My Commonplace Book... Favorite songs from Sunday School

 I wanted to save some of my favorite songs from Sunday School and my childhood.

Deep and Wide
Trust and Obey
Give Me Oil In My Lamp
This Little Light of Mine
Only a Boy Named David

My Commonplace Book... African American People of Note: Martin Luther King

"Snippets in Time" are comments, words or phrases, quotes from a random collection of almost anything I read in—newspapers, blogs, journals, essays, books, etc...

Dr. Martin Luther King:

"A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.."

Dr. King uttered these words during a sermon in Selma, Alabama, on March 8th, 1965, the day after “Bloody Sunday,” on which civil rights protesters were attacked and beaten by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

 

My Commonplace Book... I Hold Him Up

While attending the Law Enforcement Coordinators' Symposium in Albuquerque, NM, I read the following poem:

I Hold Him Up

By: Michelle Federowicz

My Commonplace Book... God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

I am currently reading God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. I came upon the following passage and thought it showed America to a T. Brother Andrew was behind the Iron Curtain in Yugoslavia. Just as they tried to stamp out Christ and Christianity there, America is trying the same!

"I became aware of the slow wearing-down process the government was exerting on Christians. The effort seemed to be centered on the children. Leave the old folks alone, but wean the young people away from the church.

One of the first churches Nikola and I visited was a Roman Catholic one in a small village not far from Zagreb. I noticed that there was not a single person under twenty in the entire congregation, and I asked Nikola about it. In answer he introduced me to a peasant woman who had a ten-year-old son.

"Tell Brother Andrew why Josif is not here," said Nikola.

"Why is my Josif not with me? she asked. Her voice was bitter. "Because I am a peasant woman with no education. The teacher tells my son there is no God. The government tells my son there is no God. They say to my Josif, 'Maybe your Mama tells you differently, but we know better, don't we? You must remember that Mama has no education. We will humor her.' So? My Josif is not with me. I am being humored."

A few days later in another town, we were visiting a Christian family when I saw a little girl playing in the dust outside the house in the middle of the day.

"Why isn't she in school?" I asked Nikola.

From the mother he learned the story. Marta was accostomed to saying grace before meals at home. When it came time for the school lunch, Marta had given thanks aloud as she always did, without even thinking about it. The teacher had been angry. Who had supplied this food, God or the people through their own good government? "That was a wicked thing to say, Marta. You will fill the other children's minds with nonsense."

But the next day, so deeply was the habit ingrained, that Marta did it again, and for this she had been expelled."

My Commonplace Book... Hymn: I Serve a Risen Savior or He Lives

I am going to post favorite Hymns and a little bit about them every Sunday or so.  My first one I posted was "The Old Rugged Cross". Today's song is: "I Serve a Risen Savior or He Lives" by  Alfred Henry Ackley

"Alfred Ackley (1887-1960) showed musical promise at a very young age. His father gave him the benefit of his musical wisdom, and then later sent him to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He played the piano and cello and showed great promise as a composer. After his training in music, Ackley went on to graduate from Westminster Theological Seminary in Maryland, and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He served as pastor in several states of the United States, and worked for a few years with evangelist Billy Sunday and the Rodeheaver Music Company. Ackley's musical endeavors were so appreciated that he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sacred Music degree by John Brown University in Arkansas."

Pictures can be found at jessicalynette.com/hymn-lyrics

1.     I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;

        I know that He is living whatever men may say;

        I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

        And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.

                           Refrain:

                   He lives, He lives,

                   Christ Jesus lives today!

                   He walks with me and talks with me

                   Along life’s narrow way.

                   He lives, He lives,

                   Salvation to impart!

                   You ask me how I know He lives?

                   He lives within my heart. 

2.     In all the world around me I see His loving care,
        And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair;
        I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast,
        The day of His appearing will come at last.

3.     Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
        Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
        The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
        None other is so loving, so good and kind.

 "I Serve a Risen Savior or He Lives" by  Alfred Henry Ackley

Here is the link for a video for this song:

⁵ and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but He has ^[a]risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, ~ Luke 24:5-6 NASB

Footnotes:

1. Luke 24:6 Or been raised

Happy Holidays!

Many people become upset at Christmas. They say it wasn't the real date of Christ's birth (it isn't) or they get upset because someone says Happy Holidays! I think that they all are forgetting what it means to be a "Christian".  I celebrate Christmas. I say "Merry Christmas!" but I also say "Happy Holidays", especially before Thanksgiving to signify I am wishing them Happy Holidays (as in Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years).  (Did you know that Happy Holidays is also like saying "Happy Holy Days"?) What is so wrong with that?  Can you really justify all this conflict to JESUS?  Is it being like Jesus when you put someone down?  Not everyone celebrates Christmas. There are the Jewish people who celebrate Chanukah (a holiday that Jesus also celebrated).  There are also groups that don't celebrate any holidays. Paul, in the Bible, had this to say in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NASB:

¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under ^[a]the Law, as under ^[b]the Law though not being myself under ^[c]the Law, so that I might win those who are under ^[d]the Law; ²¹ to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. (emphasis mine)

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 9:20 Or law
2. 1 Corinthians 9:20 Or law
3. 1 Corinthians 9:20 Or law
4. 1 Corinthians 9:20 Or law

 This, I feel, also applies to holidays.  When you put someone down for celebrating Christmas or wishing someone Happy Holidays, you are NOT winning people to Christ.  You are actually making a spectacle of yourself and running people away from Him.

Remember what you are really celebrating on Christmas.  It isn't words but a Savior come to Earth!

So I want to wish all:  Merry Christmas!, Happy Holidays! Happy Chanukah! and Merry MESSIAHmas! to one and all!!!!!!!!!!

One person considers some days

more holy than others, 

while someone else regards them

as being all alike.

What is important is for each

to be fully convinced in his own mind.

He who observes a day as special

does so to honor the Lord.

Also he who eats anything,

eats to honor the Lord,

since he gives thanks to God;

likewise the abstainer abstains

to honor the Lord, and he too

gives thanks to God.

~ Romans 14.5-6 (CJB)

My Commonplace Book... Poem: He Had No Servants

He Had No Servants

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.

He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.

He had no army, yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, but they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet *HE LIVES TODAY!

~Author Unknown~

"Follow Me."

Luke 9:23

*Emphasis mine

My Commonplace Book... Christy by Catherine Marshall

 Hardback copy: Library of Congress Catalog Card #67-24957

I started reading this book and came upon a discussion between Christy and Miss Alice concerning a "Religion of fears".  I know a lady who has a religion of fear. She has practically driven her children away from God because she has taught them that God is a judge who does not have mercy.  This makes me so sad. :(

Christy: "'I hate a religion of fears,' I said with feeling."

Miss (Alice) Henderson: "'I do too, and my parents before me. My father was a strict member of the Society of Friends up in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. But he had one favorite saying that sounds anything but strict. I grew up on it.' Here Miss Alice's eyes took on a soft remembering look. 'He was a tall man, stood so straight, but there were curves of fun around his mouth. 'Before God,' he would often say to me, 'I've just one duty as a father. That is to see that thee has a happy childhood tucked under thy jacket.'"

Christy: "I like that. And did you have a happy childhood?"

Miss Henderson: "'The happiest imaginable. And you see, father was wise. He knew that I couldn't have an earthly father who would provide joy all my days, and then be able to conceive of God as a stern judge wanting to take all my fun from me.' Miss Henderson sighed. 'One of our tasks here is to show folks a God who wants to give them joy. How they need joy!'" (pg 61)

My Commonplace Book... The Marvel of it All by Joe and Leona Tarry

The Marvel of it All

     One of Leona Tarry's sisters (Doris) attends the same church that I attend. She had brought this book in and had left it to be read. I love reading biographies (especially Missionaries stories) and thought it looked like a good book to read.  I am only on Chapter 3 and I love it.  I can already see that I will be slowly reading and noting down many passages and quotes with this book.  Since this book belongs to Doris, I plan to save all the quotes and my thoughts here at my blog.   

Chapter 1: Our Journey to a Foreign Land

THE MARVEL OF IT ALL

Have you been impressed in such a way spiritually
That you have stopped, lingered in meditation recently
Long enough to be enamored, thrilled, or stricken in awe
About the Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus,
and the marvel of it all?

Many occasions are in the entire Holy Bible --
In fact so many that it is factually undeniable --
In which individuals or peoples were amazed
and overwhelmed
When they felt God's mysterious presence all around

They reflected on their experiences with God and pondered
About life, God's grace, His power and glory, and wondered
As to their purpose of life and management of resources
in their hands,
Also of the mysterious and spectacular things
they did in the land. (pg 15)