My Favorite Christmas Sign

"He Was Born Below So That We May Be Borne Above.

From an earlier post. Car wash on Tieton Drive here in Yakima, WA.

The Top Ten

Well my list is complete! Hopefully there may be in the list, a Christmas Carol that's new to you. If that's the case go to cyberhymnal.org and do a search and you'll see that some of the background material I obtained from that site. Thanks for reading and again Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Jim & Sue Gelatt
Yakima, WA

Another Favorite

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

Words: Com­bined from var­i­ous an­ti­phons by an un­known au­thor, pos­si­bly in the 12th Cen­tu­ry (Ve­ni, ve­ni Eman­u­el); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, Med­iae­val Hymns, 1851. Neale’s orig­in­al trans­l­a­tion be­gan, “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Em­man­u­el.”

Music: Veni Em­man­u­el, from a 15th Cen­tu­ry pro­cess­ion­al of French Fran­cis­can nuns (the set­ting for the fu­ner­al hymn Libera me); ar­ranged by Thom­as Hel­more in the Hymn­al Not­ed, Part II (Lon­don: 1856).

The lyrics echo a num­ber of pro­phet­ic themes. The ti­tle comes from the well known Isai­ah 7:14: “Be­hold, a vir­gin shall con­ceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im­man­u­el.” Im­man­u­el is He­brew for “God with us.” The “Rod of Jesse” refers to Isai­ah 11:1: “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jes­se”; Jesse was the fa­ther of Da­vid, se­cond king of Is­ra­el. “Day-Spring” comes from Za­cha­ri­as, fa­ther of John the Bap­tist, in Luke 1:78: “The day­spring from on high has vis­it­ed us.” “Thou Key of Da­vid” is in Isai­ah 22:22: “The key of the house of Da­vid will I lay up­on his shoul­der,” which in turn re­fers to Isai­ah 9:6 “The gov­ern­ment shall be up­on His shoul­der.”

Another Top Pick for Christmas

"What Child Is This"

Words: Will­iam C. Dix, The Man­ger Throne, 1865.
Music: Green­sleeves, 16th Cen­tu­ry Eng­lish mel­o­dy.




What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Christmas Evening Selection

"Hark The Herald Angeles Sing"

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems, 1739, alt.

Music: Men­dels­sohn, Fe­lix Men­dels­sohn, in his can­ta­ta Fest­ge­sang an die Künstler, 1840 (second movement, Va­ter­land, in dein­em Gau­en); the can­ta­ta cel­e­brat­ed the 400th an­ni­ver­sa­ry of Jo­hann Gu­ten­berg’s in­ven­tion of the print­ing press.

This ar­range­ment, by Will­iam H. Cum­mings, ap­peared in the Con­gre­ga­tion­al Hymn and Tune Book, by Ri­chard R. Chope, 1857.

Wesley is on the left and Cummings appears on the right.

Merry Christmas to all readers, and a special wish to my wife Sue McAnally-Gelatt and her children Kerri, Kristen, Michael and their family members, my daughter Miriam Elisabeth Wallace and her husband Tim and sons David Cooper and Connor James; my son Jim, Jr and his son Justin David, and my son David and his wife Judy and their sons Adam Curtis and Tyler James.

Bonus Christmas Selection

"Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"

Words: Li­tur­gy of St. James, 4th Cen­tu­ry (Σιγησάτο παρα σὰρξ βροτεία); trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by Gerard Moultrie, 1864.
Music: Pi­car­dy, French car­ol mel­o­dy; har­mo­ny from The Eng­lish Hymn­al, 1906, num­ber 318.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

This carol may be new to you. The lyrics are powerful and the music is hauntingly beautiful.

Christmas Morning Selection

"Joy To The World"


Words by Issac Watts and musical arrangement by Lowell Mason both prolific hymn writers.

Christmas Eve Selection

"Oh Holy Night"
Music by Pla­cide Cap­pea and words by Adolphe C. Adam. This is said to have been the first mu­sic ev­er broad­cast over a ra­dio. This last stanza is so appropiate for this world!










Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

Sunday's Selection

"Silent Night"
This hymn’s his­tory is the source of some dis­agree­ment. The tra­di­tion­al story is that Mohr and Gru­ber wrote it in Obern­dorf, Aus­tria, on Christ­mas Eve when they dis­cov­ered the church or­gan was brok­en (dif­fer­ent ver­sions say it rust­ed out, or mice chewed through vi­tal parts). How­ever, re­cent evi­dence in­di­cates this may be only folk­lore. An old man­u­script has re­port­ed­ly been dis­cov­ered that shows Franz Gruber wrote the score 2-4 years af­ter Mohr wrote the lyr­ics. What­ev­er the truth, this car­ol has been a Christ­mas fav­o­rite for al­most 200 years.
I selected this carol for this Lord's Day as every time I hear or sing this carol I think of our Pastor, Paul Jensen at Mt Vernon Presbyterian Church and his using this hymn every Christmas Eve candlelight service having us sing at least the first verse in German. When I hear this carol I still remember my struggling with the German words, but still so very blessed. Thank you Dr Jensen.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar,
Holder Knabe mit lockigem Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.

Today's Selection

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

The words of this carol were written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow pictured on the right. The music is by John B. Calkin who served as or­gan­ist, pre­cent­or and choir­mas­ter at St. Co­lum­ba’s Coll­ege in Ire­land, and at var­i­ous church­es in Lon­don. He was al­so a pro­fess­or at the Guild­hall School of Mu­sic and Croy­don Con­serv­a­to­ry.

Another Favorite

"Oh Come All Ye Faithful"

This is one of my top ten Christmas Carols because it's so fun (for a man) to sing. The chorus has such great singing parts for men's voices. Words by John F. Wade 1710-1786. A Ca­tho­lic lay­man, Wade fled the Ja­co­be­an re­bel­lion in 1745, set­tling in Douay, France. He taught mu­sic and co­pied plain chant and hymn man­u­scripts for pri­vate use. The image is the translator Frederick Oakeley 1810-1880.

The music is Ades­te Fi­de­les, at­trib­ut­ed var­i­ous­ly to John Wade, John Reading, or Simao Portogallo.

One of my top ten!

For the next ten days I'm going to list one of my top ten traditional Christmas Carols and tell a little of the composer, the era when written and how it speaks to me, etc. I'm going to resist the temptation to assign any listing of one over another, but will just say these are my top 10.

Here goes....
Once in Royal David's City, Cecil Frances Alexander 1818-1895. She wote a series of hymns to teach children about the Apostles Creed. She also a a knack for taking major biblical themes and boiling then into four or six simple lines. This carol is so complex, yet simple and beautiful that I can't just list one stanza. Music by Henry J Guantlett. An exceptionally gift­ed or­gan­ist, Gaunt­lett was well known in 19th Cen­tu­ry Eng­lish mu­sic cir­cles. He was al­so, in turn, law­yer, au­thor, or­gan de­sign­er, and or­gan re­ci­tal­ist. Some say he wrote over 10,000 hymns during his lifetime. He is considered the "Father of Church Music".




"Once in Royal David's city, Stood a lowly cattle shed.Where a mother laid her baby. In a manger for His bed. Mary was that mother mild. Jesus Christ her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven. Who is God and Lord of all. And His shelter was a stable. And His cradle was a stall. With the poor, and mean and lowly. Lived on earth, our Savior holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood. He would honor and obey. Love, and watch the lowly mother. In whose gentle arms He lay. Christian children all must be. Mild, obedient, good as He.

For He is our childhood's pattern. Day by day like us He grew. He was little, weak and helpless; Tears and smiles like us He know; And He feeleth for our sadness, and He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love; For that child so dear and gentle. Is our Lord in heav'n above; And He leads His chidren on. To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing round. We shall see Him, but in heaven, Set at God's right hand on high. When, like stars, His children crowned, All in white shall wait around.

Ideas

Great minds discuss ideas.

Average minds discuss events.

Lesser minds discuss people.


Seen on the website trapshooting.com, no author listed.

Words for this storm from step-daughter Kerri Schwab

CASTING CROWNS LYRICS
"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Amen! Thanks Kerri.

Mountains

"If the mountain is smooth it couldn't be climbed"

I though of this statement heard on the radio program recently. I don't remember its author but the truth in it made me appreciate the difficult mountain peaks I've had to climb in my life experiences.

Music and Culture

Here's a article that perked my interest and I wonder how you feel about the issues raised,etc

http://reformation21.com/Reformation_21_Blog/Reformation_21_Blog/58/pm__114/vobId__6752/

Are You A Listener Or A Ringer?

Saw this on "Christians on Shotgun World" forum. Don't know its author, but I know that most of my brothers will think of my Dad & Mom and their missionary efforts in northeran Sask, Canada. Much of that effort was done on horseback. I like the thought that sometimes we "ring" and sometimes we need to "listen" for the ringing!

"Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if one stops the car, or is walking by, one will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.

Listening, one will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, one will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As one stands and watches these two friends, one sees how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is trusting that she will not lead him astray.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by God and those whom he places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see God".

From John Wesley's Journal

"On Thursday, Patrick Ward, who was to die on that day, sent a request I would administer the sacrament to him. He was one-and-twenty of age, and had scarce ever had a serious thought, till he shot the man who went to take away his gun. From that instant he felt a turn within, and never swore an oath more. His whole behaviour in prison was serious and composed: He read, prayed, and wept much; especially after one of his fellow-prisoners had found peace with God.

His hope gradually increased till this day, and was much strengthened at the Lord's Supper; but still he complained, 'I am not afraid, but I am not desirous, to die. I do not find that warmth in my heart. I am not sure my sins are forgiven.' He went into the cart, about twelve, in calmness, but mixed with sadness.

But in a quarter of an hour, while he was wrestling with God in prayer (not seeming to know that any one was near him), 'The Holy Ghost,' said he, 'came upon me, and I knew that Christ was mine.' From that moment his whole deportment breathed a peace and joy beyond all utterance, till, after having spent about ten minutes in private prayer, he gave the sign".

Saw this today on an internet forum "Christians on Shotgunworld.com"

Christian Kindness

Heard this today on the radio program "The More Abundant Life", "People are respected and honored for their wisdom but LOVED for their KINDNESS".

This wonderful program is carried on the "Life Talk" radio network and features the wonderful preaching AND singing by "Wintley Phipps". You will be blessed by this man I'm sure, so check him out.

"Near to the Heart of God"

This hymn "Near to the Heart of God" was written by Cleland B. McAfee, Presbyterian preacher and choir director at Park College in MO., after two nieces died of diphtheria within 24 hours of each other:

There is a place of quiet rest,
A place where sin connot molest.

There is a place of comfort sweet,
A place where we our Savior meet.

There is a place of full release,
A place where all is joy and peace.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.

His Dying Words

In 1876, Philip Bliss and his wife were on the way to Chicago to sing at Moody Tabernacle on the last Sunday of the year. They were both killed in a train wreck on the way. Found in his trunk were the words to a new hymn he had written,

I will sing of my Redeemer;
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
From the curse to set me free.

Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer;
With His blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, he sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt, and made me free.

BTW Bliss wrote many hymn lyrics and even some music, such as the music for "It is well with my Soul". Check his efforts on cyberhymnal.org and select people.

You only get two picks!

Heard this afternoon at a truck stop while waiting to have my motor home serviced. A trucker with a tight deadline was impatient and continue to ask how much longer would he have to wait for service. The owner finally silenced him with the following statement. "We offer three things, quality, price and speed, but you only get to pick two out of that list". That silenced the impatient customer.

I had to wait a bit, but when the bill came to just about one-half of what I thought it would be, I told the manager that I was very happy to wait and was glad to do that as I felt they provided good service at a more than fair price.

2 out of 3 ain't bad! In baseball that might get you into the "hall of fame".

"And Can It Be"

http://religiousaffections.org/content/view/465#comments/#comments/

Check out this web site. It's a thoughtful, yet scholarly analysis of what seems to be happening in the evangelical churches we attend, taking a wonderful rich hymn and changing it so much one would hardly recognize it. I don't want to "grieve the Holy Spirit" but I'm not convinced that this is what we should be singing or listening to in our worship. In the hospital where I work, we often listen to music in the operating room. Recently one of the employees remarked that she really liked the CCM Station that was on, saying "it's just like the rock station I listen to, you don't even know it's Christian Music".

After you listen to the CCM version of And Can It Be using the net link listed above, go to cyberhymnal.org and look at Wesley's words and listen to the traditional melody and see if that doesn't bless you.."Amazing Love, How Can It Be, That Thou My God, Should Die For Me".

BTW my favorite rendition of the hymn is a 50's Male Quartet "The Melody Four".

"Generosity is a Principle, not an Amount"

Sign see this afternoon on Wenatchee Ave, In Wenatchee, WA.

"Jesus Shall Reign"

Another great hymn by Issac Watts and one of my all-time favorites by Watts along with "When I Survey The Wonderous Cross". In addition to his many hymns, Watts was also the author of a multi-volume study on prayer. The "Cyber Hymnal" lists about fifteen verses to this majestic hymn and this one is powerful-
"With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past".

G. J. Stevenson’s Notes on the Meth­od­ist Hymn Book re­lates:
"Perhaps one of the most in­ter­est­ing oc­ca­sions on which this hymn was used was that on which King George, the sa­ble, of the South Sea Is­lands, but of bless­ed mem­o­ry, gave a new con­sti­tu­tion to his peo­ple, ex­chang­ing a hea­then for a Christ­ian form of gov­ern­ment. Un­der the spread­ing branch­es of the ban­yan trees sat some thou­sand na­tives from Ton­ga, Fi­ji, and Sa­moa, on Whit­sun­day, 1862, as­sem­bled for Di­vine wor­ship. Fore­most amongst them all sat King George him­self. Around him were seat­ed old chiefs and war­ri­ors who had shared with him the dan­gers and for­tunes of ma­ny a battle—men whose eyes were dim, and whose pow­er­ful frames were bowed down with the weight of years. But old and young alike re­joiced to­ge­ther in the joys of that day, their fac­es most of them ra­di­ant with Christ­ian joy, love, and hope. It would be im­poss­i­ble to de­scribe the deep feel­ing man­i­fest­ed when the sol­emn serv­ice be­gan, by the en­tire au­di­ence sing­ing Dr. Watts’ hymn…Who so much as they could real­ize the full mean­ing of the po­et’s words? For they had been res­cued from the dark­ness of hea­then­ism and can­ni­bal­ism and they were that day met for the first time un­der a Christ­ian con­sti­tu­tion, un­der a Christian king, and with Christ Him­self reign­ing in the hearts of most of those pre­sent. That was in­deed Christ’s king­dom set up in the earth".

How's The Water?

"A Calm Sea, Doesn't Make A Skilled Sailor"

Seen this morning at a car wash on Tieton Ave here in Yakima, WA.

"If you can't tie good knots, tie lots of them"

Seen on a shotgun web forum.

Choices

"Life is a series of Choices. How do you Choose?"

Seen today at Luthern church Lincoln Ave and 56th Ave here in Yakima, WA.

"The Banquet of Worship"

religiousaffections.org/content/view/237/31/

This web site raises many musical issues that I'm facing now. Are we being fed a "healthy musical diet"? In the comments the appropiate issue is raised, again using the food pyrmid analogy.

Just 1 of 6000

"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) is believed to have written 6000 hymns and this is one of my favories. The last stanza is my prayer also. How do you feel about it?

"Finish, then Thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place.
Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love. and praise".

"Your raise will be effective when U R"

Sign seen today at a car wash on Washington Ave here in Yakima, WA

Foot in the Mouth Disease?

"A Closed Mouth, Gathers no Foot"
Seen today at a car wash on Tieton Ave in Yakima. I've been afflicted with this disease many times and need to heed this remedy.

"Looking for a Lifeguard? Ours walks on Water"

Seen this evening on a sign on a Lutheran Church 56th and Lincoln Ave here in Yakima, WA.

Are You Fishing?

"Be Fishers Of Men-You Catch Them-God Will Clean Them"

Sign seen this week at a Lutheran Church on 56th Ave and Lincoln Ave here in Yakima, WA.

"Humility First, Then Honor"

Seen today on a Baptist Church sign on Washington Ave here in Yakima, WA. Good advice don't you think?

"Hang On"

"Sometimes when you get to the end of your rope, you need to tie a knot in it and just hang on!"

The first time I ever heard this statement was in a note from my brother Dan responding to a difficult situation in my life almost 50 years ago. The advice has proved beneficial many times.

Thanks Dan!

"God seems far away? Who moved?"

Sign seen today at Lutheran Church on 56th Ave here in Yakima, WA

"Slow Down-Be Quiet-Listen-God Still Speaks"

Sign at Englewood Christian Church which is about 1 mile from the busiest intersection in Yakima, the 40th Ave-Summittview Ave crossroads. Heeding this message may have a temporary as well as an eternal benefit.

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm"

Seen today at a car wash on Tieton Ave here in Yakima, WA.

"A Long Run for a Short Slide"

A baseball term referring to a baserunner attempting to get to another base or usually two or three and the long run ends with a very short slide, usually being called out. We use that term in Anesthesia and I'm sure others also using that term.

Last Sunday's worship service featured a "story teller" as the sermon. Most of the program was his attempt to be funny but he finally got around to a brief moment of serious talk and blessing. I go to worship and be fed, not to hear someone trying to make me laugh.

Adult services should feed me and to allow me to focus on God's Gifts! Guess I'm looking for a short run with a long slide.

"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kay"

This was the radio program title for this wonderful big-band group in the 1940's. Great music! I thought of this at a recent worship service when the CW Leader played the Marvin Gay-James Taylor song "How Sweet it is....."changing the words to "being loved by you". A woman in the front row stood up and performed in a manner which brought the Sammy Kay program to my mind. I love big-band music, swing and jazz music but I have a problem with the event that spoiled my worship. Please comment.

Gifts

"Today is a Gift from God. Untie the ribbon."

Seen today at BBL (better built lives) here in Yakima. I've posted several of their signs. The focus of that firm is to help those with various addictions by providing work and lodging. They have an used car lot, window tinting, auto detailing as well as auto repairs. They change their readerboard every day on both sides so they get a lot of good exposure.

Are you weak?

"7 days without Jesus makes 1 weak"

Sign seen recently in Selah, WA

"An unexamined life is not worth living!"

Seen this week at Englewood Christian Church a couple of blocks away from where I live.

A Father is someone who keeps pictures in his wallet where there once was money!

This was one of many "A Father is-" statements in the sermon this Father's Day at North Shore Bible Church in Manson, WA on the north shore of Lake Chelan.

What are you seeking?

"Crave the Responsibility, not the Power"

Saw this sign recently at Englewood Christian Church, which is just a few blocks from our home here in Yakima, WA.

Where's your road leading?

Saw this sign recently and boy does it ring true!

"If you're traveling on a road with no obstacles,
it's probably not going anywhere"

My Dad would agree!

Sign seen today at First Baptist Church here in downtown Yakima, WA.

"No one ever drowned in their own sweat"!

Adversity

A sign seen today at a car wash on Tieton Drive here in Yakima caught my attention.

"Fire Refines Gold" "Adversity Refines Us"

The grieving ones at Virginia Tech may not see this, but God's promise in Romans 8:28 and this little sign has brought blessing to me this day. May you also be blessed.

"Walk with God between Sundays"

Actually not a sign I've seen, but the title of a book I recently got by Richard C. Halvorsen the former US Senate Chaplain. It would make a great sign!

That title has become a goal of mine. I generally attend church every Sunday, but I must confess that often during the week I'm not as focused.

A sign seen today

"The Cross Walk is the right walk"

Seen today by my wife Sue-McAnally-Gelatt on 16th Ave here in Yakima, WA. What a great sign for this Holy Week!

Another Great Easter Choral Piece

Sir John Stainer's "Crucifixion"
Modeled on the great passion settings of J.S. Bach, Stainer's "Crucifixion" is amongst the most popular of all English choral works and vividly portrays the events of the Passion of Christ. Scored for tenor and bass soloists, organ and mixed choir, this piece combines recitatives, solos and masterful choruses that range from the graphic mob shouts of 'Crucify Him' to the ethereally beautiful meditation of the work's centerpiece "God so loved the world".
I've been blessed countless times to sing as a 1st tenor in the Baptist Bible Seminary's Chorus which included the "God So Loved The World" number from the this masterpiece in their touring program in 1956, even singing on a NBC-TV music special.

My Favorite Easter Choral Work

"The 7 Last Words of Christ"
Théodore Dubois (1837-1924) was an important organist, composer and teacher of music on the Paris music scene during the 1860's. In 1861 he was awarded the prestigious Prix de Rome for composition. He studied at Reims and the Paris Conservatory where he later was the director from 1896-1905. The composer of four operas, a large-scale ballet, several oratorios, a Requiem Mass as well as many orchestral works, Dubois remained a composer of the "academic style." Much overshadowed by his French contemporaries Charles Gounod, Gabriel Fauré and Camille Saint-Saëns in composition, he is best known for this book, Notes et Étues d'Harmonie (Notes and Lessons in Harmony), still a source for harmonic practice in the Romantic style. He succeeded Saint-Saëns as organist at the Madelaine in 1877 and was highly regarded as an excellent music teacher. The oratorio The Seven Last Words of Christ was first performed at Saint Clotilde in Paris in 1867 where Dubois was the choir director. Scored originally for full orchestra, chorus and soloists, Dubois later revised his orchestration to include only organ, timpani and harp, the version most often heard. This performance uses the original orchestration of 2 flues, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 3 trombones, strings, organ and percussion. The work is presented in eight movements: an introduction for soprano and orchestra followed by a movement for each word of Christ from the cross. The last movement ends with a hymnic prayer set in homophonic style much like a choral at the end of a cantata from the 18th century.
I've been blessed to have sung portions of this great work several times and to even conduct a choir performing this while the Protestant Chapel Choir Director at Wm Beaumont General Hospital, El Paso, TX during my army service duty 1966-68. I even got to sing the solo 4th Word. If you haven't ever heard this music you're missing a great experience and gift from God.

Did you know that...

St Francis of Assisi is said to have put the Lord’s teaching into a very pithy phrase: “Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words".
This sign show up a lot on various churches in this area, but I never knew who is considered the author, but several Net sites give the credit to St Francis of Assisi.

I still remember!

In June of 1955 I was taking a course entitled "British Constitional History since 1835" while a student at Baptist Seminary in Johnson City, NY I decided as I often did those days to take a nap and when I awoke I found this quotation pinned to my shirt from a fellow student!

"Squander the moments of preparation, and you may have to rue their loss through all the coming years"!
F. B Meyer

Another favorite of mine.

"God give us men. The time demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and willing hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And dam his treacherous flatteries without winking;
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty and in private thinking".
Josiah Gilbert Holland. 1819-1881

So you're slow!

"Those who walk with a limp, still walk"

Sign today at BBL on south 18th Street here in Yakima. They change both of their signs every business day. The BBL stands for "Better Built Lives" and all their staff as well as the owners, are recovering drug and alcohol abusers.

Are Goals Important?

"Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk".
J.C. Penney

From Martin Luther

"I have no pleasure in any man who despises music. It is no invention of ours: it is a gift of God. I place it next to theology. Satan hates music: he knows how it drives the evil spirit out of us".

Don't be afraid to try!

"100% of the shots you don't take don't go in".
Wayne Gretzky

Not the "Oak Ridge Boys" singing a song from 1743!

Yes, this gospel country-western group's rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's The Messiah is a favorite of mine. On August 23, 1743 Handel locked himself in his home and using a manuscript he had received from Charles Jennens of a word-for-word collection of various Biblical texts about Christ, completed in just 23 days this masterpiece. I've been blessed to sing the Christmas portion as part of the 1955 Wheaton College Chorus and the Easter portion as part of the Skagit County Community Chorus in 1971, as well of several "sing-along" groups in Seattle at the Christmas season. I saw a Christmas fund-raising TV Special for "Feed the Chidren" featuring the Oak Ridge Boys. They ending that TV Special with an acappella singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus". I've tried to get that DVD without success, so if anyone has access to that please contact me.

Consider this...

"Things generally turn out the best for those who make the best out of how things turn out"- John Wooden

Can't decide or just riding the fence?

"If you come to a fork in the road...take it"! Yogi Berra in a talk to a high school graduation ceremony.

Still Stuck in the 1800's

"My Soul Has Found a Resting Place"

Words written in 1891 by Lidie H. Edmunds, a pseudonym for Eliiza Edmunds Hewitt. The chorus of this hymn says it all.."I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me"!! The music is based on a traditional Norwegian melody arranged by William J. Kirkpatrick who also composed the melodies of many of our favorite hymns such as "King of my life, I crown Thee now". He died September 21, 1921 while working on a poem he was planning to set to music. His wife found him slumped over that poem which said: "Just as Thou wilt, Lord, this is my cry, Just as Thou wilt, to live or die, I am Thy servant, Thou knowest best, Just as Thou wilt, Lord, labor or rest".

Just in case you're tired!

"Go the second mile.... it's seldom crowded!"

A Great Sign for Christmas

"He was Born Below so that we can be Borne Above"

I saw this sign this past Christmas at a car wash on Tieton Ave here in Yakima.

"Don't worry about tomorrow. God's already there!"

Seen just a few months ago, at First Baptist Church here in Yakima. This sign speaks to the Eternity of God, doesn't it?

My all-time favorite Song

"It is well with my Soul"

I may change my mind, but as of today's date this wonderful song written in 1873 still brings tears to my eyes. The first time this song really grabbed me was at the Montrose, PA Bible Conference probably in the summer of 1955. At that conference Al Smith told the story of the composer Horatio G. Spafford and the tragic events that led his composition of the words. The 2nd verse seems so appropiate for this season... "My sin, O the bliss of this glorious tho't. My Sin, not in part but the whole. Is nailed to the Cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord O my soul". Music by Phillip Bliss and his life is worth researching for those interested.

My all-time favorite Sign

"My God's not dead....Sorry about yours".

This sign was seen by me while serving in the US Army in El Paso, TX 1966-68. It was in a small church in a very poor area of that city and the "God is Dead" doctrine was in all the theological discussions of that day.