Sunday Hymn: And Can It Be That I Should Gain?

by rosemary. March 25th, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 2 Comments.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

-Charles Wesley, 1738

Thoughts on a Saturday morning

by rosemary. March 24th, 2012. Posted in Just thinking. 2 Comments.

The only way we can perceive how incredibly impacted we are by worldly thinking is by reading the Bible with a deep desire to discover how we’re to live. If we’re obedient to what God says we’ll be stricken with the reality that he calls us to live in a way that is very opposed to an earthly worldview. We’ll feel our ‘alienship,’ that we’re strangers and pilgrims just traveling through. Our preoccupation with ourselves will start to stink and we’ll repent. Then, following Christ’s example, we will care about people deeply, we will love deeply, and we’ll do everything we can to make him known and loved by as many as we can. Our real hope will be in our Heavenly Father, and that changes everything.

1 Peter has so much in it, I’m glad I’m reading it over and over again.

 

Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. March 22nd, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks. 2 Comments.

I’m thankful to God…

for the healthy, sweet grand nephew who was born on Tuesday. He is my younger sister’s seventh grandchild!

for the green buds on just about everything in our yard. The daffodils are plump and ready to burst into bloom. Love ‘em.

for salvation through Jesus: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”

that my sister is home from the hospital.

 

 

Sunday Hymn: My Hope Rests Firm

by rosemary. March 18th, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 2 Comments.

My hope rests firm on Jesus Christ,
He is my only plea.
Though all the world should point and scorn,
His ransom leaves me free;
His ransom leaves me free.

My hope sustains me as I strive
And strain towards the goal;
Though still I stumble into sin,
His death paid for it all;
His death paid for it all.

My hope provides me with a spur
To help me run this race:
I know my tears will turn to joy
The day I see his face;
The day I see his face.

My hope is to be with my Lord,
To know as I am known;
To serve Him gladly all my days
In praise before His throne;
In praise before His throne.

-Keith Getty and Richard Creighton

Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. March 15th, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks. 2 Comments.

Our internet has been down All Day Long, and you know how trying that is! I invited son Nate for dinner so he could fix it—and he just did! Steaks were done on the grill, so his two minutes of ‘work’ was worth it. I’m thankful that he is skilled to do such things. Our family of four had a nice dinner together, and I’m thankful for that too.

I’m so thankful for God’s mercy to family members who have been in the hospital and are still there. One of them had surgery, then had to return to the OR two more times. It has been a very rough time, and it is so good to know that God is with them every moment and His hand is on them. We’re waiting for tests to see if surgery is ahead for my sister.

Two weeks ago I sliced my thumb on a food processor blade. Don’t do that! It is most inconvenient, to say the least. It’s almost healed now, but still finicky about being used. I’m thankful that I got by without having stitches; apparently doctors aren’t inclined to put stitches in fingers. Happy about that! I’m thankful that God made our bodies to heal themselves of such wounds, and for antibacterial gel that helps heal without infection.

This passage was part of my Bible reading this morning, and I praise God for it: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:3-9

Quotable

by rosemary. March 14th, 2012. Posted in Quotes. 1 Comment.

Howbeit your faith seeth but the black side of Providence, yet it hath a better side, and God shall let you see it. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God; hence I infer that losses, disappointments, ill tongues, loss of friends, houses or country, are God’s workmen, set on work to work out good to you, out of everything that befalleth you. When the Lord’s blessed will bloweth cross your desires, it is best, in humility, to strike sail to Him, and to be willing to be led any way our Lord pleaseth.  -Samuel Rutherford

Checking in.

by rosemary. March 14th, 2012. Posted in Ordinary things. 4 Comments.

Dinner’s in the oven.

We have gorgeous weather today: 72 degrees, with blue sky and sunshine. Perfect weather, according to me.

A sister is in the hospital, a sister-in-law is still in the the hospital. Both are having tough times, but are facing them with faith and courage. I’ll be going back to the hospital tomorrow.

I had a return visit to the dentist on Monday. It takes so much Novocaine to numb the area they were working on, even my forehead was numb. I didn’t quite fly out of the chair this time. Guess I’m really, really sensitive….The dentist thinks it might have something to do with fibromyalgia. He also says that the most difficult work is done. Yay.

Here’s a tip for you for the next time you have blood work done. Ask your doctor to check your C-Reactive Protein level. It’s important.

I’m eager for green leaves to appear on our trees.

 

 

Sunday Hymn: This is My Father’s World

by rosemary. March 11th, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 1 Comment.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The Lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

-Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901

It’s soup!

by rosemary. March 6th, 2012. Posted in Recipes. 3 Comments.

I snipped this Ellie Krieger recipe from the newspaper a week ago, and I’ve made it twice so far. Once for my sisters and now again, because it’s so good and healthy. Plus, it’s really fast to throw together. Eat up!

Terrific Tuscan Vegetable Soup

1 (15-oz) can cannelli or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1 Tb. olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried  (I used less because I only like a hint of thyme)
2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp. dried (I left this out)
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste (I didn’t need more)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used chicken)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 oz. baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional (Yes! use it!)

In a small bowl, mash half the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Six servings: 143 calories, 20g carbs, 8g protein, 4 g fat (.05g saturated), 5g fiber, 0g cholesterol

 

On sexual sin and the ministry

by rosemary. March 6th, 2012. Posted in Family. 5 Comments.

You didn’t expect that title on this blog, did you? Those words shouldn’t even go together in the same sentence, but sadly, they do.

My husband was asked to write a post regarding pastors and sexual sin for the Desiring God blog. Someone you know may need to read what he wrote, and you can find it here.

We’re praying that God will use the post to shine His light into very dark places.