Rejoice evermore

I realized how corny it was, borderline ridiculous, to indulge myself and purchase the piece of kitsch which caught my attention in the homegoods section of the Goodwill. How could I justify buying yet another coffee cup to litter up my kitchen cabinets, even if the price was a mere $.88? After all, who possibly needs a nondescript coffee mug with a Bible verse inscribed on the bottom half of it? But despite the obvious facts, as I stood there amongst the other hunters and gathers out for an evening of thrift, I held the cup firmly in my hand and knew that it would find its way into my cart.

When I thrust the cup under Jared's nose upon my return home, he muttered, "Nice. Roosters." Honestly I could not even conceive that my dear husband, which I must explain does not share my love for thrift stores, thought I would simply buy a single, boring, coffee mug solely on the basis of it having roosters on it. While my decorating is definitely eclectic, roosters is one thing that has not developed into a theme. (Alright, I do admit to owning some Swedish coffee mugs bearing these feathered creatures.) "No, look at it," I demanded once more pushing it closer. "Read what it says." And then he understood.

During the last few days of my father's earthly life, there were many things that I learned. One was that my mom and dad, in an effort to keep track of time, would begin every morning by stating the day and date to one another along with a Bible verse: "Today is Tuesday,  August 23rd. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It made me chuckle to imagine the two of the them speaking the verse together in unison over a cup of coffee, newspaper strewn across the kitchen table, my dad's oxygen machine pumping in tempo.

When my father died, our family embraced the tradition and while cooking up breakfast for the day, getting dressed, or making beds, the children and I proclaim (some of us more cheerfully than others) this famous verse from Psalm 118. Elliot has been so inspired that a woman at the park recently approached me and related that my son had introduced himself to her ("My name is Elliot Andrew Jin-seo Johnson.") and then told her to rejoice in the day God had given her.

We have christened the mug as my mother's to use when she wants to heat up a cup of Joe at our house. Who knows, perhaps even kitsch can be redeemed. And so my friends, let us rejoice and be glad in this new day which we have been given; a new day "never vouchsafed to us before." Peace and goodness.

God bless to me the new day 

never vouchsafed to me before

it is to bless thy own presence thou has 

given triumph God. 

Bless thou to me 

mine eye

may mine eye bless all it sees

I will bless my neighbour 

may my neighbour bless me, 

God give a clean heart 

let me not from sight of thine eye.

Celtic prayer, translated by A. Carmichael