Whiter Than Snow

It's been snowing.
A little.
But it's snowing.

I love the pureness and brightness of the snow,
covering the dull, drab, dreary dirt of the seemingly dead, though just dormant, nature.

I'm so grateful for the creativity and wisdom of God.
Snow is a gift - I just love that busy people everywhere just stop.
Stop and look at the first snowfall in wonder.

Crazy, beautiful snow.
So glad God thought to create it!

Crazy, beautiful love.
To cover our dirty sin,
and make us whiter than snow.

It took a sacrifice.
A dirty one.
A bloody one.
And costly.
It took Jesus' life. His blood spilled out.

And I, dirty and dead in my sin,
am now covered with the pureness of His Son.

A refreshing coolness,
Soothing my guilt and shame.
Bright, clean, pure.

Let it snow!

Click the play button to begin "Whiter Than Snow"

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"Whiter Than Snow"

Lyrics: James Nicholson
Tune: William G. Fische


"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Psalm 51: 7

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, 
 they shall be white as snow.
Though they are crimson, they shall be like wool."
Isaiah 1:18



Lord, Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole.
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe -
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

   Whiter than snow,
   Yes, whiter than snow.
   Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.



Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice;
I give up myself, and whatever I know-.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

   Whiter than snow,
   Yes, whiter than snow.
   Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
   



Lord, Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet,
By faith for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow-
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

   Whiter than snow,
   Yes, whiter than snow.
   Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow




Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait;
Come now and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never said'st "No"-
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

   Whiter than snow,
   Yes, whiter than snow.
   Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

My Country Medley

My Country Medley

I cannot express how grateful I am to our servicemen and women.  

They are extraordinary people in their service and valor -

so that we may live wonderfully ordinary lives.

God bless and keep you.

The music is flawed (who knew I would want to share it with others?) -

but my appreciation for our soldiers is greater.

So here you have it.

Please pray for our troops and their families.

Poems below are written by Edgar A Guest.  Really worth reading :>)

(Here's a link to find other poems by him.)

The Things That Make A Soldier Great
Edgar Guest 

The things that make a soldier great 
 and send him out to die,
To face the flaming cannon's mouth 
 nor ever question why,
Are lilacs by a little porch, 
 the row of tulips red,
The peonies and pansies, too, 
 the old petunia bed,
The grass plot where his children play, 
 the roses on the wall:
'Tis these that make a soldier great.
He's fighting for them all.

'Tis not the pomp and pride of kings 
 that make a soldier brave;
'Tis not allegiance to the flag 
 that over him may wave;
For soldiers never fight so well 
 on land or on the foam
As when behind the cause they see 
 the little place called home.
Endanger but that humble street 
 whereon his children run,
You make a soldier of the man 
 who never bore a gun.

What is it through the battle smoke 
 the valiant solider sees?
The little garden far away, 
 the budding apple trees,
The little patch of ground back there, 
 the children at their play,
Perhaps a tiny mound behind 
 the simple church of gray.
The golden thread of courage 
 isn't linked to castle dome
But to the spot, where'er it be --
 the humblest spot called home.

And now the lilacs bud again 
 and all is lovely there
And homesick soldiers far away 
 know spring is in the air;
The tulips come to bloom again, 
 the grass once more is green,
And every man can see the spot 
 where all his joys have been.
He sees his children smile at him, 
 he hears the bugle call,
And only death can stop him now --
 he's fighting for them all.

The Mother on the Sidewalk

Edgar Guest

The mother on the sidewalk as the troops are marching by

Is the mother of Old Glory that is waving in the sky.

Men have fought to keep it splendid, men have died to keep it bright,

But that flag was born of woman and her sufferings day and night;

"Tis her sacrifice has made it, and once more we ought to pray

For the brave and loyal mother of the boy who goes away.

There are days of grief before her; there are hours that she will weep;

There are nights of anxious waiting when her fear will banish sleep;

She has heard her country calling and has risen to the test,

And has placed upon the altar of the nation's need, her best.

And no man shall ever suffer in the turmoil of the fray

The anguish of the mother of the boy who goes away.

You may boast men's deeds of glory, you may tell their courage great,

But to die is easier service than alone to sit and wait,

And I hail the little mother, with the tear-stained face and grave,

Who has given the flag a soldier - she's the bravest of the brave.

And that banner we are proud of, with its red and blue and white,

Is a lasting holy tribute to all mothers' love of right.

A Creed

Edgar Guest

Lord let me not in service lag.
Let me be worthy of our flag.
Let me remember when I'm tired,
The sons heroic who have died.

In freedom's name and in my way,
Teach me to be as brave as they.
In all I am, in all I do,
Unto our flag I would be true.

For God and country let me stand,

Unstained of soul, clean of hand.
Teach me to serve and guard and love,
The starry flag that flies above.

Abide With Me

The Story

Henry Lyte was a preacher serving faithfully in a small fishing town in Devonshire, England, for twenty three years.  During the last three years, he suffered and faded with tuberculosis. He preached his last sermon, penned "Abide With Me", and then left to Italy to get away from the cold, damp coastal weather. While en route to his destination, he mailed a revised copy of "Abide With Me" to his wife. A few days later while resting in a hotel on the French Riviera, Henry went home to be with Jesus. A fellow clergyman who was with Henry during his final hours reported that Henry's last words were, "Peace! Joy!"

Inspiration for the hymn began years before when Henry was at the bedside of a dying friend, who repeatedly murmured a passage from Luke 24:29, recounting the disciples traveling to Emmaus asking Jesus to, "Abide with us, for it is evening and day is almost spent."          (sharefaith  and  songsandhymns.org)

The Link to the Piano Music
Just click on  "Play" below.
Though the recordings aren't polished, they were fun to do.  I didn't intend for others to hear them, but a few have asked, so here you go!  You can read more about my music by selecting the Keys button below the blog title.

(Here is a link for downloading this and other songs:  Abide with Me)

 The Hymn

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;

Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

 I need Thy presence every passing hour;

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?

Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.

Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes,

Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;

Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

"Abide with us, for it is evening and day is almost spent."

~ the disciples

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

"I am with you always."

~ Jesus

KEYS - Great is the Lord!

mcp12 Love photo entry 2

Happy Valentine's Day!  The music posted today has its origins in my friend Leah's wedding.  What a joyful day that was!  Her husband and I pre-recorded the wedding music (he on his violin and I on the piano). Kevin is so gifted, and it was a gift of love to make his own wedding music for his bride.  So cool.  During the ceremony, Kevin and Leah wanted their favorite song, "Great is the Lord" (by Michael W. Smith) to be played while the poem "How Do I Love Thee" was read.  (Can't beat the romance of that!)

The privilege was mine to create a prelude to the song while the poem was being read, then build the music's  joy and intensity leading into "Great is the Lord".  Enjoy it here. (Minimize its page to hear the music while you finish reading this post.)

So many thoughts of love today...  love for friends, love for spouses, love for God, love from God!

Weddings are special reminders of God's love for His people; how He cherishes us, nourishes us, protects us, provides for us, just as a groom does for his bride. Then as God pours that love into us, it overflows from us into each other.  For as God loves His church, so a husband loves His wife: selflessly, sacrifically, and with a servant's heart.  (See Ephesians 5) And the wife holds her husband up in deep respect as we would serving the Lord.  Know that you are loved deeply by our God, so take time out today to nourish that love between Him and you...  in prayer and in the Word - just like you would with your spouse, a two-way conversation.

Speaking of cherishing...  here's Kevin and Leah!  

(The photo is not mine, just the edit)

How Do I Love Thee?

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

 

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! ---and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Monthly Photo Challenge

I've joined  a monthly photo challenge...  mcp Project 12.  I definitely need a boost to get going on my
photography skills. This month's theme:  Resolution.  Two thoughts have been busy in my mind since the turn of the new year.  I am delaying telling you my foremost contemplation... until I finish the photo that tells its story. Coming soon!

Now!  Onto the other thought...
I'm working on improving my computer graphic skills, which is pushing me into learning some photography.
That has led me to start blogging to post my work, especially helpful for the challenges.
       AND...
I've been encouraged to upload my music, which works out well since I'm blogging.
        So, here's my photo and edit that inspires me for my goals.

• I photographed my piano.  ( learning to use my camera - check!)
• I had so much fun editing the photo. (practicing photoshop skills - check!)
• I am posting a song below for those who are interested in listening. (posting music - check!)

Here I Am To Worship  

(Click on title to access music)

The story behind the edit:      (...just a rabbit trail, so skip below for edit info if you'd like)
You know you're a noob when your best ideas come from happy accidents.  One of these days, I'll photograph and edit intentionally.  Until then, chalk one up for experience!
I practiced with my camera the night before, under tungsten-type lighting.  I was proud enough to remember that I could switch the white balance mode to compensate.  What I didn't remember was that the setting needs to be put back; it doesn't reset automatically.  And that led to my happy accident.
Early the next morning I saw sunlight hugging my piano. Thinking it would be a great capture,  I happily clicked away.  The lighting was much different than expected when I ran the photos through the computer, thanks to the white balance still set for tungsten lighting.  BUT, it was a cool effect, so I went to work playing with all kinds of adjustments to get the high key effect... no pun really intended.

What's in the edit:
I unfortunately deleted one of my working psd files, which caused a few problems along the way. I don't have the exact process, but it involved initial sharpening, cloning to clean up, duplicating layers and using blend modes.  Curves and levels adjustments. Brightness and contrast adjustments. A solarizing filter.  A lighting flare.  Text with effects. Making a matte, using expanded canvas, inner glow, beveled edges, outer glow. Adding floral brushes at the bottom of the photo to soften and balance. Always the mcp final sharpening and resizing for web.

What I like:
I like the hard light and sharp lines; the piano shines and glows with the morning sun's colors. Enhanced, yes, but the piano is definitely the focal point. I also like the "etched" lines suggesting the windows' shapes; edgy, but not distracting from the piano as the full window exposure would. And I like the assorted line elements in the composition: the piano's angles, the window lines, and the arch of the upper window.  The branches behind the piano and the translucent flowers below soften the hard lines.

What I would like to be different:
When the photo is enlarged, the YAMAHA on the piano is in sharp focus.  But at this size, it's not.  Any suggestions for next time?  Or is this acceptable?  Go ahead and critique the photo and edit; I'd love to learn more. Just give a pat-on-the-back when you're done!

Thanks for dropping by!

KEYS Debut

       The  KEYS side of my blog is daunting, for several reasons.

• First, posting personal composition arrangements is risky behavior for a shrinking violet.  
• Second, just getting any type of recording done is a logistical and tactical improbability. 
• And lastly, my computer technical know-how is rated a D+ at best.

How to overcome these obstacles?

Attacking problem Number 1:  
Lighten up, jump on in, and have some fun!  (...alternative interpretation: "Lose the pride thing, lady!")
And learn a lot along the way, including getting helpful feedback (which would involve your participation :>).

Hurdle Number 2:  
A young friend used my piano to record her college-entry scholarship audition... and when she was finished, she let me play with the recording machinery for the day!  Best news:  Megan got the scholarship!
Follow up news: I made a very raw first attempt at recording my music.

Impossibility Number 3: 
Start googling! (Love that new verb.) Then coerce my computer techie son to figure out the rest.  There was something about uploading the CD to the hard drive, converting it to mp3 format, getting an online host (Box), and something-something.... and now my blog has a link for clicking on the title to hear the song, though you navigate to Box's host page to hear it. This wasn't exactly the final format we were hoping for, but it's close enough to get me started!

Grab your tea cup and a bite of chocolate, and give the KEYS Debut your first listen!

                                                 You Are My King

By Billy James Foote, arrangement by k*handtke

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken.

I'm accepted; You were condemned.

I'm alive and well,  Your Spirit is within me 

because You died and rose again.

Amazing love, how can it be that You, my King, would die for me?

Amazing love, I know it's true; it's my joy to honor You.

In all I do, I honor You.

  It's my joy to honor You, Lord!