Hymns

Counting Blessings

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:1-2 ESV

The Lord is not only my shepherd He is a good shepherd for everyone who comes to Him and He fills our lives with blessings. It may be that having spent a lifetime learning that reality is why “Count Your Blessings” is one of the all time favorites at the Nursing Home meetings I lead every week. You might ask how people sitting in wheel chairs and often without any family or friends can sing about being blessed. It could be that because they are in a place where neither money nor position matter any longer they see more clearly  what is truly a blessing. They have a perspective that includes delighting in different kinds of blessings.  Featured Image -- 18926

Walking into most rooms, you will notice that usually one of the personal items on the nightstand or hung on the wall includes a photograph of their family. Whether it is a faded wedding picture from many years ago or a more recent shot of children and grandchildren it is a reminder of blessings of a lifetime to be thankful for. Then if you stay for a longer  visit some people will begin to show you hand written birthday cards from a grandchild or a box of candy from a friend. Stay a bit longer and they will tell you how much they appreciate you coming by to give them some of your time. Small blessings we pass by in our hurry to go places are instead savored by folks whose life is now lived day by day.

Last of all if you peek into the corner in some rooms you will often see a Bible, a cross or their rosary beads. Today; though the journey has not lead to where they ever imagined they have found that the greatest blessing of all does not lie anywhere here on earth. The blessing that they now value highest of all is the one that is to come when every blessing is found in Christ!

Are We Losing Connection?

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Are We Losing Connection?

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 KJV

David talks about singing praise as something older believers must do in order to let the younger generation know what God has done for them. Of course young people in our churches usually know five or six of the hymns and maybe even a few Christmas carols but they think of that as the music belonging to the old folks. Hymns which connected parents to children for hundreds of years today are on the verge of vanishing away. The entire concept that older have anything of value is being forgotten. So before the baton of faith meant to be passed from one generation to the next is dropped; let’s spend a few days focusing on how to ensure that we pass it on.

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This past Sunday at our church the worship team deviated from its usual contemporary selection to close out the service with two entire verses and the chorus of “How Great Thou Art.” It was so wonderfully refreshing to hear older voices not just joining in but doing so with gusto! We were singing loudly not only because we liked that song but for once we felt as if someone remembered that we were there! It’s not that I think we ought to forget about the new worship songs; but in those few moments we began to make a closer connection. As young tenors blended with older slightly faded baritones; the hymn made us realize that together we are God’s family. As some of our voices weaken from having sung the songs of faith for decades; may others take up their melody. Together we tell the world the unchanging message of God’s love and faithfulness to every generation.

This Is My Father’s World

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I often to sing this hymn when I am on my morning walks. I love especially the lines, “In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere.”  They remind me that when God seems silent in my life it is not from His lack of speaking, rather from my lack of hearing. I pray this acoustic arrangement will be a blessing to you as you listen.