Friday, November 01, 2024

Friday Five: This and That (Including Celebrating L.M. Montgomery's 150th Birthday)




"It is a serious thing just to be alive on
this fresh morning in the broken world."
MARY OLIVER
 

Here we are... it's November 1st. The time of year for those of us in northerly climes when we start to long for cozy nights at home, snuggling into sweaters and fuzzy socks, wrapping fingers around warm beverages, partaking of hearty stews and thick, nourishing soups. Some of us, maybe many of us, start thinking about the holidays ahead. We begin gathering stacks of books that fit the mood of cooler weather and darkening days. We take time to notice the little things that make our souls flourish in these hopefully quieter, duller days of the year.

As I've gathered bits and pieces that are meaningful for me and stitched them loosely into today's post, you have been on my mind. I hope something here will encourage, stimulate or cause you to pause and take a breath for this season's challenges, whatever they may be.

I wish you days that are alive with beauty and grace. Peace of mind and heart, too.
 

One. Outside my window

It's grey and gloomy. Roof-tops are white with frost this morning. There was fog earlier. It's been a lovely autumn, but the days are definitely getting more 'wintry' in feeling. The garden has that forlorn, worn look. Although I cannot believe that, even with frost at night, the white alyssum annuals are still practically perfect. I assumed they'd succumb along with the marigolds and geraniums, but they are bold and beautiful in their pristine, white clumps. The sunflower that grew this summer—I mentioned it last week—has been stripped of all its black seeds, for the chickadees have taken advantage of the great feast before them, snapping up seeds and flitting off to eat them. I love chickadees. 


Two. Beauty to press on

"If you have been afraid that your love of beautiful flowers and the
flickering flame of the candle is somehow less spiritual than living in
starkness and ugliness, remember that He who created you to be creative
gave you the things with which to make beauty and the sensitivity
to appreciate and respond to His creation."
EDITH SCHAEFFER


Three. Celebrating L.M. Montgomery

This November marks Lucy Maud Montgomery's 150th birthday. After all these decades, I kind of hope she knows that there are still millions of us on this earth who love her writing and cherish the work she did over her lifetime. If you've followed me for anything length of time, you know this beloved Canadian writer of the Anne and Emily books is a clear favourite of mine. Browsing my archives, I realized I've written numerous posts over the years about my relationship with her—I consider her my mentor from afar. And so during November, I'm taking the liberty of republishing some of them to mark my own celebration of L.M. Montgomery. I'll start off with this excerpt I wrote in 2020 as a guest blogger for InScribe.
There are so many things I could share here about what I have learned from L.M. Montgomery. Looking back, she was a shining star—a mentor from afar—for most of my life. She taught me to appreciate the joy and beauty of the world around me, regardless of happy or unhappy circumstances. I shall always remember sitting with pen and paper in hand, trying to capture something of the twilight beauty of a long-ago summer evening. I had hoped to emulate Ms. Montgomery, for by then I was captivated with her ability to bring something of the beautiful to everything she wrote.

We live in an upside-down world where beauty and goodness are often forgotten, hidden behind misery and meanness, tragedy and trauma. Some people say, well that's life, that's the reality. Of course, we know sadness, cruelty, and ugliness are real, but I have so often pondered why these should carry more weight than the reality of love and beauty and kindness. Mr. Carpenter, Emily's schoolteacher in one of the Emily novels, entreated the aspiring authoress not to heed her critics but to press forward and continue to write from that place of beauty she saw in her own mind. He told Emily, "Don't be led away by those howls of realism. Remember—pine woods are just as real as pigsties and a darn sight pleasanter to be in."

The essence of those words became a touchstone for me. No matter what was going on in the world around me, Mr. Carpenter's wise words, through the pen of L.M. Montgomery, fixed my focus on how I wanted to write. You see, they matched those lines I love in Philippians (in the New Testament): whatever is lovely and of good report, think (write) on these things.
And that's been my aim ever since.

For the complete article "In the Shadow of the Bookshelf" published September 12, 2020. 
 
Four. A word to the wise

Take no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take care of itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Grace and mercy are freshly minted every morning for us—
let's plan not to waste today's energy on yesterday's regrets or
tomorrow's frets. As they say, sufficient for the day.


Five. A thrill of hope

It’s early evening and you’re deep into the book you’re reading.
You hear a rustling in the kitchen and hope there’s a treat forthcoming…
a mug of hot chocolate, maybe a slice of toast, or something warm from the oven.
You feel the tiny thrill of anticipation.




And now I wish you glimpses
of heaven in unexpected places,
Brenda
Photo credits:
(Top) Image by digitalmeta555 from Pixabay
(Leaves) Image by _Alicja from Pixabay
(Candles) Image by Ukanga from Pixabay
(L.M. Montgomery) Unknown
(Succulent) Image by dendoktoor from Pixabay
(coffee) Image from Pixabay 


Autumn Blogging Schedule:
I post on Fridays




15 comments:

  1. This was so encouraging and beautiful to read. I have heard of Lucy Maud Montgomery, but I have never read any of her books. I hope to find some of them in the library for my winter reading. It is true that the cold winter season, with less sunshine during the day, needs a little extra touch of cheer to brighten our lives. Thank you! God bless you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Brenda!!!!☺️🍁🍂 This is “Ann from Ohio.” Oh how I find such joy and comfort in your writing!!! To begin with Mary Oliver’s quote seemed so poignant to me now as our election in the U.S. is just days away. I feel fear and foreboding and so I So appreciate The reminder of being glad to be alive to another “Fall morning;” in all of its beauty. Thank you!!
    As a young girl I dreamed about having a room in an attic with an old fashioned desk where I could write. Of course I enjoyed Anne of Green Gables . You became a BUG fan. Laud Montgomery’s writing reminds me a little of “Little House on the Prairie “ series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Different time periods and places.
    Anyways, how Fun that you will be making a celebration tour of Montgomery’s beautiful stories. I think I might look at them again also ; simply to be able to enter a “world” of whimsy, kind thoughts, ~ I need to enter that world now!!
    Hope you’re feeling well and THANKYOU for still blogging to us!💗🍁🍂

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha!😂 wish I could “correct!” “You were a BIG fan~ not a “bug “ fan!!!! 😂

    ReplyDelete
  4. 'An upside down world'. So very true at the moment. We have to look for the tiny moments of goodness and kindness to offset the horrors in today's world. Thank you, as ever, Brenda, for a beautiful post.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So appreciated this post today. I LOVE the photo of that cup of hot chocolate. MMmmm. Your advice to not waste energy on yesterday's regrets or tomorrow's frets is wise and timely. Indeed, it is a serious thing to be alive on THIS fresh morning. Thank you Brenda.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you, Brenda, for another lovely post. The words from Edith Schaeffer are so affirming to those of us who crave and seek out beauty of all kinds. Her book, Hidden Art, is one I first read at Briercrest and it has accompanied me wherever I go. My copy is tattered and falling apart, but I still dip into it from time to time.
    And LMM is a shining light - I recently re-read The Blue Castle and reveled in her descriptions of the seasons and nature.
    The world is a broken place and yet there is much beauty and grace. Thank you for pointing us to it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Brenda, I found something wonderful in each thought you gathered for this post and felt simpatico with all you wrote of. Especially wonderful were your thoughts of L. M. Montgomery and brought back sweet memories of introducing her Anne books to my little daughter. When the television series first came out she had small boys of her own but we never missed a program and phoning each other about them. I love your quoted advice to Montgomery to "write from that place of beauty she saw in her own mind."
    And Brenda, your Philippians verses are my favorites! I've always called them my Whatsoevers! Clear instructions on what things we should engage our minds in. Thank you for this inspirational gathering of lovely hopeful things for November!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you, Brenda, for you lovely, encouraging posts. They always remind us that indeed the pine woods are more pleasant than the pigsties and deserve our attention. I often re-read throughout the week the recent posts, and I surely will do so with this one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your post is absolutely beautiful, Brenda. It is so filled with happy thoughts and comforting messages. It is true that we must not worry about tomorrow which makes sense because not one of us knows whether we will even be here tomorrow. Your writing is a true gift to the world, Brenda. Have a totally great week . Sincerely, Susan from Writing Straight from the Heart.

    ReplyDelete
  10. As always a beautiful post, Bren. I love Edith Schaffer and LM Montgomery. I've never read the Emily books, so I think I will gather them and read them in the new year.

    Deanna Rabe

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brenda adore Edith Schaeffer's quote...it was just a wonderful reminder that God truly loves us so much that he gave us flowers and comforting homey gifts for us to enjoy and we were made in His image. Therefore, we can create beauty wherever we are in life. We are enjoying above normal temps at this time so it doesn't seem quite like our usual autumn. Sure this will change, but in the meantime will savor these lovely days. Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the quote by Edith Schaeffer! Indeed, He created us to be creative and isn't all beauty a small reflection of He who is complete Beauty? Thank you for always reminding us to seek the beauty that is all around us!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good Morning Brenda,
    ( Ann from Ohio here☺️🍂🍁).Is there a way to pull up your November blogs from last year or the year before?? I love “basking in” thoughts, your many thoughts as we go through the seasons. Is there a way to pull them up?????( akentys@gmail.com)
    Hope you have a Happy Saturday!!!!☺️🍁🍂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ann, Yes, all my past posts are available in my Archives list, which is located on the right hand side of my blog (in what they call the sidebar). If you're reading my posts on your mobile phone, you probably don't see the sidebar - you need to be in the 'web version' rather than the 'mobile version'. Then you can see my whole blog not just the posts. Hope that makes sense.

      Delete

To My Beautiful Readers,

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. ~ Franz Peter Schubert

Thank you so much for leaving your 'footprint' here in my comment box. I do appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts today.

Brenda xo