A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Faith

How is Church for You?

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The Five Minute Friday word prompt is church, you can find the linky over at Miss Kate’s.  When I heard the word the words of this song popped into my heard immediately.   

Oh come to the church in wildwood
Oh come to the church in the vale…
no thought is so dear to my childhood,
as that little brown church in the vale!

As I sit back and the end of a busy day, I’m a bit perplexed as to where this song will take me in the next five minutes or so.   Shall we go for a ride?

How is church for you? Text with white church

How is Church For You?

Sunday Service, 1030 arrive.
Greeting, noise, alive.

Singing loudly, band it plays
Praise, and hymns, voices raise.

Four or six, music tunes
Praising God, the leader croons.

45 minutes pastor extols
The wonders of God, yes we are told.

Singing again, the service it ends.
Into the world, congregation sends.

Covid hits, everything changes.
Staying at home, the government ranges.

No service oh, for many a week.
How to reach people who seek?

Everyone shut in, people away.
How long can things continue this way?

Gradually easing, the rules give way.
Showing improvement, will covid make sway?

30% capacity, we currently stand
Some church attendance, it’s well in hand.

2 songs, no singing allowed.
Announcements too then heads bowed.

Prayer and a message, in minutes, remain.
Can a church service, help us stay sane?

50 minutes total, sign up to attend
Come, let your heart mend.

This season is hard, can the church lend a hand?
To ease the suffering the locked-in barely stand?

How to combat when together forbidden?
Can we show our God who mustn’t be hidden?

How is church for you?

Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sunshine In

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I grew up listening to “Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sunshine In” on a record.  There was a lady who had a child-sounding voice when she sang, she put together a few recordings of faith-based songs for children.   She saw it as a ministry she was uniquely qualified for. 

Open up your heart and let the sun shine in

Lyrics

Mommy told me something a little kid should know.
It’s all about the devil and I’ve learned to hate him so.
She said he causes trouble when you let him in the room.
He will never ever leave you if your heart is filled with gloom.

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose and frowners never win.
So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

When you are unhappy, the devil wears a grin
But oh, he starts a-running when the light comes pouring in
I know he’ll be unhappy ’cause I’ll never wear a frown
Maybe if we keep on smiling he’ll get tired of hanging ’round.

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose and frowners never win.
So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

If I forget to say my prayers the devil wears a grin.
But he feels so awful awful when he sees me on my knees
So if you’re full of trouble and you never seem to win,
Just open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose and frowners never win.
So let the sun shine in face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

Song written by Stuart Hamblen

The Author of Let the Sunshine In

Stuart Hamblen grew up in a home of a travelling Methodist preacher.   He became the world’s first singing cowboy and was in several movies.   He not only composed more than 225 gospel songs, but wrote western songs as well.   Mr. Hamblen was the first man to fly a horse, flying his racehorse EL LOBO from Los Angeles to Bay Meadows, forever changing the horse racing world. 

He was not always a believer, despite his godly upbringing, he came to faith later in life.  He not only raced horses, appeared in movies, wrote songs, did rodeo but also had a radio career.  This on top of his degree in education.  This Texan was also a band leader.   Mr. Hamblen married Suzanne Obee and eventually had two daughters. 

Connections

I have to admit when I read all the things that Stuart Hamblen did I was quite impressed.  But when I read how his dad was a preacher, but that Stuart didn’t come to faith until later in life, my heart was encouraged.   

Some kids do this, they slide away from the faith.  Through God’s gift to us of free will, sometimes poor decisions are made.  AND YET… God can still work in hearts and lives.  One can cling to those promises. 

Thinking back to this song I can’t say I agree with all the words

“Smilers never lose and frowners never win”, that phrase has my guard going up.  Whether one smiles or frowns doesn’t affect the outcome of long-term life choices.  It might affect the here and now, and is really not a bad thing to encourage is it?

I do like how we are invited to remember how much the devil dislikes it when we pray.  Prayer is our battle cry.  We’d do well to remember it!  🙂 

 

O Word of God Incarnate

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I originally wrote about this hymn, O Word of God Incarnate, back in July 2016!  Wow!  I’ve been sharing a Sunday song for quite a while haven’t I?  🙂

o word of god incarnate

Lyrics to O Word of God Incarnate

1 O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky:
we praise you for the radiance
that from the Scripture’s page,
a lantern to our footsteps,
shines on from age to age.

2 The church from you, dear Master,
received the gift divine;
and still that light is lifted
o’er all the earth to shine.
It is the chart and compass
that all life’s voyage through,
mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
still guides, O Christ, to you.

I found two versions for the third verse:
The Scripture is a banner
before God’s host unfurled;
It is a shining Beacon
above the darkling world.
It is the Chart and Compass
that over life’s surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands
, to You, O Christ, will guide.

OR this one which we sing in our church
It floateth like a banner
  Before God’s host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
  Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass
  That, o’er life’s surging sea,
’Mid mists and rocks and quicksands
  Still guide, O Christ, to Thee.

4 O make your church, dear Savior,
a lamp of burnished gold
to bear before the nations
your true light as of old.
O teach your wandering pilgrims
by this our path to trace
till, clouds and darkness ended,
we see you face to face.

Author and History

Poor Man’s bishop, William Walsham How was born in 1823.  This son of   William Wybergh How, was educated at Shrewsbury School and Wadham College, Oxford (B.A. 1845).

How chose to serve in the poor of London, living in the slums and rejecting offers to serve in more prestigious churches.   Authoring several books such as the Commentary of the Four Gospels and Plain Words for Children.

Bishop How wrote 54 hymns altogether.   He said, “A good hymn should be like a good prayer—simple, real, earnest, and reverent.”  (source)

Thinking Deeper

Do you believe in the truth of scripture?  Do you see the truth of who Jesus is?  Jesus, God’s word, born into flesh!  Do you see how he minds his people, the church?  How do we respond to that?

Do we work to become the people he wants us to be?   Do we actually try to be the burnished lamp we sing about?  Do we really try to bring light to the world around us?

Some songs remind us, don’t they?  Remind us of the call placed on our lives, and how we are to be as a light to the world around us. 

But Mercy Stepped In

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Miss Kate has the perfect word for us this week.  Mercy, isn’t that a wonderful word?  Mercy is such a hard thing to understand, and it completely fills a heart when received. A grace for us indeed eh?  🙂 

But Mercy Stepped in

But Mercy Stepped In

This week received
unexpected shock.
Broke a momma’s heart
Almost in two.

But mercy stepped in.
Stopped hard words.

This week received
A time of solid tears.
A momma’s heart remembering
A child of younger years.

But mercy stepped in.
A hug received.

This week received
Conversation badly needed.
A momma’s heart starts to see.
A glimmer of hope.

But mercy stepped in.
Friendship renewed.

This week received
A game in the mail.
Expected two weeks later.
A God-moment in time.

But mercy stepped in
Reconnection enabled.

This week received
Responses from friends.
Rejection expected.
Open arms given instead.

But mercy stepped in.
Hope in the Lord renewed.

This week received
Prayers and phone calls.
Words of hope and peace
From God himself inspired.

So mercy stepped in
in the form of a boy.

This I really saw how
This beloved of God
The creator of worlds.
Cares for his own.

But Mercy Stepped in

Verses from my heart to yours

Heb 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Lam.3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Eph.2:4-5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Exodus 34:6-7

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Romans 5:8

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Celebrating the Season

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The Homeschool Review Crew’s challenge this week is celebrating the season… I’m sitting here thinking… WHAT SEASON???  It’s mid-August, no season that I know of beside it being summertime.  OOH… How do I celebrate summer?  Or better yet… what season am I currently celebrating?

TOMATO SEASON!!!!   My Tomatoes are ripening!  I love tomato season!  🙂 

But first… first let’s talk about some other seasons in a garden.

You have lettuce season (early in the year for me).  When I have so much lettuce my bunnies are SUPER happy about it.  🙂 

Then Pea season (which for me this year was HORRIBLE!) good thing my radishes did well eh?   (again the bunnies were delighted, as was my tenant). 

Then you have summer squash season.  Oh my … that WILL keep you busy.  VERY VERY Busy.  🙂 

Then you get Broad bean season, closely followed by regular bean season.  I LOVE this season too.  Nothing like fresh beans out of the garden.   It’s a great way to make one’s spouse grin from ear to ear too!  (and steal all the beans for his own plateful!)    🙂  Makes me smile none-the-less. 

Celebrating the Season!

But Tomato season!  It’s here!   Yes, we are off to a slow start.  AND I know others have had their tomato season start before me and YES… It’s been starting to bother me.  BUT none of that matters now.  MY tomato season has started!

Isn’t it grand?!?!?!?

Fresh tomatoes everyday!  Salsa, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and more!  Fun fun…. oh.. right.. I’ll need more jars!  🙂  But my family will be happy and fed over the winter and THAT is a very good thing no?  

I’ve been thinking…

Of course, all this got me thinking… a season isn’t always what you think it is!  Like really, is August a season?  Not really, but it could be a season.  Like right now we’re in a season of dealing with COVID… are there things we could celebrate about that season?

I can think of all the families I see doing things together.  That’s SO worth celebrating.  I see families seriously considering what is best for their family’s health… send kids to school, or stay home with them and educate there. The fact the people are seriously taking the time to consider their options is fantastic.  Are there hard things as the result of COVID?  For sure, every season in life has hardship… even in tomato season when some tomatoes get end-rot. 

OR perhaps it’s another season you are in.  A season where you feel stretched because you are out of routine.  Or a season where you mourn family members either lost, passed away or you can’t go visiting with.   Perhaps you are are in a season of rejoicing with a new baby, marriage or graduating senior.  Perhaps it’s a season where you are marking tests for a high schooler, or figuring out curriculum for a grade seven student.  Each season has it’s challenges doesn’t it?

Seasons sometimes surprise

You’ll find often that seasons pop up sometimes where we least expect them to.   For instance, I recently had a season of frustration with someone messing with my rabbits and a baby got badly injured.  Very frustrating, very unexpected, but solved with locked cages. Baby has found a loving home where good care will be given now that I got her back on her feet!  Meeting her new caregiver, made it all come out right in the end.  What to celebrate in this?  That I have the ability to help bunnies better and the funds to purchase needed supplies to keep them safe.   God is good in this no?

It’s hard to do but worth it you know?  To look for the good even when things are hard.  It’s helps us to change our perspective and that so often makes all the difference in how we pass through troubled times. 

Celebrating the season

How About You?

So how about you?  What season are you in?   Can you be about celebrating the season?  Can you find the good in it, even if it’s hard?  If you’ve written a post, share it below eh?  Or tell me about the season you are in.  I’d be happy to talk. 

And look… MORE tomatoes!   Life is good with tomatoes!

August

Progress

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Miss Kate has given us another word prompt, this week the word is progress.  Shall we see where my muse takes us tonight?

Progress

Progress

The more the world moves forward,
the more it falls behind.

Forgetting what’s important
In the bid to always mind.

We must have equality!
Everyone must be treated the same!

Forgetting that our differences
Is part of the game.

The game of life that keeps us
Working in harmony.

In Christ there is no Jew of Greek
There is no slave or free.

It matters not if
Boy or girl.

For us to make progress
In this world.

What we need is the love of Christ
In whose own image made we

Male and female we both show
The God who made us be.

Without the Lord any progress shown
can never truly stand.

Without the Lord we only build
What only can man’s hands.

Is what we build the biggest thing
That for us progress make?

Always remember the Lord made us
Remember it true, for goodness sake.

Progress

Scripture Referenced

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Gal.3:28

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen 1:27

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Col.1:16-17

Respect Isn’t The Easiest Thing

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T tell me what it means to thee.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T I’ll tell you what it means to me.

You see, respect is…
Oh gosh, respect isn’t the easiest thing.  It really isn’t.  Sometimes it’s as natural as can… like showing respect to doctors and policemen.  But sometimes, respect between people can be harder to figure out. 

respect isn't the easiest thing, text. Two hands holding a heart image.

Respect isn’t the easiest thing

In talking with a new friend,
With carefulness of speech,
Because in learning about
Personal history
And the hardness of life,
One learns to tread carefully.

Not for fear of loss
of friendship.
Though friends are
cherished dear.
But out of respect for
that friendship.
Wanting to respect that
hardness of life,
changes perspectives.

Perspective that teaches
you have to work with what
you got.
Nothing else will do that
for you.
Work with it.
Mind your business and hold
it tight.

Be a person of faith.
It’s a good thing.
Respect that God
has your back and teaches
you through the
“HMMS” of life.

You see it’s that
perspective that binds
us together.
That awareness of the
power of God.
Who even with our different
perspectives,
Binds hearts together.

So respect isn’t the
easiest thing.
But if you work at it
you’ll find something.
Most anything, that will
make it possible.

Friends, mutually respected,
Helping you to
look beyond the moment.
and to a future promised.
It’s a good thing no?

Respect isn't the easiest thing

This post is part of the five minute Friday word prompt provided by Miss Kate.  Write for five minutes, link up, go visit those who have linked up before you.  Encourage the heart of others, it’s the centre of our community.