HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS

HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS!

Get the free lyrics at: gospelyrics.blogspot.com/

After living in the comfort and security of a small rural community, one becomes acclimated and under the mistaken idea that the entire world has the same values and ideas.  Wrong, there is a whole big world out there!  You get glimpses of it every day on television, the hurt, hunger, brutality, betrayal, and life and death situations.

Just watched the verdict on Amanda Knox, according to the report she was innocent, which means that four years of her life were spent behind bars to advance the political career of the prosecutor, who was under investigation himself.  Another sad part of this story is that it is more common than one would think.  How many times are lives harmed, hurt, or ruined daily simply for the benefit of others!  As my husband says, “Let’s look at the other side of the coin.”  What could be accomplished if we, individually and as a society spread good news?? 

A friend of mine sent me a word of wisdom that says, “There are two things that are hard on the heart….Running up stairs, and running other people down!”  Instead of running people down what if we actually tried to lift them up?  In the Bible, Jesus said, “Who touched me?” when a woman was clinging to His cloak.  As an old saying goes, “It is hard to pull yourself out of the mire by your own boot straps.” What if we allowed other people to touch us, to grab on, and give them the opportunity to hold on to our garment to climb out of the troubles they might be experiencing?

We need to apply the “Golden Rule”-”Do unto others.”   The reason the world is in such chaos, could be that we don’t go by the golden rule.  Always remember if we are not part of the solution, then we are a part of the problem!

                             
Judging from the people who are following this blog, I feel like I am preaching to the choir, because I know you to be wonderful, caring people. But maybe you, like me, need a refresher course occasionally. Or perhaps there are those who are reading this that might be uplifted by these words.  However, let me assure you, the word of God in the Bible is the best source of wisdom and advice that can be given.  Read it often, and apply it well…doing this can save you from hell…on this earth as well as eternity.  Remember to share your love of God and His joy.

 Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Candid Conversations With Carolyn Lee

SAFE IN OUR FATHERS ARMS

“SAFE IN OUR FATHERS ARMS”

My daddy loved to tell jokes and was a storyteller.  Now some of them probably were not fit for my childish ears; but since I was a Daddy’s girl, and was around him as much as possible, I heard most of them anyway.  Maybe I caught his joy in telling stories and that is why I too enjoy telling them.  Regardless, stories that are passed down are the things of which “Roots” are made.

My family consisted of my parents, a brother who was nine years older, a sister six years older, and a brother six years younger than me.  Basically I was an only child, and my older siblings have told me for years that I was spoiled. “Of course I was, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving!” I always laughingly replied.

But, there were some things that helped that happen.  By watching the altercations between my parents and older siblings, I learned what, and what not to do to avoid problems.  Another words I learned from their mistakes. They say salespeople are born and not made, and this is partially true, but you can improve your skills by applying those methods that have been proven to work. The same is true in our daily physical and spiritual life.

They also said that my “Daddy never spanked me.”  That is true as well.  All he had to do was give me that look, you know the one I’m talking about, or tell me how disappointed he was and it would just break my heart.  As an adult and a parent of four children, I have found that each child is different and the theory of using only one approach does not fit all.

When my youngest son was three, he didn’t eat his supper.  Later, when it was time to go to bed he said he was hungry.  So I sat him back at the table, and placed the same meal in front of him.  “Yuck,’ he said, “I don’t like this!” and refused to eat.  So I told him to go on to bed.  As he stomped down the hall he said, “You Stupid Mama!”  Well, using my father’s parenting skills, I thought I would “put the fear of God in him” and called him back.  I got down on my knees so we would be on the same level and asked him a question that would have scared me to death.  “Just how stupid do you think I am?” I asked.  “You real stupid Mama!” he boldly replied.  Well, what to do now?  I just asked this child to tell me how stupid he thought I was, and he gave me his opinion, which really limited my rebuking and punishing options  “Well, you may think I’m stupid, but I’m not hungry and I ate my supper, so go on to bed,” was my reply. 

We have an earthly father to emulate, but we also have a Heavenly Father who has given us some great guidelines on parenting children.  We would be wise to use both!  Sometimes the Biblical directions of “spare the rod and spoil the child,” needs to be applied.  My youngest child is by far the most strong willed, and even though she is not my biological offspring, my husband says that she is very much like me.  I have to use my best salesperson approach with her and quite often that doesn’t work, and the rod has to be applied to her backside.

One weekend, when my daughter was seven, she hadn’t lived with us long; we were visiting with her biological brother, his adoptive mother, and her mother which we call Granny J….   We were all seated at a restaurant when my daughter asked, “Granny J, does xxxxx (her brother) ever get whippings?”  She replied, “Well, yes sometimes he does.” Then Granny J went on to ask “Do you ever get a whipping?” “Oh yes, and there are two kind of whippings,” my daughter replied.

Now she definitely has all of our attention.  “Now what kind of whippings would that be?’ Granny J asked.  “Well,” my daughter replied, “Sometimes I get a butt-whooping and sometimes I get an ass-whooping!”  Wow, as hard as it is to believe, the table remained silent.  I’m still in shock, when Granny J, trying not to laugh, said, “Now, tell me the difference.”  Again my daughter replied, “Well, a butt-whooping is when your mother isn’t sure that you knew what you did was wrong, and an ass-whooping is when you knew it was wrong and did it anyway!”

A revelation to me was that while administering the “rod” I obviously must have made the distinction between the two, like “I’m gonna whip your butt, or I’m gonna set your little ass on fire!”  However it did prove the point to me that she did know right from wrong, but sometimes made the “wrong” choice.  Don’t we all!  Life is about making constant choices some for the good and some are bad.  But you can be sure that if God said, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” that the same thing applies to His children too.  So the next time when you know to do right and you choose to do wrong, be prepared, because God is gonna give you ass-whooping!

Now back to my being Daddy’s girl.  He loved to hunt anything, squirrels, rabbits, coon, deer, and possum; if it was edible he hunted it. And yes, we did eat possum, although it doesn’t appeal to me, but as I told my youngest son, “When you’re hungry you’ll eat what is provided for you.”

One night when I was very young I begged to go coon hunting with Daddy.  Of course, he gave in but not before telling me that it was going to be a rather long hunt and that I was probably going to get very tired.  This didn’t dissuade me.  After about an hour of traipsing over the mountains, I did indeed become tired.  Patiently, he laid me on the ground, covered me with his coat, and told me he would come back in about an hour to take me home.  You know, even though it was dark and I was alone, I don’t remember being scared.  I was asleep when he came back.

You know that’s how our fellowship with our Heavenly Father is supposed to be, complete trust.

SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast;
There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest.
Hark! ’tis the voice of angels, Borne in a song to me,
Over the fields of glory, Over the jasper sea.

Refrain:  Sing this between each verse for optimum benefit
Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast;
There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest.

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations; Sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow, Free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials, Only a few more tears!

Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge, Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages, Ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience, Wait till the night is o’er;
Wait till I see the morning, Break on the golden shore.

                                    Candid Conversations -  With Carolyn Lee

"PICKLE MOUNTAIN"

PINNACLE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

What better way to spend a beautiful October day in Arkansas than at Pinnacle Mountain State Park?  While my two daughters are out hiking the mountain trails, and since I no longer have the legs, balance, energy, or breathe to join them; I can still enjoy the sights and sounds.  As an avid admirer of unique jewelry, Pinnacle Mountain is a jewel nestled just outside Little Rock, Arkansas and believe it or not, this is my first trip, but definitely not my last!

                                    

In an earlier blog, I mentioned my love for Cades Cove in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee.  Pinnacle Mountain also has a lot to offer in the way of natural beauty, and outdoor entertainment, and I am encouraged by the number of people that I see out enjoying the beauty and benefits of God’s nature.  There are joggers, dogs walking their owners, children playing on the equipment, baby and older strollers, and in this case bloggers. 

 A child strolling by just told me, “I love Pickle Mountain,” a memory has been captured for both of us.  Perhaps when you are younger, or older, the ability to share your joy with others is easier.  Or maybe some of us like to visit with complete strangers, possibly to live vicariously through their activities, or perhaps to view the world through their eyes or learn more about people outside of our circle of acquaintances.  Whatever the reasons, sharing our happiness with others is a part of the magic of life and I hope that none of us fail to take the opportunity of verbal communication.  The ability to communicate and share our spiritual happiness can also make wonderful memories as well.

This is a shot of the trees along the path I was able to negotiate.  Aren’t they magnificent? 

              

They come in different sizes, some lived and survived while others of their counterparts didn’t endure, though some are bent from the force of the wind, they have lived to provide shade and comfort to those of us who walk beneath their arms. 

 
Just have to put in the poem because it says it so much better than any attempt that I could make.

                                                     Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1918

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain,
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Dear Lord, help me to bend to your will, to understand that I need the rain and even the storms to develop into what you want of me.  Help me to bend my knees in prayer, and depend upon your sustenance for survival, and remind me to give back to the earth and its peoples the joy of living to magnify your wondrous beauty and grace.

THE ROOSTER AND THE SUNRISE

THE ROOSTER AND THE SUNRISE

When we were growing up, we grew or raised most of our food stuff.  To this date, I can’t grow a garden, I don’t care for milk, and I don’t like chicken. 

The reason behind the gardening is that I didn’t pay attention, and just did what I was told.  My dislike for milk had other reasons. We had to go collect the cows from the pasture, and I was afraid of the bull. Then we hand milked the cows in small enclosed stalls, while we were hot and sweaty with the flies buzzing around and her tail slapping our face.  After that we would take the milk and skim it or process it through a cheese cloth and put it in a refrigerator that had seen better days and never got it very cold.  The smell of hot milk has never left my nostrils.

Aw, now for the chickens.  We had a flock that had to be fed and housed every day, along with gathering the eggs.  Now that wasn’t too bad a chore, unless there was a snake in the nests.  The yucky part came when it was time to kill and clean the bird for human consumption.  Not too sure we ever got that part down, and other than to tell you it started by wringing its neck until dead, I’m not going into the full details in fear that you might not ever eat chicken again! 

One of the things about having chickens is that every morning that old rooster would announce the arrival of a new day.  He crowed, and strutted, just like he was taking credit for the sunrise.

When my first child arrived I’m afraid that, like that old rooster, I tried to take the credit!  I would spend countless hours looking at him, admiring my handiwork and saying to myself, “Just see what I have created!”  Well, it didn’t take long for God to let me know that I didn’t have a thing to do with the creation of that child any more than the rooster thinking he created the sun.

We as Christians sometimes take on that same attitude.  We announce that we have arrived! We peck at the others in the flock telling them how to act or behave, forgetting Gods part in our salvation.  The Church as a whole has also taken on the attitude of crowing and strutting, letting the community and other churches know how well they are doing.  For example, we have had this many people saved, we had so much $$ contributed, we are the best place for you, etc. 

We all need to be careful, because God created everything, is the salvation of everything, is the provider for everything, and if we are not careful, He is going to pluck our tail feathers, and wring out neck to let us know that He and His Son is in control of the sun and His creations!

Candid Conversations With Carolyn Lee

Singing Songs Cheer The Weary Soul

SINGING SONGS CHEER THE WEARY SOUL

Caution:  The following content might cause the reader to cheer, jeer, have fears, or bring tears.
This caution was added at the request of my niece who said some of these need a warning label!

There is a cute song, “Here We Are Singing in the Kitchen Rattling the Pots and Pans.”  Children know that signing is good for the soul.  They like lively tunes that they can relate to and enjoy hearing their voices and moving their feet.  There is a lot we can and should learn from children.

Singing is an expression of the heart and a way of verbalizing what we know, need, enjoy, and can associate with. Singing songs can cheer the weary soul. My nephew knows quite a few country songs by heart, and my daughters also have a good many songs committed to memory.

You say you can’t sing, that’s no excuse, just listening to music can also soothe, relax, and pick up your spirits.  My husband and I owned and operated a dairy cow operation for several years. We found that if we played music during the milking process, that they were easier to work with and produced more milk.   Studies have shown that listening to music after surgery promotes healing.  It also relieves stress, sort of like going to the spa without the massage.  Although I would like to have the massage too, and it is also beneficial, I can’t afford one every day; but I can sing or listen to music!  It will lift your spirits!

Have you ever listened to someone sing in the shower?  They are “closet” singers and can really belt them out when they think no one is watching or listening.  It doesn’t matter where you are or when you do it, just “make a joyful noise!”  Although, I wouldn’t recommend singing in line at the bank, but you can hum, “All the Gold in California is in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills, in somebody else’s name.”  It always gets a chuckle and gives you a chance to visit with other people in line, unless they change lanes of course!

Most people are uneasy or at least nervous singing in public, even those who do it professionally; but in private you should be able to give an outstanding performance!   With my love for music, I was of course in our church choir, and was given the responsibility to lead our youth choir.  We were to perform in a competition, with strict guidelines we were to adhere to, and if we didn’t, points would be taken off the score.  I had my notes and music ready, and was looking them over when our pianist asked, “Why do you have, My Name Is Carolyn Lee at the top of the page?!”  “Because, when I get up there, there is a possibility that I won’t know who I am, or what my name is!” I replied.

With the invention, availability and access to the internet, and by typing in a few key words of the song, you can freely find free lyrics to just about any song that you want.   What a fun project for your kids. Ask for their help and they can learn the songs and improve their computer skills at the same time!  If you don’t have a computer, go to the library, the school, or possibly even your church.  *I use this method to avoid having to type them all into the body of this document.

In my life I have had the privilege to perform songs at weddings, and the humbling honor of singing at way to many funerals.  The weddings were a hopeful beginning to a long union; some of them have lasted, some didn’t.   Funerals, however, are the final stop here on earth.  Nothing can be more rewarding or heartbreaking than singing at the final tribute to friends and relatives.

A particular heartbreak for me was singing at a former classmate’s funeral.  After graduation, he had left the area, and made some very bad life choices.  He had lived a very rough life, got mixed up in gangs, criminal activities, and used drugs.  Now, I know I am not the judge of another person’s relationship with God, but by looking at the outward expressions of his life, I did have some concerns.  While standing and waiting for the introduction to the first song, I promise you, the inside of my mouth sweated.  I don’t mean saliva, but sweat!  Not even sure if that is physically possible, but it happened. 

There have been times, I’ve sung at funerals for older people who had lived good long lives and they are difficult enough; but to sing at a child’s funeral is very emotionally challenging.  One of my friends had a child that died in a crib death.  She had lost her first child at birth and this was her fourth living child, and her only girl.  The temptation to not answer the phone was very strong, since I was sure that since I had sung at the first funeral that I would be again be called upon.  After agreeing that I would sing, I couldn’t find a song that satisfied my heart as the right one for the funeral service.  Pulling out my collection of song books (that was before the internet) I searched until I found this one. 

LITTLE ONES LIKE ME

                                                 Sung like a lullaby – in a rocking chair

Jesus, when He left the sky, And for sinners came to die, And for sinners came to die, In His mercy passed not by Little ones like me. Little ones, little ones, Little ones like me; In His mercy passed not by Little ones like me. Mothers then the Savior sought, In the places where He taught, And to Him their children brought— Little ones like me. Little ones, little ones, Little ones like me; And to Him their children brought—Little ones like me. Did the Savior say them nay? No! He kindly bade them stay, Suffered none to turn away, Little ones like me. Little ones, little ones, Little ones like me; Suffered none to turn away, Little ones like me. ’Twas for them His life He gave, To redeem them from the grave; Jesus now will gladly save, Little ones like me. Little ones, little ones, Little ones like me; Jesus now will gladly save Little ones like me.

We don’t know why God gives us children and then takes them back; perhaps we aren’t even supposed to ask why.  But we do know he has given us the joy of having them in our lives, even for a brief period.  He has also placed on us the responsibility to guide them in their journey back to Him.  Be sure and look up the words to:  

 Here We Are, Singing in the Kitchen  (Is everybody ready now? Yeah! Okay!)

In two previous segments, I have not been successful in putting the following song in the notes.  This time I really must to ease my heart and soul.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

  Candid Conversation With Carolyn Lee

THERE’S WITHIN MY HEART A MELODY

1.            There's within my heart a melody

Jesus whispers sweet and low:

Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,

in all of life's ebb and flow.

Refrain:  For the full benefit  sing this every time!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,

sweetest name I know,

fills my every longing,

keeps me singing as I go.

2.            All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,

discord filled my heart with pain;

Jesus swept across the broken strings,

stirred the slumbering chords again.

(Refrain)

3.            Though sometimes he leads through waters deep,

trials fall across the way,

though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,

see his footprints all the way.

(Refrain)

4.            Feasting on the riches of his grace,

resting neath his sheltering wing,

always looking on his smiling face,

that is why I shout and sing.

(Refrain)

5.            Soon he's coming back to welcome me

far beyond the starry sky;

I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown;

I shall reign with him on high.

(Refrain)

Keeping Up Appearances

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

                          “Be careful of the words you speak, because you may get to eat them!”

We have allowed society to dictate how we look and act.  We build ourselves up by either comparing our bodies or actions on other people.  Sometimes by emulating those people to improve our appearances; or by tearing them down with criticism of their looks and actions in what we think will make us more presentable. 

The concerns about appearances are starting at an early age.  My eleven year old daughter has physically developed very quickly, as have many of the girls in her sixth grade class.  One of the girls she goes to church with is in her homeroom.  The other day my daughter came home and asked, “Mama, do you think I have a cute figure?”  “Yes,” I replied, “But remember that it is what is on the inside that counts.”  She said, “Well, my scf (so called friend) told me that I had an ugly figure.”  “I don’t think that she is as much of a Christian as she says she is.”  Amen.

There is a cute/ism that is circulating that says, “Going to church doesn’t make someone a Christian, any more than standing in the garage makes you a car!” People that are physically beautiful sometimes don’t demonstrate that same characteristic from the inside.  My mother used to have a saying, “Pretty Is, as Pretty Does!”   Sometimes we cast a shadow that doesn’t match up with our appearances.  If the maxim of, you are what you eat is true, then the same truth applies to do you practice what you preach?  Ouch!  Maybe I should remove that amen up there!

Or maybe I too should watch my mouth, because you can never take back an unkind word.

There are many preachers who have influenced my life, and I’m not sure if I have expressed it to them, but hopefully their joy was in feeding the flock and not in gathering gratitude.  One such preacher did a sermon with a visual using a lemon.  He rolled that lemon on the pulpit, held up a sharp knife, and asked, “What will I get if I cut this lemon in half?”  Of course the congregation replied, “Lemon juice!”  “That would be correct,” he said,” But what if I had taken a hypodermic needle and inserted India ink?”  Oh yes, things are not always what they appear.  What are you when you are “squeezed?”

Society places so much focus on outward appearances that a lot of times we do not look into the heart of a person.  What is our inward and outward response to the homeless, the destitute, ethnic groups, and other individuals that don’t fit our idea of what a person should look like, be like, or act like?  We have a tendency to use ourselves as a plumb line. It is easy to look great against someone we might think is inferior to us…..So how would we measure up to God’s plumb line? 

How many of us are on diets to improve our outward appearance?  Do you count your calories, read instructions, and keep charts with a constant watch on your weight making sure you don’t stray off course.  Not everyone is on the same diet.  But we need to have enough to eat to keep up functioning, to keep our energy up, and stay focused.  Dear Lord, let me be so hungry for your knowledge and wisdom that I stick with a daily diet of your word.

Dear Lord I want to be a

“FAT, FULL FIGURED, CHRISTIAN!”

The best way to maintain my desired spiritual weight is to devour His Word!  We need to be assured that we have the current updates.  We need to check His Word as often as we do Facebook, texts, or our e-mail!  My Bible is on my I-Phone and I keep my grocery list on there as well.  After writing this segment, I’m troubled that I don’t maintain my spiritual grocery lists as well as I do the physical.

Dear Lord, thank you for preachers and teachers.  Thank you for caring enough to feed me with your word, and fill me with your spirit.  Dear Lord, make me so hungry for your word that I don’t want to leave your bountiful table, and keep me on a steadfast diet of your rich words of knowledge and wisdom.  Let me always remain diligent in making sure that your spirit comes out of me when I am squeezed!  And, Lord, help me keep my mouth shut…..unless I’m eating!

Candid Conversations With Carolyn Lee

FILL MY CUP LORD

Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from my well that never shall run dry".

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There's Within My Heart A Melody

There’s Within My Heart a Melody

Music and songs have long been a great part of my life.  My mother was a pianist and played by ear, which means that if she heard a song she was able to play it.  My oldest daughter also has that ability; along with the knowledge of and the ability to read music.  Even though I have taken piano lessons and can sight read the music, I am incapable of playing the instrument!  When it comes to playing the piano, I took the Bible literally when it said, “Don’t let the left hand know what the right hand is doing!”

Songs and singing on the other hand come naturally to me.  I love to sing and have the ability to easily retain the melody and the words.  One morning, early in our marriage, during a weekend trip to my husband’s parents’ house, my father-in-law asked me how many songs I had memorized.  “Haven’t ever really thought about it, but probably 150 or so,” I replied.  He said, “I’m pretty sure that you know more than that, because you sang every one of them during your sleep last night, including all the verses!”

My husband says that I also talk in my sleep.  Wonder why someone talks or sings in their sleep?  Maybe it’s because we don’t have enough time during the day to say or do what we want.  Or it could be that we relax enough or not fearful of ridicule during our sleep to say or do things that we might not otherwise do.  It might be the same way with dreams.  Not going anywhere with this, just wondering.

Now in the olden days when I was growing up…doesn’t that sound like the ramblings of a really old woman!  None the less, during my youth we didn’t have a television, telephone, or any of the intriguing things that we have now to keep us occupied.  Frankly, I thoroughly enjoy my I-phone computers, games, television, and other devices that we now have, and may be even more appreciative because we didn’t have them growing up. 

What we did have was Sunday afternoon “Singing Schools” at various churches in the area, and since there wasn’t any other entertainment, the boys came too!  Now, just where else would a teenage girl want to be?  To make sure that the boys didn’t know I was checking them out, I paid a lot of attention to the music.  Okay, let’s be honest here, I simply learned them by osmosis, and repetition! 

The adults were wise, and one of the attendance requirements was that everyone had to lead or direct one song.  Oh my!  Since I was tall, skinny, and didn’t have a strong or pretty voice, this was uncomfortable for me, especially with the boys there.  This was very intuitive of these old folks….who would have thought it!  Whether we were good at it or not, we were able to get the experience of being in front of a crowd of people that knew and loved you. This built a foundation and confidence that one could actually do things in public without fear of criticism.

This has proven to be very beneficial to me in my personal and business life.  Their actions and responses have aided me in so many ways, but reflecting on it has renewed in me that we really need to apply positive reinforcement to everyone who is trying to make it in this world, new Christians, people we come in contact with every day, even strangers…but especially children! 

To this day, I can only sing one way…LOUD!  My oldest daughter and I have almost identical voices and enjoy belting out songs as we travel.  Today was one of those days!  As I have said, we live out in a rural area so we have to travel about two hours to go anywhere.  She has been going through some difficult times recently, and the joy in her life has been diminished.  What fun we had singing the old stand by hymns.  You know the ones that get your foot to tapping, your heart to racing, your emotions working, and your soul satisfied!  One that usually makes me happy is “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength – It Makes Me Laugh, I Go Ha, Ha, Ha!”  If you didn’t learn this one as a child, look it up on the internet, it will definitely raise your spirits!

Now I have said all that to say this, God loves to hear us sing praises to him.  Not just so we can look or sound good, but because he is deserving of praise.  There are so many good hymns that are comforting, or that express our thankfulness, his love for us, our prayers and pleas.  One of my many favorites, or maybe I just like all of them is:  “Fill My Cup Lord, fill it up Lord, come and quench the thirsting of my soul, bread of heaven feed me ‘til I want no more, fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!”  Now, I can tell you from experience that if you sing that song with a sincere heart, it’s going to happen!

If it makes you uncomfortable, songs don’t have to be sung out loud.  When I was typing that song in, I heard it in my head and sung it in my heart.  Don’t limit them to church; if you are by yourself at any time, singing them out loud has an extra bonus.  If you don’t believe me, try it sometime.  Don’t you like for your children or grandchildren to hug on you and tell you how much they love you?  God likes and enjoys hearing his children to thank him in song as well.

Why songs you ask?  Well the great Psalmist David wrote songs so the people could commit them to memory and have them readily available.  So we can commune with God without being distracted by having devote time to compose our words or thoughts - Because of our roots, and because we need to be rooted in God – Because children learn by osmosis – Because they need to know what a wonderful God we have – Because they learn by watching us!  Sing to them:  “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart!  Down in my heart, down in my heart, I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart, down in my heart to stay!” “Oh Happy Day”

Thank you Lord for the wonderful Godly people you have put in my life, thank you that they gave of their time and energy, teaching the young people what a great a powerful thing that singing praises to you can be.  Thank you for the writers and musicians that have put the words on paper, so that we can write them in our hearts.

My Granny Stella’s favorite song:  “Rock of Ages” My Mother’s was: “The Longer I Serve Him, the Sweeter He Grows”   My Father-In-Law’s was: “I Don’t Know Who Holds Tomorrow” My Father’s was: “Gathering Flowers for the Master’s Bouquet.”   My Mother-In-Law’s is: “I’ll Fly Away” My Daughter’s is:  “He Touched Me”  My Husband’s is: “Oh Come Angel Band” Mine is: “I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day, still praying as I’m onward bound, Lord Plant My Feet On Higher Ground.”  What is yours or your Families?

Enjoy those: “Precious Memories”

                                                     Candid Conversations With Carolyn Lee