Monday, March 23, 2009

Outside the Camp

Chambrel has a beautiful campus with three different ponds. There are two mallard ducks and one white duck that live here permanently. We call them the Chambrel ducks. However, in the Spring and Fall, many ducks arrive here for a short visit.

In walking this morning I noticed many visiting ducks. Most of them were mallards, but one stood out from the rest. It had what looked like a red beak rather than a yellow bill, a green head and multicolored feathers. Yet, it was readily accepted by the other ducks. I think there is a lesson here for us humans.

Lets think about the people that make up a Christian Church. People all over the world who believe in Christ and follow His teachings. The Church then is the CAMP ; The family of God; The household of Faith. In His last instructions to the disciples, Christ called on them to love one another as he had love them. John 17:21-“My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart just as you & I are, Father.”
Christ’s love and power flows out into the relationships in which we live. This then is the calling of the church. Let us practice loving each other. “So let us go out to Him, beyond the city walls.” Hebrews 13:13

Here at Chambrel there are people of every walk of life. Most are very cheerful and friendly and kind. For reason we don’t know, a few are grumpy and never smile . But when you offer a friendly word and a big smile , you will find most people will smile right back at you. Acceptance and kindness is something we can give to each other, and it is a gift that everyone can afford.

Love Others
God let me spread a little cheer,
Erase a doubt, cast out a fear,
Lend a prompt and willing hand,
Be there to listen and understand,
Let me be filled with thoughtfulness,
Love others more, my own self less
And lighten hearts with a smile or a word
Too seldom given, too seldom heard.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

IRish Blarney

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle, and we think of ‘green’, shamrocks, leprechauns and limericks when we think of anything Irish. We also associate the word ‘Blarney’ with the Irish people.

‘Blarney’ according to the Webster Dictionary is a stone in Blarney Castle near the city of Cork, Ireland believed to bestow skill in flattery on those who kiss it . Some would say it is nonsense, “Irish Blarney.’

There are many beautiful places to visit in Ireland. To list a few:

In Dublin you can visit Trinity College Library and see ‘The books of Kells and The Long Room.
You can worship in the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin also
.
Killarney is called ‘heaven’s reflex’ for it has been one of the world’s favorite beauty spots for 200 years. The 'Ring of Kerry' road (about 110 miles long) has its base point in Killarney.

Kilkenny, is known as the ‘Marble City’. The tag ‘Marble City’ is derived from the black marble found nearby which is used for decorative purposes in the churches.

Waterford world famous for its Crystal which is shaped individually by Master Blowers, handcut by Master Craftsman making every glass unique - no two are exactly the same.

Dingle Bay can be seen from what is surely one of the world’s most picturesque roads.

But when in Ireland, visiting the Blarney Castle is a must. Nobody is certain how the legend ’ the gift of eloquence’ is derived from kissing the Blarney Stone. But it is said that Queen Elizabeth I of England is credited to giving the word “blarney” to the language when, commenting on the unfilled promises of Cormac MacDermont McCarthy , Lord of Blarney at the time, she is reported to have remarked: “This is all blarney; what he says, he never means.”

When we think of the Irish, we also think of Guinness beer and Scotch whiskey. There are many pubs in Ireland, including a Mitchell Pub, but the most famous is Seanache pub dating back to the 18h century. You will find the doors of the houses painted different colors. I was told that this helps the men find their way home after a night at the local bar. Maybe a little Irish Blarney!

A limerick to enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day:
May the blessings of love be on you,
Live within you and all around you’
May it be your shelter in the storming hours,
And your warming fire when chill winds blow.
May love make soft your path, that your steps never falter,
And widen your path that friends may always walk beside you.
May love shine out of the soul of you,
Like a welcoming light so that when others speak your name,
It will be to say here is one whose heart has never cared too little.