Tag: joy

coals of divine love

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry3 Comments

Do we realize our immense dignity

as children of God? 

That we are

with the coals of divine love 

burning in our souls

as walking tabernacles

of the Holy Spirit?

Every touch, every gesture

should be one of love

as done by one bearing an immense treasure,

a wealth of gleaming gold

inside a simple earthen vessel.

How then our work can be an act of worship

done in union with God within us

with the delicacy of one in love.

May we glow with this warmth

bringing affection to all we encounter

and the joy of being children of God

ever in His presence. 

  

Happy as a lark!

On By Anna EastlandIn Photos3 Comments

Right now I have the amazing blessing of being on a week’s workshop with other lovely Catholic women. We are doing a beautiful course on marriage and family, with talks on friendship, faith, empathy, effective communication, and practical workshops on making a house more of a home among other things. 

Besides all this, we have free time in the afternoons, so several of us took a lovely walk! When I’m in the woods, roaming about and eating wild  thimbleberries and huckleberries, I feel 10 years old again, and happy as a lark. 

  
    
    
   

Belly Laugh

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry3 Comments

I blow on your bare baby belly

and you chuckle those first precious laughs

as you cling to my hair.

My heart aches with bittersweet joy

for the giggles I never heard,

the solemn silence of your big sister,

born still. 

Yet I am so relieved you are here safe—

that you are laughing and alive.

On an impulse,

I lay my ear on your warm little chest and listen:

“Badda -boom, badda-boom, badda-boom!”

Thank God, thank God, thank God! Goes your little drum. 

I fight tears as your pull my hair with your chubby little hands

into your sweet, warm mouth. Thank God, thank God, thank God!
  

  

Easter Sunday

On By Anna EastlandIn Photos, Poetry4 Comments

Oh sweet relief! Love has triumphed!
No more has death the final word
It has become but a deep bow
In the dance of life
A last embrace
Leading into great light

Easter Vigil

On By Anna EastlandIn PhotosLeave a comment

Those who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light…Easter vigil with the kids is always a bit of an adventure, but it certainly makes Easter memorable! Seeing the Easter fire…entering the dark church led by the Easter candle, and slowly seeing the church lit up by tiny pools of candlelight near the joyful faces of each person, all holding their little beeswax candles. And of course, all accompanied by song. It’s something worth staying up for. 

  
   
 

And after the solemn prayers of expectation, the great joy of Easter, a burst of brightness, and the choir proclaiming the resurrection to the sounds of ringing bells and exultant organ. It’s gorgeous, and festive and joyful. And after all this, there was a huge reception downstairs! The kids, excerpt my eldest who stayed awake the whole time, woke from their sleepy spots on their pews and had treats. What kid doesn’t love staying up late and eating chocolate!  Happy Easter everyone!!

Baby Love

On By Anna EastlandIn Family Life, motherhood5 Comments

A lot of people worry about sibling jealousy when a new baby comes. I have found that babies bring a lot of joy and help the other kids feel a sense of importance because they are able to help out. If you’re not convinced, the proof’s in the pictures….the only jealousy we have here is over whose turn it is to hold the baby next! 👭👶🏼👭

   
  
    
   

Tapestry

On By Anna EastlandIn FriendshipLeave a comment

  
There is the famous image of life
as a a tapestry which we view from behind—
all the messy bits and loose threads
funny bumps and rough edges—
until we reach Heaven
and see things as they really are.

But there is one thing I see already
even here below—
that the threads are not all mine,
that there are streaks of beauty and colour
which come from my friends.

That the fabric that holds me together
is woven from the love and courage
of women who have suffered
and hoped again,
who have lost everything and dared try again,
who have laughed and cried with me,
who have shared my deepest pain
and greatest joys. 

You make me strong.
You carry me forward.

You are forever woven
into the fabric of my heart.

Love Incarnate

On By Anna EastlandIn motherhood4 Comments

  

I love this image of Mother and Child…the beautiful peace and serenity that emanates from their contented faces. It speaks to my own experience in these early days of snuggles and nursing after birth. The simple bliss of needing nothing else in the world but the closeness of the other…

Through this image, as through the love between every mother and child, radiates the golden warmth of God’s love…affirming the goodness of the most ordinary and intimate relationships of our human lives. Confirming, in tiny bundles of love incarnate, that the essence of being human is indeed to love.
  

Hurrah! Baby arrived safely!

On By Anna EastlandIn Maternal Health, motherhood, Photos17 Comments

We are so happy and relieved to welcome our cosy little warm snuggly bundle into this world! Thank you everyone for all your prayers and support! We had a beautiful water birth at the hospital, and baby is sleeping and eating well. He is a cute little 6 lb 2 oz at three weeks early and is doing great! 

   
    
 

We had a big day getting this little monkey out, including drinking a labour smoothie, ’80’s dancing in the living room with my awesome midwife and the kids, walking to a lunch date for spicy Indian food with my husband, and scrubbing the floor on hands and knees. It worked!

Love and blessings to you all,

A very happy and content new mama, again!