Love all of God's creatures, the world,and every grain of sand in it. Love
every leaf, every ray of God's light. Love the plants, love everything.
If you love everything you will perceive the divine mystery in things.
Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day.
And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.
Dostoyevsky in The Brothers Karamazov
Posted by Marylee Armour
January 3, 2009
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Love's Prayer
DEAR Lord! kind Lord!
Gracious Lord! I pray
Thou wilt look on all I love,
Tenderly to-day!
Weed their hearts of weariness;
Scatter every care,
Down a wake of angel wings
Winnowing the air.
Bring unto the sorrowing
All release from pain;
Let the lips of laughter
Overflow again,
And with all the needy
O divide, I pray,
This vast treasure of content
That is mine to-day!
By James Whitcomb Riley
The late James Whitcomb Riley was a resident of my home state of Indiana. (Indiana is a word that refers to the local Indians.) With Google's help. I have learned that when Indiana was created from the Northwest Territory in 1800, "Indiana" was the name given to the Indiana Territory by the United States Congress.
Indiana is often referred to as the Hoosier state. James Whitcomb Riley is known as the Hoosier poet. Riley lived in Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana. Indianapolis is about 75 miles from my home town of Terre Haute, Indiana. Riley's birth date was October 7, 1849. He died in July 22, 1916.
Riley died before my birth, but I am thrilled that his poetry had been printed, and saved, I have enjoyed his poetry, and am glad that Riley was given acclaim as our Indiana poet. I admire Riley as a person of distinction. Also, because Riley's poems touch my heart, I love the gift of his thoughts as well.
I am "tickled pink" that at my elder age, my memory still holds for me, the words and music of Riley's hymn, "Love's Prayer" At home, sometimes, I sing hymns aloud with my 84 year-old voice. At other times, I sing hymns within my mind. In my mind, but without actual sound, somehow I "hear," the music.
If a reader would like to see if she or he can hear silent music, try singing a simple tune in your mind. Try:
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
*******
MY QUESTION FOR TODAY
"Life is but a dream?"
If that is true,
Have I, for all of these 84 years.
been walking in my sleep?
Marylee Manson Armour
November 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Two Gospels
Go out into the world
and preach the Gospel,
and sometimes, use words.
St. Frances.
*******
Gospel
Love the Highest Good
and our neighbors as ourselves.
Collected by Marylee Armour
Back in time
and preach the Gospel,
and sometimes, use words.
St. Frances.
*******
Gospel
Love the Highest Good
and our neighbors as ourselves.
Collected by Marylee Armour
Back in time
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Love One Another
Go out into the world
and preach the Gospel
and sometimes
use words.
St. Francis
Gospel:
Love the Highest Good
and love our neighbor
as ourselves.
*******
Collected back in time
by
Marylee Manson Armour
and preach the Gospel
and sometimes
use words.
St. Francis
Gospel:
Love the Highest Good
and love our neighbor
as ourselves.
*******
Collected back in time
by
Marylee Manson Armour
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day
When we think about others and send a flower on the computer, or a gift of words that say "I am glad our paths have crossed", we are really saying "I care about you." When we say "You are special," I imagine we are really saying, in a shy way, "I love you."
The amazing thing is that we don't have to say the exact words, "I love you," or "I care about you." That's because we, all, and over time, do little kindnesses for one another. Kindness carries the same message.
Even to call someone on the phone is a gift of love. "I was thinking about you and wanted to get in touch." Love is caring and having concern for another person's well-being. Love is sometimes called friendship. Love, like friendship, is something we share. Love is taking provisions to a food pantry. Love is helping, sometimes, by giving another driver the right-of-way. Love is caring for a pet.
A little kindness that a friend, a spouse, or a child, of whatever age, offers us or offers someone else, shouts the feeling of love so loudly that even without words or sound, we know that Love is at hand.
When my grandson Stephen was an older toddler we walked to a park that had climbing equipment. On the walk, we met up with a woman walking the opposite way. She was pushing a young girl in a little rolling carriage. The woman and I stopped to talk. "Yes", she said, "This is Amy, my daughter."
Stephen had a graham cracker in his hand. While I talked to the mother, Stephen went over by the little girl. In a minute, he broke his cracker into two pieces, and gave half to the little girl. She took the cracker. Before eating it, she took something from her mouth. She offered half to Stephen. I intervened, but my heart was made glad. So young, and yet both children had an inner urge to share. Love was already flowering in the children.
Valentine's Day is about love. Wouldn't it be great if we could say in person, "I love you" to our spouses, our children and our friends? Is it easier to say, "I'm glad we met." Or " I'm glad we married and have had a home together."
The thought has just come to me, and never had before: Are we human folk rather shy and tongue-tied about saying out loud to those we truly care about: "I love you?"
How about if this Valentine's Day, we folk had a little exchange of "glads"? "I'm glad we met." "I'm glad we are friends." or "I'm glad we married." Might the thanks be, "I'm glad for our home." " I'm glad we still have each other."
Let's try to sneak in also, a "Happy Valentine's hug." Along with an "I love you."
This old world may be so overjoyed, we may have to nudge it to keep it turning. "I love you, World!" "I love you, Life!"
"Dear Creator of all that is, and of all that is and all that ever will be, I love you!"
Marylee Manson Armour
January 14, 2008
A loved Poem
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
*******
(I hold memory only
"How do I love Thee?
Let me count the ways.")
Collected by Marylee Manson Armour
Back in time and on
Valentine's Day, 2008
When we think about others and send a flower on the computer, or a gift of words that say "I am glad our paths have crossed", we are really saying "I care about you." When we say "You are special," I imagine we are really saying, in a shy way, "I love you."
The amazing thing is that we don't have to say the exact words, "I love you," or "I care about you." That's because we, all, and over time, do little kindnesses for one another. Kindness carries the same message.
Even to call someone on the phone is a gift of love. "I was thinking about you and wanted to get in touch." Love is caring and having concern for another person's well-being. Love is sometimes called friendship. Love, like friendship, is something we share. Love is taking provisions to a food pantry. Love is helping, sometimes, by giving another driver the right-of-way. Love is caring for a pet.
A little kindness that a friend, a spouse, or a child, of whatever age, offers us or offers someone else, shouts the feeling of love so loudly that even without words or sound, we know that Love is at hand.
When my grandson Stephen was an older toddler we walked to a park that had climbing equipment. On the walk, we met up with a woman walking the opposite way. She was pushing a young girl in a little rolling carriage. The woman and I stopped to talk. "Yes", she said, "This is Amy, my daughter."
Stephen had a graham cracker in his hand. While I talked to the mother, Stephen went over by the little girl. In a minute, he broke his cracker into two pieces, and gave half to the little girl. She took the cracker. Before eating it, she took something from her mouth. She offered half to Stephen. I intervened, but my heart was made glad. So young, and yet both children had an inner urge to share. Love was already flowering in the children.
Valentine's Day is about love. Wouldn't it be great if we could say in person, "I love you" to our spouses, our children and our friends? Is it easier to say, "I'm glad we met." Or " I'm glad we married and have had a home together."
The thought has just come to me, and never had before: Are we human folk rather shy and tongue-tied about saying out loud to those we truly care about: "I love you?"
How about if this Valentine's Day, we folk had a little exchange of "glads"? "I'm glad we met." "I'm glad we are friends." or "I'm glad we married." Might the thanks be, "I'm glad for our home." " I'm glad we still have each other."
Let's try to sneak in also, a "Happy Valentine's hug." Along with an "I love you."
This old world may be so overjoyed, we may have to nudge it to keep it turning. "I love you, World!" "I love you, Life!"
"Dear Creator of all that is, and of all that is and all that ever will be, I love you!"
Marylee Manson Armour
January 14, 2008
A loved Poem
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
*******
(I hold memory only
"How do I love Thee?
Let me count the ways.")
Collected by Marylee Manson Armour
Back in time and on
Valentine's Day, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
God's Love
I look to Thee in Every Need
and never look in vain.
I feel Thy touch, Eternal Love
and all is well again.
The thought of Thee is mightier far
Than sin and pain and sorrow are.
--Samuel Longfellow
and never look in vain.
I feel Thy touch, Eternal Love
and all is well again.
The thought of Thee is mightier far
Than sin and pain and sorrow are.
--Samuel Longfellow
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