November 9

“They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine”(Hosea 14:7)

The day closed with heavy showers. The plants in my garden were beaten down before the pelting¹ storm, and I saw one flower that I had admired for its beauty and loved for its fragrance² exposed to the pitiless storm. The flower fell, shut up its petals³, dropped its head; and I saw that all its glory was gone. “I must wait till next year,”I said, “before I see that beautiful thing again.”

That night passed, and morning came; the sun shone again, and the morning brought strength to the flower. The light looked at it, and the flower looked at the light. There was contact and communion, and power passed into the flower. It held up its head, opened its petals, regained⁴ its glory, and seemed fairer than before. I wonder how it took place━this feeble thing coming into contact with the strong thing, and gaining strength!

I cannot tell how it is that I should be able to receive into my being a power to do and to bear by communion with God, but I know It is a fact.

Are you in peril⁵ through some crushing, heavy trial? Seek this communion with Christ, and you will receive strength and be able to conquer. “……I will strengthen thee…….”(Is.41:10)

YESTERDA Y'S GRIEF

The rain that fell a-yesterday is ruby⁶ on the roses,

Silver on the poplar leaf, and gold on willow⁷ stern;

The grief that chanced a-yesterday is silence that incloses

Holy loves when time and change shall never trouble them.

The rain that fell a-yesterday makes all the hillsides glisten⁸,

Coral on the laurel and beryl on the grass;

The grief that chanced a-yesterday has taught the soul to listen

For whispers of eternity⁹ in all the winds that pass.

O faint-of-heart, storm-beaten, this rain will gleam tomorrow,

Flame within the columbine and jewels on the thorn,

Heaven in the forget-me-not; though sorrow now be sorrow,

Yet sorrow shall be beauty in the magic of the morn,

━Katherine Lee Bates

十一月九日

「曾住在祂荫下的必归回，发旺如五谷，开花如葡萄树。」 （何十四:7）

昨天傍晚，下了一阵大雨。花园里的花草都被风雨击倒了，我所最爱的那朵最美丽、最芳香的花儿，也受了风雨的影响。花瓣折陇了，花头下垂了；它一切的荣华都失去了。我说：「要等到明年再看见这朵美丽的花儿了。」

黑夜过去了，早晨来临了；太阳又放出和暖的光辉来了，衰颓的花儿重新得到了活力。日光看看花儿，花儿看看日光。它们一有了接触，一有了交通，能力就进到了花儿里面。花儿立刻举起头来，开起瓣来，回复了当初的荣华；并且似乎比以前更美丽了。我奇怪怎么会有这样一回事的━一件柔弱的东西，接触了一件有力的东西，就得到了能力！

照样，我怎样靠着与神交通，得到了工作和忍受的能力，我不知道，我只知道这是一个事实。

亲爱的，你的试炼不是太重么？你当寻找与主交通，祂必给你战胜的能力。因为祂曾应许说：「……我必坚固你……。」（赛四十一:10）━选

昨日的忧伤

昨日下的雨，是玫瑰花上的红宝石，

白杨叶上的银光，柳条上的黄金；

昨日的悲哀楚，是沉默的神圣的爱，

任何因素不能搅扰祂的深情。

昨日的雨，使山岗晶莹明亮，

使桂树美丽如珊瑚，青草如碧玉，

昨日的悲哀，教你的灵魂聆倾，

四周风声中永世的低语。

畏惧暴风的心啊，这雨到了明天，

就是花奔的色泽，荆棘上的光冠，

玻璃草的润饰；虽然此刻有悲哀，

悲哀将被奇妙的明天化为欣欢。

━李佩芝

1 pelting   

微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的

参考例句：

• The rain came pelting down. 倾盆大雨劈头盖脸地浇了下来。
• Hailstones of abuse were pelting him. 阵阵辱骂冰雹般地向他袭来。

2 fragrance   

n.芬芳，香味，香气

参考例句：

• The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。
• The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。

3 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

5 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

6 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

7 willow   

n.柳树

参考例句：

• The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
• The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。

8 glisten   

vi.（光洁或湿润表面等）闪闪发光，闪闪发亮

参考例句：

• Dewdrops glisten in the morning sun.露珠在晨光下闪闪发光。
• His sunken eyes glistened with delight.他凹陷的眼睛闪现出喜悦的光芒。

9 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。