Encouragement Divine . . .

Before I let it go . . . just another post from the book Amazing Grace . . .
I’ve had this book for many years, but my practice has been to skip over hymns that I don’t know. I’m not sure why I do this; possibly because I don’t know the melody of a particular hymn, or something crazy like that!

Recently, I didn’t skip over the assigned reading for the day and found a treasure. The song is “Thy Word Have I Hid in my Heart.” It is treasure for me to find because the hymn writer paraphrased a few verses from Psalm 119, which is one of my favorite Psalms.

Ernest O. Sellers wrote both the words and music around 1908. For the chorus, Mr. Sellers used the words directly from Psalm 119:11: “Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”
The first reads: “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, A light to my path always, To guide and to save me from sin, And show me the heav’nly way.” Another verse reads: “At morning, at noon, and at night I ever will give Thee praise; For Thou art my portion, O Lord, And shall be through all my days!”

Throughout Psalm 119 we read about God’s word--obeying it, meditating on it, hiding it in our heart, delighting in it, and loving it. I may not know the melody of this hymn, but I can delight in the words.

Following are some quotes regarding Psalm 119:

“This psalm is a chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links.” Matthew Henry

“A psalm dedicated to the praise of God’s Word.” Liberty Bible Commentary

“Although Psalm 119 is lengthy, it is not tiresome. Its subject, the Word of God, is more than worthy of its one hundred seventy-six verses." Liberty Bible Commentary

A few of my favorite verses . . .

“Oh that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!” Verse 5

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." Verse 18

“Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.” Verse 43

Verses 74, 81, 147 and others proudly proclaim: “I have put my hope in your word.”

“The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Verse 130

Now I have another treasure to sing in meditating on Psalm 119 in “Thy Word Have I Hid in my Heart.” I think I’m going to have to stop skipping over hymns I don’t know so I can find the gold nuggets meant just for me.

The above picture was unplanned. Imagine my surprise to find this blue heron in the stream when I went to take a picture! I had stopped at my very favorite scene to snap deer and decided to go past where I usually stop to get a different snap of the property. It was only when I checked to make sure I had the stream in the picture that I saw this guy just having an early morning shopping expedition for breakfast. My eyes jumped up from behind the camera and went "look who's here!" I only got three snaps off before he stepped behind the brush. For a hand-held, out the car window, from 60 yards or so, I'm pretty pleased!

The snap below is at that same location, but the first time I noticed a lamppost at the bridge. I can't ever remember noticing it before because I've always been focused on the deer. I am very pleased to finally have it in one of my snaps!

A MIRACLE

As you can tell from the above picture, this post is quite different from my usual writings. Maybe your curiosity has been where mine is . . . but if not, maybe you'll be moved . . .

I’ve been looking at a lot of pictures of baby animals. I believe my curiosity began because I love to photograph baby animals, mostly fawns, lambs and calves. Then my mind wondered what it looked like when the deer, cow and sheep actually gave birth.

I never had a dog or cat that gave birth, in which I could marvel at the puppies and kittens. Didn’t live near a farm or ranch where animal babies are born all the time. Perhaps this curiosity seems strange to you, but seeing a living being born was a desire I’ve carried with me for many years.

I found many videos on the web to satisfy my curiosity of each of these animal types. I even watched a horse giving birth. As my title says, IT'S A MIRACLE! What an awesome God we have. The picture above was an image from a video I saw on YouTube.
The picture below is the icy, cold February morning when I found this newborn following Momma.



Although I’ve seen no video’s of an elephant being born, I have seen pictures of newly born elephants. I laugh so! A tiny, tiny miniature of a giant animal. I keep saying to myself: “My God, my God, there is no one like you."

It drove my curiosity even further as I wondered at a new born baby’s entrance to this world. (Don't fear . . . there isn't a picture below of a human baby being born.) It’s very common now for families to be in the birth room and watch a baby being born. Today that curiosity was satisfied. I actually watched a human baby being born. I was shaking. Crying. Praising.

The picture below is the early morning when I captured these two calves right after they had been born. The one was standing for the first time.



I feel as though I’ve been given a special privilege into God’s miraculous works. What doctors and nurses, and farmers and ranchers, see everyday . . . and what family members are welcome to see if desired, I was now priviledged to see.

Baby’s being born are rather common place now. Unless the new born is in your family, it’s just another baby being born. But today, God opened my eyes to see what only He can do . . . give life.

I’m thankful for this opportunity to see a creation from God come to life. I've wondered about it for years. There really isn’t any words good enough to explain this. What an awesome God we have.

Below is a beautiful picture you will enjoy, celebrating another type of creation by our awesome God.

My "Melody of Hymns" . . .

I thought I’d written about my "Melody of Hymns" in an earlier post, but upon reviewing my posts I see that I haven’t. Enjoy . . .

Many years ago while working at a place causing me great distress, I felt heaven-led to create a "Melody of Hymns." I found myself in the law offices of the Carroll County Government. I was thrilled at first. I had always wondered what it would be like to work in a law office.

I found as time passed my experience was good for only one thing. I now understood why I don’t like attorneys! They take laws and make them into what they need at the time, whether it is the truth or not. It was indeed a very eye opening experience. (I’m sure there are some excellent men of faith who serve in this field, of course.)

As tears were my partner driving to and from my job each day, I needed something that might cheer my heart. In ushers my "Melody of Hymns." God planted this seed and grew it. I wrote down the first verse of 30 hymns I especially enjoyed, on 3 x 5 index cards, one verse each card. Every day I would sing those verses in the same order.


It only took a few months before those 30 hymn verses were memorized. This discipline has been a great joy in my life. There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t sing my "Melody of Hymns" at least once.

I taped myself singing these hymns and sometimes would sing with the tape. Now, though, my car doesn’t have a cassette tape player. Since I have more senior moments as time goes by, I need a refresher on some of the words. What can I do? Can I transfer cassette tapes to CDs?

Back then I was younger, my eye sight was good, and I could read the words and drive at the same time. I thought about writing an article about this new discipline but figured no one would publish it because driving and reading would not be good advice.
So, I finally found an avenue to publish it! Arn't you special!

This little discipline I established, under God’s influence, has been a thrill to my heart! The following poem, in the preface of the book Amazing Grace, author unknown, rightly denotes why hymns are such a treasure:

“Hymns breathe the praise of the saints,
The vision of the prophets,
The prayers of the penitent and the spirit of the martyrs.
They bring solace to the sad, assurance to the perplexed,
Faith to the doubter and comfort to the oppressed.
They span the centuries of history and bridge the barriers of denominations.
Study them to be pure in heart;
Sing them to be joyful in sprit,
Store them in the mind to possess a treasury of worship.”

My "Melody of Hymns" is definitely a treasure to me. Why . . . I can even stand my own singing!

Lessons From Emma

This post comes from my second book, “A Note For You.” The book contains most of the notes I wrote to one woman to encourage her for an entire year, and remarks I added as to why I wrote each particular note. The two notes that follow mention Emma, shown above during a silly moment, who is now in doggie heaven.

Refreshment . . .
“I watched my dog, Emma, a large furry dog, soak up the afternoon sun, as she laid on the hot blacktop driveway just huffing and puffing away. I wanted to say: ‘If you’d get in the shade it would be cooler.’ I know God says that to me when I’m huffing and puffing: ‘If you’d get in the shade and be refreshed by My word, you’ll feel a lot better.’" God’s breath would surely flow through me and restore my soul.

If I don’t stay consistent in my time with God, I feel the consequences. Short-tempered. Uninspired. Unkind attitude. I also get mad at myself for roaming from my routine.

That’s why I try and live my life based on discipline. I don’t want to get out of the shade!

Thomas Kinkade agrees as he wrote in Lightpost for Living:” “But I learned long ago that I need routine in my life–and that I have more freedom when my days can rely on a predictable rhythm . . . Such repeated and dependable activities anchor my days, providing a sense of stability.”

Trust . . .
“My dog, Emma, is the most relaxed dog I’ve ever known. She rolls on her back and lays with all four legs spread apart. She has no concern or worry about being attacked, even though she’s so vulnerable at that point. I wish I could be that free from concern and worry. I must continue to have complete trust in Jesus, for I know He is my protector. Nothing can come my way except through His perfect will for me. My sweet Emma is a good example to me of displaying complete trust.”

I wish I could be that carefree. Concerns and worries are hard to overcome. When each new problem arises it takes a while to completely turn it over to God. There’s just something about trying to figure out what’s happening myself before I can let it go. My turnover time keeps getting shorter as the years grow. With each situation I conquer, I learn to trust even more.

Refreshment and trust . . . each are necessary as I follow Christ. Below, Emma and I love on each other.

Finally . . . the Introduction

Momma Doe presented her triplets late last Sunday afternoon, and I got to ohh and ahh! She has great timing. She presented her triplets last year three days earlier. Now that's near perfect.

Many of you know how this delight came about. Many years ago our neighbor decided to put corn out to see if deer would come up and eat. The attempt was successful and we've been seeing deer ever since. Jerry and I started putting out corn a few years later and the deer eat at our place too.



There is a safe haven for them between our backyards. Two sides are surrounded with trees and the other two sides are the ends of our yards. We've had as many as 14 at one time, a few bucks, several does and their fawn.



I'll never forget the evening a large buck came and ate under our maple tree. We were in the process of putting in a new split rail fence and the rails weren't up. Jerry and I were sitting out back and this buck just walked right up to the tree. Didn't seem to notice us at all. Below is a not so great picture of Mr. Buck.



And so many other times to remember . . . like the morning one doe was at one end of the yard and another doe at the another end of the yard. Three fawns ran as fast as they could back and forth, back and forth. I'm not sure what the lesson was, but I chuckled all the way too work! (They were way too fast for me to take a picture! The snap below is of this year's triplets. They decided they liked the other side of the gate.)



Another evening Momma Doe had her twins up. When they turned to leave I got up and started walking slowly to the fence to try and get some pictures outside the fence. Momma Doe stopped, looked right at me, and let me take a picture of the family. A great portrait! I have it matted in the living room.



One afternoon when I took a few snaps, the dominant buck was not happy I was there. He kept prancing around, stomping his feet. But I got the snap. We've also seen a few scuffles from both buck and does.



It makes me smile knowing I'll be enjoying the fawn through autumn when their spots disappear. We're able to sit about 30 yards from them. A few years ago we started waving (don't laugh) at them to identify where we were. I do believe they now take it as a sign they're safe!

They're not so friendly that we can start walking around outside. As long as we stay seated and just watch they'll stay and eat. I especially like the below picture of a doe eating in the rain. "Who cares that it's raining; I'm hungry."



As I recently shared in a note, "How I love to see my fawns! It's about the only thing I like about summer!"

A Bouquet of Praise

Last Sunday two individuals came up to me, at different times, and said “You are amazing!” They were talking about the notes I had sent them to encourage their hearts. Of course, I very quickly said that God is the one who is amazing.

It made me feel uncomfortable as I thought of their comments throughout the day. I’ve certainly received thank yous through the years from individuals, but this really made an impression in my mind. As God often does, my morning devotion on Monday gave me the food I needed.

The scripture verse was from Isaiah 42:8: “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.” The devotion is in “Diamonds in the Dust,” by Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni told how Corrie ten Boom, survivor of Nazi concentration camps, handled the world-wide accolades she received for her efforts to protect Jews during the World War II occupation of Holland.

“She often commented that she was able to accept each compliment as though it was a rosebud, gathering many words of blessings during the course of the day,” Joni shared. “Then in the evening she presented God with a big bouquet of praise. Corrie knew that glory, praise, and honor belonged only to the Lord.”



While pondering these words, I thought of the many notes I have sent my pastor to encourage his heart. He stands tall for Christ and his gift of teaching thrills my soul! How I love to hear God’s word taught with courage.

I suppose what I write to him is in the same vein as what the two individuals said to me. God gives each individual all the ability they need to serve with their unique gifts. And sometimes it does seem amazing what one can do for the Lord. The words God gives me when I write to someone certainly astonishes me.

So my heart is happy knowing the words God gives me to send to others does what it is intended to do . . . encourage . . . uplift . . . and point that person to God.

The next time someone tells you, “You’re amazing!” just think of the beautiful bouquet you can give God at the end of the day. Now that’s amazing!

The above snap is my friend, Kathy Kreyling's beautiful garden. The rose in the middle is mine Kathy's snap below is titled "Baby Buns."

Leave It There

A book I am drawn to frequently is titled, “Amazing Grace,” written by Kenneth W. Osbeck, It is a devotion book of hymn stories. I find it inspiring to learn about individuals who wrote hymns in earlier days. The author also adds additional information to muse over.

The other day I read about the song, “Leave It There,” by Charles A. Tindley, 1851-1933. The scripture verse associated with it is Psalm 42:5: “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Psalm 42 has always been a favorite in helping me put all things in perspective. So, naturally, I was drawn to this hymn I don't think I've ever heard. I’ve noted two of the verses plus the chorus:

“If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold, and you have to get along with meager fare, just remember, in His word, how He feeds the little bird–Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

“When your youthful days are gone and old age is stealing on, and your body bends beneath the weight of care, He will never leave you then; He’ll go with you to the end–Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

Chorus: Leave it there, leave it there; take your burden to the Lord and leave it there. If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out–Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”

I pulled Charles Tindley up on the web and discovered he was born near Berlin, Maryland, and has written several hymns, including "We Shall Overcome," "Stand by Me," and "I’ll Understand it By and By."

Charles Tindley was one of the most famous African American Methodist ministers of his era and has been called “one of the founding fathers of African American gospel music.” During one of his pastorates, a worried parishioner heard him say, “Put all your troubles in a sack, take ‘em to the Lord, and leave ‘em there.” It was the spark that prompted the pastor to develop this thought and pen the words and music of this gospel hymn in 1916.

His composition “I’ll Overcome Someday” is credited by some observers to be the basis for the U.S. Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.” Tindley was the first hymn writer to have a hymn copyrighted.

Tindley’s father was a slave, but his mother was free. Charles worked in the same fields as his father for most of his young life. There is a museum in the town of Berlin on Tindley, and descendants still live in the Berlin area in a part of town called Tindleytown.

How fascinating to learn about the lives of hymn writers. Thank you, Mr. Tindley, for writing a song that encourages us to, “Take our burdens to the Lord and leave it there.”

I thought we could all use something cool to help us through the summer. Hope the picture above and below help!