Were I to make a poem of a day Of housework, I’d not write of dust and brooms So much as of the sun in spotless rooms, Of bowls of freshly cut sweetpeas—I’d say Less of vegetables and kinds of bread, Of endless dishes washed and scraped and dried, And more of children’s hunger satisfied— I’d tell of warm soft lips on mine instead.
O more than ceaseless duties I would sing Of happy hearts and of contentment, of Ambitious dreams—yes, more than anything I’d tally every blessing, wherein love Is greatest of them all: is the leaven Exalting toil, turning home to Heaven.
The other reason that I make music is to celebrate the certainty of the Lord, since there is no other way I can understand the contradictions and confusions that surround me. — Anthony Trollope
I was raised on hymns. They were my mother’s milk, my first solids, my daily bread, my cup of tea. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t sing hymns, nor a time that I haven’t loved hymns. I sing hymns that sweep my soul up and bring me to the gates of heaven. I sing hymns that mourn, a haunting melody in a minor key that alone reaches the nooks and crannies of my grief. Hymns, well-done, show me how great my God is and how much that affects my life. They remind me of what is true, they teach me how to respond, they encourage me to change.
I’ve worshiped with Plymouth Brethren, Baptist, Evangelical Free, and Presbyterian churches. In other words, I come from a broad range of hymnody: English melodies, Fanny Crosby, revival hymns, plainsong, German chorales, psalms from the psalter, Welsh hymns, folksongs, Vaughn Williams, Luther, and one of my favorites: Claude Goudimel.
Just as in books, there are good ones and there are raspy ones. I when hear certain hymns I think: All Skate! Other have a sing-song rhyming scheme that sounds like a seventh grader wrote it. True, some tunes are dated and just bad. There are bouquets of flowery, sentimental sap that may not even be orthodox in their theology.
Hymn geeks know that each tune has a name. The name of the tune may come from the city where it was composed, the first words of the hymn—often in their original language—or some phrase that identifies it. Or in the case of one favorite, the tune is SINE NOMINE, meaning without a name. I included the tunes because two people out there will care to know to which tune I sing that particular hymn.
1. DoxologyOLD HUNDRETH This should be the first praise song every toddler learns. And perhaps the last song with the last breath of life. Our church sings this, a capella, at the end of every service.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
2. Come, Thou Fount of Every BlessingNETTLETON
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
3. My Soul, Now Bless Thy Maker (Psalm 103) NUN LOB, MEIN SEEL The truth is that many of my favorite hymns are based on Psalm 103. Unfortunately this one is obscure. How do I translate to you the joy and thrill it is to sing this? Almost every audio version I’ve found has a slow, dreary tempo when this is a vigorous and confident tune. So here’s the best combo I can find: Listen to this version (click on 519) after you’ve opened a window with the words.
My soul, now bless thy Maker! Let all within me bless His name Who maketh the partaker of mercies more than thou dar’st claim.
4. Shout, for the Blessed Jesus ReignsTRURO I love TRURO like my friend Steph loves HYFRYDOL. We are kindred spirits in our hymn geekdom. Listen here.
Shout, for the blessed Jesus reigns; through distand lands his triumphs spread; And sinners freed from endless pains, own him their Saviour and their Head.
5. Only Begotten, Word of God EternalISTE CONFESSOR There is gravitas in this ninth century hymn. Tune is here; words are here (pause the music that automatically starts).
Here in our sickness, healing grace aboundeth, Light in our blindness, in our toil refreshment: Sin is forgiven, hope o’er fear prevaileth, Joy over sorrow.
6. Jesus Shall ReignDUKE STREET Besides loving ancient hymns in minor keys I love triumphal anthems. Tune here and words here. I love to modulate up a half key with each new verse.
People and realms of every tongue dwell on His love with sweetest song; And infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on His Name.
7. O Sing A New Song to the Lord (Psalm 98) LYNGHAM To hear a large group singing this four-part fugue is glorious.
O sing a new song to the Lord, for wonders He has done. His right hand and His holy arm the victory have won.
8. O the Deep, Deep Love of JesusEBENEZER The music matches the words in this piece better than any other hymn I can think of. I hear the ocean currents.
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love; Leading onward, leading homeward, to thy glorious rest above.
9. Praise To the Lord, the AlmightyLOBE DEN HERREN If you don’t know this hymn, please learn it. Every phrase is rich, solid, steady.
How oft in grief hath not he brought thee relief, Spreading his wings to o’ershade thee!
10. For All the SaintsSINE NOMINE Alleluia!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine.
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong
11. In Christ Alone Music and lyrics here. What is it about this modern day hymn that is so potent? The words speak to the core issues of life and death. The soaring intervals.
And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me.
12. Great Is Thy FaithfulnessFAITHFULNESS No other song evokes memories of mom like this one.
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
13. Holy, Holy, HolyNICAEA
Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see, Only thou art holy: there is none beside thee Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
14. Jesus, Thy Blood and RighteousnessGERMANY
Fully absolved through these I am From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
15. Come, Ye Disconsolate CONSOLATION
Here bring your wounded heart, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
16. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms
17. Trust and Obey One of the first hymns I sang as a girl.
For there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus
18. O Come, All Ye FaithfulADESTE FIDELIS After I learned about Athanasius, I lift up thanks for him when I sing this carol. Why? Because much of the doctrine in it was defended by him.
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing
19. All Glory, Laud, and HonorST. THEODULPH Bach wrote a great harmonization on this tune.
Thou didst accept their praises, accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious king!
20. We Are God’s People This is one of our church’s favorite anthems.
He wills us be a family, diverse yet truly one, O let us give our gifts to God, and so shall his work on earth be done.
21. Like a River GloriousWYE VALLEY
We may trust Him fully all for us to do, They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
22. Why Do the Heathen Nations Vainly Rage?POURQUOI FONT BRUIT
How blessed are those who trust without dissembling, Who kiss the Son and bow in reverent fear.
23. O for a Thousand TonguesAZMON There are 19 (!) stanzas in the original lyrics. We have great fun singing it to this tune, like a fugue. Click on the link. Do it!
Assist me to proclaim to all the earth abroad The honors of Thy name.
24. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ NameDIADEM, CORONATION, MILES’ LANE Diadem is my favorite setting of this anthem.
And crown Him, crown Him, crown Him, crown Him, And crown Him Lord of all!
25. The Lord Bless You and Keep YouLUTKIN A fitting benediction.
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord life his countenance upong you, And give you peace.
26. God Himself Is with UsARNSBERG Simple, solemn beauty.
Like the holy angels who behold Thy glory, May I ceaselessly adore Thee.
27. All Creatures of Our God and KingLASST UNS ERFREUEN Mr. Bean almost ruined this for me.
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, Praise God and on Him cast your care.
28. Jesus, Lover of My SoulABERYSTWYTH Another minor key masterpiece!
All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of Thy wing.
29. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly This Polish Christmas carol is a simple lullaby packed with truth.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, Praises voicing, greet the morrow, Christ the Babe was born for you!
30. Now Thank We All Our GodNUN DANKET Not just for Thanksgiving, this one is always relevant.
Who, from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
31. O God Beyond All PraisingTHAXTED
And whether our tomorrows be filled with good and ill, We’ll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still.
32. O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!DEO GRACIAS THis one is dense and thick and chewy.
That God, the Son of God, should take Our mortal form for mortals’ sake!
33. What Wondrous Love Is This?
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, And through eternity I’ll sing on.
34. Amazing GraceNEW BRITAIN How did I forget about this before?
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
35. God Be in My Head
God be in my head, and in my understanding. God be in mine eyes, and in my looking. God be in my mouth, and in my speaking. God be in my heart, and in my thinking. God be at my end, and in my departing.
36. St. Patrick’s BreastplateST. PATRICK
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
37. Awake, My Soul, in Joyful LaysLOVING KINDNESS
When trouble, like a gloomy cloud, has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His loving kindness, oh, how good!
38. The Church’s One FoundationAURELIA
Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
39. Rejoice, the Lord Is KingDARWALL
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
40. When All Thy MerciesST. PETER Fernando Ortega sings this well.
When all Thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I’m lost In wonder, love, and praise.
41. The God of Abraham PraiseLEONI I love this Jewish melody.
I shall behold His face, I shall His power adore, And sing the wonders of His grace forevermore.
42. Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!HYFRYDOL
Jesus! what a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him; Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my strength, my victory wins.
43. How Sweet and Awful Is the PlaceST. COLUMBA This lilting Irish melody is quietly powerful.
‘Twas the same love that spread the feast that sweetly drew us in; Else we had still refused to taste, and perished in our sin.
44. O Lord, My God, Most EarnestlyTHIRD MODE MELODY If you’ve seen Master and Commander, you’ve heard this haunting tune.
Beneath the shadow of Your wings I sing my joy and praise. Your right hand is my strong support through troubled nights and days.
45. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep SilencePICARDY This French Carol has very little ornamentation. It is solemn, simple, and powerful.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in His hand Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
46. Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed?MARTYRDOM One of the foundations of my youth.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give myself away, ‘Tis all that I can do.
47. And Can It BeSAGINA
Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my Lord, shouldst die for me?
48. Children of the Heavenly Father One of my brother’s signature songs.
Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord His children sever; Unto them His grace He showeth, and their sorrows all He knoweth.
49. Fairest Lord JesusCRUSADER’S HYMN
Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration Now and forevermore be Thine.
50. Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen, Amen.
51. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore TheeHYMN TO JOY
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.
52. My Jesus, I Love TheeGORDON
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath.
53. I Will Sing of My Redeemer
How the victory He giveth Over sin, and death, and hell.
54. Stricken, Smitten and AfflictedO MEIN JESU, ICH MUSS STERBEN Wow. This hymn. Oh, my.
Ye who think of sin but lightly nor suppose the evil great Here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the Sacrifice appointed, see who bears the awful load; ‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man and Son of God.
55. Christ, the Lord, Is Risen TodayEASTER HYMN Belt this one out at the top of your lungs!
Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once he died, our souls to save; Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
What are a few of your favorites?
Okay, I’ve already realized a few glaring omissions. Humor me?
♥ To God Be the Glory (we sang this at our wedding) ♥ Blessed Assurance ♥ Before Thee Let My Cry Come Near (Psalm 119 X)
About 15 years ago I started keeping a commonplace book, copying favorite poems, quotes, sentences, phrases, and words into a journal, making a personal anthology of my reading life.
Here are selections from a few of my journals, a slice of delight.
4. You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. — C. S. Lewis
5. Fair is where you take the hogs in August. — Anon
6. When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age. — Victor Hugo
7. If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing. — Zimbabwe proverb
8. The idle man does not know what it is to enjoy rest. — Albert Einstein
9. God will not guide us into an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness. — Thomas Kelly
10. The other reason that I make music is to celebrate the certainty of the Lord, since there is no other way I can understand the contradictions and confusions that surround me. — Septimus Harding in The Warden, by Anthony Trollope
11. Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgivings. — W. T. Purkiser
12. History is a vast early warning system. — Norman Cousins
13. Invest yourself in everything you do. There’s fun being serious. — Wynton Marsalis
14. Calm sinning leads to catastrophic suffering. — Terry Tollefson
15. If you try to make something idiot-proof, the world comes up with a better idiot. — Jack Van Deventer
16. Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances we know to be desperate. — G. K. Chesterton
17. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. — Aristotle
18. I am practicing the art of grabbing minutes, perhaps the single most important art the homeschooling mom can develop. — Cindy Rollins
19. The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. — e.e. cumings
20. Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. — William James
21. Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now on and make a brand new ending. — Carl Bard
22. Never get into a rut. You cannot afford to do a thing poorly. You are more injured in shirking your work or half-doing a job than the person for whom you are working. — Booker T. Washington
23. Your absence has gone through me like a thread through a needle. Everything I do is stitched with its color. — W. S. Merwin
24. Never, never, never give up. — Winston Churchill
25. Sit loosely in the saddle of life. — Robert Louis Stevenson
26. There’s nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself. — J. S. Bach
27. Plan as if you will live a short time and live as if you will be here another twenty or thirty years. — Ken Weddle
28. Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one. — Oscar Wilde
29. A good theology will invariably produce a good meal. — Anon
30. Every load of laundry starts with a choice. You can make it a chore, approaching it with dread, performing it grudgingly. Or you can choose to take pleasure in the act of caring for yourself and your family. — Monica Nassif
31. We labor under the tyranny of perfect heroes. — Gary Barber
32. Eating has always been important to me, because the focal point of the day is the dinner table, a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. The dinner hour is a sacramental time for me, a time for gratitude for whoever is gathered around the table, for the food, for our being part of the greater story of creation. — Madeline L’Engle
33. For a second, the woman’s heart quailed before the fresh difficulties, but she forgot self at the look in her husband’s face. Her quiet reply, “We will wait, for God is in the waiting,” filled him with courage again. — Eric P. Kelly
34. I have always known that happiness is a gift, not a right. — P. D. James
35. A perfect day should be recorded. It can’t be relived except in memory but it can be celebrated and remembered with gratitude. — P. D. James
36. Order is the shape upon which beauty depends. — Pearl Buck
37. Life itself is the proper binge. — Julia Child
38. A phone call to say I’m thinking of you yields benefits all out of proportion to the time investment. — Andree Seu
39. Maybe I’m a Luddite because I feel sorry for children who read “Goodnight Moon” on a phone. — Dan Newman
40. Give me a man who sings at his work. — Thomas Carlyle
41. A mother’s happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories. — Honore De Balzac
42. To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. — Cicero
43. Children are durable and don’t necessarily wilt under adversity, just as our children don’t necessarily thrive under luxury and comfort. — Garrison Keillor
44. Get off your attitude. — Terry Tollefson
45. Only by God’s grace is a promise sure. — heard at a wedding
46. A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules. — Anthony Trollope
47. Good prose is economical. — PSAT prep book
48. Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words. — Jeremy Taylor
49. A man who does a good job is OK by me. — Abraham Lincoln
50. He who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well ought himself to be a true poem. — John Milton
51. Really cool things happen on the brink of disaster. — Bob Jensen, local potter
52. Putting other people before our own tidy plans is a reality that needs to be observed by the next generation. — Edith Schaeffer
53. Good humor makes all things tolerable. — Henry Ward Beecher
54. Never think because you cannot write a letter easily, that it is better not to write at all. The most awkward not imaginable is better than none. — Emily Post
55. What people truly crave is appreciation. — William James
Now I give you 55 pictures of the guys I wrap my life around. 1 husband, 3 sons, 5 grandsons (no pictures of the 6th until he arrives)
Only one girl—my sister-in-law—is included because I couldn’t bear to omit one of the best pictures taken in the 1960′s.
If pictures of dead animals bother you, click away. Now. My guys hunt. My guys fish. My guys eat. Please know that I held back. And I will hear complaints about inclusions and omissions from my sons. I could have done 55 Field and Stream Photos.
There is no order and I didn’t count pictures per person. I didn’t try to be fair. Fair is where you take the hogs in August.
1. Come with me on a journey
2. It should make you smile
3. What does this mean?
4. Let’s go!
5. Misty Morning’s Ebony Splendor — our beloved first pet.
This is the kind of book which can create a thirst for history. There are 20 pages of solid text, denser than a typical picture book, but with illustrations that keep kids interested. Imagine it is 1826, and a nation that had never seen a giraffe. Think through the logistics of moving such a large animal before the time of cars and trucks or trains. A ship was fitted to transport her from Alexandria across the Mediterranean Sea to Marseilles. She walked from Marseilles to Paris, about 425 miles! The illustration shows one man leading the giraffe. Actually it took four men with four ropes to keep the giraffe secure. A gift for the king can’t be running off! For France, it was the Next Big Thing: there was an explosion in giraffe art, giraffe china, giraffe linens, and even a giraffe hairstyle.
I am fascinated how one animal can so greatly impact a culture. If you happen to be in Paris, you can see La Girafe’s remains (what does one call the non-living specimen?) mounted, on display. If you happen to be in Paris, make sure you visit Jardin des Plantes, the second oldest zoo in the world.
One could easily springboard from the reading of this book to a short introduction to geography, zoology, taxidermy or meteorology.
Here’s a fun quote:
It isn’t easy to make a raincoat for a giraffe, but Professor Saint-Hilaire designed a good one that covered her whole body and buttoned down the front. It even had a hood to keep her head and long neck dry.
I was spearing some brussell sprouts when the truck motor caught my attention.
I looked out the window and the blood drained from my face. The words Oregon State Police were painted on the truck door. The speed was slow; the driver looked carefully at the numbers on houses.
I walked to the screen door and stood there. My guys are out hunting. I waited to see if this officer was sent for me.
He drove past the house; I blew out the air that I’d been holding in reserve. Two doors down, he pulled into the driveway and turned around. Again, the truck idling, he tilted his head and scanned the fronts of houses.
“Walk with me, Jesus,” I prayed/commanded as the truck slowed in front of my house. In these moments—silly me—, I begin lining up pallbearers.
Then the Oregon State Police continued down the block. Breathe deep. Exhale.
I’m making lists of “55″ this month. Here is a list of verses which have sustained me through the years of my life.
You may or may not be familiar with the Bible. These verses are snatched out of their contexts, but each one has a context in my life. These are words that have fed my soul.
1. The Lord is my strength and my song, And He has become my salvation. — Isaiah 12:2
2. Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. — Jeremiah 33:3
3. I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. — Psalm 116:1
4. Let Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have hoped in Thee. — Psalm 33:22
5. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. — Ephesians 2:8
6. The Lord bless you and keep you; — Numbers 6:24
7. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. — Psalm 23: 1
8. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him. — Psalm 103:13
9. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness. — Lamentations 3:22-23
10. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. — John 10:27
11. One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that shall I seek; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. — Psalm 27:4
12. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. — Ecclesiastes 12:13
13. For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. — Jeremiah 29:11
14. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. — I John 1:9
15. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. — Psalm 34:3
16. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. — Joshua 1:9
17. It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And he adds no sorrow to it. — Proverbs 10:22
18. If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. — John 8:36
19. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8
20. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. — Psalm 62:8
21. God makes a home for the lonely. — Psalm 68:6
22. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. — I Peter 5:7
23. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. — Psalm 23:6
24. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. — Genesis 1:1
25. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. — John 1:1
26. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! — II Corinthians 9:15
27. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. — II Corinthians 3:18
28. To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. — Isaiah 61:3
29. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! — Romans 11:33
30. Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice! — Philippians 4:4
31. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. — Proverbs 31:30
32. For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. — James 1:20
33. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. — I Timothy 1:5
34. My flesh and my heart may fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. — Psalm 73:26
35. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. — Isaiah 53:6
36. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. — Nahum 1:7
37. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13
38. But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. — I Corinthians 13:13
39. For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. — Habakkuk 2:14
40. Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife. — Proverbs 17:1
41. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever. — Psalm 136:1
42. I lift up my eyes to the hills; From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2
43. Howbeit Thou are just in all that is brought upon us, for Thou hast done right but we have done wrong. — Nehemiah 9:33
44. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. — II Peter 1:8
45. Let the sea roar, let the fields rejoice, let the trees of the forest lift their voice. Let the earth and heaven celebrate, and the people on earth say, “The Lord reigns!” — I Chronicles 16:32-33
46. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. — Psalm 16:6
47. Thou will make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever. — Psalm 16:11
48. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. — Isaiah 40:5
49. He has shown you, O man, what is good: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? — Micah 6:8
50. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. — Psalm 103:1
51. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. — Ecclesiastes 3:11
52. I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me. — Song of Songs 7:10
53. Now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which can build you up with the rest of the saints. — Acts 20:32
54. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. — Hebrews 12:28-29
55. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. — Jude 24
Sherry was kind enough to be born exactly three months before me. Her annual celebrations give me great ideas, which, alas, I seldom do. But, this year, I believe I will follow through on several 55 lists. It’s not my birthday today, but September is my birthday month.
Let’s start with 55 Photographs. Oh, the places you will go! One benefit of coming from a large, spread out family is that you just have to visit your people. Here are 55 cherished memories. I took each photo and would appreciate you asking before you download.
1. Sunrise at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
2. Iona Abbey, Scotland
3. Iona, Scotland
4. Baldy Lake, Oregon
5. Imler, Pennsylvania
6. La Grande, Oregon
7. Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington
8. Country Bible Church, Whitman County, Washington
9. Duart Castle, Isle of Mull, Scotland
10. Richland, Oregon
11. York, England
12. Casco Bay, Maine
13. Moscow, Idaho
14. Columbia River, Boardman, Oregon
15. Snake River near Richland, Oregon
16. Sebago, Maine
17. Cumberland, Maine
18. Lostine Canyon, Oregon
19. Enterprise, Oregon
20. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Burns, Oregon
21. Mt. Shasta, as seen from Klamath Falls, Oregon
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. An inter-library loan (thank you Enterprise Public Library) allowed me to test-drive it with a 7-year old and a 3-year old. Two thumbs up!
and Judith St. George’s 
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