Happy Friday!  The work week is drawing to a close, and it's time to start thinking how you want to spend your weekend hours--hopefully you have plans to spend time with family and friends, perhaps work on a project or just find a place to curl up with a good book and relax.  I know laundry needs washing and floors need scrubbing, but we need time to refresh our souls as well as tidy our homes!  I woke up this morning with this tune in my head...I imagine many of you will recognize it from the Cat Stevens' version or perhaps from church youth campfire sing-alongs.  The lyrics were actually written by Eleanor Farjeon, for inclusion in a Scottish hymnal, Songs of Praise, in 1931. The editor of the hymnal, noting a need for a hymn to give thanks for each day, asked English poet and children's author Eleanor Farjeon "to make a poem to fit" the lovely Scottish tune Bunnesan.  May we always remember to give thanks for each day!  Take a big breath, let it out slowly and may the peace and gentleness of the words flow over you.

Morning has Broken

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for the springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Spring in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

Gods' recreation of the new day.



Morning mist, New Hampshire 2011