Monday 15 September 2008

Just Another Diamond Day

So here is A Day in my Life, to see what women from all over the world were doing on Sunday, 14th September, please visit my friend Little Jenny Wren.

We breakfasted on duck eggs, sourdough toast and tea and realised that there was a proper autumn mist developing outside. At ten o'clock we hot-footed it to church, for prayers and hymns and Eucharist. We also said goodbye to the choristers who are going to university in early October, it was a little bitter-sweet, we all feel sad to see them go, moreover we feel sad to see them grown up. The Collect was particularly beautiful, so I'll re-print it for you .

Almighty God
You have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:
pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,
and so bring us at last to your heavenly city
where we shall see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, Amen.

Again, I suppose as a reflection of the Collect, we sang a hymn which describes the affect of the Peace of God on our hearts, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. This is my favourite hymn, and I particularly like the words to the last two verses, I've printed them here for you.

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm!

"And let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace" A good prayer for we homemakers!

After church we went to the pub. Like Chaucer's Friar, we don't necessarily see our faith as a preclusion to the good things in life!lol! The DH has a particular passion for local beer and proper pubs, so we often have a pint and do the crossword at a pub, this time we had Sunday lunch, and very good it was too!

"He knew the taverns well in every town. And all the innkeepers and the barmaids too."

Afterwards, we priced up rabbit hutches and buck and doe rabbits for the girls. It seems that soon we shall be proud pet owners. But more on this anon!

At 4 o'clock (after the DH have finished mowing the lawns and manfully sweeping up the falling leaves) we had tea. If I ruled the world, I 'd make afternoon tea a compulsory daily event. We all need a proper break, a time to sit and reflect and guzzle the national panacea. A completely shop bought tea today, but I took a photo of the packaging, because it was so pretty!

The DH and the eldest rushed off to Evensong and the little one and I made Elderberry Jelly. To be honest, my kids love jam making so they can test for the set, licking the blobs of nearly set jam off each saucer. I only got three jars of elderberry off the trees this year, I'd left it so late to go foraging. But I think later on I'll make some hedgerow jelly to make up for it, perhaps with bullaces, soles and crab apples. I've never done this before, so it will be a fun experiment for the kids and I during half-term!

To finish, why not enjoy Occuli Omnium, my lot sang it as Introit for last night's Evensong. It's so very beautiful, and quite right for a Sunday evening.



Well, I hope you enjoyed my Sunday! To finish I pray that...

"The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen."

12 comments:

Marie N. said...

I've not been berry picking at a farm yet, but I'm hoping to take the kids to get some red raspberries this week. I don't know if we will invest the time to get enough for jellies as my youngest has a cold.

Best wishes with your rabbit raising adventures. I do think having pets is good for children.

Niki said...

I enjoyed reading about your day, and loved the choir at the end. Thanks for sharing :)

Nan said...

Your day is the England of which most of us dream. Church, the pub, making jelly, and Evensong. It fills me with joy that this life still exists, and is happily lived.

I looked up the hymn and found the words were written by the poet, John Greenleaf Whittier.

Jan said...

The jam looks lovely. And I know your benediction well but thats for posting it anyway. Jan

Maymomvt said...

I want to come spend a Sunday with you!

Jenny said...

What a peaceful English day.
I love pub lunches( although probably there were no prunes on the menu)

Tia said...

A proper Sunday! Lovely.

Tia

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a lubbly jubbly day.

I love that hymn too; just beautiful.

Our Pastor often says the benediction:
"The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen."
At the end of a service too.

Have got choir on as my background music, thank you! :)

Hugs.

Zillah said...

Ah, Dear Lord and Father - the Quaker hymn. Won't surprise you that's one of my favourites as well. We sang it at our wedding.

Your day sounds lovely. Did you make jam with just elderberries? There are lovely ones up here at the moment, but I have no time right now for jam making. I'm freezing them, along with blackberries for later, when I might have more time. Hmmm, when will that happen?!!!

Zillah

Gumbo Lily said...

I enjoyed reading about your Sunday. Sounds just perfect to me. And I sang along with "Oh Happy Day!" Thanks!

Jody

Dulce Domum said...

Hi Marie
Enjoy your time berry picking. Yes, we're looking forward to the arrival of Ruby and Frodo (the rabbits) with great anticipation. The children have a rather in depth and graphic rabbit keeping book which I find quite alarming but they are enjoying immensely.

Hi Niki
Yes, the choir were lovely, Occuli Omnium is so very peaceful.

Hi Nan
Thank you for giving me the name of the poet who wrote Dear Lord and Father. I shall enjoy reading about him when I've finished here.

Hi Jan
Just three rather puny jars of jam I'm afraid, but free nonetheless! I'm glad you enjoyed the Benediction!

Hi Sarah (Vermont)
Feel free to come along, we could take you to some great pubs...as long as I could visit you in New England, I'd be no bother, I'd live in your tree house!

Hi Jenny
I'd like to say that my Sunday lunch was an extravaganza of prune eating, but I'd be lying. I had belly pork stuffed with black pudding...your dad would like it I'm sure!!!

Hi Tia
I love Sundays, although I'm rubbish at getting up for church, the DH has to drag me out of bed!

Hi Del Boy (Sarah UK)
I'm glad you like that hymn too! Yes, we often have that Benediction, also I'm pretty sure I used to be blessed with the benediction before I was confirmed. I also like: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you..."

Hi Zillah
It's a Quaker hymn. Well I didn't know that. No wonder I like it! Oh, yes, the phrase "when I have the time" has been much bandied around chez Domum at the moment.

Hi Jody
I love "Oh Happy Day", it gives me goosebumps!

Anonymous said...

Yes Rodney, I love that one too, I think I have it as my comments header. Our Pastor also uses it as benediction often, I love it 'lift the light of His countenance...'.

Well bonjour Rodders, off down Peckham market to sell some hokey watches.

...stick a pony in your pocket, I fetch the suitcase from the van, 'cos if you want the best 'uns but you don't have questions, then brother I'm your man!...
Del xx