Sunday's Hymn: There is a Fountain Filled With Blood

There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.

E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.

William Cowper, 1771
Tune: Fountain, Lowell Mason, 1830

Thankful Thursday

This week God has given me such joy in His call to serve Him in a particular way. He has called me to return to leadership in a woman's Bible study this fall and I couldn't be more happy about it!

You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
~Psalm 16:11

Kim of the Upward Call is posting her thankful thoughts each Thursday of 2010 and I am joining her, along with several others. Please share your praises to God this week too!

Sunday's Hymn: Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power

Blessing and honor and glory and power,
Wisdom and riches and strength evermore
Give ye to him who our battle hath won,
Whose are the Kingdom, the crown, and the throne.

Soundeth the heav'n of the heav'ns with his Name;
Ringeth the earth with his glory and fame;
Oceans and mountain, stream, forest, and flower
Echo his praises and tell of his power.

Ever ascendeth the song and the joy;
Ever descendeth the love from on high;
Blessing and honor and glory and praise—
This is the theme of the hymns that we raise.

Give we the glory and praise to the Lamb;
Take we the robe and the harp and the palm;
Sing we the song of the Lamb that was slain,
Dying in weakness, but rising to reign.

Horatius Bonar, 1866, alt.
Tune: O Quanta Qualia, Le Feillee's Methode du Plain Chant, 1808

First Day of Spring at the Cottage

The snowdrops:

The crocuses:

33 degrees and snowing.

Who Knew?

Guess what I just found out? March is National Crochet Month! Who knew such a thing was celebrated? Not me, but I do love to crochet. Its kind of like drinking tea in a way...calms me down when I'm upset, enhances clearer thinking, that sort of thing.


My current project is this afghan. Its a wedding present for a dear niece.

So, any other crocheters out there? Hold those hooks high and let's share our current projects!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for a week of warmer sunny days that have allowed Charlie and me to do quite a bit of walking. I'm thankful that Charlie, despite being 14 years old, still wants to go for a walk every time he sees me put a sweater or jacket on...if its not snowy or rainy, that is. And I'm thankful that I am able to do the walking too and that through these walks, God has shown me just how much my hip has healed since late last fall. Thank you, Lord!!!

I am thankful for spring flowers!

I am thankful for the gift of a friend who listens to me with more than just her ears.

And finally, I am thankful for the opportunities God gives me to serve Him.

Every Thursday of 2010, I am joining Kim of The Upward Call and others in thanking God for His good gifts to me. Won't you join in too?

An Irish Quote

Wherever they went the Irish brought
with them their books, many unseen in
Europe for centuries and tied to their
waists as signs of triumph, just as Irish
heroes had once tied to their waists their
enemies heads. Wherever they went they
brought their love of learning and their
skills in bookmaking. In the bays and
valleys of their exile, they reestablished
literacy and breathed new life into the
exhausted literary culture of Europe.
~Thomas Cahill

Spring at the Lake Shore

The ice is melted back about two feet by the shore of Crystal Lake except for the thin, clear patches around rocks and branches. If you look out across the entire lake, its the right color for water but its still substantial ice with a rough surface. That makes it look almost like the water in an oil painting...the right color, almost the right surface texture, but unmoving.

I took these pictures at noon today on the walk we shared (Charlie came too!) while Andy was on his lunch hour from working at home. That was about four hours ago. The temperature now is 65 degrees! And its sunny! It won't look like this much longer!

Spring Flower Number Two!

Lovely Snowdrops

They first poked up around the lingering snow almost two weeks ago but today, they are fully in bloom. And so welcome! Perfect on this beautiful sunny afternoon after a week of intermittent rain. While snow is not completely out of the realm of possibility for our area yet, these lovely little snowdrops are, for me, the declaration of spring!

Sunday's Hymn: Look, Ye Saints, the Sight is Glorious

Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious;
See the Man of Sorrows now;
From the fight returned victorious,
Ev'ry knee to him shall bow:
Crown him! crown him!
Crowns become the Victor's brow.

Crown the Saviour, angels, crown him;
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
In the seat of pow'r enthrone him,
While the vault of heaven rings:
Crown him! crown him!
Crown the Saviour King of kings.

Sinners in derision crowned him
Mocking thus the Saviour's claim;
Saints and angels crowd around him,
Own his title, praise his Name:
Crown him! crown him!
Spread abroad the Victor's fame!

Hark! those bursts of acclamation!
Hark! those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown him! crown him!
King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Thomas Kelly, 1809
Tune: Coronae, William H. Monk, 1871

Thankful Thursday

Its been rainy every day this week so far but it is warm rain. Yesterday's high was close to 60 degrees! I'm thankful for the warmer weather and I'm thankful for the rain. I'm thankful that the rain has washed away much of our dirty snow as well as a great deal of the winter grime from our cars.

I'm also thankful for the occasional bits of sunshine peeking through the clouds every day this week. Sunshine on a rainy day is especially welcome!

And I'm thankful to have finished doing our income taxes today! Not my favorite job but it falls on my side of the division of labor in our household and really that's okay.

Oh, and I am especially thankful for dear friends that feel like family! And the addition of their sweet little granddaughter to our church!

God is so good! There is always so much to praise and thank Him for! Kim from The Upward Call and several others (including me!) are sharing in thanksgiving to Him each Thursday of this year. Please join us!

Sunday's Hymn: All Glory Be to Thee, Most High

All glory be to thee, Most High,
To thee all adoration;
In grace and truth thou drawest nigh
To offer us salvation;
Thou showest thy good will to men,
And peace shall reign on earth again;
We praise thy Name for ever.

We praise, we worship thee, we trust,
And give thee thanks for ever,
O Father, for thy rule is just
And wise, and changes never;
Thy hand almighty o'er us reigns,
Thou doest what thy will ordains;
'Tis well for us thou rulest.

O Jesus Christ, our God and Lord,
Son of the Heavenly Father,
O thou who hast our peace restored,
The straying sheep dost gather,
Thou Lamb of God, to thee on high
Out of the depths we sinners cry:
Have mercy on us, Jesus!

O Holy Spirit, precious gift,
Thou Comforter unfailing,
From Satan's snares our souls uplift,
And let thy power, availing,
Avert our woes and calm our dread.
For us the Saviour's blood was shed;
We trust in thee to save us.

Tr. from German version of Latin hymn, Gloria in Excelsis
Tune: Allein Gott In Der Hoh'
Geistliche Lieder, Leipzig, 1539
Arr. by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, 1809-1847

Thankful Thursday

I've got a list of things that I'm thankful for today!

1. I'm thankful that Andy was able to work from home again this past Tuesday. That's the usual routine but the last couple of weeks saw one complication after another arise for him at work which translated to his having to go in to the office on those days. So I especially enjoyed having lunch with him at home this past Tuesday.
   
2. I'm thankful for my dear friend, Kim! She and I have the best conversations and share many similar interests and points of view. But most importantly, she's a dear sister in Christ who spurs me on to love and good deeds.
   
3. I'm thankful for Emily and her willingness to help with whatever is needing to be done. She helps Andy with snow removal every time it snows, especially since my hip has been so painful. Yesterday, we cleaned house together in preparation for prayer meeting last night. And she faithfully takes Charlie out several times a day. But its not just the labor that I'm thankful for. I'm thankful because she does it out of a loving spirit of service.
4. And I'm thankful for warmer temperatures and sunny days this week. Today it was 42 degrees when Charlie and I took a nice, lingering walk around the neighborhood. Spring is really coming!

What are you thankful for today? I am joining Kim of the Upward Call and several others in posting the things I'm thankful for each Thursday of this year. Please join us in giving glory to God for His good gifts to us.

Spring is on the Way!

Andy just came up to take a tea break from work a little while ago and spotted these snowdrops beginning to emerge between the cottage and the receding snow. To us, they are the first sign that spring is really on its way to our part of the world! A very welcome sign, a might add!