When I Get Where I’m Going

When I get where I’m going
On the far side of the sky
The first thing that I’m gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly

I’m gonna land beside a lion
And run my fingers through his mane
Or I might find out what it’s like
To ride a drop of rain

[Chorus]
Yeah when I get where I’m going
There’ll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I’ll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah when I get where I’m going
Don’t cry for me down here

I’m gonna walk with my grand daddy
And he’ll match me step for step
And I’ll tell him how I missed him
Every minute since he left
Then I’ll hug his neck

[Repeat chorus]

So much pain and so much darkness
In this world we stumble through
All these questions I can’t answer
So much work to do

But when I get where I’m going
And I see my maker’s face
I’ll stand forever in the light
Of his amazing grace
Yeah when I get where I’m going
There’ll be only happy tears
Hallelujah
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I’m going
Yeah when I get where I’m going
- Brad Paisley

Merry

“The travellers all hung up their cloaks, and piled their packs on the floor. Merry led them down the passage and threw open a door at the far end. Firelight came out, and a puff of steam,

‘A bath!’ cried Pippin. ‘O bessed (Merry)!’

‘Which order shall we go in?’ said Frodo. ‘Eldest first, or quickest first? You’ll be last either way Master (Pippin).’

‘Trust me to arrange things better than that!” said Merry. ‘We can’t begin life at Crickhollow with quarrel over baths. In that room there are three tubs, and a copper full of boiling water. There are also towels, mats and soap. Get inside, and be quick!’” (JRR Tolkein, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 145)

This passage paints such an incredible picture of Merry and his hospitable nature. The vignettes of his character continue from this point on, and as i read on in the story i find myself quite envious of his ability to think of others and make sure that things are taken care of. I hope to be able to develop this quality. To know exactly what my loved ones need and to be able to provide them with it, even something as simple as their favorite cup of tea or a warm pair of slippers waiting for them when they walk in the door. I have noticed my desire to keep a good, clean, and comfortable home are not always what actually end up being accomplished in my daily life. Granted I am a working woman and I don’t have super powers, but I find myself using the excuse, “maybe i’m just not a clean person.” But being hospitable is a virtue that must be practiced and takes daily discipline. My hope and prayer for my life is that I may continue to work on this virtue so that when I have my own children to train up, they will start with more of a leg up than i have in my life.

Thank you, Tolkein, for this beautiful character. He truly is merry.

May I provide my family and guests with the kind of care that leaves them singing a merry tune heard all through the house, like those of joyful hobbits.

perfect christmas tree

Living in the midst of New York city you don’t often run across moments that remind you of country life. Today, in celebration of December and the advent season, my husband and I went out to buy our tree. This being our first Christmas in the city, we’d been wondering over the past month how this would go over. Luckily, stands of trees for sale have begun to pop up on the sidewalks everywhere. We walked out of our apartment, turned the corner, and there it stood: the perfect Christmas tree. Just a few inches taller than me and proportionally round, I knew it would stand perfectly in our little living room. As we took the short walk back to our place I was suddenly reminded of childhood Christmases spent out in the Swedish country. My husband, walking home with this perfect tree hoisted on his shoulder and the excitement that was bubbling up inside me sent me rushing back to the woods in the Swedish mountains, running home behind my big strong dad who was carrying the tree we had wandered through the woods to find and chop ourselves. I miss those days, but these days in the city hold their own magic. I am looking forward to the wonder this advent season will bring, and the many days we will spend by the fireside, just watching the lights twinkle on our perfect Christmas tree.

-Jane