God's Minute 3/3

He will be our guide even unto death.--Psalm 48:14

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, we begin the day conscious of our helplessness, and Thy supreme and sovereign power. As Thou didst give us life, so we implore Thee to sustain it and to make us ready and fit for our larger service. For Thy care and protection through the night we praise Thee; the day and the night to Thee are both alike. As Thou hast watched about our beds, so we believe Thou knowest and plannest all our ways. Do Thou prepare us for all that Thou are preparing for us. If perchance we should fail in our fulfilment of Thy plan concerning us, do Thou gently correct us and restore us to Thy love and favor. If disappointments or sorrows should attend us, make us strong to bear our brudens, and enrich us with Thy sustaining grace. Make us ever faithful in each particular duty; loyal to evey high claim, responsive to every obligation to Thee and to those about us. Give us to know the way that leadeth unto life eternal, and fill us with the peace that passesth understanding. May the shadows and the sunshine alike develop and ennoble our characters. Bind us as a household with the ties of a sacred love, and make us worthy of Thy continuing care and favor. May we live this day as heirs of eternal life, and rise ever more and more unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Him Who for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich--Thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

James E. Freeman, D.D.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Albrecht Dürer--Self Portraits

Kate, at Regaining Paradise, inspired me to share a bit about my favorite Renaissance artist, Albrecht Durer. Here are several of his self-portraits:

Self-portrait, age 13

Dürer wrote of this portrait: "I drew this myself from a mirror in the year 1484, when I was still a child."

Self-portrait age 21

Self-portrait age 22

Self-portrait age 22

Self-portrait age 26

Self-portrait age 29

Albrecht Dürer was born in 1471 in Nuremburg, Germany and is considered by many to be the premier German artist of the Renaissance period. He was a painter, limner, woodcutter, engraver and mathematician. He developed the art of copper engraving and woodcutting to a degree that has never been equaled. I'll be sharing his most famous engravings in future blogspots.

His father was a goldsmith but soon it was clear that Albrecht's talents would take him beyond his father's goldsmith shop. He was apprenticed to the Master Michael Wolgemut of Nuremburg and there learned not only the technical skills of a painter but also developed his skills of wood cutting and engraving. At one point, Dürer supported himself by producing woodcuttings for illustrations in the burgeoning printing industry in Germany. This became his specialty and Dürer eventually became a publisher of books, most of which were religious in nature, for Dürer was a religious man; a man of both the Renaissance and the Reformation. I hope to devote a whole post to the spiritual journey of Dürer and his place in the Protestant Reformation.

He also was an excellent portraitist, or limner. Subjects include his parents, Emperor Maximillian (who was a patron of his work), Fredrick the Wise of Saxony, and friends Erasmus, and Philip Melenchthon. As a way of introduction, his self portraits are featured today. Many of his paintings were of religious subjects, however some of my favorites are his studies of plants and animals.

Although his paintings are exquisite, because of the media he chose and his approach he is often considered more of a graphic artist than a true painter.

Dürer kept extensive journals and diaries and was a prolific writer and theorist. In later years, he became fascinated with geometry and perspective and wrote extensively on the topic, both in his journals and in his book, "The Painter's Manual." He also produced a work on Human Proportion.

Making my own Spring

Can pansies and johnny jump-ups be far behind?

What are your favorite spring flowers?

Carol loves hyacinths.

Beth loves all the spring flowers, but the scent of gardenias is her favorite.

I love paper narcissis, daffodils, tulips, and crocuses, but my favorites are pansies, johnny-jump ups, violas and violets. They have such sweet faces.

We have wood violets in our yard that come up all on their own; white, purple, and blue. I can't wait!

update:

I forgot to mention that I heard birdsong this morning at 5:30ish when I let Eve out to go potty. Real early morning birdsong! And I have one of those plastic sticks in the yard now that tells me that the lawn service has applied the first spring treatment.

What signs of spring have you noticed?

Beth has a picture of a crocus AND a bee!

Allyson has pictures of spring flowers in her very own garden!

Island Sparrow of A Sparrow's Home has compiled some lovely posts of spring popping up all over the blogosphere.

Janna's friend called her to tell her of the first robin of the spring and she was able to open her windows, smell real spring air and hear her neighbor's windchimes. Spring is coming to KS!

A Slight Change

A week or so ago I noticed that Shannon, from Rocks in My Dryer, had changed her profile name to include the name of her blog. I had been considering this for quite some time and I figured if Shannon could do it, well then, so could I, so yesterday I finally took the plunge.

I first began calling myself "Kim from IL", because I had begun commenting on my friend Rebecca's blog and wanted to distinguish myself from "Kim in ON" to save confusion, especially since we seemed to be "one the same page" so often. The thought of ever having my own blog had never entered my mind at that point. Neither had the thought that in a few short months "Kim in ON" would be a dear friend. Or that I would know so many spectacular women bloggers and grow to love them so.

Anyway, I still live in Illinois, but I have a place in the blogosphere now. Hiraeth, a home away from home. I'm glad for all of the wonderful women who take the time to come and visit me each day. I want you all to know that you are all a blessing to me. Thanks for visiting me. C'mon in and we'll put on the kettle.

God's Minute 3/2

Make the voice of His praise to be heard.--Psalm 66:8

OUR FATHER, we thank Thee for the day which is before us. Its light awoke us with gladness; and its evening shadow will beckon us to rest. It is the emblem of Thy gift of life to us. For life is made up of joy and sorrow, like clouds with the sun shining through, and of toils and responsibilites, and hopes like the morning, and memories glorifying all the rays of the sunset. Help us to be grateful and worthy of Thy gift. O Lord, we are thankful above all for this household of ours.Through its ministry we better understand Thee. What we are to our little ones Thou art to us; and what our children are to us, we are to Thee. When we think of it, love sweeps over us like the summer, and we know the joy of Thy favor, and feel the security of Thy care. In parenthood Thou dost come close to us, and in childhood we draw close to Thee. Bless Thou our children and all our loved ones, and make each one of us worthy of love and confidence human and divine. We are sorry for the harsh word and the unkind act. Even as we are sorry for our own faults, we forgive one another. Do Thou forgive us each one, O Father, for every indifference and sin against Thee. Guard us and keep us today. Amen.

N. McGee Waters, D.D.,
Brooklyn, New York