Yes, I am a Downton Abbey fan, and I know that doesn't make me unique because I don't know many who are not. Those of us who follow the show either love the time in which is based, their accents, the dresses, the music, the formality, the drama, the romance or all of the above and for just one hour each week we love to jump back to a simpler time.
And to say that I absolutely love the confrontations between the Dowager Duchess and anyone with whom she speaks would be nothing new to anyone either. The Dowager Duchess is by far the most outspoken, opinionated, stubborn, yet truly wise older woman that I have ever witnessed. I just about sit on the edge of my seat every time she walks into a room. So many times her wisdom benefited her family. She helped William and Daisy to be married, she saved the marriage of Lord and Lady Grantham after Sybil died. She helped Ethel, the maid, acquire a position away from scandal and closer to her child. She encouraged Edith after being left at the altar and honestly, the list could go on and on, but one conversation that has touched me to the heart did not take place with Violet and another, but rather between Mr. Mason and Daisy.
Mr. Mason, William- the footman's father, had invited Daisy, the kitchen maid, to his home on the farm. She had no idea why he sent for her. She didn't know him and felt uncomfortable with the idea of being a part of his life.
The scene begins with Mr. Mason serving tea and special treats. Daisy sat down and he began to serve her.
Daisy: "You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble. Not for me. "
(As I heard her words my heart understood her meaning, for those very words would have passed over my lips too. I have felt for years, "I don't deserve you putting yourself out for me. I don't deserve the fuss of a cup of tea, or cakes. I don't deserve your kindness" from anyone).
Mr. Mason's response: "Not when you're the nearest thing to a child of mine left on earth."
(He's giving her his best because he sees her as his own- his daughter. That's how he treats his daughter- giving her the best of what he had and serving her).
Daisy: "But I don't deserve it."
Mr. Mason: "Without you I'd have no one to pray for."
(I teared-up when I heard those words. How tender. How perfect. She is someone for him to pray for. He loves her and thinks about her, and he prays for her).
This next line gets me every time-
Mr. Mason:
So, will you be my daughter?
Let me take you into my heart?
Make you special?
(How I have always longed to hear those words from my own father. For him to want me to be a part of his life, his heart. To be made special by him).
Mr. Mason continues: "You have parents of your own of course..."
Daisy: "I haven't got any parents. Not like that. I've never been special to anyone."
(Daisy recognizes right away that Mr. Mason is being more loving to her than even her very own family. And that is exactly how I would have responded- 'I haven't got any parents-not like that- I've never been special to them.').
Mr. Mason: "Except William."
Daisy: "That's right. I was only ever special to William. I never thought of it like that before."
Mr. Mason: "Now, you're special to me."
When I heard those words, tears quietly rolled down my cheek. I realized, long ago, that although my earthly father has abandoned me, my Father in heaven sees me and thinks I'm special. I am special to God. It was good to be reminded.
There was a time that I was not my Heavenly Father's daughter, yet He yearned for me. He wanted me to be His daughter. My own parents didn't and don't want me, but God does. I'm His daughter now. I'm His daughter because when God asked me,
I don't know how I would have gotten over the trauma of being abandoned by my earthly father and mother had it not been for the love, acceptance and adoption by my Heavenly Father.
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:14-17 NIV)
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -" (John 1:12)
And to say that I absolutely love the confrontations between the Dowager Duchess and anyone with whom she speaks would be nothing new to anyone either. The Dowager Duchess is by far the most outspoken, opinionated, stubborn, yet truly wise older woman that I have ever witnessed. I just about sit on the edge of my seat every time she walks into a room. So many times her wisdom benefited her family. She helped William and Daisy to be married, she saved the marriage of Lord and Lady Grantham after Sybil died. She helped Ethel, the maid, acquire a position away from scandal and closer to her child. She encouraged Edith after being left at the altar and honestly, the list could go on and on, but one conversation that has touched me to the heart did not take place with Violet and another, but rather between Mr. Mason and Daisy.
Mr. Mason, William- the footman's father, had invited Daisy, the kitchen maid, to his home on the farm. She had no idea why he sent for her. She didn't know him and felt uncomfortable with the idea of being a part of his life.
The scene begins with Mr. Mason serving tea and special treats. Daisy sat down and he began to serve her.
Daisy: "You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble. Not for me. "
(As I heard her words my heart understood her meaning, for those very words would have passed over my lips too. I have felt for years, "I don't deserve you putting yourself out for me. I don't deserve the fuss of a cup of tea, or cakes. I don't deserve your kindness" from anyone).
Mr. Mason's response: "Not when you're the nearest thing to a child of mine left on earth."
(He's giving her his best because he sees her as his own- his daughter. That's how he treats his daughter- giving her the best of what he had and serving her).
Daisy: "But I don't deserve it."
Mr. Mason: "Without you I'd have no one to pray for."
(I teared-up when I heard those words. How tender. How perfect. She is someone for him to pray for. He loves her and thinks about her, and he prays for her).
This next line gets me every time-
Mr. Mason:
So, will you be my daughter?
Let me take you into my heart?
Make you special?
(How I have always longed to hear those words from my own father. For him to want me to be a part of his life, his heart. To be made special by him).
Mr. Mason continues: "You have parents of your own of course..."
Daisy: "I haven't got any parents. Not like that. I've never been special to anyone."
(Daisy recognizes right away that Mr. Mason is being more loving to her than even her very own family. And that is exactly how I would have responded- 'I haven't got any parents-not like that- I've never been special to them.').
Mr. Mason: "Except William."
Daisy: "That's right. I was only ever special to William. I never thought of it like that before."
Mr. Mason: "Now, you're special to me."
When I heard those words, tears quietly rolled down my cheek. I realized, long ago, that although my earthly father has abandoned me, my Father in heaven sees me and thinks I'm special. I am special to God. It was good to be reminded.
There was a time that I was not my Heavenly Father's daughter, yet He yearned for me. He wanted me to be His daughter. My own parents didn't and don't want me, but God does. I'm His daughter now. I'm His daughter because when God asked me,
"Will you be my daughter?"
Will you let me take you into my heart?
Make you special?"
I answered, "YES." And just as Daisy went to Mr. Mason as an orphan, and came away from her time with him as a true daughter,
I am a true daughter of my Father in Heaven.
I don't know how I would have gotten over the trauma of being abandoned by my earthly father and mother had it not been for the love, acceptance and adoption by my Heavenly Father.
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:14-17 NIV)
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -" (John 1:12)
No comments:
Post a Comment