A Beautiful Christmas Snow

 

Snow flurries blew in last night just before midnight, leaving a remarkable show of beauty!!  By morning, large snowflakes were still blowing, driven by chilled breezes from the north.  Gray skies today remain white and bright with lots of love thrown in to cover our activities with pure delight!! 

The snow should linger through Christmas, and hopefully long thereafter.  The timely arrival of such a system will be recorded in the books as an unpresuming grace.  Lest anyone think this grace will melt away, just come for a visit, and see for yourself.  Suspicions are this covering will become a Gray winter tradition!!  

Snow flakes were shaped by the likeness of Katherine and John who organized this quiet storm between the dark hours of 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. while their parents (and older brothers) lay soundly asleep unaware.  Katherine admits she was the more determined one to create this storm, but John exclaims "I'm the Mastermind", so without him,  this system would not have happened.  In spite of John's numerous hoots and hollers out in the garage, where they retreated to begin this sneaky sleet, I mean feat, they were able to pull off the storm undetected!!

"From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?"

Job 38:29, ESV

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heavenand do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out in joyand be led forth in peace;the mountains and the hills before youshall break forth into singing,and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."  Isaiah 55:10-12, ESV

My Heart IS Filled with Thankfulness

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain;
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again;
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow'r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev'ry promise is enough
For ev'ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To him who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev'ry thought is love.
For ev'ry day I have on earth
Is given by the King;
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow him.

"My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

The Perfect Wisdom of Our God

The perfect wisdom of our God,
Revealed in all the universe:
All things created by His hand,
And held together at His command.
He knows the mysteries of the seas,
The secrets of the stars are His;
He guides the planets on their way,
And turns the earth through another day.

The matchless wisdom of His ways,
That mark the path of righteousness;
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
And oh, the mystery of the cross,
That God should suffer for the lost
So that the fool might shame the wise,
And all the glory might go to Christ!

Oh grant me wisdom from above,
To pray for peace and cling to love,
And teach me humbly to receive
The sun and rain of Your sovereignty.
Each strand of sorrow has a place
Within this tapestry of grace;
So through the trials I choose to say:
"Your perfect will in your perfect way."

 Words & Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
© 2011 Thankyou Music and Gettymusic

Love photographs them in the heart!

 

Frances passed away tonight around 5 p.m.
We will miss her sweet friendship. 

"When a dear life is taken from the near presence of our own life, no antidote of reasoning, nor cordial of promise even, can make us oblivious of the loss. In the moment of most entire submission and most exultant faith — we feel the pang of separation. Our affections grope and wander uneasily in the vacancy that has been made, and we return home companionless and sorrowing. We are awed by the voiceless room, and the vacant chair affects us with sadness. Every relic and memorial of the life that is ended, tells us that it is ended indeed. The dearly departed live in the chambers of our soul. We see their lovely forms, hear their sweet voices, feel their tender touch, and almost grasp their hands.
Love photographs them in the heart!"
Words: William Thoseby, Footprints on the Sands of Time, 1869 

A Mother's Prayer: A Deep Desire of This Mother's Heart

Frances: Her Sweet Irish Eyes

 

Our hearts have been heavy today for learning yesterday that our sweet Irish friend, Frances, is not expected to live much longer.  The doctor said, "Two days, maybe", though to have seen her you'd have thought her eyes and life were bright.  Sadly though, she is experiencing kidney failure and respiratory distress. 

 

We met Frances approximately eight years ago.  Some would say her "stubborn" will is brash, but our family learned to love her for the tender hearted woman she is.  We know little about her past, but what little we know is that she's met hardship with determination and today she's still fighting to live.  

Frances loves being loved.  The best we know how, we continue to love her by leading her to Jesus.   

Before we left her yesterday, we talked about The Gospel, then prayed with her, and just in time before another visitor arrived.  As we turned back to tell her we love her, she gave us a thumbs up, which put a smile on our faces.    

Please join us in praying for Frances' assurance of salvation, and for her comfort during these difficult days.    

We'll always treasure her very special friendship. 

 

 

 

Frances in November, 2008, when she scheduled and rode the
JTA Connection so she could join us for Mark's 50th Surprise Birthday Party.
 

 

Our 26th Wedding Anniversary Memories

September 25, 1987

"One of the ends which every believer must propose to himself, on entering the state of marriage, is to secure a faithful friend who will be a helpmate to him in reference to the world to come, assist him in the great business of his soul’s salvation, and pray for him and with him. One that will affectionately tell him of his sins and defects, viewed in the light of a Christian. One that will stimulate and draw him by the power of a holy example and the sweet force of persuasive words. One that will warn him in temptation, comfort him in dejection, and in every way assist him in his pilgrimage to heaven."

 ~  John Angell James

We have the awesome heritage and enduring love relationships of our parents to thank for encouraging us to never consider divorce an option for our struggles!!  

"Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?  And what was the one God seeking?  Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers  his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

Malachi 2:15-16, ESV

I think Mom and Dad had just as much fun as I did that wonderful night!! <smile>

Happy, Happy, Happy

My Trust

When stormy winds against us break

Stablish and reinforce our will;

O hear us for Thine own names's sake,

Hold us in strength, and hold us still. 

Still as the faithful mountains stand,

Through the long, silent years of stress;

So would we wait at Thy right hand

In quietness and steadfastness.

But not of us this strength, O Lord,

And not of us this constancy.

Our trust is Thine eternal Word,

Thy presence our security. 

Amy Carmichael

To Fire a Faith Worth More Than Gold

When trials come no longer fear
For in the pain our God draws near
To fire a faith worth more than gold
And there His faithfulness is told
And there His faithfulness is told

Within the night I know Your peace
The breath of God brings strength to me
And new each morning mercy flows
As treasures of the darkness grow
As treasures of the darkness grow

I turn to Wisdom not my own
For every battle You have known
My confidence will rest in You
Your love endures Your ways are good
Your love endures Your ways are good

When I am weary with the cost
I see the triumph of the cross
So in it’s shadow I shall run
Till You complete the work begun
Till You complete the work begun

One day all things will be made new
I’ll see the hope You called me to
And in your kingdom paved with gold
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old

Keith & Kristyn Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music 

His Love Endures Forever

If love and grace could look as simple, this is what it'd look like in our home on a daily basis...

Photo credit: Unknown; copied from someone's post on Facebook. 

Hiding in Him

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91, KJV

I can soo relate to this photo these days... needing a place to hide for several days!! Various trials and challenges lately have left me feeling as though I'm dodging arrows by night and day.  Have I stepped into someone's line of fire? At every turn, it seems, the intended target is me! Good reason to hide in Him, for obvious reasons, but far greater, there is no better place to run!!

So again, before heading to bed...

"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

Good night.  Sweet sleep! 

Back to School- Our Way

We started back to school this week.  In fact, on the very first day of our new school year, we took a 'field trip' to see the doctor!  It's been a good week, considering how sick my children have been.  Some might question John's ability to gain any benefit in this type of learning environment, but I assure you, he was very relaxed and attentive, and answered almost 100% of his review questions correctly! 
(Note: This post previously had a short video of John's feet, but for some reason, it no longer plays, so until I'm able to upload it correctly, this photo will have to suffice.)

A Mammoth Idea

Beautiful Sunflower arrangement given to us to enjoy by our friends:
Karen, Esther, and Joanna Eddy. 
Believe it or not, there are sunflowers named "Mammoth"

 

I learned a new word last night... 

"Magnus" (Latin) means vast or great! 

How many times have I fretted and feared the unknown, and thought all depended on me and/or my efforts to manage or manipulate circumstances to suit me better?  

We live in a society of self-made, self-seeking, self-centered, self-gratified people.  Ed Welch describes this attitude  best in the title of a book..."Where people are big—they are magnus—and God is small—he is the segment."  I've been around long enough to know this type of mindset will cause a person to self-destruct!!  Trusting myself, someone, or something else more than I trust God means I have a very small, dotted-(meaning limited) idea of who God is.  I know myself well enough to understand when I think of myself more highly than I ought, pride takes root, and more times than not, anger and other destructive forms of self-worship surface!!

When the opposite idea is nurtured, the focus of a GREAT God, Creator of the universe, there is a magnitude of peace that surpasses an understanding of circumstances, even those that threaten to envelope! The GREAT GOD of the universe is mindful of me.  Because he can order the universe, I can trust Him to order this little dot named me  (Psalm 8:3-4).

Parvis is another Latin word and it  means (the opposite of magnus) small, little, cheap.  When He created me, He knew I would need Him, so  He ordained a remedy for the sin that would steal away my focus and affections, occupy and put to death my soul.  He created a place within every man's heart that could only be filled and satisfied by Him!! He made a GREAT sacrifice to redeem my sinful heart through the atoning blood of Jesus, his Son, the God-man.  This was not a small (cheap) price Jesus paid on the cross.  The idea alone is too VAST to fathom, yet MAGNIFICENT in nature, as HE is, and necessary for my freedom and redemption!! 

So, this morning I end this brief and shallow note encouraged to consider The One that embodies the word MAGNUS, and the privilege I enjoy of calling Him by name!!

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ...".  Luke 1:47, ESV

"Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!" Psalm 34:3, ESV

Source of encouragement:

http://5minutesinchurchhistory.com/confessions-yesterday-today-tomorrow-augustines-big-word/

Do Not Disturb

 

I Will Glory in My Redeemer

Today, on this my 37th spiritual birthday (smile), we witnessed the beautiful 10 year anniversary celebration of our new church family, Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.
I haven't expounded on the events which led our family to Sovereign Grace, but until I do, I am long past due in saying, we are extremely blessed and thankful to be there.  If the LORD leads, I'll share more about this in another post.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church began on the first Sunday of August 2003.  Pastor Shane Waters has faithfully pastored and discipled this congregation since that time.  The LORD has indeed blessed this fellowship, and we are extremely grateful we can call Sovereign Grace Baptist Church our home.   Every Sunday morning service is the highlight of my week.  Pastor Shane's teaching is theologically filling, giving us much to ruminate on throughout the week (www.sgbcjax.blogspot.com).  The worshipful and doctrinally sound music lifts me to the heights of His presence, and when I walk away, I leave with songs on my heart that carry me through another week.  Thank you, Scott Brown. 

I always pray the songs I share here will lift and encourage you as they do me. 
Praising Him tonight with this song...

I will glory in My Redeemer
Words and Music by Steve and Vikki Cook

I will glory in my Redeemer
Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the Holy Judge
The Lamb Who is my righteousness
The Lamb Who is my righteousness.
 
I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I’m satisfied in Him alone
I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace.

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagle’s wings
He crowns my life with loving-kindness
His triumph song I’ll ever sing
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me it will be paradise
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
CCLI Song # 3337435,   © 2001 Sovereign Grace Worship (Admin. by Integrity’s Hosanna! Music)

Kat Chat with Calvin

 

 

 

More of Calvin's Capers

 

 

Almost daily, we have to clean up the remnants of Calvin's snacks through out the day...

He scoops pieces of his food out of the dish with his paw, then slides it over to the water bowl to wet it before eating it.  Obviously, some of the food falls off his paw while picking it up, which leaves an awful mess to clean up afterwards.  When he's accomplished the goal of wetting his food and eating it, he shakes his paw and walks away.  If you zoom in on this picture, you'll see water droplets on the cabinet! 

In spite of his messy habits, we love his purrsonality!  

Brownie Refrigerator Cake

Besides getting a glimpse into the lives and minds of friends everyday, I have also enjoyed
Facebook for the growing number of recipes and craft ideas I've collected there. 
This recipe looks especially yummy, so I thought I'd post it here.   

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix                                                                 1 extra large egg

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened                        1 cup powdered sugar

2 (8 oz.) containers whipped topping                                1 (3 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding

1 (3 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding                           3 1/2 cups milk

1 Hershey candy bar or chocolate syrup

 

Directions: Mix brownie mixes according to directions. Add egg. Bake in brownie pan. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 container whipped topping. Put this mix on top of the cooled brownies. Blend puddings and milk together and put on top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with another layer of whipped topping. Put chocolate shavings or chocolate syrup on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.   Enjoy! 

Credit:   www.facebook.com/HousewifeTipsMore

 

My Name is Karen: I Collect Bunnies! Introducing.... Bruce's Bride: Belle

  

Back in March of 2012, we purchased a bunny, Bruce,  a grey Netherland Dwarf, for the purpose of bringing home a companion for our female Mini Rex, Cotton.  Cotton’s original hutch mate, Bullet, passed away in late October 2011.  

Bruce and Cotton lived happily together until early November 2012, I believe the 7^th, when Cotton began showing signs of being in distress.  Later that night/early morning around 12:30 a.m. she died.  I’m so very thankful I was able to hold her during her last hour of life.  I cherish the memories we enjoyed w/her.  She was a wonderful first pet for our daughter.  (See photo of Bullet and Cotton in the right margin.  Cotton is on the left and Bullet is on the right.)

A few weeks prior to her death, my mother in law found a little black bunny hopping around in her yard.  A couple of days later, there were TWO bunnies!  It didn’t take long before we were asked to get them, because she feared they’d get attacked by the dogs in her neighborhood.  I searched the internet for ‘Lost…’ ads, but found none.  I really didn’t want two extra bunnies!  They were someone’s pets, because they were very domesticated.  I couldn’t understand why someone would put them out!     As it turned out, the bunnies were male and female.  Ha!  It’s funny now when I think of it, but at the time, figuring how to house them was a tad bit stressful.  We ended up dividing the hutch.  Cotton and Bruce shared one half, and we took the ramp out on the other side, and separated the male (bottom) and female (top). 

This is Betty.

I really tried to find a home for them, but we did not get any takers.  Every day we fostered them, meant another day we grew more attached to them, of course!  By the end of that week, I was resolved to keep them.   

This is Klondike. 

 

I look back now and thank the LORD for His sweet compassion towards us in those days. 

We’d just lost Mark's father one week prior.  In fact, the day following his memorial service, the female showed up in Maw maw's backyard.  ‘Betty’ was a sweet distraction for all of us, then ‘Klondike’ came a long too!  We named the bunnies after Mark's parents, which only seemed right at the time.  Tricia, Mark's sister, said, “Daddy sent Mother a bunny”.  We all laughed when we realized, "Oh my word, Daddy sent Mother TWO bunnies".  Ha! 

I scheduled neuter surgery at Maverick Animal Clinic for February, so we had that to look forward to, but then on November 7^th, Cotton passed away.  : (

Bruce grieved.  He wasn't like himself.  After the black bunnies’ neuter surgery, I thought bonding them would help and Bruce wouldn’t feel so alone, but that didn’t go well. We tried bonding several times, and each time they tussled and fought in such a way that made me think ‘this will never work’. Bruce regressed to marking his space.  He had always been such a clean bunny, so I knew sharing space w/another male rabbit was going to be a challenge for him,  esp’ly since there was only one female.  The boy bunnies were friendly through the wire wall that separated them…they sniffed one another and laid next to one another;  We even switched them around so they could sniff one another’s space to get used to one another's scents, but to put them in a neutral space together did not go well.  They each rec’d a few bad scratches and needed time to heal.  I pretty much decided bonding would likely never happen.  I hated the thought of that.  I didn’t want Bruce to be alone on his side of the hutch for the rest of his life.  Bunnies take care of one another, so to think of him not having that anymore was sad to me.  I also realized, I'd never be able to put him out in the yard w/another rabbit.  He’d always have to do everything alone… : ( .   I failed to say, after the black rabbits’ neuter surgery, we were able to reunite them and they didn’t take long to re-bond, so they now share the right side of the hutch, top and bottom, and do everything together. 

Well, something happened a few weeks ago that I was not anticipating.  I saw a post on our vet’s FB wall of a couple of rabbits that had been dropped off at their office, so they were trying to find homes for them.  There was a male and a female and they were being offered ‘free to a good home’.  They were not a bonded pair. They were dropped off separately.  I was shocked when I saw the female.  She looked just like Bruce, but w/out the white spot on the nose.  She appeared to be a Netherland Dwarf, but I can't be too sure.  If not, then she's possibly a Netherland Dwarf mix...?  

I could hardly wait to make a visit to the vets' office the next morning, which the post on Facebook encouraged those interested to do.  Everyone in my family agreed I should go to meet her.  So, the following morning, Katherine and I went to our vet’s office soon after they opened.  We were taken back to a room to meet the bunny and spend time w/her.  As soon as we were able to hold her, we knew we’d bring her home.  She was extremely docile!  It was sad to me to think she’d been someone’s pet, but evidently, released to fend for herself.  She was and still is soo tiny! 

Our vet was told she was found hopping around an apartment complex.  Dr. Hart gave us plenty of time to love on her.  He'd already examined her and said she appeared well, and guessed her age to be between 2-3 years, but she seems much younger than that to me.  What do I know? 

We couldn’t have been more excited.  My only concern at the time was that Bruce had to be willing to bond w/her.  So, Dr. Hart encouraged us to bring her back if bonding didn’t go well. My plan was to return her on Monday if need be. 

 

Katherine and Belle at the vet's office.

I can hardly believe how easy and quickly Bruce bonded w/’Belle’ after we brought her home.  They didn’t tussle.  They were not aggressive.  Belle seemed fearful, so it took a little time for her to allow Bruce to get close to her, but when she finally did, he was slow and gentle w/her, and they immediately faced off, nose to nose, and submitted to one another.  Eventually, they did start humping, but that didn’t happen until after I’d put them in the hutch together, so I figured they would work it out.  We left to meet friends for dinner, and when we returned, they were fine…no injuries or fur anywhere in the hutch to show they’d tussled or fought.  YAY!!

 

 

Bruce and Belle's first bunny date. 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't until the next morning that I was able to witness them grooming one another, which is the best sign of two bunnies' acceptance of one another, and this is what I saw…

 

Bruce and Belle are soooooo happy to be living together.
The first couple of days after bringing Belle home, Bruce was very protective of her, thus the first photo above.  Ha~  His forward position, and even his "You can't have her." stance was quite humorous to see everyday.  The honeymoon is over, so to speak, and he is at peace with our checking in and routine maintenance and feeding/watering schedule.
Within a week or so of Belle getting situated in her new hutch, she started showing signs of nesting!!!  Of course, at the time, I was crying..."Oh Lord, please don't let it be so!!!!", but now she's given us another pleasure to laugh about! 

Belle's beautiful nest.

Since there was no rushing the reality of this, we had to "wait and see". I knew Bruce couldn't have impregnated her, being that he's neutered.  However, that didn't mean another boy bunny didn't try before we brought her home.  As it turned out, she was not pregnant, but only hormonal for thinking she wanted to be.  Poor  thing.  She must've really loved her new home, because after settling in, she was very protective of her space, and had a lot to do for her 'ghost babies'. 

So, all this to say, we've had plenty to keep us occupied while in the midst of our kitchen renovations, not to mention unpacking boxes, and attempting to restore peace and order to our garage, where everything was packed. 
I can always step outside the back door, and feel the tension flow out of me.  Our rabbits bring me soo much joy, and all the more so when I see each of them enjoying life with the bunny they love. 

Begin Early Disciplines in God's Word

Peacock: Near Ribault Club

"The peacock has a gorgeous tail.
He's the king of birds, you know.
He raises his tails, bows and struts.
He puts on quite a show.

Baby peacock is not so fine;
his tail is small and gray.
He has nothing at all to strut about,
but he struts anyway.

Does baby peacock know that he
will grogeous be someday,
the king of birds, a sight to see,
and so he acts that way?

If you love Jesus and follow Him,
you'll be a king someday, too!
The peacock's tail doesn not compare
with the glory awaiting you!"
Words: Matilda Nordtvedt 

Bible Verse:  "[He] hath made us kings and priests" (Revelation 1:6, KJV).

Questions:
1.  Why does the beautiful peacock strut and bow?
2.  Why does the plain baby peacock strut and bow?
3.  What are you going to be someday if you love Jesus?

Prayer:  Dear Jesus, thank You that I will reign with you someday.

While sorting through some books yesterday, I came across this treasured devotional book:  Ladybugs, Bees & Butterfly Trees by Mitilda Nordtvedt.  It was copyrighted in 1985, published by Bethany House Publishers.  I read this book to my children when they were toddlers.  I still enjoy reading through this book when our little friends come to play. 

I read it to our children when they sat at the table to eat breakfast or lunch.
It is my prayer that this devotional example will be just the right encouragement to motivate one person to begin the daily discipline of reading Scripture to a young child today.

Here is Love

Heard the lyrics and music to this song for the first time Sunday morning during our morning worship service at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.

This is an old hymn written in the late 1800s by William Rees (1802-1883), vers­es 1-2 and Will­iam Will­iams pos­sib­ly wrote vers­es 3-4; trans­lat­ed from Welsh to Eng­lish by Wil­liam Ed­wards in The Bap­tist Book of Praise, 1900. The music for this hymn was composed by Ro­bert Low­ry in 1876. I pray you are as blessed by this rendition of the song as I am. 
You can also find the tune played via http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/e/herelove.htm

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

Then Sings My Soul, My Savior God to Thee, "How Great Thou Art...."

"Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger." Psalm 8:2

 

"Meanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children...And they arose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa.  and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem!  Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.  And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

 

"Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever."

 

And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against [their enemies]... ."

2 Chronicles 20: 13-22, ESV

Purrfect Peace

As I sat down to blog about Calvin tonight, I heard his loud cry of distress. 
I couldn't believe the timing of such, for the matter I'd wished to blog about was taking place at that very moment. 
Calvin and Maple have been more fearful in recent months, both inside and outside of our home.  Sounds and surprises have had them jumping in mid air and hissing as if there were monsters lurking around corners to devour them.  At first it was sort of funny, but now that we're weeks into this behavior, we've decided it's really a sad issue for them to be so ill at ease, especially to not want to go outside. When they do, they hover down and growl as they seek to find cover. 

Needless to say, there's a bully cat in our neighborhood, and he's attacked both of them.  At first we called him "Calvin's brother", because he's orange and white, but he has more white than orange in comparison. Not once, not twice, but at least three times he's attacked Calvin, and Maple only once.  Their wounds were found in the same areas on both of their backsides, each proving this cat is quite the attack cat. 

As I hopped up, practically throwing my laptop to the floor, I ran to the back door but I didn't see Calvin.  I ran to the front door, and opened it to find Calvin curled up in the front flower bed under the Agapanthus.  He oft goes there to nap, but it appeared he was rudely awakened, because he was looking up, cowardly, as the bully stood in a fighting stance over him.  It appeared he hardly had room to move even if he wanted to.  Calvin only 'crowled' (a loud cry and a growl in one) and hissed in an urgent effort to scare him away, but to no avail.  From the look of the attack cat, he had no intention of leaving.  Had I not intervened, he'd have surely attacked Calvin.  

Poor Calvin!  The opened door alone was enough to make the bully run away to take cover under the truck in the driveway. Calvin beat feet in the opposite direction and into the house.  Although he was inside, he walked around in circles and growled at least 10 minutes longer, swinging his tail in wild motion.  He did not wish to be consoled. However, I found it interesting that Maple ran to his side to sniff, as if to say, "I heard what happened.  Are you ok?"  Calvin seemed to tolerate that well. 

I think I'll end this post with thankful thoughts...
Eventually, Calvin settled into his cozy, safe place. 
He is now resting in purrfect peace, spoiled as usual.