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55 Hymns I Love to Sing

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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.  Doxology OLD 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 Blessing NETTLETON   

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 Reigns TRURO   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 Eternal  ISTE 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 Reign  DUKE 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 Jesus EBENEZER  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 Almighty LOBE 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 Saints SINE 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 Faithfulness FAITHFULNESS   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, Holy NICAEA 

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 Righteousness GERMANY  

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 Faithful ADESTE 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 Honor  ST. 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 Glorious WYE 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 Tongues  AZMON   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’ Name  DIADEM, 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 You LUTKIN  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 Us ARNSBERG  Simple, solemn beauty.

Like the holy angels who behold Thy glory,
May I ceaselessly adore Thee.

27.  All Creatures of Our God and King  LASST 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 Soul  ABERYSTWYTH  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 God NUN 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 Praising  THAXTED 

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 Grace  NEW 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 Breastplate ST. 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 Lays LOVING 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 Foundation AURELIA

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 King DARWALL

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!


40.  When All Thy Mercies ST. 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 Praise  LEONI  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 Place  ST. 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 Earnestly  THIRD 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 Silence  PICARDY  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 Be  SAGINA 

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 Jesus  CRUSADER’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 Thee  HYMN TO JOY

Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.


52.  My Jesus, I Love Thee  GORDON

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 Afflicted  O 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 Today  EASTER 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)

thank you!

 

 

55 Quotes I’ve Gathered Over the Years

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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.

More 55 lists here.

 

1.  Love is friendship set to music.
— Anon

 

2.  Encourage one another.
— Donna Boucher

 

3.  Be always coming home.
—  Ursula Le Guin

 

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

 

55 Photos (Quick, Run Away) of My Guys

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I’m slowly posting lists of 55.

55 Photographs is a collection of places I’ve been.
55 Sustaining Verses is a collection of, well, sustaining verses.

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.

 

6. A happy artist

 

7. Comforting arms

 

8. Joy in music

 

9. The prince of solemn faces

 

10. Samwise

 

11. Good stock

 

12. What a hoot!

 

13. Relaxing after a hard day fishing

 

14. A degree doesn’t stop the silly faces

 

15. Adorable

 

16. Hi-Ho Silver!

 

17. ~ swoon ~

 

18. Easter handsomeness

 

19. A cup of coffee

 

20. A family tradition

 

21. The first fish caught

 

22. The guys

 

 

23. His first Officiant gig

 

 

24. For the love of frogs

 

25. Alaska summer job

 

26. Backpacking

 

27. Faneuil Hall

 

28. Virtue Flat

 

29. Meal on the beach

 

30. Melt my heart

 

31. Howdy, partner!

 

32. He’s a man’s man

 

33.  Mama makes the best treats

 

34.  Anticipation

 

33. The rigors of archery hunting.

 

34. The results of archery hunting

 

35. Fishing with Opa

 

36. Yu-uhm!

 

37. Success on the heights

 

38. The Bear

 

39. Papa on the trampoline

 

38. Happy with Daddy

 

39. Run at life. Attack it!

 

40. Concentration

 

41. The boy who beats me at Memory.

 

42. Just a swanging

 

43. Five grandsons, and one more on his way.

 

44. Stinkers, all.

 

45. Sometimes it’s better to close your eyes.

 

46. On the ladder to the tree fort.

 

47. He loves limes. So do I.

 

48. A penetrating look.

 

49.  He’s a loveable scamp.

 

 

50. The mystery of this boy’s thoughts

 

51. Daddy’s home: all is well

 

52. Say goodbye to youth

 

53. Docking station

 

54. Coaxing a smile.

 

55. Was all this really necessary?

The Giraffe That Walked To Paris

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My first exposure to the Egyptian pasha’s gift to the king of France came by reading Michael Allin’s book Zarafa: A Giraffe’s True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris (my review). Since then I’ve wanted to buy an affordable edition of Nancy Milton’s children’s book The Giraffe That Walked to Paris. 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!

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 want to read two other children’s books about La Girafe: Mary Holmes’ A Giraffe Goes to Paris and Judith St. George’s Zarafa: The Giraffe Who Walked to the King.

In a most delicious synchronicity, it turns out my other grandsons went to the San Diego zoo and saw giraffes.

 

Walk with Me

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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.

It was only a rehearsal. 

55 Sustaining Verses

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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

Two Are Better Than One

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I haven’t read your novel, but I can imagine what it’s like.
I think it is an excellent exercise in the use of your imaginations.
I’m pleased with you for writing it.
But now you must begin to look around you here at home.
Use all of your senses to find out what kind of a place you are living in.
Ask yourself how it smells, how it tastes, how it sounds,
as well as how it looks.
Then someday when you wish to write real books,
you will put your real experiences into them.
You will not need to go to imaginary countries half the world away
for your material. Perhaps someday you will even write
about this very year in your lives in Idaho. 180

My friend Noel and I were sitting in her van, waiting for the key to a building. As we chatted, she looked straight ahead and said, “Carol Ryrie Brink grew up in that house. You know the author of Caddie Woodlawn?” My eyes widened as I nodded. At one time I loved Caddie Woodlawn more than Laura Ingalls. “She wrote several adult novels about the early days of Moscow,” Noel continued. “You might like them.”  I put the titles on my wishlist and waited. This summer I am on a Carol Ryrie Brink reading streak. Before I began her trilogy about Moscow, ID, I read a little-known children’s book.

Two are Better Than One is a superb story for girls in that delicate time between dolls and bras.  Chrystal Reese and Cordelia Lark live a few blocks apart in the early 1900’s. Chrys is alone with her aunt and grandmother in a quiet house. Cordy lives with her dad and mom and four older brothers in a bustling house. When they aren’t playing with dolls, or going to Dorcas Club meetings, or exclaiming “Swellissimus!”, Chrys and Cordy decide to write a novel—by taking turns writing a chapter— about two dolls: The Romantical Perils of Lester and Lynette. This novel, included in the book with its juvenile spelling and construction gave me the loudest horse laugh:

“Lester!” screamed Lynette, trying hard not to swoon,
“You have come in the very niche of time.” 85

Miss Hickenlooper, a new teacher, is a problem. She doesn’t understand them, even confiscates the miniature dolls. The girls nourish their grievance by writing a hate poem. She discovers the poem, the girls see the hurt they’ve afflicted. This section has stuck with me weeks after I finished the book. Here a few snippets from that scene:

All along they had thought of Miss Hickenlooper as their enemy,
a comical one to be sure, but an enemy nevertheless.
And now she seemed to be not an enemy or even a villain
but just a person who had been mocked and hurt
by a couple of girls. 52

 
…we didn’t mean it for hate.
We thought it was—well, sort of funny.
It made us feel better.
We didn’t think about how you would feel. 53

The girls go to some parties and begin to neglect the dolls. They serve punch at a college dance. The novel gets finished and Chrys and Cordy decide to stage a wedding for the dolls. This back and forth between the little girl and the almost grown-up mimics the conflict I’ve witnessed in adolescent girls. 

As I get to know Carol Ryrie Brink, I see many autobiographical elements in this sweet story of friendship. The dedication is “…for Charlotte. She, better than anyone else, will be able to sift through all the make-believe and find the grains of truth.”  Like dear Laura Ingalls, the story of Chrys and Cordy harks back to a time when a girl had to learn how “to keep herself happy and amused.” 

 

I Know, Let’s Talk About Hormones

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Ah, you know…hormones. At my age, I hear this all the time. I say it myself. It’s the reason we are hot, the reason we are cold, the reason we are wet, the reason we are dry, the reason we can’t sleep, the reason we can’t wake up.  Many women my age feel like a hostage to hormones.

If you need to take back your body, you will find much to consider in this book. Stanton addresses diet, exercise, stress, supplements, and, most importantly, bioidentical hormones. The book’s design and writing is about as exciting as a Wikipedia article. But the content is helpful.

Bioidentical? Huh? This neologism describes a “hormone [which] is exactly the same as a hormone made by our bodies.”  This is different from conventional hormone replacement therapy.

And we have just tripped off the path of traditional medicine onto the scenic bypass of alternative medicine. In other words, (lean close to me so I can whisper) the FDA hasn’t approved bioidentical hormones.

Yes, there is controversy. Google “bioidentical hormones” and you will dance your way into the debate.

 

May I tell you my story? Purely anecdotal evidence, but it’s my anecdote. 

I’m not a physician, but I’m a pretty good reader. When the hot/cold/wet/dry problems began—roughly seven years ago—, my most pressing problem was an utterly deflated outlook on life. I woke up, took a shower, and wanted nothing more than to go back to bed.  Stanton discusses this in a section delightfully titled NOT YOUR MOTHER’S MENOPAUSE. 

Initially, many women notice they have less energy or zest for life.
They don’t get as excited about things that should matter,
or just don’t have the energy to do things they used to enjoy.
One day follows another, but none of them brings much joy.
They might notice themselves getting irritable or exploding
for reasons that, in retrospect, seem ridiculous.

 

My respoonse to problems is to read. Shoot, my approach to life is to read. I looked through the lenses of both traditional and alternative medicine, searching for some sense. Across the spectrum, three words flashed: diet and exercise. No one argued with basic stuff like drinking more water and taking a walk. And I firmly believe that so many problems we blame hormones for can be corrected with real food and real movement.

I work for a compounding pharmacy; I am an accountant and cannot pronounce the drug names. But, we have a library of books and CDs (where I got Hormone Harmony) that we lend out to physicians and customers. I took John Lee’s What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. When I read parts aloud to my husband, he dismissed it as rubbish. But one Sunday afternoon, we listened to Dr. Lee speak and his words filled us with hope.  “Let’s do this,” Curt said, although all the “doing” was mine. So I began using an over-the-counter bioidentical progesterone cream. 

Because of my symptoms, my doctor had urged surgery as a solution. Well. He hadn’t urged surgery, but I’ve been longing to pair up that delicious pair of words. The big H. Take it out and be done with it. It made sense to everyone but me. I acknowledge that I have issues: my mom died immediately after a minor gynecological surgery. I wasn’t hysterical, but I refused to consent to a hysterectomy, to use another phrase I’ve tasted these many years.

It wasn’t a shazam! solution, but I made progress with progesterone. I knew my OB/GYN would raise his eyebrows when I disclosed this bit of information. “I think you are wasting your money,” were his words. I decided to push back. “Are you telling me not to use bioidentical hormones? Because I want full cooperation between us; if you say to stop I will either stop or I’ll find a different doctor.”  I respected him and don’t believe in doing stuff—medically speaking—behind my physician’s back. He shrugged and relented.

After a few years, I did my own experiment. I stopped the progesterone. The hot/cold/wet/dry symptoms came right back. That convinced me, and I continue on, with over the counter progesterone (which doesn’t require an RX to buy). Ideally, one should take a $150 saliva test that tells exactly what your hormone levels are. A physician or nurse practitioner uses that data to prescribed an individually formulated compound prescription for you.

If you are curious, click on the link above and use the Look Inside! feature. If you type “frequently” in the search, you’ll be able to read a large part of the the FAQs.