Corned Beef. Really?

It is almost noon and the house would normally be filled with that distinctive aroma of corned beef and cabbage simmering in ye olde crock pot. It is St. Patrick's Day, and if it was any kind of a calendar holiday, you could bet that Roger would have something appropriate on the agenda in the food category. (Never mind that corned beef has about a billion fat grams)

Roger loved his holidays and he loved foods that went with any given holiday. But he also knew a good bit about why we even celebrated holidays. 

St. Patrick, for instance was not just some little leprechaun guy that went around turning rivers green and breaking out a ton of beer.  St. Patrick has a pretty interesting story, which always fascinated him/us, because in Christian schools...back in the day....it was one of those holidays, much like halloween, that was ignored, if not banned.   I guess that Saint stuff throws Baptists. 

Not being such the researcher as Roger was, I just went where pointed most of the time, even though he thought a lot of that kind of stuff was silliness. I studied up on good old St. Patrick when I took a group of kids to Ireland, and what do you know.....he was right all along about the silliness.  

Patrick, who was not even Irish, but was indeed a missionary, was quite the interesting fellow. (Click that link to learn more...it is short) This is another good reference.   Roger always thought it would be interesting if during all of the parades and drinking parties, people were actually introduced to good old Patrick the missionary.  His mission was pretty simple too. 

I am a servant of Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ Patrick

I wish Roger could have gone with me to St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. It still stands out to me as a remarkable place. At over 800 years old, it has some great history! (Click, you can even watch videos!) 

Boy, how far the celebrations of this day have come from what St. Patrick spent his life involved with. 

Roger was also a great fan of old hymns. He tolerated modern music ok, but his love was the hymns because they speak so deeply. The language is so meaningful, and I would have to say that I have always agreed. I don't like music where there is poor enunciation. It is too hard for old people to understand what is being said, and we need words. But we did understand that it is supposed to draw the youth to church, so...ok, we tolerated well, but always wondered if the youth knew what they were really missing. And all that jumping around. Back in the day we did that for folks like the Beatles. We did not see God as a Rock Star. Someone to be reverenced, held in awe, lifted up upon a pedestal, sure, but celebrity...no. Celebrity is a passing thing. God is enduring. .....But again...to each his own, I guess.  

But if you really want to know Roger.....ah, listen to this Old Irish Melody....it is a hymn. 
But first....stop what you are doing. Block out the cares of the world. Sit quietly and just listen and also just let the words speak to you. Don't let the thees, and thous and arts bog you down. Your brain can convert it to modern English.  In this particular version, there is a pause (musically called a rest) at the end of each phrase. Let your breathing become paced with the song, and see if it does not also induce a calmness in you. 

Old Irish Hymn: Be Thou My Vision

Now, wasn't that just refreshing. That feeling of calm, and peace, and just knowing that God is in control....there is nothing like it.  I need that a whole lot right now. More than ever in my life, in fact. 
          .
Thou and Thou only, the first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art

High king of heaven my victory won
May I reach heavens joys oh bright heavens sun

Heart of my own my own heart whatever befall
Still be my Vision oh Ruler of all

As I listened to this little clip this morning...over and over and over....
The last phrase kept coming back to me....and I think that is Roger's Lesson to me for the moment. 

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall....Still be my Vision, oh Ruler of All. 

I think that he is showing me that without that Vision, that hope of eternity with Christ, this journey is not all that it could be. Things happen. Struggles come. But God is constant and this is only the practice field for eternity. Wow. A little song, a message from ages ago, and yet, those works speak as loudly today as when they were first written.  

St. Patty's can be about special meals, and green stuff, and even intoxicating beverages and a lot of frivolity....but unless you got the message that St. Patrick was preaching....it's all just another day that leads you essentially to nothing. 

Wow Roger, who would have thought food would lead us to this lesson? 
I won't forget the Vision!