Thankful Thursday

I started seeing Thankful Thursday posts in my feed reader and I realized I really haven't been very thankful this week.  Mostly I've been tired and overwhelmed and stressed and irritable.  And complaining.

What a dreadful thing that is!  I have so many, many things to be thankful for, even in this stressful, overwhelming week!  How much more joyful this week would have been had I just taken the time to stop and count my blessings and thank God for His goodness!

I'm thankful for the gift of repentence and forgiveness; for my Heavenly Father who both forgives and doesn't let me get away with a thankless heart or an unconfessing spirit.

Quote of the Week: RC Sproul, Jr.

Grasping the sovereignty of God ought to humble us. First, we should be humbled to consider that we are under the care of a God who controls all things, down to the hairs on our head. We live our lives not only coram Deo, before the face of God, but also within the power of His almighty hand. Second, we should remember that a God so powerful, well, His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. We should not be quick to read His inscrutable purposes. We should, however, be resolute to trust them.

The Significant from the Insignificant

R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Sunday Hymn: Immortal, Invisible

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render; O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!

Trinity Hymnal #35

Here is a peek at my Book of Hebrews project.  I've been leading a study in the book of Hebrews since 2007.  We are in Chapter 12 at present and hope to wrap the study up by summer.  It has been an amazing experience and I wanted to commemorate it somehow.

The book of Hebrews is a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.  As the book of Hebrews begins in chapter 1, verse 1:  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets; He spoke by the Prophets--and the scribes preserved that which was spoken.

As a calligrapher/scribe, I've always wanted to try my hand at copying a whole book of the Bible and then binding it.  The Book of Hebrews, with its strong ties to the Old Testament, seemed like the right book to attempt.

Ink:   Black, Moon Palace Sumi 

  Red, Liquitex Ink!  Naphthol Crimson

  Blue, Liquitex Ink!  Phthalocyanine Blue

  Green, Liquitex Ink!  Sap Green Permanent

Paper: Strathmore Drawing, Medium  9 x 12

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for so many things today:

for the beautiful, snowy world outside my window

for a snowblower that works MOST of the time

for strength to shovel when the snowblower gives up

for uninterrupted electricity during the storm

for safety on the roads

for understanding friends

for answer to something I've been praying about for many years

for growth and change--even when it hurts!

for new business partnership opportunities

for Bible study and helpful commentaries!

for the writer of Hebrews--whoever he was!

for our gracious and merciful God 

for salvation in Jesus Christ

There's a storm a-brewing

I am strangely excited.  

Sunday Hymn: How Blest Is He Whose Trespass

From Psalm 32

How blest is he whose trespass
Has freely been forgiv'n,
Whose sin is wholly covered
Before the sight of heav'n.
Blest he to whom Jehovah
Will not impute his sin.
Who has a guileless spirit,
Whose heart is true within.

While I kept guilty silence
My strength was spent with grief,
Thy hand was heavy on me,
My soul found no relief;
But when I owned my trespass,
My sin hid not from thee,
When I confessed transgression,
Then thou forgavest me.

So let the godly seek thee
In times when thou art near;
No whelming floods shall reach them,
Nor cause their hearts to fear.
In thee, O Lord, I hide me,
Thou savest me from ill,
And songs of thy salvation
My heart with rapture thrill.

I graciously will teach thee
The way that thou shalt go,
And with mine eye upon thee
My counsel make thee know.
But be ye not unruly,
Or slow to understand,
Be not perverse, but willing
To heed my wise command.

The sorrows of the wicked
In number shall abound,
But those that trust Jehovah,
His mercy shall surround.
Then in the Lord be joyful,
In song lift up your voice;
Be glad in God, ye righteous,
Rejoice, ye saints, rejoice.

 Trinity Hymnal #462   

While I'm posting music videos. . .

A beautiful version of a beautiful song.

Hanging with my grandkids

I woke up with this song in my head. It makes me happy because, in my mind's eye, I can see and hear Elliott joining in. Even little Maddie starts dancing when she hears this song!

Quote of the Week: DaVinci

Learning never exhausts the mind

Leonardo DaVinci

Beclouded

BECLOUDED.

The sky is low, the clouds are mean,
A travelling flake of snow
Across a barn or through a rut
Debates if it will go.

A narrow wind complains all day
How some one treated him;
Nature, like us, is sometimes caught
Without her diadem.

Emily Dickinson

A Red Letter Day

Today is the 37th anniversary of our first date!  We always celebrate by going out to dinner.  And today we have something else to celebrate:  I just learned that my business, The Constant Scribe, has been awarded   the Bride's Choice Awards 2011 from WeddingWire. This means is in the top 5 percent of Wedding Pros nationwide.

Yippee!

Quote of the Week: Ferguson

Speech is like salt:  too little, and we do not taste the flavor of the food; too much, and we are left with the unpleasant taste of the salt.  Like salt, our lives and our speech are to bring out the 'flavor' of Jesus Christ.  Too much of ourselves--too much of our talk--and will likewise leave an unpleasant taste.  Be like Christ, then, lest others are not able to taste the difference between the salt and the meat, between the poverty of our witness and the goodness of the Lord Jesus they are invited to taste. (Psalm 34:8)

Sinclair B Ferguson, The Sermon on the Mount:  Kingdom Life in a Fallen World

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

Sunday Hymn: THEE WE ADORE, ETERNAL LORD

THEE WE ADORE, ETERNAL LORD!

Thee we adore, eternal Lord!
We praise thy name with one accord.
Thy saints, who here thy goodness see,
Through all the world do worship thee.

To thee aloud all angels cry,
The heavens and all the pow'rs on high:
Thee, holy, holy, holy king,
Lord God of hosts, they ever sing.

Apostles join the glorious throng,
And prophets swell th'immortal song;
Thy martyrs' noble army raise
Eternal anthems to thy praise.

From day to day, O Lord, do we
Exalt and highly honor thee!
Thy name we worship and adore,
World without end, for evermore.

TRINITY HYMNAL #18

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday was an Elliott and Maddie day.  I treasure the time I have with my grandchildren; sometimes my heart just aches with joy when I'm with them.

Elliott is such a busy little guy; he never stops playing, moving, singing, dancing.  He's quite a cuddly bear and sometimes after I've had him for four or five hours, I feel like I've been wrestling a little bear! He climbs all over me, and even when he's sitting in my lap he's squirming and hugging and climbing and kissing and taking my face in his hands.

Maddie is just as busy but she's a snuggly cuddler.  No twisting and turning for her!  She settles in peacefully.  She is the easiest going baby I have ever known; gentle and cheerful, always smiling, quietly curious.  She loves music and bobs and moves whenever she hears it.  She's a good napper, goes down with little fuss and wakes up cheery.

I am so thankful for my little treasures.

Sunday Hymn: The Lord's Our Rock

The Lord's our Rock, in him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land,
Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

A shade by day, defense by night,
A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes affright,
A shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat,
A shelter in the time of storm;
We'll never leave our safe retreat,
A shelter in the time of storm.

O Rock Divine, O Refuge dear,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be thou our helper ever near,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Trinity Hymnal #719

An Uneasy Feeling

I'm sitting at the table in the sunroom, writing up my notes on Hebrews and I kept experiencing an uneasy feeling--like someone was watching me.  

I hope this plant's name is not Seymour!

Thankful Thursday

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I am thankful for this prayer of Christ's for so many, many reasons.  My mind leaps to these verses so often.

I am grateful that I have His Word and I can read the words of my Savior's prayers, here in Matthew 11 and in John 17 and other places.  Such comfort and peace.

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

52 in 2011

A few years ago I had so much fun posting A Letter A Week for 26 weeks, that I'm jumping in on another weekly challenge.  52 in 2011 is a calligraphy challenge I am participating in--the idea is to post something every week for 52 weeks.  

I have decided to post snippets from whatever I am reading. My self imposed rules are to publish something every Friday (even if it's just a book title), to spend as little time as possible in planning the piece in hopes that over 52 weeks I will improve in the organization of unplanned arrangements, and to post them, warts and all, with very little editing. What editing I have done, I will confess to in the comments of each piece.

Some weeks I'll have time; some weeks I won't; but, God willing, I will do my best to post something every week, no matter how small.

If you're interested in following this weekly challenge, I'm posting them on Facebook and on my calligraphy blog on The Constant Scribe, Scriptorium.  The first week is up!

Sunday Hymn: Pow'r of the Cross

POWER OF THE CROSS

Oh, to see the dawn

Of the darkest day;

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

*CHORUS:

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain,

Written on your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev’ry bitter thought,

Ev’ry evil deed

Crowning your bloodstained brow.*

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.* 

Oh to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS

This the pow’r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love!  What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.