Showing posts with label Inspiring Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiring Songs. Show all posts

February 12, 2013

Happy 92nd Birthday Grandma!

Today is my Grandma's 92nd birthday. She has lived such a full life and has had a profound positive influence on my life. We are blessed to live so close to her now.  I have always lived two hours away from her my whole life.  Now I live within 10 minutes of her. 

Today we went to visit her at her assisted living home and we walked in to hear a beautiful violin playing.  It was really neat.  It brought tears to my eyes.  This 15 year old girl was blessing all these elderly people with the sound of melodious music.  My favorite song that she played was "Come though Fount."  I think this song and moment will be in my mind forever.  My Grandma has had hospice come in to help take care of her and I know my days are short with her.  I love her so much and am SO blessed to be able to see her sweet face. I am so thankful I felt well enough to go visit her today too.  Another praise. Tomorrow (Lord Willing) our whole family is going to have lunch with her at her Grand Lodge to celebrate.

This picture was taken about 5 months ago.  I still look sick but not as sick as I do now so I will spare you a more recent picture.  This picture is about my Grandma anyway, not me. :-) Love her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA from me and HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMMI - from the boys.  We love and cherish you! (How awesome that my boys have gotten to forge a sweet relationship with their Great Grandma. Thank you Lord.)

~Blessings~

November 7, 2012

The Solid Rock

During the election result period last night I was praying to the Lord.  During my prayers he reminded me of one of my favorite hymns.  It is called Solid Rock. God put the refrain in my head.... "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  All other ground is sinking sand." It was a good reminder to me that God IS the solid rock above all the elections and politics, above all of the natural disasters, above all the health problems and sadness.  HE is what we should be leaning on and putting our hope in because a solid rock (God and Jesus) doesn't sway or break down. HE does not sink, He is immovable.  I really needed that because in the times we live in I can have a lot of fears.  Fears for me personally, my kiddos and my grandkids to come (Lord willing.)  God doesn't give us a spirit of fear but of sound mind.  We lean on Him and we can have that.  We trust in him and we can have that.  Praise Him our Solid Rock!  This was just the peace I needed.

This hymn was written in 1824 by Edward Mote who was a carpenter and then went on to be a pastor at a Baptist Church until his early death in 1873 due to health problems.  He lived out his faith - in his last days he said, " I think I am going to heaven; yes, I am nearing port.  The truths I have been preaching, I am now living upon and they'll do very well to die upon, Ah! The precious blood." (part of the story rephrased from Then Sings my Soul: 150 of the worlds greatest hymn stories)

Here are the lyrics to the hymn and you can click on the link to hear it...

The Solid Rock
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Here is a verse that he wrote that is often left out of most hymnals today:
I trust his righteous character
His council, promise and His power;
His honor and His Name's at stake
To save me from the burning lake;
On Christ ,the solick Rock, I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

1 Corinthians 3:11
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Let's continue to put our hope in our redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ.

~Blessings~

March 12, 2012

Spirit of the Living God

The beginning of March has started off a bit rumbly. Encouragement is in effect (affect - I never know which one to use - even when I have read the rules....)

I was praying today and God gave me a song from a long time ago. I remember singing this at Christian Summer camps or winter camps when I was a little girl.  It was just what I needed today.  Thank you Lord.

Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
Fall fresh on me
Spirit of the Living God
Fall Fresh on Me
Melt Me
Mold Me
Fill Me
Use Me
Spirit of the Living God
Fall fresh on me

I am in the "melting" process!  or maybe the "Molding" or both.

Here is the link if you want to listen to it: Spirit of the Living God 

~Blessings~

December 16, 2011

Tis the season for Joy!

After my post the other day I wanted to share with you some joyful things going on around here.

The sun rises later around here.  Usually in the seven o'clock hour.  Because of that I do sometimes get to see the sun rise.  One morning I caught a particularly beautiful sunrise


While my Mother-in-law was visiting we found this cute little shop and this sign in it.  She bought it for me and now I proudly display it in my laundry room! According to the sign I should make about 3-5k a week!


My Aunt put Rolos on the table this year for Thanksgiving and she also put a peppermint patty on each place setting.  We all had finished eating our meal and gotten up.  Soon after I realized Cody was no where to be found.  I came into the dining room and saw him with a few Rolo wrapper remnants near him on the table.  He looked at me like I scared him and caught him in the act - I DID!  He was sneaking Rolos.  Luckily I caught him before I had a repeat of what child #1 did with chocolate.  When Corbin (child #1) was two and a half he got into the two candy advent calendars we had and ate about 16 pieces of chocolate in one sitting.  He did that after he took a bite out of each cookie on a plate that our neighbor had delivered the day before.  I definitely caught him!

Cody at the table:


Corbin at two years old feeling sick after eating too much chocolate! You can see the remnants on his face and the floor.


We have been enjoying having Steve home. He has been spending special time with the boys.  He took the time to help Corbin build a windmill with scrap wood he had leftover from building shelves in the garage.  Corbin got to paint it himself and they worked together on building it.  It really works!  It was cool too because the day after they finished it was a really windy day so we got to see it in action.


Since it is starting to become a bit wintry around here. I wanted to do a snowman craft with the kiddos.  Cody had never gotten to paint before.  This was his first time.  I was really impressed with how careful he was.  He didn't make a mess at all.  I just had to keep telling him to stop painting the background for the snowman black!  For some reason he liked black the best.  We all made snowmen.  Bet you can't tell who's is whose?



We started advent the first Sunday after Thanksgiving.  This has been a tradition that our family loves.  The boys have to take turns lighting the candles and blowing them out now.  It is really cute.  We updated our wreath too.  It doesn't have as much character as our first one but I like it because it is smaller and fits on our table better.



Each year I surprise the kids with an ornament that represents something in the year for them.  Corbin kept hounding me about when he was going to get his ornament this year!   It will be nice though because when they grow up they will have their own ornament box to take and decorate their own tree with.  Ornaments with sentimental memories are fun!



I got Corbin a Winnie the Pooh/Eeyore "Where's my tail?" ornament because we had watched the movie recently and I hadn't heard Corbin laugh so hard in a long time he loved the newest Pooh movie.  I got Cody a Curious George reading one because he likes to go into Corbin's room and take all his Curious George books down and read them all. Naughty little Monkey!


We always make a big deal about choosing and decorating our Christmas tree.  I usually make hot chocolate or hot apple cider and put Christmas music on and get all the ornaments out. It is a special honor to be able put the angel on the tree once the tree is all decorated.  Usually Corbin does it but this year it was Cody's first turn. Poor Cody.... he tried but just couldn't do it.  The picture below it right before he DROPPED the angel and broke her wings off!  AGGGHH!!  Thankfully Steve fixed her wings.  We later let Corbin have his turn again and he did it successfully.  Maybe next year Cody?




We have to bundle up around here.  When we go out we always have to put on jackets, gloves, and beanies.  The problem with beanies is that the boys always get "beanie hair."


I thought I would leave you with another spectacular sunset.  We get a lot of them around here!  Oh and also I hope you'll like my favorite Christmas song: Breath of Heaven.




January 11, 2011

Starting off with a bang

This new year started off with a bang.  Actually I really have to make myself think that it is a new year. It doesn't feel like a new year yet.  You know, the kind you celebrate and make goals for.  The kind you have plans for and look forward too. The kind you are excited about. 

I have been dealing with some really tough things to the point where I am in survival mode on most days.  One of the things that happened literally on the first day of this year was that my son got sick.  Sick with something that still is yet to be diagnosed. Symptoms like sandpaper rash, strawberry tongue, some random fevers, lack of appetite, etc...  We have looked into many possibilities and he has gone through some horrible testing all of which have come back negative. It has been very discouraging and at times I feel very hopeless in this and other areas of my life. Some days it feels like this survival mode will never cease - BUT then there are some glimmers of light.  Just enough to help me move to the next hour or next day. 

The good news right now now is that there are some signs of improvement in Corbin to which I am extremely thankful for. Tongue is not as red, no fever today, fingers are peeling (a symptom of what could be the end of the sickness.)  A sign of hope in him.  It helps me get up in the morning. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

I will spare the details of all facets of my life and will focus on what this blog is about. Joy.  I have to confess it is tempting to just complain here and be sad for myself and stay stagnant in my hopelessness but that is not what the Lord wants and I am sure that is not what you want to read. 

We have a relationship with Jesus in which we should never feel hopeless.  I believe this but, being human, I still struggle.  Guess what - in my feelings, I have a choice.  A choice to move far away from the Lord or cling to him with my whole being.  Thankfully I choose the latter. In my hanging on HE has been speaking to me through His word.  HE truly is my refuge.

Psalm 31:19
How great is your goodness , which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.

One of my favorites:
Psalm 34: 17-18
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
This verse gives me H.O.P.E

Isaiah 40: 31
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I want to be delivered I want to soar on wings like eagles.  Wow, the feeling that would be!  I want to run and not grow weary and walk and not be faint.  I am so thankful that I serve a good god who is close to the brokenhearted and is mighty to save. What a blessing and oh, the promises I can hold onto when I feel that sense of hopelessness.

I will leave you with a favorite song of mine: Mighty to Save. I like this particular one by Micheal W. Smith.  Worship music for me helps me to take my mind off myself and put my mind on the Lord.  After listening or singing to a worship song I have a sense of renewed strength. Listen to this song if you have time and take heart - we can cling to the Lord in times of trouble or hopelessness or feeling empty.  He truly is mighty to save and will never leave us.   

May 4, 2010

Empty Me

Life has been a bit heavy lately.  There are wonderful moments of joy but overall right now it is a time of being still, waiting, growing and dying to myself.  God is purifying me.  This will be a lifelong process but the rewards and blessings will be from above.  I am grateful. 

God is telling me "Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

While doing my bible study yesterday the song "Empty Me" came into my head.  It has been whirling around in there ever since.  It is one of my favorite songs.  Click on the link below in the song lyrics and hear it sung by one of my favorite musical artists: Jeremy Camp

God has given me a love for music and there have been SO many times in my life that music has comforted me and given me great Joy.  Worship music is so wonderful because, for me, it is an easy way of remembering scripture, by singing it.  

Holy Fire
Burn Away
My Desire
For anything that is not of You
But is of me
I want more of You
and less of me

Empty me
Empty me
Fill me
With You
With You

Have a blessed and filled up day!

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For any and all health advice/suggestions and/or posts on this blog, I do not assume any liability for you. The posts and comments on this blog are not meant to be a substitute for your own practicing physician's care in your life. These posts are based on my experience and research in my own healing journey and are placed here to encourage and help those ailing with their health. We are all individuals and there is not ONE pat answer or resolution that applies to everyone across the board.