"Whiter than Snow"

In a recent chapel service where I work, we were asked if we had a favorite Bible word. Snow immediately popped into my mind. I consider snow to be one of the most beautiful things God has created.

Snow not only falls in a beautiful fashion but lays upon the earth in a delightful form. It is mystical. I believe God gave us this creation so that we can better understand how our sins will be “washed as white as snow.” Psalm 51:7 From snow ice cream to snowballs to snowmen, snow is God’s way of slowing us down so we can spend time with Him. Snow draws me to God to meditate upon His gift of salvation.

“I Shall Be Whiter than Snow,” by James Nicholson, 1857, who lived in Maryland, provides beautiful lines to ponder:

“Lord, Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe–
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

“Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

“The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
Oh glory! My soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.”

The next time we have a snow fall and you watch it cover the ground, and your insides start churning because “you have plans,” I encourage you to sit down and consider how completely Jesus’ blood washes away your sin. And if you haven’t listened to snow fall, open your door in the quiet of night or early morning and hear beautiful music composed by God. Your plans may not seem quite as important after all.

“ ... I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

The above picture is “snow balls” in summer!

"Songs in the Night"

I recently had the pleasure of reading Charles Spurgeon’s sermon, “Songs In The Night.” It is a thought-provoking, inspirational exhortation which provides help as you go through trials.

Do you have “songs in the night?” when your heart breaks and you don’t know what to do. Spurgeon gives three subjects to sing about when your heart is sad: “the day that is over,” “the present night,” and “the days to come.” Following is just a handful of his thoughts:

“In the midst of the night the most usual subject for Christians to sing about is ‘the day that is over.’ There was a time when I could say, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives.’ I have my doubts and fears at this present moment; but it has not been long since I could say, with full assurance, ‘I know that he shed his blood for me; I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God’ [Job 19:25-26].

“No matter how dark the night is, there is always something to sing about, ‘even concerning the present night.’” (It truly is amazing the comfort you can find when you seek it. From God’s word . . . to godly friends . . . to beautiful music that stirs your soul, it is there, you just have to find it.) yours truly

“Besides, Christian, however dark the night is, there is always a star or moon. There is hardly ever a night that we have, when there are only just one or two little lights burning in the sky. However dark it may be, I think you may find some little comfort, some little joy, some little mercy left, and some little promise to cheer your spirit.

“But, beloved, there is another thing we can sing about and, even more sweetly; and that is, we can sing of ‘the days that are to come.’ A day is coming when every minister of Christ will speak with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, when all the servants of God will preach with power, and when the massive systems of heathenism will tumble from their pedestals, and mighty, gigantic delusions will be scattered to the winds. The shout will be heard, ‘Alleluia! Alleluia!’ The Lord God Omnipotent reigns. For I look to that day; it is to the bright horizon of that Second Coming that I turn my eyes.

“Your head may be crowned with thorny troubles now, but it will wear a starry crown soon; your hand may be filled with cares—it will hold a harp soon, a harp full of music. Your clothes may be soiled with dust now; they will be pure white in the future. Wait a little longer”

You can find this sermon at http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/2558.htm
... there is so much more to glean!

I encourage you to read his words. We will all experience night. Let’s choose to go through it with joy!

Charles H. Spurgeon
1834-1892
Preached sometime in the mid to late 1800's


Finally, after several years, a big doe was standing in the perfect place on a homestead I pass. The scenery is beautiful, but there was never a deer there. Always deer on the homestead beside it, but never there. Last week I was thrilled to see this doe and she let me take her picture.

Have You Been Changed For Good?

On Sandi Patty’s CD Songs for the Journey, she sings the song For Good. As you may know, the song was written by Stephen Schwartz for the musical Wicked. I’m not familiar with the musical except to say it involved two friends. And that’s where I come in.

“Because I knew you I have been changed for good.” Each time I hear those words I begin recalling my friends and how they have affected my life. I am blessed with women I call friends. My friends date back to my elementary school years and through my entire life— childhood . . . teen years . . . early adulthood, middle age and every year since.

Friendships just don’t happen. You have to nurture a friendly relationship just like any other relationship. Sometimes you’ll find the relationship one–sided. Sometimes you learn the relationship is not a good one for you. Only you can determine if you’ve chosen well. But if you believe the relationship has value, I promise you the end results are worth all the effort you put into building a friendship

“We need people with whom we can be open and share our struggles, those who will bear our burdens as we also bear theirs, and who will support us in prayer. That kind of vulnerability is what produces genuine fellowship, or koinonia–the heart-to-heart connection God desires for His people.” Leigh Ann Powers, just between us

Sister’s Keeper, words and music by Twila McBride-LaBar and Anita Renfroe, is another song that expresses love for friends. It was recorded by Kim Hopper, on her CD Imagine, and it shares the following words: “ ... and though our lives are different, we share a common bond, our Father makes us family, and family makes us strong, our sisters make us strong.”

“C. S. Lewis said, “ Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a fire?” [“especially on a snowy day.”]

Have I been changed for good because of the friends I know? Yes, I have. Friendship is indeed worth having. Another line I like from “For Good,” “I know you have re-written mine [life] by being my friend ...”

Have you been changed for good? I think it’s a question worth your time.

Awash With Tears

On the back cover of this month’s Home Life, Ivey Harrington Beckman talks about tears, calling herself outright, a crybaby. How I can relate to that! God made me so tender that anything that requires an emotional response will produce tears in me.

Ivey asked God about her cryablilty (my new word). His response to her was enlightening and pleasant. “I wanted someone to share My tears, so I carved you from the most tender part of My heart . . . I created you, My tenderhearted child, to cry with Me – and by doing so, show the world just how much I care.”

Although I wish I didn’t cry at the drop of a hat, He made me tender so I could serve Him with His special gift of encouraging. Billy Graham said, “Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength.”

There certainly are times for tears, both in women and men. Ken Lyle, former BCM/D Executive Director, wrote about tears in his Journeying column in 1986: “It took a long time for me to learn that real men (and women)* do cry, even in public. There is a time for weeping (Ecclesiastes 3:4) and the sooner men (and women) understand and apply this truth, the more real and healthy they will be. “

“A teardrop on earth summons the King of heaven.” Charles Swindoll
God sees tears fall (2 Kings 20:5). One of my favorite things to do is watch the Gaither Homecoming videos. Many times during the course of listening to beautiful music, the singers shed tears. No embarrassment … just heartfelt moving of His spirit.

Ivey ends her article referencing Psalm 56:8 where scripture says our tears are caught in a bottle. Ivey says her tears “must be caught in a rain barrel!” I like that. I don’t always like crying, but if it allows me to use the gift God has given me to help others, I guess I’ll shed many tears in thanksgiving to Him!

• Insertion mine

The above picture is in memory of my friend, Cindy Dunigan's dog, Arial. She was a sweetheart! I shed teardrops for her kisses.