Povey Prattle

I have been indulging in some of the old hymns from my childhood and youth on YouTube this evening "We're Marching to Zion" is a text by Isaac Watts - "the father of English Hymnody".  The version below includes a refrain which was added later. Believe it or not this energetic gospel hymn is sung by some staid Episcopalians, even in "liberal Boston"!  It is included in one of our Hymnals called "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing". We sang it many times in the Diocese of Massachusetts, encouraged and enabled by our fabulous Bishop Barbara Harris.  And we clapped!    (Yeah for the Diocese of Mass!). Yeah, yeah, yeah for Bishop Harris! Retired old fart Episcopalians in Florida have yet to discover the joy of gospel singing! ( I have no knowledge of the Church and Choir which sings it in this version, but some of the older folks are almost "letting themselves go" in the clapping!) http://youtu.be/bcAfxUj1D_0

Words from my Berkshires colleague R.F, from me, and from another   Facebook friend of R.F. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUT FIRST   Here is my code to R.F.'s  words , to my comments , and to the truth as written by another of R.F's pals..   Red -  words by R.F.   Purple -   comments by JMP   Blue - response to R.F's posting from one of R.F's Facebook friends. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I can remember when weather reporting wasn't so eschatological. “Cold and snowy in New England in January.” ( is the norm"  ) " Yeah, duh."  R.F  nails it  (jmp), JMP continues: Of course the norm at this time of year in New England (and other places) is cold and snowy. During my years in Massachusetts (1976-2006) I endured many a blizzard and very many bitterly cold days in wintertime. But I am ...

"No police state springs forth fully grown. It is built, piece by piece, aided by citizens who ignore the warning signs and officials who crush the warners." (Wise and important words extracted from an article in the "Daily Kos"). With governmental spying and the militarization of many local police forces we are just about there. (jmp)

2014 is turning out to be a great year so far,

Thank you to my friends and family members who live in so many places. 2013 has been a year in which you have loved me, blessed me, encouraged me, laughed with me, and corrected me.  I know that my life would have been miserable without you. I also know and rejoice in the fact that your presence in my life has blessed me immeasurably. I am deeply grateful. I dare to believe that the truth of the following bible verse has been lived out in my life during 2013 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18) By God's grace I believe that I am at peace with all those who love and care for me, and with all those who I love and care.  I enter 2014 with deep joy.

1.  For reasons which I do not understand, I was thinking earlier today of the expression "Bob's your uncle",  which is/was in common use in the U.K.   Here is what Wikipedi a has to say about this idiomatic expression:   "Bob's your uncle” is an expression of unknown origin, commonly used in Britain and Commonwealth nations. Typically, someone says it to conclude a set of simple instructions, similar to the French expression "et voilà!" or the American slang expressions "...and that's that," or "...and there you go!"   What Wikipedia did not say is   that if a person says "Bob's your uncle", some other person will invariably add "and Fanny's your aunt".     Who knows why?   I say "God bless Uncle Bob and Aunt Fanny".  Are there any dissenters?   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.  My morning plan was simple...

It does not get much better than this! My good niece Anne (daughter of my oldest sister Maureen and her husband Bernard) is on holiday at Disney with her excellent husband Stuart and their daughter Olivia (13) I assisted at the wedding service for Stuart and Anne at St. Philip and St.Jacob Church in Bristol, U.K. back in Nineteen ninety ?? something. So Stuart, Anne and Olivia came over to SRQ from Orlando today. (They have been here before), First they came to my home where Anne fell in love (again) with my dog Penne; and the cats Ada and Adelaide decided that a simultaneous "sitting on Olivia's lap" was just the best thing. (Sorry no pics). Then we went off to Marina Jack's restaurant for lunch. see http://www.marinajacks.com/ It has been unusually rainy for this time of year, so we ate inside.  It was wonderful to be together. On our way home we drove through SRQ's Pinecraft area, home to many Mennonites and Amish.  Few people know that SRQ has ...