Lead, Kindly Light

OK.
I couldn't stand it. That dang poem is just too, icky dark, for me to leave up here for any great length of time... I don't care if it is October... and rather than just having to watch out for the normal "lions and tigers and bears, oh, my!" along the yellow-brick roadway of your life, we oughta, beware of "goblins and monsters and ghosts...eek!" right along with every other imaginable giddy-up, fixin' on trick or treating your neighborhood, this month - too.
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Today's worship services were "primo" for me. Several concepts were touched upon that I'd been turning over in my heart and mind during the course of the last week or so. I always feel so humbled and amazed, when what appears to me, to be, arbitrary, private thoughts, meandering in mid-brain... Well! When these thoughts are not only echoed - but expounded upon and further explained in the Sunday worship service talks? Dang that's down right thought affirming! =) This happens all the time, to me, with this church. I feel greatly blessed because of it - I've learned and changed so much. Makes one feel more and more like the butterfly and less and less like the worm, ya know what I mean?
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The first 2 talks were on the importance of Hymns. Speaker one, underscored how important music can be in setting the tone, in welcoming and maintaining a peaceful spirit. I think we all instinctively know how powerful, spiritually, music can be. Quoting and drawing upon the advice of a member of the quoram of the 12 apostles, she suggested (and later encouraged the membership) to commit as many hymns as possible to their memory. "You'll be amazed," she said, "at how often you'll find a tune or the words from a hymn running through your mind at just the right moment to lift you up, or to give you good comfort and cheer." I found myself nodding in full agreement. I've already done this with great success! I love that she was encouraging us all to do more with it. One of her Sons then joined with her at the podium, and they sang together, an acappella version, of this:

Lead Kindly Light
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Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom; Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene -- one step enough for me.
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I was not ever thus, nor pray'd that thou Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.
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So long thy pow'r hath, blest me, sure it still Will lead me on
O'ver moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone.
And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
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This was SO transfixedly beautiful! To hear the voices of Mother and son weaving together in harmony - so sweet, perfectly alined within the beautiful lyrics there... and the additional background and stories she chose to give to us! Just a wonderful opening piece and a wonderful experience to soak in.
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Like the speakers this morning I love the hymns, they teach good doctrine, they lift your spirit, they invite His spirit to be with you, they are specific in their address of Diety, and loving them so, it is difficult to pick only one as a favorite.
The second speaker did a selected reading of the hymn: "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray". Charles Wesley, a founder of the Methodist Church, and prolific hymn writter (Hundreds of them!) wrote this hymn, she sighted this as a favorite, although she said she didn't recall ever singing it when she was a member of that Church, and rather than sing, as I said, she recited the words to us:
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Ye Simple Souls Who Stray - Far from the path of peace, That lonely unfrequented way to life and happiness, Why will ye folly love, And throng the down-ward road, And hate the wisdom from above, And mock the sons of God?
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Madness and misery - Ye count our life beneath, And nothing great or good can see Or glourious in our death. But thru the Holy Ghost We witness better things, For he whose blood is all our boast Has made us priest and kings.
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Riches unsearchable - In Jesus' love we know, And pleasures spring from the well Of life our souls o'er flow. As we seek heav'nly bliss, Angels our steps attend, And God himself our Father is, And Jesus is our Friend.
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With him we walk in white, We in his image shine; Our robes are robes of golrious light, Our righteousness divine. On all the kings of earth With pity we look down; And claim, in virtue of our birth, A never fading crown.
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There's more, so much more I'd love to turn you onto, but this is getting lengthy and I've got studies to attend to... .
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I'll leave you with what I consider to be a most favorite hymn of mine. It is straight scripture set to music: (wish I could share that, the music, with you right now! smiles & sighs.)
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Love One Another
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As I have loved you, Love one another.
This new commandment: Love one another.
By this shall men know. Ye are my disciples,
If ye have love One to another.
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(John 13: 34-35)
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Have a great week!!!