Another Year is Dawning

You might not be familiar with these words. I wasn't when I was looking for a hymn to put on today. We have a book of hymns called Amazing Grace and it gives one hymn per day of the year. I looked at January first thinking about some New Year hymn. I found this and I looked it up on net hymnal. When the music started playing it was the same tune as "The Church's One Foundation." (Look for this hymn next week.) The music was written by Samuel Wesley, the grandson of the famous Charles Wesley.

Another Year is Dawning
by Frances Ridley Havergal

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

***

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and year.”

Genesis 1:14

Merry Christmas!

The Holy Night
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem;
The dumb kine from their fodder turning them,
Softened their horned faces
To almost human gazes
Toward the newly Born:
The simple shepherds from the star-lit brooks
Brought their visionary looks,
As yet in their astonied hearing rung
The strange sweet angel-tonge:
The magi of the East, in sandals worn,
Knelt reverent, sweeping round,
With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground,
The incense, myrrh, and gold
These baby hands were impotent to hold:
So let all earthlies and celestials wait
Upon thy royal state.
Sleep, sleep, my kingly One!

My Younger Sister's Favorite Christmas Carol

I know, I know! It isn't Sunday but I didn't do my younger sister, Bekah's favorite Christmas carol. I put My favorite (it is also my brother's), my mom's, my older sister's, and my dad's so just this once I am posting a hymn on another day of the week.

~~~

Silent Night

by Josef Mohr

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

***

“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”

Luke 2:8-9

Dad's Favorite Christmas Carol

Joy to the World

by Isaac Watts

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

~~~

“I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Luke 2:10

Christmas Cookie Baking Day

3 bakers
+ 7 hours
+ 3 ½ pounds of butter (!)
+ 11 ½ cups of flour
+ 4 cups of sugar
+ 3 eggs
+ chocolate
+ 3 cookie sheets
+ lots of dish washing
+ 8 cookie tins
= 4 kinds of Christmas cookies!

Some Girl-y Christmas Decorations

This is a tour of my room and Bekah's. I am on tour with the Nester from the Nesting Place.

My room:
I don't have many Christmas decorations because the Christmas-y colors don't go in my room. I do have a red candle and a green one that come out during the Christmas season. (See picture below.)

My yo-yo tree. The tree skirt is a pillow sham that I was not using. The idea: courtesy of the Nester!

My desk is decorated with all my Christmas candles. my nice built-in book shelves that are stuffed with books are in the back ground.

My candles with the tree in the background.

~~~

Bekah's room:

Bekah's tree is decorated in kitty ornaments. (That is so Bekah!) The nativity is a foam one that she made several years ago.

Bekah's table is decorated for Christmas with a pink snowman bag, a nativity scene snow globe, and "Baby Deer" that her grandmother gave her before she was born.

Her little winter bears are sitting in her chair.

*** Go to the Nester's big Christmas Tour of Homes 2009 post to see more house tours.

My Older Sister's Favorite Christmas Carol

O Holy Night

by Placide Cappeau

translated from French to English by John Dwight

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here came the wise men from Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our Friend!

He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His Name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!

His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

***

“An angel of the Lord appeared…and…said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the town of David a

Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’”

Luke 2:8-11

When Did This Happen?

Today my oldest nephew, Gavin, is turning seven. He is a special boy. I remember the day he was born just like it was yesterday. He is growing up so fast!

Happy Seventh Birthday, Gavin!

Gavin with his new Lego ornament. He LOVES his Legos.

*To see another birthday post about Gavin, visit my sister's blog.

Mom's Favorite Christmas Carol

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” Luke 2:13-14

***

Angels From the Realms of Glory

by James Montgomery

Angels from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o’er all the earth;

Ye who sang creation’s story

Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,

Watching o’er your flocks by night,

God with us is now residing;

Yonder shines the infant light:

Sages, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar;

Seek the great Desire of nations;

Ye have seen His natal star.

Saints, before the altar bending,

Watching long in hope and fear;

Suddenly the Lord, descending,

In His temple shall appear.

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,

Doomed for guilt to endless pains,

Justice now revokes the sentence,

Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Though an Infant now we view Him,

He shall fill His Father’s throne,

Gather all the nations to Him;

Every knee shall then bow down:

All creation, join in praising

God, the Father, Spirit, Son,

Evermore your voices raising

To th’eternal Three in One.

Refrain:

Come and worship, come and worship,

Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Baby Shower Bunnies

When I realized that we were going to a baby shower and that I needed a gift, I thought of these bunnies that I found in Simple Gifts to Stitch. I found this book on Anna's blog. The original project used terry cloth but I changed it to pink gingham flannel. They are so easy to make and fun, too!

The Start of Christmas Carols

Even though it is still November, I think of it as the Christmas season and Christmas music is one of my favorite parts of the season. This carol is my favorite as well as my brother's.

What Child is This

by William C. Dix

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce

Him through,The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

***

“She brought forth her firstborn son, and

wrapped Him in swaddling clothes,

and laid Him in a manger; because there

was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:7

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers
Felicia Dorothea Hemans

The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rock-bound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;

And the heavy night hung dark,
The hills and waters o'er,
When a band of exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.

Not as the conqueror comes,
They, the true-hearted came;
Not with the roll of the stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of fame;

Not as the flying come,
In silence and in fear;
They shook the depths of the desert gloom
With their hymns of lofty cheer.

Amidst the storm they sang,
And the stars heard, and the sea;
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang
To the anthem of the free.

The ocean eagle soared
From his nest by the white wave's foam;
And the rocking pines of the forest roared--
This was their welcome home.

There were men with hoary hair
Amidst the pilgrim band:
Why had they come to wither there,
Away from their childhood's land?

There was woman's fearless eye,
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow, serenely high,
And the fiery heart of youth.

What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?
They sought a faith's pure shrine!

Ay, call it holy ground,
The soil where first they trod;
They have left unstained what there they found—

Freedom to worship God.

A Thanksgiving Book to Read

An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott is about the Basset children making Thanksgiving dinner when their parents go to take care of "Gran'ma" who is sick.

source

Do you have a Thanksgiving book that you like?

Fall Delights

Fall is such a wonderful time for...

...apple cake

...hay rides

...family game nights with coffee and pumpkin pie

Count Your Blessings

This Thursday is Thanksgiving. Every year we put a thankful tree up on our front door. All through the month of November we write what we are thankful for on leaves and hang them on the tree. The leaves have said things like a loving God, family, pets, God's protection on Poppop when he fell and broke his hip, family game nights, etc. I think it is a good way to "count your blessings" and we look back year to year to see what people were thankful for.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Johnson Oatman, Jr.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

~~~

“Blessings crown the head of the righteous.”

Proverbs 10:6

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the Beauty of the Earth

by Folliot S. Pierpoint

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies.

Refrain
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,

For the heart and mind’s delight,

For the mystic harmony

Linking sense to sound and sight.

Refrain

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Refrain

For Thy Church, that evermore

Lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore

Her pure sacrifice of love.

Refrain

For the martyrs’ crown of light,

For Thy prophets’ eagle eye,

For Thy bold confessors’ might,

For the lips of infancy.

Refrain

For Thy virgins’ robes of snow,

For Thy maiden mother mild,

For Thyself, with hearts aglow,

Jesu, Victim undefiled.

Refrain

For each perfect gift of Thine,

To our race so freely given,

Graces human and divine,

Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.

Refrain

***

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is full of His glory.”

Isaiah 6:3

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

by Henry Alford

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;

Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,

Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;

But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;

Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,

There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;

Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

~~~

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving,

and extol Him with music and song.”

Psalm 95:2

Cake Decorating

Recently I was asked by Amanda, from i am baker and i am mommy, to share some pictures of cakes I decorated.

Last summer I took a cake decorating class at Michaels. It was four Tuesdays in June and we learned how to decorate cakes with roses, beach scenes, clowns, and different kinds of flowers and leaves. We took a cake each week to decorate in class.

In August, our family has a very busy birthday season. I made one or more cakes every week. I got to practice decorating cakes for my family, who didn’t care if I made a slight mistake. At the end of August, my friend and her father had a big joint birthday party and I was asked to do the cakes for the occasion. I was delighted to make the cakes but I knew that I was getting paid to do this and that it had better be perfect. Well, to make a long story short, I did the cakes, I was happy with them, I had a stressful car ride over to their house with the cakes on my lap in cake carriers cringing with every bump and turn in the road, and they LOVED them.

After the August birthday season, I took a break in making cakes. I was sick of eating so much cake. We made pies, cookies, and sweet breads for Sunday desserts for a while after that. For my birthday I made my own cake but I didn’t decorate it. I figured that pink decorators icing didn’t go with pumpkin layer cake. I enjoyed my cake after a break in eating it every day for a month. {Well, maybe I am exaggerating a little there. ;-)}

The first cake that I made at the cake decorating class...

Clown cake...

My first cake with roses...

I did the wiskers and mouth. Kristin made the cake and put on the eyes, nose, and ears...

A beach cake I made for Kristin's birthday...

On of the cakes I made for my friends...

The other cake I made for my friends...

Pink polka dot cake that I made for my grandmother...

I can only take credit for part of this one. Kristin made the cake and put the sprinkles on it. I wrote Benjamin's name...

We Gather Together

Since it is now November, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This Thanksgiving hymn is one of my favorites...

WE GATHER TOGETHER (Thanksgiving Prayer)

byAdri­an­us Va­ler­ius

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known.

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;

So from the beginning the fight we were winning;

Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,

And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.

Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;

Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

***
“Gather together in one the children of God.” John 11:52

We Have Some Winners...

The bookmarker that is blue with white polka dots goes to...
Terri Lokey!

The striped with blue flower button goes to...
Kristin!

And last but not least, the bookmarker with argyle ribbon and a purple button goes to...
Amanda!

Since there was only one other person who entered, I am going to make another one for Sarah and she will be getting one as well. :-)

Blog Giveaway- Ribbon Bookmarkers!

Since I did a post on ribbon bookmarkers I thought that I would give three people the opportunity to have one of their own.

number one

This one has ribbon that is blue with tiny white polka dots with a flower button.

number two

The next one is striped with a blue flower button on it.

number three

The last one has argyle ribbon with a purple button.



There are two ways to enter (US residents only, please.):

• Leave a comment on my blog before Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:59 PM.
• Blog about this post on your blog. (Leave another comment on my blog telling me you did so. Your name will be entered again!)
  

On Thursday I will pick three names via random.org. The winners will be announced on Thursday. Good luck!

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou My Vision

at­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lan For­gaill

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

~~~

“When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself to him in visions,

I speak to him in dreams.”

Numbers 12:6

Rosemary Bread

Mom recently posted something about me making rosemary bread on her blog. My sister, sister-in-law, and aunt asked for the recipe. I thought that if several people wanted the recipe that others might like to try it as well. I found this recipe in a book I got at the library called Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America.

Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of bread flour
• 1 packet of quick rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups of water (120°F)
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine flour, water, rosemary,salt, and yeast in your mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix on low speed for three minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead for four minutes. The dough should be slightly stiff, smooth, and elastic.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly olive oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 20 minutes. Fold the dough over on itself, pressing gently to release the gas. Let the dough rise a second time, about 20 minutes more.
3. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and round into smooth balls, pulling the outer layer taut and pinching the excess dough together at the base of the balls. Place seam sides down on a lightly floured work surface, cover, and let rest until relaxed, fifteen minutes.
4. Prepare two loaf pans by spraying the with cooking spray. Put your hands under each dough round and stretch and pull gently to fit the pans.
5. Brush or mist the surface of the dough lightly with water. Let the dough rise for a third time in a warm place, covered, until the dough springs back slowly to the tough but does not collapse, fifteen minutes.
6. Preheat the oven the 425°F. If you want, you can score the dough right down the center. Brush or mist dough with water once more. Bake until the loaves have a golden brown crust and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom, twenty to twenty-five minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.
7. Brush or drizzle the top with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

This bread goes good with soup on a chilly winter night. Or with a nice summer main dish salad.

rosemary bread rising

summer meal with rosemary bread

How Firm A Foundation

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION
words first seen in A Se­lect­ion of Hymns from the Best Au­thors by John Rippon

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;

In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;

At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,

As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove

My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to its foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

***
“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Hebrews 13:5

Basic Vanilla Layer Cake

Have you ever needed a delicious layer cake for a birthday that hardly ever flop? In the May 2009 issue of Everyday Food magazine I found such a cake. It has been a wonderful find and I've made it many times. Click here for the original recipe. Below is the recipe with my adaptions added in.

Basic Vanilla Layer Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk*

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand try using 1/4 cup white vinegar and 3/4 cup milk. Let sit 5 minutes before puting it in the batter.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-by-2-inch cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.
4. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
5. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Spin cakes around on the counter until the batter starts to come up the sides.
6. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 27 to 31 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
7. Place one cake, bottom side up, on a cake stand. Tuck strips of parchment paper underneath. Using an offset-spatula or table knife, spread top with icing. Top with remaining cake; frost top, then sides.

~ ~ ~

Below are some variations of this cake that I have also made:

lemon

pineapple

coconut

chocolate

lemon cake

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

One of my MANY favorites!

How can you choose one hymn as your favorite? I never could! I love so many. Because I love so many, I want to start a series of hymns to be posted on succeeding Sundays.

*Go to net hymnal for words and music of many hymns. You will find this one there with a few different words. It seems that people have changed some of Robert Robinson's original words.

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
words by Robert Robinson

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 His Name! I’m fixed upon it,

Name of God’s redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer—
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Bought me with His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter

Bind my wand’ring 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.

***

“Samuel took a stone and…named it Ebenezer, saying ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.’”

1 Samuel 7:12

A tiny little birthday boy

Today my youngest nephew, Benjamin, is turning one! It seems like just yesterday we visited him in the hospital the day after he was born. Now it is his first birthday. How time flies!

Happy First Birthday, Benjamin!

Ribbon Bookmarks

The Christmas season will be here before you know it. Dad always says on the Fourth of July, " Before you know it, it will be Christmas Eve!" He is right! I start thinking about Christmas gifts in January after the previous Christmas season is over.

In the newspaper the other week, there was an article about this woman who collected vintage buttons. One thing she did with these buttons was make them into bookmarkers by sewing a button onto a length of ribbon. They looked really cute! All you do is find a piece of ribbon that is long enough to stay in a book, apply Fray Check® to both ends, and sew on a coordinating button (vintage or new). This craft is easy enough for children to make with a little assistance. Children could give them as Christmas gifts or you could slip one in a book that you are giving as a gift. I am sure that they also look nice in your own books!

Maddie and Bekah making bookmarkers

The finished product

Some Good Books

Have you ever needed a good book? I have often! I just want to curl up somewhere and lose myself in a book. In this picture I did just that!

Have you ever wondered what Nannerl Mozart thought about her brother Wolfgang's fame? Or what made Jane Austen what she was? Or What Martha Washington thought about the Revolutionary War and what she did while her husband was away commanding the army? And what made Elizabeth Barrett Browning a recluse and how she ended up marrying? I wondered about these things until I read four books by Nancy Moser about these characters. She brought these people and their surroundings to life. Each woman tells her own story and her thought and feelings.

In Mozart's Sister, the family travels across Europe so that little Wolfgang, the prodigy, can play for royalty and nobility for money. As the children grow up Nannerl realizes that she will never be as great as her little brother.

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Just Jane was the first Nancy Moser book I ever read. Jane's sister Cassandra burned her sister diaries after her death and a period of Jane's life is a mystery. Moser created the book on some facts that are known about the author of Pride and Prejudice and used her imagination to fill in the blanks. Then in the back of the book you can learn what is fact and what is fiction.

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Washington's Lady starts when Martha's first husband Daniel Custis died, leaving her with two children. Then handsome George Washington, hero from the French and Indian war, steps into the picture. Of course we all know what happened after that!

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How Do I Love Thee? is the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The poet is a recluse and since her tyrannical father has forbid any of the Barrett children to marry she is happy to just write poetry and see her family. Then Robert Browning, a fellow poet, meets Elizabeth. They fall in love but what about her father?

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I have really enjoyed these books. I hope you will too.

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