Easter Sunday at the Park

Good, Good Friday!

Halleluia! We are living on this side of redemption! It is accomplished. My soul is securely saved by the blood of Jesus. Thank God. We, very often in our family discuss dead language. Why is our language alive and Latin is dead? This year, I think that we will give an account of our language and of our souls to God. I was so impressed with this song about redemption that it seemed to speak of the justification of why our language still lives.

"THY sanguine sweat, thou trembled yet, embraced His will, at last!"

There is truly no better use of language than to exalt God and His great price paid for our souls. I am lamenting my oft wrong use of this language that we inherited. I pray for cleansing of my tongue and wrestle my tongue into submission until that day when it will be cleansed eternally. I am thankful for the many smacks in the mouth received from considerate parents and grands to teach me that one day you will give an account for that injudicious speech. They were aware when I wasn't. I think our extended family concentrated on words more than any that I have seen. Not better speech but thoughtful of speech was the challenge. Families like these keep our language alive into the future. Latin was used when Jesus was crucified and that might be why it is dead. Words that were used in the crucifixion should never be used in public again. Lord, keep us aware of exalting You in our words. Justifying the use of words at all, by showing that God's glory is the best and most exalted theme is my prayer. Thank God for all of the English teachers who taught me to search out for words and better grammar. Bless us to be redeemed in our speech, Lord, Amen.

My sins, my sins, my Savior! They take such hold on me, I am not able to look up, Save only, Christ, on Thee; In Thee is all forgiveness, In Thee abundant grace, My shadow and my sunshine The brightness of Thy face.

My sins, my sins, my Savior! How sad on Thee they fall; Seen through Thy gentle patience, I tenfold feel them all; I know they are forgiven, But still, their pain to me Is all the grief and anguish They laid, my Lord, on Thee.

My sins, my sins, my Savior! Their guilt I never knew Till with Thee in the desert I near Thy passion drew; Till with Thee in the garden I heard Thy pleading prayer, And saw the sweat-drops bloody That told Thy sorrow there.

Therefore my songs, my Savior, E’en in this time of woe, Shall tell of all Thy goodness To suff’ring man below; Thy goodness and Thy favor, Whose presence from above Rejoice those hearts, my Savior, That live in Thee and love.

Words and Music: John Monsell, 1863. Source: My Sins, My Sins, My Savior.

Joshy and Jazz, Grateful for a happy Saturday.

Those children have a natural reflex for the courts. They were delightful to watch. Picking off half volleys left and right. I don’t know how old I was before I could really do a half volley like that. Their reflexes, like my sister Jackie, who could half volley before she could walk, it seemed. That girl was at the net when her head could hardly reach above the net and the two girls her and “Dina”? playing doubles as little people what a super team they were. The twins reminded me of them. Two real naturals at tennis.

Big curious eyes looking at me and asking, Aunt Jayne, who taught you to play tennis? Gramps took mommy on the courts every day and we learned by watching. Every single day till the sun went down and the lights were on, we cried and cried. OH how I hate the tennis courts. And now they are home, wherever you go they have them and though we don’t have the elders that showed us the way to play by example. We have the courts and our racquets and our memories.

I could never think that I would be Gramps’ age on the courts, hobbling around as though I were old, like I thought he was. But, here I am in my fifties and children grown and no grands yet, but little people my baby boys and the twins who are the age that I was nearly getting on the courts. HUSTLE! I hear Gramps calling from the upstairs. Redeem the time! Okay, Gramps. And I will run for the drop shot and feel his hands as it were lifting me the last step to catch the ball, just before the second bounce and lift it over the net to keep the rally going.

March, Looking for joy in Jesus! in March.

I stand amazed in the presence Of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how He could love me, A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Refrain:

How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvelous! how wonderful Is my Saviour's love to me!

For me it was in the garden He prayed: "Not My will but Thine"; He had no tears for His own griefs, But sweatdrops of blood for mine.

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own; He bore the burden to Calvary, And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see, 'Twill be my joy through the ages To sing of His love for me.

Sometimes a light does surprise the Christian as he sings. I saw today comfort in that the drops of grief were for me. I know that's true, but my sense of grief is all too often, in March for me. Thank God that He understands.

Somebody special is 25 in Heaven today!

What are you magnifying today? Are you magnifying your situation or God’s mercies? Are you magnifying offences or God’s graces? Are you magnifying your lacks or God’s provisions? Put on the corrected lenses, soul!

Babushka fed the birds, today!

>Snow, snow, snow we rarely get it. Today was a blizzard! Woweee! The children made their snowman and snow fort. My entertainment was my birdfeeder. The snow came down profusely. Large and massive flakes, like we rarely see in this North Carolina climate. It was a sentimental snow. It only lasts a day or so here, so we drink in the delights. I went to work making the cocoa and the biscuits and the soup and let the weather do the rest. My chicken soup was simmering and I looked out and thought, perhaps the birdfeeder is empty. Even though my sparrow guests weren't complaining. I went out to check and sure enough, it was empty. The whole family stood around the window near the birdfeeder, making up stories about the interaction that we saw. Those little birdies pollywollydoodled and entertained us most of the day.

Thinking of Pete Seeger with his heavenly hammer and bell--in my imagination

What sacred fountain yonder springs Up from the throne of God, And all new cov'nant blessings brings? 'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What mighty sum paid all my debt When I a bondman stood, And has my soul at freedom set? 'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What stream is that which sweeps away My sins just like a flood, Nor lets one guilty blemish stay? 'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What voice is that which speaks for me In heav'n's high court for good, And from the curse has made me free? 'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What theme, my soul, shall best employ Thy harp before thy God, And make all heav'n to ring with joy? 'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

Pete Seeger made me laugh this morning. He said the sight is glorious in my imagination. I didn’t get a harp like you thought I got a hammer and a bell and heaven is ringing. Halleluia, what a Saviour.

And Merry Christmas Mush to Munch

Here we are at Christmastime, enjoying one another's company. We had a super time with eachother, though the pictures do not show it. We look a little tipsy and I guess we were intoxicated by eachother's comradery. I like our team!

Grateful for the blessings of 52 years.

It does seem but 52 weeks, 52 years does when it is past. Much grace and mercy spent by God on my behalf and I am eternally grateful. I am blessed. I am trusting in God's mercy for the future and I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus. I am a wife and a joyful mother of children. I am standing on the promises of Christ my Savior. I am blessed with family and friends and brethren in Christ who am more often than not, palpably aware of their continued prayer on my behalf. I am sure that when I get to Heaven the prayers for me will be what I will be pillowed on, for their magnitude. And I am all the more sure that crushing will be the load of them eternally, should I not be there, in that day. May God continue to keep me, I do pray. In Jesus' strong and mighty name. Amen

Walk in the Light of Christ at Christmastime...