Friday, August 25, 2017

What IS!

My eyesight isn't what it used to be, but a section of my memory is. ...so, we celebrate what is and don't complain about what isn't. Below the water line in my mind are hundreds of songs that surface and come through my fingers. I am thankful that I can keep on playing for this and that.

THIS
Friday night  I gulped down an Ibuprofen and headed downhill to our community clubhouse. The rehearsal for the next-day wedding went on for several hours, giving me a pretty good idea that the actual wedding ceremony was not going to be a quickie. The Hispanic pastor married that couple in two languages! The wedding party soon disappeared for the photo shoot. The guests sat around tables, chatting and waiting. ...and waiting. I played every song I ever heard and improvised a few more. The wedding party returned; I played some more. Finally, the Mariachi band showed up. I slipped out the back door, made it up the hill before dark and fell into bed with an ice pack on my back.

THAT
The next day, Triassic from 3 to 5. A family of four from Belgium sat near the piano. The dad said: "I know all the songs you are playing and I like them." Now, that kind of sweet talk will keep a musician goin'.

A lady came to the piano. "Do you know any Welsh hymns? I am from Wales."

...and so it goes at Triassic Winery on a Sunday afternoon. Will Europe show up again this next Sunday? We shall see.

          WELSH/ENGLISH HYMN: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVE EXCELLING
                   Charles Wesley. 1707-1778 //  John Zundel, 1852-1882

Love, divine, all love excelling;
Joy of Heaven to earth come down.
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies, crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion; 
Pure, unbounded love Thou art. 
Visit us with Thy salvation
Enter every trembling heart. 

Finish then Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless, let us be. 
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory
'Til in Heaven we take our place.
'Til we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise.  Amen.

Love, Jo



Friday, August 18, 2017

Focus

At dawn, six days a week my farmer dad, Garnett Flynn harnessed his four horses in preparation for a day of work in the fields. The last piece to be affixed was a head strap with blinders for both sides of the horse's eyes. Without these the team would be distracted and unable to focus on the job set before them. At the end of the day their reward would be a trough of grain they had helped produce.

...therefore,  my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain.  

Love,  Jo

Friday, August 11, 2017

ROMANS 8:28

Whiny kids that are always asking "Why?" are a pain.  Our Father will put up with our whys and whines for awhile and then He gets down to the business of growing us up. As our bodies fail us, we listen more to the Mind of Christ.  Less and less do we ask "Why?"

                HE GIVETH MORE GRACE

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater
He sendeth more strength when  the labors increase.
To added afflictions, He addeth His mercy
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

HIS LOVE HAS NO LIMIT,
HIS GRACE  HAS NO MEASURE;
HIS POWER HAS NO BOUNDARY KNOWN UNTO MAN
FOR OUT OF HIS INFINITE RICHES IN JESUS,
HE GIVETH AND GIVETH AND GIVETH AGAIN.

Love, Jo


Friday, August 4, 2017

My friend

Many years ago my friend and I were rookie mothers of teenagers. We needed each other. We came together to pray. Fifty years later we are still coming together to pray. As with Ted and our son, cancer is taking my dear friend's life on earth. She is now in Hospice care,  at peace about her Homegoing. Her name is Char.

Our bodies age and deteriorate as God's Word takes on deeper, more personal meaning. We think on His faithulness throughout our lifetime and are assured that He will lead us safely Home.  He is, after all,  the Author and Finisher of our faith.

              LIKE A RIVER GLORIOUS

Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace.
Over all victorious in its bright increase.
Perfect, yet it floweth, fuller every day.
Perfect, yet it groweth, deeper every day.

STAYED UPON JEHOVAH,
HEARTS ARE FULLY BLESSED
FINDING AS HE PROMISED,
 PERFECT PEACE AND REST.

Love,  Jo








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