Standing Shock Still

The English 'super-tramp' poet, W. H. Davies wrote:

'What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.'

Chippenhall

Chepenhall Manor House

I like to escape into history and to find through my own genealogical records some length and breadth and perspective for the living of my days. My faith is based in historical realities, I believe, and in eternal certainties. But my human existence is rooted in a family that goes back to Adam and Eve. I can only get so far back in thinking of earthly fore-bearers. I am of the earth, earthly. My true humanity or humaness will only come about through my union with Christ, the Second Adam, in whose likeness and by whose Spirit I am being daily renewed.

Chippenhall, Chipenhale, Chevenhall - are all names from various times in history of a place, a manor house (and with Chippenhall Green) where the Barber family has lived in the parish of Fressingfield, in north east Suffolk, England. My more immediate ancestors came to the Guelph area of Ontario in 1836 but for centuries before (I'm back directly in my research to 1434), Barbers lived in and around Fressingfield. Other neighbouring towns, like Cratfield, Wingfield, Stradbroke, Metfield and the Saints (the Southelmham parishes -7 saints around All Saints), all knew the sounds of Barber voices and the unique walk, and noses and ears of these my ancestors.

Barbers were in Fressingfield in the 14th Century at least and beyond, as also evidenced in the following --

item: Feoffment - ref. HD 1538/230/5 - date: 25Sept 1323_ [from Scope and
Content] For a certain sum of money, (1) to (2),piece of pasture in Fresingfeld
between free pasture of Fresingfeld churchon S.and land of Prior and convent of
Eye on N., 1 head abutting E. onpasture ofRoger Dreye, other head abutting W. on
free pasture of saidchurch and (1)'smessuage; to hold of chief lords of fee for
accustomedservices. Warrantyclause. Witnesses: Alexander de Chebenhale,
RichardEdward, John le Barbour,Henry le Sumptr', Alan Scherpe and others. Given
atFresingfeld, Sunday afterfeast of St Matthew, 17 Edw.II.item: Feoffment- ref.
HD 1538/230/26 - date:13 Dec 1431_ [from Scope and Content] (1) to(2), piece of
land (3a.) lying inFresyngfeld between Wynnesgrene on S. andclose of J.B. on N.,
abutting E. ontenement of J.B. and W. on tenementcalled Wynnes; which (1) lately
had byfeoffment of John Haneworth of Pulham[Nf.]; to hold of chief lord of fee
foraccustomed services. Warrantyclause. Witnesses: Thomas Breuse, esq.,
WilliamDalengeo, Henry Palmere,Richard Scheep, John Barbour and others. Given
atFresyngfeld, Thursday thefeast of St Lucy, 10 Hen. VI.item: Feoffment -ref. HD
1538/230/35 -date: 2 Sept 1458_ [from Scope and Content] (1) to (2),all lands
andtenements which he lately had together with John Bowen and JohnDate
aliasRussheye both now deceased, as well by gift and feoffment of RobertGode
ofWylbey [Wilby] as by that of John Bale, son of John Bale of
FresyngfeldandThomas Keenge of Wytyngham [Whittingham in Fressingfield], as well as ofJohn Barbour, son of Roger Barbour of Fresyngfeld, William Cook of
Lynstedemagna [Linstead Magna] and Richard Schep of Fresyngfeld, and also of
RichardSchep, Robert Banyard of Fresyngfeld, John Sherwynd, clerk, John Swan,
clerkandHenry Bateman of Mendham, husbandman, in Fresyngfeld, Mendham,
Weybrede[Weybread] and Wetheresdale [Withersdale], by 6 separate charters dated atFresyngfeld on feast of St Maurus 6 Hen. VI, Sunday before Nativity of
StJohnthe Baptist 7 Hen. VI, feast of St Lucy 10 Hen. VI, at Mendham onThursday
afterTranslation of St Thomas the Martyr, 12 Hen. VI, atFresyngfeld on Sunday
afterSt Barnabas, 15 Hen. VI, and at Mendham on 5Mar. 17 Hen. VI; to hold of
chieflords of fees for accustomed services.Warranty clause. Witnesses: John
Calwere,Robert Godbald, Thomas Godbald,Richard Bohun, John Barbour, John
Wolnawe,Robert Skynnere, Thomas Date,John Sandecroft and others. Given at
Fressyngfeld,2 Sept. 37 Hen.VI.

Nicholas Barber, born about 1524, lived at Chippenhall. He was the son of James and Alice and he married Agnes (last name unknown) who was born abouut 1522, also at Fressingfield. Nicholas died in 1598 (buried 28 June, 1598, Fressingfield) and left a Will which is full of interesting facts and tidbits - and that speaks of a life totally foreign, different and 'other' than my own. These too (I trust) died in faith in the saving merits of the Christ who is, also, my Saviour and Lord.

Chippenhall manor house is now an upscale B & B

Old Barns

Ontario winter, and roots in black soil of century past,

white covered, snow laden.

with barn of garnished grey and no-longer virgin knots
or planks, and garish door of crimson.

History, passing, stops to capture moment of

the day, this fleeting year.

Sturdy byre soon t'will be gone, and -

well, shall a grandchild know

or remember?

Close

Sometimes you just get real tired, feel like you're wilting, wonder if you can go on. You can and you will. God is so near. Say the old saints, who know - 'Bidden or not bidden, God is present.'

The love of God comes close

where stands an open door

to let the stranger in,

to mingle rich and poor;

the love of God is here to stay,

embracing those who walk His way.

The peace of God comes close
to those caught in the storm,
forgiving lives of ease,
to ease the lives forlorn;
the peace of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk His way.


The joy of God comes close
where faith encounters fears,
where heights and depths of life
are found through smiles and tears;
the joy of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk His way.


The grace of God comes close
to those whose grace is spent,
when hearts are tired or sore
and hope is bruised or bent;
the grace of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk His way.

- A hymn from the Iona Community, Scotland

Still Works for Me

Celtic Christian Spirituality, a book by Oliver Davies and Fiona Bowe that I picked up during last year's visit to the Iona Community in Scotland, continues to speak to my soul. Such a great wealth of ancient but still vibrant Christian tradition !

From the blurb - 'Here is the book which so many of us have been waiting for. It brings together striking and beautiful passages which have been until now altogether inaccessible. These pages provide a fuller, clearer view of the Celtic vsion of things in all its strange attractiveness.'

Now, I know there is a whole, almost cultic admiration for all things 'celtic' or even pseudo-celtic and I'm certainly not one to be easily seduced into seeing the 'Celtic church' and heritage as the salvation or cure for all maladies in the Church of the West. Having said that, this stream really does feed my soul and spirit in so many ways. I love the inherent blend and balance of 'head and heart and hand.'

I see an emphasis on that which is of this earth, without being pantheistic or 'worldly' but rather drawing me to a more Hebraic (than Greco and 'spiritual') actuality, groundedness, hubris and incarnational vision of God and a daily stance on this-here earth in the here and now. The constant pointers to - and the reminders of the immediacy of God's Presence in all of life, in issues great and issues small (if indeed any issues can truly be said to be 'small' . . .) have recently proven to be so very welcome, even healing.

The writer of the following poem was written by a leprous woman of Harris, in Scotland's Western highlands. From a body that was not right but from a heart that was so atuned to God in God's world come words that touch me in a deep way, to my wholness longing and to my Saviour pointing.

It were as easy for Jesus
To renew the withered tree
As to wither the new
Were it His will so to do.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesus!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no plant in the ground
But is full of His virtue,
There is no form in the strand
But is full of His blessing.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesus!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no life in the sea,
There is no creature in the river,
There is naught in the firmament,
But proclaims His goodness.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesus!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no bird on the wing,
There is no star in the sky,
There is nothing beneath the sun,
But proclaims His goodness.
Jesu! Jesu! Jesus!
Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.