he fathers-forth…beauty past change

There is so much about springtime to enjoy …

Glory be to God for dappled things—
   For skies of couple-color as a brinded cow;
      For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
   Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
      And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
   Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
      With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
                                                          Praise him.
~ G. M. Hopkins     

His beauty is past change … he changes not!  I pray with the songwriter that he will work in me, my life, his beauty …

God, who touchest earth with beauty,
make my heart anew;
with thy Spirit recreate me,
pure and strong and true.

Like thy springs and running waters,
make me crystal pure;
like thy rocks of towering grandeur,
make me strong and sure.

Like thy dancing waves in sunlight,
make me glad and free;
like the straightness of the pine trees
let me upright be.

Like the arching of the heavens
lift my thoughts above,
turn my dreams to noble action:
ministries of love.

God, who touchest earth with beauty,
make my heart anew;
keep me ever by the Spirit,
pure and strong and true.  
~ Mary S. Edgar

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