photo by my son Carson on the coast of California
Give Yourself Wholly
Rafael Arevalo Martinez
Rafael Arevalo Martinez
Fly kites with your children,
cultivate your philosophies;
give women your tenderness
and men your energy.
And at every moment, valiant, sincere,
at every moment of all your days,
give yourself wholly!
Say: “I shape always
with equal care
my clay or my gold.”
And at midday when the sun burns brightest,
like a good workman–like a good workman!
And at evenfall
play with your children, feel yourself lightened;
and at night’s coming
sleep wholly.
Give yourself wholly
until you fall motionless
in the final moment;
and when death comes,
give yourself wholly!
~ from Like A River Glorious
They who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true
~ from the Lutheran Book of Prayer
Lord, make me mindful
of the temptations of sinful care,
sluggish selfishness,
and impure desire,
which beset me on every side and from within.
of the temptations of sinful care,
sluggish selfishness,
and impure desire,
which beset me on every side and from within.
A Living Pencil 
I’m familiar with this tune http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/i/likriver.htmbut plan to look up Martinez’s.
Carson’s photo is excellent. That’s a challenge from a lighting standpoint. So, what type of degree is he working for and what class is he having trouble scheduling, if I might ask 🙂
I have to say that I DO “sleep wholly”!!!
“Like a river glorious” is that photo, that poem — thank you for sharing. I had not read this poet before, but I fondly remember singing “Like a River Glorious” at Bible study many, many years ago Blessings, Laurie
This was the first hymn I learned to sing after becoming a Christian a “thousand” years ago. I wholly and whole heartedly loved this! Thanks. blessings and love, m in sc