Compline
Posted: Tuesday, 19 December 2006 |
Compline. (Night prayer.) Such a beautiful way to end a very lovely day. It's been such a good day today! We even had some **Gasp!** sunshine. When I wandered outside to feed the sheep I fell to the ground screaming "WHAT IS THAT GREAT GLOWING ORB IN THE SKY??"
Ok, just kidding. I wouldn't do that because the very observant Orcadians (no trees) would have added yet another incident to my swiftly-growing list of public humiliations. I keep hoping they just write me off as a Crazy American...
My voice chants softly as the dog sleeps at my feet...
"O Lord, teach me your paths,
and I will come to your truth.
Make my heart simple and guileless,
so that it honours your name."
The red coals in the fire place have been covered in ash and a layer of fozzy peats so that they will still be red and hot tomarrow morning. I tried to cover the coals with ash but it was so dang hot being that close to the fireplace rooting around under the grate for ash that I wimped out. (Did I mention I used to be a firefighter in Alaska?) My husband had to come in and take over. When I was first married to him I marvled at the shocking reality that his skin was soft - I had expected Man Skin to be tough as leather because for some reason men can get near the hottest stuff or the nastiest thorn bushes or what-have-you and it just doesn't seem to bother them!!
Erlend is away at his Orkney Agricultural Discussion Society meeting and I just returned from my Monday Night Visiting My Friend Frances Up The Brae (hill). I enjoy visiting Frances. When we want to talk, we talk our heads off. But if we want to just sit there and busily work away at our own things - like writing letters or doing a craft - it's no big deal. We still enjoy one another's company. Sometimes there's so much pressure to talk that visiting someone can be too difficult after a long draining day. I loved spending time in convents and monasteries because it was ok to be quiet. No one thought it rude if you walked by them and didn't talk to them. You flashed a friendly grin and that was fine and you carried on.
"Lord God, you are full of mercies, patient and true."
Did I mention I was going to be a Nun? Yeah, I was dead-set on being a Nun. I even had the goal that if I didn't find a man by the time I was 30 years old I'd know God meant for me to be a Nun and I'd go and join an order lickety-split. I spent lots of time visiting monasteries and convents as I scoped out the various orders. But when I was 29 years old, at the very cusp of the 11th hour, Erlend and I fell in love. Soooooo I did take the veil: the bridal veil that is!!
And now I am a happy fake-Orcadian farm wife! Mooooo...
"Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace."
Lovely. Just lovely. One of my favorite prayers! Have a blessed lovely peaceful sleep! Good night!!
Ok, just kidding. I wouldn't do that because the very observant Orcadians (no trees) would have added yet another incident to my swiftly-growing list of public humiliations. I keep hoping they just write me off as a Crazy American...
My voice chants softly as the dog sleeps at my feet...
"O Lord, teach me your paths,
and I will come to your truth.
Make my heart simple and guileless,
so that it honours your name."
The red coals in the fire place have been covered in ash and a layer of fozzy peats so that they will still be red and hot tomarrow morning. I tried to cover the coals with ash but it was so dang hot being that close to the fireplace rooting around under the grate for ash that I wimped out. (Did I mention I used to be a firefighter in Alaska?) My husband had to come in and take over. When I was first married to him I marvled at the shocking reality that his skin was soft - I had expected Man Skin to be tough as leather because for some reason men can get near the hottest stuff or the nastiest thorn bushes or what-have-you and it just doesn't seem to bother them!!
Erlend is away at his Orkney Agricultural Discussion Society meeting and I just returned from my Monday Night Visiting My Friend Frances Up The Brae (hill). I enjoy visiting Frances. When we want to talk, we talk our heads off. But if we want to just sit there and busily work away at our own things - like writing letters or doing a craft - it's no big deal. We still enjoy one another's company. Sometimes there's so much pressure to talk that visiting someone can be too difficult after a long draining day. I loved spending time in convents and monasteries because it was ok to be quiet. No one thought it rude if you walked by them and didn't talk to them. You flashed a friendly grin and that was fine and you carried on.
"Lord God, you are full of mercies, patient and true."
Did I mention I was going to be a Nun? Yeah, I was dead-set on being a Nun. I even had the goal that if I didn't find a man by the time I was 30 years old I'd know God meant for me to be a Nun and I'd go and join an order lickety-split. I spent lots of time visiting monasteries and convents as I scoped out the various orders. But when I was 29 years old, at the very cusp of the 11th hour, Erlend and I fell in love. Soooooo I did take the veil: the bridal veil that is!!
And now I am a happy fake-Orcadian farm wife! Mooooo...
"Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace."
Lovely. Just lovely. One of my favorite prayers! Have a blessed lovely peaceful sleep! Good night!!
Posted on Things Go Moo in the Night... at 00:00
So...I traded my quiet cabin in the Alaskan woods for the howling winds of Orkney and life on a farm. 
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