Peace

It is a common desire all around us.  You can see it in the increase of retreats, spas, massage, ...  It is so easily given up - unexpected challenges that we allow to upset our days and lives.  I value peace in my home and life.  I like quiet, order, soothing sounds.  While we can orchestrate peace to some extent, lasting peace can only come from God and a constant, healthy relationship with Him.  I have been singing this song to myself since Sunday night and enjoying the reminder to keep my mind and heart on God and His ways.

Like a River Glorious

Frances R. Havergal

Like a river glorious Is God's perfect peace,

Over all victorious In its bright increase;

Perfect, yet it floweth Fuller every day,

Perfect, yet it groweth Deeper all the way.

Hidden in the hollow Of His blessed hand,

Never foe can follow, Never traitor stand;

Not a surge f worry, Not a shade of care,

Not a blast of hurry Touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial Falleth from above,

Traced upon our dial By the Sun of Love.

We may trust Him fully All for us to ;

They who trust Him wholly Find Him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest;

Finding, as He promised, Perfect peace and rest.

Why I Love Classical Music and the Old Hymns

I think that I had a very blessed childhood.  As a private music lesson teacher today, I watch parents scrimp and save to pay for music lessons for their children.  I see them make difficult choices.  While I see this, I think of the YEARS of piano, organ, and flute lessons that I was given by my parents.  I think of the careful vocal training I received at church.  I think of the years that my teachers poured into me.  My teachers exposed me to a vast array of music, but primarily classical and sacred pieces.  My favorite by far are the combination of Sacred Classical pieces like the Messiah and many of Beethoven's sacred pieces (Jesu' Joy of Man's Desiring).  Maybe some would call me "snooty," but I love the exactness of classical music and old hymns.  There are rules to be learned, followed, and obeyed. 

Why?  Why classical and sacred?  I had not thought much about it until arriving in NC.  I was quickly made aware that my upbringing was rare here when hubby began choosing hymns and our church joked about his "high-church" music and when another instrumentalist suggested that his music choices were not "rousing" enough, especially on Sunday nights.  "High-church" - A Mighty Fortress is our God, Come thou Fount of Every Blessing, O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus ...  Beautiful pieces that focus on God and His attributes, that remind me of the worm that I am outside of Christ.  I was excited when last night at church we had favorites night and the hymns chosen were Holy, Holy, Holy and Be Thou My Vision and Crown Him with Many Crowns.

I love the 4 part harmony of old hymns where each part seems to move on each word.  I love the deep doctrine that is not politically correct.  I love that it is "work" to learn because there is no vain repetition of words, phrases, or notes.  I love the strict timing and predictability of tones that is easy to sing as a congregation (if you have ever tried to follow the written music of a CCM piece that you have never heard, you understand what I mean).  I love the soothing nature of classics and hymns. 

I am discouraged by the trend of "gospel" music around me.  Don't stop reading!  By "gospel," I mean the sliding, swaying, straining, non-precise music that is common nationwide.  It has many labels - CCM, southern gospel, bluegrass.  Sometimes it is even labeled as good, conservative music on a church website.  It may have one poor trait or a combination of many.  Sliding to and from notes, emphasizing a driving bass line through the use of instruments, echoing phrases in vain repetition, or focusing on lyrics that make me feel good.  It tends to make me look at the performer and not God.  It tends to mimic the world and the culture.  Its performers may look no different than those that you see in Hollywood.  The traits of this music seem to me to show a lack of care, order, and effort toward excellence; it exudes a "come-as-you-are" and "stay-as-you-are" feel; it shows an improper view of my sin nature or simply ignores it; it doesn't seem to support the God that the songs are singing about (holy, careful, orderly).

I hate to hear music in the church that sounds like it is sung by a Country Music star in Nashville.   I am saddened that there are young children being trained to think that it is OK to sing, slide, and sway like an "American Idol" in church or anywhere for that matter.  I am grieved that this seems to be part of the formula for building mega churches.  I am grieved that churches want to mix the sound of the world with the message of the gospel to attract or keep members/attenders.  Call me peculiar (that's what God wants me to be anyway), but God removed that from my life about 9 years ago and when I hear it in a church it is a stumbling block to me.  Those songs are addicting and tough to remove from the mind.  The church may "clean" them up a bit, but all I hear is the music of my past.  I listened to 80's pop/rock in Jr. High and then traded that in for CCM thinking I could keep the sound I craved while pleasing God.  While I thought that I was worshipping and serving God, I was really just feeding my flesh.  It was what my sin nature wanted.  I wanted to have God and the world at the same time.  It doesn't work and it disobeys the following principles:

1 Peter 1:15-16

 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

1 Peter 2:9

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,

an holy nation, a peculiar people;

that ye should shew forth the praises

of him who hath called you out of darkness

into his marvellous light:

Am I separate and different from the world? 

Are you? 

Wedding Bells

We are headed to a wedding this morning. 

From all that we know, it will form a marriage that is based on commitment to God and each other. 

There is nothing more exciting than a godly wedding. 

Congratulations

Caleb and Joy Worley

May God bless you in the weeks, months, and years ahead

as you build a strong foundation in Him.

How do you get your spouse to ...?

I think that this is one of the funniest questions ever posed to hubby or myself.  I often get asked ... "How do you get your hubby to pick up his dirty clothes?"  "How do you get your hubby to wash dishes?"  "How do you get your hubby to make the bed?"  Why is this so funny?  It seems funny to me because I don't "get my hubby" to do anything.  He does things that he knows will please me because he loves me (and he has mild OCD) :)  He shows his love by his actions.

Not only is the question funny, but it is a challenge to me.  I want to serve my hubby in ways that are typically shunned by average wives.  I don't want to be average at my job - I want to be exceptional.  I want to surprise hubby.  I want my actions to back up my words.

I tried to "speak love" this morning before hubby went to work.  He is still adjusting to buckwheat pancakes (though it sounds like it would have gluten, it doesn't).  This morning, I mixed them up and added a healthy dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Boy, was that a small change that was a big hit!  It tasted like a cinnamon-sugar doughnut (appropriate for National Doughnut Day)!  Then, we dined al fresco in the cool morning surrounded by the pots of flowers that hubby bought me for my birthday.

Will you surprise those around you today with your service?

Will you elicit the question, "How do you get your spouse to ...?"

Why not try it today?

Cool Morning

It is almost time to shut all of the windows and pull the blinds for the day, but I am thankful that this morning afforded the chance to have the windows open for a bit.  I love the fresh air in the house and the ability to hear the birds singing in the morning.  It is supposed to be a hot day, but we are supposed to have a break from the heat on Friday and Saturday (along with some storms). 

I just finished paying bills for the month and once again I am thankful for God's daily provision in our life.  He continues to meet our needs and many, many "wants" as well.

I am thankful that what I thought might be an expensive part to fix our laptop turned out to be less than $10!

The Gift of Time

It is always nice when you receive a little extra time in your day or week.  It is not that you get any more time than anyone else, just time that you thought was going to be spent in other ways.  The temptation with that is to squander the time rather than using it profitably.  Haven't you experienced it too?  When the baby takes an extra long nap ... when the company leaves earlier than expected or arrives later than planned ... when the shopping trip goes more smoothly than ever ... when hubby offers to pick up dinner on the way home ...

I really did not expect to be blogging this morning or getting anything done at home.  I had arranged the week so that I could run a friend to Charlotte for a doctor's appointment this morning and into the afternoon.  But ... the chiropractor was sick and the appointment cancelled.  With a freshly cleaned house (I did that yesterday)  - what to do with an empty day?  Don't worry, I will find something.  There is laundry and hubby would be surprised if I loaded his MP3 player so that he could use it at work.  He had told me that he would work on it Saturday, but he sure would enjoy some godly music at work tomorrow.  Maybe I will even do a little Hebrew study - I have gotten out of practice.  The day lies before me and I must make the most of it.

My goal today ... to save the day.  Sounds like a super hero, right?  Hubby related to me yesterday that he had "saved the day" at work yesterday by quickly diagnosing a problem.  When he asked me about my day, I said, "well, I didn't save the day, but ..."  Always the encourager, he said, "You saved my day, the house is clean and my dinner is ready to set on the table."  So, I am going to seek to "save the day" again by being a help to hubby.  TTFN 

Itching to Cook

We celebrated Memorial Day yesterday in a fairly traditional manner.  Although hubby worked a normal day, we had a traditional dinner - grilled hot dogs, baked beans.  I even bought gluten-free hot dog buns.  I wanted to see if the bread in the store was as bad as my attempts at gluten-free baking.  The buns were VERY good (Rudi's brand).  Because they were good, I am now inspired to keep trying my hand at gluten-free baking.  To add to the excitement, what should arrive in the mail today but another gluten-free cookbook!  Hooray!  Thank a bunch to my PAL in NY!  My folks also got me a cookbook for my birthday so I am armed and dangerous.

I have been encouraged by so many people who have rallied behind us in our gluten free efforts.  It certainly is not an easy endeavor,  but we have had nothing but encouraging comments and support as we seek to help our bodies function as they should.  I have been amazed by the number of people who have truly sought to understand this limited diet and to help us to do it more economically.

Freedom Isn't Free

Business Trip

No, I was not away on business, but hubby was.  It was a fun week.  Hubby was sent to Atlanta for some training.  His boss allowed me to go along.  It was really nice to get away, to travel in an air-conditioned vehicle (yes, our little NY car is without that little perk), to have a change of scenery (I love a city ... people watching is so much fun), to see new things, and to have access to Gluten-free menus at local restaurants (we tried Jason's Deli and P.F. Changs).  Now back to our schedules - Door-to-door and Services at church on Sunday. 

Have a great weekend! 

Don't forget express thanks to God

for those who aid the ultimate price for our freedoms.

Change of Pace

I am a creature of habit and I love schedules - really, I do.

But today I am thankful for a relaxing change of pace. 

I woke this morning and did not have to cook breakfast. 

Then, I had access to a fitness center - I just love a workout on an elliptical. 

Today - window shopping at a leisurely pace.

Tell you more about it tomorrow.