New 'ymn

I've managed to cough up another one. The last verse still needs to be tidied up a bit and I'm not entirely sure that it's The Done Thing (TM) to paraphrase the Cherubic Hymn and arrange it in metrical form, but there we have it.

Let us, who in a mystery,
exalt God's holy Name -
the life-creating Trinity,
from age to age the same,
now worship with the cherubim
with praise upon each tongue,
with 'Holy, Holy, Holy', bow,
and thus join in their song.

O let our minds be filled with grace,
God's name within our hearts;
let worldly thoughts and earthly cares
now from our thoughts depart,
so that, within our bodies, souls
and minds, we may receive
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
the Christ, the Prince of Peace.

He comes, invisibly upborne
triumphantly on high,
by rank on rank of angel-hosts
to us, who make our cry:
'We sing to God the Trinity,
we come from near and far,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
and thrice Alleluia!'

(c) Michael Astley 2005

I haven't decided on a tune, but it's Double Long Metre. Still working on it.

Theft, invasion and insecurity

I've been having anxiety attacks lately and have had a lot of trouble going out. I've been fine in familiar surroundings, such as church, but most public situations, including travelling on public transport to get anywhere, have been rather traumatic. Even answering the phone sometimes is a chore, if I don't know who's calling. Consequently, I've spent most of the past six weeks indoors, on my own for the most part while my housemate has been at work, and my main contact with the rest of humanity has been through the internet.

Yesterday, a good friend came round to spend a few hours, and we stepped out to see Tim Butron's The Corpse Bride,(which was wonderful, by the way). It was the first time I'd been out to spend time with friends for ages and it was great to get out the house. When I stepped out of the cinema, I switched my phone on to receive a text message from my housemate, informing me that that house had been broken into. When I got in, I realised that the one and only thing that had been taken was my laptop.

I was angry at first, but then accepted the loss. My main upset was that I had been so invaded. My bedroom is MY space. Only very rarely do house guests enter it and then only my closest friends. Yet there was my room, the contents of my drawers all over the floor, the belongings from under my bed scattered all over and my computer gone. I felt extremely unsafe last night and took my icon of St Michael to bed with me.

Now I'm here on my own, using my housemate's laptop which he'll be taking to work with him in a few minutes, knowing that I'll probably spend the day watching The Golden Girls.

I must admit that I'm finding it difficult to believe that, for the past six weeks, there hasn't been more than half an hour when the house has not been occupied, and for the first time in six weeks I step out for more than an hour and we get burgled. The police were here within the hour and were brilliant. they were so efficient and sensitive and I plan to write a letter saying so. The forensic chap came round a little later and dusted for prints (which I had only ever seen before on TV). It all seemed so dramatic.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I may not be online for a while for any more than occasional visits. I got the laptop last December and the insurance did cover theft but I can't remember whether it was a 6 or 12-month cover so I'll make the necessary phone calls today. if any of my friends receive any untoward contact from me electronically, please know that this is not me but my computer being used by somebody else.

With prayers,
Michael.

Prayer Book

Again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord

My Prayer Book arrived today. Wahey! It's the Holy Trinity Monastery one, printed for the Church Abroad.