2014-0113 - a song in my heart

Hello friends and family!  So glad to see that you were able to make it by today!  I want to thank you for your continued interest and support.  Today I want to talk about gratitude.  Maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” means a world of difference in how I approach my day and the way I treat the people I encounter. 

When I get up feeling sorry for myself because I didn’t get enough sleep, or I don’t feel good, or I have a dozen things to do today, you can be sure I’m going to have a bad day.  Poor me!  On the other hand, if I take the time to thank God first thing in the morning for all His blessings, I can get up tired, put on my best blue dress, and head off to work with my box of tissues.  Gratitude will see me through a really busy day, help me to encourage my husband and my co-workers, and will show me how to be contented with too little sleep!

One of the things I try to do when I am feeling a little down is to pick a hymn for the day and to meditate on it.  Today I’ve chosen my favorite hymn…   To God Be the Glory!  It is a rousing hymn that reminds me that no matter how awful I’ve been (the vilest offender) God still loves me enough that he sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins, that I might spend eternity in heaven with them.

The words are wonderful.  And what’s more they were written a remarkable woman!  Miss Fanny Crosby was accidentally blinded when she was a young child.  She had every right – when measured by a self centered sighted person – to be angry and bitter.  But, she wasn’t!  Miss Fanny understood the love and blessings of God better than most sighted people ever can or ever will.

Miss Crosby is an admirable example for me to follow.  You see, I tend toward the melancholy side of life, often plagued with bouts of miserable health and depression; and when I get to feeling sorry for myself I’m of no earthly good to anyone.  Miss Crosby teaches me that you can find happiness in the worst of situations; she saw through the blindness, she recognized the blessings of God even in her darkness, and demonstrated a spirit of gratitude. 

She is truly one of my heroines.  Someday, when I get to heaven, I hope I am able to meet her and to give her a big hug.  She made time to honor God with her thoughts, her words, and her actions.  If you get a chance take the time to read about her life story.  Sometimes we don’t think we have anything to offer; Miss Fanny didn’t worry about herself and her problems, she gave her best to God.

I would like to share the words to this hymn with you.  I am including a link so you can click and hear the hymn in case you’re not familiar with the tune.  I hope you’ll take a moment to read through the words and then listen to the music.

Hymn:  http://youtu.be/ymrZO1PZbU4

Biography:  http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bcrosby4.html

To God Be the Glory

Text:  Fanny J. Crosby

Music:  William H. Doane

To God be the glory, great things He has done;

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,

And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

Let the earth hear His voice!

Praise the Lord; praise the Lord,

Let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,

And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,

To every believer the promise of God;

The vilest offender who truly believes,

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Refrain

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,

And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

But purer, and higher, and greater will be

Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Refrain

Friends, I hope you’ll enjoy this hymn as much as I do!  It cheers me up in the darkest of times!  And I pray that you’ll find it a blessing as well.

My prayer for today...   Dear Lord, Thank you for putting a song in my heart today and helping me find the blessings you’ve given me.  When I am feeling sorry for myself, dear Lord, remind me of your children who have truly suffered but maintained their attitudes of gratitude and shown forth their testimonies for You!