I couldn't find any trace of this on the internet; I suspect that the only place it exists in print is in a hymn book I have. This book was actually published as a Sunday School hymn book, but we used it as a hymnal in our church when I was a kid. Copyright date is 1928, so I'd say that's pretty safe. The only reference I could find on the internet of the song writer was of an endowment to Seattle Pacific University. If any one is interested in the music, I could copy and post that also.
In the Manger of Bethlehem
One night long ago over Bethlehem’s plian
The stars shone with radiant light;
The shepherds were watching their flocks where they lay,
When suddenly burst on their sight
A vision of angels, who sang a sweet song
Of peace and good-will unto men:
“A Saviour is born,” cried the heavenly throng,
“In a manger in Bethlehem.”
Chorus:
Seeking, they sought till they found Him,
Jesus, the Saviour of men;
Humbly they knelt and adored Him,
In the manger of Bethlehem.
Three wise men beheld a most wonderful star,
Announcing the birth of a King;
It showed them the way from their countries afar,
Their presence and homage to bring;
In great kingly palace they sought Him, but then
The star’s light was hidden from them;
They found Him, at last, in the sweet virgin’s care,
In a manger in Bethlehem.
(Chorus)
So still we must seek Him with longing untold,
With purpose unchanging and true;
We cannot bring off’rings of incense and gold,
His infant face we cannot view;
But we may His glorious gospel adorn,
Give glory unto His great name;
To all we may tell of the Christ who was born
In a manger in Bethlehem.
(Chorus)
My sister Lil and I sang this in a school Christmas program once, and the teacher asked us where we found it.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Where They Grow
I posted this some time ago on my blog, but it was incomplete. Since then, I found it on the internet. I will post it first as I found it on the internet:
WHERE THEY GROW.
DOWN in the valley, deep, deep, deep,
Where little sunbeams wink and peep,
Under the grasses hiding low —
There's where the dear little violets grow.
Out in the meadow, bright, bright, bright,
Close by the clovers red and white,
With heart of gold, and a fringe of snow —
There's where the dear little daisies grow.
Up in the sycamore tree, tree, tree.
Peep — and a tiny nest you'll see,
Swung by the breezes to and fro,
There's where the dear little birdlings grow.
Up in the nursery, neat, neat, neat.
Hear the patter of wee, wee feet —
Hear little voices chirp and crow —
There's where the dear little babies grow.
Here is a slightly changed version that more closely reflects the way I learned it, and makes it flow more smoothly:
WHERE THEY GROW.
DOWN in the valley, deep, deep, deep,
Where little sunbeams wink and peep,
Under the grasses hiding low —
There's where the dear little violets grow.
Out in the meadow, bright, bright, bright,
Close by the clovers red and white,
With heart of gold, and fringe of snow —
There's where the dear little daisies grow.
Up in the alder tree, tree, tree.
Peep — and a tiny nest you will see,
Swung by the breezes to and fro,
There's where the dear little birdies grow.
Up in the nursery, neat, neat, neat.
I hear the sound of wee, wee feet —
Sweet little voices chirp and crow —
There's where the dear little babies grow.
WHERE THEY GROW.
DOWN in the valley, deep, deep, deep,
Where little sunbeams wink and peep,
Under the grasses hiding low —
There's where the dear little violets grow.
Out in the meadow, bright, bright, bright,
Close by the clovers red and white,
With heart of gold, and a fringe of snow —
There's where the dear little daisies grow.
Up in the sycamore tree, tree, tree.
Peep — and a tiny nest you'll see,
Swung by the breezes to and fro,
There's where the dear little birdlings grow.
Up in the nursery, neat, neat, neat.
Hear the patter of wee, wee feet —
Hear little voices chirp and crow —
There's where the dear little babies grow.
Here is a slightly changed version that more closely reflects the way I learned it, and makes it flow more smoothly:
WHERE THEY GROW.
DOWN in the valley, deep, deep, deep,
Where little sunbeams wink and peep,
Under the grasses hiding low —
There's where the dear little violets grow.
Out in the meadow, bright, bright, bright,
Close by the clovers red and white,
With heart of gold, and fringe of snow —
There's where the dear little daisies grow.
Up in the alder tree, tree, tree.
Peep — and a tiny nest you will see,
Swung by the breezes to and fro,
There's where the dear little birdies grow.
Up in the nursery, neat, neat, neat.
I hear the sound of wee, wee feet —
Sweet little voices chirp and crow —
There's where the dear little babies grow.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Repentance and Revival
The Bible never uses the term “revival;” however, it frequently uses the term “revive.” We often think of “revival” as a series of meetings, held to inspire and lift us up and encourage us.
Psalm 85:6 – Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Psalm 138:7 – Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Isaiah 57:15 – For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Hosea 6:2 – After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Hosea 14:7 – They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Habakkuk 3:2 – O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Most of these passages follow a description of a returning – or repentance.
The message of all the Old Testament prophets was “Repent!” Whenever God’s people had turned their backs on Him and disobeyed His commands, the message was “Repent!”
In the New Testament, the first prophet was John the Baptist. And what was his message? “Repent!”
On the day of Pentecost, Peter’s message was “Repent!”
Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Then after Peter & John healed the lame man at the Temple gate, he spoke these words:
Acts 3:19 – Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
In this last passage, Peter says that if we repent, our sins will be blotted out – and that times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
In other words, repentance always precedes revival. It can be summed up in II Chronicles 7:14 – If my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Repentance is always required for salvation – but there are other times to repent – whenever we fall, whenever we sin, whenever we realize that we have not been walking in all the light that God gives us. But in the book of Daniel, there is a unique prayer of repentance – Daniel is repenting on behalf of the nation of Israel, as well as on his own behalf.
Daniel 9:3-19 – And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Daniel made “my” confession to God; he said “we” have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled. He said “we” have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets. He said “we” have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. Then “All Israel have transgressed thy law.”
Then he recounts all the things God has done or allowed, to cause his people to acknowledge their sins and repent – which Daniel has been doing on their behalf. Once again he says, “We have sinned, we have done wickedly.”
Then he throws himself and Israel upon the mercy of God and asks for forgiveness.
Note once again that everyone is required to repent in order to be saved. But in II Chronicles 7:14, it says “If my people” – not the pagans, not the unbelievers, not those who profess nothing, but “my people” – in the specific instance, he was referring to Israel, God’s chosen people, but in this day, we can say it refers to everyone who claims the name of Christ, who claims to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “shall humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways” – yep, that’s what it says – “then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Just as Daniel repented on behalf of Israel, I believe we Christians must all repent on behalf of America. If we do, he will heal our land, and we will truly know what it means to be revived.
Psalm 85:6 – Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Psalm 138:7 – Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Isaiah 57:15 – For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Hosea 6:2 – After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Hosea 14:7 – They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Habakkuk 3:2 – O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Most of these passages follow a description of a returning – or repentance.
The message of all the Old Testament prophets was “Repent!” Whenever God’s people had turned their backs on Him and disobeyed His commands, the message was “Repent!”
In the New Testament, the first prophet was John the Baptist. And what was his message? “Repent!”
On the day of Pentecost, Peter’s message was “Repent!”
Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Then after Peter & John healed the lame man at the Temple gate, he spoke these words:
Acts 3:19 – Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
In this last passage, Peter says that if we repent, our sins will be blotted out – and that times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
In other words, repentance always precedes revival. It can be summed up in II Chronicles 7:14 – If my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Repentance is always required for salvation – but there are other times to repent – whenever we fall, whenever we sin, whenever we realize that we have not been walking in all the light that God gives us. But in the book of Daniel, there is a unique prayer of repentance – Daniel is repenting on behalf of the nation of Israel, as well as on his own behalf.
Daniel 9:3-19 – And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Daniel made “my” confession to God; he said “we” have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled. He said “we” have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets. He said “we” have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. Then “All Israel have transgressed thy law.”
Then he recounts all the things God has done or allowed, to cause his people to acknowledge their sins and repent – which Daniel has been doing on their behalf. Once again he says, “We have sinned, we have done wickedly.”
Then he throws himself and Israel upon the mercy of God and asks for forgiveness.
Note once again that everyone is required to repent in order to be saved. But in II Chronicles 7:14, it says “If my people” – not the pagans, not the unbelievers, not those who profess nothing, but “my people” – in the specific instance, he was referring to Israel, God’s chosen people, but in this day, we can say it refers to everyone who claims the name of Christ, who claims to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “shall humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways” – yep, that’s what it says – “then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Just as Daniel repented on behalf of Israel, I believe we Christians must all repent on behalf of America. If we do, he will heal our land, and we will truly know what it means to be revived.
Monday, December 1, 2008
December Already?!
All I posted in November were the birthdays. Because of the election, the political site I post on was extremely busy, and I tended to forget about my blog.
So, for December birthdays - the 14th, my oldest (full) sister Leora will be 77. On the 27th, I will be 73. I am getting so old! My nephew, Philip's, birthday is also the 27th. He is a young 45. On the 31st is his brother, Rich's, 43rd birthday. Happy birthday to all!
So, for December birthdays - the 14th, my oldest (full) sister Leora will be 77. On the 27th, I will be 73. I am getting so old! My nephew, Philip's, birthday is also the 27th. He is a young 45. On the 31st is his brother, Rich's, 43rd birthday. Happy birthday to all!
Monday, November 17, 2008
November Birthdays
The political forum I post on has been so busy since shortly before the election, I forgot to do the monthly birthday post, and two of them are already past. On November 6, my nephew, Paul Campbell II was 61.
November 16 was the birthday of Carl, my granddaughter's husband. I don't know how old he is, late 20's, I guess.
The 21st was the birthday of my nephew Gene, oldest son of my sister Leora.
On the 23rd is the birthday of my great-granddaughter Briana. She will be 3. That was also my father's birthday, but he has been gone for more than 40 years.
The 25th is the birthday of my great-great-niece Annelise (granddaughter of my nephew Paul mentioned above). This was also the birthday of my half-brother LeRoy, who passed away a few years ago.
The 28th is the birthday of my half-sister Lois.
Happy birthday to all!
November 16 was the birthday of Carl, my granddaughter's husband. I don't know how old he is, late 20's, I guess.
The 21st was the birthday of my nephew Gene, oldest son of my sister Leora.
On the 23rd is the birthday of my great-granddaughter Briana. She will be 3. That was also my father's birthday, but he has been gone for more than 40 years.
The 25th is the birthday of my great-great-niece Annelise (granddaughter of my nephew Paul mentioned above). This was also the birthday of my half-brother LeRoy, who passed away a few years ago.
The 28th is the birthday of my half-sister Lois.
Happy birthday to all!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Happy Birthday, Mike!
Last Friday was Mike’s birthday – number 44! I had a tee shirt made for him with the single “Magnaclam” floating through space, on the front, while the Magnaclam fleet can be seen on the back. Unfortunately, the colors didn’t come out right – instead of shades of gray & black, they turned out brown. The people who made it said it had something to do with the paper I had the original images printed on, but that makes no sense to me, as they scanned it into their computer. I wanted to put it on a black shirt, but they only do light-colored shirts. Another defect was that they didn’t get the picture on the back centered properly.
Underneath the Magnaclam on the front was the “salute” Mike made up for the Magnaclams: “Oh, hail to the great Magnaclams! May their neutronium shells shine in splendor forever!”
I also had a cake made with a Magnaclam on it, and it turned out better than the shirt. I have a picture of it that didn’t turn out too well, because the flash against the white made everything look washed out.
Picture on the front of the shirt:
Picture on the back of the shirt:
Sorry about the pictures being cut off at the edge!
Underneath the Magnaclam on the front was the “salute” Mike made up for the Magnaclams: “Oh, hail to the great Magnaclams! May their neutronium shells shine in splendor forever!”
I also had a cake made with a Magnaclam on it, and it turned out better than the shirt. I have a picture of it that didn’t turn out too well, because the flash against the white made everything look washed out.
Picture on the front of the shirt:
Picture on the back of the shirt:
Sorry about the pictures being cut off at the edge!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Pastor Appreciation and Centennial Celebration
Sunday October 5, we had a double celebration in our church. Since October is Pastor Appreciation month, we honored our pastor and his family. We had a carry-in dinner, and the pastor and his wife were given a place of honor – a small table all to themselves, with candles. Of course, it wasn’t candlelight, because it was broad daylight, and besides, the entire fellowship hall was lit up. The parsonage family was honored with a card shower. I usually make all my greeting cards, and I hadn’t got one made for them, so I made it the following week, and handed it to the pastor on Wednesday.
On Sunday, we also celebrated 100 years of the official existence of our denomination. One hundred years ago, in Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene was officially organized. We were made up of several groups of churches with like beliefs. The person known as the father of our denomination, Phineas Bresee, came from a Methodist background.
Our denomination was honored with a video clip from Willard Scott of NBC, and a letter from President George W. Bush.
Several of our members, in past weeks, have bought tee-shirts to commemorate this event. On the front, the shirt has our church emblem in the background, and the words “His Century” and underneath that “100 years of Holiness.” Of course, we don’t pretend that we invented holiness, but that is the defining doctrine of our church. On the back of the shirt, we had the name and location of our local church – Calvary Church of the Nazarene, Brookville, PA.
On Sunday, we also celebrated 100 years of the official existence of our denomination. One hundred years ago, in Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene was officially organized. We were made up of several groups of churches with like beliefs. The person known as the father of our denomination, Phineas Bresee, came from a Methodist background.
Our denomination was honored with a video clip from Willard Scott of NBC, and a letter from President George W. Bush.
Several of our members, in past weeks, have bought tee-shirts to commemorate this event. On the front, the shirt has our church emblem in the background, and the words “His Century” and underneath that “100 years of Holiness.” Of course, we don’t pretend that we invented holiness, but that is the defining doctrine of our church. On the back of the shirt, we had the name and location of our local church – Calvary Church of the Nazarene, Brookville, PA.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
October's Bright Blue Weather
This is a poem written by the same author who wrote "September," which I posted on an earlier blog.
October's Bright Blue Weather
O SUNS and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather;
When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;
When gentians roll their fingers tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;
When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;
When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;
When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;
When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers, hour by hour,
October's bright blue weather.
O suns and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.
Helen Hunt Jackson
October birthdays:
My son Mike - October 10 (44)
My brother-in-law Tony - October 27 (79)
Blogger's note: Corrected date of Tony's birthday
October's Bright Blue Weather
O SUNS and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather;
When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;
When gentians roll their fingers tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;
When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;
When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;
When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;
When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers, hour by hour,
October's bright blue weather.
O suns and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.
Helen Hunt Jackson
October birthdays:
My son Mike - October 10 (44)
My brother-in-law Tony - October 27 (79)
Blogger's note: Corrected date of Tony's birthday
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
This Book Is Sooooo Good!
I bought 2 of Randy Alcorn's fiction books - "The Edge of Eternity" and "Safely Home."
The first book I read the whole way through in one day. The other was a little slow starting, but once you get into it, it's hard to lay it down. If you can imagine this! I had to tear myself away from it to get on the internet to get up to date.
The first book is somewhat of a allegory, a sort-of modern "Pilgrim's Progress," that the main character went through in a difficult time in his life. He didn't start out on his journey as a Christian, but found Christ while on it.
The second book depicts the persecuted church in China. It goes into such detail that you think the author must have been there and seen (for all I know, he may have been, or he may have had information from people who did). It was very realistic. But it has little bits here and there of people already in Heaven watching with the Lord as the story unfolds, with the frequent refrain, "How long, oh, Lord?" (Quotation from the saints "under the altar" in Revelation). It also has the view of a man in the afterlife who never repented. It doesn't name him, but in the context, it clearly refers to Mao Tse Tung.
I will certainly buy more of Alcorn's fiction!
I was introduced to Randy Alcorn when my great-niece Kathryn recommended his non-fiction book, Heaven. I fully intended to buy a copy of it, then our Sunday School class got it and we are working our way through it. It has a study guide available, but only the teachers have those in our Sunday School Class. I have already read that book in its entirety, and it inspired me to buy some of his fiction.
The first book I read the whole way through in one day. The other was a little slow starting, but once you get into it, it's hard to lay it down. If you can imagine this! I had to tear myself away from it to get on the internet to get up to date.
The first book is somewhat of a allegory, a sort-of modern "Pilgrim's Progress," that the main character went through in a difficult time in his life. He didn't start out on his journey as a Christian, but found Christ while on it.
The second book depicts the persecuted church in China. It goes into such detail that you think the author must have been there and seen (for all I know, he may have been, or he may have had information from people who did). It was very realistic. But it has little bits here and there of people already in Heaven watching with the Lord as the story unfolds, with the frequent refrain, "How long, oh, Lord?" (Quotation from the saints "under the altar" in Revelation). It also has the view of a man in the afterlife who never repented. It doesn't name him, but in the context, it clearly refers to Mao Tse Tung.
I will certainly buy more of Alcorn's fiction!
I was introduced to Randy Alcorn when my great-niece Kathryn recommended his non-fiction book, Heaven. I fully intended to buy a copy of it, then our Sunday School class got it and we are working our way through it. It has a study guide available, but only the teachers have those in our Sunday School Class. I have already read that book in its entirety, and it inspired me to buy some of his fiction.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Drying Apples
I have 2 Northern Spy trees. These apples are great for apple pies. Every year that I have a decent crop, I can apple pie filling. Then, any time during the year, when I want a pie, I just have to make (or buy) the pie crusts, and just dump the filling in and seal and bake them.
One year, we had a lot of early windfall apples, and I kept them picked up. They weren’t quite ripe enough to eat, nor did I get enough at one time to make a canner load. So I sliced them, and froze them. Eventually, I used them to make apple cobbler. The last batch of them (already almost 3 years old) I used about a month or so ago. As I had them setting out to thaw, I would periodically pull a piece off and eat it. I realized that it tasted a lot like dried apples, and thought, “I’ve got to get a food dehydrator, and dry some apples this year.” The crop looks to be pretty abundant this year, so there will be plenty to can, and I can still dry some. So, I got my food dehydrator last week. There are a few apples falling, but I’m not sure they’re really ripe enough to dry. I may try some of them anyway, to see how they turn out – when I get enough to load the dehydrator.
Now thinking about drying apples reminded me of a piece of doggerel my father quoted a couple of times. I couldn’t remember all of it, but I found it on the internet, and also a small write up on how it came about. At this link Overland Stage, scroll down to page 97 (don't worry, it's just one page, starts with Page 93). The little poem doesn’t have a specific author; my understanding of it is that it just sort-of grew – contributions by people who shared the sentiments thereof. And here is the little poem:
Dried Apple Pies
I loathe, abhor, detest, despise,
Abominate dried-apple pies.
I like good bread, I like good meat,
Or anything that's fit to eat;
But of all poor grub beneath the skies,
The poorest is dried apple pies.
Give me the toothache, or sore eyes,
But don't give me dried apple pies.
The farmer takes his gnarliest fruit,
'Tis wormy, bitter, and hard, to boot;
He leaves the hulls to make us cough,
And don't take half the peeling off.
Then on a dirty cord 'tis strung
And in a garret window hung,
And there it serves as roost for flies,
Until it's made up into pies.
Tread on my corns, or tell me lies,
But don't pass me dried-apple pies.
One year, we had a lot of early windfall apples, and I kept them picked up. They weren’t quite ripe enough to eat, nor did I get enough at one time to make a canner load. So I sliced them, and froze them. Eventually, I used them to make apple cobbler. The last batch of them (already almost 3 years old) I used about a month or so ago. As I had them setting out to thaw, I would periodically pull a piece off and eat it. I realized that it tasted a lot like dried apples, and thought, “I’ve got to get a food dehydrator, and dry some apples this year.” The crop looks to be pretty abundant this year, so there will be plenty to can, and I can still dry some. So, I got my food dehydrator last week. There are a few apples falling, but I’m not sure they’re really ripe enough to dry. I may try some of them anyway, to see how they turn out – when I get enough to load the dehydrator.
Now thinking about drying apples reminded me of a piece of doggerel my father quoted a couple of times. I couldn’t remember all of it, but I found it on the internet, and also a small write up on how it came about. At this link Overland Stage, scroll down to page 97 (don't worry, it's just one page, starts with Page 93). The little poem doesn’t have a specific author; my understanding of it is that it just sort-of grew – contributions by people who shared the sentiments thereof. And here is the little poem:
Dried Apple Pies
I loathe, abhor, detest, despise,
Abominate dried-apple pies.
I like good bread, I like good meat,
Or anything that's fit to eat;
But of all poor grub beneath the skies,
The poorest is dried apple pies.
Give me the toothache, or sore eyes,
But don't give me dried apple pies.
The farmer takes his gnarliest fruit,
'Tis wormy, bitter, and hard, to boot;
He leaves the hulls to make us cough,
And don't take half the peeling off.
Then on a dirty cord 'tis strung
And in a garret window hung,
And there it serves as roost for flies,
Until it's made up into pies.
Tread on my corns, or tell me lies,
But don't pass me dried-apple pies.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
September Views
How many of you had to memorize this in school?
September
THE golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook.
From dewey lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.
'T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.
Helen Hunt Jackson
I only have 3 family birthdays on record for September. Note that I don't have a record of everyone's birthday. September 4th is the birthday of my great-niece Kathryn. She is not sure of the exact date of her birthday, since she was abandoned as an infant (adopted by my nephew at age 4), but it was near enough to September 4. Kathryn will be 24. September 26 is my grandson Christopher's birthday. He will be 27. The 27th is the birthday of my sister-in-law, Pat Harriff.
September
THE golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook.
From dewey lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.
'T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.
Helen Hunt Jackson
I only have 3 family birthdays on record for September. Note that I don't have a record of everyone's birthday. September 4th is the birthday of my great-niece Kathryn. She is not sure of the exact date of her birthday, since she was abandoned as an infant (adopted by my nephew at age 4), but it was near enough to September 4. Kathryn will be 24. September 26 is my grandson Christopher's birthday. He will be 27. The 27th is the birthday of my sister-in-law, Pat Harriff.
Friday, August 15, 2008
August Birthdays
There are 4 generations around of a family that was rather large to start with, so it seems there are quite a few birthdays every month. I don't even know the birthdays of all the great-nieces & nephews, and the great-greats.
For August, my sister-in-law Lucile turned 80 on the 1st. It was fun to read on Kathryn's blog how she selected a gift for her grandmother - an electronic "brag book." It is a small electronic frame and you can load pictures into it. Kathryn's biggest difficulty was in convincing the sales people that an 80-year-old woman could learn to use an electronic device without on-going assistance.
Tomorrow - August 16 - is my half-brother Paul's 82nd birthday. He is Lucile's husband. Some of their children and grandchildren and great-greatchildren attended a combined birthday celebration on the 3rd.
And on the 8th & 9th, there was another type of celebration. Paul & Lucile, my half-sister Lois and her son Steve, and my brother Tommy arrived in town. Tommy & Lois timed their visit with Paul's, as we don't often have the opportunity to get together. Paul's main purpose for the trip was to attend his high school reunion (he graduated 64 years ago!).
My sister Mildred (Middy) - at whose home we congregated - and Lois & Steve & I went to a small cemetery on Saturday afternoon. The cemetery is not very well cared for. The grass appeared to have been cut for Memorial Day - and no more since. Our mother (Lois, Middy & I) is buried in that cemetery; also our maternal grandparents; Lois's father & paternal grandparents and uncle; several of our maternal aunts & uncles are buried there; also our (half)brother LeRoy is buried there (he was Lois's full brother); he passed away 8 years ago, and is probably the last person buried in that cemetery. Also, a small child - Lucille - sister to LeRoy, Lois & Paul - is buried there.
Our main mission to the cemetery, though, was to dig out the yucca on Roy's (Lois's father) grave. Of course, we couldn't get all the roots, so it will grow back again. I tried spraying it with Round-up once, but it didn't do a thing. I'm thinking that perhaps if, in the future sometime, we just cut the crowns of the yucca off and spray the exposed cut roots with round-up, that might do the trick.
We had a good time together, but it wasn't long enough.
And there is still another birthday coming up this month - on the 25th, my great-grandson, Gavin, will be 6 years old! I haven't seen him since before he was 2. I hope to have an opportunity to see him next summer, along with his two little half-sisters, Briana & Keely, whom I've never seen.
Addendum - just discovered more August birthdays! My niece Melody will be 37 on the 18th of August, and her daughter Kitiara will be 16 on August 31.
For August, my sister-in-law Lucile turned 80 on the 1st. It was fun to read on Kathryn's blog how she selected a gift for her grandmother - an electronic "brag book." It is a small electronic frame and you can load pictures into it. Kathryn's biggest difficulty was in convincing the sales people that an 80-year-old woman could learn to use an electronic device without on-going assistance.
Tomorrow - August 16 - is my half-brother Paul's 82nd birthday. He is Lucile's husband. Some of their children and grandchildren and great-greatchildren attended a combined birthday celebration on the 3rd.
And on the 8th & 9th, there was another type of celebration. Paul & Lucile, my half-sister Lois and her son Steve, and my brother Tommy arrived in town. Tommy & Lois timed their visit with Paul's, as we don't often have the opportunity to get together. Paul's main purpose for the trip was to attend his high school reunion (he graduated 64 years ago!).
My sister Mildred (Middy) - at whose home we congregated - and Lois & Steve & I went to a small cemetery on Saturday afternoon. The cemetery is not very well cared for. The grass appeared to have been cut for Memorial Day - and no more since. Our mother (Lois, Middy & I) is buried in that cemetery; also our maternal grandparents; Lois's father & paternal grandparents and uncle; several of our maternal aunts & uncles are buried there; also our (half)brother LeRoy is buried there (he was Lois's full brother); he passed away 8 years ago, and is probably the last person buried in that cemetery. Also, a small child - Lucille - sister to LeRoy, Lois & Paul - is buried there.
Our main mission to the cemetery, though, was to dig out the yucca on Roy's (Lois's father) grave. Of course, we couldn't get all the roots, so it will grow back again. I tried spraying it with Round-up once, but it didn't do a thing. I'm thinking that perhaps if, in the future sometime, we just cut the crowns of the yucca off and spray the exposed cut roots with round-up, that might do the trick.
We had a good time together, but it wasn't long enough.
And there is still another birthday coming up this month - on the 25th, my great-grandson, Gavin, will be 6 years old! I haven't seen him since before he was 2. I hope to have an opportunity to see him next summer, along with his two little half-sisters, Briana & Keely, whom I've never seen.
Addendum - just discovered more August birthdays! My niece Melody will be 37 on the 18th of August, and her daughter Kitiara will be 16 on August 31.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Lotsa Birthdays
Today is the birthday of Miss Qavah Campbell, my great-niece. She was adopted by my nephew and his wife and she first came to live with their family last August. So this is her first birthday with her new family. She is 5 years old. Check out her birthday wishes here: Qavah
Next Monday, July 21, is my daughter’s birthday. She will be 47 (impossible!). And on the 30th is my granddaughter’s birthday. Annie will be 25. Once again, impossible! Annie is also the mother of my 3 great-grandchildren – Gavin, Briana and Keely. Annie will be celebrating her birthday without her husband Carl who is serving our country, currently in Afghanistan.
Next Monday, July 21, is my daughter’s birthday. She will be 47 (impossible!). And on the 30th is my granddaughter’s birthday. Annie will be 25. Once again, impossible! Annie is also the mother of my 3 great-grandchildren – Gavin, Briana and Keely. Annie will be celebrating her birthday without her husband Carl who is serving our country, currently in Afghanistan.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sarah
I never met Sarah in person, but I considered her a friend. We posted together on the same internet site. She was a feisty little lady, hot-tempered sometimes, but quick to cool off. She was very intelligent and had a quick wit. She was beautiful in body and mind. She was instrumental in Mike’s “invention” of “Magnaclams.” (See the blog dated June 22 – 3 entries down). She and Mike chatted on line a great deal.
Sarah passed away late this past May, at the age of 24. She left behind her father, her husband, and her young nephew, all of whom depended on her. She and her family had already gone through a great deal of trauma in the past few years. She was the glue that held her family together. Now it’s broken. Her husband is planning to take a job in Hong Kong, where they had been planning to move before Sarah’s illness. Her cousin has taken in her little nephew, who has suffered far too much loss for a young child.
The first phase of treating Sarah’s illness – supposed to be a very treatable form – failed. The last we had heard of her, she was looking toward a more intense treatment. We heard nothing from her after that – from about February on. Her cousin knew she had many friends on the internet, but wasn’t able to find them until last week. I have been in email communication with the cousin since then.
When I first heard of Sarah’s illness, she became a subject of my daily prayers. Having acknowledged no religion at all, I just wanted to be sure that she would be ready to meet her Maker when the time came. During all that time, I never heard of any change in her beliefs. So, when I first heard of her passing, I was troubled, and prayed asking the Lord to let me know. I received an indication from Him that Sarah was indeed ready! I had several indications of that later from different sources. I praise God for his mercy!
We miss you, Sarah! I will not say the familiar line “Rest in peace;” instead, I will say, “Enjoy Heaven!”
If you hasten off to glory
Linger near the Eastern Gate,
For I’m coming in the morning,
So you’ll not have long to wait.
I will meet you,
I will meet you
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you,
I will meet you,
I will meet you in the morning over there.
Memorial to Sarah here
Sarah passed away late this past May, at the age of 24. She left behind her father, her husband, and her young nephew, all of whom depended on her. She and her family had already gone through a great deal of trauma in the past few years. She was the glue that held her family together. Now it’s broken. Her husband is planning to take a job in Hong Kong, where they had been planning to move before Sarah’s illness. Her cousin has taken in her little nephew, who has suffered far too much loss for a young child.
The first phase of treating Sarah’s illness – supposed to be a very treatable form – failed. The last we had heard of her, she was looking toward a more intense treatment. We heard nothing from her after that – from about February on. Her cousin knew she had many friends on the internet, but wasn’t able to find them until last week. I have been in email communication with the cousin since then.
When I first heard of Sarah’s illness, she became a subject of my daily prayers. Having acknowledged no religion at all, I just wanted to be sure that she would be ready to meet her Maker when the time came. During all that time, I never heard of any change in her beliefs. So, when I first heard of her passing, I was troubled, and prayed asking the Lord to let me know. I received an indication from Him that Sarah was indeed ready! I had several indications of that later from different sources. I praise God for his mercy!
We miss you, Sarah! I will not say the familiar line “Rest in peace;” instead, I will say, “Enjoy Heaven!”
If you hasten off to glory
Linger near the Eastern Gate,
For I’m coming in the morning,
So you’ll not have long to wait.
I will meet you,
I will meet you
Just inside the Eastern Gate over there;
I will meet you,
I will meet you,
I will meet you in the morning over there.
Memorial to Sarah here
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Richardsville Road & Community
The first annual reunion went off very well. There were about 100 in attendance. Plans are already in the works for next year’s reunion.
They had the refurbished bell from the old Richardsville school house. It was not difficult to get people’s attention with that! Danny, as promised, had many old pictures enlarged, hoping to get more identities (I don’t know yet how that worked out). He had a large picture of the old Richardsville School, and asked everyone who attended to put their name on it, and the dates they attended.
There were many old school and other historical records there, that were presented to the Jefferson County Historical Society. There was an old Victrola there, that still works! It was slightly smaller than the one we used to have. I can’t remember what happened to it. I think one of my brothers got it and turned it into something “useful.” The one at the reunion actually had the original packing case with it.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera! There will be pictures posted on the site, though. There are several there already.
A couple of my cousins were there, and a number of other people I knew fairly well or slightly, and some new acquaintances! There were a number of old Brookville yearbooks there. Someone had a scrapbook of obituaries. I said I knew more people in there than were actually at the picnic! I even found out a connection I wasn’t aware of. I was reading Clarence Smith’s obituary, and found out that Leota Heitzenrater (married to my cousin Floyd Heitzenrater) was Clarence’s sister. I don’t remember if I mentioned it in a previous blog or not, but Leota babysat me and my little sister Lily when we were 4 and 2 years old, and baby brother Tommy was in the hospital fighting for his life. That was . . . umm . . . in 1940, I do believe. An incident that happened that day (I don’t remember if she stayed with us more than one day) was that Paul was sent home from school with a big cut on his upper leg. I don’t remember how big it was, but I know it looked awfully big to me. He had dropped his (open) pocket knife, and tried to catch it between his knees. It hit his thigh.
Danny had asked for people who had musical instruments to bring them. I took my guitar, and another couple took their mandolin & guitar (the same couple that played at my friend’s 80th birthday party), and we played a few numbers. It really didn’t matter much that there weren’t more – everyone was enjoying talking to each other.
They had the refurbished bell from the old Richardsville school house. It was not difficult to get people’s attention with that! Danny, as promised, had many old pictures enlarged, hoping to get more identities (I don’t know yet how that worked out). He had a large picture of the old Richardsville School, and asked everyone who attended to put their name on it, and the dates they attended.
There were many old school and other historical records there, that were presented to the Jefferson County Historical Society. There was an old Victrola there, that still works! It was slightly smaller than the one we used to have. I can’t remember what happened to it. I think one of my brothers got it and turned it into something “useful.” The one at the reunion actually had the original packing case with it.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera! There will be pictures posted on the site, though. There are several there already.
A couple of my cousins were there, and a number of other people I knew fairly well or slightly, and some new acquaintances! There were a number of old Brookville yearbooks there. Someone had a scrapbook of obituaries. I said I knew more people in there than were actually at the picnic! I even found out a connection I wasn’t aware of. I was reading Clarence Smith’s obituary, and found out that Leota Heitzenrater (married to my cousin Floyd Heitzenrater) was Clarence’s sister. I don’t remember if I mentioned it in a previous blog or not, but Leota babysat me and my little sister Lily when we were 4 and 2 years old, and baby brother Tommy was in the hospital fighting for his life. That was . . . umm . . . in 1940, I do believe. An incident that happened that day (I don’t remember if she stayed with us more than one day) was that Paul was sent home from school with a big cut on his upper leg. I don’t remember how big it was, but I know it looked awfully big to me. He had dropped his (open) pocket knife, and tried to catch it between his knees. It hit his thigh.
Danny had asked for people who had musical instruments to bring them. I took my guitar, and another couple took their mandolin & guitar (the same couple that played at my friend’s 80th birthday party), and we played a few numbers. It really didn’t matter much that there weren’t more – everyone was enjoying talking to each other.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Patriotic service again - June 29
This was in anticipation of July 4th. As usual, I got damp-eyed when singing the patriotic songs - The Star Spangled Banner, Battle Hymn of the Republic, and America. For special music, a Ladies' Ensemble sang "God Bless the USA."
We had a fill-in pastor, as our pastor was with the group on the missions trip in Guatemala. The speaker used as his topic "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Unfortunately, I took too long to write this, and don't remember details too well.
One thing I do remember is that in the evening service, a little girl - about 4th grade or so - played "America" on the trumpet. She stumbled a little at one point, and getting ready to take up where she left off, she looked back in the congregation at her cousin (who may have been mouthing something), and said, "T____, shut up!" Then she got going again and finished the song.
We had a fill-in pastor, as our pastor was with the group on the missions trip in Guatemala. The speaker used as his topic "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Unfortunately, I took too long to write this, and don't remember details too well.
One thing I do remember is that in the evening service, a little girl - about 4th grade or so - played "America" on the trumpet. She stumbled a little at one point, and getting ready to take up where she left off, she looked back in the congregation at her cousin (who may have been mouthing something), and said, "T____, shut up!" Then she got going again and finished the song.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Just for fun
The Magnaclams are coming!
Check out this link:
Magnaclams!
You might also want to check these:
Magnaclams are FAKE
CTG Revisited
Check out this link:
Magnaclams!
You might also want to check these:
Magnaclams are FAKE
CTG Revisited
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Addendum to "Happy Birthday"
The birthday lady changed her mind. She's not going to jump out of an airplane for #90 - instead, she's going up in a hot air balloon!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Happy Birthday
On Friday evening, I attended a surprise birthday party for a dear friend. She was 80 years old (or will be, this coming Friday). Her children planned the event a week early in order to surprise her, because she had been told long ago that they would give her a birthday party for her 80th birthday. She lives in an independent living complex, and because the party was to be held there (in the large dining room), someone had to get her out of the way while the guests were assembling. They did such a good job of getting her out of the way that she was over half an hour late. There was a good crowd there. And she was indeed surprised! Her children had been so elusive about the party recently that she was almost convinced they weren’t going to give her a party after all. It was tricky trying to get to talk to one of her children about it when she was around.
I don’t know how many people showed up, but the place was full. There were some poems honoring her, and a humorous one by one of her daughters that was a prayer to allow her to live just one more year, and then one more, etc., up to 89, then “I’ll be ready to go . . . maybe!” One couple played mandolin and guitar and sang some old songs. I can’t remember the first one they sang; the second one was about learning to love Jesus in grandma’s rocking chair. Then those of us who knew it were asked to join with them in the last song. I hadn’t heard – let alone sung – that song since I was in high school (I graduated in 1954), but as we sang, the words all came back to me. Anyone remember this?
Mockingbird Hill
When the sun in the morning peeps over the hill
And kisses the roses on my window sill,
Then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockingbird Hill.
Chorus:
Tra-la-la, Tweedly-dee-dee, it gives me a thrill
To wake up in the morning to the mockingbird’s trill;
Tra-la-la, Tweedly-dee-dee, there’s peace and good will;
You’re welcome as the flowers on Mockingbird Hill.
Got a three-cornered plow and an acre to till,
And a mule that I bought for a ten dollar bill.
There’s a tumbledown shack and a rusty old mill,
But it’s my home, sweet home, up on Mockingbird Hill.
(Chorus)
When it’s late in the evening I climb up the hill
And survey all my kingdom while everything’s still –
Only me and the sky and a lone whippoorwill
Singing songs in the twilight on Mockingbird Hill.
(Chorus)
Then – one of the highlights of the evening – someone announced that the guest of honor had always wanted to ride a Harley. So, out they go to the parking lot (I stayed inside), and watched this lady ride on the back of her son-in-law’s Harley. Later on, she said that one of her grandsons said to her, “Don’t worry, Grandma, if you fall off, I’ll pick you up.” As I said, I didn’t see the event, but she had a picture of it at church Sunday. Presumably, the pastor is going to have a picture to put up on the screen this coming Sunday.
Now, she says that for her ninetieth birthday – with the disclaimer if she lives that long, and the Lord doesn’t come – she will jump out of an airplane. After saying this (I heard this from her twice), she immediately goes into an attitude of prayer, and says, “Oh, Lord, please come, so I won’t have to do that!”
Correction: She misunderstood what her grandson said; it turns out he said, "If you fall off I'll catch your teeth."
I don’t know how many people showed up, but the place was full. There were some poems honoring her, and a humorous one by one of her daughters that was a prayer to allow her to live just one more year, and then one more, etc., up to 89, then “I’ll be ready to go . . . maybe!” One couple played mandolin and guitar and sang some old songs. I can’t remember the first one they sang; the second one was about learning to love Jesus in grandma’s rocking chair. Then those of us who knew it were asked to join with them in the last song. I hadn’t heard – let alone sung – that song since I was in high school (I graduated in 1954), but as we sang, the words all came back to me. Anyone remember this?
Mockingbird Hill
When the sun in the morning peeps over the hill
And kisses the roses on my window sill,
Then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockingbird Hill.
Chorus:
Tra-la-la, Tweedly-dee-dee, it gives me a thrill
To wake up in the morning to the mockingbird’s trill;
Tra-la-la, Tweedly-dee-dee, there’s peace and good will;
You’re welcome as the flowers on Mockingbird Hill.
Got a three-cornered plow and an acre to till,
And a mule that I bought for a ten dollar bill.
There’s a tumbledown shack and a rusty old mill,
But it’s my home, sweet home, up on Mockingbird Hill.
(Chorus)
When it’s late in the evening I climb up the hill
And survey all my kingdom while everything’s still –
Only me and the sky and a lone whippoorwill
Singing songs in the twilight on Mockingbird Hill.
(Chorus)
Then – one of the highlights of the evening – someone announced that the guest of honor had always wanted to ride a Harley. So, out they go to the parking lot (I stayed inside), and watched this lady ride on the back of her son-in-law’s Harley. Later on, she said that one of her grandsons said to her, “Don’t worry, Grandma, if you fall off, I’ll pick you up.” As I said, I didn’t see the event, but she had a picture of it at church Sunday. Presumably, the pastor is going to have a picture to put up on the screen this coming Sunday.
Now, she says that for her ninetieth birthday – with the disclaimer if she lives that long, and the Lord doesn’t come – she will jump out of an airplane. After saying this (I heard this from her twice), she immediately goes into an attitude of prayer, and says, “Oh, Lord, please come, so I won’t have to do that!”
Correction: She misunderstood what her grandson said; it turns out he said, "If you fall off I'll catch your teeth."
Monday, May 26, 2008
Another Uplifting Patriotic Service
I am a patriot. I think I am never more aware of that as when our country and our men in the military are honored in our church services.
Sunday, May 25, we had such a service in our church. I wish someone had videotaped at least the opening. In additon to our normal "worship team" of 4 or 5 people along with the the piano and organ, 4 teenagers joined them with trumpet, sax, guitar, and drums. The first hymn was "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." As many times as I have sung that, I got choked up a bit and couldn't even sing at first. Then, when I finally got my voice under control, two men walked down the aisle, one carrying the American flag, and the other carrying the Christian flag. After they had placed them in the stands, they stood behind them for the reminder of the opening. So I "lost" my voice again. The next hymn was "America, the Beautiful." I started imagining what those words stood for, and still couldn't sing. I finally got my voice back (pretty much) for the last hymn, "America."
When the pastor called the children up front to give them a short lesson before dismissing them to children's church, he told an anecdote about Abraham Lincoln. He told how he had made an appointment with a man to meet him at 5:00 am one morning. The man arrived 15 minutes early, and asked if it was possible to see the President a little ahead of the scheduled time. The person who received him told him it wasn't possible. The man said he knew he was there, he heard sounds from his office. The secretary (or whatever he was) responded, "The President comes into his office at 4:00 every morning, and spends that first hour reading the Bible and praying." What a great example given by one of the leaders of our country!
Addendum: The special music was done by 4 teenagers, one on piano, one on drums, one on guitar, another (along with the pianist) singing "Letters from War." All 4 were wearing camouflage jackets.
Sunday, May 25, we had such a service in our church. I wish someone had videotaped at least the opening. In additon to our normal "worship team" of 4 or 5 people along with the the piano and organ, 4 teenagers joined them with trumpet, sax, guitar, and drums. The first hymn was "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." As many times as I have sung that, I got choked up a bit and couldn't even sing at first. Then, when I finally got my voice under control, two men walked down the aisle, one carrying the American flag, and the other carrying the Christian flag. After they had placed them in the stands, they stood behind them for the reminder of the opening. So I "lost" my voice again. The next hymn was "America, the Beautiful." I started imagining what those words stood for, and still couldn't sing. I finally got my voice back (pretty much) for the last hymn, "America."
When the pastor called the children up front to give them a short lesson before dismissing them to children's church, he told an anecdote about Abraham Lincoln. He told how he had made an appointment with a man to meet him at 5:00 am one morning. The man arrived 15 minutes early, and asked if it was possible to see the President a little ahead of the scheduled time. The person who received him told him it wasn't possible. The man said he knew he was there, he heard sounds from his office. The secretary (or whatever he was) responded, "The President comes into his office at 4:00 every morning, and spends that first hour reading the Bible and praying." What a great example given by one of the leaders of our country!
Addendum: The special music was done by 4 teenagers, one on piano, one on drums, one on guitar, another (along with the pianist) singing "Letters from War." All 4 were wearing camouflage jackets.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Blogs and websites
I hope you are checking out my links from time to time - especially the Campbell Family Journal and Kathryn's Keepsakes. These two blogs chronicle the medical problems and triumphs of my nephew's two adopted daughters. These blogs are very inspiring!
If you are a regular viewer of the Richardsville Road web site, you may have noticed that there have been no changes for a few days. I don't know how long this condition will last; Danny, who created the site, "lost" his computer during a bad storm. Let's hope he's up and running soon. I don't have any real authority here, but I have a suggestion, that if you wish to RSVP for the reunion in July, Pat Davis might be able to keep records for you. If you wish to contact me, for that matter, I will make sure Danny gets the info when he's back on line, but I think Pat is more in the loop than I am. If you have never looked at this site, there is a lot of info there. It took me quite some time to get through it all, and meanwhile, Danny was adding more. Particularly interesting are the pages he posted from the 1926 Echo (Brookville High School Year Book).
I suppose I shouldn't mention this, since I was somewhat instrumental in its being posted, but Paul Campbell's story on the Richardsville site is excellent! It can be found through either Bios or Recollections. He is the father of my nephew I mentioned in the first paragraph of this post (same name, too).
I have been spending so much time submitting info and corrections to Danny's site, that I have rather neglected my own; however, I don't usually post here unless something specific comes up that interests me. But I did get to see pictures of my 2 great-granddaughters, finally!
Keely (almost 1), and Briana (2 1/2)- I believe they were a little younger when these pics were taken:
If you are a regular viewer of the Richardsville Road web site, you may have noticed that there have been no changes for a few days. I don't know how long this condition will last; Danny, who created the site, "lost" his computer during a bad storm. Let's hope he's up and running soon. I don't have any real authority here, but I have a suggestion, that if you wish to RSVP for the reunion in July, Pat Davis might be able to keep records for you. If you wish to contact me, for that matter, I will make sure Danny gets the info when he's back on line, but I think Pat is more in the loop than I am. If you have never looked at this site, there is a lot of info there. It took me quite some time to get through it all, and meanwhile, Danny was adding more. Particularly interesting are the pages he posted from the 1926 Echo (Brookville High School Year Book).
I suppose I shouldn't mention this, since I was somewhat instrumental in its being posted, but Paul Campbell's story on the Richardsville site is excellent! It can be found through either Bios or Recollections. He is the father of my nephew I mentioned in the first paragraph of this post (same name, too).
I have been spending so much time submitting info and corrections to Danny's site, that I have rather neglected my own; however, I don't usually post here unless something specific comes up that interests me. But I did get to see pictures of my 2 great-granddaughters, finally!
Keely (almost 1), and Briana (2 1/2)- I believe they were a little younger when these pics were taken:
Monday, April 28, 2008
Turning back the clock
I just recently found a new website - well, I found the link for it in a friend's newspaper column. It is based on the general area around which I grew up. It's kind-of a "do you remember?" site. It caters to memories and old pictures. There isn't a lot from the immediate area where I grew up, as there aren't too many contributors from that area. The site is called www.richardsvilleroad.com. The idea of the creator of the site is that it will be about all of Warsaw township (Hazen and Richardsville) and part of Polk township (Munderf). These are in Jefferson County in Pennsylvania. There are already quite a few memories posted there, also some pictures, which they are trying to get identification for. Some of the pictures are very large, and it would take forever to download them with my slow dial-up internet. I have submitted a few pictures myself, and have a few more to submit. Because of the size of some of them, combined with my slow dial-up, I am sending the rest on CD by snail mail. I may send more later if I find that there are others that would be of interest to the site. They have a long history of the Richardsville school, divided by years - except that the first entry includes years from 1879 through 1888 (it says '85, but I know there are records for 1887, because I have a specific comment concerning that year).
These old records contain various items - pictures, lists of students, even minutes of school board meetings. I found on the earliest entry another link to lists of students of various schools in the area (before consolidation). They show dates for when the records are, as well as students' names and ages (if available). On one of the schools' student records, I found 4 names I recognized. These were all dated 1887 (as I mentioned above). The names were Robert, George, Frank and Henry Harriff. They had Frank's age listed as 14, but they did not have ages for the other 3. I was able to give them George's age (he turned 10 that year) - as he was my father, and Robert's - 9 - as I knew that Uncle Bob was exactly one year to the day younger than Daddy.
Most of the pictures posted so far are directly from Richardsville, as there has not been much activity from the people of Munderf or Hazen as of yet. Even so, I recognize a number of people in some of the later pictures.
They are planning a reunion in July. Since I live close enough to the area, I will probably attend, and my sister Mildred who also lives nearby may attend also.
Blogger's note: Changed back to original - Middy said Uncle Bob was 2 years younger than Daddy, but Tommy is in agreement with me that it was only one year. Anyway, that's how I reported it to the site.
These old records contain various items - pictures, lists of students, even minutes of school board meetings. I found on the earliest entry another link to lists of students of various schools in the area (before consolidation). They show dates for when the records are, as well as students' names and ages (if available). On one of the schools' student records, I found 4 names I recognized. These were all dated 1887 (as I mentioned above). The names were Robert, George, Frank and Henry Harriff. They had Frank's age listed as 14, but they did not have ages for the other 3. I was able to give them George's age (he turned 10 that year) - as he was my father, and Robert's - 9 - as I knew that Uncle Bob was exactly one year to the day younger than Daddy.
Most of the pictures posted so far are directly from Richardsville, as there has not been much activity from the people of Munderf or Hazen as of yet. Even so, I recognize a number of people in some of the later pictures.
They are planning a reunion in July. Since I live close enough to the area, I will probably attend, and my sister Mildred who also lives nearby may attend also.
Blogger's note: Changed back to original - Middy said Uncle Bob was 2 years younger than Daddy, but Tommy is in agreement with me that it was only one year. Anyway, that's how I reported it to the site.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ossian's Serenade
This is an ancient one that sister Middy was asking me about. I think this one came from Daddy. I looked it up on the internet, found bits and pieces here and there, and pulled another piece out of my memory. The "bits and pieces" don't all agree with each other, and some of them I am certain are outright mistaken, so I'll present it here as close to possible from my memory, jogged by the "bits and pieces." Incidentally, one of the locations treated it as anonymous, but another gave credit to one Ossian E. Dodge, thus the name, Ossian's Serenade. Another title it's known by is "The Burman's Serenade."
1. O come with me in my little canoe,
While the sea is calm and the sky is blue;
O come with me, for I long to go
To the land where the mango apples grow.
Chorus:
I'll chase the antelope over the plain
The tiger's cub I'll bind with a chain,
The wild gazelle with its silvery feet
I'll give to thee as a playmate sweet.
2.O come with me and be my love,
For thee the jungle depths I’ll rove,
I’ll gather honeycomb bright as gold
And chase the elk to its secret hold.
3. I’ll climb way up to the cuckoo’s nest,
Bright leaves I will gather for to deck thy crest;
I'll pierce the coconut for its wine
And haste to thee if thou'lt be mine!
4. Then come with me in my little canoe,
While the sea is calm and the sky is blue,
For if we linger another day
Storms may rise and love decay.
1. O come with me in my little canoe,
While the sea is calm and the sky is blue;
O come with me, for I long to go
To the land where the mango apples grow.
Chorus:
I'll chase the antelope over the plain
The tiger's cub I'll bind with a chain,
The wild gazelle with its silvery feet
I'll give to thee as a playmate sweet.
2.O come with me and be my love,
For thee the jungle depths I’ll rove,
I’ll gather honeycomb bright as gold
And chase the elk to its secret hold.
3. I’ll climb way up to the cuckoo’s nest,
Bright leaves I will gather for to deck thy crest;
I'll pierce the coconut for its wine
And haste to thee if thou'lt be mine!
4. Then come with me in my little canoe,
While the sea is calm and the sky is blue,
For if we linger another day
Storms may rise and love decay.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Origins, the Love of God
This may be a more accurate translation of the original words of Rabbi Meir ben Isaac Nehorai - a Cantor in Worms, Germany at the time (written originally in Aramaic):
Were the sky of parchment made,
A quill each reed, each twig and blade,
Could we with ink the oceans fill,
Were every man a scribe of skill,
The marvelous story,
Of God's great glory
Would still remain untold;
For He, most high
The earth and sky
Created alone of old.
Were the sky of parchment made,
A quill each reed, each twig and blade,
Could we with ink the oceans fill,
Were every man a scribe of skill,
The marvelous story,
Of God's great glory
Would still remain untold;
For He, most high
The earth and sky
Created alone of old.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Love of God
There is an old familiar hymn we used to sing a lot in church when I was a kid growing up. A note below the title said that the last verse was found scratched on the wall of an insane asylum, found after the resident of the room where it was had died, and was removed from the room, or cell. It was thought to have been written by him in one of his sane moments. It was never attributed to him by name. But apparently, someone did some research on that poem, and it became apparent that the insane man must have read and memorized it some time in his past, and scratched it on the wall from memory. It was actually part of poem written by a Jewish man named Meir ben Isaac Nehorai, in the year 1050. Here is that verse:
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love
Of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll
Contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love
Of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll
Contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
"Our Father . . ."
I got this from an internet friend who is a Methodist pastor. He used it as the opening to a sermon he posted on the internet.
This is a story about a lady that religiously says the words to the Lord's Prayer every single day, but never considers the words she says. Until one day, when someone interrupts her. She starts off by saying …
"Our Father which art in heaven ..."
"Yes?"
"Don't interrupt me. I'm praying."
"But you called me."
"Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father which art in heaven ..."
"There ... you did it again."
"Did what?"
"Called me. You said, Our Father which art in heaven. Here I am. What's on your mind?"
"But … I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done."
"All right. Go on."
"Hallowed be thy name ..."
"Hold it! What do you mean by that?"
"By what?"
"By ‘hallowed be thy name'?"
"It means ... it means ... good grief! I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?"
"It means honored ... holy ... wonderful."
"Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what ‘hallowed' meant before. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
"Do you really mean that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"What are you doing about it?"
"Doing? Nothing, I guess! I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there."
"Have I got control of you?"
"Well ... I go to church."
"That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money ... all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?"
"Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church."
"Uh excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it ... like you, for example."
"Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others."
"So could I."
"I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to ... you know ... be really free."
"Good ... now we're getting somewhere! We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you."
"Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread."
"You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is."
"Hey, wait a minute! What is this ... 'Criticize me day?' Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups."
"Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer ... (pause). Well ... go on!"
"I'm scared to."
"Scared? Of what?"
"I know what You'll say."
"Try me and see."
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
"What about your next door neighbor Ann?"
"See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!"
"But your prayer? What about your prayer?"
"I … didn't mean it."
"Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it?"
"No, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood."
"You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that."
"You can? How?"
"Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart."
"Oh, you're right. You always are. And more than I want to revenge Ann, I want to be right with you... (pause) ... (sigh). Alright! Alright! I forgive her! Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way."
"There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?"
"Hmmmm ... well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact … I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest."
"You're not through with your prayer. Go on."
"Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
"Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend having coffee with your friends ... if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for 'keeping up with.' And please don't use me for an escape hatch."
"I don't understand the last part."
"Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me. 'Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again.' You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?"
"Yes and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am."
"Which bargain are you remembering?"
"Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember praying, 'Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again.'"
"I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?"
"I'm sorry, Lord. I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like it did."
"Go ahead and finish your prayer."
"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."
"Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?"
"No, but I'd like to know. I now want to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers."
"You just answered the question."
"I did?"
"Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together."
"Lord, let's see what we can make of me, okay?"
"Yes, let's see."
This is a story about a lady that religiously says the words to the Lord's Prayer every single day, but never considers the words she says. Until one day, when someone interrupts her. She starts off by saying …
"Our Father which art in heaven ..."
"Yes?"
"Don't interrupt me. I'm praying."
"But you called me."
"Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father which art in heaven ..."
"There ... you did it again."
"Did what?"
"Called me. You said, Our Father which art in heaven. Here I am. What's on your mind?"
"But … I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done."
"All right. Go on."
"Hallowed be thy name ..."
"Hold it! What do you mean by that?"
"By what?"
"By ‘hallowed be thy name'?"
"It means ... it means ... good grief! I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?"
"It means honored ... holy ... wonderful."
"Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what ‘hallowed' meant before. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
"Do you really mean that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"What are you doing about it?"
"Doing? Nothing, I guess! I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there."
"Have I got control of you?"
"Well ... I go to church."
"That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money ... all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?"
"Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church."
"Uh excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it ... like you, for example."
"Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others."
"So could I."
"I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to ... you know ... be really free."
"Good ... now we're getting somewhere! We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you."
"Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread."
"You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is."
"Hey, wait a minute! What is this ... 'Criticize me day?' Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups."
"Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer ... (pause). Well ... go on!"
"I'm scared to."
"Scared? Of what?"
"I know what You'll say."
"Try me and see."
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
"What about your next door neighbor Ann?"
"See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!"
"But your prayer? What about your prayer?"
"I … didn't mean it."
"Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it?"
"No, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood."
"You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that."
"You can? How?"
"Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart."
"Oh, you're right. You always are. And more than I want to revenge Ann, I want to be right with you... (pause) ... (sigh). Alright! Alright! I forgive her! Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way."
"There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?"
"Hmmmm ... well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact … I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest."
"You're not through with your prayer. Go on."
"Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
"Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend having coffee with your friends ... if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for 'keeping up with.' And please don't use me for an escape hatch."
"I don't understand the last part."
"Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me. 'Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again.' You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?"
"Yes and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am."
"Which bargain are you remembering?"
"Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember praying, 'Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again.'"
"I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?"
"I'm sorry, Lord. I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like it did."
"Go ahead and finish your prayer."
"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."
"Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?"
"No, but I'd like to know. I now want to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers."
"You just answered the question."
"I did?"
"Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together."
"Lord, let's see what we can make of me, okay?"
"Yes, let's see."
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Of Such Is the Kingdom of Heaven
“Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
My sister Lil and I recently had a bit of a discussion about children in Heaven. I mentioned about a retired minister I know who does not believe anyone in heaven will be children – that we will all be equal, disembodied souls. She immediately responded with “Of such is the kingdom of heaven” – implying that it is literally so, because there are more children in heaven than adults. We usually think of it as meaning that we must come to Christ in childlike trust and faith, which is true enough, but it is equally true that many scriptures can contain multiple (not contradictory) meanings. I just recently came to the understanding (through the heavenly experiences of my great-niece Kathryn) that people who died while they were children are still children in heaven – maybe not the same age as they were on earth, but still children nonetheless. I often wondered about that, because it is not addressed specifically in the Bible. I wondered if they would all grow up, and eventually there would be only adults in heaven. I’m glad to know that isn’t so; wouldn’t heaven be less than perfect without any children? When you think of all the miscarriages, stillbirths and childhood deaths of the past, and even now in countries without good medical care, as well as the horrendous numbers of abortions, there simply have to be far more children than adults in Heaven.
Kathryn tells of children in heaven who are there because of miscarriages – when determining the age of the body the Father gives them, he takes into consideration what would please their earthly parents. If the parents had already chosen a name for them, they have that name; at least, that was the case with the ones Kathryn met. He also gives them specific children’s “days” – although time is not the same there as here. Kathryn described one of those days with children playing in the field with kites and hot air balloons. Another time they were visiting the big farm and playing with the animals there. And children get to watch their parents and siblings who are still living. People in heaven get to see what goes on with those still on earth, and they can still pray to Jesus on their behalf.
I have a child in Heaven as a result of a miscarriage; a friend of mine has a child in Heaven as a result of a forced abortion. We like to think of our two little girls playing together in Heaven and waiting for us to meet them there.
My sister Lil and I recently had a bit of a discussion about children in Heaven. I mentioned about a retired minister I know who does not believe anyone in heaven will be children – that we will all be equal, disembodied souls. She immediately responded with “Of such is the kingdom of heaven” – implying that it is literally so, because there are more children in heaven than adults. We usually think of it as meaning that we must come to Christ in childlike trust and faith, which is true enough, but it is equally true that many scriptures can contain multiple (not contradictory) meanings. I just recently came to the understanding (through the heavenly experiences of my great-niece Kathryn) that people who died while they were children are still children in heaven – maybe not the same age as they were on earth, but still children nonetheless. I often wondered about that, because it is not addressed specifically in the Bible. I wondered if they would all grow up, and eventually there would be only adults in heaven. I’m glad to know that isn’t so; wouldn’t heaven be less than perfect without any children? When you think of all the miscarriages, stillbirths and childhood deaths of the past, and even now in countries without good medical care, as well as the horrendous numbers of abortions, there simply have to be far more children than adults in Heaven.
Kathryn tells of children in heaven who are there because of miscarriages – when determining the age of the body the Father gives them, he takes into consideration what would please their earthly parents. If the parents had already chosen a name for them, they have that name; at least, that was the case with the ones Kathryn met. He also gives them specific children’s “days” – although time is not the same there as here. Kathryn described one of those days with children playing in the field with kites and hot air balloons. Another time they were visiting the big farm and playing with the animals there. And children get to watch their parents and siblings who are still living. People in heaven get to see what goes on with those still on earth, and they can still pray to Jesus on their behalf.
I have a child in Heaven as a result of a miscarriage; a friend of mine has a child in Heaven as a result of a forced abortion. We like to think of our two little girls playing together in Heaven and waiting for us to meet them there.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Donut Master
Authored by Art Nelson; email forwarded from my sister, received from our niece, Connie:
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending college where Brother Christianson taught seminary.
One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many pushups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said.
"Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front.
When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited. It was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?" Cynthia said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten pushups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups, Joe got a donut.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donuts and down the second aisle, until Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.
When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down.
You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.
Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face; his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely.
Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in." Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
"Yes."
"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort.
Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face, and by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut? Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.
Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan.
"Susan, do you want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, Bro. Christianson, "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work.
Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups.
He and I made a deal for your sakes.
Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said.
"And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, 'Into your hands I commend my spirit.'
With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk,
...uneaten."
~Art Nelson~
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending college where Brother Christianson taught seminary.
One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many pushups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said.
"Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front.
When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited. It was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?" Cynthia said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten pushups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups, Joe got a donut.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donuts and down the second aisle, until Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.
When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down.
You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.
Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face; his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely.
Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in." Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
"Yes."
"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort.
Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face, and by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut? Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.
Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan.
"Susan, do you want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, Bro. Christianson, "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work.
Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups.
He and I made a deal for your sakes.
Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said.
"And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, 'Into your hands I commend my spirit.'
With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk,
...uneaten."
~Art Nelson~
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Sam
A while back I posted about death-bed repentances. Now I want to mention the recent passing of a friend whose repentance was long before his death-bed.
I have known Sam for about 17 years. I never heard him say much. But whenever he spoke, what he had to say was worth listening to. People who spent time in his home found that he spoke more freely there. Every Sunday morning Sam sat in a chair by the door and distributed church bulletins and Sunday school papers. Our pastor hasn’t had the heart yet to ask someone to replace him. He had been missing from his “spot” most of the time since he fell down the church steps a few months ago, and we all missed him.
If Sam had lived a couple months longer, he and his wife would have celebrated 60 years of marriage. They were both saved shortly after their marriage, and they never looked back. Sam was a good husband and father, and he was a good provider. His pastor said that there was only one other person whose funeral he had in his 20 years as a pastor that was as high a caliber Christian as Sam was.
Sam’s legacy will live a long time. Who knows how many lives he touched and influenced in the right direction?
I have known Sam for about 17 years. I never heard him say much. But whenever he spoke, what he had to say was worth listening to. People who spent time in his home found that he spoke more freely there. Every Sunday morning Sam sat in a chair by the door and distributed church bulletins and Sunday school papers. Our pastor hasn’t had the heart yet to ask someone to replace him. He had been missing from his “spot” most of the time since he fell down the church steps a few months ago, and we all missed him.
If Sam had lived a couple months longer, he and his wife would have celebrated 60 years of marriage. They were both saved shortly after their marriage, and they never looked back. Sam was a good husband and father, and he was a good provider. His pastor said that there was only one other person whose funeral he had in his 20 years as a pastor that was as high a caliber Christian as Sam was.
Sam’s legacy will live a long time. Who knows how many lives he touched and influenced in the right direction?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
"Out of the Mouths of Babes"
One Wednesday night in church, a lady who works with a Christian school was talking about some of the prayers and comments of some of the little ones, and it reminded me of a few things.
**********************
When I was about 4 ½ years old and little sis Lil was about 2 ½, and baby brother Tommy was in the hospital struggling for his life, during our regular family prayer time, instead of saying the memorized prayer the smallest ones always said, she started praying in earnest for Tommy, and (I think, although my memory is not all that clear that far back) using some very adult sounding phrases. Us 3 older girls – myself, Mildred, and Leora, were irreverent enough to laugh at her, and she clammed right up. I believe we were later scolded severely for laughing.
**********************
Now, when the above mentioned brother Tommy was about 4, we were at Bible school, part of the Free Methodist camp meeting in Brookville, PA. All the children were together for the opening part of the session. Apropos of nothing, Tommy piped up, “I know how the devil got to be the devil.” The Bible School director asked him, “How?” His response was, “He wanted to be God, so God made him the Devil.”
**********************
Every Sunday morning, at the beginning of the worship service, our pastor has what he calls “Children’s Chat.” He has all the children who are willing to come to the front pew, and he has a little lesson for them. It’s always related to the topic of his sermon.
One Sunday morning he wanted to know if they would get excited if he promised to give one of them a dollar. Unfortunately, he had to bump it up to four dollars before any of them even became interested. He said, “Now, what do you have to do to get these four dollars?” He was, of course, trying to get them to say they just had to accept them (since he’d already promised).
He got all kinds of answers. “Do good things. Pray to get them.” One young fellow, about 3rd grade or so (who hadn’t come up to front pew, but was sitting back with his grandmother), said something about saying nice things. The pastor said, “OK, turn to your grandmother and tell her she looks nice.” He said, “You look nice that was against my will.” (all run together like that).
Finally one little guy, about kindergarten or first grade apparently came up with the right answer. I didn’t hear him, but the pastor said to him, “Come here.” He stood up. “Put out your hand.” He did so, and the pastor put the four dollars in his hand.
But the crowning point comes later. It’s necessary at this point to say that we have 12 people in our church who are going with a district team on a 2-week missions trip to Guatemala this summer. After the service, as people were leaving, I was just about to shake hands with the pastor, and this little fellow (the one who "accepted" the four dollars) came up. He handed the money to the pastor, saying, “This is for your Guatemala trip.”
**********************
Blogger's note: Brother Tommy mentioned above is the father of missionary Suzanne several blogs back.
**********************
When I was about 4 ½ years old and little sis Lil was about 2 ½, and baby brother Tommy was in the hospital struggling for his life, during our regular family prayer time, instead of saying the memorized prayer the smallest ones always said, she started praying in earnest for Tommy, and (I think, although my memory is not all that clear that far back) using some very adult sounding phrases. Us 3 older girls – myself, Mildred, and Leora, were irreverent enough to laugh at her, and she clammed right up. I believe we were later scolded severely for laughing.
**********************
Now, when the above mentioned brother Tommy was about 4, we were at Bible school, part of the Free Methodist camp meeting in Brookville, PA. All the children were together for the opening part of the session. Apropos of nothing, Tommy piped up, “I know how the devil got to be the devil.” The Bible School director asked him, “How?” His response was, “He wanted to be God, so God made him the Devil.”
**********************
Every Sunday morning, at the beginning of the worship service, our pastor has what he calls “Children’s Chat.” He has all the children who are willing to come to the front pew, and he has a little lesson for them. It’s always related to the topic of his sermon.
One Sunday morning he wanted to know if they would get excited if he promised to give one of them a dollar. Unfortunately, he had to bump it up to four dollars before any of them even became interested. He said, “Now, what do you have to do to get these four dollars?” He was, of course, trying to get them to say they just had to accept them (since he’d already promised).
He got all kinds of answers. “Do good things. Pray to get them.” One young fellow, about 3rd grade or so (who hadn’t come up to front pew, but was sitting back with his grandmother), said something about saying nice things. The pastor said, “OK, turn to your grandmother and tell her she looks nice.” He said, “You look nice that was against my will.” (all run together like that).
Finally one little guy, about kindergarten or first grade apparently came up with the right answer. I didn’t hear him, but the pastor said to him, “Come here.” He stood up. “Put out your hand.” He did so, and the pastor put the four dollars in his hand.
But the crowning point comes later. It’s necessary at this point to say that we have 12 people in our church who are going with a district team on a 2-week missions trip to Guatemala this summer. After the service, as people were leaving, I was just about to shake hands with the pastor, and this little fellow (the one who "accepted" the four dollars) came up. He handed the money to the pastor, saying, “This is for your Guatemala trip.”
**********************
Blogger's note: Brother Tommy mentioned above is the father of missionary Suzanne several blogs back.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Getting to Know Your Friends
Got this from one of my yahoo 360 friends
Welcome to the new 2008 edition of 'Getting to know your Friends!'
Okay here's what you're supposed to do: change all the answers so they apply to you. Have Fun!
1. What is your occupation: Retired
2. What color are your socks right now: Navy blue
3. What are you listening to right now: a ticking clock
4. What was the last thing you ate: a sandwich
5. Can you drive stick shift: learned on one (there weren't many of the other kind around then)
6. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone: a friend from church
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you: yes
8. How old are you: 72
9. What's your favorite soda: Dr. Pepper
10. What's your favorite sport: sitting in front of the computer
11. Have you ever dyed your hair: never, can't imagine wasting time & effort to do that
12. Do you have any pets: Dog, Bonnie; Cat, Nutmeg
13. Favorite dessert: Apple pie
14. What's the last movie you've seen: The Passion of Christ
15. What's your favorite day of the week? Nearly all the same to me
16. How do you prevent anger? Avoid anger making situations
17. What was your favorite toy when you were little: Sister Lil reminded me - a home-made stuffed toy called "Lucy Goosey." We affectionately called it the "gloose."
18. What's your favorite season: Spring - it means winter is over
19. Hugs or Kisses: both
20. Cherries or Blueberries: both
21. Will your friends e-mail you back: Usually
22. Who's most likely to respond: My Chinese friend
23. Who's least likely to respond: My daughter
24. Current living arrangement: house
25. When was the last time you cried: don't remember
26. What's on the floor of your closet: junk
27. Who is the friend that you've known longest and are sending it to: Whoever reads my blog - Dee, perhaps, and sister Lil
28. What did you do last night? Slept
29. Favorite smells: Lilac, Mock Orange
30. Who inspires you: My great-niece Kathryn
31. Who were you afraid of as a little kid: God
32. Do you prefer plain, cheese, or spicy hamburger: cheese
33. Favorite dog breed: whatever I have at the moment (right now, a blue heeler)
34. How many states have you lived in: 3
35. Favorite Holiday: Christmas
36. Most missed memory: My grandchildren visiting
37. Favorite Store: Best buy
38. Whom do you miss right now: My grandchildren & great-grandchildren
39. When was the last time you slipped on ice? This afternoon
40. If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be and why?: ???
Welcome to the new 2008 edition of 'Getting to know your Friends!'
Okay here's what you're supposed to do: change all the answers so they apply to you. Have Fun!
1. What is your occupation: Retired
2. What color are your socks right now: Navy blue
3. What are you listening to right now: a ticking clock
4. What was the last thing you ate: a sandwich
5. Can you drive stick shift: learned on one (there weren't many of the other kind around then)
6. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone: a friend from church
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you: yes
8. How old are you: 72
9. What's your favorite soda: Dr. Pepper
10. What's your favorite sport: sitting in front of the computer
11. Have you ever dyed your hair: never, can't imagine wasting time & effort to do that
12. Do you have any pets: Dog, Bonnie; Cat, Nutmeg
13. Favorite dessert: Apple pie
14. What's the last movie you've seen: The Passion of Christ
15. What's your favorite day of the week? Nearly all the same to me
16. How do you prevent anger? Avoid anger making situations
17. What was your favorite toy when you were little: Sister Lil reminded me - a home-made stuffed toy called "Lucy Goosey." We affectionately called it the "gloose."
18. What's your favorite season: Spring - it means winter is over
19. Hugs or Kisses: both
20. Cherries or Blueberries: both
21. Will your friends e-mail you back: Usually
22. Who's most likely to respond: My Chinese friend
23. Who's least likely to respond: My daughter
24. Current living arrangement: house
25. When was the last time you cried: don't remember
26. What's on the floor of your closet: junk
27. Who is the friend that you've known longest and are sending it to: Whoever reads my blog - Dee, perhaps, and sister Lil
28. What did you do last night? Slept
29. Favorite smells: Lilac, Mock Orange
30. Who inspires you: My great-niece Kathryn
31. Who were you afraid of as a little kid: God
32. Do you prefer plain, cheese, or spicy hamburger: cheese
33. Favorite dog breed: whatever I have at the moment (right now, a blue heeler)
34. How many states have you lived in: 3
35. Favorite Holiday: Christmas
36. Most missed memory: My grandchildren visiting
37. Favorite Store: Best buy
38. Whom do you miss right now: My grandchildren & great-grandchildren
39. When was the last time you slipped on ice? This afternoon
40. If you could be a cartoon character, who would you be and why?: ???
Friday, January 25, 2008
"Oh, Make Me Clean!"
This hymn was brought to my mind because I have been studying some books about the theology promoted by John Wesley, which, for ease of reference, bears his name, although it did not originate with him. This hymn itself probably (based on what I have read so far) does not reflect this theology as Wesley himself would have expounded it, but its terminology and usage is quite common in Wesleyan circles. Another point about this song – it was written by George W. Bennard, who is better known for having written a very well known hymn – “The Old Rugged Cross.”
Oh, Make Me Clean
1. With aching heart and spirit sore destressed,
I came to Thee, and Thou didst give me rest;
Now, Lord, I pray and long with deep desire
To be made clean by Thy refining fire.
Chorus – for vs. 1&2
Oh, make me clean, Oh, make me clean,
Mine eyes Thy holiness have seen.
Oh, send the burning, cleansing flame,
And make me clean in Jesus’ name.
2. I hate the sin which grieves Thy loving heart;
Speak, precious, Lord, and bid it all depart;
Thy temple cleanse, and make my heart Thy home;
Come, King of kings, and reign Thyself alone.
(Chorus – for vs. 1&2)
3. Dear Lamb of God, I yield my all to Thee.
Thine, wholly Thine, forevermore to be;
Now in my heart I feel the sacred flame,
He makes me clean, oh, glory to his name!
Chorus – v 3
He makes me clean, He makes me clean,
Mine eyes the glorious King have seen;
Just now I feel the sacred flame,
Oh, glory to His precious name!
I couldn’t find this anywhere on the internet, so I have no way to let you see or hear the music.
(Originally posted January 12, 2008)
Oh, Make Me Clean
1. With aching heart and spirit sore destressed,
I came to Thee, and Thou didst give me rest;
Now, Lord, I pray and long with deep desire
To be made clean by Thy refining fire.
Chorus – for vs. 1&2
Oh, make me clean, Oh, make me clean,
Mine eyes Thy holiness have seen.
Oh, send the burning, cleansing flame,
And make me clean in Jesus’ name.
2. I hate the sin which grieves Thy loving heart;
Speak, precious, Lord, and bid it all depart;
Thy temple cleanse, and make my heart Thy home;
Come, King of kings, and reign Thyself alone.
(Chorus – for vs. 1&2)
3. Dear Lamb of God, I yield my all to Thee.
Thine, wholly Thine, forevermore to be;
Now in my heart I feel the sacred flame,
He makes me clean, oh, glory to his name!
Chorus – v 3
He makes me clean, He makes me clean,
Mine eyes the glorious King have seen;
Just now I feel the sacred flame,
Oh, glory to His precious name!
I couldn’t find this anywhere on the internet, so I have no way to let you see or hear the music.
(Originally posted January 12, 2008)
Room at the Cross
This post was inspired by my friend Dee, when she told me about the big cross she sees when she looks across the street from her house. This song came immediately to mind. It appears in some modern hymnbooks, but I have verified that it is in Public Domain.
Room at The Cross
By Ira Stanphill
The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide
And its grace so free is sufficient for me
And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.
Chorus
There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there's still room for one
Yes there's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have found him a friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned
The Savior still waits to open the gates
And welcome a sinner before it's too late.
(Chorus)
The hand of my Savior is strong
And the love of my Savior is long
Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.
(Chorus)
Click on the link below to hear the music.
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/room2.html
(Originally posted December 31, 2007)
Room at The Cross
By Ira Stanphill
The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide
And its grace so free is sufficient for me
And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.
Chorus
There's room at the cross for you
There's room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there's still room for one
Yes there's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have found him a friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned
The Savior still waits to open the gates
And welcome a sinner before it's too late.
(Chorus)
The hand of my Savior is strong
And the love of my Savior is long
Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.
(Chorus)
Click on the link below to hear the music.
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/room2.html
(Originally posted December 31, 2007)
Missionaries
Picture: New missionaries, my niece Suzanne and her husband Bob
I grew up hearing about – and hearing – missionaries. My mother had a real heart for missions, and it was her strong desire that at least one of her children become a missionary. I think it was probably that strong desire that caused 3 of her children to believe at one time that they were called to the mission field, but never went. I have no reason to believe that they were called, then reneged on their call. Perhaps they were “called” in a way, but not to a foreign field.
Of the 3, her oldest son suffered brain damage as a child, and as an adult, this affected his mental condition, and eventually he was unable to live independently.
The next son pursued the intent of being a missionary for much longer – it was not until after he was married (I believe) that he no longer held to his call to a foreign field. I cannot believe that he reneged on a genuine call – he has five children and many grandchildren, and all his family are serving the Lord today, so I cannot believe he has lived outside of God’s will.
The second daughter actually tried to go to a mission field – Cuba – when she was 19 years old, but was not permitted to go by herself as a minor (the majority age was then 21). She continued in Bible school, but she did not pursue the foreign mission field again.
The youngest (5th daughter) went to high school at a Bible school. She was the “rebellious” daughter (no one would think that in this day and age!), but while she was in high school, she found the Lord, and returned home full of the intent to go to a foreign mission field, without the influence of Mom’s desire. She did go. She was in Mozambique at the time of the Communist revolution. She was later in Zaire (now the Republic of the Congo), then in Rwanda (before the outbreak of the fighting between the 2 factions). After her marriage (at the age of 47), she and her husband went on several short term missions trips to the Philippines, and they also spent some time in Brazil (where her husband grew up).
Now – my brother’s younger daughter is preparing, with her husband, to be a full-time missionary. They went on a short-term missions trip to the Czech Republic earlier this year, and as a result, they felt the Lord’s call to full-time missionary service. This month – starting the 15th – they are going to Kampala, Uganda for a 2-week “introductory” missions trip. They will be there over Christmas. Then some time next year they will go on a 4 to 6 month “exploratory” trip to the area. By the end of 2008, they plan to be there as full-time missionaries. My mother’s dream continues!
(Originally posted December 12, 2007)
Table Grace
I have been thinking a bit lately about the table grace that is often taught to children:
God is great, God is good,
Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hand we all are led;
Give us now our daily bread.
I think that it is sometimes limited to just the first two lines, but I have been thinking only about the very first line – that is good theology, is it not? “God is great, God is good.”
To continue, I have also been thinking about the table grace I was taught as a child:
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Let these gifts to us be blest.
This is a bit convoluted, but I thought about this because of my new Yahoo friend, Tori, who is from Germany. A few years ago, a lady from our church lent me a copy of a (very small) book about Christian doctrine, etc., written in German, and it contained a number of prayers (I copied some portions of this). There was one small section on table graces, and what do I first see but:
Komm, Herr Jesu, sei unser Gast
Und segne, was du uns bescheret hast.
There was another one that caught my eye:
Segne, Vater, diese Speise
Uns zur Kraft, und dir zum Preise.
I never thought much about the possibility that my father ever used memorized prayers, at the table, or elsewhere (except on the few occasions when the congregation in our church recited The Lord’s Prayer), but, invariably, when he said the table grace, included in it would be the words, “Father, bless this food to our strength and to your glory.”
(Originally posted November 16, 2007)
God is great, God is good,
Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hand we all are led;
Give us now our daily bread.
I think that it is sometimes limited to just the first two lines, but I have been thinking only about the very first line – that is good theology, is it not? “God is great, God is good.”
To continue, I have also been thinking about the table grace I was taught as a child:
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Let these gifts to us be blest.
This is a bit convoluted, but I thought about this because of my new Yahoo friend, Tori, who is from Germany. A few years ago, a lady from our church lent me a copy of a (very small) book about Christian doctrine, etc., written in German, and it contained a number of prayers (I copied some portions of this). There was one small section on table graces, and what do I first see but:
Komm, Herr Jesu, sei unser Gast
Und segne, was du uns bescheret hast.
There was another one that caught my eye:
Segne, Vater, diese Speise
Uns zur Kraft, und dir zum Preise.
I never thought much about the possibility that my father ever used memorized prayers, at the table, or elsewhere (except on the few occasions when the congregation in our church recited The Lord’s Prayer), but, invariably, when he said the table grace, included in it would be the words, “Father, bless this food to our strength and to your glory.”
(Originally posted November 16, 2007)
Death-bed Repentance
I had a pastor once who said, “I used to believe in death-bed repentances, but I don’t anymore, because people who are dying are often so doped up to relieve pain that they do not have the ability to think and reason about their condition.”
I wasn’t thinking on this line at that time, but don’t you think God is able to override the “dopiness” to make the person’s mind clear enough for long enough to repent? There was an article in our Sunday School paper some years ago about a woman with advanced Alzheimer’s. Her children were concerned that she had never repented of her sins and accepted the Lord. I can’t remember all the details, but I believe they called a pastor to come and pray with her, and try to lead her to the Lord. While he was there – or just before – she became quite lucid, and as the pastor dealt with her, she repented of her sins and accepted Christ as her Saviour. I think it was the next day, the pastor contacted her again and she gave a lucid testimony. After that, however, she reverted to the advanced Alzheimer’s, not understanding anything or recognizing anybody. If God could do that for an Alzheimer’s victim, he could surely do it for a person whose body & mind were drugged with pain killers.
I have been aware of at least two death-bed repentances of relatives of people in our church. The one was several years ago; I don’t believe the man ever went to church. I never met him. As he knew he was nearing death, he acknowledged that he needed to be saved, but kept saying he wasn’t ready yet to take the step. Then one day when the pastor was visiting him, he said, “It’s time, preacher.” “Time for what?” the pastor asked. “Time to pray,” he said, and then and there he made his peace with God. A few days later he was gone.
The second one happened less than a week ago. This man was the brother of a very dear friend of mine. I met him once. He was raised by a Christian mother. He had accepted the Lord in his 20’s or 30’s, but later, due to something that happened in the church he was attending, he turned his back on God, and professed to be an atheist. In fact, from that time on, he was paying $500 a year as dues to an Atheists’ club of some kind. He refused to listen if anyone wanted to talk to him about God, but he demanded that they listen to his atheistic views. I’m not sure how old he was, but I think he was in his eighties when he died. His sister said that about 3 weeks previous, the Lord had lifted from her the burden to pray for him. This sister is now living in the “independent living” section of the equivalent of the old “County Home.” Her daughter also works there. It became her daughter’s task to tell her that her brother had died, and she was loath to do it, knowing what she knew about her uncle. She has a friend who also works there on whom she often calls for prayer under difficult circumstances. She asked her friend to pray for her because, “I have to tell my mother that her brother died, and he’s not a Christian.” The friend went into the bathroom (where she would go to pray when she was on duty). After a while, she came out with a smile on her face. “The Lord said to tell your mother that her prayers were not in vain.” So she went and gave the message to her mother. Later on, she had another indication when talking to the man’s wife. Knowing her brother, she would have expected curse words on his lips up to the time he died. And indeed, he was his “old” self up until about 4 days before he died. Then he was unable to function at all. But, 2 days before he died, his wife, seeing his lips moving, leaned closer, and asked, “What did you say, Joe?” Joe repeated, “Sorry, God.” This story impressed me about the goodness and graciousness of God who will take in the rebellious one who repents even at the last minute.
What a far cry from another “Joe” (Josef Stalin) who spent his last moments shaking his fist at God! (This was witnessed by his daughter Svetlana).
(Originally posted November 2, 2007)
I wasn’t thinking on this line at that time, but don’t you think God is able to override the “dopiness” to make the person’s mind clear enough for long enough to repent? There was an article in our Sunday School paper some years ago about a woman with advanced Alzheimer’s. Her children were concerned that she had never repented of her sins and accepted the Lord. I can’t remember all the details, but I believe they called a pastor to come and pray with her, and try to lead her to the Lord. While he was there – or just before – she became quite lucid, and as the pastor dealt with her, she repented of her sins and accepted Christ as her Saviour. I think it was the next day, the pastor contacted her again and she gave a lucid testimony. After that, however, she reverted to the advanced Alzheimer’s, not understanding anything or recognizing anybody. If God could do that for an Alzheimer’s victim, he could surely do it for a person whose body & mind were drugged with pain killers.
I have been aware of at least two death-bed repentances of relatives of people in our church. The one was several years ago; I don’t believe the man ever went to church. I never met him. As he knew he was nearing death, he acknowledged that he needed to be saved, but kept saying he wasn’t ready yet to take the step. Then one day when the pastor was visiting him, he said, “It’s time, preacher.” “Time for what?” the pastor asked. “Time to pray,” he said, and then and there he made his peace with God. A few days later he was gone.
The second one happened less than a week ago. This man was the brother of a very dear friend of mine. I met him once. He was raised by a Christian mother. He had accepted the Lord in his 20’s or 30’s, but later, due to something that happened in the church he was attending, he turned his back on God, and professed to be an atheist. In fact, from that time on, he was paying $500 a year as dues to an Atheists’ club of some kind. He refused to listen if anyone wanted to talk to him about God, but he demanded that they listen to his atheistic views. I’m not sure how old he was, but I think he was in his eighties when he died. His sister said that about 3 weeks previous, the Lord had lifted from her the burden to pray for him. This sister is now living in the “independent living” section of the equivalent of the old “County Home.” Her daughter also works there. It became her daughter’s task to tell her that her brother had died, and she was loath to do it, knowing what she knew about her uncle. She has a friend who also works there on whom she often calls for prayer under difficult circumstances. She asked her friend to pray for her because, “I have to tell my mother that her brother died, and he’s not a Christian.” The friend went into the bathroom (where she would go to pray when she was on duty). After a while, she came out with a smile on her face. “The Lord said to tell your mother that her prayers were not in vain.” So she went and gave the message to her mother. Later on, she had another indication when talking to the man’s wife. Knowing her brother, she would have expected curse words on his lips up to the time he died. And indeed, he was his “old” self up until about 4 days before he died. Then he was unable to function at all. But, 2 days before he died, his wife, seeing his lips moving, leaned closer, and asked, “What did you say, Joe?” Joe repeated, “Sorry, God.” This story impressed me about the goodness and graciousness of God who will take in the rebellious one who repents even at the last minute.
What a far cry from another “Joe” (Josef Stalin) who spent his last moments shaking his fist at God! (This was witnessed by his daughter Svetlana).
(Originally posted November 2, 2007)
Snippets of Memories
I mentioned in a previous entry that big brother Paul figured in a lot of my earliest memories. I have a few bits and pieces of memories that don’t make up a whole incident. One of them was walking in the little bit of woods that we had on our property with Paul, Laurie, and Middy. I remember whining to Paul that I wanted to be carried. Apparently he had carried me quite a bit already, and was weary of it, and he refused to carry me any more. That’s all I remember of that incident. On another outing, we three girls with Paul, we were in the old Glenn Riggs property, and I fell in the run. That was a little more significant, because when we got back home, Mom was surprised that I had gone out, and laid down the law about it – because I had the measles at the time.
Another memory I have involved big sister Lois instead of Paul. A little background of this – which I don’t remember, but Lois related it to me later: when my little sister Lily was born, Lois was in one of the bedrooms upstairs, keeping an eye on the younger kids, while Mom was in a room downstairs, that had been temporarily converted to a bedroom, having the baby with a midwife in attendance. Lois said, “Well, that’ll be another little stinkpot to take care of.” Later on, at one point, I was heard to have said of Lily, “She’s a little stinkpot.” Mom related this later as an indication that I was jealous of Lily. Well, I may or may not have been jealous, but I don’t think that was my reason for saying that. In fact, when Mom related it, I told her, “I got that from Lois!” Mom kinda brushed that off, opining that no matter what, it indicated jealousy. Hey, I thought that was what she really was! After all, Lois called her that. And clearer memory comes in here – I was playing on the floor in the dining room, and Lois was sitting in the rocking chair, rocking the baby, singing to her. One of the “common” lullabies in our house was “Little birdie in a tree, in a tree, in a tree, little birdie in a tree, sing a song to me.” Only instead, Lois was singing “Little stinkpot in a tree . . .”
Lois said she could have told Mom that she was the initiator of the nickname when I protested that I got it from her, but she said she never would. She preferred to save her own hide in those days. After all, I was no more than a baby myself then and much could be overlooked, but she was a big girl (about 13), and responsible for her actions! I was 2 when Lily was born.
(Originally posted August 28, 2007)
Another memory I have involved big sister Lois instead of Paul. A little background of this – which I don’t remember, but Lois related it to me later: when my little sister Lily was born, Lois was in one of the bedrooms upstairs, keeping an eye on the younger kids, while Mom was in a room downstairs, that had been temporarily converted to a bedroom, having the baby with a midwife in attendance. Lois said, “Well, that’ll be another little stinkpot to take care of.” Later on, at one point, I was heard to have said of Lily, “She’s a little stinkpot.” Mom related this later as an indication that I was jealous of Lily. Well, I may or may not have been jealous, but I don’t think that was my reason for saying that. In fact, when Mom related it, I told her, “I got that from Lois!” Mom kinda brushed that off, opining that no matter what, it indicated jealousy. Hey, I thought that was what she really was! After all, Lois called her that. And clearer memory comes in here – I was playing on the floor in the dining room, and Lois was sitting in the rocking chair, rocking the baby, singing to her. One of the “common” lullabies in our house was “Little birdie in a tree, in a tree, in a tree, little birdie in a tree, sing a song to me.” Only instead, Lois was singing “Little stinkpot in a tree . . .”
Lois said she could have told Mom that she was the initiator of the nickname when I protested that I got it from her, but she said she never would. She preferred to save her own hide in those days. After all, I was no more than a baby myself then and much could be overlooked, but she was a big girl (about 13), and responsible for her actions! I was 2 when Lily was born.
(Originally posted August 28, 2007)
Not so old . . .
. . . but this is definitely in public domain. The composer/author of this died in 1959; the original copyright was 1918. The Refrain is printed in a double line so that the men & women's parts are clearly defined. This is done because the men's part has the melody in the first half of the refrain. Here is also a link to the music (click on the control when you get to the site):
www.avoiceinthewilderness.org/extol/hymn82.html
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
hymn and music by Haldor Lillenas
1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
REFRAIN:
Wonderful the matchless grace, the matchless grace of Jesus
Wonderful the matchless grace of. . . . . . .Je - - - - - - - - - - sus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea; the rolling sea
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea. . . . . . . . . . . .
Won - - - - - - - der - ful grace, . . . . . . . .all suf-
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
fi - - - - - - - - - - -cient for me, for even me
All sufficient grace for even me . . . . . . . . . ,
Broader than the scope of my transgressions . . . . . ;
Broader than the scope of my transgressions, sing it!
Greater far than all my sin and shame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,
Greater far than all my sin and shame, my sin and shame.
Oh, magnify the precious name of Jesus, Praise His name!
Oh, magnify the precious name of Jesus, Praise His name!
2. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost,
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
3. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God's dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
(Originally posted August 6, 2007)
www.avoiceinthewilderness.org/extol/hymn82.html
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
hymn and music by Haldor Lillenas
1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
REFRAIN:
Wonderful the matchless grace, the matchless grace of Jesus
Wonderful the matchless grace of. . . . . . .Je - - - - - - - - - - sus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea; the rolling sea
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea. . . . . . . . . . . .
Won - - - - - - - der - ful grace, . . . . . . . .all suf-
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
fi - - - - - - - - - - -cient for me, for even me
All sufficient grace for even me . . . . . . . . . ,
Broader than the scope of my transgressions . . . . . ;
Broader than the scope of my transgressions, sing it!
Greater far than all my sin and shame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,
Greater far than all my sin and shame, my sin and shame.
Oh, magnify the precious name of Jesus, Praise His name!
Oh, magnify the precious name of Jesus, Praise His name!
2. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost,
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
3. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God's dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
(Originally posted August 6, 2007)
Some Other Oldies I Ran Across
The second verse of this one reminds me so much of my great-niece Katy. She has gone through so much pain & sickness in the past year.
When I Get to the End of the Way
The sands have been washed in the footprints
Of the Stranger on Galilee's shore -
And the voice that subdued the rough billows
Will be heard in Judea no more.
But the path of that lone Galilean
With joy I will follow today;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
There are so many hills to climb upward,
I often am longing for rest;
But He who appoints me my pathway,
Knows just what is needful and best.
I know in His Word He hath promised
That my strength "it shall be as my day;"
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
He loves me too well to forsake me,
Or give me a trial too much;
All His people have been dearly purchased,
And Satan can never claim such.
By and by I shall see Him and praise Him,
In the city of unending day;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing
When I get to the end of the way.
When the last feeble steps have been taken,
And the gates of that city appear,
And the beautiful songs of the angels*
Float out on my listening ear;
When all that now seems so mysterious
Will be bright and as clear as the day;
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
And another one - I don't think I've ever heard the 4th & 6th verses before:
Footsteps of Jesus
Sweetly, Lord have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow Me!
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.
Chorus:
Footprints of Jesus, that make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus where'er they go.
Though they lead o'er the cold dark mountain,
Seeking His sheep;
Or along by Siloam's fountains,
Helping the weak:
(Chorus)
If they lead through the temple holy,
Preaching the Word;
Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
Serving the Lord:
(Chorus)
Though, dear Lord, in Thy pathway keeping,
We follow Thee
Through the gloom of that place of weeping,
Gethsemane!
(Chorus)
If Thy way and its sorrows sharing,
We go again,
Up the slope of the slope of the hillside, bearing
Our cross of pain.
(Chorus)
By and by, through the shining portals
Turning our feet,
We shall walk, with the glad immortals,
Heav'n's golden street.
(Chorus)
Then at last, when on high He sees us,
Our journey done,
We will rest where the steps of Jesus
End at his throne.
(Chorus)
*On Katy's behalf, I'd like to change that to "children" - she tells of hearing a heavenly choir made up of millions of children.
Note: The book from the previous post was compiled in 1908.
(Originally posted August 3, 2007)
When I Get to the End of the Way
The sands have been washed in the footprints
Of the Stranger on Galilee's shore -
And the voice that subdued the rough billows
Will be heard in Judea no more.
But the path of that lone Galilean
With joy I will follow today;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
There are so many hills to climb upward,
I often am longing for rest;
But He who appoints me my pathway,
Knows just what is needful and best.
I know in His Word He hath promised
That my strength "it shall be as my day;"
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
He loves me too well to forsake me,
Or give me a trial too much;
All His people have been dearly purchased,
And Satan can never claim such.
By and by I shall see Him and praise Him,
In the city of unending day;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
And the toils of the road will seem nothing
When I get to the end of the way.
When the last feeble steps have been taken,
And the gates of that city appear,
And the beautiful songs of the angels*
Float out on my listening ear;
When all that now seems so mysterious
Will be bright and as clear as the day;
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way;
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing,
When I get to the end of the way.
And another one - I don't think I've ever heard the 4th & 6th verses before:
Footsteps of Jesus
Sweetly, Lord have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow Me!
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.
Chorus:
Footprints of Jesus, that make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus where'er they go.
Though they lead o'er the cold dark mountain,
Seeking His sheep;
Or along by Siloam's fountains,
Helping the weak:
(Chorus)
If they lead through the temple holy,
Preaching the Word;
Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
Serving the Lord:
(Chorus)
Though, dear Lord, in Thy pathway keeping,
We follow Thee
Through the gloom of that place of weeping,
Gethsemane!
(Chorus)
If Thy way and its sorrows sharing,
We go again,
Up the slope of the slope of the hillside, bearing
Our cross of pain.
(Chorus)
By and by, through the shining portals
Turning our feet,
We shall walk, with the glad immortals,
Heav'n's golden street.
(Chorus)
Then at last, when on high He sees us,
Our journey done,
We will rest where the steps of Jesus
End at his throne.
(Chorus)
*On Katy's behalf, I'd like to change that to "children" - she tells of hearing a heavenly choir made up of millions of children.
Note: The book from the previous post was compiled in 1908.
(Originally posted August 3, 2007)
I hadn't thought of this in years
One of the reasons I started this blog was to try to keep track of some of the old hymns and songs I knew when I was a kid. I have a bunch of old hymn books, some which I got at a sale when the neighbor across the street died. I wished later that I had got all that she had. Well, in the past couple of weeks, I have been going through them, and all the others I have lately, to see just exactly what I have. One of them is really ancient, old-style soft-cover, and poor quality paper. It apparently wasn't used much, because, in spite of the discoloration and deterioration of the paper, it is in very good condition. As I was looking through it, I came across a hymn I hadn't even thought of in 50 or 60 years. I didn't recognize any part of it but the chorus, so that may have been all that I knew. The title is "Jesus, the Light of the World."
All ye saints of light proclaim,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Life and mercy in His name,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Chorus:
We'll walk in the light, beautiful light,
Come where the dew-drops of mercy are bright;
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Hear the Savior's earnest call,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Send the gospel truth to all,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
Why not seek Him then today,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Go with truth the narrow way,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
Come, confess Him as your King,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Then the bells of heav'n will ring,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
(Originally posted July 31, 2007)
All ye saints of light proclaim,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Life and mercy in His name,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Chorus:
We'll walk in the light, beautiful light,
Come where the dew-drops of mercy are bright;
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Hear the Savior's earnest call,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Send the gospel truth to all,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
Why not seek Him then today,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Go with truth the narrow way,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
Come, confess Him as your King,
Jesus, the Light of the world;
Then the bells of heav'n will ring,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
(Chorus)
(Originally posted July 31, 2007)
I Found It!
On one of my earlier blogs I mentioned that I was looking for a specific hymn and couldn't find it anywhere. Well, I've found it - and not on the internet. In a hymnbook that I own! It is the one mentioned early in the entry indicated in the link below, with the beginning "All the Saviour's glory mind can never measure" and the correct title is "Chiefest of Ten Thousand". It is probably in public domain, but since I'm not sure, I won't post the words here.
(Originally posted July 23, 2007)
(Originally posted July 23, 2007)
Smitty the Cop and the "Runaway"
Not really a runaway, just a youngster on a quest.
If you lived in Brookville, PA, in the ‘40’s – or spent a significant amount of time there - the name of “Smitty” the cop will be familiar to you. He was probably the most well-known and well-liked borough official of his time.
On this particular occasion, I was with my family at the Free Methodist camp ground at the top of the hill, just off Pickering Street. And once again, big brother Paul figures in this story, but only peripherally. We had just come out of the church, and the fire siren, just a couple of blocks away sounded. Paul said something about the fire, and I gathered from what he said that he was going to the location of the fire.
Hmm, I wanted to see the fire, too, so I started off. I guess I thought I was following Paul. I believe I was about 5 at the time. I don’t remember very much of my “journey,” but I had to have gone the whole way down Pickering Street, across the bridge, and then out Mabon Street. The only reason I know it was Mabon Street was that many years afterwards, I was able to recognize the house next to the Mabon Street bridge where I ended up. I don’t know how I came to stop there, but I do remember telling someone that I wanted to see the fire. They told me it was along way off. I remember tossing a ball back and forth with some older kids. I don’t remember Smitty the cop (I have to presume, of course, that adults in the house called the police) coming to get me, but I remember walking with him back to the campground, where, I believe, my parents were waiting for me, and to my surprise when I got there, Paul was still there! He had never gone anywhere!
(Originally posted July 19,2007)
If you lived in Brookville, PA, in the ‘40’s – or spent a significant amount of time there - the name of “Smitty” the cop will be familiar to you. He was probably the most well-known and well-liked borough official of his time.
On this particular occasion, I was with my family at the Free Methodist camp ground at the top of the hill, just off Pickering Street. And once again, big brother Paul figures in this story, but only peripherally. We had just come out of the church, and the fire siren, just a couple of blocks away sounded. Paul said something about the fire, and I gathered from what he said that he was going to the location of the fire.
Hmm, I wanted to see the fire, too, so I started off. I guess I thought I was following Paul. I believe I was about 5 at the time. I don’t remember very much of my “journey,” but I had to have gone the whole way down Pickering Street, across the bridge, and then out Mabon Street. The only reason I know it was Mabon Street was that many years afterwards, I was able to recognize the house next to the Mabon Street bridge where I ended up. I don’t know how I came to stop there, but I do remember telling someone that I wanted to see the fire. They told me it was along way off. I remember tossing a ball back and forth with some older kids. I don’t remember Smitty the cop (I have to presume, of course, that adults in the house called the police) coming to get me, but I remember walking with him back to the campground, where, I believe, my parents were waiting for me, and to my surprise when I got there, Paul was still there! He had never gone anywhere!
(Originally posted July 19,2007)
Great-Grandkids
This is the latest picture I have, and it is just about a year old. It was taken with my daughter's webcam: Left to right - great-grandaughter Briana, granddaugher Annie, great-grandson Gavin.
(Originally posted July 11, 2007)
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