Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 

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Memorial Day (observed) – 26 May 2008
By Mary T. Hoffman

For today I’ve chosen the poem “Courage” by Paul Gerhardt, translated by John Wesley. Gerhardt, who was born 12 March 1607, is considered Germany’s greatest hymn writer. He died 27 May 1676.

Courage
Paul Gerhardt
(12 March 1607 – 27 May 1676)
Translated by John Wesley

Give to the winds thy fears;
Hope and be undismayed;
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears,
God shall lift up thy head.

Through waves and clouds and storms
He gently clears thy way;
Wait thou His time; so shall this night
Soon end in joyous day.

Leave to His sovereign sway
To choose and to command;
So shalt thou, wondering, own His way
How wise, how strong His hand!

Far, far above thy thought
His counsel shall appear,
When fully He the work hath wrought
That caused thy needless fear.

Let us in life, in death,
Thy steadfast truth declare,
And publish with our latest breath
Thy love and guardian care.

To read my 2006 Memorial Day (observed) Blog, visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/heart/blog-20060529.html 

To read my 2007 Memorial Day (observed) Blog, visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/heart/blog-20070528.html 

For a collection of poems and stories, visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetrydir.html

Go on to: Having Fun – 27 May 2008
Return to: Samuel Longfellow – 25 May 2008
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