Thursday, December 8, 2016

Hearth Aflame

"Peasant Woman By A Hearth" by Jozev Israels

As I was flipping through the carol section of the hymnbook the other day, humming merrily along, I stopped to sing through the words of "There's a Song in the Air." This verse in particular struck me:


"In the light of that star
lie the ages impearled;
and that song from afar
has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame,
and the beautiful sing
in the homes of the nations
that Jesus is King!"


I love the hearth imagery, which is why I chose the name "Little Hearth" for this blog way back when. Back then I was living in a tiny apartment over a shop on an old main street in Ontario. We were newly married, and I was just getting the hang of setting up and keeping up my own little home. I had no fireplace, no literal hearth, but I wanted our home to be a place that was lit from within. I wanted to create a place of coziness and cheer. I wanted our home life to glow with a spiritual flame. 

Now, we live in a sprawling old farmhouse on PEI, which I can hardly describe as "little!" Instead of an apartment, we have what we like to think of as our own little homestead. We have a couple of acres, a flock of chickens, and a few children. Our lives have expanded. But in many ways the vision is the same. 

Warmth. Cheer. Gathering. Sustenance. Light. A welcome refuge in the darkness. 

This vision is still my desire and prayer. That the hearth of our home would be aflame with the light of Jesus. If I were to choose the name of my blog today, I think I might just have called it "Hearth Aflame." 


~lg
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