When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed-- what do you mean October!

"There were many lilacs in full bloom. I find myself always reminded of the great tragedy of that day by the sight and odor of these blossoms. It never fails." (Walt Whitman)

After Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, Whitman wrote his famous lament "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed."

Fortunately the memories the sight and wonderful odor of those blossoms bring back to me are happy memories. Our lilac bush was outside my bedroom. On those lovely spring days and nights, the smell would drift into my room throught the open window. That is a favorite fragrance of mine.

In honor of those memories, I planted a lilac bush in my yard here in Columbia. Last spring it was loaded with blossoms--the most I have ever seen on it. I often wish I had planted it nearer a window to my house.

Ok--so when lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed should be in April. Most lilac bushes know that is the time to bloom. Well, my bush got a little confused this year. Imagine my surprise when I went out the middle of OCTOBER to find it in full bloom. (Guess that tells you I had not been in the back yard for a while.) It has as many or more blossoms than in April. I wonder now what it will do when April comes. I hope it isn't all bloomed out!

A reason to rejoice!

Just recently "discovered" a few verses in Hebrews 12:22. Check it out.

"But you have come to Mount Zion to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better world than the blood of Abel."

The thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly with the church of the "firstborn" and with God and Jesus is just the place I want to "come to."