A poem reflection by the late, Revd Joyce Smith. Photo by Mr.G, of a Knitted Nativity made by the late Mary Smith of Lancashire Both Joyce and Mary are now enjoying the fullness of Incarnational joy.
Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned,glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen
The angels. The stable. The manger. The baby. The Son of God.
They glorified God, for all they had seen.
Words could not do justice to what they had witnessed.
It was the light in their eyes, the excitement in their voices, the energy in their steps, and the new found purpose in their lives, which witnessed to all they had seen.
Some of you may remember that I wrote about my friend Joyce’s death a short while ago. She featured regularly on this blog with her photo-tweets. Today (Thursday July 7th) is the day of Joyce Smith’s funeral. For all her friends it will be a sad and, perhaps, painful day. For Joyce’s Christian friends that sadness will be mixed with joy.
Joyce had a remarkable, profound and yet simple, faith. She knew God and she knew the truth of God’s message in Isaiah,chapter 43 verse 1. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Her vocation was embedded in that text or, rather, it was written in the depths of her heart. Hers was a vocation lived out in the service of others. Her love for those to whom she ministered was rooted in her call to love and be loved in the name and love of Jesus.
Those who knew her felt enriched but also, as were many who, though they did not know her personally, came to know her through her photo-tweets, and the message that accompanied them. They were a regular feature of this Blog and I miss them. But I still have most of the 70+ Tweets and the Psalm reflections that preceded them during the first lockdown. So I will post some of them occasionally because they are too good to lose.
The photo I have chosen sums up Joyce and how I feel about her. Oddly I don’t think I published it on my Blog before but maybe that’s because its moment is now.
Her note which came with the photo said this: This little coot chick does not aspire to be a cygnet, but thanks his Heavenly Father for making him who he is. In the same way as in the words of the Butterfly song, “Thank you Father, for making me, ‘me’ “
The song, as many will know, is much loved by children and so it appealed to the child in Joyce. Probably it would be enhanced by some of her collection of puppets! She was truly a child – a child of God!
Part of her legacy to children is a booklet she wrote, “A very special donkey”. It is illustrated by the children of Hillhouse School, Ninefields. At an accessible level it takes us along the Palm Sunday journey from the donkey’s point of view and how it discovered who Jesus truly is, along the way. It’s beautifully told and maybe I’ll get permission to print it next Holy Week.
If I were a butterfly I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings If I were a robin in a tree I’d thank you Lord that I could sing If I were a fish in the sea I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee But I just thank you Father for making me, me
Chorus
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile You gave me Jesus and you made me your child And I just thank you Father for making me, me
The Chorus sums Joyce up. Like the little Coot in the photo she didn’t aspire to be anything but who she is, one loved by God as his child. I am sure I am not alone in adding my own thanks to God for making Joyce, Joyce ! She is so special and I look forward to seeing her again in heaven.
May she rest in peace And Rise in glory.
[Mr G]
*** The Butterfly Song (If I Were a Butterfly), is loved and sung around the world. You can purchase Brian Howard’s CD, If I Were a Butterfly, that includes this special song and many others by visiting The Butterfly Song Store – GOD BLESS YOU and have fun singing! – and think of Joyce as you do!
31st May. Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. Coptic style icon.
My soul magnifies the Lord.
A meditation on the Visitation of The Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth. Mother of John the Baptist, with special reflection on the ‘Magnificat’.(Luke 1: 39-56) This meditation was part of last year’s offering for Advent & Christmas by our friend, Joyce Smith.
We were both blooming in the joy of our pregnancies. I was carrying the forerunner, and Mary carried the Anointed One.
We had so much to share, we were both so excited, and yet fearful at the same time.
Yet, in all the ups and downs Mary couldn’t keep from singing.
She sang of the greatness of the Lord; that he had chosen her to bear his Son, who would change the world; FOREVER.
This would be no empty political promise, of levelling up and giving out meagre benefits.
Mary’s Son, God’s Son, really would reach out to everyone; seeking justice and fairness for all.
He would give priority to the poorest and weakest; standing on the edge with the powerless and disenfranchised.
Mary, my cousin, sang her song, which will stand for all generations.
Who will sing it now? Who will listen? Who will act?
Readers of this blog will be familiar with the photographs and tweets from my friend Joyce Smith and the thoughts they inspired.
I am saddened to hear, today, of Joyce’s sudden death yesterday. It is a deep shock. Joyce and I have been friends for 20 years and worked together in ministry for a lot of that time.
As well as a personal friend she was someone who held a lot of people in love and prayer and gave support to so many. People mattered to her and her heart was open for those who needed a friend. She touched people who others might have missed. This was especially true in the places where she ministered as a priest in the Church of England. There will be a lot of grieving hearts in Ninefields, Waltham Abbey and the Diocese of Chelmsford.
For me she was an icon of what Christian vocation is about. God was at the centre of her life and she reflected God’s love to others; she was selfless in her Christian service; she represented the Gospel and she did her utmost to lead people ‘safely to heaven’. There was nothing about her that was self-serving but there was a great deal about sacrifice. Sometimes she felt the need to guide people with a certain toughness and forthright speech but kindness and gentleness were always flowing underneath.
She encouraged so many of us. For me, she was a true friend.
Her love of creation was evident in the photos she took of birds and nature and the short reflections she chose. During the first lock-down she posted extracts from the Psalms with thoughtful photos. Afterwards she began her ‘photo-tweets’ which became regular items on this blog. Many of us enjoyed these. Her love of puffins became so obvious and she would often go to Northumbria and other places where puffins would greet her. We benefited from this.
Some also benefited from her booklets of reflections for the Advent & Christmas Season and for Lent & Easter. This Holy Week, she wrote a story based on the donkey of Palm Sunday which she dedicated to the children of Ninefields School, who all received a copy. I was hoping for more to come! She had such a beautiful way of expressing the sometimes inexpressible.
Earlier this afternoon, my friend Lynn Hurry (who befriends the fox cubs, and takes the photos many of us enjoy!) wrote to me:
“Dear Joyce, Such a lovely soul. She noticed and rejoiced and glowed at so much beauty in this life… and boy will she be shocked and amazed at all she will see in heaven … she will be dying to share it all with Geoffrey for his blogs!”
The photo of the Puffin was taken a few weeks ago, but for some reason I held back from posting it. Its feet are firmly on rock but its face is turned in contemplation of something beyond and in the distance. The quotation is from the poet, Rumi, love of whose poems Joyce and I shared. Reading it I know now why I held the photo back. Joyce lived a life that was balanced between earth and heaven and saw both as a reflection of God. Now she has let go of one to fully embrace the other.
Mr G's Ponderings 