may ask? Yes, we have. Sure, I can tell you a whole list of colors and parts of the body, numbers and various items in a classroom. But ask me how to say any phrase more than "J'a mapelle Emilie" or "Comment vous-apellez-vous?" and I'm lost.
To make a long story short, please remember us in your prayers as we embark upon a 6-day international journey, experiencing European culture, art, scenery, shopping, and food. (And I'm hoping very hard that we will visit a certain old bookstore called Shakespeare and Company filled with antique books and located in the heart of Paris. Is that not the most darling name you've ever heard?)
I intend to take thousands of pictures to share with you (or at least hundreds).

God bless you all in this upcoming week... In all things, may our King of Kings be glorified!

A New Beginning

2011-04-22T22:18:00.001-04:00

Did it really happen? Did He love me enough to leave His throne? To become an earthly Man? To suffer? To die? To conquer death itself? To rescue me from that cruel captor called Sin?

It is utterly unbelievable, yet I believe it. In fact, I know it to be true. And as amazing as all of it is, that's not even the whole story.

After He provided the way for me to be redeemed, He did not just leave me to fend for myself. He came to live inside my heart. He surrounds me with His holy presence. He speaks to me. He watches over me through the long, dark nights. He dries my tears when I am lonely or afraid. He has the power to put a sweet melody in my heart even in the most dismal of circumstances. He doesn't see me as others do--He sees how I really feel, what I really think, what is really on my heart. He never tires of my talking to Him. He has a special name for me that no one else can know. He protects me from the enemy. He fought death and Hell for me. And one day He will take me to His home far away in a perfect land that He has been preparing for me since the beginning of time.

new beginnings

No, this isn't a fairytale. This is reality. I know such a Man. I love such a Man. His name is Christ. And He is the true God.

Did you know that He longs to do all of these things for you? Did you know that He will? All that you must do is ask. Ask Him for forgiveness and healing, and wait for mighty things to happen. If you are truly sincere, they will.

Spring is the time for new beginnings. Will you allow Him to give you one? He longs to start one with you. After all, "today is the first day of the rest of your life"...

A Miracle

2011-04-19T22:44:00.002-04:00

God answers prayer!!! After today, I certainly need no further proof that He still works miracles. With all of my heart, thank You, Father.
The urgent prayer request that has been in the hearts of many people for the last few days has been answered with a miracle. Thank you for all of your prayers! Please continue to pray for the young man (who shall remain unnamed) and his family.
I just could not allow the night to pass without sharing that wonderful, wonderful news with you!
If any of you have a special request that you would like to share, please comment and let me know. If you do not wish to share what the request is, just let me know to remember you in prayer. I long to witness more answered prayers and miracles!

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
~Galatians 6:2

God bless you all!

"The Phantom of the Opera is there...

2011-04-18T22:18:00.003-04:00

...inside my mind!"

This weekend, my mom, sister Kimberly, and best friend Catherine had the experience of a lifetime. We attended a local high school's tremendous performance of "The Phantom of the Opera." It was truly thrilling.

As I'm certain you know, I have been held spellbound by the Phantom since I was first introduced to him a few years ago...in the movie, the novel, and now...the play.

Ready for the play

I sat on the edge of my seat, listening to every line of each familiar song. The intriguing characters, the heartwrenching scenes, the climactic moments...It was all simply splendid. At the end of the performance, Catherine and I were ecstatic to get a picture with the one who played the Phantom. Since, I have been enjoying my ever-faithful "Phantom of the Opera" soundtrack and piano book.

The weekend's events also included my belated birthday sleepover. We had a marvelous time, and I finally got to see that wonderful movie I have been waiting for: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader! It was, of course, inspiring. I cried.

Thank you so much, girls, for making my birthday so very memorable and special. Thank you, Mom, for all of the work you did, cooking and cleaning and being your cheerful self. Thank you, Dad, for praying with us before you went to bed, as you do with me each night. I wasn't sure if you would, and I was very glad when you did. And thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your abundant out-pouring of blessings.

A dark shadow falls over these grand events. I have an extremely important prayer request. I cannot erase the awful situation from my mind. A certain young man is in great need of prayer, and his family is, as well. I have cried and prayed since I heard about their plight, and I beg you all to pray hard and with faith that God can do the seemingly impossible. Please pray that he is safe and well. Pray that his family will be comforted and strengthened beyond belief. Pray that good news will be heard from them very, very soon. Pray that our great God would work a mighty miracle!

Everyday Miracles

2011-04-12T23:42:00.004-04:00

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

~Psalm 90:12

Every day is a precious gift. Every moment is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Every second is an opportunity to live for our Savior. Will we waste these? Will we rush through the day-to-day activities, always anticipating the next upcoming event or appointment? Or will we choose to savor the magic of "ordinary miracles"?

The view from our house

"Always be on the look-out for wonder." ~E. B. White

I ask God to open my eyes to the everyday miracles that are so often overlooked. What is an everyday miracle? It may be in the form of that blissful peace that overtakes us as we watch a breathtaking sunset. It may be the sound of a newborn baby letting out his first cry. It may be the spark of joy in a person's eyes after we do something kind for him. It may be the magical way a well-written novel can take us places we've never been and introduce us to people that seem to appear before us. It may be the wistful strains of music that stir our emotions and remain forever in our hearts. It may be the beauty of being surrounded by people we love, people who are there for us every day. It may be the remembrance of Christ's deep love for us...that love so deep it cannot be comprehended by our finite minds.

After the snowfall

These are the everyday miracles we often fail to recognize. If only we could live each moment in full awareness of these moments, these days, these opportunities, these miracles. If only we could learn to live as Christ intended, reveling in the glory of His miracles and praising His name with everything that we have! Sometimes, in the midst of my ridiculous rush to "get things done" and fulfill my busy schedule, it is as if God whispers, "Emily, stop for a moment. Did you notice the golden sunrise I painted this morning? Did you hear me whisper your name in the wind? Did you notice the blessings I sent you today? Did you remember that I love you?"
And how can I do anything but bow my head in shame and beg His forgiveness? Still, my Father remains faithful. How I love Him! And how I long to love Him more...

Figuring Life Out: One Thousand Gifts

The Noble Warrior

2011-04-06T23:54:00.004-04:00

~Psalm 68~
5-A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
28-Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

This is nobility. This is honor. This is courage. This is true manhood. This is my God.

~John 1:29~
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!

This verse leaves me awe-struck me every time I read it. It seems almost paradoxical. A Lamb that is powerful enough to break the bonds of sin? This just illustrates God's unfathomable nature. He is utterly gentle, loving, and merciful; yet completely powerful, strong, and bold. He is the brave warrior who fights to defend the innocent and oppressed, even when the innocent have betrayed Him.

This discovery of God's nature is thrilling. I possess a deep love for stories of noble and daring knights who rush to the rescue of the distressed maiden or the forgotten child, who risk their own lives to save the life of their fellow-man. These are the virtues that Jesus Christ taught. These are the kinds of warriors He is calling today. God is calling women to virtuous, pure womanhood and men to noble, courageous manhood. Will we take up the cause of Christ? Will we follow Him even at the risk of losing our own lives?

This is not merely the stuff of legend. It can be reawakened in our modern world. The romantic days of manly valor and ladylike innocence are not wholly forgotten. It is up to us, the followers of Christ, to live up to His standard. Only by His grace and with His constant aid can we gain victory over the enemy. It is time to bow before our King and be knighted for his kingdom. It is time to stand up and fight for the cause of Christ.

A historian in the days of Sir William Wallace described the Scottish hero as “fair in his judgments, most compassionate in comforting the sad, a most skillful counselor, very patient when suffering, a distinguished speaker…[who] detested treachery. He helped the poor and widows, and worked for the restoration of wards and orphans, bringing relief to the oppressed.” (I found this information in William Wallace: Brave Heart by James Mackay.)
In doing this, Wallace modeled the character of Christ. We should strive to accomplish the same.

The Fiction Writer

2011-04-03T23:28:00.001-04:00

He may be found people-watching on a park bench, gazing distractedly out a window, or tapping wildly away on his laptop at the corner table in a coffee shop. Wherever he happens to be, his cherished notebook is always nearby. The fiction-writer’s livelihood depends on his notebook, which contains page after page of lists and ideas.

Should an acquaintance or relation disagree with his opinion on a matter, the fiction writer may incorporate him in his next novel as the villain, usually under a pseudonym. Therefore, the writer must be treated delicately. He must be humored and allowed to carry out his odd, impulsive whims, such as sky-diving, hiding in the trunk of a car, or swimming with sea turtles. Likely, he is attempting to experience situations his character does, so that he might relate scenes effectively on paper.

Rarely is the fiction writer seen without ink-stained face and hands. This is his badge of honor. He relishes the smell of fresh ink and the scratching of pen against paper. What is to the average person a tedious volume of grammar rules is to him a fascinating world of sentence structures waiting to be fashioned into stories. The fiction writer is a curious fellow who lives by the adage, “Writing is a dog’s life but the only life worth living.” (Gustave Flaubert)
Copyright ©

~Lady Emilie Etoile

Going on Seventeen

2011-03-31T23:11:00.008-04:00

Rolf and Liesl ~The Sound of Music

Tonight is my last night to be sweet sixteen. I can hardly believe it. Today someone asked me how old I will be tomorrow, and I replied, "Seventeen." Seventeen? I thought. How can that be? I still feel like a child, and I suppose, in a way, I am. Seventeen used to sound so grown-up, so far away...and now, it is upon me!

Click to listen to ~Sixteen Going on Seventeen~ from Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, one of my favorite movies in the world.

I embark upon a new journey, a journey I dare not take without my Savior by my side. He has ushered me into a brand new season of life.
"Grow old with me! The best is yet to be." ~Robert Browning

It seems my birthday will be celebrated in stages throughout the month. I have already experienced a highlight--my trip to see The High Kings, which was a more magical night than I ever could have imagined (as I am sure you read all about in my last post). This weekend, we are to have a small family birthday dinner at home, and in a few weeks, I am hosting my second annual birthday sleepover. I am a truly blessed young lady.

I am posting this at exactly 11:11...Care to make a wish with me?

The High Kings!

2011-03-28T20:26:00.006-04:00

This weekend was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. This weekend, I received an early birthday present. This weekend, I MET The High Kings!

My wonderful mom and I went to their concert in a town about two hours from ours. Those amazing Irish lads gave me a truly magical evening I will remember forever. They sang almost all of my favorite songs and multiple new ones that quickly became favorites.
During the show, they threw some of their guitar picks into the audience, and I caught Brian Dunphy's! I am certain he smiled at me as he threw it:)

After they left the stage, the audience (including me) continued to cheer and clap, so the boys came out for an encore. They sang two more songs and ended with the enthralling "The Parting Glass," which brought tears to my eyes. "Good night and God bless!" they said before they left the stage.

The tickets

After the concert, they stood at a table in the lobby and we got to TALK to them. My mom informed them that the concert was my birthday request, so they sang "Happy Birthday" to me in 4-part harmony (with their Irish accents)! All four of them signed my High Kings piano book, and Darren even wrote "Happy Birthday, Emily...Love, Darren Holden."

We took pictures with them and Darren called me a sweetheart. (You will notice the silly grin on my face in the picture.) They took the time to make my night extremely special, and now I am more of a fan than ever before!

On the way home late that night, we ate a delicious supper from Cook-Out and listened to the new High Kings CD, Memory Lane, over and over again. It contains such Beautiful songs as "Caven Girl," "Fields of Athenry," "Red is the Rose," "Irish Rover," and "Green Fields of France."

Martin, Finbarr, Brian, Darren...and Mom and me:) Our outfits just happened to match theirs!

Thank you, dear lads, for a perfect evening and for making a birthday wish come true...And thank You, Heavenly Father, for the gift of beautiful music and for this amazing opportunity.

The Hoosier Schoolmaster

2011-03-21T21:29:00.000-04:00

There I was. Desperate for a good book. Craving a truly epic story. I longed to lose myself in a new story--one I had never read before, but an old story--one that had been around for decades and was written in a younger, less-modernized America. I remembered a short story I had enjoyed a few days before from my American Literature book, and I remembered that it had been an excerpt from a larger work--a novel by a man named Edward Eggleston. So, desperate for a fresh story, I typed into the library website The Hoosier Schoolmaster.
I finished the book in only a few days.

The story, originally published in installments in the magazine Hearth and Home in 1871, was innocent, humorous, uplifting, light-hearted, well-written, wholesome, and altogether enjoyable. Edward Eggleston had a knack of creating and defining likable characters that seemed to come to life. The small-town, backwoods dialect added originality to the citizens of fictional Hoopole County. Throughout the story, there were multiple allusions to God and to biblical principles. The tale concluded with an agreeable ending, quite "happily ever after."
The evening after I finished the book, I eagerly opened it again to page one and began reading it aloud to my mom. We have very similar tastes in novels. We have only read the first few chapters together so far, and the story has already evoked much laughter.
Needless to say, I hope to purchase my own copy of the delightful tale. If I have my way, The Hoosier Schoolmaster will adorn the shelf of my bookcase for the rest of my life, alongside my other favorites...the Emily of New Moon trilogy, Jane Eyre, The Scottish Chiefs, Little Women, Christy, and so many more...
If you, dear reader, like me, are a compulsive bibliophile and a lover of old-fashioned sentiment and charm, you certainly will not want to miss The Hoosier Schoolmaster.

To Remember St. Patrick

2011-03-17T21:01:00.001-04:00

The words engraved on St. Patrick's breastplate:

Christ be with me

Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left
Christ where I lie
Christ where I sit
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man
who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of every man
who speaks of me

Christ in every eye that sees me

Christ in every ear that hears me

Salvation is of the Lord.

~May this be our prayer, as well.~

Here are a few of my favorite Irish blessings and prayers...
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share,

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer for each prayer.

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

A True Lass

2011-03-12T23:45:00.010-05:00

As you long-time residents of the Tansy Patch know, I am fascinated with Celtic music, culture, and history. For you new visitors, allow me to inform you: I am fascinated with Celtic music, culture, and history. :)
I am not certain of the exact moment I first came to love such things, but it must have been sometime between reading of the heroic deeds of Sir William Wallace and young Edwin in The Scottish Chiefs, and hearing for the first time The High Kings sing those wistful strains of "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?" Sometime between sobbing over the book and movie A Man Called Peter, all about Peter Marshall, a Scotsman who knew what it meant to place God first, and being utterly enchanted by Damian McGinty's gorgeous rendition of "Come By the Hills." Sometime between reading "My Heart's in the Highlands" by Robert Burns, and gazing dreamily at pictures of the verdant highland hills of Scotland and the cliffs that rise above the sparkling seas of Ireland.

I am not certain quite when or how, but the Celtic magic has cast a spell over me, a spell I am in no hurry to break.
Recently, my mother informed me of a thrilling discovery. My great-grandfather was absolutely, full-fledged, completely, utterly Scotch-Irish! I could not believe it! My dear mother knew this all the time? And now she informs me of this splendid heritage? I have always longed to claim a bit of Scotch-Irish blood surging through my veins, and now that wish has been granted. Why, I could practically be called a true lassie. Lass...such a romantic word, ta se romhall no nach bhfuil (is it not)?

The Rules

2011-03-09T21:46:00.002-05:00

(according to C. S. Lewis)

"I hope you will not misunderstand what I am going to say. I am not preaching, and Heaven knows I do not pretend to be any better than anyone else. I am only trying to call attention to a fact; the fact that this year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practice ourselves the kind of behavior we expect from other people. There may be all sorts of excuses for us. That time you were so unfair to the children was when you were very tired. That slightly shady business about the money--the one you have almost forgotten--came when you were very hard-up. And what you promised to do for old So-and-So and have never done--well, you would never have promised if you had known how frightfully busy you were going to be. And as for your behavior to your wife (or husband) or sister (or brother) if I knew how irritating they could be, I would not wonder at it--and who the dickens am I, anyway? I am just the same. That is to say, I do not succeed in keeping the Law of Nature very well, and the moment anyone tells me I am not keeping it, there starts up in my mind a string of excuses as long as your arm. The question at the moment is not whether they are good excuses. The point is that they are one more proof of how deeply, whether we like it or not, we believe in the Law of Nature. If we do not believe in decent behavior, why should we be so anxious to make excuses for not having behaved decently? The truth is, we believe in decency so much--we feel the Rule of Law pressing on us so--that we cannot bear to face the fact that we are breaking it, and consequently we try to shift the responsibility. For you notice that it is only for our bad behavior that we find all these explanations. It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves."

~from Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis

Ordinary Blessings

2011-03-05T14:12:00.004-05:00

February has ended just as quickly as it began. There are many things that make each day special. A few of the blessings I enjoyed this February were:
(links in bold print)

Skipper, the professor, and Gilligan

1. watching episodes of Gilligan's Island with my mom--and laughing hysterically

2. singing along with my new Celtic Thunder CD (and, of course, ever-faithful Michael Buble)

3. listening to Charles Swindoll's preaching in the car with Dad

4. Jennifer Erin Valent's books Fireflies in December, Cottonwood Whispers, and Catching Moondrops...now that the series is over, what shall I do? Miss Valent has not yet published any others:(

5. skyping with April, Ladd, Jackson, and Oakley

6. hysterical videos by Julian Smith, introduced to me by my cousin Josiah:
JS: Handbag, JS: Britain's Got Talent Parody, JS: Trees Hate You

7. at long last, donning my favorite Greek-style, gold sandals...the winter weather prevented it for far too long

8. making homemade Valentines for family and friends and kindred spirits

9. a thunderstorm...I have missed the sound of rain clattering against the roof and thunder bellowing in the distance

10. The Best of Ron Hamilton piano book

11. Focus on the Family's audio drama of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, possibly my favorite Narnia book

12. the sprouting up of the year's first happy, yellow daffodils in the yard

13. reading stacks of books to McKenzie in our "book nook" (a disorganized closet filled with crates of the family's old children's books and magazines)

14. practicing homemaking skills with my mom in our "spare time" (hopefully, there will be more of that this summer)

15. sorting through old boxes of keepsakes and finding a few pictures of my mom and dad's college days

16. trying to learn on my own to play the violin on an old, well-travelled violin a kind man at church offered to let me borrow for as long as I would like (if anyone knows of any websites or books that would be helpful in teaching oneself to play, I would greatly appreciate it)

17. my kindred spirit/cousin Jessica's lovely blog, Soli Deo Gloria

18. spending my days and nights with my holy Abba, Father, from whom all of these blessings come

Tears in His Bottle

2011-03-03T21:03:00.001-05:00

~Psalm 56~
2. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O Thou most High.
3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.
4. In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
8. Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?
9. When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
11. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto Thee.
13. For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

"...put Thou my tears into Thy bottle..."
The God Who created and sustains all of Creation saves my tears in a bottle? I knew that He is transcendant. I knew that He is involved in His Creation. But before I read this verse a few years ago, I never fathomed that He so intimately cares about me that He would hear my crying and never lose one of my tears. This is an amazing fact, quite impossible to grasp.
I am dismayed to imagine Christ's anguished tears in the Garden of Gethsemane...the tears that I caused. If only I could have dried His tears! If only He had not had to suffer so deeply because of my sins. But He endured it all willingly. His love transcends all human imagination. It is overwhelming to know that He loves me so...that He loves us all so. Who will save Christ's tears in a bottle? He is always there to dry my tears. Why cannot I keep from disappointing Him? He is always faithful. Why cannot I remain faithful to Him?
Dear Father, please make me worthy of Your love. And save the bottle of my tears, so that one day, we can pour them together into the River of Life in Heaven, when You shall wipe away all tears from our eyes.
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." ~Psalm 30:5

Biblical Femininity

2011-02-26T21:43:00.005-05:00

My new flower headband, a feminine touch

A few lovely sites that advocate and encourage biblical femininity...

Ladies Against Feminism

Noble Womanhood

Feelin' Feminine

Training Daughters, Teaching Wives

In Lover's Lane

2011-02-25T19:40:00.002-05:00

I know a place for loitering feet
Deep in the valley where the breeze
Makes melody in lichened boughs,
And murmurs low love-litanies.

There slender harebells nod and dream,
And pale wild roses offer up
The fragrance of their golden hearts,
As from some incense-brimméd cup.

It holds the sunshine sifted down
Softly through many a beechen screen,
Save where, by deeper woods embraced,
Cool shadows linger, dim and green.

And there my love and I may walk
And harken to the lapsing fall
Of unseen brooks and tender winds,
And wooing birds that sweetly call.

And every voice to her will say
What I repeat in dear refrain,
And eyes will meet with seeking eyes,
And hands will clasp in Lovers' Lane.

Come, sweet-heart, then, and we will stray
Adown that valley, lingering long,
Until the rose is wet with dew,
And robins come to evensong,

And woo each other, borrowing speech
Of love from winds and brooks and birds,
Until our sundered thoughts are one

And hearts have no more need of words.

~L. M. Montgomery

Femininity vs. Feminism

2011-02-17T22:26:00.007-05:00

The feminist movement has caused much damage in our society. It has greatly raised the rates of divorce and abortion. It has taught women that they are mistreated and brainwashed if they decide to forego having a career outside the home in order to be a stay-at-home wife, mother, and homemaker. Radical feminists even go so far as to say that children are only a burden and a hindrance to a woman's career. In a corrupt culture such as ours, a woman who chooses to follow God's plans for her life is often viewed with scorn. But I firmly believe that if she longs for true "quality of life," a woman cannot find it anywhere but in God's will. Seeking the Master will always be worth the price, whatever that price may be. Did not God value our lives highly enough to give His own for them? How much more should we value His commandments?
These are excerpts from a recent school assignment, an argumentative essay. My topic was femininity vs. feminism:
“Eve was not taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.” Matthew Henry’s thought-provoking statement accurately describes the biblical roles of men and women. Whereas radical feminism reaps negative effects, biblical femininity produces positive results.

In a feminist society, the unique differences between men and women are demolished, robbing the culture of courageous manhood and virtuous womanhood. When a woman embraces her biblical role, she understands the importance of her calling as a helpmeet to man and can influence the culture incalculably. It has been said, “Behind every successful man there is a woman.” Feminists do not realize that Christ, who set in place the woman’s role they so despise, confirmed the practice of treating women with equality. He did not give them the role of the man, but by establishing specific jobs for them in His ministry, he showed them the importance of their own responsibilities.
Not only is the culture positively affected by godly womanhood; the family is, as well. When a young woman submits to her parents’ authority, she reverences them and is spared much potential harm she may have faced had she flouted their rules. God ordained the father as the head of the home; therefore, a virtuous daughter will cherish her father’s protection and guidance. In so doing, she learns how to submit to the man she may one day marry. When a married woman willingly follows her husband’s authority, she brings peace into the home and encourages him to embrace his rightful role as the leader.

Embracing biblical femininity produces an edifying outcome in the individual. A Christ-honoring woman recognizes her own value in Christ, raising her self-esteem. As she values Christ’s gifts, she will subsequently value her purity and will dress with modesty and chastity. She will adorn herself with a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-5) and will speak with wisdom (Proverbs 31:26). When a woman accepts these responsibilities, the Lord will bless her. “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come” (Proverbs 31:25). “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her” (Proverbs 31:28).
Virtuous womanhood produces positive effects on the culture, the family, and the individual. Feminism undermines the perfect institution ordained by God. His are plans upon which no improvements can be made.
Copyright ©

...But the greatest of these is CHARITY

2011-02-14T22:55:00.009-05:00

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth...

~1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

I hope you all had a magical Valentine's Day. My thoughtful daddy made mine special by surprising me with an Oreo blizzard and a special poem, and my dear mom took me to buy a new Celtic Thunder CD! I doubt I will ever get Damian McGinty's "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" out of my head again...but I don't mind a bit:)

I enjoyed making homemade Valentines and chocolate-chip cookies for my classmates (at our Christian school) and friends and family. And I'm extremely blessed to have wonderful friends who made the day special for me, too:)

I thank my Heavenly Father for showing me the meaning of true love. He is Love embodied. And He is always faithful, even when I am not. I love You, most holy Redeemer. I want You to know that and the world to know that. May I never give You reason to doubt that. Thank You for being my Valentine.

Until my Savior brings into my life another special Valentine--my future husband, I am determined to wait faithfully for him, to honor him before we've even met. Why not write a special Valentine for your future mate? I made one this year and placed it in my hope chest...And why not write our Heavenly Father a special Valentine, too? He, after all, is the most deserving of all to receive our love.

With warmest wishes from the Tansy Patch,

Like a Gaelic Lullaby...

2011-02-12T17:24:00.005-05:00

Come By the Hills (Celtic Thunder--Damian McGinty)

This is a breath-taking song...The first verse is in Gaelic, but the rest is in English (with a slight Irish accent:)) I would love to fall asleep to it--the song is just like a lullaby...

"...And the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done."

Another beautiful song sung by Damian McGinty of Celtic Thunder is "A Bird Without Wings"...I could not find a video of it on youtube, but you can hear it on playlist.com, so if you, like me, are enchanted by Celtic music, go check it out!

A Baby's Laughter

2011-02-09T21:46:00.005-05:00

A baby’s laughter is sweet and clear.
It is strong, and innocent, and sincere.
The laughter of one babe alone
Can unwittingly melt a heart of stone.
With the utterance of that sound of glee,
A heart is calmed, and its worst fears flee.
The echoes of a child’s pure enjoyment
Are strains of rich music, heaven-sent.

A Father's Prayer

2011-02-07T21:18:00.001-05:00

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain."

~General Douglas MacArthur

Michael Buble Mania

2011-02-05T23:52:00.010-05:00

Click the links below to hear a few of my favorite Michael Buble songs! :) Classic old songs (and a few original) sung with a new twist and an amazing voice? You can't get much better than that! I could not find a good video of his song "That's All," but it's definitely a favorite of mine, so if you get a chance, look it up on playlist.com. It's beautiful...
I am dedicating this post to my beloved cousin Josiah (He will probably kill me for this...He's not too fond of dear Michael) :)

Cry Me a River

Crazy Love

Home

Haven't Met You Yet

Everything

Lost

You and I

Save the Last Dance for Me

I'm not as obsessed as it seems...really :)

Fancies

2011-02-01T22:25:00.001-05:00

Surely the flowers of a hundred springs
Are simply the souls of beautiful things!

The poppies aflame with gold and red
Were the kisses of lovers in days that are fled.

The purple pansies with dew-drops pearled

Were the rainbow dreams of a youngling world.

The lily, white as a star apart,

Was the first pure prayer of a virgin heart.

The daisies that dance and twinkle so

Were the laughter of children in long ago.

The sweetness of all true friendship yet

Lives in the breath of the mignonette.

To the white narcissus there must belong
The very delight of a maiden's song.

And the rose, all flowers of the earth above,
Was a perfect, rapturous thought of love.

Oh! surely the blossoms of all the springs
Must be the souls of beautiful things.

~Lucy Maud Montgomery

This is one of my favorite poems, if not my very favorite. I have kept a small piece of paper with this poem on it tucked into my Bible for several years. It serves as a reminder to me that if I look hard enough, I can find a wealth of beauty in this world. God has created such wonders! I long to listen to Him tell me all about it.
Lucy Maud Montgomery's writing, first through the Emily trilogy, then the Anne series, the Pat books, multiple short stories and poems, etc., intoduced me to her wonderful knack of seeing the world through the eyes of a wonder-struck child, of finding beauty all around her, of being courageous enough to write these thoughts and to develop these characters. Oh, if only I could write as she did! Read my earlier post all about this amazing author here: The Alpine Path: Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Winter's Day

2011-01-30T22:25:00.004-05:00

The air is silent save where stirs
A bugling breeze among the firs;
The virgin world in white array
Waits for the bridegroom kiss of day;
All heaven blooms rarely in the east
Where skies are silvery and fleeced,
And o'er the orient hills made glad
The morning comes in wonder clad;

Oh, 'tis a time most fit to see

How beautiful the dawn can be!

Wide, sparkling fields snow-vestured lie

Beneath a blue, unshadowed sky;

A glistening splendor crowns the woods

And bosky, whistling solitudes;
In hemlock glen and reedy mere
The tang of frost is sharp and clear;
Life hath a jollity and zest,

A poignancy made manifest;
Laughter and courage have their way
At noontide of a winter's day.

Faint music rings in wold and dell,

The tinkling of a distant bell,

Where homestead lights with friendly glow

Glimmer across the drifted snow;

Beyond a valley dim and far
Lit by an occidental star,
Tall pines the marge of day beset
Like many a slender minaret,
Whence priest-like winds on crystal air
Summon the reverent world to prayer.

~Lucy Maud Montgomery

10 Books that Have Changed My Life

2011-01-29T01:09:00.009-05:00

1. A Man Called Peter (Catherine Marshall)
Having seen the amazing movie A Man Called Peter several times before (and literally sobbing each time), I decided to read the book for a school report last year. It is the true story of a devout Chistian who became the Chaplain of the U. S. Senate. He was poor. He was humble. He was nervous to leave his beloved Scotland for America. But he possessed unfathomable faith in Christ. The book was written by Catherine, his beloved wife, and is the most moving story I have ever read. I will never forget the night I finished the book. I sat in my bedroom floor crying for more than two hours. I cried out to God that he would instill in me such faith, such devotion, such love...I prayed that I would become as strong and wise a woman as Catherine Marshall, and that I would someday be worthy to marry a man such as Peter Marshall. If you never read another book, read God's Holy Word and A Man Called Peter. For more on A Man Called Peter, read my previous post: Peter Marshall: A True Hero

2. Christy (Catherine Marshall)
Another amazing story by Catherine Marshall, Christy is based on the true events Catherine's mother experienced as a teacher in the early 1900s in the tiny, Smoky Mountain town called Cutter Gap. This is a story of redemption, of healing, of love, of God's grace and divine providence...It is filled with unique, delightful characters and touching incidents. Also, don't miss the wonderful television series Christy, starring Kellie Martin, based on this book.

3. The Scottish Chiefs (Jane Porter)
Another story that prompted tears, The Scottish Chiefs is the awe-inspiring story of William Wallace. He was truly an amazing man, and a man of strong faith in God, as well. He was courageous, strong, wise, daring, and devoted. And on top of all of this, he was a Scotsman, a definite plus in my book. For more on The Scottish Chiefs, read my earlier post: The Scottish Chiefs

4. Emily of New Moon trilogy (L. M. Montgomery)
I will never forget the first time I was introduced to Emily Byrd Starr, heroine of the Emily of New Moon trilogy, written in the 1920s. I immediately recognized in her a kindred spirit. She was so much like me, it was shocking. My wonderful mother had told me that she thought I would like the books, so I decided to begin reading them one late, sleepless night in my seventh grade year. It was during Thanksgiving break. I stayed up most of the night on the living room couch, curled up in a blanket and completely engulfed in Emily's world. I cannot explain the magical way the story lures me in and causes me to want never to leave. I have since reread the trilogy three times, and it has never lost one fragment of the wonder it initially struck within me.

5. Set-Apart Femininity (Leslie Ludy)
It was this book which opened my eyes to the dangerous world of feminism, and renewed within me my love of being feminine, modest, and virtuous in every area of my life. It showed me how important it is that I please my Heavenly Father by embracing the special role he has given me as a Christian young woman. Other wonderful books on the subject, also by Leslie Ludy, are Authentic Beauty and The Lost Art of True Beauty.

6. So Much More (Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin)
So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God covers a variety of topics, all dealing with becoming the virtuous, visionary daughter that pleases God. It contains scriptural advice and instruction on father/daughter relationships, college vs. stay-at-home daughters, joyfully serving others, courtship, and...so much more.

7. The Bravehearted Gospel (Eric Ludy)
Fearlessly proclaiming the true gospel message, this eye-opening book discusses the lack of "manly grit and growl" in the average modern church. It exclaims that our churches are sadly missing true men and women of God--men and women who will proudly share the gospel message, who will "man up" and live lives poured-out for Christ and who will disciple others to do the same. My dad and I recommend it to people every chance we get.

8. When Dreams Come True (Eric and Leslie Ludy)

The true love story of Eric and Leslie, this is a touching tale of genuine, God-written romance. It established even more firmly my decision to wait for courtship and for that one perfect man God has chosen for me. Yes, I cried several times in the midst of this story. No romance can compare with the true love stories that only God could orchestrate.

9. Do Hard Things (Alex and Brett Harris)
Awakening me to the dangerous consequences of accepting the expectations our culture has for young people my age, Do Hard Things (as well as its sequel Start Here) challenged me and gave me a new perspective. I now view the teenage years as marvelous gifts from God that can and should be used for His glory, to accomplish "big things." Alex and Brett Harris, the authors, were only teens themselves when they wrote these books, and they have been an inspiration in my life.
www.therebelution.com

10. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy...the delightful March sisters of this beloved novel, possess varied personalities, and I love them all. Meg, the eldest, is motherly and longs to be a proper young lady. Jo, the tomboyish writer of the family, inspires me in my literary goals. Beth, like me, loves music and playing her pianoforte. She is timid and sweet-natured. Amy, though she can be quite spoiled and selfish at times, is the humorous youngest sister who often mispronounces words and commits social travesties while trying to be elegant and refined. And the story would certainly not be complete without the dear German Professor Bhaer or the fun-loving neighbor Laurie. Many lessons can be gleaned from this story, as the four little ladies and their mother ("Marmee") attempt to become the best they can be in God's eyes. (Just a side note: My favorite movie version is the 1949 one starring Elizabeth Taylor. It is splendid, and my mom and I watch it so often, we could almost quote it word for word.)

Echo Dell

2011-01-26T22:06:00.006-05:00

In a lone valley fair and far,
Where many sweet beguilements are,
I know a spot to lag and dream
Through damask morns and noons agleam;
For feet fall lightly on the fern
And twilight is a wondrous thing,

When the winds blow from some far bourne

Beyond the hill rims westering;

There echoes ring as if a throng

Of fairies hid from mortal eyes

Sent laughter back in spirit guise

And song as the pure soul of song;

Oh, 'tis a spot to love right well,

This lonely, witching Echo Dell!

Even the winds an echo know,

Elusive, faint, such as might blow

From wandering elf-land bugles far,

Beneath an occidental star;

And I have thought the blue bells lent
A subtle music to my ear,
And that the pale wild roses bent
To harken sounds I might not hear.
The tasselled fir trees softly croon
The fabled lore of elder days.
And through the shimmering eastern haze
Floats slowly up the mellow moon;
Come, heart o' mine, for love must dwell
In whispering, witching Echo Dell.

~Lucy Maud Montgomery

My Longshore Lass

2011-01-24T19:47:00.003-05:00

Far in the mellow western sky,
Above the restless harbor bar,
A beacon on the coast of night,
Shines out a calm, white evening star;
But your deep eyes, my 'longshore lass,
Are brighter, clearer far.

The glory of the sunset past
Still gleams upon the water there,
But all its splendor cannot match
The wind-blown brightness of your hair;
Not any sea-maid's floating locks
Of gold are half so fair.

The waves are whispering to the sands
With murmurs as of elfin glee;
But your low laughter, 'longshore lass,
Is like a sea-harp's melody,
And the vibrant tones of your tender voice
Are sweeter far to me.

~Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Thing of Beauty...

2011-01-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever...

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness, but will still keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing...

~John Keats

Yesterday, the sky looked as if it didn't belong to our world at all, but had wandered out of a fairytale. I suppose God decided we could use a little touch of magic. Of course, every sunset is a miracle, as is every sunrise. But I have never seen a more enchanting one than yesterday's. I captured these pictures from my yard. You will notice the abundance of trees...See? I told you I was a country girl! And I would have it no other way...

Enjoy the magic of "ordinary miracles." Each day is a gift from God. May we always remember that and thank Him accordingly!

Blessings from the Tansy Patch,

She Walks in Beauty

2011-01-22T13:46:00.002-05:00

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half-impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

~George Gordon, Lord Byron