Thankful for the Homeland

A few days before the 250th celebration of America's Independence Day, I joined in with friends in the singing of patriotic songs.  My heart filled with gratitude as we sang America the Beautiful, My Country Tis of Thee,  The Star-Spangled Banner, and others. 

As we sang This Land is Your Land, my mind flashed back to the days when my third grade students and I sang those lyrics. At that time, in the late 60s and early 70s, I had never seen -- and neither had they -- the places mentioned in the song. But since then, I have been blessed to see many of them, including the Redwood Forest, the Gulf Stream waters, the golden valleys (in California and in Yellowstone National Park), and ribbons of highway visible for miles in places like Montana.

Since singing those songs and re-living memories, I've often had thoughts like these: Thank You, God, for choosing America as a homeland for me. It is, indeed, a wonderful one. Not a perfect one, but definitely a wonderful land filled with breathtaking beauty and unparalleled freedom.

Sing On!

When I colored the 4" x 6" card that's pictured here, the words Oh, sing to the Lord reminded me of my sweet Mama. From childhood on, I remember that many times throughout the day Mama either sang softly or hummed her favorite Gospel songs as she did household chores, crocheted, or quilted. 

Even as Alzheimer's eroded her memory, she still hummed many of her favorite hymns. Their words encouraged her. They enabled her to worship and praise God. They reminded her of eternal truths, of God's precious promises, of the assurance of His love, of His presence with her...

Mama did what Priscilla J. Owens (born in 1829) says to do:

Sing it softly through the gloom,

When the heart for mercy craves;

Sing in triumph o'er the tomb;

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

I want to do likewise. Do you?

Greatly Loved

Ever since I first heard Fernando Ortega sing How Deep the Father's Love, the words and the worshipful way he sings them have touched my heart. I listen to it often via YouTube. In fact, I recently learned how to set it on autoplay/loop so that I can hear it again and again as I go about my daily duties. 

As I listen, I sing along, for the words express more beautifully than I ever could the thoughts and feelings in my heart. For that reason, I have added that song to the list of the ones I want to be sung during my funeral service. The messages in all the songs I have chosen are, in effect, my "final words" to family and friends who attend. 

I hope the words in How Deep the Father's Love resonate with you, as well. I'm sharing the link to it now because I want you to be blessed by it and because I consider it especially timely as Christians around the world are reflecting on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. We're remembering--and giving thanks for--the indescribable gift of salvation Jesus gave us. Because He shed His blood on Calvary's cross on our behalf, we are forgiven of all our sins. Because He lives, we who believe in Him will also live with Him eternally. Because He deeply loves us, we deeply love Him in return--and yearn all the more for our lives to be characterized by love, just as His was.

Click here to listen: https://youtu.be/jKdbN3GiL4E

A Precious Treasure

Sometimes old hymns I haven’t sung (or even thought about) for years pop into my mind. For example, one morning after I'd thanked God for the Bible, some of the words to Holy Bible, Book Divine drifted into my thoughts. I remembered all of the first verse (see caption beneath the photo on the left) but could only recall phrases from the other three.

After locating the entire song on the Internet and reflecting on the blessings the song says the Bible provides (comfort in distress, assurances of joys to come, guidance, etc.), I recalled these words Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16, Amplified Bible:

All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately--behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All that "remembering" reminded me anew that the Bible is indeed a precious treasure, one that contains a wealth of knowledge waiting to be "mined" by you and me as we study it and apply it to our lives.

It's Time for the Dimness to Go!

If I love the lyrics found in a song but don't know how to sing it, I read the words as if they were a poem. Currently, I'm memorizing all the verses in Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart, which was written by George Croly in 1854. 

The lyrics read like a prayer. All of the requests are ones I, too, need to make. I reflect on them every morning as I practice saying aloud all four verses. The requests also pop into my mind throughout the day, even when I'm not specifically trying to recall them. 


For example, when I sit on the screened-in porch and look through the clear plastic wrap which my husband puts up each Fall and takes down each Spring (to keep the cold air out), I notice how much even those thin sheets of plastic prevent me from clearly seeing all that is in our backyard. The view isn't nearly as pretty as it is when I step out on the deck to enjoy an unobstructed view. 

Whenever I look through the plastic and notice how "foggy" everything looks, I think about this request found in the song: "...take away the dimness of my soul." And I become even more convinced of the importance of asking God to do that.

Open my eyes, that I may see

Wondrous things from Your law.

~Psalm 119:18, NKJV

Final Words

My husband and I made our funeral arrangements months ago. Choosing my own coffin was easier than I thought it would be, but I’m still agonizing over which songs I’d like played and/or sung during my service. Why, you ask, is that so difficult? I want the words in the songs to serve as my final words to my loved ones. Thus, it's hard to choose only a few out of all the many songs I love.

One day when I was struggling to decide, I read the last few chapters in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, which contain Moses’ parting words to the children of God whom he had led for more than 40 years. With the people assembled near the border of the land God had promised to give them, Moses reminded them of what God had commanded them to do when they entered it.       

Then Moses said, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land…” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47, ESV, emphasis added).

Like Moses, I want my final words to urge others to know God better, to love Him even more, and to faithfully obey Him. I trust that the Scripture-based songs I select will do just that. 

A Place of Peace

The morning after I'd gone to a local theater to see The War Room (an inspiring movie about the dramatic difference prayer makes in the person who prays, as well as in the lives of those he or she prays for), my daily Bible reading brought me to Psalm 142, written by David centuries ago. As I read verses 1 and 2, I realized that David was doing exactly what was encouraged in the movie. 

With my voice I cry out 
to the LORD; 

with my voice I plead for mercy 
to the LORD.

I pour out my complaint 
before Him;

I tell my trouble 
before Him.

All throughout the day, I prayed for various people and situations. The following day, I received news that a friend was having serious problems following surgery. I could not go to be with her, but I did pray for her earnestly and repeatedly. Following David's example, I cried out to the Lord on her behalf. I pled with Him for mercy for her. 

Then I decided to sing (inside my house, of course) as I walked from room to room while working toward my daily goal of 10,000 steps. One of the songs I sang was
Near to the Heart of God.* As I walked and sang and prayed and reflected on the teachings I'd received from the movie, from Psalm 142, and from the song, I thanked God for the people He was using to teach me to turn to Him and tell my troubles to Him. As I became increasingly aware of the nearness of God, I found a "place of quiet rest, a place of comfort sweet, a place where all is joy and peace." 

Awesome! Truly awesome! A place far more uplifting than any of the beautiful landscapes I've had the pleasure of visiting and photographing. 

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

*The words in the song were written by Cleland B. McAfee in 1903. To read all of them and see photos taken by others, click here.

Sing! Serve!

I love to sing hymns, although folks around me probably wish I’d spray myself with a can of hush. Because I don’t sing beautifully, I’m thankful the Bible says, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:1-2, ESV, emphasis added).

Now, I can make a joyful noise, even if I don’t have a church-choir voice. And I do come before His presence with singing many times throughout the day, especially early each morning before I read the Bible. (I sing softly behind closed doors, of course, so as not to disturb anyone else.)

This morning, I sang a few phrases from the chorus, “I Will Enter His Gates,” which includes these words found in Psalm 100:4, ESV: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!” (If you’d like to listen to the entire song (and sing along!), click here.

After making my joyful noise unto the LORD, I decided I’d "pray back" Psalm 100, so I said to God:

I will, day by day, make a joyful noise unto You, O LORD of all the earth. I will serve You with gladness in my heart and on my face no matter where You lead me to serve, no matter whom You want me to serve. As I serve, I will remember that You are right beside me, so I will sing praises to you  throughout the day as I sense Your presence, not just in the mornings.

I do know that You are the LORD God, the One who made make me, the One who keeps me. Because I’m happy to belong to You, to be  one of the untold numbers of “sheep” in Your pasture and under Your tender care, I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter Your courts with praise. I will give thanks to You. I will bless/honor Your name by my words, actions, and attitudes.

I will gladly do these things because You, O LORD, are good, and Your steadfast love endures forever, and Your faithfulness to all generations. 

Because I experience Your goodness, Your steadfast love, and Your faithfulness every day, I will sing and serve with joy!

Will you, Dear Reader, do the same?