At Last I Realize

The Mountain Song

O Lord, I need a mountain to climb on,

Just a quiet place to go and know You’re there.

O Lord, I need to spend some time with You,

Spend the night with You, dear Lord, in prayer.

Chorus:

The greatest friend you’ll ever find Is on a lonely mountain.

The highest high you’ll ever feel Is when you kneel to pray.

The brightest light you’ll ever see Is when you close your eyes,

O Lord, You are my first love, At last I realize.

O Lord, I thought the day would never dawn,

When I would lay my burdens down and walk with You,

But this morning as I greet the rising sun

The fondest of my dreams had all come true.

(Repeat Chorus)

When I woke up this morning, this song came to mind and I began singing it in my head. Maybe it's because the sun is shining so beautifully this morning. Maybe it was because I prayed as I began to sit down and write a post.  Either way, this song is one of my favorite "camp" songs, and brings back special memories of early-morning worship times at camp.

Quite time with the greatest friend you could ever have....that's what this song is about!  If you're like me, I don't have a lot of quiet time.  Someone is always around or something is always making noise.  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, would retreat to quiet, lonely places. There's a reason He did that. He wanted to talk to His Father - alone.  In the quietness of the day or night.

We will have to retreat or wake up really early (not my favorite thing to do) or "climb a mountain" to get away for solitude to be with God alone.  But, we should strive to make time for quite time with Him....our greatest and best friend.  He wants to be with us.  He should always be our first love.  As the song says above - AT LAST I REALIZE.  At last we should realize all that He is to us and for us.  He is all we need.

The Chronicles of Biscuit: "Goin' Through the Motions"

Today I had to go to Oklahoma City, so didn't pick Biscuit up after school. On my way home, I called him. He was at the office with his dad.  It was an interesting conversation:

Me:  Hi, Biscuit! How was your day?

Biscuit:  Oh, good....you know....just goin' through the motions.

Me: Oh, really?  How do you just 'go through the motions' at school?

Biscuit: Well, you just go through the day, but you don't really know what's going on. You're just kind of 'there'.  

Well, that's interesting, isn't it???  Wonder if Biscuit just 'goes through the motions' often at school?  I'm guessing 'not' since we haven't gotten a call or text from the teachers or the PRINCIPAL!  Ha ha!!  (And Biscuit will be in BIG trouble if we DO get a call about it!!)

But Biscuit got me to thinking.....

How often do we just "go through the motions" as a Christian?  How many times do we worship Him, without really, really worshipping Him?  How many times do we sing praises to Him, yet not focus on the words? How many times do we partake of the Lord's Supper....a time of communion with Him, yet fail to focus on what He did for us.  Dying on a cross is pretty significant.  It was a huge gift that He willingly gave His life for ME and for YOU.

Maybe Biscuit's thoughts made me think just a little bit more about my worship.....and my praise.....and my communion with my Lord and Savior.  And just maybe it will make you think about yours, as well.

Lemons and Dill Pickles?

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it then your face will surely show it,
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!

Are you clapping? Are you happy? Christians should be the happiest people on earth! That doesn't mean that we don't have pain and sorrow, but geniunely, we should be happy. Why? Because we belong to Christ!! We are children of God!

A friend taught a ladies Bible class several years ago and mentioned a phrase her mom used to say when she and her siblings were frowning or looking down: "You look like you were weaned on lemons!" Tonight in a conversation with my niece's husband, I mentioned this phrase to him. He said his dad, a minister, would say, "You look like you were weaned on dill pickles!". Either one gives a graphic description of our facial expressions.....neither of which is becoming to a Christian, is it?

But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
Psalm 68:3

So, are you happy? Just like the children's song at the top says - if you are happy, then your face will surely show it! Let your face show it!

The Sweetest Thing

I had another post in mind for tonight, but I just had to change it. Usually when I write about our youngest child, it's in "The Chronicles of Biscuit" posts. "Biscuit" is always "up" to something and it's usually funny! But tonight....he's Tyler....and it's just the sweetest thing......

Each second Wednesday night of the month, instead of regular Bible classes, we have singing night. Boys and men of all ages go up and lead a song. Tyler is six, and is the youngest one that led a song tonight. After he led his song, he came and sat down. Others led songs and towards the end of the worship, my husband went to lead his song. He led "When All of God's Singers Get Home" and then came and sat down.

Tyler didn't go to school yesterday. He went to the doctor and was diagnosed with strep throat, but after being on the medicine for a day and feeling good, everything seemed fine, so went to school today. Towards the end of the worship, though, Tyler said his tummy was hurting and then a little later he started crying. I usually don't let the kiddos go out during services, but it seemed pretty bad, so he and I went to the bathroom. He went in and went out pretty fast. He seemed just fine. I asked him if he was okay and he said that he was. I asked him if his tummy hurt and he said it didn't. I said, "Then why were you crying? I thought you were sick." He started crying again and said, "That song makes me think of people in our family who have died." I said, "Which song? The one dad led?" He said, "Uh, huh."

I wanted to cry right there with him. It was the sweetest thing! I asked him who it made him think about and he said "Great Grammy", who was his 97-year-old great-grandmother, Amy, who passed away in January, and he said "Grandpa Gene", who was his 87-year-old great-grandpa who passed away three years ago. They were the two "greats" that he knew the most, even though two others have passed away in the last several years, as well. Tyler said, "Daddy led that song at Great-Grammy's funeral". And he did. In fact, that funeral was full of songs led by my husband, his three brothers, plus cousins, nephews, and uncles. It was a big celebration of her life as a Christian woman and she loved singing praises to God.

This post is a lot like yesterday's because it has to do with precious memories. What I think about, though, is the influence these two people had in Tyler's life, as well as so many other's lives. You see, his Great-Grandmother Amy was a preacher's wife for 50 years. She lived a faithful Christian life in service to God and to others. People still talk about she and her husband and the things they did or the things they taught them years ago. And Tyler's Great-Grandpa Gene? Well his memory still lives on, too. Since his death we have heard and are still hearing of the good deeds he did and the example he was to others. It's amazing the things he did....quietly...and without any thought of wanting praise or recognition.

I am so thankful all four of my children were able to see these two Christian examples for the years they did. Their example and their memory in Tyler's mind makes me think of my own life. What do I want my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren to remember about me? What legacy will I leave? What will yours think about you? What legacy will you leave?

Anyway, it was just the sweetest thing.....