Rabbit Trails

I'm still reading the book about hymns and enjoying it very much.  The other day I read the story behind the song: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.  It was written by William Williams.  Personally, I would never name a boy William if our last name was Williams, but I suppose that thought should be saved for another blog......William was the "Sweet Singer of Wales."  This hymn was sung at the funeral of Princess Diana.   The book says several stanzas of the song are seldom sung....here is one of the best you may have never seen! Musing on my habitation, musing on my heav'nly home; Fills my soul with holy longings: Come, my Jesus, quickly come. Vanity is all I see; Lord, I long to be with thee! And may I repeat, Lord, I long to be with thee.

Whether the weather be fine, Or whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Or whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather Whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not! Anon

I stand upon the mount of God With sunlight in my soul; I hear the storms in vales beneath, I hear the thunders roll. But I am calm with thee, my God, Beneath these glorious skies; And to the height on which I stand, No storms, nor clouds, can rise. O, THIS is life! O, this is joy! My God, to find thee so; Thy face to see, thy voice to hear, And all thy love to know.

    Summer suns, shine gently here; Summer breeze, blow soft and clear: Keep my garden fresh and fair So the hours run smoothly there. Summer stars, shine softly down; Evening, trail your perfumed gown. Fairy fingers, gently stray: Elfin pipers, softly play.   Misty haze of summer dawn, Gently touch this velvet lawn. May this spot a haven be For bird and butterfly and bee.   Elizabeth Oliver Leichliter

 When morning glids the skies, My heart awaking cries: May Jesus Christ be praised; Alike at work and prayer......to Jesus I repair: May Jesus Christ be praised.  There's a song of joy, I sing it every day, for my every sin the Lord has washed away; Trusting in His word, I yield to His control........since the loving Jesus saved my soul!  Take time to be holy, Speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, And feed on His Word.  Make friends of God's children; Help those who are weak; Forgetting in nothing His blessings to seek.  Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, Join in a song with sweet accord, And thus surround the throne, And thus surround the throne........  From sinking sand He lifted me, With tender hand He lifted me, From shades of night to plains of light, O praise His name, He lifted me! Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain, Free to all, a healing stream, F...

Meet me there On the happy, golden shore, where the faithful part no more, When the storms of life are over, meet me there; Where the night dissolves away into pure and perfect day, I am going home to stay—meet me there. CHORUS Meet me there, meet me there, Where the tree of life is blooming, meet me there; When the storms of life are o’er, on the happy golden shore, Where the faithful part no more, meet me there. Here our fondest hopes are vain, dearest links are rent in twain, But in Heav’n no throb of pain—meet me there; By the river sparkling bright in the city of delight, Where our faith is lost in sight, meet me there. Where the harps of angels ring, and the blest forever sing, In the palace of the King, meet me there; Where in sweet communion blend heart with heart and friend with friend, In a world that ne’er shall end, meet me there.

O LOVE Divine, that stooped to share Our sharpest pang, Our bitterest tear, On Thee we cast each earth-born care, We smile at pain while.... Thou art near! Though long the weary way we tread, And sorrow crown each lingering year, No path we shun, no darkness dread, Our hearts still whispering, Thou art near! When drooping pleasure turns to grief, And trembling faith is changed to fear, The murmuring wind, The quivering leaf, Shall softly tell us, Thou art near! On Thee we fling our burdening woe, O Love Divine, forever dear, Content to suffer while we know, Living and dying, Thou art near!

Do not think it a waste of time to cultivate a few flowers, or to let the children have a flower-bed. It is judicious for parents to cultivate a love of flowers in their children from earliest years, as flowers have a refining influence, and never lead astray, but always upward to what is purer and better. If one's time and strength are limited, a bed one yard square, with a geranium and a few nasturtiums, for instance, can give pleasure to the whole household; and these flowers will bloom all the season, until the frost blights them. A few flowers in pots are better than none. From the 1893 Almanac

'Til The Storm Passes By (Mosie Lister, 1958) In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face, While the storm howls above me and there's no hiding place. 'Mid the crash of the thunder, precious Lord, hear my cry, Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by. CHORUS 'Til the storm passes over, 'Til the thunder sounds no more, 'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky, Hold me fast, let me stand In the hollow of Thy hand; Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by. Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try, For there's no end of sorrow; There's no hope by and by." But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise Where the storm never darkens the skies. CHORUS When the long night has ended, and the storms come no more, Let me stand in Thy presence on that bright, peaceful shore. In that land where the tempest never comes, Lord may I Dwell with Thee, when the storm passes by. CHORUS

There is no season such delight can bring As summer, autumn, winter, and the spring. There is something to enjoy with every season. Don't let the seasons pass you by wishing it were another season.

Such wondrous gifts of memory We gather day by day-- The purple tint of distant peaks, A laughing child at play! Why hold the bitter word that wounds Or store the look that frets, The lesser mind remembers wrongs, The greater one--forgets.

If you cannot see the mountains Do not grumble or complain; There is beauty in the flowers As they grow upon the plain. If you cannot see the ocean Do not go about and sigh' Just you climb to some green hilltop And then watch the clouds go by. There is beauty all around you If you but the beauty see. I tend to have these tendencies............ If I live near the ocean, I long to see the mountains. When I lived around fields of wheat, I wanted the ocean. What I need to do, Is see beauty in my own front yard...........