K is for Kindness and a King,

Good King Wenceslas.

This is one of my favourite Christmas carols that I enjoyed singing at the Christmas carol service at the local Parish Church.

Good King Wenceslas last looked out on the Feast of Stephen

Where the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.

Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

"Hither page and stand by me if thou know'st it, telling. Yonder peasant who is he?  Where and what his dwelling" ?

"Sire he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain, right against the forest fence, by St Agnes Fountain".

" Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither, thou and I will see him dine, when we bear him thither."

Page and Monarch forth they went, forth they went together, through the wild wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

 

"Sire the night is darker now and the wind blows stronger, fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer".

"Mark my footsteps, my good page,

 tread thou in them boldly, thou shall find the winter's rage, freeze thy blood less coldly".

 

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted, heat was in the very sod, which the saint had printed.

 

 

 

Therefore, Christian men be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing.

 

This legend is based on the life of saint Wenceslas  1 Duke of Bohemia in Czech (907-935)

As an act of piety he would deliver alms around churches and gave generously to the poor, including widows and orphans,

He was considered, not a Prince but father of the wretched.

The holy Roman Emperor Otto posthumously conferred his regal dignity and sainthood posthumously in recognition of his dedication and KINDNESS to lesser mortals than himself.

Sadly he was assassinated by his evil brother Boleslav the Cruel in order to seize his title.

St Wenceslas is recognised as the Patron Saint of Czech.

 

 

my thanks to the  Denise Nesbitt  the keystone of Abcw and equally to Roger our knowledgeable administrator . 

Kindness and a King

K is for Kindness and a king

The wretched back.

Due to a reoccurrence of my  back problem I have not been able to participate in abcwednesday, sitting upright for too long is torturous and typing on keyboard whilst lying down is nigh on impossible!

So sorry I can't get around to read all the interesting articles but will be back as soon as possible,

best wishes,

Di.x

Happiness from the heart !

I often wonder what it takes to make different people happy.  After having had a bad fall three weeks ago, I was seriously convinced I may not walk again. My back was already damaged with multi facet disc bulge with five discs out of place.

 I was hoping surgery would be the answer but was told it was too risky and could cause further damage, so, a course of pain killers and physio was prescribed and up until three weeks ago I was managing, quite well getting around, by using my walking aids indoors and my motorised chair out of doors. 

Then came the unexplained fall, I just remember Ian kneeling by my side,  the Para Medics arrived and helped me back onto my chair. Apparently my Blood Pressure was extremely high! My GP changed the BP medication also the Oramorph and MST intake.

The increase of the Morphine caused much HILLARITY, as I giggled and sang the day away. Youngest daughter came to help hapless Papa look after crazy Mama. All was well when I snoozed off into a drug induced sleep but then came the cabaret, apparently I sang every song from every show ever performed on stage. I think that was an exaggeration but it sure made them HAPPY listening to Mama's performance !

So............. What makes me HAPPY ?

I'll tell you what makes me really HAPPY !

Health restored to normal,  as near as normal as can be, so that I can enjoy the love and humour of my darling husband who helped my recovery from a frightening fall, I really thought my number was up!! 

Last but not least the heartfelt love I feel for our three wonderful daughters and son's in law, together with our four 'happy go lucky' grandchildren......

Not forgetting the unconditional love I get from my little cat Chloe who sat by my side for three weeks until I was able to get up out of bed and resume life downstairs. She would only go downstairs to get her food and have a 'tiddle' then, return to my side,  upstairs on the bed! 

Heartfelt thanks to the humorous Denise for devising 'Abcwednesday' and the honourable Roger for  keeping the hyperbole in perspective,Trubes