Sunday Hymns - Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose Word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love;
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear!
For a glory and a covering
Showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from our banner
Light by night and shade by day;
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
’Tis His love His people raises,
Over self to reign as kings,
And as priests, His solemn praises
Each for a thank offering brings.

Savior, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

-John Newton
-Music and more

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Thankful Thursday 5.23.13

~I had accidental exposure to nuts on Sunday, and I'm so very thankful for my EpiPen, my wonderful husband, and the great doctors and nurses at Abbott NW. And, for God who sustained me through the severe allergic reaction.

~Sweet friends who offer so much love and encouragement.

~A husband and father-in-law who take down dead trees:

~Smiles at breakfast

~Bright sunshine and green grass after a few rainy days.

~Trials that keep us "leaning on the everlasting arms."

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

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

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.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

~Psalm 100 

Sunday Hymns - Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

1. What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms;
   What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.
   • Refrain:
     Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
     Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
2. Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms;
   Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.
3. What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms?
   I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.
4. -Music and more
5. 
   
6. 
   

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Life.

One of the things I most like about this blog is looking back at old posts and remembering days gone by. And so, for my own future enjoyment, here is a post about life these days.

The family:

~Jojo is two and a half and is very articulate. He loves to go to church and "see pastor" and asks to go just about every morning. He usually sits through the whole sermon. He loves being outside and is always on the lookout for buses, boats, "motorbikes", and campers. He is very shy. He loves to be read to and can recite many of his books from memory. Mr Ed is his favorite librarian. (Every 2 year old should have a favorite librarian!)

~JR is 14 months old. His vocabulary is exploding, which is very helpful. He is the outgoing one and says "Hi" to everyone he sees. He is full of energy and doesn't stop moving until he falls asleep :-)
He still takes two naps a day, but the morning one usually takes place in the "Jumpy Barn" - JR's name for the Jumperoo. He takes a few steps here and there, but isn't really walking yet - and that doesn't slow him down at all! He can crawl like the wind and climb anything. There is no baby-proofing that he can't thwart. He will eat ANYTHING but can't handle dairy.

~Taylor is 17. He's finishing up his junior year and is a math and computer whiz. I can't believe how fast he has grown up. My heart aches for him...please pray for his salvation.

~My husband. What can I say? I love him! Still playing hockey, still riding his motorcycle, still bringing me chocolate...

~My dad just finished his ATG treatment. Now we wait (and pray) and see if it worked. My mom is as sweet as ever!

Currently reading:

-The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer (very good)
-The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (a MUST read). I've been very slowly working my way through this one. It has brought about a lot of repentance!
-The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace (also a very convicting book)

About to start reading:

-A Christian Manifesto by Francis Schaeffer

Recently finished:

-Humble Orthodoxy by Joshua Harris (another MUST read)
-The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman (very good and interesting whether you agree with him or not)
-Body and Soul: Reclaiming the Heidelberg Catechism by M. Craig Barnes(Warning - this book contains serious theological error and is a grave distortion of the Heidelberg Catechism.)

Keeping busy:

~We walk about 4 miles a day. The boys love being in the stroller and I love the exercise.

~I have several knitting projects in the works, so that's how I spend much of my free time.
~I think it might really be spring now so I hope to get the garden planted over the next week.
~Teaching Jojo Scripture songs. He loves to sing, and we have a lot of fun with this.

Psalm 150

King James Version (KJV)

150 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

² Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
³ Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
⁴ Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
⁵ Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
⁶ Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

And We Shall Sing

"'And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.' A marvelous day is coming when we shall sing with great joy about those events of past history which affect each one of us who will be there. This song will be sung together by of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Language will be no barrier. There will be complete integration. Heaven, eternal life, is not shut up to one family, national, or racial line, or one language root. Some from every single tribe and people will be there, singing together with true joy."

~Edith Schaeffer The Hidden Art of Homemaking 

*Image Source

Sunday Hymns - Down From His Glory

    Down from His glory,
      Ever living story,
    My God and Savior came,
      And Jesus was His name.
    Born in a manger,
      To His own a stranger,
    A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.

        O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
        My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
        The great Creator became my Savior,
          And all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him.

    What condescension,
      Bringing us redemption;
    That in the dead of night,
      Not one faint hope in sight,
    God, gracious, tender,
      Laid aside His splendor,
    Stooping to *woo, to win, to save my soul.

 O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
        My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
        The great Creator became my Savior,
          And all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him.

    Without reluctance,
      Flesh and blood His substance
    He took the form of man,
      Revealed the hidden plan.
    O glorious myst’ry,
      Sacrifice of Calv’ry,
    And now I know Thou art the great “I AM.”

 O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
        My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
        The great Creator became my Savior,
          And all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him.


Music and More

*I change this to "to seek, to save, to win my soul."

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Saturday Snapshots 5.11.13

Playing at Nana and Papa's house wears a boy out!

Sunday Hymns - He Ransomed Me

    There’s a sweet and blessed story
    Of the Christ who came from glory,
    Just to rescue me from sin and misery;
    He in loving-kindness sought me,
    And from sin and shame hath brought me,
    Hallelujah! Jesus ransomed me.

        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! what a Savior,
        Who can take a poor, lost sinner,
        Lift him from the miry clay and set me free!
        I will ever tell the story,
        Shouting glory, glory, glory,
        Hallelujah! Jesus lifted me.

    From the depth of sin and sadness
    To the heights of joy and gladness
    Jesus lifted me, in mercy full and free;
    With His precious blood He bought me,
    When I knew Him not, He sought me,
    And in love divine He ransomed me.

    From the throne of heav’nly glory—
    Oh, the sweet and blessed story!—
    Jesus came to lift the lost in sin and woe
    Into liberty all-glorious,
    Trophies of His grace victorious,
    Evermore rejoicing here below.

    By and by, with joy increasing,
    And with gratitude unceasing,
    Lifted up with Christ forevermore to be,
    I will join the hosts there singing,
    In the anthem ever ringing,
    To the King of Love who ransomed me.

-Julia H Johnston

-Public Domain

-Music and more

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Saturday Snapshots 5.4.2013

Thankful Thursday 5.2.2013

~Baby steps. JR took his first steps this morning. So sweet.

~My Dad was discharged from the hospital last night. He spiked a high fever on Monday during his first treatment, but tolerated the next two well, so he will receive the last 7 as an outpatient.

~Fresh scones for breakfast.

~A few days of warm weather.

~Buds on the trees and green grass.

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

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

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.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

~Psalm 100