500 days to the Glasgow Commonwealth games...  it's hard to believe it's 12 years since the equivalent countdown to Manchester 2002.  I hope I enjoy this one as much - I'm sure I will.

Laetere Sunday, Rose Sunday, Mothering Sunday, Mothers' Day... one Sunday, many names.  And so my challenge to choose a hymn from BPW to share.

On the grounds that this Sunday is the 'day off' from Lent I have extended my scope to include the subject index in the back of the hymnbook, and even to the small selection for Mothering Sunday.  In the end I opted for this one (BPW 500) which seems the most fitting...

Lord of the home, your only Son

Received a mother's tender love;

And from an earthly father won

His vision of your home above.

Help us, O Lord, our homes to make

Your Holy Spirt's dwelling place;

Our hands and hearts' devotion tell,

May faithful lives your glory show.

Pray we that all who with us dwell,

Your love and joy and peace may know;

And while our lips your praises tell,

May faithful lives your glory show.

Teach us to keep our homes so fair,

That were our Lord a child once more,

He might be glad our hearth to share,

And find a welcome at our door.

Lord, may your Spirirt sanctify

Each household duty we fulfil,

May we our Master glorify

In glad obedience to your will.

Albert F Bayly (c) OUP

I like the image of our homes being a place where the child-Christ, the boy Jesus, would  be glad to live - I likee it, and it challenges me.