Ho, ho, ho!Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Ruby Tuesday
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"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior,who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11
This is another photo taken at a rural Catholic church in Indiana. We were on our way home from the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY when my bride spotted this church in the distance. She suggested that we explore it a little further. So I exited the main highway and we drove over the visit. Like many small, rural churches, it is beautiful and the stained glass is exquisite. There is a testimony in every window. This particular window celebrates the birth of Christ.
I know that I usually save my inspirational song for Friday Thoughts, but this is the Christmas season and there are just too many choices to limit the music to Friday. Here is a song that I have posted in the past. It is a Southern Gospel song, and if you listen to the words, you will discover that it is a Christmas song celebrating the birth of our savior. Signature Sound Quartet sings "Glory to God in the Highest". Enjoy.
I know that I usually save my inspirational song for Friday Thoughts, but this is the Christmas season and there are just too many choices to limit the music to Friday. Here is a song that I have posted in the past. It is a Southern Gospel song, and if you listen to the words, you will discover that it is a Christmas song celebrating the birth of our savior. Signature Sound Quartet sings "Glory to God in the Highest". Enjoy.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Friday Thoughts
Longing for these evenings again.Baby, it's cold outside. It's supposed to get down to 20 degrees tonight and into the teens tomorrow night. Brrrrr!!!! Autumn just didn't last long enough.
For the next few weeks, my inspirational song will be a Christmas song. The past two weeks I have featured David Phelps. This week I am featuring Kathy Matea. The very first time I heard "Mary Did You Know", it was on a Kathy Matea album. I fell in love with this song from the very beginning and I think Kathy's version is still my favorite. Enjoy.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Wordless Wednesday
A stained glass window that I photographed in a small church in rural Indiana.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Click on photo to enlarge.
"Let the little children come to Me. Don't stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Mark 10:14Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday Thoughts...Tis The Season
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The Friday after Thanksgiving, commonly called "Black Friday", is the official start of the Christmas season in this country. The outlet malls in Branson, MO will actually open at midnight. Most retail stores will offer specials beginning at 3, 4, 5, or 6:00 a.m. I'll still be in bed, thank you very much. Well, I may be having a cup of coffee, but I will not be among the mall warriors. We only have one or two gifts left to purchase and they will probably not be a part of any special sale.
Last week-end I put up the Christmas lights around the yard. You have to do that when you have good weather, but we don't turn them on until Friday night after Thanksgiving. That's the rule.
The other tradition in our family that marks the beginning of the Christmas season is that I install Christmas music in the car and the home sound systems. Again, no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. You will be seeing and hearing some Christmas selections here in the coming weeks. I will begin with what is possibly the best arrangement of "O Holy Night" that I have ever heard. David Phelps is in possession of an incredible vocal instrument, this is proof of his divine gift. So, go get your earbuds or headphones, turn up the volume just a bit and prepare to be stunned. Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanksgiving
Following is the 1863 Lincoln Presidential Proclamation - celebrated shortly after Lincoln committed his life to Christ and celebrated while America was still in the midst of its Civil War. It was this proclamation which eventually led to the establishment of our national Thanksgiving holiday.
Proclamation of Thanksgiving
by the President of the United States of America
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[Signed]
A. Lincoln
Father;
Forgive us for our constant failure to acknowledge You as the Creator of this universe, the Creator and sustainer of life, the Source of every blessing. Lord, may we be reminded that You are the only source of true love, joy, and happiness. Only a personal relationship with you can ensure that our life has meaning and purpose. May we be reminded that even in times of trial, You are the true source of our strength, courage, and perseverance. Our purpose is to honor and glorify Your name and to give testimony to Your presence in our lives, even when our days are difficult and our burdens are heavy.
Again, we live in a time of unrest and we have deployed brave young men and women to foreign soils. We would ask for their safe return. We would ask for comfort for their families. And for those who do not return, we would ask that your mercy, grace, and love protect those families that are left with the grief that comes from the loss of a loved one.
Thank you Father, for the the gift of eternal life though faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for your Word to guide and direct our lives. Direct us to live in peace. Direct us to live in Your perfect will. Direct us to desire a closer walk with You now, in order that we might prepare to walk with You throughout eternity. Amen.
Proclamation of Thanksgiving
by the President of the United States of America
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[Signed]
A. Lincoln
Father;
Forgive us for our constant failure to acknowledge You as the Creator of this universe, the Creator and sustainer of life, the Source of every blessing. Lord, may we be reminded that You are the only source of true love, joy, and happiness. Only a personal relationship with you can ensure that our life has meaning and purpose. May we be reminded that even in times of trial, You are the true source of our strength, courage, and perseverance. Our purpose is to honor and glorify Your name and to give testimony to Your presence in our lives, even when our days are difficult and our burdens are heavy.
Again, we live in a time of unrest and we have deployed brave young men and women to foreign soils. We would ask for their safe return. We would ask for comfort for their families. And for those who do not return, we would ask that your mercy, grace, and love protect those families that are left with the grief that comes from the loss of a loved one.
Thank you Father, for the the gift of eternal life though faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for your Word to guide and direct our lives. Direct us to live in peace. Direct us to live in Your perfect will. Direct us to desire a closer walk with You now, in order that we might prepare to walk with You throughout eternity. Amen.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday Thoughts
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Autumn is in full swing and winter in just around the corner. The leaves have turned and now have fallen, leaving most trees bare. Skies are overcast, and there is a definite chill in the air. So, I thought I'd post a sky from a brighter day earlier this year.Our Christmas shopping is in full swing and mostly online. I have bought our daughter's gift and my bride has two of the grand daughters covered, and I now have my marching orders to get a laptop for the oldest grand daughter, but that's a whole other post. No rush, no crowds, life is good....so far. I don't know if my bride and I will be getting each other any thing. Honestly, there is nothing that we really need. We have been truly blessed, and for that, we are very thankful.
And neither of us colors our hair!So, what do I do for an inspirational song this week? I know, I know, don't play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Typically, that is the rule at our house. The Friday after Thanksgiving I change the CD's in the car to Christmas music and leave them there until New Years Day. However, it's my birthday party and I can play whatever I want. So there! I am blessed, and there is much joy in my life right now. For that I am ever grateful to the source of that joy, God Almighty. A Christmas song came to mind, "Joy,Joy" the title cut from David Phelps' first Christmas album. Enjoy.
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