"Shew me thy ways, oh Lord; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day". (Psalm 25, 4 - 5)
Today my cold has been slowing me down quite a bit. I've been coughing and sneezing my way through my chores! Thankfully the sinusitis seems to be behaving itself at the moment, but I have very definitely got a bad cold! When I feel like this, I find it helps a lot to keep a humble heart and a happy spirit and just carry on regardless! I'll put on some lovely praise music, or sing to myself (today I didn't - I really couldn't! I could not stop coughing!). The clip above is a hymn which always inspires me when I'm feeling slowed down and sorry for myself, and it reminds me of two of my favourite Psalms, Psalm 86, and Psalm 25, which was read at our wedding. Just like that precious day, today it was a beautiful cloudless sunny day, cool but brightly sunny, and not for a moment did the sun stop shining, all day. Winter seems to have been chased away by spring today, and it was also a wonderful day for getting laundry dry and as I took it in from the line this afternoon I kept my mind busy with thoughts of the nice things we'll be able to do as the weather gets better, and the summery months arrive. Things like ....
Picnics in the park.
Walking around the lake.
Feeding the ducks.
Eating fish and chips on the pier at the seaside.
Taking a train to the village where we can walk to a real working windmill.
Flying a kite.
Visiting the gardens of a stately home.
The feel of a silky warm breeze rustling your hair and caressing your cheeks.
Collecting kindling for Grandmama Bear in the woods.
Queueing up at the ice cream van to buy 99 flake cornets to eat as we walk home from the town.
Watching the seagulls swooping and diving in a bright blue sky.
Listening to the sound of the wind rustling leaves on trees.
The sound of birdsong early in the morning.
The smell of freshly cut grass, lavender, and lime or apple blossom.
Sunny evenings around the kitchen table as we eat our tea in daylight!
Just imagining these things, made me feel MUCH better! And tomorrow is Friday which I always enjoy - it's a really busy day with lots of before-weekend chores, but I look forward to seeing a beautiful spick-and-span kitchen when I'm finished in there, and then sitting down to finalise our menu plan for the week ahead. Always fun!
"Teach me thy way, oh Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore" (Psalm 86, 11 - 12).
Teach me Thy way, O Lord,
Teach me Thy way;
Thy gracious aid afford,
Teach me Thy way.
Help me to walk aright;
More by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heavenly light,
Teach me Thy way.
When doubts and fears arise,
Teach me Thy way;
When storms o'erspread the skies,
Teach me Thy way.
Shine through the cloud and rain,
Through sorrow, toil, and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain,
Teach me Thy way.
Long as my life shall last,
Teach me Thy way,
Where'er my lot be cast,
Teach me Thy way.
Until the race is run,
Until the journey's done,
Until the crown is won,
Teach me Thy way
