Psalter Statistics

The exact number of quotations is very difficult to determine precisely.  Some strong allusions as well as narrative fulfillments may not be reflected on this chart.

Data compiled from a number of sources here, here, and here [as well as others hard copy resources].

I like the Fall

The Mist and All

by Dixie Willson
To be read slowly and quietly

I like the fall
The mist and all
I like the night owl’s lonely call
And wailing sound
Of wind around

I like the gray
November day
And dead, bare boughs that coldly sway
Against my pane
I like the rain

I like to sit

And laugh at it

And tend my cozy fire a bit

I like the fall

The mist and all

photo of Valparaiso/Boggy Bayou by me.

Happy Birthday, Edgar!

He was to poetry what Norman Rockwell was to painting.  Never accused of being too edgy or avant guarde, he was a poet for the man on the street, and a Christian deep down and all the way through.  If you have never read the poems of Edgar Guest, let today, his 131st birthday, be the day you begin.  They will warm your soul and help you along in the right direction.


Lord, Make A Regular Man Out Of Me
Edgar Guest

This I would like to be- braver and bolder, 
Just a bit wiser because I am older, 
Just a bit kinder to those I may meet, 
Just a bit manlier taking defeat; 
This for the New Year my wish and my plea- 
Lord, make a regular man out of me. 

This I would like to be- just a bit finer, 
More of a smiler and less of a whiner, 
Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand 
Helping another who's struggling to stand, 
This is my prayer for the New Year to be, 
Lord, make a regular man out of me.  

Book List [What I've been reading/listening to lately]...

You are what your mind eats ...

Another Great Poem from Reading Time ...

“OUR HEROES”

By Phoebe Cary

Here's a hand to the boy who has courage
To do what he knows to be right;
When he falls in the way of temptation
He has a hard battle to fight.
Who strives against self and his comrades
Will find a most powerful foe.

All honor to him if he conquers.
A cheer for the boy who says, “No!”
There's many a battle fought daily
The world knows nothing about;
There's many a brave little soldier
Whose strength puts a legion to rout.

And he who fights sin single-handed
Is more of a hero, I say,
Than he who leads soldiers to battle
And conquers by arms in the fray.
Be steadfast my boy, when you're tempted,
To do what you know to be right.

Stand firm by the colors of manhood,
And you will o'ercome in the fight.
“The right,” be your battle cry ever
In waging the warfare of life,
And God, who knows who are the heroes,
Will give you the strength for the strife.

Discovery Channel Worldview

This week the Discovery Channel is launching a new show called "Curiosity".  It is purported to be a five year deal to explore the most tantalizing and provocative questions of science and technology.  The first episode, hosted by Stephen Hawking, is entitled, "Did God create the Universe?"  With all these things in the air, I found myself unable to ward off the parody demons.  To the tune of 'Jesus Loves Me'. 

Darwin loves me this I know

Stephen Hawking tells me so
Say goodbye to right and wrong
all the weak to feed the strong

Chorus:…

Self adapters will survive
and the fittest stay alive
Progress Darwin’s all about
Till our bright, hot sun burns out

Chorus: …

Nature red in tooth and claw
Is life’s only certain law
Thankfully for Stephen’s sake
We still often that law break.

Chorus: ...
 
Once again, I can't resist quoting the close of Steven Turner's Creed:
 
If chance be the Father of all flesh,

disaster is his rainbow in the sky,
and when you hear
State of Emergency!
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting!
Bomb Blasts School!
It is but the sound of man worshiping his maker.

Virtue and Its Imposters

VIRTUE AND ITS IMPOSTERS  
by Thabiti Anyabwile

Three things confuse a Christian; Yeah, four confound any man.
Unbelief masquerading as wisdom,
Enthusiasm presenting itself as faith,
Fear pretending to be patience,
and permissiveness claiming to be love.

Bourgeois Haiku: "JJ Drawing"

"JJ Drawing"

Gray afternoon light
Blue eyes chasing pencil lead
anchored to the page.



A Well-needed Reminder

"Chance" A Postscript

If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky,
and when you hear:

State of Emergency!
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting!
Bomb Blasts School!

It is but the sound of man worshiping his maker.

-Steven Turner

What I've been Reading Lately [Book List] ...

You are what your mind eats ...

If ...

Here's another gem from our bedtime poetry readings:

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

John Wooden, RIP

Oh Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High

Psalm Sing - Christ Church, Moscow, ID from Daniel Foucachon on Vimeo.

This is a wonderful hymn.  The majority was written by A'Kempis in the 15th century with the final verse attributed to Ambrose in the 5th:

Oh, love, how deep, how broad, how high,
How passing thought and fantasy,
That God, the son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortal’s sake!


For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp he knew;
For us the tempter over threw.


For us to wicked men betrayed,
scourged, mocked, in crown of thorns arrayed.
for us He bore the cross to’s death,
for us, at length, gave up his breath.

For us he rose from death again;
For us he went on high to reign;
For us he sent his Spirit here
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-born, to Thee;
Whom with the Father we adore,
and Holy Ghost forevermore. Amen.

BTW: Here's a great link that allows you to quickly and simply transfer the audio from some of these uncopyrighted videos to your itunes playlist.  Remembering the 8th commandment, check it out, here.

Loving Words

When my brother Tommy

Sleeps in bed with me,

He doubles up

And makes

himself

exactly

like

a

V

And 'cause the bed is not so wide,

A part of him is on my side.

TWO IN BED by A. B. Ross

"Probably nothing I ever wrote as a published author did not derive in some way from the 16 or so poems my mother chose, over and over again, to read to us [before bed]. The sheer pleasure of the experience was key."
- World-renowned novelist, Anne Rice, Called Out of Darkness

The single biggest surprise to me after our first half year of homeschooling is the major role poetry has played.  Above is one of the gems we've unearthed.  Look for more to come.

In Honor of National Black Poetry Day

On Being Brought From Africa To America

'TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew,
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
'Their colour is a diabolic die.'
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.

Phillis Wheatley.

A Firm Foundation

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

John Rippon,

excerpt from 'How Firm a Foundation',

1787

Poetry Worth Reading

Summer warm and lazy
Lemon sun and hazy
Remember?
Popsicle red on my chin
Bikes and plastic army men
And no sign of September
Something in my seven years was telling me
To thank the Author of such a biography

My adolescent 70's
Reads just like the Pevensies'
Adventures
Cause every perfect now and then
I caught a glimpse of Aslan's mane
And I longed for His treasure
Something in His mystery was drawing me
To love the Author of my own biography

All grown up and living fine
Biographies all intertwined
With billions
And soon He turns the final page
We'll look the Author in the face
Then the book really begins
Cause something tells me all these years of memories
Are only the first sentence of eternity

Nonny Nonny
by Chris Rice

A Thanksgiving Poem

No Children!

Edgar Guest

No children in the house to play--

It must be hard to live that way!

I wonder what the people do

When night comes on and the work is through,

With no glad little folks to shout,

No eager feet to race about,

No youthful tongues to chatter on

About the joy that's been and gone?

The house might be a castle fine,

But what a lonely place to dine!

No children in the house at all,

No fingermarks upon the wall,

No corner where the toys are piled--

Sure indication of a child.

No little lips to breathe the prayer

That God shall keep you in His care,

No glad caress and welcome sweet

When night returns you to your street;

No little lips a kiss to give--

Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear

We could not stand it half a year.

What would we talk about at night,

Plan for and work with all our might,

Hold common dreams about and find

True union of heart and mind,

If we two had no greater care

Than what we both should eat and wear?

We never knew love's brightest flame

Until the day the baby came.

And now we could not get along

Without their laughter and their song.

Joy is not bottled on a shelf,

It cannot feed upon itself,

And even love, if it shall wear,

Must find its happiness in care;

Dull we'd become of mind and speech

Had we no little ones to teach.

No children in the house to play!

Oh, we could never live that way!