Music To My Ears

When I was a little girl
My mom would say those wonderful words…
“I’ll read you one more story.”

That which once was music to my ears
has changed with time and passing years.

Oh what heights of glory were
reached upon hearing the awesome news…
“There’s no school today due to bad weather.”

A happy day it was receiving my
high school diploma as the announcement came…
“Congratulations to the graduating class of 1980!”

That which once was music to my ears
has changed with time and passing years.

After crying out to God in true repentance,
He impressed upon my heart affirming words….
“You are forgiven!”

Like a sweet symphony
The voice of the man of my dreams rang out a question…
“Will you marry me?”

That which once was music to my ears
has changed with time and passing years.

After laboring to give birth,
my own vocal chords lifted in sheer glee…..
“Honey, it’s a girl!”

My little girl whispering
Those coveted words for the first time.
“Mommy, I love you.”

That which once was music to my ears
has changed with time and passing years.

Reflecting on my life, I can see that there
have been so many musical moments
produced by words that resonated
in my soul. But I have been living most of my life
watching, waiting, longing, anticipating
to hear that celestial concerto that can only
take place in another world.

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou in to the joy of the Lord!”

That which will be music to my ears
will not change with time or passing years.

2/13/19

Piano Player In The Making

Yesterday was Trinity’s first time ever to play the piano during worship service! In case you don’t know, Trin is the young lady to the left. Her good friend and schoolmate Sasha is on the right. I wasn’t able to get a picture of Trin playing, because I was on the platform at the same time praise singing.

I wanted to let everyone know that she did a great job! I know it can be intimidating and make one nervous doing something for the first time in front of a group of people, but I’m glad she took the plunge, and I am proud of her. It’s encouraging to see young people that will let God use them, whether it be playing an instrument, singing, witnessing to a friend, praying with someone in the altar, etc.,etc. I love the young people of our church. They are not perfect(but then again, who is?), but they are striving to live for God, and I’m very thankful and blessed to see growth in their lives. What a precious thing it is to be able to serve God in your youth!

Backyard Luau

The weather was just right for our first Backyard Luau for Youth ALIVE on Thursday night.  Although there weren’t as many kids as I had hoped would be there, we still had a fun time.  Below is the scoop on our luau and a few pictures.

The Food – Hawaiian Chicken, Slow Cooker Kalua Pig, fresh pineapple and banana chunks, macadamia nuts, chocolate covered macadamia nuts, Haupia(a coconut pudding dessert, which kind of looks like tofu-the kids thought it was disgusting) and Volcanic Punch.

The Music – Hawaiian Playground CD by Putumayo Kids

The Kids – Alyssa, Andreas, Bell, Jen, Matthew, Oscar, Paul and Zach.

The Games- Hawaiian Mad Gab, Pass The Coconut(kind of like hot potato), Parrot Ring Toss Game, Dinosaur Golf Ball Catch

The Lesson – The Ultimate Paradise – We talked about how we all look forward to the fun, rest and relaxation of vacations. A couple of kids told us about their best vacation.  Although we can have a good time on vacations, there is really no such thing as a perfect paradise on this earth.  Things can go wrong on vacations such as kids getting sick, money that gets stolen, lost luggage, flat tires, etc. , but one day if we follow God’s salvation plan as outlined in the book of Acts, Jesus is going to take us to a place where there will be no more crying, pain, death suffering or anything that can hurt us.  The best part about heaven is that there will be no sin there and we will see Jesus, the One who died for us, and we’ll be with Him forever.

 

The Ugly Chords

 

The Ugly Chords

 

I

heard you

in your room

playing those chords

on the piano

and they sounded ugly

seeming unharmonious

but the Lord brought a thought to mind

that ugly chords, like puzzle pieces

by themselves are not the complete picture

put them together with other notes

and beautiful noise will break forth

perfect sense is realized

when links are complete

unattractive

boring chords

after all

fit.

 

 

4/23/08

 

Thank God For Double Freedom!

Statue of Liberty

In New York Harbor stands a lady,
With a torch raised to the sky;
And all who see her know she stands for
Liberty for you and me.

I’m so proud to be called an American,
To be named with the brave and the free;
I will honor our flag and our trust in God,
And the Statue of Liberty.

On lonely Golgotha stood a cross,
With my Lord raised to the sky;
And all who kneel there live forever
As all the saved can testify.

I’m so glad to be called a Christian,
To be named with the ransomed and whole;
As the statue liberates the citizen,
So the cross liberates the soul.

Oh the cross is my Statue of Liberty,
It was there that my soul was set free;
Unashamed I’ll proclaim that a rugged cross
Is my Statue of Liberty!

© Words & Music by Neil Enloe

Song On My Heart

 Trust His Heart

Written by: Babbie Mason and Eddie Carswell

All things work for our good
though sometimes we can’t see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
sometimes blind us to the truth.
Our Father knows what’s best for us;
His ways are not our own.
So, when your pathway grows dim,
and you just can’t see Him,
Remember He’s still on the throne.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
when you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

He sees the Master plan.
He holds the future in His hands.
So don’t live as those who have no hope.
All our hope is found in Him.
We walk in present knowledge,
but He sees the first and the last.
And like a tapestry, He’s weaving you and me
to someday be just like Him.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
when you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

In The First Light

In The First Light 

In the first light of a new day no one knew He had arrived.
Things continued as they had been while a newborn softly cried,
But the heavens wrapped in wonder knew the meaning of His birth.
In the weakness of a baby ,they knew God had come to earth.

As his mother held him closely it was hard to understand
That her baby, not yet speaking, was the word of God to man.
He would tell them of his kingdom ,but their hearts would not believe.
They would hate Him ,and in anger ,they would nail him to a tree.

But the sadness would be broken as the song of life arose,
And the firstborn of creation would ascend and take his throne.
He had left it to redeem us ,but before his life began,
He knew he’d come back, not as a baby, but as the Lord of every man.

 Hear the angels as they’re singing on the morning of His birth,
But how much greater will their song be when he comes again to earth.
Hear the angels as they’re singing on the morning of his birth,
But how much greater will their song be when he comes to rule the earth!

Bob Kauflin 

Still The Greatest Story Ever Told

———————————————–
A woman and an angel, a promise and a song.
A word to grand for any mind to hold.
A tax law and a journey, a stable and some straw.
These tell the greatest story ever told.

Oh sing glory in the highest, he is come our great messiah.
Come bow before this awesome mystery.
Mighty God and fragile baby, here a lowly manger holds.
And it’s still the greatest story ever told.

A hillside and some shepherds, a blaze of blinding light.
Angels singing carols in the cold.
Eternal revelation to men as dull as stone.
The glorious, greatest story ever told.

Oh sing glory in the highest, he is come our great messiah.
Come bow before this awesome mystery.
Mighty God and fragile baby, here a lowly manger holds.
And it’s still the greatest story ever told.

Oh sing glory in the highest, he is come our great messiah.
Come bow before this awesome mystery.
Mighty God and fragile baby, here a lowly manger holds.
And it’s still the greatest story ever told.

And it’s still the greatest story ever told.

lyrics-Gaither Vocal Band

History of 2 Carols

American Minute with Bill Federer

December 13

Phillips Brooks was born DECEMBER 13, 1835.

The bishop of the Episcopal Church in Massachusetts, he is probably
best remembered for a song he wrote two years after the Civil War,
which goes:

“O little town of Bethlehem! How still we see thee lie; Above thy
deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark
streets shineth, The everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all
the years, Are met in thee tonight.”

At Harvard, Phillips Brooks was taught by Oliver Wendell Holmes and
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. President Jimmy Carter, seeking U.N.
sanctions against Iran, December 21, 1979, stated:

“Henry Longfellow wrote a Christmas carol in a time of crisis, the
War Between the States, in 1864. Two verses of that carol
particularly express my thoughts and prayers and, I’m sure, those of
our Nation in this time of challenge…I would like to quote from
that poem

‘And in despair I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth, I said.
For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to
men. Then pealed the bells, more loud and deep, God is not dead, nor
does he sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on
earth, good will to men.'”

Christmas Caroling

Today we went Christmas caroling at a convalescent hospital with some families from our homeschool support group.  I felt like God put this on my heart this year to do with our group.  It is so easy for kids(and adults too)to get caught up in thinking about what they would like to get for Christmas rather than what they can give for Christmas.  Another mother from our group had organized a day with some children to make a craft that we could give as a gift to the residents at the nursing home.  The craft was a really cute Christmas picture frame.  I wish I had a picture of the craft(and of our singing), but I did not bring my husband’s digital camera, which I barely know how to use.  Everybody really seemed to enjoy it, and it felt good being able to do something nice for somebody. 

On another note, I went to a site that Shirley Buxton had recommended and heard the worst(but funniest) rendition of O Holy Night.  If you want to hear it, follow this link (you’ll have to scroll up and click where it says, “click here, you won’t be sorry!”) and prepare for some hearty laughter.