November of Thanksgiving-Day One

This weekend has been a whirlwind of things to give thanks for! As I sit here at my computer, I hardly know where to begin. Here are a few of my thankful thoughts:

• We finally found tenants for our little rental home! We had been praying that God would allow us to use that house to bless someone else as well as the blessing that it is to us to have it rented and occupied. The details were worked out Saturday morning, the lease was signed Saturday afternoon and our new tenants began moving in on Saturday evening. Praise God for His provisions all around in this situation!
• Yesterday we had the joy of attending a performance by our daughter, Emily, and her fellow musicians in their chamber ensemble. Praise God for the gift of music and that He gave it to Emily and her friends!
• We attended that performance and enjoyed the afternoon with some good friends including Kim from Hiraeth and her family. Praise God for the gift of friendship!

Its a Thanksgiving Festival at Rebecca Writes! Please join in!

A Tradition

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday and there is a tradition associated with it that I've been especially blessed by participating in for the last couple of years. Its the November of Thanksgiving postings hosted by Rebecca and she always invites abundant participation. Here are the ways we can join in the festivities.

• Mention something you’re thankful for in the comments of her posts. She’ll include your comment in one of her thanksgiving posts.
• Email her to tell her what you’re thankful for and she’ll include it in a post.
• Post your thankful thought(s) on your own blog, send her the link(s), and she’ll link to your post(s). If you plan to post something daily during the month, let her know that, too. That way you won’t need to send her your daily links.

I'm excited to know just how our good God is blessing you and to share the ways He blesses me! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday's Hymn: I'm But a Stranger Here, Heav'n is My Home

I'm but a stranger here,
Heav'n is my home;
Earth is a desert drear,
Heav'n is my home;
Danger and sorrow stand
Round me on ev'ry hand;
Heav'n is my fatherland,
Heav'n is my home.

What though the tempest rage,
Heav'n is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heav'n is my home;
And time's wild wintry blast
Soon shall be over past;
I shall reach home at last,
Heav'n is my home;

There, at my Saviour's side,
Heav'n is my home;
I shall be glorified,
Heav'n is my home;
There are the good and blest,
Those I love most and best;
And there I too shall rest,
Heav'n is my home;

Therefore I murmur not,
Heav'n is my home;
Whate'er my earthly lot,
Heav'n is my home;
And I shall surely stand
There at my Lord's right hand;
Heav'n is my fatherland,
Heav'n is my home

Thomas R. Taylor, 1836
Tune: St. Edmund, Sir Arthur S. Sullivan, 1872

Thankful....

Friday, again. Whew! I'm thankful that God is my strength these days...every day, in fact. Its through His power that I am able to do anything ever but some days that's more obvious than others. Its been a hectic Fall around the cottage!

Yesterday was my annual thyroid check-up and I am so thankful to report that all is well on that front. This year's Thanksgiving Day should be much different from last year's and I'm praising Him for that!

And this morning I'm thankful for a hot cup of tea and a warm little dog in my lap as I study God's Word and thank Him for His promises to me.

Each Thursday (or Friday) of 2010, I'm joining my friend, Kim of The Upward Call and others in thanking God for His blessings. Won't you join us?

Sunday's Hymn: My God, Is Any Hour So Sweet

My God, is any hour so sweet,
From blush of morn to evening star,
As that which calls me to thy feet,
The hour of prayer?

Then is my strength by thee renewed;
Then are my sins by thee forgiv'n;
Then dost thou cheer my solitude
With hope of heav'n.

No words can tell what sweet relief
There for my ev'ry want I find,
What strength for warfare, balm for grief,
What peace of mind!

Hushed is each doubt, gone ev'ry fear;
My spirit seems in heav'n to stay:
And e'en the penitential tear
Is wiped away.

Lord, till I reach yon blissful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be
As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to thee.

Charlotte Elliott, 1836
Tune: Eudora, James R. Murray, 1841-1905

Thankful Thursday

I am thanking God today for His sovereignty. No matter what is going on in my life and my corner of the world, I can rest in this promise:

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.~Jeremiah 29:11

What are you thanking our gracious God for today? Please join Kim of The Upward Call, myself and many others in giving Him praise for all the good gifts He gives to us each Thursday of 2010.

Fall Color

There's a park just a block or so from the cottage and we headed that way on our Charlie walk this evening. Shamefully, I forgot my camera but Andy rescued me with his Blackberry. This is the eastern end of the park with the setting sun shining from the west causing that glow in the trees in the background. Talk about fall color! I just had to share it!

Sunday's Hymn: O God, Most Holy are Thy Ways

O God, most holy are thy ways,
And who like thee deserves my praise?
Thou only doest wondrous things,
The whole wide world thy glory sings;
Thine outstretched arm thy people saved,
Though sore distressed and long enslaved.

O God, from thee the waters fled,
The depths were moved with mighty dread,
The swelling clouds their torrents poured,
And o'er the earth the tempest roared;
'Mid lightning's flash and thunder's sound
Great trembling shook the solid ground.

Thy way was in the sea, O God,
Through mighty waters, deep and broad;
None understood but God alone,
To man thy footsteps were unknown;
But safe thy people thou didst keep,
Almighty Shepherd of thy sheep.

Psalm 77:13-20
The Psalter, 1912
Tune: The Lord's Prayer, Schumann's Gesangbuch, 1539

Thankful Thursday

I get to stay home all day today! And for that, homebody that I am, I am thanking God this fine morning! Its a perfect day to stay home too. Truth be told, most days are for me. But today is Charlie's 15th birthday so its an extra special day to be home. I get to have him sleep in my lap while I do my Bible study, take him for a walk or two, and even just watch him sleep in his little bed as I pass back and forth doing laundry and cleaning bathrooms. Did I mention that I'm thankful for Charlie too? Ah, I thank God for the contentment I feel this day.

What are you thanking Him for t0day? Kim of The Upward Call and quite a few others are cultivating an attitude of gratitude as we thank God for His blessings each Thursday of 2010. Please jump right in with us!

Sunday's Hymn: In the Hour of Trial, Jesus, Plead for Me

In the hour of trial,
Jesus, plead for me;
Lest by base denial
I depart from thee;
When thou seest me waver,
With a look recall,
Nor for fear or favor
Suffer me to fall.

With its witching pleasures
Would this vain world charm,
Or its sordid treasures
Spread to work me harm,
Bring to my remembrance
Sad Gethsemane,
Or, in darker semblance,
Cross-crowned Calvary.

If with sore affliction
Thou in love chastise,
Pour thy benediction
On the sacrifice;
Then, upon thine altar
Freely offered up,
Though the flesh may falter,
Faith shall drink the cup.

When in dust and ashes
To the grave I sink,
While heav'n's glory flashes
O'er the shelving brink,
On thy truth relying
Through that mortal strife,
Lord, receive me, dying,
To eternal life.

James Montgomery, 1834
St. 1, line 2, alt.
Tune: Penitence, Spencer Lane, 1879

Thankful Thursday

I'm thanking God for a working dryer today. Tuesday morning, I washed the sheets from our bed and moved them over to the dryer. Clunk, clunk, clunk. But thank God, they did dry. Andy (aka: Handy Andy) pretty much disassembled the whole thing on Tuesday evening and determined the problem to be a worn out shaft on a fan. Yesterday on his lunch hour, he went to some big appliance parts warehouse close to where he works in Chicago and got the part. Last evening was our turn to host prayer meeting at our house so Andy worked on the dryer up until the first knock on the door. He didn't think he'd be able to finish getting it back together afterwards because he wanted to replace some old parts on the gas line while he was at it. But praise God for enabling him to get it all up and running by the time I had the kitchen cleaned!

That old washer and dryer are 14 years old but I love them. They do their jobs well (when they are up and running) and I am so thankful not to have to replace either one.

Each Thursday of 2010, there's a bit of Thanksgiving going on in our part of the blog world. Kim of the Upward Call got us started but we can never thank God enough! Won't you join us?

Quotable

In the day of prosperity we have many refuges to resort to; in the day of adversity only one.--HORATIUS BONAR

Sunday's Hymn: How Beautiful the Sight of Brethren Who Agree

How beautiful the sight
Of brethren who agree
In friendship to unite,
And bonds of charity;
'Tis like the precious ointment, shed
O'er all his robes, from Aaron's head.

'Tis like the dews that fill
The cups of Hermon's flow'rs;
Or Zion's fruitful hill,
Bright with the drops of show'rs.
When mingling odors breathe around,
And glory rests on all the ground.

For there the Lord commands
Blessings, a boundless store,
From his unsparing hands,
Yea, life for evermore;
Thrice happy they who meet above
To spend eternity in love!

From Psalm 133, James Montgomery, 1771-1854
Tune: St. Godric, John B. Dykes, 1823-1876

Thankful....

...Friday. Yes, I'm a day late. And the reason is the thing I'm especially thanking God for this week. Andy and I spent the day fishing with some good friends! We left home before 6:00AM and weren't home again until just after 9:00PM. And every minute was a special day of fellowship and blessing all the way around. To top it off, the fishing was outstanding too!

Earlier in the week, I was feeling overwhelmed and tired and like I really couldn't afford to take yesterday off from my responsibilities. But as always, God knows what I need even when I don't, maybe especially when I don't. Anyway, yesterday was just what I needed and I am so thankful for the blessings He gave me throughout that special day. Even the weather was perfect!

So what are you thanking Him for today? Or maybe I should say yesterday. I'm also thankful that Kim from The Upward Call got us all starting on intentionally thanking Him each week of 2010. Join us?

Sunday's Hymn: Blessed Lord, In Thee is Refuge

Blessed Lord, in thee is refuge,
Safety for my trembling soul:
Pow'r to lift my head when drooping
'Midst the angry billow's roll.
I will trust thee,
I will trust thee,
I will trust thee,
All my life thou shalt control.

In the past, too, unbelieving,
'Midst the tempest I have been,
And my heart has slowly trusted
What my eyes have never seen.
Blessed Jesus,
Blessed Jesus,
Blessed Jesus,
Teach me on thine arm to lean.

O, for trust that brings the triumph
When defeat seems strangely near;
O, for faith that changes fighting
Into vict'ry's ringing cheer!
Faith triumphant,
Faith triumphant,
Faith triumphant,
Knowing not defeat or fear.

Herbert Booth
Tune: Bryn Calfaria, William Owen, 1814-1893

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for a husband who encourages me when I'm discouraged and overwhelmed. In fact, he is encouraging in the most important way. He points me away from myself and my circumstances and back to our sovereign God. Who could possible be discouraged when standing in awe of our Almighty God?

There's a thanksgiving going on each Thursday of 2010 initiated by Kim of The Upward Call. Won't you join in the festivities?

Quotes From the Cottage

If we live to eat, instead of eating to live, our spiritual vision is bound to be defective....
It is this which should speak loudly to our hearts: he who yields to the lusts of the flesh injures his spiritual instincts, and opens wide the door for the Devil to impose upon him and deceive him with his lies! He who allows natural sentiments and affections to override the requirements of God's revealed will, is reduced to a humiliated state in the end. How often it proves that a man's spiritual foes are they of his own household! Isaac loved Esau unwisely.~A.W. Pink in An Exposition of Hebrews on Heb. 11:20

Sunday's Hymn: O Word of God Incarnate

O Word of God Incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O light of our dark sky;
We praise thee for the radiance
That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps
Shines on from age to age.

The church from her dear Master
Received the gift divine,
And still that light she lifteth
O'er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket,
Where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heav'n-drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word.

It floateth like a banner
Before God's host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass
That o'er life's surging sea,
'Mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
Still guides, O Christ, to thee.

O make thy church, dear Saviour,
A lamp of purest gold,
To bear before the nations
Thy true light, as of old.
O teach thy wand'ring pilgrims
By this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see thee face to face.

William Walsham How, 1867
Tune: Munich, Meiningen Gesangbuch, 1693

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday was the first day of the study of Isaiah that I will be doing this year. I think I'm going to learn a lot and I'm very excited about it! I am also very thankful and humbled to have the privilege of leading a group of women through this study. That the Holy One of Israel calls me to do this, enables me to shepherd these women through this study is awe-inspiring and that He grows me in my faith while serving Him is such an overwhelming blessing. I am truly grateful to our sovereign God.

Each Thursday of 2010, I am joining my friend, Kim of The Upward Call and others in thanking Him for His blessings. Won't you join us?

Sunday's Hymn: God, In the Gospel of His Son

God, in the gospel of his Son,
Makes his eternal counsels known;
Where love in all its glory shines,
And truth is drawn in fairest lines.

Here sinners of a humble frame
May taste his grace, and learn his Name;
May read, in characters of blood,
The wisdom, pow'r, and grace of God.

The pris'ner here may break his chains;
The weary rest from all his pains;
The captive feel his bondage cease;
The mourner find the way of peace.

Here faith reveals to mortal eyes
A brighter world beyond the skies;
Here shines the light which guides our way
From earth to realms of endless day.

O grant us grace, Almighty Lord,
To read and mark thy holy Word;
Its truths with meekness to receive,
And by its holy precepts live.

St. 1-2, Benjamin Beddome, 1787
St. 3-5, alt. by Thomas Cotterill, 1819
Tune: Germany, William Gardiner's Sacred Melodies, 1815

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for opportunities to....

• study God's Word
• worship Him
• serve Him
• cling to Him
• even be disciplined by Him.

I am thankful to know and belong to our God. I am thankful for Christ's atoning sacrifice for me which gives me life in Him.

Share your thankfulness with us, won't you? Kim at The Upward Call initiated our Thankful Thursdays but the blessings are multiplied by sharing the thanksgiving.

Sunday's Hymn: I Waited for the Lord Most High

I waited for the Lord most high,
And he inclined to hear my cry;
He took me from destruction's pit
And from the miry clay;
Upon a rock he set my feet,
And steadfast made my way.

A new and joyful song of praise
He taught my thankful heart to raise;
And many, seeing me restored,
Shall fear the Lord and trust;
And blest are they that trust the Lord,
The humble and the just.

O Lord my God, how manifold
Thy wondrous works which I behold,
And all thy loving, gracious thought
Thou hast bestowed on man;
To count thy mercies I have sought,
But boundless is their span.

Psalm 40:1-5, The Psalter, 1912
Tune: Dunstan, Sir Joseph Barnby, 1838-1896

New Words

There are certain words or phrases that, upon initially being introduced to them, just go around and around in my brain looking for ways to be used in everyday speech or writing. But sometimes, hard as I try, I just can't come up with a conversation in which they fit. Today's Merriam-Webster Dictionary Word of the Day is a perfect example. The word is clitic. Do you know its definition? Or have you even heard the word clitic before? I hadn't. But here's a clue to its meaning. It'll surprise me if your speech isn't just chock full of clitics. Mine is. Go see what we've been using all along without knowing it!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful today for cooler temperatures and rain. I'm not a hot weather lover at all so our abundance of 90 and above days this summer has not been to my liking one little bit! And, although overall its been a rather wet summer, the last couple of weeks have been dry. Considering that I've recently planted some hydrangeas and a few other perennials as well as the fact that I'm now responsible for the garden our former tenants left, I'm very thankful for this help with the watering!

Please join with Kim of The Upward Call, myself and several other friends who are committed to praising our God for the good gifts in our lives each Thursday of 2010. What are you thanking God for today?

Quotes From the Cottage

Many of these displays of faith which have come under our review, have been given towards the close of life, or in the article of death. It is a question of deep interest to us all, Have we a faith which will support us amid the frailties of age, amid the debilities or the agonies of dissolving nature? We all profess faith now: the hour which is to try whether we possess it or not is fast approaching. The reality and the strength of our faith must by and by--God only knows how soon--be put to a severe trial. Ah! how many, who thought they had faith in health, find they have none in sickness; and how many, who thought their faith strong, find then that it is indeed but "as a grain of mustard seed!" Let us now, by seeking clear, distinct, extended views of Christian truth and its evidence, "lay up a good foundation for the time to come, that we may hold on eternal life." Nothing but the faith of the Gospel can enable a rationally thinking man to enter with composure and delight into the unseen world. It is the faith of the Gospel, and that alone, which can enable the expiring mortal to exult in the dissolution of "the earthly house of this tabernacle," and say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"~John Brown in Hebrews regarding Hebrews 11:20-22

Sunday's Hymn: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my cleansing this I see—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my pardon this my plea—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I'll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I'll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Robert Lowry, 1876
Tune: Nothing But the Blood, Robert Lowry, 1876

Thankful Thursday

The work marathon began for my hubby at 8:45 Tuesday evening when he headed into work to do his part for the move of some equipment. He said it went smoothly but he didn't get home again until 3:30 AM yesterday morning. After maybe 2 1/2 hours of sleep, he was up again and out the door to be back at work in case any problems arose from said equipment move. Some problems did arise and he didn't get home again until 9:30 last night. Right now, Andy is sleeping and that's pretty unusual...its 9 AM! But he was exhausted!

Today I am thankful to God for:

• His protection of my husband on the travel to and from work as well as the time working while Andy was so tired
• His provision of a boss who told Andy to work from home today...and not be in any hurry to get up to do it!
• His provision of this job, a good job, for Andy when so many are struggling with unemployment

What are you thanking God for today? Each Thursday of 2010, I'm sharing my thankfulness along with Kim of The Upward Call and other friends. Please join us!

Update: I love the way sharing these good gifts from our gracious God magnifies our recognition of the blessings He provides! I just visited Rosemary at Whatever is Good and was reminded to thank Him for the restorative sleep that He's provided for Andy as well. Thank you, Rosemary!

The Mystery Ship!

Here it is...the "mystery ship" of the Maritime Heritage Festival in Port Washington, WI! So if you haven't clicked through to find out (or I didn't tell you yesterday after church), she is...

...the H.M.S. Bounty!
This Bounty was built in 1962 in Nova Scotia specifically for the MGM Film Studio's production of Mutiny on the Bounty. The original Bounty was a British Naval ship and the most famous mutiny actually took place on her in 1789 when Captain Bligh was overthrown by Master Mate Fletcher Christian and his followers in the South Pacific.

Built one third larger than the original, with longer hallways, larger decks and higher ceilings to accommodate movie equipment, she still remains true to her 18th century roots. In addition to the movie she was built for, the H.M.S. Bounty has been used in Treasure Island, Yellow Beard and Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean-Dead Man's Chest among others.



The Bounty's tables use ropes (called lines on a ship) in what was an early attempt at gimbaling which is a method of keeping things level on a ship when it heels or pitches on the sea. You can imagine how much easier this makes it to eat on a ship!

Figureheads were used on the old tall ships to enable sailors, who were generally illiterate, to locate their ships on the docks as well as to appease Neptune, the god of the sea. The Bounty's figurehead is quite sedate compared to the more typical buxom and scantily clad ones.

Aside from her use in seafaring movies, the Bounty's mission is primarily educational. She appears dockside, as we toured her, or you can sail port-to-port on her. Can't you just imagine yourself behind the wheel with Captain Jack Sparrow at your side!

Tall Ships

Friday we celebrated getting the hard work done on the rental by enjoying an outing to Port Washington, WI to see the tall ships there as part of the Maritime Heritage Festival. The forecast was for overcast skies with a 40% chance of thunderstorms but we set out hoping that the 60% chance of no T-storms would prevail. Here's what things looked like upon our arrival:

We proceeded to check in with the tall ship that we were scheduled to sail on at 10:00 AM only to discover that there was some sort of misunderstanding between the crew of the ship and the people in charge at the marina resulting in a missing boarding ramp. By the time that was resolved and we boarded (about 45 minutes late), the sky looked more like this:

Oh, and the ship we sailed on? It was the Roseway, the last working pilot schooner in this country. She retired from that service in 1973 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997. She now serves as the educational vessel of the World Ocean School, a nonprofit organization. Here's a picture of her taken during the cruise after ours:

The other ship that was available for cruising was the Lynx. The Lynx is a replica of an 1812 naval schooner and is owned and operated by the Lynx Educational Foundation, another nonprofit educational foundation. Their mission is to to teach about America's struggle to preserve her freedom.

There was some difficulty for these ships in negotiating off the docks and proceeding out into Lake Michigan (and back in) because of the amount of draft they need and the restrictions caused by a rocky jetty at the mouth of the harbor. They both had rubber dinghies to assist them in these maneuvers but doesn't it look like the Lynx is about to be boarded by pirates?

Maybe that's why this shot was fired a little while later!

There were more tall ships to be toured as well, including one billed as a "mystery ship." But this post is getting rather long so I think I'll just leave that one as a mystery for today and show you the pictures of it tomorrow. Happy sailing!

Sunday's Hymn: My Times are in Thy Hand

My times are in thy hand;
My God, I wish them there;
My life, my friends, my soul, I leave
Entirely to thy care.

My times are in thy hand;
Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
As best may seem to thee.

My times are in thy hand;
Why should I doubt or fear?
My Father's hand will never cause
His child a needless tear.

My times are in thy hand;
Jesus the Crucified;
Those hands my cruel sins had pierced
Are now my guard and guide.

William F. Lloyd, 1824
Tune: Vigil, Arr. from St. Albans Tune Book, 1865

Thankful Thursday

We have a rental home from which our tenants moved out last week. There is always some cleaning and spiffing up that we need to do between tenants. Some of it is pretty heavy work, in fact. I started on it last Wednesday and Andy took this week off to work on it as well. Emily pitched in too and we've got it finished except for a few optional things and keeping up the mowing while its vacant. My thankfulness today is focused on:

• both Andy and myself being physically able to do that work (Emily is young enough to take it for granted, of course)
• cooler, less humid weather to accomplish the outdoor work
  
• having the work completed so we can enjoy some fun together while Andy is off the rest of the week
• enjoying the abundant tomatoes which the former tenants planted and left just as they started to produce

What are you thanking God for today? Each Thursday of 2010, I'm joining Kim of The Upward Call and other friends in thanking God for His goodness to us. Thankfulness shared just multiplies the blessings. Won't you join us?

Quotable

No man taketh away sins (which the law, though holy, just and good, could not take away), but He in whom there is no sin.--BEDE.

Sunday's Hymn: I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad,
I found in him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk,
Till trav'ling days are done.

Horatius Bonar, 1846
Tune: Vox Dilecti, John B. Dykes, 1868

Yesterday's Late Afternoon Visitor

Thankful Thursday

This is the promise I am especially thankful for today:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.~Romans 8:38-39

Each Thursday of 2010, I am joining with Kim of The Upward Call and other friends in thanking God for His good gifts to us. Please join us!

Quotes From the Cottage

When we speak of God's trying men, we are not to suppose that He needs to discover by experiment what is their real character. He knows what is in them before the trial, He knows beforehand what will be the effect of the trial; but He thus makes men's characters known to themselves and to their fellowmen, for ends worthy of His own infinite wisdom, righteousness and kindness. It also deserves to be noticed that the means which God employs to prove His people are fitted to improve them. The means He employs to discover the good that is in them are calculated to increase and perfect it; the means He employs to discover the evil that is in them are calculated to lessen and destroy it.
~John Brown in Hebrews p. 521 regarding Heb. 11:17

Sunday's Hymn: When This Passing World is Done

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o'er life's finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see thee as thou art,
Love thee with unsinning heart,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When the praise of heav'n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters' noise,
Sweet as harp's melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Saviour's side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

Robert Murray McCheyne, 1837
Tune: Mount Zion, Sir Arthur S. Sullivan, 1867

Thankful Thursday

Thankfulness to God for my daughter, Emily, is what's on my mind and in my heart today. She's a kind and loving daughter to us, always willing to help where needed and in whatever way she can. And when it comes time to relax together, she's lots of fun too.

Tomorrow is Emily's birthday and over the weekend we'll be celebrating with a special meal and cheesecake, which is her birthday cake of choice. So its my privilege to thank God for Emily, to thank Him for giving her to us and to thank Him for the faith that He's given to her and the way that He continues to grow her in that faith.

Each Thursday of 2010, I'm joining with Kim of The Upward Call and several other friends in thanking God for His good gifts to us. Shared thanksgiving is a special blessing! Won't you join us?

Quotes From the Cottage

...so when men are called by grace, and converted, they come out of a country, this world, which is a land of sin and iniquity, of great folly and ignorance, of darkness, and of the shadow of death; a desert, a mere wilderness; a country where Satan reigns, full of wicked and ungodly men; and which is the land of their nativity, as to their first birth: and they may be said to come out of it, not in a natural and civil sense, but in a spiritual one; and it is the character of a converted man, or one that is come out of the world, and is separated from it, to be unmindful of it; not so as not to consider from whence he came out, as owing to rich grace; nor so as not to lament the iniquities of it; nor so as not to pray for the conversion of the inhabitants of it; but he is unmindful of it, so as to be desirous of the company of the men of it, or to have the affections set upon it, and the heart tickled with the pleasures of it, or so as to desire to return to it, for which there is a great deal of reason: for this country is not worth minding; and there is much in it to set a gracious mind against it; a good man has better things to mind; and it is below, and unworthy of a Christian, to mind the world; and besides, worldly mindedness is attended with bad consequences. Moreover, though the saints have opportunities of returning, yet they do not; they are near it, and the country they are seeking is afar off: many things in it are alluring and ensnaring; a corrupt and deceitful heart often lingers after them, and Satan is not wanting to tempt unto, and by them. And yet they do not return; some that bear the name of Christians, but are not truly such, may wholly return, and never come back more; and true believers may strangely go back again in some instances; but they shall not return finally and totally: for they are held and drawn with the cords of love; they are in the hands of Christ, and are secured in the covenant of grace; they are returned to Christ, in the effectual calling, who will keep them; they are of the household of God, and shall be no more foreigners; should they return in such sense, they would be condemned with the world, which cannot be.
~John Gill on Hebrews 11:15

Sunday's Hymn: Amazing Grace

Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found—
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

And when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

John Newton, 1779
Tune: Amazing Grace,
Traditional American melody, Arr. by Edwin O. Excell, 1851-1921

Thankful Thursday

Our bedroom in the cottage is upstairs and our central air isn't really effective up there so we have a portable air conditioner to cool things a little further. A couple of weeks ago, that portable air conditioning unit began to make some noise and, as time went on, it became a bit more disconcerting. Earlier this week, Andy took the thing apart and determined that the bearings needed to be replaced which he did. Now I'm thanking God for not only a cool room to sleep in but a quiet one as well. And of course, my very handy husband.

What a you thanking Him for today? Each Thursday of 2010, I am joining Kim of The Upward Call and several others in praising Him for His goodness to us. Won't you join us?

Sunday's Hymn: I Lay My Sins on Jesus

I lay my sins on Jesus,
The spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all, and frees us
From the accursed load:
I bring my guilt to Jesus,
To wash my crimson stains
White in his blood most precious,
Till not a spot remains.

I lay my wants on Jesus;
All fullness dwells in him;
He heals all my diseases,
He doth my soul redeem:
I lay my griefs on Jesus,
My burdens and my cares;
He from them all releases,
He all my sorrows shares.

I rest my soul on Jesus,
This weary soul of mine;
His right hand me embraces,
I on his breast recline.
I love the Name of Jesus,
Immanuel, Christ, the Lord;
Like fragrance on the breezes
His Name abroad is poured.

I long to be like Jesus,
Meek, loving, lowly, mild;
I long to be like Jesus,
The Father's holy Child;
I long to be with Jesus
Amid the heav'nly throng,
To sing with saints his praises,
To learn the angels' song.

Horatius Bonar, 1848
Tune: Miriam, Joseph P. Holbrook, 1865

Thankful Thursday

I'm thanking God for my dear husband, Andy, today. Its his birthday so it seems an appropriate time to thank God for the good gift He's given me in my loving husband. Here's a snap of him holding his personal record small mouth bass, caught on this year's vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

I'm joining with Kim of The Upward Call and other friends in posting my thankful thoughts each Thursday of 2010. Won't you join us?

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
6 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup blueberries

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.

In another bowl, mix together white flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

Pour the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and stir until the two mixtures are just incorporated.

Stir in blueberries. Or do as I do and just sprinkle some blueberries onto each pancake as you cook them.

Heat griddle to medium hot and melt some butter on it or pour a little oil on it. Spoon batter on griddle to make 4-6 inch pancakes. (Here's where I sprinkle on the blueberries.) Flip the pancakes once bubbles form on them and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve with butter and real maple syrup and some bacon on the side. Mmmm....yummy! This recipe serves about four people.

Sunday's Hymn: Come, Ye Souls by Sin Afflicted

Come, ye souls by sin afflicted,
Bowed with fruitless sorrow down;
By the broken law convicted,
Through the cross behold the crown;
Look to Jesus;
Mercy flows through him alone.

Take his easy yoke and wear it;
Love will make obedience sweet;
Christ will give you strength to bear it,
While his wisdom guides your feet
Safe to glory,
Where his ransomed captives meet.

Blessed are the eyes that see him,
Blest the ears that hear his voice;
Blessed are the souls that trust him,
And in him alone rejoice:
His commandments
Then become their happy choice.

Sweet as home to pilgrim's weary,
Light to newly opened eyes,
Or full springs in deserts dreary,
Is the rest the cross supplies:
All who taste it
Shall to rest immortal rise.

Joseph Swain, 1792
Tune: St. Austin, Arr. from a Gregorian chant for the Bristol Tune Book, 1876

Thankful Thursday

I've been working on my study of Hebrews this afternoon. The passage for examination next Monday is Hebrews 11:11-12:

¹¹By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. ¹²And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

I've been dipping into the related Genesis passages (primarily Gen. 17:17-19 and Gen. 18:10-14 but several others as well) but I've also spent quite a bit of time in Romans 4. These are the verses in Romans 4 that are spurring my thankful thoughts this afternoon:

²³The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, ²⁴but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

I am so very thankful for that gift of belief, freely given to me by our gracious God through no merit of my own, that leads to my righteous justification before Him! In fact, I'm awestruck by it!

Kim of The Upward Call and several others (including me) are praising God with our thoughts of thanksgiving each Thursday of 2010. Won't you join us?

I Write Like...Who?

I saw this at Kim from Hiraeth's who saw it at Rebecca's.

I write like
Stephen King

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

I'm not sure if I should consider this a compliment or not.

Sunday's Hymn: Jehovah's Perfect Law

Jehovah's perfect law
Restores the soul again;
His testimony sure
Gives wisdom unto men;
The precepts of the Lord are right,
And fill the heart with great delight.

The Lord's commands are pure,
They light and joy restore;
Jehovah's fear is clean,
Enduring evermore;
His statutes, let the world confess,
Are wholly truth and righteousness.

They are to be desired
Above the finest gold;
Than honey from the comb
More sweetness far they hold;
With warnings they thy servant guard,
In keeping them is great reward.

His errors who can know?
Cleanse me from hidden stain;
Keep me from wilful sins,
Nor let them o'er me reign;
And then I upright shall appear
And be from great transgressions clear.

When thou dost search my life,
May all my thoughts within
And all the words I speak
Thy full approval win.
O Lord, thou art a Rock to me,
And my Redeemer thou shalt be.

From Psalm 19:7-14
The Psalter, 1912
Tune: Haddam, Arr. by Lowell Mason, 1822

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that I can take 40 minute walks every morning and not experience pain. Last week I would have said that the bursitis that plagued my left hip over the last year was gone, in fact. Then I mowed the lawn on Friday for about an hour. (Emily took it over for the second half of the lawn...I'm thankful for her help too!) But I paid for my part of the mowing over the weekend. Still, my hip is so much better and I can do so many things that I couldn't do just a few months ago. And its already recovering from the lawn episode! Thank you, God!

Each Thursday of 2010, I joining with Kim of The Upward Call and many others in praising God for the good gifts that He gives us. Won't you share yours?

A Fourth of July Visitor

We had an uninvited guest last evening. I was emptying the dishwasher about 8:30 PM and thinking about heading to bed pretty soon afterwards. As I straightened up to put some dishes in the cabinet, I caught a glimpse of something black out of the corner of my eye. It was about eye-level and at first I thought it was a bird and then quickly thought it looked more like a butterfly. But all black?

By now you may have guessed what it really was...a bat! It settled gently to the kitchen floor a few feet from me and I yelled to Andy who was in the basement. He came up and saw it before returning to the basement for a container to throw over it. I headed down the hall to Emily's room and closed the door. I wish I had just tossed a dish towel over the thing before that though, because when Andy came back up the bat was gone. Well, not really gone. Just not on the kitchen floor any more. So he went back downstairs to look up on his computer how to find a bat in your house. Emily did the same thing in her room. Then the two of them went bat-hunting while Charlie and I hunkered down in Emily's room and read a bit.

With flashlights in hand and a container to throw over it (as well as a fishing net in case it flew), they started searching. Emily found it under the valance over the doors to the screen porch chittering away. The two of them moved in and captured it, took it outdoors and set it on the ground. It flew away, hopefully to eat some more mosquitoes. Case closed and we all went to bed in peace...Crystal Lake's Fourth of July fireworks are scheduled for tonight.

Sunday's Hymn: Jesus, Master, Whose I Am

Jesus, Master, whose I am,
Purchased thine alone to be
By thy blood, O spotless Lamb,
Shed so willingly for me,
Let my heart be all thine own,
Let me live to thee alone.

Jesus, Master, I am thine:
Keep me faithful, keep me near;
Let thy presence in me shine
All my homeward way to cheer.
Jesus, at thy feet I fall,
O be thou my all in all.

Jesus, Master, whom I serve,
Though so feebly and so ill,
Strengthen hand and heart and nerve
All thy bidding to fulfil.
Open thou mine eyes to see
All the work thou hast for me.

Lord, thou needest not, I know,
Service such as I can bring;
Yet I long to prove and show
Full allegiance to my King.
Thou an honor art to me:
Let me be a praise to thee.

Frances R. Havergal, 1865
Tune: Wells, Adapted from Dimitri Bortnianski, 1752-1825

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for cooler temperatures and low humidity this week! We had a run of very hot and humid weather the previous couple of weeks so this is welcome relief and I'm praising God for it!

What are you praising Him for this week? Each Thursday of 2010, I'm joining Kim of The Upward Call and several others in sharing thanksgiving to our good God. Please join us.

P.S. Happy Canada Day, Kim and Rebecca!

A Biography of Louisa May Alcott

Little Women has been one of my all-time favorite books ever since I first read it at about age 12 but I'd never read a biography of Louisa May Alcott until now. I knew that Little Women was loosely based on Alcott's own family and that she had never married. Particularly because of the way Pilgrim's Progress is interwoven in the story, I'd always imagined Louisa May Alcott as a sweet Christian spinster.

Harriet Reisen is the author of Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women. Her well researched, well-written biography reveals a very different image from the one I've held all these years. Louisa May was the second daughter of Bronson Alcott, a prominent member of the circle of Transcendentalists of New England in the nineteenth century that also included Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. She was very much affected by the thinking of these men which seems to be much the same as that which is now referred to as New Age. Louisa May in fact referred to herself as a Bhuddist and espoused a belief in reincarnation.

Bronson Alcott never successfully supported his family and this also affected Louisa greatly. She was a determined and spirited child and made up her mind early that she would support the family as soon as possible. She became wealthy through the writing of Little Women and her other children's fiction but she wrote in that genre for the money and not for the love of it. Indeed, she was quite cranky and impatient with the young girls who comprised the Little Women Clubs that sprang up after the publication of her most famous novel. Her true writing passion was in pulp fiction which she wrote under the pseudonym A. M. Barnard.

Never really healthy in her adult life, it is postulated that Louisa May Alcott suffered from Lupus as well as manic-depressive illness. Perhaps this accounts for her bad temper as well as her addiction to opiates which was apparently not uncommon among women of the time.

Despite the fact that Harriet Reissen effectively destroyed my fond and long-held image of the author of Little Women, I am glad that I read Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women. But before you read it, do be warned that your mental picture of this classic author may never be the same.

The Beauty of God's Creation in Northern Wisconsin

Lupines

Ruffed Grouse



Loon

Sunset on Lake Bastine

Sunday's Hymn: How Vast the Benefits Divine

How vast the benefits divine
Which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from guilt and shame
And called to holiness.
But not for works which we have done,
Or shall hereafter do,
Hath God decreed on sinful men
Salvation to bestow.

The glory, Lord, from first to last,
Is due to thee alone;
Aught to ourselves we dare not take,
Or rob thee of thy crown.
Our glorious Surety undertook
To satisfy for man,
And grace was given us in him
Before the world began.

This is thy will, that in thy love
We ever should abide;
That earth and hell should not prevail
To turn thy Word aside.
Not one of all the chosen race
But shall to heav'n attain,
Partake on earth the purposed grace
And then with Jesus reign.

Augustus M. Toplady, 1774
Tune: St. Matthew, William Croft, 1678-1727

Thankful Thursday

I haven't posted much about our vacation (an omission I intend to correct) but one incident was something we would have preferred to avoid. Charlie got hurt. He jumped off the bed and hurt his rear right leg. Charlie sleeps with us at home too and sometimes he needs to go out in the middle of the night (he is an old guy, remember). At home, he wakes us up by scratching at us, waiting patiently on the bed until one of us responds. Perhaps he was confused in unfamiliar circumstances but he jumped rather than waiting. The result was he was unable to put any weight on the leg. So on our second day of vacation, we visited a local vet who X-rayed the leg and determined that nothing was broken or dislocated. Charlie had torn or strained the equivalent of a human ACL. If it was indeed torn, she told us, he would be unable to bear weight on the leg for a month and it would take two more for it to heal. No surgery for dogs under 30 pounds...or dogs of 14 and a half years.

Well, he began to bear some weight on it in a few days. Its now four weeks since the injury and Charlie is walking, albeit with a little limp, and this week he began bearing enough weight on the leg to lift the other one as boys do. Praise God for His healing of my little pet! I thank Him for His care for Charlie and His care for me in my love for Charlie!

Each Thursday of 2010, I am thanking God for His goodness to me together with Kim of The Upward Call and several others. Won't you join us?

Sunday's Hymn: Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All

Before thee, God, who knowest all,
With grief and shame I prostrate fall.
I see my sins against thee, Lord,
The sins of thought, of deed, and word.
They press me sore: I cry to thee:
O God, be merciful to me!

O Lord, my God, to thee I pray:
O cast me not in wrath away!
Let thy good Spirit ne'er depart,
But let him draw to thee my heart
That truly penitent I be:
O God, be merciful to me!

O Jesus, let thy precious blood
Be to my soul a cleansing flood.
Turn not, O Lord, thy guest away,
But grant that justified I may
Go to my house at peace with thee:
O God, be merciful to me!

Magnus B. Landstad, 1861
Tr. by Carl Doving, 1909
Tune: The Lord's Prayer (Vater Unser), Schumann's Gesangbuch, 1539

Thankful Thursday

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.~Phil. 4:8

I am thankful for a dear and faithful sister in Christ who points me in that direction and reminds me of the sovereignty of God when I am feeling discouraged and overwhelmed.

What are you thankful for today? Please join with Kim of the Upward Call and many others who are sharing in the thanksgiving to our good God each Thursday of 2010.

Sunday's Hymn: By Grace I'm Saved

By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Hath Scripture ever falsehood taught?
Nay; then this word must true remain:
By grace thou, too, shalt heav'n obtain.

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
Our works and conduct have no worth.
God in his love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
His death did for our sins atone,
And we are saved by grace alone.

By grace! O, mark this word of promise
When thou art by thy sins oppressed,
When Satan plagues thy troubled conscience,
And when thy heart is seeking rest.
What reason cannot comprehend
God by his grace to thee doth send.

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
So long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in his Word our God commands,
What our whole faith must rest upon,
Is grace alone, grace in his Son.

Christian L. Scheidt, 1742
Tune: Aus Gnaden Soll Ich Selig Werden, Justin H. Knecht, 1796

Thankful Thursday

We returned this past Saturday evening from our two weeks in Northern Wisconsin. It was a wonderful time of rest and relaxation. Decisions consisted of shall we go fishing or just relax by the cabin? What game shall we play tonight? Should I read or crochet? You get the idea. It was just wonderful! And I am so thankful that God's provision for us included this special time together!

We came home to all kinds of catching up at the home front. Some things we expected, others we didn't and they are still not fully dealt with. But I am also thankful to God for His provision of this home to come to, this life that He has given us, and the strength to deal with the issues that awaited us, fully aware that that strength comes from Him.

Each Thursday of this year, I am joining with Kim of The Upward Call and others in praising God for the good gifts He gives us. What has He given you this week? Please share in the thanksgiving.

Sunday's Hymn: Thou Art the Way

Thou art the Way: to thee alone
From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Father seek
Must seek him, Lord, by thee.

Thou art the Truth: thy Word alone
True wisdom can impart;
Thou only canst inform the mind,
And purify the heart.

Thou art the Life: the rending tomb
Proclaims thy conquering arm,
And those who put their trust in thee
Nor death nor hell shall harm.

Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:
Grant us that Way to know,
That Truth to keep, that Life to win,
Whose joys eternal flow.

George W. Doane, 1824
Tune: Arlington, Arr. by Ralph Harrison, 1784
from Thomas A. Arne, 1762

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.