Tocata for Tuesday

Amazing! That just doesn't seem like it could be possible. Enjoy!



H/T to Barbara at Mommy Life!

Wayfaring Stranger

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
trav'ling through this world of woe.
there's no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I'm going there to meet my father
I'm going there no more to roam;
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home.

I know dark clouds will gather o'er me
I know my pathway's rough and steep;
But golden fields lie out before me
Where weary eyes no more shall weep.
I'm going there to see my mother
She said she'd meet me when I come
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home.

I'll soon be free from every trial
This form will rest beneath the sod
I'll drop the cross of self denial,
And enter in my home with God.
I'm going there to see my Saviour
Who shed for me His precious blood
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home.

I want to wear a crown of glory
When I get home to that bright land
I want to shout Salvation's story
In concert with that bloodwashed band.
I'm going there to meet my Saviour
To sing His praises forevermore
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home

Happy Valentine's Day

Strolling down memory lane with three that are favorites.

Hope your Valentine's Day is lovely.

Sin Is Expensive

(This is not something many children are ready for. You might want to watch it later if your children are with you.)

Good Friday

The joy comes in the morning, and that is true.

But I never want to forget:

What salvation cost.

The price Love paid.

The gift is free with no strings.

May your Good Friday be filled with the knowledge that you are loved beyond reason.

Winter

Depending on where you are, winter means different things. You may be buried in snow or be looking at bare, gray ground wondering if the green will ever come back again, let alone flowers and vegetables. You may be blessed to be in warmer climes where snow is a rare treat.

Whatever your circumstances...Can you hear winter in the beauty of Vivaldi?



Hold on a little longer. Spring is not far away.

Träumerei

Träumerei (Dreaming)

From Kinderszenen ("Scenes From Childhood"), Opus 15, by Robert Schumann

Chess

From Peer Gynt, In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg

My boys loved this one!!



Found at Barbara's Stray Thoughts.

Merry Christmas! Welcome LORD Jesus!

Lyrics and music by Chris Rice

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting

Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home
Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence

Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy

Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Christ Be Our Light

Christ Be Our Light

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Refrain
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Refrain

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Refrain

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Refrain

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Refrain

Russian Trepak

by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Gift of Hope

Child of wonder, close Your eyes
Rest here in my arms tonight
Someday You will save the world
But tonight I'll hold You, right here in my arms

Precious miracle of life, child of love
Gift of hope, the gift of light
From the Father above
And You were made for all mankind
But You will always be mine, child of love

Gabriel's promise has come true
God has blessed this world with You
And as I humbly hold You now
In my heart I know I'm holding heaven's child

Precious miracle of life, child of love
Gift of hope, the gift of light
From the Father above
And You were made for all mankind
But You will always be mine, child of love

Precious miracle of life, child of love
Gift of hope, the gift of light
From the Father above
And You were made for all mankind
But You will always be mine, child of love

Child of wonder, close Your eyes...

My Hope is Built

My Hope is Built

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Chorus

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Chorus

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Chorus

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Chorus

by Edward Mote



Taking time to join others in fasting & prayer for our nation. See you on November 5th.

In Him,

Julie

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Psalm 36

1 An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.

2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.

3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.

5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

10 Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

Words by Ro­bert Ro­bin­son,

Tune: Nettleton by John Wy­eth



I've become fascinated by the "tunes" that many old hymns are set to. Often there are several songs for one tune, and Nettleton is no exception. Alternate words were written by Richard W. Adams

When the Storms of Life Surround Me

When the storms of life surround me,
And the world seems dark and cold,
When the rain beats down upon me,
And the lightning stabs my soul,
I cry out to my Savior,
“Lord, help me, lest I die!
Do You care not that the billows
Push my boat toward the shoal?”

When the raging winds and tempest,
And the noxious clouds of sin,
Whirl around me like an army,
And my faith is wearing thin,
In a whispering distant thunder,
Comes a voice like morning calm:
“Fear not, I am with you ever,
Till the world shall see its end.

“I command the winds of heaven,
And the lightning does My will,
I Who walked upon the waters,
And Who bid the storm be still.
I seek not your destruction,
But to strengthen and make pure;
Keep your faith in Me, believing
I My promises fulfill.”

He is greater than the thunder,
He is mightier than the storm;
He extends His hand to lift me,
And protect my soul from harm.
He will see me safe to harbor,
To the haven of my rest,
Sheltered by the Rock of Ages,
Held in His almighty arm

Return to Pooh Corner

From a sentimental mommy to anyone else who knows where I'm at right now. This song always melts me. Where does the time go? I sure do miss Winnie and the Hundred Acre Wood crew.

For my boys:

Kenny Loggins cartoon version with Amy Grant


Kenny's acoustic set

sniff...sniff...

It Almost Always Makes Me Cry

I've been told my maternal grandfather listened to opera. Since he came to America from Italy when he was 19, he had no language barrier for a good portion of opera works. I don't remember him listening, but I must have hidden memories of it. Opera moves me in a way few other musical styles do.

Britain's Got Talent brought to light two very young, beautiful voices. The first video is Andrew Johnston, a thirteen year old. The second is twelve year old Faryl Smith. Both did me in.

I Hearted Gev

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know that I don’t blog about television much, if ever. Mostly because I don’t watch it. Home & Garden’s House Hunter’s is about the extent of my viewing. I watched the last two or three episodes of @merican Idol because we knew someone who knew someone who knew the winner (who I hearted quite a bit—but I always watched him on YouTube).

But a while back I started watching So You Think You Can Dance. I was head over heels. If you know much about me, you know I love dance. Specifically ballet, but any form of dance gets my attention. Now I passed on Dancing with the Stars, I peeked at Your Mama Don’t Dance (cute idea) a couple of times, but So You Think You Can Dance caught my heart because in ten years or less my oldest son could be doing that. My youngest would only be a few years behind.

My sons dance. A fact that gets us some quizzical looks and some unenlightened remarks sometimes. But I am very proud of what they do. They’ve joined me in my watching and have become quite the dance critics. We all have our favorites, but one of the ones we all agreed on was Gev. Gev got sent home last night. And Roo ended up in a surprising emotional state. I had to explain to him, that this is the way of the world of performing in any way—it is always an audition. Some will get the part, win the competition, do better one night than anyone else. Some won’t.

And in a way, that is really a metaphor for life; job interviews, relationships, competitions of any sort, athletic or artistic. This has been a great show to open the boys’ eyes. A few lessons we have learned vicariously are: take your corrections with a positive attitude and a smile, never speak negatively to judges (or teachers) or in front of a camera, win and lose graciously, when you dance—throw it all out there and dance your heart out. You will never second guess yourself that way.

Gev is a street dancer/break dancer who during the show has done contemporary broadway jazz, hip hop, ballroom, and jive. His attitude has been so positive. His smile is so sweet. I’m easily old enough to be his mom, and like I said, can see my boys doing this kind of thing. I had a tear or twenty when Gev got cut.

Shows like this break my heart, but at the same time they can be a really fun thing. This seems to be a sweet group of excellent dancers who, for the most part, I would be proud to know. Bittersweet fun.

I don't know how long these links will stay up. But if you haven't seen the show, here are my favorite three dances from Wednesday night.

Disclaimer: If you are easily offended by dance costumes or content, probably best to skip over. If not--enjoy!

Chelsea and Gev



Courtney and Joshua



Katee and Will

Faith Lift Friday

I am still on the road, but going to head home today. Looking forward to finding "normal" again if there really is such a thing.

This song was on my heart this morning.

Cares Chorus
by Kelly Willard

I cast all my cares upon You,
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.
And any time I don't know just what to do,
I will cast all my cares upon You.

I cast all my cares upon You,
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.
And any time I don't know just what to do,
I will cast all my cares upon You.
I will cast all my cares upon you





Visit Sheryl at Taking the Challenge to find some great blessings to take you into the weekend.

Many prayers,

Julie

Scripture & Song: Faith Lift Friday

I posted this over a year ago, but it's been on my heart, so I thought it might be okay to repost it for Sheryl's Faith Lift Friday. I also found a video clip to go with, so even better!

1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2



Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

Refrain

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Refrain



Visit Sheryl for an opportunity to have some uplifting words to carry you through the weekend.

Blessings,

Julie

Like...You Know...

Too funny not to share.

Dancing with Joy