Tag Archives: favorite songs

Treasure Seeking

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in Challenge to Great Riches, Christianity, Christmas shopping, faith, favorite songs, great riches, hope, joy, music, peace, wisdom and understanding

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“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”    Matthew 6:21

I love to look for the perfect treasure to give at Christmas time to loved ones and friends.  When the children were little it seemed quite easy but now it grows harder each year.  We all want to find that special gift that we know they will love so that on Christmas morning we will see their eyes light up and hear those wonderful words, “it’s just what I wanted.”

A few days ago I went Christmas Shopping and was overwhelmed not only by the cost but just by all the stuff, none of which I wanted or thought would really make my family happy.  I began to wonder if our hearts have become chained to all this stuff we think we need but has no lasting value.  The happiness it provides usually is short lived and leads to the desire for more stuff.  Am I searching for stuff that looks like treasure this Christmas or seeking His treasure that never tarnishes or disappoints?  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”     Matthew 6:19  “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”   Matthew 6:20

The Magi, also known as the wise-men, traveled a great distance to find the Christ, who was born a king because they had seen His star in the east and they wanted to worship Him.  The Magi were overjoyed when they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. 

The wise Magi knew that all our treasure is nothing compared with knowing God.  They discovered great truth by studying the scriptures.

“…if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”        Proverbs 2:4,5

Jesus is everything we need:

“His divine power has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”      II Peter 1:3

                                                   I’d Rather Have Jesus                                                                    (Words by Rhea F. Miller, music by George Beverly Shea)

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

  • Refrain:
    Than to be the king of a vast domain
    And be held in sin’s dread sway;
    I’d rather have Jesus than anything
    This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

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Great Faithfulness

15 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by in beauty, Christianity, faith, Fall leaves, favorite songs, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, hope, joy, love, picnic by the creek, streams, wisdom and understanding

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness
words by Thomas O Chisholm, music by William M. Runyan

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with Thee;   Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;

 As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. 

Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest,
Sun moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!   Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed,
Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness Lord, unto me!

“Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”               Lamentations 3:22,23

Ingredients of Patience

24 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Christianity, faith, favorite songs, fishing, fun stuff for grandparents, health, hope, joy, love, patience, peace, wisdom and understanding

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“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.”          Psalm 40:1   I often see a fisherman standing at the edge of the surf when I go for a morning walk along the beach.  Not long ago I watched a great blue heron who was watching the fisherman patiently, hopeful that he would toss him a fish.  Perhaps you have watched two fishermen sitting in a tiny rowboat not saying anything, just fishing for hours.  Waiting and watching and some days not catching anything.  But they come  back again before dawn the following day.  It is hard for me to imagine having that much patience.  I wonder if fishermen fish just for the silence and peace of a quiet lake early in the morning.  Perhaps they fish because it is a time they can be alone with God.  Are they really fishing for fish or peace of mind and soul?   There is an old saying “patience is a virtue, acquire it if you can.  It’s seldom found in women and never found in men.  But I don’t think there is much truth in this saying….

Friends, I am guest posting at Nikki’s place, Simplystriving for her “Music Monday” post this week.  Nikki is a precious Christian blogger and homeschool mom and I love reading her posts.  I know they will bless your heart as they do mine.  Please clique on Simplystriving to continue reading about finding patience in this hurry up world of ours.

Steadfast Trust

08 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, beauty, Christianity, faith, favorite songs, music, peace, worry

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.”          Psalm 143:8

When I look back at the way the Lord has faithfully led me, I wonder why I still have concerns about the future.    Over and over again Jesus told us not to worry but when I see storm clouds up ahead I want to turn and run for safety.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”             Psalm 51:10

Jesus didn’t promise that we wouldn’t have difficulties but He did promise us His peace in the midst of these problems.   When we have steadfast trust we do not let changes, difficulties, sorrows and illness steal our peace.  A steadfast spirit trusts in God even when the way seems dark and dangerous. The storms of life will either draw us nearer to Jesus or cause us to turn and run in the wrong direction.

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer”

Written by Keith Getty and Margaret Becker

 Chorus 1
“May this journey bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my heart’s testing
With Your likeness let me wake”   Verse 1
“Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor thro’ the storm
You have called me to this passage
And I’ll follow tho’ I’m worn”

Verse 2
“Jesus guide me thro’ the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure
When the midnight meets the morning
Let me love You even more”    Verse 3
“Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne”

Ending
“Jesus draw me ever nearer
Jesus draw me ever nearer
Jesus draw me ever nearer to You
To You” Each day I must make a choice to either choose fear and anxiety or the peace of Christ. If I ask Jesus to take control of my life’s journey, I can know for certain that He will enable and empower me to follow the way which He has planned just for me.  Only God can see the map of my life from beginning to end and real safety is placing my trust in Him.

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


Olympic Gold illuminations

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Christianity, favorite songs, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, gold medals, Olympic games night, wisdom and understanding

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“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”      I Corinthians  9:25   Olympic gold medal winners achieve their goals through hours and hours, days, months and years of strenuous training.  Their time and energy is continually focused on their goal and when they stumble and fall, they get up and try again because quitting is not an option. I admire their courage and perseverance as well as their abilities.  One of the things I love best about sports is when one of the athletes gives Glory to God.  They are an inspiration to many others who watch and hope to follow in their footsteps.  The time they spend training is never wasted because the wisdom they have gained along the way has eternal value.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father in heaven.”      Colossians 3:17  

Our entire world is in love with sports.  If we are not participating in a sport, we like to watch them on T.V. and we encourage our children to be active in sports when possible.

We love watching the Olympic games and encourage our children to watch with us.  Each of the participants is an inspiration for younger children to watch and imitate hoping to achieve excellence.

When our younger son and daughter were in preschool, we attended a preschool Olympic Games night.  The kids really put their hearts into it as you can tell by this picture of our little girl participating in the tug of war.  All the proud parents were thrilled by the presentation of medals and of course every child was a winner.  The children couldn’t have been more pleased if the medal had been pure gold and presented at the real Olympics.  We are also obsessed with being fit and healthy.  We spend our time energy and  money buying exercise equipment, healthy foods and vitamins.  We are all looking for the quick fix that will give us a healthy, disease free body.

But how much time is spent training our souls and feeding our minds with wisdom from God’s Word?  Soul starvation is an epidemic in our world.  What about you, do you spend as much time training and feeding your soul as you do your body?  “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”    Matthew 16:26

When I was looking through some old papers I discovered the words to a song that the ladies in Friendship International sang on Friendship Sunday many years ago. “Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of it is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”  There are many Friendship International groups in cities around the United States.  Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-cultural, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2,and3) and Spanish.   Since the Olympic games are being held this summer I thought this song would be perfect to remember and sing during it.  It only takes one little candle to make a difference so put this song in your heart and let your light shine and brighten the world for everyone.

One Little Candle

  • One little candle burning bright,   
  • One little gleam of radiant light,
  • Shimmering softly in the night
  • Makes the darkness fade away.
  • One little song that’s freely sung,
  • one little bit of good that’s done,
  • Brightens the world for everyone,
  • Like a candle’s golden ray
  • Keep your light, shining bright,               
  • Like a torch of hope held high.
  • Let it glow, let it show,
  • Keep the flame of love alive.
  • One little smile for someone new,
  • One little word of kindness, too,
  • Kindles the friendship flame anew,
  • Soon the loneliness is gone.
  • One little candle flame when shared
  • Spreads through the darkness everywhere,
  • Reflecting in hearts of those who care,
  • And they pass the light along.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,  “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”      Matthew 5:16

Hearts Filled With Joy

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Amazing Grace, beach sunsets, beauty, Christianity, Easter, favorite songs, Hearts Filled With Joy

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“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. ‘”

Last night we were so blessed as we listened to “Amazing Grace” played on bag pipes as the sun went down by a man standing out in the ocean on the sandbar.  Adults as well as children all along the beach stopped what they were doing and stood still, listening until the last note was played and the sun dipped into the water and disappeared.  Then everyone began clapping many with tears in their eyes.  It was the perfect ending to a beautiful Easter Sunday.

“AMAZING GRACE”

“Amazing Grace.”  This hymn has touched people’s lives for close to 250 years, yet it is as fresh and meaningful today as the day it was first written.  We hear it everywhere…in church services, radio, movies and television.  It always evokes the deepest personal emotions.

 But, who wrote it?  And, under what circumstances?  It is truly astonishing that it was written by John Newton, a self-confessed sinner with no equal in debauchery and blasphemy.

 John’s life was cruelly changed with the loss of his loving and religious mother at age six.  His father, a famous sea captain, ignored him then left him with a substitute mother who hated him.  She put him away in a boarding school where he was mistreated and abused.

 Captain Newton took John to sea as a common sailor when John was only eleven years old.  He was forced to live with the sailors in the hold of the ship who taught him every vice known to man.  John reveled in it and quickly lost the religious qualities his mother had tried so hard to instill in him.

 His life took another turn when he was introduced into the family life of the Cattletts, dear friends of his late mother.  There he met Polly, who was destined to become the love of his life.  She was only fourteen and John had not secured any position worthy of asking for a young girl’s hand in marriage.  He was rebuffed by Polly and her parents.

 On a return trip to visit Polly, he was pressed into the British Navy and was forced to fight in naval battles.

 John’s conduct worsened.  In his journal he wrote, “I was the chief of all sinners and if I had my way, I would have taken the whole human race to hell with me!”  He deserted the ship only to be caught and returned.  He was punished severely by the whip and keelhauling.  Eventually the Captain tired of his conduct and traded him off to a slave ship on its way to Africa.  There he was enslaved by slave traders who treated him the same as their African slaves.  He remained a slave for two years until he was rescued by a friend of his father.

 On the return trip to England, which took 4 months, the ship was caught in a terrible storm and the ship was in grave danger of sinking.  John, on deck, was swept toward the sea and realizing that his life was at an end, cried out to God, “Lord save me!!”  Miraculously a huge wave knocked him back into the ship and he was saved.  The ship limped back into Ireland with John a completely changed man.

 He married Polly and became a minister.  He was asked to speak to Parliament by Prime Minister Wilberforce against slavery.  It was his influence that resulted in England outlawing slavery over a hundred years before it was outlawed in the United States.  He wrote over 300 hymns and was one of the first ministers in England to make hymn singing a part of regular worship.  His most famous was…”Amazing Grace.”

 At one of his last sermons in his old age he stated…

 “They tell me I’m getting old and perhaps I am.  But the one true thing that I know is that I’m a great sinner and God is a great Savior.”

        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.

T’was Grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares…
we have already come.
T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far…
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me…
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures.

Yea, 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 first begun.

And our hearts were filled with joy!