Tag Archives: peace

“Be still and know (breath in) that I am God “(breath out): a spiritual & physical relaxing technique.

November 15, 2015AnnaLeah and Marybe still my soul, grief, hope, joy unspeakable, peace, sorrowMarianne

Something to try. . .

Here is an idea which I read this morning on a friend’s Care Pages message (she is undergoing treatment for aggressive cancer): “‘Be still and know (breath in) that I am God ‘ (breath out) is a spiritual and physical relaxing technique which may help.”

Mary (two years old) & I:

And because music has power to soothe my soul:

There is a Balm in Gilead. . .

“Be Still, My Soul”
by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-?
Translated by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Hymn #651
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 46:10
Author: Catharine Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel, 1752, cento
Translated by: Jane Borthwick, 1855
Titled: “Stille, mein Wille”
Composer: Jean Sibelius, b. 1865, arr.
Tune: “Finlandia”

http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/tlh651.htm

Children of the Heavenly Father

September 20, 2015AnnaLeah and Mary, Truck Safetygrief, joy, peace, truck crashMarianne

I always find this hard to sing in church — today was no exception. We sang it at my dad’s funeral and at AnnaLeah’s and Mary’s.

Two sisters sing Children of the Heavenly Father together. They have sung it many times and could do it in their sleep. This has special meaning as the duet is sung with a background of photos featuring their two younger sisters who are now, truly, with their Heavenly Father.

Children of the Heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given

God His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms He bears them

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth

Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children ne’er forsaketh
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy

Lo their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Your Protector never slumbers
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foe man must surrender.

Carolina Sandell-Berg

http://www.semicolonblog.com/?p=5907

“Courage, dear heart.”

August 28, 2015AnnaLeah and MaryAslan and Lucy, Chronicles of Narnia, courage, grief, peaceMarianne

Susanna gave me this lovely bracelet for my birthday. Such a wonderful word of encouragement for those moments when dark thoughts find their way in to disturb my peace:

http://simplyputstudio.com/products/courage-dear-heart-chronicles-of-narnia-c-s-lewis-bracelet

http://emmagayle.blogspot.com/2011/03/courage-dear-heart.html

Mary loved the Chronicles of Narnia. For many years before she read the books herself, her older brothers and sisters read them out loud to her. And she watched the BBC videos for hours on end.

I just found this video which someone made of Lucy and Aslan to the song Wrapped in Your Arms. It makes me think of AnnaLeah and Mary. I am so glad that they knew the comfort of His loving arms. “Courage, dear heart.”

Beach photos by The Karths (Naomi & Sam)

Bittersweet peace & pain. Almost as if I was there–though they would never be here.

August 1, 2015AnnaLeah and Marygrief, peaceMarianne

The other day, I was able to visit AnnaLeah’s and Mary’s grave site for the first time by myself. Weeding & watering. Bringing stones I had found in North Carolina from a place they never got to visit. Watching the flickering light move across their headstone as the sun rays came through the tree branches swaying in the breeze. Hearing the birds and wind chimes. Bittersweet peace & pain.

At first I took photos and then realized I could capture the flickering lights with video on my camera. I came home and made a video of it–followed by shots from their funeral and video from a visit they had made to a Chicago cemetery to search for Karth/Wilkinson headstones (2010?) and accompanied by their Grandpa Waldron singing & playing Amazing Grace on his dulcimer. (Oh, and don’t be surprised when you hear Mary’s voice. While I was filming at the cemetery, I had Jerry call my phone which has a ringtone created by Mistress Mary Quite Contrary.)

I was reluctant to leave and go on to the next thing on my journey that day. But I had the comfort of knowing that I would go home and be able to see it all again at any time–almost as if I was there. Though they would never again be here.