Happy New Year

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My hopes for myself and for you run as follows. Because I know these things will help you and me be happy.

• Daily time in prayer
• Daily time in Bible study
• An abundant daily intake of fruit and other healthy delights
• Daily fresh air
• Enjoyable physical exercise
• Gallons of sunshine every time it appears
• Fresh flowers, often
• Diligence and patience even when it's hard
• An eye for people who need Jesus
• A heart on constant pilgrimage, heading always toward heaven.

And do you know Who offers us all these?  Yes, Jesus.  I hope you know Him well, and more every day.

Love,
Heidi

Sledding

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We went walking through the corn field today, ending at the river.  Is it just me, or is it just so fun to see where somebody else went walking, too?  (You can tell they're geese, right?  I keep forgetting to charge the camera, but the phone does OK in a pinch.)

On the way back, we noticed some kids sledding on the hill by the school.  As soon as we realized they were our Christmas hosts, dear husband said, "See?  I thought that would be a good hill!  Maybe they'll let us try."

So of course we went to say hello.  And lest you think my husband driven by the desire to go sledding, he likes everyone and would stop to chat sled or not.

We helped build a jump.  We chatted with Mr. Adult on the sidelines.  We {gently} threw snow in return for the snow thrown at us.  Then it came.

"Mr. S!  Would you like to try?"

Then, "Mrs. S!  Would you like to try?"

No, thank you.

"Are you sure?"

Well, Mrs. S is accustomed to more than two inches of snow beneath her sled, so that when she falls off, there's plenty to pad the fall.

So no, not today.

But she sure did enjoy the sunshine!

My father-in-law gave us a specially bound booklet at Christmas.  He told in the front how a similar volume has influenced his life forever.

Leave it to Scripture tondo that.

It's full of more than enough versions of 1 Corinthians 13 to read one every day of the month.  My husband already reads the "love chapter" every day already, but this gift is getting me going on it, too.  As my father-in-law challenged, I'm journaling my thoughts each day.

I may share some of my journalings with you as I continue the journey.  I'd also love to hear what's inspiring your devotional life as we turn the corner into the new year.

The Day After All the Singing

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Well, we've had a lot of music here lately.  Come to think of it, there's always enough music in my life, too.  But today I wanted to do a little update on other things, since I'm now in the habit of posting every day.  (I do like to write, after all.)

I've planned to bake several things, but haven't yet.  I wanted to make fruit salad, but the pears are still hard.  But here are a few ideas I've had.
• Pumpkin gingerbread from Simply   Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin_gingerbread/.
• Cinnamon Rolls
Savory Onion Rolls (that look like cinnamon rolls, only with onions inside)

I'm enjoying having my husband around ALL day EVERY day, and consider myself so blessed that I have a husband I enjoy so much.  We've been exercising together, sitting by the wood stove together, playing games together, doing puzzles together, running errands together (which I usually do by myself and enjoy, but it's more fun when he's with me).  Sounds dreamy, right?  That's life with a great man. 

I think I am at the point where I can keep unpacking and doing chores while also having time and space for more crafty things to be happening.  I'll keep you posted if and when I get going.

I read this morning about the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, exercise.  Have you aired out your home lately?  I cracked some windows for a while today, and the whole house felt fresher in a matter of minutes.  Air is great stuff.  :)

So is snow.  It's beautiful out where we live today.  So we took a walk in it, and saw that someone else had the same idea.  (See photo.)

Sing We All of Christmas: Our Lamb is Born

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This one is brand new.  I wrote the text, and my dear husband wrote the music.  (Copyright 2012).  Leave a comment with your e-mail address, and I'll send you a PDF of the score.

Born in a manger, He
Came among creatures who
Knew not His mission to
Die as my Lamb on my tree.

Suffering my shame is
The only way He can
Earn the position as
My only hope to find

Peace on the earth and
Good will to men.

Lambs in the stable see
God born as man and a
Lamb, one of me, one of
Them, the one Shepherd.  He

Leads me beside the still
Waters.  My cup over-
Flows with His goodness for
Unworthy me.

He gives peace on the earth and
Good will to men.

Sing We All of Christmas: As With Gladness Men of Old

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I love it when hymns and carols tell the truth of Jesus and also relate it to my journey today.  And I love it when they remind me of the joy it is to come to Jesus.

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him whom heav'n and earth adore,
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy,
Pure, and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee our heav'nly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need ko star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

Tune DIX (more familiarly set to "For the Beauty of the Earth") from Conrad Kocher, arranged here by Melvin West; text alluding to Matthew 2:1-11 by William C. Dix; SDA Hymnal 123.

Sing We All of Christmas: Angels We Have Heard on High

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One bit of musical knowledge you should have about this carol is that it is "macaronic", or has two languages (Latin and English) in the same piece.  Isn't that a fun word?

The Latin part of the text, "Gloria in excels is Deo", means "Glory to God in the highest!". And of course we know who sang it first (the angels), although they probably didn't sing in Latin or English.

Put together with the verses, the carol as a whole voices the shepherds' story of hearing the angels sing, alternated with questions asked by their listeners.

People who sing parts love to sing this--all the parts are interesting, and together indeed make a glorious sound.

Angels we have heard on high,
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.

Refrain:
Gloria in excels is Deo,
Gloria in excels is Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tidings did you hear?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.

Refrain

Tune GLROIA, a French carol arranges by Edward Shippen Barnes; text taken in part from Luke 2:13-17, a French carol translated in "Crown of Jesus" and adapted herd by Earl Marlatt; SDA Hymnal 143; see also the Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal.

Sing We All of Christmas: O Come, O Come, Immanuel

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Tonight, dwell on this thought:  God came to be with us.  And since He came so long ago, He can be with us even now.  While I can't take away the griefs and crimes of the world, I know a God who promised to be with me and with you even until the end of the age (which is when He will come again).

O come, O come, Immanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Immanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and high;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All people in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace.

Refrain

Text translated by John M. Neale and Henry S. Coffin; tune VENI EMMANUEL, fifteenth century French processional; SDA Hymnal 115.