Hello friends, and happy Friday(again!!). I really didn’t mean to post this evening but I have a few spare moments so thought I might as well. I am currently at…Jones Hall in downtown Houston!! Earlier this week I couldn’t resist buying a symphony ticket for tonight(yes I am here by myself! I actually almost prefer being on my own since I can focus on the music a bit better and simply enjoy the beauty!! Of course, having a woman on my arm wouldn’t mar the moment, but that is neither here nor there!). Anyways!! They are playing one of my favorite pieces – Rachmaninoff’s piano concerto no. 3…it’s not his no 2, but almost as good!! I am simply so excited to hear it! And of course – I turned up absurdly early, so am now waiting patiently here in the dining area. Soon, comes the time of the music. Soon. And now, my friends, I shall be off and abandon myself to my thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful and most beautiful night, dear friends!!!
Author: James Hogan
A Little Bit of Starlight
Happy Friday, friends!!! I was going to have a nice leisurely morning here, since I got to work early. Figured I’d sip on my peppermint mocha and write a moody poem that’s been percolating for a bit. Well, I have been sipping on my mocha, but instead of writing, I’ve been doing actual work…alas, a sad day when I get more excited about work than writing. Or is it?? Anyways, just thought I’d pop in and say hello. Have a most wonderful day, my friends – may it be full of love and joy and laughter!!
Clarion Calls
No-one will see the need of the Lord Jesus Christ as a
Saviour but the person who has seen himself as lost before God; and
the only true motive to live a moral and worthy life is thankfulness to
God and the realization that one day we shall stand before Him.
This is the call which goes out to religious people today: we must
realize our unworthiness before God, our distance from the saints of
the ages, our terrible dissimilarity from the Christians of the New
Testament; then we must repent and re-consecrate ourselves to God
in Christ, and we must make sure that our religion regulates our
lives. But more than anything, we must realize that the state of the
world is such that nothing but the power of the Holy Spirit can cure
it, and we must feel this to such an extent that we are brought down
upon our knees to pray to God in His mercy to look down upon us in
pity, and for His great name, that He should send a mighty revival
among us. That is the only way, that is the only hope, because with
men it is impossible, but not with God, for ‘with God, all things are
possible'(Matt. 19:26).
-D.M. Lloyd-Jones, Knowing the Times, pg. 31
Heartsong
Hello friends!! I have – for once! – a relatively free and quiet Saturday morning. And it is glorious. It’s coming near on noon now and I’ve already enjoyed a good breakfast and much reading time and now I thought I could catch up on some chronicling. Except I’ve discovered I don’t really feel like writing too much. Hm. Well – one thing I have neglected – I haven’t shared my last few mix CDs I’ve so much enjoyed creating! I actually just finished a new one this past week…but first, let me share a mix I made right before Christmas(and hence – shared with Laura and Maryanne). It may be my all-time favorite…truly a joy to listen to. At least that is my own not-quite-humble opinion. I present…
Seaspray
1. Bohemian Dances – The Dø
2. Sweet Ophelia – Zella Day
3. The Suburbs – Mr Little Jeans
4. Nature Will Remain – The Dø
5. Thanatos – Soap&Skin
6. Shadow – Birdy
7. Perfection – Oh Land
8. The Way We Get By – Spoon
9. Heart Attack – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
10. Dug My Heart – BØRNS
11. Cloak & Dagger – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
12. They Never Got You – Spoon
13. Aha – The Dø
14. Let It Happen – Tame Impala
15. Crystalised – The XX
16. Nothing Better – The Postal Service
17. Slip Away – Josh Garrels
18. Wishing Well – The Oh Hellos
19. Searching Gold – The Dø
And in my usual fashion, this mix does have a theme to it, although it may be slightly more dark and depressing than is my usual. In Laura’s words – it “sounds like an emo girl and her battle to save the world”…or something like that? Anyway – in my own confused, slightly odd mind – this mix came into fruition and as I listened to it, my mind conjured up the image of a girl standing on a seashore, looking off into the distance. Bundled up against the cold and her scarf blowing in the breeze, she ponders her life and all that she has done to stay strong and keep on keeping on. But yet. Never enough. And yet. And so the mix takes this girl through that progression of being strong in herself, to being depressed in what she has not…to trying to make everything better through such artifices as dance, love, drugs and mental fortitude. And then…comes the realisation that there must be something more. A higher truth, a greater power, a more perfect love. And a most perfect Lover. And in that, comes life and life eternal. And then as the album ends, the last song is a stark reminder though of this world’s tantalising pleasures and dangerous temptations. As I joked with Laura yesterday – I call this my “1st John” CD…because it ends with the simple warning “Little children, keep yourself from idols.” Anyway – far too much of an explanation for such a silly thing as a track-list. Yet, I enjoy it.
Be well, my dear friends. Remember, as children of God – we are loved. We are known. Peace and love.
Hello Hurricane
A little more coffee sounds lovely, please.
Just tear yourself away from that book you’re reading
Give me another chance, darling, and just lean in,
And tell me, won’t you, that you love me, please?
a glimpse of the Divine, unworthy now
If it be man’s chief end to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,
then man has attained his end, the sole purpose for which he was made,
the entire object for which he exists, when he enters into communion
with God, abides in His presence, streaming out to Him in all the emotions,
I do not say appropriate to a creature in the presence of his Maker and
Lord, apprehended by him as the Good Lord and Righteous Ruler of the
souls of men, but appropriate to the sinner who has been redeemed by
the blood of God’s own Son and is inhabited by His Spirit and apprehends
his Maker as also his Saviour, his Governor as also his Lover,
and knows the supreme joy of him that was lost and is found,
was dead and is alive again,-and all, through the glory of
God’s seeking and saving love. He who attains to this experience
has attained all that is to be attained. He that sees God shall be like Him.
-B.B. Warfield, Faith and Life,pg 439
Comfort Ye
Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
Behold, the Lord God will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His reward is with Him.
And His recompense before Him.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
This passage from Isaiah 40 – is it not beautiful? I wish I could write the whole chapter of Isaiah 40 – truly one of the most stunningly magnificent chapters in Scripture. But for now, just read the verses from above and meditate on the glorious attributes of our Lord. He is one who is mighty and all powerful. He is one who reigns and deals swift justice. And this same God is also one who is tender and gentle. He is one who has compassion on the fainthearted and deals kindly with the weak. Look at the above verses – the arm of God that rules is the same arm that gathers the lambs and carries them in His bosom. This God we serve is mighty and able to do all things, sovereign in power and perfect in justice. This God we serve is merciful and compassionate beyond measure, perfect in love and sovereign in grace. How precious is it to know that we can trust this God to lead and care for us, even when we know not the way? He is sovereign and He cares for us. He chooses to care for us. Our God will one day come and rule perfectly upon this earth. He will pour out wrath upon the wicked yet He will lift up the flock that is His. The flock that our God has chosen for His own. Is that not a wonderful thought? Here is your God! So think on that, this day – we serve a mighty God. We serve a sovereign God. And this God deeply cares for us. He holds us in His bosom. Be at rest this day, my friends. Meditate on the grand compassion and mercies of our God. Rest in His arms. Think on His love. Rest.
A Blinding Jewel of Light and Beauty
Hello friends!! Monday here and it is furiously raining outside. And I am inside. And it is glorious. Finally, my habit of coming in super early pays off…so everyone else is going to be dripping wet, but because I came in before it started raining, I am nice and dry. Fantastic. Oh and I also have my peppermint mocha, so that’s great too! Had fun chatting with the baristas at Starbucks while I waited for mine this morning…I do love getting to know my Starbucks people – grateful I’m able to make friends with them. I’ve just got off the phone with Dad – had a good chat too, recapping the football from yesterday(Packers beat the Cowboys in a thrilling game, then the Steelers kicked many(six) field goals to beat the Chiefs…now four teams left – Patriots, Steelers, Falcons & Packers. I…don’t really care who wins? I’ll probably root for Atlanta, just because they’re the one team that hasn’t won a Super Bowl recently. Ever? Just looked it up, and they have never won! So I’m definitely rooting for Atlanta now. Go Falcons!).
Football sidebar aside, this weekend has been glorious. Saturday was a crazy day of superb busyness but yesterday was a wonderful day of worship and rest. Oh how I enjoyed my time at church in the morning, hearing God’s word preached. And then after church, went home and had leftover salad for lunch while watching an episode of 24 with John. Eventually, after doing some laundry and workout…had a most beautiful time of quietude and reading. Had a cuppa tea while reading B.B. Warfield’s Faith and Life. Beautiful reflections upon the gospel – reminding me why I live and why I love. Such special meditation time.
And now friends, I must be off…but have a most beautiful Monday, thinking on the wonders and love of Christ Jesus our Lord.
The River and the Tree
“I, Jesus,
have sent my angel to testify to you
these things for the churches.
I am the root
and the descendant of David,
the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the bride say,
“Come.”
And let the one who hears say,
“Come.”
And let the one who is
thirsty
come;
let the one who wishes
take the water of life
without cost.
What words. Amen and Amen. Come Lord Jesus Indeed, these words are faithful and true.
How good it is to know God. And one day – to see the face of the Lamb. One day. Some day.
DC Sleeps
I simply love when I rediscover passages in Scripture full of beauty and truth and my heart is stirred to hope eternal. I walked in to work this morning thinking these thoughts. And the wind tousled my hair in cool alignment with the starlight softly tripping down to earth. And so my soul sang.
Someday I’d like to write my thoughts on this whole chapter, but for now, I shall simply chronicle what is in the Word. From Isaiah 25…
The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet
For all peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine,
Choice pieces with marrow,
And refined, aged wine.
And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
He will swallow up death for all time,
And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
Something Weird 