Morning Has Broken…

Morning has broken
Like the first morning,
Black bird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them 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,
Sprung 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 ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation
Of the newday!
(words by Eleanor Farjeon)

This is one of my favorite hymns and it has been running through my mind ever since Easter morning. The weather has been gorgeous, with early sunshine shimmering on dew-covered grass every morning when I go out to walk dogs. Birds are filling the air with song, including the Red-wing Blackbirds in our swampy area. I just love these days.

We had a delightful Easter, my favorite day of the year. We started the day with church, singing my favorite resurrection hymns and having breakfast together as a church. Then Stephen and I packed all the dogs (five of them at the moment) up in the car and headed to my parents’ farm to spend the day with my parents and my brother Alexis with his fiancee, Lina, and my brother Thaddeus with his family. Unfortunately Jennifer wasn’t able to join us, since she lives so far away. We shared stories, laughed, did some dog training, and ate a lot. My newly pierced ears were a big topic of conversation with my mother and brothers. A good day that has had me smiling every time I think of it.

Here are some journal entries and other paintings that reflect my generally happy thoughts of the past week.