Winter

Winter

Monday, November 22, 2010

Thoughts Today


Right now the weather is finally cold, crisp and clear.
It feels like winter. See how blue the sky is and how
pretty the sunlight looks bouncing off the leaves.
It is the kind of weather that I love being outside.
Only I am still sick so I have been watching it from
my window. Wednesday night it might even get
down to 26 which I am pretty excited about. Fires
in the wood stove make it so cozy.

I am going to share a prayer for the Middle-Aged today
because, well, it might be easy to whine and carry on
and I think it is better to think about other things,
like other people and how I am looking forward to
seeing all of my grandchildren.

Prayer for the Middle-Aged
By a 17th-Century Nun

Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself
that I am growing old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking
I must say something on every subject
and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.
Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity
not to use it all, but Thou knowest, Lord,
that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips on my aches and pains. (:))
They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is
becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the talks of others pains,
but help me to endure them with patience.
I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when
my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet.
I do not want to be a saint---
some of them are so hard to live with---
but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people.
Give me the grace to tell them so.
Amen.

I love this prayer because I see myself in every line. So with all
of my kids being here my prayer will be that they will have a lovely
time and I won't have to pontificate on every subject.

I hope that I can bake some goodies tomorrow and get my
cranberries made so they can be chilling and my salad marinating
and get some of the things out of the ways so I can just make my pies
on Wednesday morning. I really do love making pies.

I hope your day is beautiful, and I wish you the best.

~Kim~

10 comments:

Julia said...

Kim, what a wise prayer.I see myself in some lines too. I've been thinking that getting old is reverting to being children again. Pretty soon we will need some help to get dress and to walk. Your Thanksgiving preparations sounds so festive. I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving dinner. JB

TexWisGirl said...

I like that prayer. Don't you know if a nun needed it so badly we ALL do! :)

Like the new look of the blog. I changed mine today too. Seems like lots of folks like to shake it up a bit when the seasons change. :)

Hope you have tons of energy tomorrow and the rest of this week!

Meg said...

Oh, I love that prayer! Funny how I'm not that far along in life and I should really be praying that for my self as well.

And I love that you used the word "pontificate".

I hope you are feeling better soon! Don't push yourself too hard to get things done. We won't mind! :)

Jacque. said...

oh, Kim. I have never seen that prayer before. Thank you so much for sharing it! Still praying for your improved health.

Miss Debbie said...

Wow....that is certainly relevant! So much so that it made me twinge and chuckle at the same time! Sure hope you are feeling much better by the time your family arrrives. I've been the "sick" hostee before and it isn't much fun. I'm enjoying my time with the son and "grandgirls" here in TN. Will be takng them home with me tomorrow afternoon for an overnight stay before delivering them to their other grandparents on Wed. Everyone else
"descends" on Thurs.....can't wait!! Thanks for sharing the poem...a lot of wisdom there. Now, iif I can just remember to put into practice! :-)

Debbie said...

Oh my goodness....I see myself TOTALLY as well. Guess we are never as unique as we think we are..haha. I am trying to be on the same schedule as you are so that tomorrow all I have to do is bake the pies and set my dining room table...ENJOY all your kids being together...I will only have one of mine for Thanksgiving (and then some extended family of mine as well) but I am sooo looking forward to Christmas so we will all be together. Have a wonderful, wonderful holiday and may you feel 100% by then. I am so glad to have met you. = ) HUGS

myletterstoemily said...

"keep me from the compulsion to say something
about every subject." classic.

it IS so difficult to hold my tongue, and when i do,
then many times someone asks my opinion. it's
way more fun then.

i'm sorry you've been under the weather. i must
have missed that while i was in the mountains. it's
crazy how just a few days away and i lose touch.
the good news is that now you have had your 'cold'
you will be fortified for the rest of the season!

love,
lea

Kessie said...

Yeah, I'm going to get my laundry done today so I don't have to worry about it for the rest of the week. This cold is just the absolute worst. You get better so very, very slowly.

Patrice said...

Amen! Hope you feel better soon.

Genny said...

I LOVE this prayer. All thoughts I need to remember and remind myself as I get older. Thank you for the lovely prayer.