BLOG - PRINCE PHILIP

I was brought up to love and respect our young princesses. I still remember the broadcast of our young Elizabeth when she dedicated her life to serve her country, so it was no surprise when, already writing poetry, I felt impressed to write a poem for her Diamond Jubilee. I treasure the gracious acknowledgement I received.

But to write concerning the Duke of Edinburgh? Surely that was not for me.

I was not best pleased to find that some of my favourite programmes had been cancelled after they had
announced the sad news of his death, but as the day progressed, filled with so many genuine acknowledgements of his greatness and his service to Queen and country I found a picture building up of a noble life, well lived, and that had to be acknowledged.

Yes, we had loved the romance of our beautiful princess and her handsome and adventurous prince, though I had no idea that he too was of equally royal descent. And only now we hear how much he had sacrificed in having to give up his prestigious naval career in order to be consort, always two steps behind the queen, and sadly, too often a target for the press.

It was when they replayed the scene where he knelt to pledge himself as her liege lord that I began to realise what this life of service had meant. But now God was bringing another picture to my mind. It was of Jesus, Prince of the kings of the earth, kneeling to wash his disciples’ feet; he who told us that true greatness is in our willingness to serve. As the tributes continued to pour in we were given to see the greatness and dignity of this man who, though he may have had a struggle at first, had come not only to accept this position, but to fill it with good humour, grace, and skill too.

Yes, funerals are sad times, but there is also a deep joy when we hear of lives lived with faith in the Son of God, who said that those who believe in him will not see death but will have the light of life. We had known that he joined the royal family in church attendance, but it was heart arming to be assured of his deep Christian faith.

It was with joy and assurance that I wrote and now share with you these verses concerning Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and beloved consort of her majesty Queen Elizabeth.

 

 

                    PRINCE PHILIP

 

Prince among men, who so graciously bowed,

Willingly serving our Queen,

Even as Christ washed the feet of his own

To teach us where true greatness is seen.

 

Prince among men, you answered the call

With good humour to meet each demand

Inspiring our youth to rise up with strength

To serve or maybe even command.

 

Yes, Prince as a husband, a father, a friend

With grace reaching out to each one

Serving the One who is Prince o’er all kings

And who now welcomes him home with ‘Well done!’

 

BLOG - BIRD SONG

It is important to protect our little ones from too much pain, so when teaching them about the death of Jesus, I always begin with his resurrection - the women coming to the grave, crying and so very sad, and how the sun and flowers and birds are all telling them not to be sad but to be happy. I tell them how, when I

was feeling very sad, my blackbird would come and sing to me, telling me ‘Don’t be sad! Be happy!’

I don’t remember being specially aware of the birds as a child, although we had seen flashes of a kingfisher, and the solitary heron fishing, as well as red   squirrels and rabbits with their babies in our beautiful Wanstead Park. Perhaps it was after I received the Lord Jesus into my life that the birds became so special to me. Like the hymn says:-

          ‘Heaven above is softer blue, earth below is sweeter green

Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen’

I remember our pastor’s wife saying that when Pauline prayed she always thanked God for the birds. And somehow the blackbird for me is the sweetest song of all.

It had been a rainy day. No play time so the children were restless, and by the end of the day I stood at the bus stop, exhausted. The rain was still pouring down but we could see the blackbird high up on the church roof and singing his heart out. This is another precious memory that inspires me to sing, whatever the circumstances.

When, having left all the security I knew to travel non-stop around the world, I woke up in Australia to hear a blackbird. He too seems to be singing his heart out.

I rarely heard birds singing once I was settled in Papua New Guinea, for all they have the exotic birds of paradise, and even when settled back in UK we were living in a new build and I was afraid I might be going deaf, for I never heard the birds. But retired to our ‘forever’ home, as I thought, there were mature gardens and birds all around us. We loved the cheeky robin who kept company with Joel when he was gardening, and once I saw a little wren.

But it was after my beloved husband had died so suddenly that our blackbird became such a friend to me.

As soon as I opened the front door  he would fly over and regale me with his message. ‘Don’t be sad, be happy!’ as I told the children.

We had loved our retirement home. ‘Our next move will be up,’ I had declared, but with Joel having preceded me to heaven, I had to make one more move and now I live in what I have called ‘My Eagle’s Nest.’ On the top  floor of this complex, I rarely hear bird song – only the gentle cooing of the pigeons. Once, and only once did I hear a blackbird when I was in our ‘secret garden’ as I call it. I’ve heard a thrush overriding the roar of the traffic when walking in the street and I know that somewhere on our overburdened planet can be heard the dawn chorus.

As I have been writing this blog I heard the wonderful testimony of Corrie ten Boom. Prisoners in the terrible death camps, they had been summoned out for roll call in the early hours, at the mercy of the cruelty and abuse of their guards. How could they endure it? Then, far out of sight they heard a skylark thrilling. Day after day God sent this little bird to assure his suffering people that he was there, the God who says, ‘In all your affliction I am afflicted, and the angel of my presence saves.’

There is a hymn I love..

‘If the birds as they sing through the woods Send a murmur of song from each tree  - then these lips too a tribute shall bring.’

Let’s listen to the message of the birds and with as much voice as we have,  join them in praising our Maker.

BIRD SONG

I hear the doves sad cooing all day long,

But how I long to hear my blackbird’s song,

Though skylark’s far beyond my eye can see,

Singing and dancing there with ecstasy

 

Wise thrush still pours his joyous tune twice o’er

Though nightingale sings in night time even more.

Glad dawn when all unite, one joyous throng,

But still I need to hear my blackbird’s song -

          ‘Don’t be sad, Be glad! Be glad!

           Don’t be sad! Be glad!

 

‘Twas in my grief you met me with this song

To teach me, e’en in pain, to sing along,

And He who shares our loss does still draw near

 And sends him yet again our hearts to cheer –

          ‘Don’t be sad! Be glad! Be glad!

           Don’t be sad! Be glad!’