Wednesday 25 March 2009

I Corinthians 10:31

Another busy day - part domestic [laundry, sewing, breadmaking] and part church stuff [pastoral visiting, Care Home Service, Sewing Club, Church meeting] And when will I learn to put on an apron when I am using bleach ? I splashed my teeshirt this morning [fortunately an old, cheap one, but annoying nonetheless]

IM003316 I had to get the Brasso out to polish my chalice before I went off to lead the Communion service. It is about 7" high, silver-plated, and I picked it up as it was rolling on the ground at the local tip many years ago "Can I have this?" I asked one of the staff, waving the tarnished object at him.

"Yeah, spose so..." There was another one nearby, so they came home and got cleaned up.

This one says "LGE WNRS DOMS 1978-79"

I have no idea what that means, or where they came from - or why they were discarded. But it makes a good size cup for small communion services at Care Homes!! I am not given to polishing my silver very often - but it is a satisfying task nonetheless, removing the tarnish and seeing the shine build up. I am sure my Mum had a book of Ladies meeting talks by Mary S Wood called "Polish Your Silver". MSW was the author of lots of books for Christian Women, with titles like "Sermon in the Kitchen" and "A Christian Girl's Problems". Mind you, my Dad used to say one of the biggest problems for Christian girls was that MSW wasn't a particularly good writer!

Bob - who seems snowed under with funerals lately, read this poem at a recent service. [I used to have it pinned up in the kitchen] It definitely fits my mood today

Lord of all pots and pans and things
Since I’ve no time to be
A saint by doing lovely things
Or watching late with Thee
Or dreaming in the sweet dawn light
Or storming Heaven’s gates,
Make me a saint by getting meals
And washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha’s hands,
I have a Mary mind,
And when I black the boots and shoes,
Thy sandals, Lord, I find.
I think of how they trod the earth,
What time I scrub the floor:
Accept this meditation, Lord.
I haven’t time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy love
And light it with Thy peace;
Forgive me all my worrying,
And make all grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
In room or by the sea,
Accept this service that I do–
I do it unto Thee

It is a poem written in 1928 by a 19 year old girl in domestic service in England.

6 comments:

  1. Enjoyed catching up on your last several posts! The chalice is beautiful. I miss the symbolism of the chalice at communion as we now have, for years, used the individual plastic cups.

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  2. I've copied the poem - I love it :)
    Very impressed with your silver find.

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  3. I have Kitchen Sermons by MSW, it's a hoot, really it is. Lots of good advice and some quite mystifying stuff, there's something about a "lumber room" which reminds me of Cold Comfort Farm..."I saw something nasty in the lumber room."

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  4. How amazing to find the chalices like that!
    Thank you for your visit, if you can get a Jan Karon book do give it a try, gentle and thoughtful Christianity.

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  5. Hi Angela,

    The engine is under the hood!

    LOL

    Thanks for making me think about the origins of words. Its fun.

    Debbie J.

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  6. I love the poem--it expresses how I often feel.

    And I always forget to wear an apron, too, most especially if I'm doing something with bleach. When will we ever learn?

    frances

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