Completely

This song is one of my favorites!

I was listening to it last night and the words were just such a blessing to me!

The secret of life is letting go

The secret of love is letting it show

In all that I do, In all that I say

Right here in this moment

The power of prayer is in a humble cry

The power of change is in giving my life

And laying it down, Down at Your feet

Right here in this moment

Take my heart, Take my soul

I surrender everything to Your control

And let all that is within me

Lift up to You and say,

"I am Yours, and Yours alone completly"

This journey of life is a search for truth

This journey of faith is following You

Every step of the way, Through the joy & the pain

Right here in this moment

Take my heart, Take my soul

I surrender everything to Your control

And let all that is within me

Lift up to You and say,

"I am Yours, and Yours alone completly"

Right here, right now

And for the rest of my life

He Didn't Throw The Clay Away

Empty and broken, I came back to Him.

A vessel unworthy; so scarred with sin.

But He did not despair-

He started over again,

And I bless the day He didn't throw the clay away.

(Chorus)

Over and over He molds me and makes me.

Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.

A vessel of honor I am today-

All because Jesus didn't throw the clay away.

He is the Potter and I'm just the clay,

But molded in His image, He wants me to stay.

When I stumble and I fall, my vessel breaks-

He just picks up the pieces,

He doesn't throw the clay away.

Over and over He molds me and makes me.

Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.

A vessel of honor I am today-

All because Jesus didn't throw the clay away.

So many times I fail and so many times He picks me up again. He never gives up on us.

 Sometimes it seems all our strength is gone and all hope of holiness is vanished:

But Jesus is standing there, ready to give us the victory if we ask Him!

Oh, the Lord is SO good! He is so merciful, loving, longsuffering...

I just can't comprehend why He is so good to me!

"Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." Ephesians 3:13-19

Adventures In Songwriting : I Stand In Awe

 Here's the most recent song I wrote.

Having a video up was making my blog load up really slow,

sp I just wanted to share the words...

I STAND IN AWE

 Lord, You are my Strength, my Comfort, and my Guide

Under Your wings I safely hide.

My Fortress and my Rock; My Shepherd and my Light

In Your love forever I'll abide.

(chorus)

I lift my hands and worship You alone

I fall at Your feet singing Your praise

For Your endless mercy and grace.

Now my life, my heart, my all I give to You

For all that You are

For all that You do

Lord, I stand in awe of You!

 Lord, You are my Hope, Defender, and my King

Messiah, Redeemer, Prince of Peace

My Portion and my Cup; my Refuge and my Love

Whom have I in Heavn' but Thee above?

(chorus)

I lift my hands and worship You alone

I fall at Your feet singing Your praise

For Your endless mercy and grace.

Now my life, my heart, my all I give to You

For all that You are

For all that You do

Lord, I stand in awe of You!

Cry For The Children...

(song written and performed by the southern gospel group, Inspirations)

Values of this world are twisted and evil;
And in our minds we cannot find right or wrong anymore.
We spend to recycle, keep our highways clear;
We're concerned about things like the earth's atmosphere.
And some even cry because the well may not always be here.



But we're killing our children;
It's time to cry for the children!
For their blood flows like a river
In the name of women's rights.
But God knows each heartbeat;
He knows when every birthday should have been.
America, please, get back on your knees
For the sake of our children.




Eyes that never saw Mother, now gaze on the Savior.
And cries never made are now cries of praise to the Lamb they adore.
Little hands that in death were torn apart,
Are now held by a hand that's nail-scarred.
Heaven now welcomes innocent children we daily destroy.




'Cuz we're killing our children.
It's time to cry for the children!
For their blood flows like a river
In the name of women's rights.
But God knows each heartbeat;
He knows when every birthday should have been.
America, please, get back on your knees
For the sake of our children.

Songwriting ...

As I've mentioned for a while, I've been picking up songwriting,
as I plan to sell CDs in the 'nearish' future Ü (next year, maybe?).
I was always terrible at anything to do with writing
and it's a pretty tedious task writing songs,
so I've been asking the Lord for Him to write through me.
Thus, I give the Lord complete credit for these songs He has allowed me to write.

Three weeks ago I finished composing my 1st song, "No Greater Love".
And today I finished my 2nd song entitled, "You Are Forgiven".
I recorded myself singing them both (with the guitar)
and thought I'd share them.


NO GREATER LOVE




Why did He save me from the death ahead of me?
And how could He bless me when I caused His misery?
What makes Him wait for me when I have gone astray
Saying, "I forgive; come back, my child, today"?

(Chorus)
No greater love than this, the love my Savior gave.
His compassions, they fail not. His mercies are new every day.
He bought salvation for a world that caused His pain.
Jesus, this you've shown to man from up above:
No greater love.

Why did He free me from what I could have been?
How could He want me when I rejected Him?
What makes Him mindful of me throughout the day?
Reaching down, He holds my hand and guides my way.

(Chorus)

You said for one a righteous man would scarcely ever die.
But while we were yet sinners, you freely gave your life.

(Chorus)




YOU ARE FORGIVEN



It was early in the morning;
The men were standing by.
They said, "This woman sinned, she has to die".
But Jesus said that he without sin,
first should cast a stone.
Then one by one they left her all alone.
She knew that her sin she should have died for,
But Jesus said, "Go and sin no more.

(chorus)
My child, you are forgiven.
No man condemns thee, nor do I.
For you my blood was freely given
So that you might have new life;
I paid sin's price."

Searching for a way,
From my sins to be set free
As I saw the death that lay ahead of me.
Then I heard Christ took my place;
He paid for every sin.
So I fell down on my knees and asked Him in.
I knew full well that I deserved to die,
But Jesus said, "I came to give you life.

(Chorus)

So many times I wonder how He loves me
When I fail Him oft and wander from His way.
Yet He waits with open arms to help and guide me.
Still loving me, I hear Him gently say:

(Alternate Chorus)
"My child you are forgiven.
Your debt is paid; your sorrow was mine.
For you these blessings I have given.
Come now, partake of new life divine;
I paid sin's price."



I'll be composing arrangements for my
other instruments to go with them as well.
I also plan to work on song #3 soon!
(I already have a tune and rhythm for it)

I'd love to hear your feedback.
I hope you are all having a great week.

Oh yes, He Cares!

The Lord is so good!
Sunday afternoon I was crying to the Lord
about how I've had physical ailments for so long.
I was telling Him how I felt that no one understood or cared
and I was getting quite discouraged!

But when we went back to church that evening,
He really uplifted my spirits and encouraged me
through the special music... the song 'Does Jesus Care'.

I thought I'd share the words to this beautiful song.
I, also, composed an arrangement of it on the piano today.
(You'll have to stop my blog background music, though.
And, please, excuse our untuned piano!)







Does Jesus Care?

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night-shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

(chorus)
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares;
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.


Does Jesus care when I've tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong,
When for my deep grief I find no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long?

Does Jesus care when I've said "good-bye"
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

(chorus)
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares;
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.

Words by Frank E. Graeff


And it really amazes me that He cared so much about me
that He sent such encouragement
right when He knew I needed it!
He truly is a great Saviour!
So good to me and always gives me what I need!


"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
1 Peter 5:7

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."
Psalms 34:18-19

God On The Mountain...

The song below has been a real blessing to me.
I always need the reminder that God is God
no matter what situation I'm in.
When life is going good,
its easy to say 'we have faith'.
But when the troubles and trials come (and they will);
if we have faith and trust Him all the way through,
then He'll work everything out for good.


God On The Mountain



Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace like you’ve never known.
But then things change and you’re down in the valley;
Don’t loose faith, for you’re never alone.

(Chorus)
And the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right.
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.







We talk of faith when we’re up on the mountain
But talk comes so easy when life’s at its best.
But it’s down in the valley of trials and temptations,
That’s when faith is really put to the test.

(Chorus)
And the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right.
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.


I was unable to find a sample of the song online
but it's the words that are good. ;o)


For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand,
saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
Isaiah 41:13

Not I, But Christ...

Sunday morning, I sang a duet
with our assistant pastor's wife.
And the song we chose really spoke to my heart.
It was a good reminder that we can do nothing
on our own, and to give God the glory for the victory.
I loved singing the words
and the tune went so well with them.
I thought I'd share the song...


Not I, But Christ


Not I, but Christ be honored, loved, exalted.
Not I, but Christ be seen, be known, be heard.
Not I, but Christ in every look and action.
Not I, but Christ in every thought and word.

(Chorus)
Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!
Oh, to be lost in Thee!
Oh, that it may be no more I, dear Lord,
but Christ that lives in me.

Not I, but Christ to gently soothe in sorrow.
Not I, but Christ to wipe the falling tear.
Not I, but Christ to lift the heavy burden.
Not I, but Christ to hush away all fear.

Christ, only Christ ere long will fill my vision.
Glory excelling soon, full soon I'll see.
Christ, only Christ my every wishful filling.
Christ, only Christ my all in all to be.

words by Mrs.A. A. Whiddington
music by Mac Lynch



"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20

A Finished Dress and Violin Progress...

I purchased a pattern a while ago
because it was 'medieval looking',
so, of course, I LOVED it!
The pattern is 'NEW LOOK #6614',
if anyone's interested.
I had to adjust it a LOT!
It took me a while to finish because the bodice
has 10 panels and I lined the whole dress!
Mom declared that she wouldn't be helping me,
so I could practice figuring out a pattern on my own,
and I did just that... all on my own!
I was so excited!
(She was willing to do the invisible zipper in the back, though,
because I didn't want to risk messing it up!
Thanks, mom!)
I finally finished it Friday
and thought I'd share...



It took me forever to decide on fabric.
Mom pointed it out and I wondered,
'Is this ugly?'
But I ended up liking it.
I have no idea what color it is!
Purple? Grayish?
Any ideas?

Anyway, our friends came over Friday
and we had a great time!
We did some duets on the piano and violin...



Her and I are teaching ourselves how
to play the violin.
I started my lessons 2 weeks ago, so I'm a little ahead,
but I'm sure she'll catch up fast!
We took our violins to church last night
and I tuned hers and played some songs.
It was fun!
I thought I'd share some videos
of 3 of my favorite songs to play so far...
(you can stop my blog's background music in the sidebar)

This is called 'Country Gardens'
(Please note I just started learning,
so there are some mistakes:)






This is 'Can Can'...





This one is really fun to play!
It's called 'Fanfare Minuet':



I also really like playing 'Dixie',
even though I'm a born yankee ;)


Oh! The Lord is so wonderful!
I read today in my quiet time:
"The LORD is good,
a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." (italics mine)
Nahum 1:7
He's really been speaking to me lately
about faith and trusting in Him.
As Louisa M. R. Stead finely puts it,

"'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know "Thus saith the Lord.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him oer and oer!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!"

He is so good to us!
To God be the glory,
great things He has done!

I hope everyone's having a great week so far!

Revival and Other Ramblings...

I'm baaaack!
I had a wonderful week of revival!
The evangelist was so musically talented;
He played the violin, keyboard,
bandura, vibraharp, and musical glasses.
He was so fun to talk to and his preaching was wonderful.
I was, personally, revived.

He also fixed my violin that has been missing
the 'E' string for a year!
(I popped it trying to tune it when I first got it!)
It was so kind of him to provide the strings,
put them on, and tune it.
He and I liked to talk about music a lot!
I particularly liked his musical glasses...

One evening he came to me before the service and said,
"I brought a really easy arrangement for the violin tonight.
You get to try it after the service!"
"Really?" I said, as he smiled.
"Are you being sarcastic?"
"ME?!?! Sarcastic?!?"He said while walking away. And the service started.
This is what he played...



Right after playing it, he looked at me and said,
"Told you it was easy!
Now you get to try it after the service!"
I simply laughed.
I told him afterwards I'd try it if
I could do it on his 1767 Stradivarius concert violin.
He simply laughed, too. lol

On the last day he return my violin,
all fixed and tuned!
He gave me lots of tips, too.
He also played it for me to 'prove' that it could, indeed,
produce beautiful music...




This is when my violin became a fiddle. lolMom turned to recording off 3 seconds too early,because while he handed it to me,he was telling me that I put way toomuch rosin on it and was showing me allof it that fell onto my violin while playing.And then he blew it into my face!
As he packed all his music supplies, I stood by the piano playing hymns out of the hymnbook.
He would occaisionally yell across the auditorium,
"Straighten that elbow! I don't like that bow hand, fix it!" lolI appreciated his help.


I just recieved my new violin lessons book in the mail Saturday and am now teaching myself.
I'm now able to play some classical music and some 'fiddle songs'.
A lady at church is really excited and asked,
"Oh, can you bring your violin Wednesday and give me a performance?"
"Sure," I said.
"But it will be the worst sounding performance you've ever heard!"
Pastor says when I'm ready I can play for congregational singing.
I told that to her and she said, "Oooh! Practice, practice, practice!!!"
She really likes the violin!

The revival was so wonderful and it was sad to see our evangelist leave.
He said he'll be back in 3 years and he wants us to do a violin duet.
I'm really looking forward to his return!

Today will be very busy and tomorrow also.
I don't think I'll be able to respond to any comments until around Wednesday.
Tomorrow I'll be quickly posting something
I just got in the mail that I've been looking forward to for months now!
Hope you all have a great day!

He Didn't Throw The Clay Away

My friend gave me a cd today
(by The Rejoice Singers
from Pensacola Christain College)
and as I was listening to it,
I came across this song and it blessed my heart.
I hope it will be a blessing to you as well...



He Didn't Throw The Clay Away

Empty and broken, I came back to Him.
A vessel unworthy; so scarred with sin.
But He did not despair-
He started over again,
And I bless the day He didn't throw the clay away.


(Chorus)
Over and over He molds me and makes me.
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.
A vessel of honor I am today-
All because Jesus didn't throw the clay away.


He is the Potter and I'm just the clay,
But molded in His image, He wants me to stay.
When I stumble and I fall, my vessel breaks-
He just picks up the pieces,
He doesn't throw the clay away.


Over and over He molds me and makes me.
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.
A vessel of honor I am today-
All because Jesus didn't throw the clay away.


(Here is a link to a short SAMPLEof the song)


So many times I fail
and so many times He picks me up again.
He never gives up on us.
Sometimes it seems all our strength is gone
and all hope of holiness is vanished:
But Jesus is standing there,
ready to give us the victory if we ask Him!
Oh, the Lord is SO good!
He is so merciful, loving, longsuffering...
I just can't comprehend why He is so good to me!

"Wherefore I desire that ye faint not
at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this cause I bow my knees
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
Ephesians 3:13-19

Castaways

I've had a specific song on my heart lately
and thought I'd share the words of encouragement.
It reminds me of how when we try to achieve victory
over sin on our own, we soon lose the battles
and stop looking to the Lord and not depend completely on Him.
And it's so sad that we see so many Christians today
turning away from the Lord, who once were on fire for Him.
This is why it's so important to keep sweet fellowship with Him
and to remember that without Him we can do nothing.
It is so wonderful to know is that He is always faithful
and will give us victory if we ask for it!


Castaways

We hear of it every day;
One who serves God turns away.
He yields to temptations that come his way.
No longer used of God;
He goes the way of the world.
And then he is known as a castaway.


(Chorus)
God will make a way to escape each temptation
So let us run to Him when we are weak.
We must take heed lest we fall
when we think we're standing.
It's the strength of the Lord we must seek
Then we will not also become castaways.


How sad to see the one who once lived for the Lord.
But now he sits sidely on the shelf
And it all goes back to the day
When they became castaways;
They chose not to serve God, but self.

The most tragic part of all
Is those who watch them fall,
And are caused from Almighty God to stray.
As the Holy Spirit pleads
We must all stay on our knees,
Then we will not also become castaways.


(Chorus)
God will make a way to escape from each temptation
So let us run to Him when we are weak.
We must take heed lest we fall
when we think we're standing.
It's the strength of the Lord we must seek.
Then we will not also become castaways.

(Chorus repeated)


Then we will not also become castaways.



"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth
take heed lest he fall."
1 Corinthians 10:12

"...But God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
1 Corinthians 10:13b


(Click HERE to listen to this song)
It is unknown to me who wrote this song
but the above link is sung by Gregg Nash

Count It All Joy...

Below is a song
that is in a book that we own
from The Wilds.
The Lord has been showing me how
He uses trials to bring us closer to Him.
The words to this song
speak to my heart in a special way.


Count It All Joy

When the ways of God
unequal seem to be,
And the trials He sends
appear too hard for thee,
He has promised you His wisdom
shall be given lib'rally:
If you ask in faith with patience,
soon His purpose you shall see.


(Chorus)

Count it all joy
when darkness clouds the path you've trod.
Trust in His Word
that the secret things belong to the Lord our God.
Count it all joy
and for the crown of life endure.
Let you patience make you
perfect and complete in all His will,
And the grace of God employ
to count it all joy.


As with Job,
the Lord doth often hid His face;
Still He's faithful
to provide a secret place
To escape from each temptation
thru His all sufficient grace,
So rejoice in tribulation,
and your trial now embrace.


(Chorus)
Count it all joy
when darkness clouds the path you've trod.
Trust in His Word
that the secret things belong to the Lord our God.
Count it all joy
and for the crown of life endure.
Let you patience make you
perfect and complete in all His will,
And the grace of God employ
to count it all joy.

God Wants to Hear You Sing

Yesterafternoon, my back was hurting,
so I decided to go upstairs and listen to some music
while applying accupressure to relieve it.
I decided to try a new cd
so I went through some cds we had and came across
an album called "We Preach Christ" by Westcoast Baptist College.
So I put it in and was really enjoying it.
Then when it came to number 7, it really spoke to my heart
and it brought tears to my eyes.
This was a really good song, and now I'm catching
myself singing it constantly since yesterday!

Here are the words below...
(and at the bottom of the post is a link
for a brief clip of the song)


God Wants to Hear You Sing


Their chains were fastened tight
down at the jail that night;
Still, Paul and Silas would not be dismayed.
They said it's time to lift our voice;
Sing praises to the Lord.
Let's prove that we will trust Him, come what may.


(Chorus)
God wants to hear you sing
When the waves are crashing round you,
When the fiery darts surround you,
When despair is all you see.
God wants to hear your voice
When the wisest man has spoken,
And says your circumstance is as hopeless as can be:
That's when God wants to hear you sing.


He loves to hear our praise
On our cheerful days;
When the pleasant times outway the bad by far.
But when suffering comes along,
And we still sing Him songs;
That is when we bless the Father's heart.

(chorus)
God wants to hear you sing
When the waves are crashing round you,
When the fiery darts surround you,
When despair is all you see.
God wants to hear your voice
When the wisest man has spoken,
And says your circumstance is as hopeless as can be:
That's when God wants to hear you sing.

Such beautiful words, aren't they?
How much the Lord deserves our praise in
the good times, as well as through the trials.
We never have to worry that He's not there,
or wonder if He still loves us. He is and does!
He's always there when we're ready to turn to Him,
He wants to hold us and comfort us,
He wants us to enjoy an abudant life,
at peace in Him, while serving Him.
He is SO good to us and deserves our continual praise!

Click here to hear a 30 second clip

"I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live:
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
~ Psalm 104:33