"This Old House"

It was a gray slightly foggy day yesterday,

with threat of possible icy conditions.

On a drive back from the veterinarian's the day before,

my husband and I had noticed the sagging roof on an old house.

It looked like it was "saggier" than ever, and about to fall in!

My husband commented that the old house looked like it was about to die,

and that we ought to get some photos of it before it fell in.

So, yesterday morning, despite the pending forecast and cold weather,
we grabbed the camera, dressed warmly, and I got a few shots.

My husband's words reminded me of some verses from Ecclesiastes which
remind us to remember God before the door to life's opportunities is closed.
Click on the word Ecclesiastes to read these verses,
and to note how similar they are to the words written years ago in
"This Old House" by Stuart Hamblin as noted below.

"This song was written one cold wintry day in the High Sierra mountain range when I was on a hunting trip. With a hunting companion, I had gone back into a remote section of the country. We were at least twenty miles from the nearest road when we came upon a old prospector's cabin. Although there was snow on the ground there was no smoke coming from the chimney, but I knew the master was at home because a large hound dog was lying on the front porch. Upon entering, we found an old man dead in a back room. I can't say how long he had been dead, for he looked like he was just asleep, but because of the severe weather it might have been some time, and the old hound was nearly starved. 'This Ole House' was the prospector's epitaph." —Stuart Hamblin

"This ole house once knew my children
This ole house once knew my wife
This ole house was home and comfort 
As we fought the storms of life
This ole house once rang with laughter
This ole house heard many shouts
Now she trembles in the darkness 
When the lightnin' walks about

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges 
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On my knees I'm gettin' chilly
But I feel no fear or pain
'Cause I see an angel peekin' 
Through a broken window pane

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges 
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

Now this ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles 
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is a-gettin' feeble
This ole house is a-needin' paint
Just like me it's tuckered out 
But I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges 
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

And my old hound dog lies a sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fire place
And he'd sit down, howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges 
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
I'm ready to meet the saints"

...Maybe one reason we thought of this song when we saw the old house

 was because of  the effect the weather changes were having on us,

with a little added stiffness in our own bones and joints!

Thanks for your visit!

Have you checked out my most recent name for God on Rock4Today

where I've been featuring the names given by Simon Peter?

Click on the highlighted letters to take you there!