Daily Affirmations - Day 5 - Springtime Shall Not Cease: This is Love

Day 5: This is love

Why shouldn't I, why shouldn't you, praise Him too!

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land (Song of Songs 2:11-12).

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

The which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends He will,

But which it only needs that we fulfil.

~ Robert Frost 1874–1963

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We plow the fields and scatter

The good seed on the land,

But it is fed and watered

By God’s almighty hand:

He sends the snow in winter,

The warmth to swell the grain,

The breezes, and the sunshine,

And soft, refreshing rain.

Refrain:

All good gifts around us

Are sent from heav’n above;

Then thank the Lord, oh, thank the Lord,

For all His love.

He only is the Maker

Of all things near and far;

He paints the wayside flower,

He lights the evening star;

The winds and waves obey Him,

By Him the birds are fed;

Much more to us, His children,

He gives our daily bread.

We thank Thee then, O Father,

For all things bright and good,

The seedtime and the harvest,

Our life, our health, our food;

Accept the gifts we offer

For all Thy love imparts,

And what Thou most desirest—

Our humble, thankful hearts.

~ Matthias Claudius ~ pub. 1782

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