Sunday Hymns - Jesus I Come

    Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
    Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
    Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
    Jesus, I come to Thee;
    Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
    Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
    Out of my sin and into Thyself,
    Jesus, I come to Thee.

    Out of my shameful failure and loss,
    Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
    Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
    Jesus, I come to Thee;
    Out of earth’s sorrows, into Thy balm,
    Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
    Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
    Jesus, I come to Thee.

    Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
    Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
    Into Thy blessed will to abide,
    Jesus, I come to Thee;
    Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
    Out of despair, into raptures above,
    Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
    Jesus, I come to Thee.

    Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
    Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
    Into the joy and light of Thy home,
    Jesus, I come to Thee;
    Out of the depths of ruin untold,
    Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
    Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
    Jesus, I come to Thee.

-William T Sleeper
-Public Domain
Music and more

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O Holy Night

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Sunday Hymns - Rose of Bethlehem

There’s a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent holy night

There’s a fragrance much like hope
That it sends upon the wind
Reaching out to every soul
From a lowly manger’s crib

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There’s a Rose in Bethlehem
Colored red like mercy’s blood
Tis the flower of our faith
Tis the blossom of God’s love

Though its bloom is fresh with youth
Surely what will be He knows
For a tear of morning dew
Is rolling down the Rose

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There’s a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent holy night

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

• -Lowell Alexander

• © 1992,1994,1996 Birdwing Music

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Book Review: The War on Christmas

There was a time, not too long ago, that when someone said "The War on Christmas," I would have thought that they meant the worldly war - removing nativity scenes, replacing "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holidays," etc. But the last few years it seems that social media explodes with posts for or against Christians celebrating Christmas, or decorating trees, or exchanging gifts. Sadly, true brothers and sisters in Christ are dividing over a non-essential.

When the opportunity arose to review this book, I was immediately interested. And, I was not disappointed. This book, which is a collection of essays covering the various questions often raised in the great Christmas debate, is a must-have guide to understanding the issues and the history behind them. 

The book covers a wide variety of issues and answers common questions such as:

-The true history of the holiday - is it a pagan holiday?

-Are Christmas trees pagan?

-When was Jesus born?

-What was the true timeline of events? 

-Who were the Magi (Wise Men) and how many were there?

-What was the Christmas star?

-What does the X in X-mas stand for?

I found the essays to be very informative and easy to read. There is a very interesting section on common misconceptions that may surprise you. Did you know that nowhere does the Bible say that the angels sang? Or that the Bible never says that Jesus was born in a stable? 

I appreciated that very near the beginning of the book there was an essay that covered the topic of Christian liberty and how it applies to holidays and how we celebrate them. 

"It would be wrong to condemn someone for celebrating Christmas or Easter (Resurrection Sunday). The "substance," the reason for these holidays, should come from Christ because they belong to Christ. The reason we celebrate these holidays is to remember Christ. However, if someone is fully convinced in their mind that they should not celebrate these holidays, that is fine as well (Romans 14:5) and they should not be criticized either." (Bodie Hodge, p. 14)

A common theme that runs throughout the book is the need to view Christmas through the lens of Genesis - the creation, the fall, and the need for a sinless Savior.

As for the book itself, it is a beautiful paperback. The pages are heavy and sturdy, and I loved that every page looks as though it was printed on nice Christmas stationary.

I enjoyed this book, and it is one that I would recommend.

*I must mention that I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Handlebar Marketing in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday Hymns - Across the Lands

You're the Word of God the Father
From before the world began.
Ev'ry star and ev'ry planet
Has been fashioned by Your hand.
All creation holds together
By the power of Your voice.
Let the skies declare Your glory;
Let the land and seas rejoice!

CHORUS
You're the Author of creation;
You're the Lord of ev'ry man;
And Your cry of love rings out across the lands.

Yet You left the gaze of angels,
Came to seek and save the lost,
And exchanged the joy of heaven
For the anguish of a cross.
With a prayer You fed the hungry;
With a word You calmed the sea;
Yet how silently You suffered
That the guilty may go free!

With a shout You rose victorious,
Wresting vict'ry from the grave,
And ascended into heaven,
Leading captives in Your way.
Now You stand before the Father,
Interceding for Your own;
From each tribe and tongue and nation,
You are leading sinners home!

"Across the Lands"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

Music and more

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Sunday Hymns - Light of the Stable

Hail, hail to the newborn King 
Let our voices sing Him our praises 
Hail, hail to the guiding Light 
That brought us tonight to our Savior 

Halle, hallelujah 
Halle, hallelujah 
Halle, hallelujah 
Halle, hallelujah 

Come now, let it shine so bright 
To the knowing Light of the stable 
Kneel close to the Child so dear 
Cast aside your fear and be thankful 

Hail, hail to the newborn King 
Let our voices sing Him our praises 
Hail, hail to the guiding Light 
That brought us tonight to our Savior 

chorus 

Hail, hail to the newborn King 
Let our voices sing Him our praises 
Hail, hail to the guiding Light 
That brought us tonight to our Savior 

chorus

• Elizabeth Rhymer | Steve Rhymer

• © 1975. Renewed 2003 Tessa Publishing Company

Sunday Hymns - O Wondrous Love

VERSE 1 

O wondrous love that will not let me go 

I cling to You with all my strength and soul 

Yet if my hold should ever fail 

This wondrous love will never let me go 


VERSE 2 

O wondrous love that’s come to dwell in me 

Lord who am I that I should come to know 

Your tender voice assuring me 

This wondrous love will never let me go 


CHORUS 

I’m resting in the everlasting arms

In the ever faithful heart 

The Shepherd of my life 

You’ll carry me on Your mighty wings of grace 

Keeping me until the day 

I look into Your eyes 


VERSE 3 

O wondrous love that sings of Calvary 

The sweetest sound this sinner’s ever known 

The song of Your redeeming Son 

Whose wondrous love will never let me go 

VERSE 4 

O wondrous love that rushes over me 

I can’t escape this river’s glorious flow 

You overwhelm my days with good 

Your wondrous love will never let me go 


Credits:

Words and music by Steve & Vikki Cook 

© 2001 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)


-Music and More




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Draw Near With Confidence to the Throne of Grace

"So let us be clear about this. It is no sign of humility, no mark of saintliness, to go into the presence of God doubting whether God is forgiving you. That is unbelief, lack of faith. That is a failure to understand the truth. So, my friend, never again try to give the impression that you are such a sensitive Christian that you do not like to be certain that your sins are forgiven. It is our business to know that our sins are forgiven! We derogate from the grace and the glory of God and the wonder of this gospel if we are uncertain about it: 'Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter the holiest of all.' Not in my merit, not in my righteousness, not in terms of my understanding, but by the blood of Jesus. He has opened the way. And, therefore, we go knowing that God has said in this new covenant, 'I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people' (Heb. 8:10). It is the most glorious thing ever said to men and women; we are God's people."

-Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Great Doctrines of the Bible Volume 1, p 355. 

 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Sunday Hymns - My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who bore my pain;

Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace

And gave me life again;

Who crushed my curse of sinfulness

And clothed me in His light

And wrote His law of righteousness

With pow'r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who walks beside;

Who floods my weaknesses with strength

And causes fears to fly;

Whose ev'ry promise is enough

For ev'ry step I take,

Sustaining me with arms of love

And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To him who reigns above,

Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,

Whose ev'ry thought is love.

For ev'ry day I have on earth

Is given by the King;

So I will give my life, my all,

To love and follow him.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

-Visit the website.

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Remembering the Good Ol' Days of Blogging

Earlier this week Lisa wrote this piece about the old days of blogging; back when we wrote what we wanted to without the self-consciousness about what we wrote or pressure to keep with our theme. If you've been around here since the begin, I wold say back in the day of Not Me Monday. Anyone remember that? Anyways, following that post Lisa started this meme. And, because it's my blog and I'll do a meme if I want to, here are seven things you might not know about me.

1. I am an introvert. I can handle about one social event a week, and after that I much prefer to spend my evening at home knitting, sipping tea, and listening to good preaching. I get together with a nice group of ladies to knit on Wednesday nights, so that pretty much takes care of my one social event per week. And yes, my reader friend, I am now knitting socks. You know who you are  :-)

2. I am a reader, not a writer. Which explains the long periods of silence around here, doesn't it?

3. I love reading theology, yes even "dead theologians," as they say. When not reading theology I also enjoy Christian historical fiction, as long the the theology isn't too far off. 

4. I love music. The boys and I spend much of the day singing or listening to hymns and it brings joy to our hearts. And even with these two little ones running around I do still try to get a few minutes on the piano everyday. I recently took over the role of music coordinator at church, and it has been such a blessing to me. I love the my fellow musicians at Gospel of Grace and thoroughly enjoy working with each of them.

5. James (nearly 21 months) gets up around 5 am every day. Being the good mom that I am I give him a sippy cup of rice milk and put him in his "jumpy barn" and then lay back down to doze a bit. I am not a morning person. He seems to enjoy sitting there quietly drinking his milk and watching the buses go by until Jojo wakes up.

He also still takes a short morning nap, usually in his Jumpy Barn (Jumperoo).

6. I ran track and cross-country in high school. And I was actually pretty good at it :-)

7. I almost exclusively wear skirts. I love long, flowing skirts, and twirly skirts, and comfy maxi skirts...you get the idea. I do own a pair of sweatpants, but no jeans or slacks. I wore the sweatpants  while I scrubbed the grout in the bathroom the other day and Jojo said, "You goofuss, mommy. Your skirt is broken!"

So there you have it. If you would like you can read about Persis, Becky, and Diane. 

Thankful Thursday 11.21.13

Thankful for little boys who "clean the library" while listening to Scripture songs in their pajamas.

Sunday Hymns - Abide with Me

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
   The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
   When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
   Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
2. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
   Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
   Change and decay in all around I see—
   O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
3. I need Thy presence every passing hour;
   What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
   Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
   Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
4. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
   Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
   Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
   I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
5. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
   Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
   Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
   In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

-Public Domain

-Music and More

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Thankful Thursday 11.14.13

~God's continued hand of provision.

~Little pajama-clad boys that hug and kiss their play-dough.

~The opportunity to return to glorifying God through music on Sunday mornings. After a few years away it is nice to be back and to have a great team of musicians that love the Lord.

~A gluten-free dairy-free cream of chicken soup that we all can eat and even prefer over the store-bought kind. With hot dish season setting in, it is nice to have food that the whole family can eat.

~A little boy who loves his big-boy bed.

~A twenty-month-old that still takes morning naps.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
because his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 118:1

Sunday Hymns - Farther Along

1. Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder
   Why it should be thus all the day long;
   While there are others living about us,
   Never molested, though in the wrong.
   • Refrain:
     Farther along we’ll know more about it,
     Farther along we’ll understand why;
     Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
     We’ll understand it all by and by.
2. Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,
   Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,
   When there are many living in comfort,
   Giving no heed to all I can do.
3. Tempted and tried, how often we question
   Why we must suffer year after year,
   Being accused by those of our loved ones,
   E’en though we’ve walked in God’s holy fear.
4. Often when death has taken our loved ones,
   Leaving our home so lone and so drear,
   Then do we wonder why others prosper,
   Living so wicked year after year.
5. “Faithful till death,” saith our loving Master;
   Short is our time to labor and wait;
   Then will our toiling seem to be nothing,
   When we shall pass the heavenly gate.
6. Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior,
   Hear the last trumpet sound through the sky;
   Then we will meet those gone on before us,
   Then we shall know and understand why.
7. -Public Domain
8. -Music and more
9. 
   

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Sunday Hymns - O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

-Words: S.Trevor Francis 1875
-Music: Ebenezer  Thomas J Williams 1890

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Sunday Hymns - My Jesus I Love Thee

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine; For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. I love Thee because Thou has first loved me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree. I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. -Music and More

Sunday Scripture Song - How Lovely are Thy Dwelling Places

How lovely are Thy dwelling places 

My soul longs  for the courts of the Lord 

My heart and my flesh 

Sing for joy to the living God 

You are my King  and my God

-Psalm 84:1-3

-Music and More




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Sunday Hymns - Blessed Assurance

    Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
    Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
    Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
    Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

      
        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long;
        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long.

    Perfect submission, perfect delight,
    Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
    Angels, descending, bring from above
    Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long;
        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long.

    Perfect submission, all is at rest,
    I in my Savior am happy and blest,
    Watching and waiting, looking above,
    Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

      
        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long;
        This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior all the day long.


-Fanny Crosby & Phoebe Knapp1873
-Public Domain
-Music and more




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Sunday Hymns - Glory to His Name

    Down at the cross where my Savior died,
    Down where for cleansing from sin I cried,
    There to my heart was the blood applied;
    Glory to His Name!

        Refrain:
        Glory to His Name,
        Glory to His Name:
        There to my heart was the blood applied;
        Glory to His Name!

    I am so wondrously saved from sin,
    Jesus so sweetly abides within,
    There at the cross where He took me in;
    Glory to His Name!

    Oh, precious fountain that saves from sin,
    I am so glad I have entered in;
    There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean;
    Glory to His Name!

    Come to this fountain so rich and sweet,
    Cast thy poor soul at the Savior’s feet;
    Plunge in today, and be made complete;
    Glory to His Name!

-Elisha Hoffman 1878

-Music and more 



I like this one:




And LOVE this one:

Sunday Hymns - Alas and Did My Savior Bleed

VERSE 1 
Alas, and did my Savior bleed 
And did my Sovereign die? 
Would He devote that sacred head 
For such a worm as I? 
Was it for sins that I had done 
He groaned upon the tree? 
Amazing pity, grace unknown 
And love beyond degree 

CHORUS 
My God, why would You shed Your blood 
So pure and undefiled 
To make a sinful one like me 
Your chosen, precious child? 

VERSE 2 
Well might the sun in darkness hide 
And shut His glories in 
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died 
For man, the creature’s, sin 
Thus might I hide my blushing face 
While His dear cross appears 
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness 
And melt my eyes to tears 


Credits: 
Original words by Isaac Watts, additional words and music by Bob Kauflin 
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

-Source with music and more




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Saturday Snapshots 9.7.13

Sunday Hymns - A Mighty Fortress is Our God

1. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
   Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
   For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
   His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
   On earth is not his equal.
2. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
   Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
   Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
   Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
   And He must win the battle.
3. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
   We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;
   The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
   His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
   One little word shall fell him.
4. That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
   The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;
   Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
   The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
   His kingdom is forever.

-Martin Luther 1529

Music and More

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Sunday Hymns - O God, Our Help in Ages Past

1. O God, our help in ages past,
   Our hope for years to come,
   Our shelter from the stormy blast,
   And our eternal home.
2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
   Thy saints have dwelt secure;
   Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
   And our defense is sure.
3. Before the hills in order stood,
   Or earth received her frame,
   From everlasting Thou art God,
   To endless years the same.
4. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
   “Return, ye sons of men”:
   All nations rose from earth at first,
   And turn to earth again.
5. A thousand ages in Thy sight
   Are like an evening gone;
   Short as the watch that ends the night
   Before the rising sun.
6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
   With all their lives and cares,
   Are carried downwards by the flood,
   And lost in foll’wing years.
7. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
   Bears all its sons away;
   They fly, forgotten, as a dream
   Dies at the op’ning day.
8. Like flow’ry fields the nations stand
   Pleased with the morning light;
   The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
   Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.
9. O God, our help in ages past,
   Our hope for years to come,
   Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
   And our eternal home.
10. -Isaac Watts 1719
11. -Music and more

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Thankful Thursday 8.22.13

~Warm sun to ripen the vegetables in my garden

~A good nap after a tough night

~Little laughter from sweet boys

~The family of God

~A morning to myself. Half Price Books, Dunn Brothers, and Joanne Fabrics made for a very refreshing Saturday morning.

~Good neighbors

~Blessed fellowship

~An almost-three-year-old who loves to go hear "Grandpa Bob preach the Gospel."

~Mercies that are new every morning

~One night of eight consecutive hours of sleep

~Fun at the playground

~The kiddie pool

Sunday Scripture Songs - Create in Me a Clean Heart

Create in me a clean heart
Oh God and renew a right spirit within me (2x)


Cast me not away from thy presence, o Lord
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Psalm 51:10-12




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Thankful Thursday 8.15.13

Two weeks ago one of the boys quite accidentally broke my camera. And I quickly realized that I'm one of those camera-crazy moms that takes about 20 pictures of the kids per day. I was lost without it, and didn't have the funds to replace it. But God provides:

And I'm back to capturing everyday moments:

Make a Joyful Noise - take two!

Psalm 100

100 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 It seems that all little kids love to sing and be sung to. And while there surely is a place for fun children's songs, I think it is important to teach them that God made music for HIS glory. I love singing hymns and Scripture songs to the boys, and it is amazing how fast they can learn them. Not only are they having fun singing, but they are learning Scripture and sound theology while praising the Lord.

Part of our morning routine is to sing a hymn and read a portion of Scripture at breakfast time. This morning I captured just a few minutes of this. Someday these boys will be grown and I will miss the sweet sound of little voices singing "Holy, Holy, Holy."



(Can't see the video? Click HERE.)

Even at 17 months James knows some the words words and loves to sing along. His favorite hymn is "Be Thou My Vision" and he really belts that one out.

We sing all throughout our day, and it is worth every moment of it to hear these little ones praise the Lord.