Tuesday Treasures – Autumn Harvest

I sat down last night to put together the list of items for today’s treasury, and I was still excited about apple picking. We had such a good time on top of the mountain in Charlottesville, surrounded by friends and the juiciest, crispest, yummy apples. Now our countertop is piled high with apples in various shades or red, gold and green just waiting to be baked into even yummier treats. All of these apple picking memories, paired with the need to get a few Thanksgiving items listed in the etsy shop got me thinking about the autumn harvest.

Fall is such a bountiful time of year. Even though the leaves are changing and falling away, and summer’s gardens are soon to be turned under there is so much to be thankful for. Apple and pumpkins, pears, corn, squash, and nuts all are gathered this time of year. Soon the thanksgiving table will over flow with all the blessings of the harvest.

Which got me to thinking about what we give thanks for at Thanksgiving…is it just the harvest? Shouldn’t we also give thanks for the bodies that work the land for the harvest? Shouldn’t we also give thanks for those who gather at the table with us? Shouldn’t we give thanks to God for the seasons and His wisdom in creating them in cycle?

I know that I love breaking into the sweaters and gathering around a fire. I am thankful for these, too, the times to be close and cozy, to gather close and talk softly. There is nothing quite like the soft glow from homes in the twilight of the day. I am thankful for these, too, the call home to family that comes in autumn, when summer travels and play are over and we come inside and gather around a hearty table.

Autumn is such an amazing time of year. As much as spring blooms with new life and promise, autumn is a show of God’s splendor and a reminder to me of His generosity towards us. Today’s treasury highlights these ideas for me…enjoy!

Wrong Words Wednesday....

My husband has been suggesting songs all week, but I can’t just pick a song for Wednesday. Picking a song for this is personal. More often a song picks me. I want to share with you songs that moved me – made me think of and praise God unexpectedly or in an unexpected way, or made some piece of my faith clear or more in focus.

Chalk Drawing By Grace, 4 1/2

I had a song in mind and was searching out the precise lyrics. (I am notorious for having the words wrong!) Well, my search opened a can of worms! The song I love and that speaks to me so clearly of God’s love and ways is apparently all but heresy and certainly blasphemy.  

The writers’ words still have not totally sunk in.  How could a song that I grew up singing at Church not be worshipful and praiseful?

 The point that most of the writers seemed to make was that song I had in mind, as well as several others, was not in-line with the purpose of a church service. Each song gave God’s voice to the singer, as in the singer was singing words that were attributed to God.  They explained that in worship we should be in praising God, not speaking for Him, and that we are at service to hear God through his word and hopefully, also through the message of the preacher.

I am no theologian, but that makes sense to me, and yet I still find the songs beautiful and moving and prayerful – even praiseful.  Some of my favorite songs are songs that are God’s words or remind me of God’s word.

I love the opening of Wayard Son by Kansas.

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

I hear God speaking to me in those words, even more so when I sing along. Granted, even with some serious re-writing that is not a song I ever expect to hear at church, but for me those words are God’s words and it is powerful to hear them.

Now, I am off to re-think every church song that I like…

Happy Wednesday!

Wrong Words Wednesday

I love music. I love the stories that songs tell. I love the emotions that you can feel in the rhythms. One of the few times I really get to enjoy music is when I drive alone in my car, which is rarely. When I do I get to really listen and mull the words over.  

And I am funny about songs, if the lyrics aren’t up to my high standards it is over… (because I am such a high brow music connoisseur!) There is a song that has a lyric “ Like a bird, I be.”  It makes me crazy…I turn the song off, click!

But other songs fill my heart…and that is what Wrong Words Wednesday is about.

I have a friend who goes to a church in Richmond and she just loves the music. She had never heard Bonnie Raitt’s* “Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About” before and they played it once and she could not stop signing it and had NO IDEA it was not a praise song!  Of course some of the words had been changed. 

How many other songs are like this? How many songs did the recording artist intend one thing and yet we hear another? (Or I am I the only person who does this?)

Maybe I should call it Right Words Wednesday…because to me these songs are so much more when I think of them as songs to praise God!

Just one of my many
 blessing that I praise God for!

This week the song I want to share is a Diamond Rio song – Love a Little Deeper.

The words that resonate with me are:

Love a little stronger
Dig a little deeper,
Go a little farther
Anything to please you girl,
Tonight I'm gonna start all over
Show you girl what's in my heart,
Ooooooh gonna love a little stronger

That is how I feel about God…That is what I want to sing to Him!

Love a little stronger

Dig a little deeper,

Go a little further

Anything to please you Lord!

Tonight I’m gonna start all over

Show you God, what’s in my heart

Ooooooh gonna love a little stronger!

I shared this with my husband and we talked about it…and it brought to mind a song from Godspell, Day by Day.

Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day 

This is what I want…How simple does it sound, but how hard it is to attain? This is where I am today…

What songs inspire you? What songs have wrong words? What do you sing in your heart? I would love to hear about it….

* By the way I learned that this song was actually first recorded by Anne Murray!