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Inspiration for Your Week #3
Hello, my friends! The past week was super busy, but also wonderful! The mall singing and concert went really well. It was so thrilling to get to sing about the birth and coming reign of our Savior in a public place. This week has a slightly slower pace, and of course, we are looking forward to Christmas! This morning when I opened my Bible, I read Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Isn’t it wonderful that the work of our God is perfect? From creation to the finished work…
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Tips for Hymn Improvisation
Hi there! I hope that you all had a blessed weekend! As a piano player and teacher, I’ve found that one of the most challenging things for advancing pianists is improvisation, specifically on hymns. Although it’s a great start to be able to just play the notes, we really want our music to flow and be pleasing to the ears of the listeners. If you ever play with others singing, then you know that the piano player must carry everyone along, and that’s difficult to do if you play only the simple notes. On the other hand, maybe you’ve heard recordings, or you’ve watched accomplished pianists, and you feel overwhelmed…
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Church History Book Favorites
One of the topics I enjoy reading and learning about is church history, including the stories of martyrs—witnesses who gave up everything for the sake of Jesus Christ. Their stories challenge me to live for Jesus and remind me that He is the only One worth living and dying for. As I read of their lives, I ask the question, “Do I love Jesus this much? Is He truly this precious to me?” We don’t know what the future holds, but there’s certainly a possibility that it may hold suffering. Reading of those who suffered for the sake of Christ can help us to put our troubles in perspective. It…
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When God Says No
You’ve prayed for something, over and over again. You’ve sought to follow the Lord and be submitted to His will. Maybe it looks as if the desired gift is almost within your grasp. Hard as it may be, you’ve tried not to desire this blessing more than you desire the Lord, and to keep your focus on Him and your longings on the altar. And then, finally, you receive the answer to your prayers, and you step back in grief and disappointment. God says “No.” My guess is that you’ve been here at some point (or maybe several!) in your life. A time when, instead of the “yes” answer you…
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Inspiration for Your Week #2
Hello everyone! You are probably wondering why this post is late! We had quite the windstorm sweep through the area on Saturday evening. There were at least 31,000 in our county without power (including us until 7 a.m. Sunday!), and our internet went out as well. Being without electricity comes with some great object lessons…maybe you’ll hear some of those in future posts! 😊 I know that we were mildly affected compared to some other parts of the country. This week is a busy one for our family. I have music lessons to take and teach, the last test of this semester’s Bible correspondence course (delayed because of no internet),…
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Book Review: Nests Above the Abyss
Hello, my friends! This is the book I’m going to stay up late tonight to finish reading (which I’ll probably regret tomorrow morning 😊). Honestly, I had a hard time choosing which of Isobel Kuhn’s books to review. Every one of them is excellent, and I’ve read them all through at least once! Some of these books are a little difficult to find (Christian Book Distributors does sell By Searching, and Thrift Books sells some of the others). I received most of mine due to generous family members on birthdays and Christmas. If you can find them, they are so worth reading! Nests Above the Abyss really reveals the heart…
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Inspiration for Your Week #1
Good morning, friends! I thought I’d do something a bit different today. I love collecting quotes, so at the beginning of each week, I plan to do a short post with an inspirational quote and a Bible verse to think about through the week. I would love to hear your favorite quote, or if the Lord has used a particular verse to encourage you, so feel free to chime in through the comments! This week’s thought: “Waiting always involves the character of our thoughts of the one on whom we wait. Our waiting on God will depend on our faith in what He is. In our text we have the…
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Christmas Music Favorites
Hi all! This is the time of year when we think about how Jesus came to earth as a baby. We also think about why He came–so that we could be redeemed and forgiven! One thing that can help us to focus on Him in this season is godly music about His coming. I’d like to share three of my favorite music cd’s to enjoy: Redemption Dawns by Anna Ferraro. You’ll enjoy this lovely piano cd with beautiful arrangements of hymns such as “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” and “O Holy Night”, arranged and played by talented musician Anna Ferraro. The selection of songs is skillfully designed to help you…
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Peanut Butter Squares
Warning: Sugar overload ahead! These are more commonly known by the undignified name of “Peanut Butter Yummies” at our house. They never last very long around here! Enjoy this delicious, no-bake dessert; it’s perfect if you’re looking to make candy during the holidays. 3 sticks butter 2 c. peanut butter 2 c. graham cracker crumbs 2 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar 1 12 oz. package chocolate chips Melt the 2 sticks of butter. Mix with peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and confectionary sugar. It’s easiest to mix with your hands. Press into a 9×13″ pan. Melt 1 stick of butter with chocolate chips (I usually melt them in the microwave as…
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Bloom in the Snow
Temperatures here in New York have been dipping into the 30’s at night and struggling into the upper 40’s during the day–sometimes! Everything is either brown or brown with a scattered coating of white. So I could hardly believe my eyes the other day when my mom called my attention to the concrete planter on our front step. For Mother’s day, my older sister had given my mom gerbera daisies, which bloomed all summer long and then died (or so we thought) when the frost hit. But there, hiding beneath the broad leaves that were still in the planter, its petals drooping and its head hung low, was a yellow…
