Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How Great Thou Art, indeed!

Carl Boberg, a 26-year-old Swedish minister, wrote a poem in 1885 which he called "O Store Gud"––"O Mighty God." The words of the poem, literally translated into English, said:

When I the world consider / Which Thou hast made by Thine almighty Word
And how the webb of life Thou wisdom guideth / And all creation feedeth at Thy board.
Then doth my soul burst forth in song of praise / Oh, great God, Oh, great God!

Carol Boberg's poem was published and forgotten––or so he thought.

Several years later, he was surprised to hear it being sung to the tune of an old Swedish melody; but the poem and hymn did not achieve widespread fame.

Hearing this hymn in Russia, English missionary, Stuart Hine, was so moved he modified and expanded the words and made his own arrangement of the Swedish melody. He later said his first three verses were inspired, line upon line, by Russia's rugged Carpathian Mountains. The first verse was composed when he was caught in a thunderstorm in a Carpathian village, the second as he heard the birds sing near the Romanian border, and the third as he witnessed many of the Carpathian mountain-dwellers coming to Christ. The final verse was written after Dr. Hine returned to Great Britain.

Some time later, Dr. J. Edwin Orr heard "How Great Thou Art" being sung by Naga Tribespeople in Assam, in India, and decided to bring it back to America for use in his own meetings. And I'm so glad he did.

My daughter sent me this link last night, and I was so excited because I missed this performance when it was on TV the other night. But my Dad saw it and raved about how fabulous it was! And oh…he wasn't kidding!


As Your Word says in Isaiah 45:18, "I am the Lord, and there is no other." Truly Lord, how great Thou art! And thank you, Father, for gifting musicians like Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood and others to praise You in song and for giving us a taste of heaven while here on earth.

Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories
One last note, I'm taking my dad to the neurologist this morning. He's been suffering from repeated migraines and we're praying the doctor can shed some light on the cause––and provide some relief. I'd appreciate your prayers for that too.

Thanks, friends! 

P.S. Much of this information was gleaned from a wonderful book entitled Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. It contains the stories of 150 of the world's greatest hymns. Highly recommended!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

He is risen!

He is risen indeed! Praying your Easter is one filled with reminders of how much the Lord of Heaven and Earth loves you! He's conquered death and fills us with that same power to live a new and resurrected life. Thank you, Lord! My dear friend Robin (Lee Hatcher) shared "Dance Your Shoes Off" with me this morning. Hope you enjoy!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Monday, April 18, 2011

When chocolate speaks (and hugs)

I reached for my Dove Dark Chocolate Promise a little early today and got an extra special treat. I got a reminder of my precious Mom. This was one of her favorite sayings. She had it on a plaque in her kitchen (that nows hangs in Dad's "home" downstairs)…


Thank you, Heavenly Father, for reminders that while this fleeting life has its share of pain and loss, it also has so many precious treasures and blessings. Some of those blessings go on ahead of us and wait, even now, for us to join them at Home. Thank you for the certainty of an eternity with You, Lord, and with loved ones who make all the difference in this journey here.




And now, back to final rewrites on A Lasting Impression. I hope you dear readers are ready for a full story, because this one's chocked full of history and romance, all laced with magnolias and Southern charm. Or at least that's my goal. LOL!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Lions, and Lobsters, and Pigs (?), oh my…

Here are some pics from our son's "surprise" 22nd birthday party tonight at Mellow Mushroom in Nashville. Well, at least it was a surprise until he recognized some of the cars parked along the side street at the restaurant. Ah well, the best laid plans. We had such fun! Don't you love the animal plates. LOL.

I tell ya, I love our kids, and their friends are so neat too…




 










And last but certainly not least… Yum!! Peanut Butter Birthday Pie!

Lovin' that Mandisa!

I've been listening to Mandisa's new album and oh…it's fabulous!




I love the title track, and The Truth About Me, and Temporary Fills, and Lifeline, and well…every song on there is a gift. Treat yourself today!

And if you're needing a little encouragement today, join me over at Writes of Passage for a hefty dose of fresh hope.


And…HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY to our son, Kurt (pictured here with his older sister, Kelsey, at Christmas). Love you, honey, and looking forward to celebrating later today!


Friday, April 8, 2011

I've never heard a dog scream before…

But I just did. I'm sitting here, typing away, Jack is on his ottoman with the window open, lovely spring breeze blowing in––and he lets out a scream! All because of a little lizard. Gracious!


Not sure if you can see the lizard by the downspout (near the bush), but that's all Jack's into now, watching for him to reappear. His excitement for the afternoon. And mine too, I guess. ;)


Now back to A Lasting Impression rewrites…

Interview with Author Deborah Raney

GREAT interview between authors Alton Gansky and Deborah Raney! Check it out!

Also, find out more about the upcoming Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference…

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A "Royal" Thank You

Look what I got in the mail!! A feast for both the eyes and the tummy! I recently had the extreme pleasure of reading Sandra Byrd's TO DIE FOR for endorsement (just wait until you see the cover), and I'm thrilled to say I adored it! And I'm not the only one. Several others loved it too! 
Sandra, that sweet woman, sent me these as a thank you. And since her book is about Anne Boleyn as told through the eyes of her dearest friend, Meg Wyatt, you'll appreciate the significance of these gorgeous little treasures. Cookie Crowns!


 


 


 


Homemade sugar cookies, and so beautifully crafted! As delicious as they are lovely. Kudos to Alison's Sweet Themes who is the culinary genius who made them too. What a great gift idea!

Be sure and check out Sandra's book TO DIE FOR. It doesn't release until August, but it's worth the wait, my friends! Check out the cover and the summary…

To Die For, is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne's star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne's favor rises and falls, so does Meg's. And though she's pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it. 

Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history, her own calling to the Lord that she must follow, too, with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.

Though much of Meg's story is fictionalized, it is drawn from known facts. The Wyatt family and the Boleyn family were neighbors and friends, and perhaps even distant cousins. Meg's brother, Thomas Wyatt, wooed Anne Boleyn and ultimately came very close to the axe blade for it. Two Wyatt sisters attended Anne at her death, and at her death, she gave one of them her jeweled prayer book—Meg.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Free eBooks on CBD.com

Grab them while you can… LOTS of free eBooks on CBD.com! 



And a parting thought…
"I will not succumb to your agenda for my life." Never heard that scripture before? It's in there. Promise. Join me over at Writes of Passage to find out where.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Deborah Raney, Winner 2011 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence

Almost ForeverI'm so proud I'm about to burst! Deborah Raney, my oh-so-fabulous writing critique partner, has won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for her book, Almost Forever. And it's a well deserved honor! Here's a peek at Almost Forever:


Unearthing a lost memory may cause her to lose everything she holds dear… but could it also set her free?
Bryn Hennesey, a volunteer at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, was there the night the shelter burned to the ground and five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was her husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, Bryn must find a way to begin again. But Bryn must do so living with a horrible secret.…


Garrett Edmonds’s wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was his job to protect the woman he loved.… How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss and guilt?


And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer….


Here's Deb on Facebook if you'd like to send congrats!
And be sure to check out the other wonderful authors who were finalists in the inspirational category:
COWBOY FOR KEEPS by Debra Clopton
A HOPE UNDAUNTED by Julie Lessman
THE PERFECT BLEND by Trish Perry
MOUNTAIN PERIL by Sandra Robbins
SHADES OF MORNING by Marlo Schalesky
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