Tag Archives: music

May the Mind of Christ, My Savior

  By Rachel | April 12, 2012 - 8:06 pm | Hymns I Love, Random
2 Comments

We sang this hymn at Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) this week, and I was so touched by the words I had trouble singing.

The words of this hymn could easily be a daily prayer- so beautiful and based in Scripture.

1 Corinthians 2:11-16

11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16for,

   “Who has known the mind of the Lord
   so as to instruct him?”

   But we have the mind of Christ.

Romans 15:1-6

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

IMG_5459

May the Mind of Christ, My Savior

words by: Kate B. Wilkinson     music by: Arthur C. Barham-Gould

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

Into the Garden

  By Rachel | March 14, 2012 - 2:19 am | Hymns I Love
Leave a comment

This was my Grandmother’s favorite hymn.  It is so fitting, since she was a private and more quiet person.  She wasn’t outspoken about her faith- but had a quiet wisdom and peace about her.

My Grandfather was always very vocal about his faith, and was just a very outgoing guy- he made friends everywhere.  They were such a perfect match for each other in so many ways.

Her quiet strength was the perfect balance for his outgoing boldness.

So, I am posting this in honor of her memory- and all the times when she sang this with the sweet knowledge of decades of meeting with her Savior- in the garden.

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

Refrain:

And He walks with me, and He talks with me

And He tells me I am His own

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known

Into the Green at Hidcote Manor Garden

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

The Long Peonie Border at Penshurst Place

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Summer Garden Scene at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire

Why I Love to Run

  By Rachel | February 4, 2012 - 2:45 pm | Random
Leave a comment

The alarm goes off, and part of me just wants to crawl back into bed.  The kids lay down for a nap, and I look at the treadmill knowing that I need to get on there.  There may be some slight hesitation initially, but my body knows, it remembers, and that urges me on.

The first moment I hit my stride I feel it to the core of my soul, a peace descends as the adrenaline starts to course through my veins, my body eases into the comfortable rhythm it has memorized over the years, and I feel the stress pouring out of my body, mingled with sweat.

My steady breathing and the sound of my feet hitting the treadmill are a song to me, and they provide the background music as I replay events of the day, think through what’s coming.  For some reason, this process has always been soothing to me.  Meditating on how I am spending my time, the friendships in my life, the events planned for the week.  Saying a prayer for a friend or family member as they come to mind, and maybe humming a praise song or meditating on the words.

Some days I need a challenge, and I need to be completely consumed with running.  I don’t want to think, I just want to feel my body working, being pushed to the limit.  I usually do speed intervals on those days, and challenge myself by increasing the speed and time of the intervals, seeing how long I can go, and then taking a break before pushing myself again.

I love the feeling after a run, being in touch with my body in a special way, noticing what an amazing thing it is- noticing all my muscles and how they work together, appreciating the design and the Creator of this flesh that houses my soul.

I believe that running adds a critical balance to my life, and as I get older I find comfort in returning to this ritual again and again.  While so many things in our lives change, it is good to have some things that stay the same.

That’s why I love to run.

Because He Lives

  By Rachel | February 3, 2012 - 9:06 pm | Hymns I Love
Leave a comment

I love to sing.  I usually sing more during the day than talk- esp. now that I am home with my kids.  I have always loved hymns- and this has been one of my favorites for years.  The second verse is much more precious now that I have children.

I can remember several times in my life when this hymn brought great comfort- and singing it has also lifted me greatly during times of deep sadness and grief.  I think the words stir up emotions because of all the memories associated with them.  All the times when God has been faithful.  When He has comforted me in times of trouble.  I pray that the words bring hope and comfort to you too.

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither