A wedding hymn

Since we celebrated our third anniversary earlier this month, I (of course!) thought back over the details of our wedding and enjoyed reminiscing a bit. It really was the perfect ceremony for us. The following hymn is one I fell in love with from the wedding section of our hymnal. A dear friend sang it during our ceremony.

O Father, all creating,
Whose wisdom, love, and power
First bound two lives together
In Eden’s primal hour,
Today to these Thy children
Thine earliest gifts renew,
A home by Thee made happy,
A love by Thee kept true.

O Savior, Guest most bounteous
Of old in Galilee,
Vouchsafe today Thy presence
With these who call on Thee;
Their store of earthly gladness
Transform to heavenly wine,
And teach them, in the tasting,
To know the gift is Thine.

O Spirit of the Father,
Breathe on them from above,
So mighty in Thy pureness,
So tender in Thy love;
That, guarded by Thy presence,
From sin and strife kept free,
Their lives may own Thy guidance,
Their hearts be ruled by Thee.

Except Thou build it, Father,
The house is built in vain;
Except Thou, Savior, bless it,
The joy will turn to pain;
But naught can break the union
Of hearts in Thee made one;
And love Thy Spirit hallows
Is endless love begun.

I think the words of this hymn, written by John Ellerton in 1876, are so rich and God-honoring. Christian marriage is such a beautiful gift from a gracious and merciful God. And truly, as we work to build our home, if the Lord is not the builder, our labors really are in vain. Without the blessing of God on our marriage and our family, what good will any of it accomplish? Today and every day, I am thankful for my godly husband and the family the Lord is allowing us to build together. How I do look forward to growing old together and seeing the fruit of our labors!

What are you thankful for this Lord's Day?

Why I'm a mama...

I am blessed beyond measure to have a godly heritage. My mother is one of my dearest friends, and I can't express enough how thankful I am to have her in my life. Now that I'm a mom myself (this is my third Mother's Day as a mama--I can't believe it!), I can so much more fully appreciate all the sacrifices she made for me.This whole motherhood thing is so very blessed, but it's not for the faint of heart! As a mom, I am daily faced with a choice to be selfish or to deny myself for the temporal and, more importantly, the eternal well-being of my children.

Some days it's hard, but as I'm often reminded, there's a very bright light at the end of the tunnel:

What could bring more joy to an aging woman than to have her children rise up and called her blessed by their walking in the faith? What could bring more joy to a glorified woman than seeing around the heavenly throne a multi-generational crowd of her maternal influence? Look, Mom, you've fetched a thousand tongues to sing His praise!  
~Womanly Dominion

Reading these words literally brought tears to my eyes (more than once!). The daily grind of changing diapers, wiping noses, reading books, disciplining (again), cooking meals, cleaning, playing games, going over catechism questions, singing songs...I really do love it, and it's all is part of the work of growing children into adults, and Lord willing, they'll grow into adults who live for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. The job mothers do changes the world! And as this quote so aptly points out, the influence of a mother has the ability to far outlast her, influencing many generations to come.

So, y'all, that's why I'm a mama; it's why I've devoted my life to the rearing of children. And there will be no greater reward than, by God's grace, looking around the throne of heaven one day and seeing my children and their children after them worshiping the risen Lord.


Happy Mother's Day!

My sin, not in part, but the whole

One morning last week I was in a bad mood. When I began my morning chores, I turned on some hymns, knowing their attitude-adjusting effects. As I listened to It Is Well With My Soul, I got teary-eyed as goosebumps spread up my arms, particularly during the third stanza. My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! 

It really is a glorious thought. The Mighty King of kings has born the entirety of my sin on the cross, and I no longer bear the overwhelming, soul-damning weight of its burden. Because of His atoning grace, it truly is well with my soul no matter what trials this life will bring.

 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!

Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

As with Gladness, Men of Old

 This is a less-known advent hymn. The words are so rich and full of truth. It's sung to the tune of "For the Beauty of the Earth."

As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright
So, most glorious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!

Words by William C. Dix

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

We keep Christmas pretty simple at our house. One tradition we really enjoy during this season is singing hymns about the birth of Christ during daily family worship. Many of them are so theologically rich and worshipful. I think the familiarity makes it all-too-possible for us to not pay close attention to the words. Over the next few Sundays, I'll be highlighting some of our favorite Advent hymns. What are yours?

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;

peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled!"

Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumphs of the skies;

with th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."

Christ, by highest heav'n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity,

pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."

Hail the heav'n-born Price of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings, ris'n with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die,

born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."

 Words by Charles Wesley

How glorious that Christ saw fit to humble himself and take on the likeness of man and dwell with us, and through His birth, death, and resurrection, make it possible for men to be reconciled to God!

493 Years

 

493 years ago today, a note posted on the door of a church in Germany began something that would change the course of history. An innocent note, intended only to inspire discussion between theology professors ended up reforming the church throughout the world! Today, we'll be remembering this and thanking God for His grace in raising up godly men like Martin Luther who were then bold enough to carry the Truth forward regardless of the cost. One must wonder who, if any, will rise up in this generation and do the same.

On Flexibility, Humility

I have been reading through an excellent book during my morning devotions this week. Part of what I read on Friday really stuck out and was an excellent reminder for this mama's heart.

"Our Wise Woman is steadfast in her faith and commitment to her Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58) and is, at the same time, flexible with His plan for her life (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Flexible, by definition, suggests the ability to bend without breaking, a willingness or predisposition to yield; pliable; or adaptable. It is the quality of being able to adjust to change and the capacity to modify our plans in order to leave room for God's plans (1 Peter 5:5-6). Humility is the underlying character quality that yields a flexible response."

 ~Becoming a Woman Who Pleases God, p. 90 (emphasis added)

To me, that was such an amazing thought and I read through it several times. How applicable it is to the life of just about every mom. When I complain about 'interruptions' to my day, it is out of pride! God is the one who ordains everything that happens during the course of my day, including the events that I (sinfully, pridefully) get frustrated about.

Every time Katie 'interrupts' what I'm doing to have me read the same book for the eighteenth time, every time she begs to 'help' me wash dishes when I just want to get it done fast and move on, when she wakes up half an hour earlier than expected from her nap, when Ben has something different in mind for our evening than I do, and even when I sit down at the end of the day and feel like I didn't get anything done for all the interruptions! All of these 'interruptions' are part of God's perfect plan, and rather than grumbling, I ought to exercise flexibility and humility, acknowledging that His plans truly are far better than my own!

Will you join me this week in seeking to exercise more flexibility and humbly submit to God's perfect plan without grumbling?

O, The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

How amazing it is that Christ sees fit to bestow His perfect, steadfast love on sinners. Nothing we have done or can ever do can make us deserving of His love, but may we all seek to pour our lives out as an offering to Him in thanksgiving for His grace towards us! On many occasions, the hymn O, The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus has been such a precious reminder of Christ's love. I hope it encourages your heart this Lord's Day!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Words by S. Trevor Francis, 1875

Photo Credit 

Christ's Work, Not Mine

 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; 

that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

2 Corinthians 5:21

How easy it is, even for those of us who believe in salvation by grace, to look at our own works and secretly  hope they will bring us into a better standing with God. Not all the Bible reading, prayer, and evangelizing in the world can change it. Christ became sin for us sinners, that we might be made righteous. Our works, no matter how great they seem, do not amount to anything in comparison.