Sunday's Hymn: How Lovely Shines the Morning Star

How lovely shines the Morning Star!
The nations see and hail afar
The light in Judah shining.
Thou David's Son of Jacob's race,
My Bridegroom and my King of Grace,
For thee my heart is pining.
Lowly, holy,
Great and glorious,
Thou victorious
Prince of graces,
Filling all the heav'nly places.

Now richly to my waiting heart,
O thou, my God, deign to impart
The grace of love undying.
In thy blest body let me be,
E'en as the branch is in the tree,
Thy life my life supplying.
Sighing, crying,
For the savor
Of thy favor
Resting never
Till I rest in thee for ever.

Thou, mighty Father, in thy Son
Didst love me ere thou hadst begun
This ancient world's foundation.
Thy Son hath made a friend of me,
And when in spirit him I see,
I joy in tribulation.
What bliss
Is this!
He that liveth
To me giveth
Life forever;
Nothing me from him can sever.

Philipp Nicolai, 1597
Tr., composite
Tune: Wie Schon Leuchtet Der Morgenstern, Philipp Nicolai, 1599
Arr. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. 1730

Sunday's Hymn: Under the Care of My God

Under the care of my God, the Almighty,
Safe in the secret place of the Most High!
He is my Refuge, the Lord is my Fortress,
Him I am trusting when trouble is nigh.

Under his wings, under his wings,
Safe in the refuge hide thee;
Trusting his truth and faithfulness,
No evil can betide thee.

Be not afraid for the terror of midnight,
Nor for the arrow that hasteth to slay;
Fear not the pestilence walking in darkness,
Nor the destroyer that wasteth by day.

Seek the Most High for thy sure habitation,
Unto Jehovah for refuge now fly;
There shall no evil befall thee nor harm thee,
Unto thy dwelling no plague shall come nigh.

Love thou the Lord, surely he will deliver;
He will exalt thee and answer thy prayer;
He will be with thee to honor and give thee
Life without end, his salvation to share.

From Psalm 91
United Presbyterian Bible Songs Hymnal, 1927
Tune: Under His Wings, Ira D. Sankey, 1840-1908

Thankful Thursday

There are two things on my mind this morning that I am especially thankful to God for. First, He has called me to return to a position of leadership in a Bible study program that has been important in my life for several years now. I am feeling so joyful about that privilege!

And secondly, we are embarking on a two-week vacation on Saturday! We'll be spending that time in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin doing some fishing and reading and relaxing together. I am so thankful for this time of renewal and refreshment that God is providing for us! So I've got my Sunday hymns ready to publish automatically on the next three Sundays but other than that, its going to be very quiet over here at Field Stone Cottage.

So what are you thanking God for today? Please join with Kim of The Upward Call and several others of us who are sharing our praises of God for His good gifts to us each Thursday of 2010.

Sunday's Hymn: From Every Stormy Wind that Blows

From ev'ry stormy wind that blows,
From ev'ry swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
'Tis found beneath the mercy-seat.

There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet;
It is the blood-stained mercy-seat.

There is a spot where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend,
Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet
Around the common mercy-seat.

Ah, whither could we flee for aid,
When tempted, desolate, dismayed,
Or how the hosts of hell defeat,
Had suff'ring saints no mercy-seat?

There, there on eagle wings we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heav'n comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.

O may my hand forget her skill,
My tongue be silent, cold, and still,
This bounding heart forget to beat,
If I forget the mercy-seat.

Hugh Stowell, 1828, 1831
Tune: Retreat, Thomas Hastings, 1842

Thankful Thursday

I'm so thankful for a good cardiology report for our little Charlie today! It was the day for his annual echocardiogram to check on his mitral valve problem and the result is that his murmur is actually less than it was a year ago because there is less leakage through that valve and, according to his cardiologist, Charlie is compensating very well for his heart problems! The cardiologist said that for this to occur is so rare that they don't even tell people that it is a possibility at all. She was delighted with the news and so are we! Praise God!!!! We love this little 14 and a half year old dog of ours and want him to enjoy a healthy life with us as long as possible!

Each Thursday of 2010, I'm joining with Kim of The Upward Call and others in thanking God for His good gifts to us. Join us, won't you?

Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday's Hymn: O Perfect Love

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom thou for evermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope, and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving,
Through Jesus Christ thy co-eternal Word,
Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living
Now and to endless ages art adored.

Dorothy F. Gurney, 1883
St. 4 by John Ellerton
Tune: Perfect Love, Sir Joseph Barnby, 1889

Thankful Thursday

The electrician finished up the big electrical project on Tuesday and the city inspector approved it this morning. Meanwhile, the roofers came and repaired a section of the roof that had been damaged yesterday. I think we're done with contractors doing work around here for a while and for that I say, thank you, God! These men were all nice people who were very competent and I am thankful for that too but its so nice to have the house back to ourselves! Plus I'm thankful not to be running up any more expensive home repair bills! There are finishing-up bits of work to do in the wake of the electrical project but us homeowners can handle that. I'm also thankful for a very handy husband who knows how to do a lot himself and I'm always happy to help him. In fact, its fun to work together!

Each Thursday of 2010, I am joining Kim of the Upward Call and other blogging friends in thanking God for the good gifts He gives us. Won't you share in the thanksgiving?

Sunday's Hymn: Blest be the Tie that Binds

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love:
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims, are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear,
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way,
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

John Fawcett, 1782
Tune: Dennis, Arr. from Hans G. Nageli by Lowell Mason, 1845