Nobility

I found this wonderful poem in a very old book at an Antique store in the Factory in Franklin.

Nobility by Alice Cary

True worth is in being, not seeming,—
In doing, each day that goes by,
Some little good—not in dreaming
Of great things to do by and by.
For whatever men say in their blindness,
And spite of the fancies of youth,

There's nothing so kingly as kindness,
And nothing so royal as truth.
We get back our mete as we measure—
We cannot do wrong and feel right,
Nor can we give pain and gain pleasure,
For justice avenges each slight.
The air for the wing of the sparrow,
The bush for the robin and wren,
But always the path that is narrow
And straight, for the children of men.

'Tis not in the pages of story
The heart of its ills to beguile,
Though he who makes courtship to glory
Gives all that he hath for her smile.
For when from her heights he has won her,
Alas! it is only to prove
That nothing's so sacred as honor,
And nothing so loyal as love!

We cannot make bargains for blisses,
Nor catch them like fishes in nets;
And sometimes the thing our life misses
Helps more than the thing which it gets.
For good lieth not in pursuing,
Nor gaining of great nor of small,
But just in the doing, and doing
As we would be done by, is all.

Through envy, through malice, through hating,
Against the world, ,early and late.
No jot of our courage abating
Our part is to work and to wait
And slight is the sting of his trouble
Whose winnings are less than his worth.
For he who is honest is noble
Whatever his fortunes or birth.

At the dawn of my 22nd year

My feet are tired but my heart is at rest.

My eyes are heavy but my spirit is light.

My body is tired yet my soul is wide awake.

I’m not home, but I’m not lost.

God is great. God is good.

All to Thee, Beloved. Lets keep going. :)

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Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

What's Missing...

"What’s missing? A life of meaning, a life of ideas and reading books and being valued for our thoughts and accomplishments.” —More Here

The Mad Ones

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!” —Jack Kerouac

If a pastor were to quote this at church I would, for once, be the one to shout "Amen".

Growth.

Words I always used to hear when people described me: Shy, quiet, cautious, nice, hesitant, reserved.

Words I hear recently when people describe me: Bold, kind, fiery, sassy, strong, "gentle yet bad ass"(<-- my personal favorite).

I'm growing and I'm proud. It takes a lot of work to transform the good into something even better and to concur the things that hold us back.

Not Yet My Soul:

Freedom is far, rest far. Thou art with life
Too closely woven, nerve with nerve intwined;
Service still craving service, lost for love,
Love for dear love, still suppliant with tears.
Alas, not yet thy human task is done!
A bond at birth is forged; a debt doth lie
Immortal on mortality. It grows --
By vast rebound it grows, unceasing growth;
Gift upon gift, alms upon alms, upreared,
From man, from God, from nature, till the soul
At that so huge indulgence stands amazed.
Leave not, my soul, the unfoughten field, nor leave
Thy debts dishonoured, nor thy place desert
Without due service rendered. For thy life,
Up, spirit, and defend that fort of clay.
~Robert Lewis Stevenson

Right and True.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. ~ Marcus Aurelius

This is such a simple yet vital lesson that deserves much more reverence than it receives.

I like seeing and experiencing the restoration of a broken world and broken people only through the fervent love of a most gracious Creator.
Each person is an extension of God's beloved creation. Look into each soul and you will find something of supreme worth.Therefore, I think everyone should treat everyone else well. There is no reason not to be loving towards other people other than giving in to selfishness.

*Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity, except to love God, and to serve Him only-Thomas Kempis

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
I carry your heart with me(I carry it in
my heart)
(E.E. Cummings)

Quiet sits and dreams:

"Her thoughts are like the lotus
Abloom by sacred streams
Beneath the temple arches
Where Quiet sits and dreams." (A Fantasy) by Sara Teasdale

Oh who can tell the range of joy
Or set the bounds of beauty?" (A Winter Bluejay)


Now for my Favorite:

A Prayer

When I am dying, let me know
That I loved the blowing snow
Although it stung like whips;
That I loved all lovely things
And I tried to take their stings
With gay unembittered lips;
That I loved with all my strength,
To my soul's full depth and length,
Careless if my heart must break,
That I sang as children sing
Fitting tunes to everything,
Loving life for its own sake.

She is an amazing poet: http://www.poemhunter.com/sara-teasdale/poems/