Eternal Glory . . .

photo from outside a castle in Germany :)

 

Yesterday was November 7, which means that Gemma turned 23 months old, and my favorite sister, Heidi, turned another year older!  She's not old by any means . . . but she's past 18 and thus a true lady, so I'll leave it to the lady herself to reveal her age if she so desires.  ;)  I was looking through some old folders on our computer to see if I could find any fun photos of the two of us, but finally settled on this one:

 

 

Happy Birthday, Sis!

 

I don't like to get very political on our little family blog, but yesterday was also quite disappointing to me.  It's funny, because I had expected our current president to be reelected all along, and didn't think I was very emotionally tied up in the race . . . but there's a distinct difference between the expectation of an unpleasant event and its final realization.  I think Jane Austen said something like that.  ;)  It's true, though!  As we arrived at church for prayer last night, I was hit with memories from prayer meeting the week before, when we'd all gathered to focus on prayer for our nation.  The entire day had been designated as a day for prayer and fasting (although some people like pregnant me did not fast from food!).  Now it was all settled . . . for the worse, I am convinced.

 

I know intellectually that God is still on His throne, and meditating on that helped a little bit.

 

Then, this line from a hymn by James G. Small helped even more:

"Eternal glory gleams afar,

To nerve my faint endeavor"

 

We have the hope of eternity before us.  We have a Savior who will never fail us.  In fact, eternity is coming upon us quickly, and our lives here in our country will be but a faint memory, then!

 

I don't know how people who do not have Jesus do it.  I don't know how they get through their difficult times.  If I had to muster up my own strength all the time . . . I would be a basket case.

 

"So now to watch, to work, to war;

And then to rest forever."

36 Weeks

The shirt says, "Clearly not a secret" :-)

We're now past the 36 week point! It's exciting, but if I'm honest I must admit that I've already had moments where I can't wait for this baby to be born, so the pregnancy will be over. (And then I remember that I'm probably going to be way more tired than I am now for a long time!)

It helped so much being at church on Wednesday night and singing together "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." I don't have to do this all myself. I can lean on Jesus. Such a comfort.

We're halfway through our childbirth classes! We've also picked a name, but it's a secret!

And here's another pic from earlier this week:

I think I don't play the piano enough.  I love doing it for my own benefit--musical, psychological, and when I'm playing hymns, spiritual--but I also love the thought that our little one can hear it, too. 

This is the hymn I was fixed on a few moments ago.  It's so simple, and goes like a conversation between a seeker and a wise and seasoned pilgrim.

Art thou weary, art thou languid,
Art thou sore distress'd?
"Come to me," saith One, "and coming,
Be at rest."

Hath he marks to lead me to him,
If he be my Guide?
"In his feet and hands are wound-prints,
And his side."

"Is there diadem, as Monarch,
That his brow adorns?
"Yea, a crown, in very surety,
But of thorns."

If I find him, if I follow,
What is guerdon here?
"Many a sorrow, many a labor,
Many a tear."

If I still hold closely to him,
What hath he at last?
"Sorrow vanquished, labor ended,
Jordan passed."

If I ask him to receive me,
Will he say me nay?
"Not till earth and not till heaven
Pass away."

Finding, following, keeping, struggling,
Is he sure to bless?
"Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs,
Answer, 'Yes.'"

On Hymns

Last Saturday night, John unwittingly ministered to me by playing hymns.  I think it's neat that he knows how to play the piano to start with, and when he sits down at the keyboard occasionally I feel full of happy pride for him. 

I've mentioned before how much I appreciate some of the newly written hymns, by people like the Gettys.  But I think that when I'm tending toward discouragement it's the old, old hymns which speak to my soul the most.  Those were what John was playing on Saturday night.  We grew up together singing them, and it seems like we haven't sung some of them for a long time.

Maybe some of the lyrics are antiquated and maybe some of the tunes are awkward and difficult to sing.  But maybe we just need to use our minds a little bit more, to expand our vocabularies and to exercise our musical muscles.  Those hymn-writers and tune-writers alike spent much, much time writing and arranging what they wrote, and I think that we'll be guilty of some serious chronological snobbery if we gloss over the vast spiritual resources they've handed down to us.  Let's not merely pause on a few of our favorites and attempt to reword and rewrite the tunes of others just because they are hard.  And certainly let us not ignore the treasures that we have entirely in favor of what has been more recently written. 

Last night, Hymns Triumphant playing on the ipod (which I never thought I'd use!) encouraged my heart while I was cooking.  And on Wednesday, we sung a few old and very good hymns at the opening of prayer meeting which did the same. 

And since He bids me seek his face,
Believe His Word, and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my ev'ry care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.
 (William W. Walford, c. 1842)

There's nothing like a good hymn.

Thinking about Jesus

 

 Photo taken by John in Italy

Last night in church, I was convicted about how little I think on Christ.  The words of this hymn came to mind on the way home, and they helped me.

Thou cam'st to us in lowliness of thought

By Thee the outcast and the poor were sought

And by Thy blood was our salvation wrought

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Therefore, by God's eternal purpose, Thou

Art exalted o'er all creatures now

And giv'n the name to which all knees shall bow!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! 

and so, 

Let this mind be in us which was in Thee

Who wast a servant that we might be free

Humbling Thyself to death on Calvary,

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Let ev'ry tongue confess with one accord,

In heav'n and earth, that Jesus Christ is Lord!

And God the Father be by all adored,

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross...
(Philippians 2:5-8)