Sunday's Hymn: Joy to the World!

Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

Isaac Watts, 1719
Tune: Antioch C.M., Lowell Mason, 1836
Based on George Frederick Handel, 1742

Its the day after Christmas...

...and its been snowing pretty much all day here in Chicagoland! This is the view out the front door of the cottage now as Andy works on snow removal.



The light on the other side of the house outside the screen porch doesn't have quite as much evening to it but I love how that little tree looks draped in snow.



How's the weather in your part of the world this 26th of December?

Merry Christmas!

May the light of Christ our Saviour shine brightly in your life this Christmas Day.

Seven Vegetable Soup

We enjoyed a lovely dinner with a dear friend and her husband Saturday evening and on the menu was this delicious vegetable soup, a new recipe for me, one shared by our daughter, Emily. Its so much fun sharing recipes and cooking ideas with her...especially when they turn out this good!

1 quart chicken stock
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups 1/2 inch potato cubes
2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 package frozen creamed spinach (10 oz.), thawed
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

This is a slow cooker recipe and the directions say to combine all ingredients except the spinach and cheese in the slow cooker, cover and cook for 8-10 hours on low until the potatoes and carrots are tender. My slow cooker never really got the potatoes and carrots tender, not even on high. So I ended up transferring the soup to a stock pot to cook on the stove. Either way, once those potatoes and carrots are tender, increase the heat to high and stir in the thawed creamed spinach. Cook another 6-10 minutes until the soup is slightly thickened. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Sunday's Hymn: Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today;
Earth and heav'n before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath op'ed the heavenly door,
And man is blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!

Medieval Latin
Translated by John Mason Neale, 1853
Tune: In Duldi Jubilo, 14th century melody, har. by W.D., 1918

15 Words or Less Poem

Chocolate soldiers march in perfect rows
Except me
Third row, fourth back
Always slightly askew.

More poems at Laura Purdie Salas's site.

Sunday's Hymn: Lift Up Your Heads,Ye Mighty Gates

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits;
The King of kings is drawing near,
The Saviour of the world is here.
Life and salvation he doth bring,
Wherefore rejoice and gladly sing:
We praise thee, Father, now,
Creator, wise art thou!

A Helper just he comes to thee,
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe he brings;
Wherefore the earth is glad and sings:
We praise thee, Saviour, now,
Mighty in deed art thou!

O blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the Ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy he is,
Who bringeth pure delight and bliss.
We praise thee, Spirit, now,
Our Comforter art thou!

Georg Weissel, 1642
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1855
Tune: Macht Hoch Die Tur, Johann A. Freylinghausen, 1704

Morning After

I love the way my part of the world looks the morning after a snowstorm! And the best view in the morning is from our upstairs bathroom window. Its something about the way the sun strikes the snow-covered branches and the play of light and shadow it creates. The beauty outside that window makes up for the shock of looking at the outdoor thermometer on the dresser and seeing that its -1.3 degrees F. out there! And windy!

Snow!

Our first serious snow storm of the season hit yesterday and continued overnight. More snow is expected today but there was a lull when I took Charlie out early this morning.

Sunday's Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.

O come, thou Dayspring from on high
And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

O come, thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Latin antiphone, 12th century, Latin hymn, 1710
Translated by John Mason Neale, 1851
Tune: Veni Emmanuel, Ancient plain song, 13th century
Adapted by Thomas Helmore, 1856

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Thirty-Part 2

I am thankful for Rebecca and for her invitation to join in the festival of thanksgiving each day of this month. I made the easy decision to participate. I've participated before and am never at a loss of things to thank God for! But I confess that I never would have posted what I have regarding my recent thyroid cancer episode had I not made that commitment. I would have considered it too personal and you just would not have heard from me while I went through it.

However, God had other plans, plans that I am so thankful for! Sharing the ways He has blessed me throughout this time has multiplied the blessings for me! And, I hope, the glory for Him!

And the response of God's people! Your comments and assurances of prayer as well as the responses and prayers of my real life friends and family, that love and caring, have given me such a depth of understanding of the church universal, far beyond my own loving church family.

What would have been a lonely, albeit blessed, month has turned into a month of wonder and praise far beyond what I could have imagined. I humbly and sincerely thank my God.

I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.~Psalm 69:30

Now please go share your last minute thanks too. There is so much more blessing in shared thanksgiving! Here's the link to Rebecca Writes.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day Thirty-Part 1

This morning as I stood packing Andy's lunch for work I couldn't help thinking of how thankful I am for my ordinary life. This day ahead of me could have looked very different. I could have been fasting in preparation for my radioactive iodine treatment. I would not have been packing my husband's lunch because he would have been getting ready to take me to Nuclear Medicine at the hospital. My good friends, Kim and Carol, would have been preparing food to bring to my family for the next few days since I would have been unsafe to handle food for others. I would have prepared the sofa sleeper since I would have been unsafe to sleep with my husband...and Charlie. And Charlie! As Kim mentioned yesterday at church, Charlie would have been in for a rough week! Andy will tell you that he's a mama's boy and anybody who knows us very well knows that to be very true. In fact, he's pretty much glued to me as much as possible. And I would have had to stay separate from him for his own safety. That would have broken his heart...and mine!

But God in His mercy intervened for all of us.

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

Now, that would have been just as true had I been on my way for the Iodine-131 treatment...but I am so thankful to Him that I'm not.

Share your thanksgiving and bless us all at Rebecca Writes. Today is the last day! But I'm cheating and posting one more this afternoon. I don't think Rebecca will mind!

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Nine

Yesterday was a lovely warmish day here at the cottage and Andy graciously blew and raked the few leaves that had accumulated on the lawn since the major leaf raking project up around the roses to finish tucking them in for the winter. He also got out the snow shovels and moved the snow blower into position for whatever comes our way. As we left for church this morning, there was a cold, damp rain falling but those roses looked so cozy in their leaf cocoons and it was a good feeling to know that we are as ready as they are for the impending winter. And I look forward to winter! I like that feeling of coziness, that feeling of rest that comes in knowing that I can't really do much in the way of work outside (except snow removal, of course). All I can do is enjoy the beauty of it. As I will enjoy the spring when it comes. And summer and fall. So today I am thanking God for the seasonal changes He gives us in this part of the country. I love them all, each in their own way!

Only today and tomorrow are left to share your thankful thoughts at Rebecca's. Please join in.

Sunday's Hymn: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear Desire of ev'ry nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child, and yet a King,
Born to reign in us for ever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Charles Wesley, 1744
Tune: Hyfrydol, Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1855

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Eight

This morning I woke up and took my synthroid at 5 AM thinking how very grateful I am for that little purple pill! And the blood work I've had over the past few weeks as well as the total body thyroid scan! And the access I have to a very competent endocrinologist! It wasn't always that way for people in my medical circumstances and it still isn't for some in other parts of the world...or even this country! Many people with similar problems have just suffered not feeling very well for much of their lives and died much younger than they would have had they had the blessings that I do. God forbid that I should take those medical blessings for granted!

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.~Psalm 2:12b

We're getting close to the end of November but not nearly close to the end of the blessings of the Lord on His people! Please share yours over at Rebecca Writes.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Seven

Wow!!! Do I have some words of praise and thanksgiving to share with you all today! Upon returning home from a low iodine grocery shopping trip with Emily, there was a message on the answering machine to call my doctor. He says that my total body thyroid scan shows only minimal regrowth of thyroid tissue and my thyroglobulin panel (the tumor marker blood test) that I had repeated on Monday is perfect and within the normal range!! An iodine 131 treatment is not recommended at this time!!! I am still absorbing the news! God is so gracious!! Can you believe it!

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
~Psalm 60:12

So I can eat all the iodine I want and start taking my synthroid again today. It will take some time to get back to normal thyroid function levels but I'm on my way. Thank you, God, for the gracious victory over this enemy.

What cause for thanksgiving has God given you today? Please share over at Rebecca's.

A Hymn of Thanksgiving

We plough the fields, and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heav'n above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all his love.

He only is the Maker
Of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey him,
By him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, his children,
He gives our daily bread.

We thank thee, then, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food:
No gifts have we to offer
For all thy love imparts,
But that which thou desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts.

Matthias Claudius, 1782
Translated by Jane M. Campbell, 1861
Tune: Wir Pflugen, Johann A. P. Schulz, 1800

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Six

Its Thanksgiving Day! My very favorite holiday of the year! I awoke early to see a light, lovely snow covering everything, the first snow of the season, and felt a surge of appreciation for its beauty and the fact that it came today!

In many ways, its not a typical Thanksgiving at the cottage this year. I'm not up to fixing the usual Thanksgiving feast and couldn't eat most of the traditional foods on my low iodine diet anyway. Not all of the Thanksgiving decorations ever made it out. And I'll be taking my naps to make it through the day.

But some things are the same. Its been a long time since we lived close to extended family so its customary for Andy and Emily and me (and of course, Charlie) to be together. Sometimes we've enjoyed the festivities with others but the three of us is a constant. The other constant is the turning of our thoughts to God in thanksgiving for His more than abundant provisions for us the past year...and always.

From the fullness of His grace we have received one blessing after another.~John 1:16

This day my particular thanksgiving to God is for that blessing of togetherness that the four of us share in our warm little cottage on a damp and cold Thanksgiving as the early snow melts and we play a game or two anticipating our very untraditional meal of pork roast and potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Now let's all share in the rejoicing at Rebecca Writes!

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Five

I'm feeling the most hypothyroid I've felt this day. Just totally wiped out! So I'm very thankful that I didn't have to go out anywhere. In fact, I allowed myself the luxury of not even getting dressed. I'm still hanging out in my pj's, intermittently napping, thankful too that Emily fixed dinner, and resting in this promise:

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.~Isaiah 26:3

My mind has been rather scattered lately but it is steadfast enough to know where to place my trust! And that's another reason to give thanks.

How about you? Please share your reasons to give thanks over at Rebecca Writes.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-Four

What a difference a day can make! Yesterday, I was uncertain and upset about how things were unfolding regarding the scan for my thyroid cancer. I went to bed just trusting in God's sovereignty and His power in my weakness. This morning, I had the scan and God met me in my need in a powerful way! First, I had the kindest, most caring technician attend to me at the Nuclear Medicine lab. She positioned me on a warm blanket on the bed of the scan machine, wrapping me in it as she brought it together in front of me, fastening it to keep my arms close to my sides. The image of being wrapped in God's Everlasting Arms sprung to my mind! Then she told me to call her if I became uncomfortable, that she would rather have to restart the scan than have me lay there, still but in discomfort, for the next hour. And so the the scan began and I started praying, thanking God for His sovereign, enveloping arms and His strength and power in my weakness. I thanked Him for His provision of that compassionate young technician. Then I thanked Him for my family and my dear church family and many other brothers and sisters in Christ that I knew were praying for me. I thanked Him for each one of you, my dear bloggy sisters, in the overwhelming knowledge that I had people all across this country and even a couple in Canada praying for me! Peace and comfort descended upon me! I am so richly blessed! What had been an ordeal turned into a precious time of intimate fellowship with my God through the Holy Spirit. I am humbled with the wonder of it and so very, very thankful tonight.

The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.~Phil. 4:5b-7

Please share in the thanksgiving at Rebecca Writes. Its a blessing to us all!