Here’s another good old-fashioned hymn, one of my favorites: Draw Me Nearer, Blessed Lord.
Yes, this is another one which very deeply moves me. I have selected a simple instrumental version with printed lyrics.
Listen. Follow the words. Let it sink in.
God is nigh.
When I was 11 years old, my folks sent me to the YMCA camp in Blairstown, NJ, for two weeks in the summer. It upset me at first, but I soon got the hang of it.
On Sundays the camp had outdoor chapel service. The chapel was on a hilltop overlooking one of the most gorgeous views of rolling green hills and farmers’ fields you ever saw. I’ll never forget it. And the counselors’ choir sang this great old hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. It’s been one of my favorite hymns ever since: hard for me to hear it sung without my eyes getting teary.
The hills, the fields, the cloudless blue sky of that day, and the music, are all the gifts of God.
Enjoy them and give thanks.
This hymn has been in my head all morning, so I thought I’d share it with you.
This is one of those hymns that go straight to your heart: open the door and let it in.
I’ve selected an a capella version because I couldn’t find one with just a piano and the congregation singing.
Before I write my Mother’s Day tribute to my mother, which might take me a while, let’s have a hymn.
We need more hymns like “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” It has fallen out of favor in our sissy churches.
What about the movie clip? What’s that?
In addition to offering a fine, hearty rendition of the hymn, the movie, Stanley and Livingston, celebrates Dr. David Livingston, who brought God’s word to some of Africa. I believe that one of these days Africa is going to bring God’s word back to us. We can already see that happening in Western Europe.
Onward, Christian soldiers! Belt it out! And if the liberals don’t like it–well, ain’t that just too bad?
This is “Hyfrydol,” one of my very favorite hymns–an old Welsh hymn, here sung in Welsh by a Welsh choir.
No, I don’t understand the words. Somehow I don’t have to. The Holy Spirit is in this hymn, and I hear Him loud and clear. It moves me, stirs me–I wouldn’t care to try to speak aloud, just now.
We used to sing this in the Dutch Reformed Church, with Dutch Reformed lyrics. The Catholics have Catholic lyrics for it. I prefer the original Welsh, though I don’t understand a single word of it.
Hear the voice of the Spirit. Honor the Lord on the Sabbath. Not a bad idea, BTW, to honor Him every day of the year.
Behold a miniature model of “The Turk,” the world’s first and most famous chess-playing automaton. The full-size original was destroyed in a museum fire later in the 19th century. It once played a game against Napoleon Bonaparte and wiped up the board with him
The cool thing about The Turk is that it was a hoax. There was a guy inside! On the left you can see a small cabinet full of gears and such: that was only for show. The larger compartment held a human chess player who was better than Napoleon.
And everybody believed it, of course!
Just like they believe in Global Warming and the campus rape culture nowadays.
Hi, Mr. Nature here, with more of God’s stuff that always works.
If your garden is blessed, it may be inhabited by one or more of these, the Audacious Jumping Spider, Phidippus audax. They hunt harmful insects by sight, and to catch them when they see them, they jump. If you look closely at the spider in the video, you’ll be able to see her two largest eyes (she has a couple of smaller ones, too).
The “audacious” tag is a misnomer. When one of these spiders sees you coming, he or she will promptly seek a hiding place. I like that quality in a spider. I wish more people had it.
I’m having technical prombles today, so let me just try this. If it works, you’ll see a brief video of the angel-winged katydid. Relax and enjoy it!
Katydids are pretty, and they sing a cool song on summer nights. They are also part of God’s stuff, which always works–in contrast to our stuff, which hardly ever does.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
This is one of those ancient hymns you learn in Sunday school–if they’re not too busy bull-riding in your church–and never forget. The video is performed by Fernando Ortega. Here are the lyrics’
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: he shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.
Pay special attention to this last verse–words we need to hear.
This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my father’s world; why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!
There has never been a time, in my lifetime, when the wrong ever seemed so strong as it seems today. But God is the ruler yet: all the wonderful works of His hands, which we see everywhere, declare to us: “God is nigh.”
All right, all right–I’m having fun posting videos, now that I’ve figured out how to do it. Eventually the novelty will wear off.
Meanwhile, get a load of this–Mongolian throat singing. Is this cool, or what?
For those of you who’ve been reading my Bell Mountain books, this is what the Ghols sound like when they sing. Just close your eyes and imagine you’re King Ryons, riding with his loyal Ghols around him.