Can It Be?

I love sacred music. What I mean is the old hymns, not CCM. The old hymns have substance to them that other music lacks. The are filled with the beautiful language of the Bible, and it's precepts. Sacred hymns are like a meat and potatoes experience in music. If you feel moved from an old hymn, it is because you are actually paying attention to the words and meaning and getting solid truths. More contemporary music plays more on one's emotions. This can be found in the beat, or how the chords are used to make a more emotional experience, based on feelings. The words are watered down phrases from Christianity, or chants repeated over and over. It is basically just so much "fluff". I'm a meat and potatoes type of gal, so I'll pass over the CCM, and sink my heart and soul into some good godly music.

The Days of Praise has little devotionals on sacred music from time to time. For the last couple of days it has been focusing on "And Can It Be?"

"Christ also suffered for us... Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:21-24)

Those who love good church music have come to love Charles Wesly's commitment to and knowledge of his Savior and the Scriptures, for he wove into his music and poetry deep insights which challenge and thrill us even today. One of his hymns, "And Can It Be That I Should Gain?", has unfortunately been abridged in modern hymnals. The original five verses are expressed:

And can it be that I should gain,
An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him, to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That thou, my God, should'st die for me?

Even the Old Testament saints wondered why God loves man so. "What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?" (Job 7:17). The New Testament contains many similar expressions of wonder. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,... And not only so, but we also joy in the God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received in the atonement" (Romans 5:8-11).

The point is we were desperate sinners deserving His wrath. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love (i.e. 'amazing love) wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" (Ephesians 2:4-5)

(Note: The above quotes were taken from Days of Praise, written by John D. Morris, Ph.D.)

To Be Continued.....

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 3rd...

Outside my window...The early morning fog is giving way to some bright sunshine!

I am thinking... "One week until we start school!"

I am thankful for... A good week last week with VBS.

From the learning rooms... Starting the organizing process of rotating the old books out and the new books in, and trying to figure out where we will be putting that extra computer we need this year.

From the kitchen... Nothing yet, but we will be making bread in a bit.

I am wearing... my Motherwear blue flowered nursing dress.

I am creating... the menu for th week, the shopping list, and a to-do list. Mondays are my orginizational day.

I am going... Outside to enjoy the weather while hanging laundry and working in the garden.

I am reading... The book of Daniel, and listening to "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" on CD. I'm wondering what to read next. I am fresh out of new books!

I am hoping... That we will get the little boys moved into their new room by Wednesday, and Benjamins new room arranged by this weekend.

I am hearing... the happy hum of the washer, and a couple of littles finishing their breakfast and chatting.

Around the house... General picking up, a boatload of laundry, and working on Jerusha's quilt this evening.

One of my favorite things...being up early, before the kids, reading my Bible in the early morning quiet with a steaming cup of coffee.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Get stuff organized for school, start walking in the evenings again, preparing for a visit from Memere this weekend, and working on Jerusha's quilt.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



Interested in the Daybook? Go to the Simple Woman's blog.

Five Commands

The following is taken from "Days of Praise", and written by John D. Morris, PhD.

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13)

In our text and the succeeding two verses, five commands are given to the believer striving to live a godly life. Let us look briefly at each one:

Gird up the loins of your mind: Using the long, flowing robes worn by most in Greek societies as a word picture, Peter commands us to gird up our minds, just as such a robe needed to be gathered up in preparation for strenuous activity. We need to discipline our minds for action.

Be sober:A drunken person has a disoriented mind, lacks self-control, and is not alert to his surroundings. We are commanded to maintain a calm and thoughtful state of mind, i n full control of all our actions.

Hope to the end, or "patiently fix your hope": We must recognize that He is in control and patiently wait for Him. The focus of our expectation is His grace, which we presently experience, but which will be fully granted us at His return.

Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance (v. 14): This phrase is translated "be not conformed" in Romans 12:2 and commands us not to adopt the world's lifestyle and thought patterns, especially our "former lusts", which enslaved us before our conversion.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy (v. 15): God is first and foremost a holy God, and we are called to "fashion" ourselves after Him. Complete holiness is out of our reach this side of glory, but it should be our goal.

All five are commands indeed, but commands three and five are in an emphatic position in the Greek, and these two hold the key to success in the others. Only by patiently fixing our hope on Him and His grace can we successfully strive for His holiness.

(I hope this was a blessing to you today! Remember to spend time with the Lord everyday!)

A Fun Visit

Last weekend we were very happy to have Grandma and Grandpa visiting with us. As usual the time went by WAY too fast! It was extra special as this was the first time they had seen Isaac in person!

Grandma and Isaac getting acquainted with each other.



After all the usual high compliments about our newest addition, the older kids trapped them in some games. The question is, how many guys does it take to strategize the next move in checkers against the girls?



I think here Grandma was actually playing Chess with Benjamin, but also helping the girls with checkers. And she was also admiring that creation in Lego's next to her that Caleb made. A very talented woman, to say the least!




I love this.. the 4 year old versus Grandma in checkers. From what I understood, the rules were made up and changed arbitrarily by Jerusha, who was declared the winner by Grandma.



Grandpa showed the kids a new way to move the benches when sweeping up the kitchen. Honestly, I didn't even know they could do that! Very clever, Grandpa!



While we were sitting around chatting one morning I put together the new bouncy seat we got for Isaac. He has pretty much outgrown the swing, so now this little play seat will take its place.
Do you think he likes it?



I was lame and forgot the camera on several outings: Pool fun,went out for ice cream and I got to stop at Pucky Huddles, a wonderful quilting shop that just happened to be having a sale, lunch at Friendly's, a stop and Barnes and Noble, and a few excellent games of Scrabble with Grandma after the kiddoes were in bed. It was very busy weekend, and very enjoyable.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today... July 27th

Outside my window... everything is dripping from a good storm we had overnight, but the air is already starting to feel heavy and muggy again.

I am thinking... after VBS this week I need to get things organized for formally starting school, but I also NEED to slow our schedule down a bit.

From the learning rooms... We have been gathering what we need for the upcoming term. I am waiting on a shipment of books from Rod and Staff. I am very energized to get things organized and ready to roll!

I am thankful for... Summer, and that it has been such an easy summer, though very busy.

From the kitchen... We have been enjoying strawberries and peas, and hopefully some beans soon from the garden.

I am wearing... A blue, flowered, knit nursing dress.

I am reading... Ezekiel, and "Next" by Micheal Crichton.

I am hoping...to finish an apron today, and tie up some lose ends before VBS starts tonight.

I am creating... or will be rather, creating a quilt for my 4 yo dd after I am done with the above mentioned apron that is WAY overdue!

I am praying... For a peaceful day, and wisdom in trying to slow down our schedule a bit.

Around the house... we need to finish renovating the new little boys' room, and get my oldest moved into his "new" room.

One of my favorite things... Cool summer nights with the fan on in the window.

A few plans for the rest of the week... VBS!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Another great Give-Away!

Jude 1:22 is having another fantastic give away. Go and enter! You won't be sorry. She is an excellent seamstress.

Jehovah Jireh!

This morning I was up early picking peas. We have even more that weren't ready yet, but probably will be in a few days. I love fresh peas! We don't do enough in the garden to put much, if any, up for later use, but we love to eat them right away. I enlisted all my good helpers!



While we were diligently shelling I had in a book on CD called : "Sand Dune Pony" written by Troy Nesbit and read by Ted Barker. It is an excellent book, and makes the task of shelling much more pleasurable.



The really awesome part of the day was after we had finished the peas. A friend I have who runs a food pantry had a contact for hundreds of pounds of strawberries. They were available in only 30 lb. containers. I ordered 4. Yup, that is 120 lbs of strawberries I was looking at this afternoon to wash, hull, and put up. I didn't know what condition the strawberries were in. Were they good enough to eat fresh? Or were they "jam berries"?

Well, she got here around 2:30, and I opened one of the boxes... they were already washed, hulled and individually frozen! All we had to do was bag them up!



Okay, I admit we saved out a couple of gallons for immediate use for smoothies or just munching on. Here is a sample of those big, beautiful berries that were dropped right in our laps!



Here is what 120 lbs. of strawberries looks like bagged in gallon sized freezer bags... minus a few for "testing" and the couple of gallons saved for immediate use.



By the way, we were done with the berries in about 45 minutes. Amazing! I was so surprised and relieved not to have to be up half the night doing strawberries, though I was fully prepared to do it.

Now I have time to work on a certain apron for a certain apron exchange I am late in getting finished!