C S Lewis - 11

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are — as you used to call it in the Shadow-Lands — dead. The term is over; the holidays have begun. The dream is ended; this is the morning." (C S Lewis)



Well, the 12 week teaching term at The Queen's University of Belfast finishes today. The students will not return until Monday 9 January 2012 when they will face 3 weeks of assessment. Our hymn is a traditional one for the end of term.

Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing,
thanks for mercies past receive;
pardon all, their faults confessing;
time that's lost may all retrieve;
may thy children,
ne'er again thy Spirit grieve.

Bless thou all our days of leisure;
help us selfish lures to flee;
sanctify our every pleasure;
pure and blameless may it be;
may our gladness
draw us evermore to thee.

By thy kindly influence cherish
all the good we have gained;
may all taint of evil perish
by thy mightier power restrained;
seek we ever
knowledge pure and love unfeigned.

Let thy father-hand be shielding
all who here shall meet no more;
may their seed-time past be yielding
year by year a richer store;
those returning,
make more faithful than before.



Eight days on intense preparation for Christmas will begin tomorrow!