General Chat

Good morning :-)


Had a lovely visit from our old friend and it was good to catch up. The flu jabs were soon done and dusted.......something else out of the way ! :-D

For today :

Having come through our front door, we make our way to the kitchen – probably the busiest room in the house.

Bless this little kitchen Lord,
And those who gather here each day.
Let it be a place where we can meet
To love and laugh and pray.

Bless this little kitchen, Lord
And all who enter in,
That they find peace, joy and
Happiness, abiding still therein.



Praying for all who are preparing meals for others today. Cx :-)

Hello All

Cynthia I can see that it is going to be very interesting, going around the house.Thanks

I have a tea towel bought several years ago at a church bazaar which states:
Bless my crazy kitchen
Bless my pots and pans
Bless my stove, that warmly glows
Bless each friend, that comes and goes.

MY KITCHEN PRAYER

Bless my little kitchen, Lord.
I love it's every nook
And bless me as I do my work,
Wash pots and pans and cook.

May the meals that I prepare
Be seasoned from above,
With thy blessing and thy grace
But most of all thy love.

Bless FOOD before us
The FAMILY beside us, and
The LOVE between us all.
Amen

The kitchen is usually known as the heart of the the home. Praying now for those families who face eviction and are dealing with financial hardships right now. xxx

Good morning :-)

Cold, dark, miserable and wet...........not a nice morning at all.

Never mind, we will continue our tour around our homes and, moving from the kitchen, we go to the dining room or wherever it is that we eat.


Lord,
Thank you for family and friends
Thank you for times like these
Where we can gather together,
Share in food, drink and relax.

Please bless this meal, and all that it means.
May the food nourish us,
And the fellowship enrich our lives.
Most of all, may we always invite you into our homes,
And into our hearts.

Amen.


Thinking of those who do not have enough to eat today. Cx :-)

Hello All

It also is a dark rainy morning but forecast to become brighter this afternoon.
The gardens need rain and it is one job less as I won't need to water my plants.

I remember from schooldays a simple prayer said before school dinners

Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything............... my brain is working well this morning!

We are blessed to have food to put on our table and family and friends to share it.

Many churches hold luncheon clubs and charge a small amount for a hot meal and pudding. It is an opportunity for lonely people to come together to share friendship and fellowship together each week. Food for the body and for the soul.
I used to help out and it was a way of giving hugs while greeting people and listening to the concerns of folk who never saw anyone else from one week to the next. A real privilege indeed back then, and a very humbling experience too.

Remembering the many volunteers who work among homeless people today. xxx

Good morning :-)


A bit late this morning - my computer was in 'update' mode.........


After a very good meal, we move from our dining room through to the room where we relax...the lounge.

Blessed are you, Gracious God,
for you have provided this place
for unwinding and enjoying company.
Give your blessing to all who share this room, that they may find joy in their relaxation,
and may we always be generous hosts. Amen.


Love to all. Cx :-)

Good morning

I am enjoying your house tour Cynthia. Our homes should be places of peace and security but sadly for many people the reality is different, so thoughts today are for the homeless and for those whose homes are places of tension and fear.

Hello All

Cynthia, I fully agree with Vera and love your idea of going through each room in the home. It doesn't matter if we return from a wonderful holiday or staying with family or have been discharged from hospital, coming back home is always a joy.

For Mother's Day this year my daughter bought a plaque that says "Mum's are the heart of the home", this now has pride of place in the hearth of our lounge.
My Granddaughter gave me a wooden plaque and the words painted on this say,
"My Mum knows a lot of things, but my Nana knows...... everything".
We all had a good laugh together at Katie's choice of gift, and this now hangs on the wall in the hall.

Our extended family are like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions,
but our roots remain as one.We are blessed to feel happy for visits here at home.

Remembering those who have lost contact with their close family members. xxx

Good morning :-)


I am happy that you are enjoying the home tour.......thank you. <3


After a good meal and a relaxed time spent with good friends, it is time for bed.


Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake;
watch over us as we sleep,
that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep,
we may rest in his peace.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.



Of course, there is always the old prayer many of us learned as a child...


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Amen.


Hoping to have my hair cut today - that should be a weight off my mind... :-D



Thinking of those who find sleep difficult...... Cx :-)

The bedroom is a place of sanctuary. A haven after a long weary day.
We often have to cope with sleepless nights and this is when the night seems so long, and we think that we must be the only ones who are awake, although that isn't true.

I have a bookmark that says
When you can't sleep, don't count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.

I often find the wee small hours is a good time to talk to the Shepherd!

Thinking of those who have no roof over their heads this night. xxx

Good morning :-)


We live on a busy road, and I never cease to be amazed at how much traffic there can be, the whole night through. We rarely notice it to be honest but, sometimes, when awake in the middle of the night, there is always someone going somewhere.

To end our tour of our homes.......

We leave our bedrooms and open our windows and doors to allow the morning air into our homes. We may take a look around our gardens - whether they be big or maybe simply flower pots. We thank God for His creation....

God's Garden

The Lord God planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,
And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.
So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,
For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.
And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod
And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
For He broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease.

Dorothy Frances Gurney


Holding friends in prayer..... Cx :-)

Hello All

Cynthia, I will be sad when the house tour comes to an end. It has been really interesting and enjoyable going from room to room and reading your comments.
Thank you so much.

I LOVE my garden. This love began in my childhood when my Father became ill with heart condition and could no longer manage to look after our lovely garden.. I worked with Dad's supervision and kept our family garden looking reasonable tidy.

I do my best to keep our gardens weed free and it becomes harder every year.
I have managed to plant lots of Spring flowering bulbs so that hubby and I can look forward to a colourful display in the garden to cheer us up after Winter has ended.

Plant SMILES
Grow LAUGHTER
Harvest LOVE

Thinking of people who live in high rise flats and never see natural beauty. xxx

Good morning :-)

When we downsized 11 years ago and moved to a smaller house, I missed the large garden we used to have....but......as things have worked out, it is the best thing to have happened. We simply have a paved area at the back with plant pots adorning it. No grass to cut thank goodness. I'm pretty sure I would have really struggled with a garden, given the fact of my husband's poor health.

The Collect for today (one of the most well known Collects)

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that,
through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.


Hoping everyone has a pleasant day. Cx :-)

I really felt blessed to have an extra hour in bed this morning as British Summer Time has come to an end. I have now altered all the clocks for another 6 months.

Here in Yorkshire it is a dry and bright morning....... another blessing for all.

This is also the beginning of half term holiday week. A poster in the village newsagent says "Keep Calm and Enjoy Half Term", this made me smile.

Thinking now of all hard-working teachers who shape the future of children. xxx

Life is an open book with blank pages

You write the story x

Good morning everyone... :-)

Oh dear, I'm running late today........puff puff :-D


Growing in wonder

God our Father, may the vastness of your creation
that we can begin to see through a telescope,
remind us of the abundance of your love.
May the lowliness of the smallest creatures and cells
that we can see through a microscope,
remind us of how insignificant - yet special we appear to be.
May our vision each day of the world around us remind us
that you so loved the world that you sent Jesus, your Son,
to be one of us.
In all that we observe,
open our eyes so that we may really see
and grow in wonder and appreciation.

Amen.

Love to all. Cx :-)

Hello All

Interesting words Emma, thank you.

Thanks Cynthia for today's posting, get your breath back now.

Now that the clocks have been altered, it has reminded me that time is precious and moments never return again.

Three things that you can never recover in life;
The WORD after it has been said
The MOMENT after it has been missed
The TIME after it has gone.

Time is free but it's priceless
You can't own it, but you can use it.
You can't keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you've lost it, you can never get it back.

Thinking of those who have lost the ability to remember time.xxx

Please may I ask that when you say your prayers tonight you add a prayer for a young couple of our acquaintance, the daughter and son in law of friends.

They have been expecting their first, much wanted, child and are at 39 weeks of pregnancy. Yesterday, they learned that the baby had died and tomorrow the young lady has to be induced to deliver the child. As you can imagine the whole family is devastated. Please ask for them to be given strength to cope with their loss.

Thank you

Good morning :-)


Vera, how terribly sad for the whole family of that young couple and yes, they will be willingly held in prayer bless them.

It reminds me of when I used to work as a hospital volunteer and our church used to make tiny 'Angel blankets' for the stillborns. We also made Christening gowns for those little ones who were not given long to live on this earth. They were velcroed down the sides so that the child could be place on the back and the front just laid across them. This seemed to give the grieving parents so much comfort.

It wasn't until I got involved in this work, that I realised just how many parents are grieving for infants. The chapel had a 'tree' in it where parents could place the name of their child........it was covered. So sad.

I had a quick look to see if I could find a suitable prayer.....hope this helps.


Precious Little One

I’m just a precious little one who
didn't make it there.
I went straight to be with Jesus,
but I’m waiting for you here.
Many dwelling here where I live
waited years to enter in.
Struggled through a world of sorrow,
a world marred with pain and sin.
Thank you for the life you gave me,
it was brief but don’t complain.
I have all Heaven’s Glory,
suffered none of earth’s great pain.
Thank you for the name you gave me.
I’d have loved to bring it fame.
But if I’d lingered in earth’s shadows,
I would have suffered just the same.
So sweet family - don’t you sorrow.
Wipe those tears and chase the gloom.
I went straight to Jesus` arms
from my loving Mother’s womb.

- unknown.


Love to all Cx :-)

Oh Vera, that is so heartbreaking for the young couple and families.
I have just lighted a candle and hope it may bring light into their deep darkness today.

I have no words to add, but can only remember them in my thoughts and prayers. xxx

So sad Vera.

Remembering them all in my prayers x