The Other "Mansfield Girl"

The Other "Mansfield Girl"

 Ave Maria!  Little did I know yesterday morning while I was writing my memories of Daddy that my sister Annie, the other "Mansfield Girl," was busy doing the same!  Yesterday afternoon she emailed to her Doug, David and Deborah -- her three adult children -- and me the following tribute to Daddy.  Oh, how wonderfully she captures Daddy's lively and loving spirit.  Thank you, dear Lord, for making us the Mansfield Girls!  And thank you, too, for my dear sweet Annie!

"This is the day…..39 years ago today, Richard J. Mansfield walked up Rodman Street, N.W., Washington, DC….a typical Monday, back to work, back to schedule summer day. My little sister, Alice Claire, the other "Mansfield Girl" happened to be with our father. So very glad she was. Daddy had just turned 81 on July 13, 1972, and was still full-time employed, taking the bus Monday through Friday to 711 14th Street, N.W. What a truly amazing man, a truly awesome father we had!! This is but a quick tribute for time and thoughts would crowd out the freshness of that all-to-sudden moment of having our only living parent leave us. Oh my…such great sadness, such disbelief. How much I took for granted those daily phone calls which guided me through early parenthood. Daddy had always been there, from his attempt to brush my hair as a little girl to quietly watching me become a parent myself. He even attended my first piano recital….and I was a mother of two little boys and quite proud to have my Daddy in the audience!!

"Daddy always sought out the best in everyone; gave all that he had for the betterment of a perfect stranger; found the joke in everything, especially himself; always spun me around the room for a dance, either a waltz or polka; and allowed me to chase down the nearest parade with him. His pockets were always full of lifesavers! Oh how I still hear his voice and wish to please him for he gave so much and still provides through his loving spirit.

"Thank you, Daddy. I love you, and believe that loving mankind -- especially my family, my sister, my children -- are due to being part of you. You have been constantly with me throughout this remembrance day. OH HAPPY DAY!!

All my love, always…

Ann Louise"

May the Lord support us...

Blue on Blue by Ann L. Krumrein

May the Lord support us all the day long,

till the shades lengthen and the evening comes,

and the busy world is hushed,

and the fever of life is over,

and our work is done.

Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging,

and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.

Yesterday I posted one of Daddy's favorite hymns. Today I post one of his favorite prayers, which I also pray often. It was written by Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman and always restores peace to my soul.

In Memory of Daddy

Today is the 38th anniversary of my beloved father's birth to eternal life. He was 81 years old when he died in 1972. I post this poignant hymn by George Matheson, "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go," in memory of dear Daddy. This is not only one of his favorite hymns, it is also a beautiful image and expression of his life, his faith and his very soul. I miss Daddy every single day, now more than ever, but I rejoice that his is now the "life that shall endless be."

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

George Matheson

"But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me."

Psalm 13:5

More about George Matheson and this hymn can be found here, here, here and here. A few of his devotionals can be found here.

On the Fewness of the Lovers of the Cross

Jesus finds now many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few that will carry His cross. He finds may desirous of consolation, few of trial: many sharers of His repasts, few of His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few are willing to suffer for Him. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the draining of the chalice of His Passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow His shameful cross. Many love Jesus as long as troubles do not come near them; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive consolation from Him. But if Jesus hide Himself, and leave them for a little while, they begin to complain, and are very much cast down.

But those who love Jesus for Himself, and not for any consolation they hope to draw from Him, bless Him as much amid every kind of trial and anguish of heart as when they enjoy the greatest delight. And if he should never grant them any consolation, still they would always praise Him and give Him thanks.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, Bk II, Ch XI

The Imitation of Christ is the first spiritual book I ever read. My dear father gave it to me when I was in high school back in the sixties. Those were the days when we Catholics didn't read the Bible, but here was a book that quoted Scripture passages liberally on every page. I was thrilled! "Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart" (Jer 15:16). Thanks to Daddy, I now had two rich sources of spiritual sustenance to feed my hungering soul -- Scripture and The Imitation. I still read The Imitation almost every day and continue to be nourished and enlightened. Over the next few days I will post some selections from this magnificent spiritual classic. Meanwhile, today I pray that, through the grace of God, we will be among those who love Jesus for Himself and, as St. Francis de Sales puts it, seek the Giver of consolations rather than consolations themselves.