St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

From a girl whose one-quarter Irish Daddy...




is pretty proud that she is one-eighth Irish.

Fortunately, he tolerates the fact that this girl's Mama isn't Irish...

{But I don't mind donning a bit o' green every March the 17th.}

Somehow even the smallest of holidays are made more fun when you have a little one.  It gives you an excuse to make a big party out of the little things.  I'm looking forward to shamrock-shaped pancakes, mint smoothies, and all sorts of green celebrations in years to come as Nell grows older.

We managed to get out of the house and go to church, even though {contrary to what smiling faces in photos might make you think} nothing about the day seemed to be going quite right.  It was the prospect of singing St. Patrick's Breastplate, a favorite hymn of mine, that provided the impetus to get out the door come hell or high water.

We said these powerful words from Patrick's Confession:

There is not, nor ever was, any other God - there was none before him and there shall not be any after him - besides him who is God the Father unbegotten: without a source, from him everything else takes its beginning.  He is, as we say, the one who keeps hold of all things.

And of course, I was quite glad we managed to get to church, as I always am, because along with gospel and music, liturgy and eucharist, sitting a pew in front of me there was a toddling little boy wearing a kilt.  What more could one want from St. Patrick's day?

From the Lorica of St. Patrick:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 

Christ on my right, Christ on my left, 

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, 

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, 

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, 

Christ in the eye that sees me, 

Christ in the ear that hears me. 

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through a belief in the Threeness,

Through a confession of the Oneness

Of the Creator of creation.

Now, you certainly don't have to be Irish to appreciate that, do you?

{I'm linking up with Fine Linen and Purple}