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Wednesday 26 December 2012

God Save our Gracious Queen

(pickies courtesy of world wide web)
Hullo there everyone! 
We are enjoying beautiful summer weather here downunder and it is Boxing day, and just watched at 1pm the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race leaving from beautiful Sydney harbour! Tis a tradition on Boxing day along with Boxing day test, which also starts today! This year it is against Sri Lanka. Not much crafting going on but hopefully will start in real earnest in day or two :D
I want to thank everyone who has left good wishes and pray that you also are blessed of the LORD this Christmas New year season and good health and safety for all.
I was really blessed as were my other family members last night as we sat and listened to the speech given by our 86 year old Queen!

 A very trendy Queen too, as here she is delighted as she views her speech which was recorded in 3D for the first time this year!

I was really taken this year to her reference to the carol which over here in Oz, I had never really heard..(not being bleak or midwinter)

In The Bleak Midwinter
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

It was the last verse upon which she focused: (quote below) 
"At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship the Christ child. From that day on He has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others.

"This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served'. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.
"It is my prayer this Christmas Day that His example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others.

"The carol, In The Bleak Midwinter, ends by asking a question of all of us who know the Christmas story, of how God gave himself to us in humble service: 'What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part'. 

The carol gives the answer 'Yet what I can I give him - give my heart'.

"I wish you all a very happy Christmas."
 
I thrills my heart when a person with great influences stands so boldly and true to God's Word and Truth.. doesn't it?

"Long may she reign over us,
God save our Queen".
 
God bless you everyone wherever you may be, and thanks so much for popping over for a peek and chat!
Shaz in Oz.x 
PS Happy WOYWW everyone - will, God willing, be back next week.
PPS. Thursday: Right calf biopsy showed it was an SCC cancer, so had it removed today. So crafting delayed bit more.. ah well, have good book to read. :D

11 comments:

  1. How fun to read this- I cannot imaging Christmas with temps in the 80's and no snow.....even if it just a dusting! Looks like the Yacht races are fun to watch and how fun to be able to listen to the Queen- love the speech she gave- thanks for posting it.
    I hope you had a Blessed Christmas and enjoyed many blessings!

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  2. The Queen does have a knack for underlining what's really important, doesn't she? Namely love and generosity of spirit, serving others not ourselves.
    The yacht race looked amazing, how fab it must have been to see it.
    Wishing you the happiest festive season, Shaz, thanks for the friendship this year :)
    LLJ 16 xxxx

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  3. Hi Shaz

    Such a lovely post - and so nice to read your thoughts about the Queen. She's a pretty amazing woman isn't she - oh to have just a fraction of her wisdom.

    Merry Christmas, love, Di xx

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  4. Yes indeed lovely sentiments and what a year it has been too. It is pretty bleak here wet, wet, wet. still Christmas over spring is on the way, Yah! how's that for positive thinking. Enjoy your fab looking yatch race.
    janet

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  5. Hi Sharon, Lovely post, and very thought provoking. It's so refreshing to hear a public figure reaffirm belief in Christ. Would that more would speak out so. Enjoy your Boxing Day. Hope your Christmas was wonderful, and that healing is proceeding just as it should. Hugs

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  6. Hi Shaz

    Great post.

    Mmmm, just IMAGINING lovely, sunny, hot weather at the mo . . . the reality is mild temps but we had thunder & lightning and heaps of rain this morning!

    I'm off to craft!

    Wishing you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR xxxx

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  7. May Father God indeed bless our Queen. What a joy to see her faith coming over so strongly.
    Trust you have had, and are having, a lovely Christmas. May you know the healing only God can bring.
    All the best for 2013.
    Margaret

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  8. Hi Shaz,
    I am late commenting on this post as to be quite honest I had to gather my emotions together before I could comment without crying.
    I found it a very moving post, not only because of your comments on our Very Gracious Queen, I hope that I make it to 86 and have her mental and physical capabilities. The Carol was one of my favorites when I was younger and in the Church choir. I particulary likied the way she stressed that he came to be serve and not to be served.
    But I did not intend to check my blog but to check the flight status from Leeds/Bradford Airport but due to habit I went on to my Blog dashboard.
    At the time my Husband was taking my eldest Daughter to the airport for her return flight to Sydney, she didn't want me to go, as she finds it too upsetting, so I have to fret at home. She has been there 6 years and received Residency in August this year and I have noticed over the few weeks she has been here that she now refers to Oz as 'home' which is really a cleft stick as it breaks my heart but I am also so very happy for her that she has got what she wanted. I know that she will really always think of 'our house' as her home but it does twang the heart strings.
    Thank you for your wonderful post.

    Kath x

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  9. A lovely post Shaz . Afraid I have no clever comments to add. Everyone has said more than I could hope to put into words. I too love that carol. We have been blessed this Christmas spending time with youngest son &family. Am now waiting for eldest son &family to arrive. Am praying that they will arrive safely. We will be opening presents etc again. Both my sons & families tog I am truly blessed. Happy New Year to you. Anne x

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  10. What a wonderful post and you beat me to it! Not the Queens speech...I hate to confess we didn't get to hear it. I am so grateful to you for posting her speech along with brilliant photos! I listened to Joni Eareckson Tada say that next year she aims to walk in a closer relationaship with God, to be more rightous and less sinful and thus to please Him. In one of my devotionals it was written about gifting ourselves to God. His Son died that we may have restored fellowship with the Father. Therefore we ought to be the best possible gift to Him that we can.The Queen has professed her faith in a country where Christianity is becoming a swear word. God bless her! TFS!
    Superb yatch race too I might add!

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  11. Thank you for sharing that excerpt it was wonderful!! She is an amazing woman!!

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Thanks so VERY much for taking the time to encourage me by your comments! You REALLY make my day, and may God bless you for it!
Shaz in Oz.x
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