Auld Lang Syne

Scenes from the movie "Becoming Jane", a life of Jane Austen, are accompanied by this lovely version of The the New Year's Eve traditional song. I couldn't find the name of the singer, but I'd surely like to know.

Update from Anonymous in the comments:

I also love this version of the song and found out it is Mairi Campbell, whom I've never heard of before. At first I thought it had to be Judy Collins, but after much investigation I found it is, as someone before me said, Mairi Campbell. Her voice sends chills down my spine in this song and now none others can compare! 

Thanks very much for the name, Anonymous.  Next time you visit, please make up a name and sign your comment. 

Happy New Year - 2009!

Fireworks on the Mississippi River at Jackson Square in the French Quarter

A BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Early for us - late for those in other countries - from the heart for everyone.

Eve Of Holy Name

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 21:1-6

As I was reading from the Lectionary for the vigil of the Feast of the Holy Name and reached the passage from Revelation, I hoped that I would find these words, and my heart leaped with delight when I saw them. Not because I knew chapter and verse, because I'm not good at that. I have only a small number of verses committed to memory. I usually have to search. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I think not.

More Awful Christmas Cracker Jokes

Why are ghosts so bad at lying?
You can see right through them.

What kind of tree do fingers grow on?
A palm tree.

What do you call a penguin in the Sahara desert?
Lost.

What do you call a woman who stands between two goal posts?
Annette.

On which side do chickens have most feathers?
On the outside.

What do you call a train loaded with toffee?
A chew chew train.

What's furry and minty?
A polo bear.

What's big, grey and wear glass slippers?
Cinderelephant.

How do snails keep their shells shiny?
They use snail polish.

What must you know to be an auctioneer?
Lots.

Did you hear about the man who bought a paper shop?
It blew away.

What is the vampire's favorite song?
Fangs for the memory.

I send these to my grandchildren, and they love them. Average mental age? Around 10 years old.

Please Pray For Sue And Ed

JCF said...

The wife of my priest has endured Too Damn Much in the past few years. A chronic liver problem, I think, weakened her bones (and may have done other things to leave her accident-prone. No, she doesn't drink.)

A year ago, she received a liver transplant (w/ all the usual Ups&Downs that that entails, vis-a-vis drugs and rejection-monitoring).

When I spoke to my priest prior leaving Michigan for my own (California) holidays, he was SO looking forward to a week-long post-Christmas Florida getaway.

Just last night, I got an email: while packing for the Florida trip, his wife slipped and fell on the Michigan ice, breaking bones AGAIN (this is about the 3rd time this has happened in the past 7 years).

Florida is cancelled, Sue is in pain, and Fr. Ed has that (via email) "there went my last nerve" sound (recall also, that my parish, St. James, Albion, is still recovering from a devastating sanctuary-losing fire).

Please pray for them---Ed and Sue NEED A FRIGGIN' BREAK! (the good, non-bone kind };-/ )

It's Still Christmas - Day 7

 

Bounty from the garden includes cumquats and navel oranges nearly the size of grapefruit.

I'm running out of les objets de la Saison chez moi. I may have to look around the intertubes for pictures for some of the rest of the days of Christmas.

Please Continue Prayers For Mrs. Stewart

From Renz:

I am sad to report that Mary Ann's mom, Mrs. Stewart, has yet to awaken
from the induced coma following brain surgery. The stopped the sedation
medication yesterday morning, but she remains unresponsive and on a
ventilator. Please keep them in your prayers. Thanks.

Sorry All

At the moment, I am not posting much; I am not answering very many emails; and I am only sporadically reading blogs and commenting. School is out, and I have been caring for two of my grandchildren. Today we went to the movies to see "Bedtime Stories". The kids liked it, and I was not bored. That's a good thing. After the movie, I went to the supermarket to buy the ingredients for a cake which I had promised for a party I attended tonight. I had bought one wrong ingredient for the cake and there was no time to return to the store, so I improvised with great success. I believe that in the future, I shall use my improvised recipe. Necessity is surely the mother of invention.

I haven't had much time to spend on my computer, plus, when my two grandchildren are here, they are using both computers, the desktop and the laptop, and I'm left shut out from access to the intertubes even when I have a few spare minutes. Tomorrow afternoon, they go to their mother, and I will have a break. Since I've been with them more often, we have bonded in a new and better way, and although it is tiring, the time with them is well-spent.

Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Pastor Rick Will Have To Go!

Read Frank Rich in the New York Times, who opines that Obama will not disinvite Warren, nor will Warren step away from the podium of his own accord.

When Obama defends Warren’s words by calling them an example of the “wide range of viewpoints” in a “diverse and noisy and opinionated” America, he is being too cute by half. He knows full well that a “viewpoint” defaming any minority group by linking it to sexual crimes like pedophilia is unacceptable.

Yes. But Pastor Rick won't go. And there you have it.

I've gone back and forth about whether to post this in all its futility. It's not as though Obama and his staff are waiting for me to speak before they make their final, final, final decision. Nevertheless, here's my last hurrah on the subject, FWIW.

It's Still Christmas - Day 6

 

St. John's Episcopal Church, Thibodaux, Louisiana

The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices.
Selah

May he grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfil all your plans.
May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfil all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.

Give victory to the king, O Lord;
answer us when we call.

Psalm 20