Saturday, November 30, 2013

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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Monday, November 25, 2013

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

Saturday, November 23, 2013

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




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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




Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thankful Thursday 11.21.13


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




Saturday, November 16, 2013

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




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Thursday, November 14, 2013

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







Saturday, November 9, 2013

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


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