A people named "Sue"

Kidnap victim Jaycee Dugard has filed suit against the federal government for failing to properly monitor her captor, Phillip Garrido, who was on parole.

A West Palm Beach, Florida couple was awarded $4.5 million in a “wrongful birth” law suit. They claimed certina medical professionals were negligent, not finding or telling them that their child had no arms and only one leg. They say if they would have known they would have aborted the baby. They found a 6-person jury who agreed with them.

And the latest, three people in Bastrop County, TX are suing (s l o w d o w n and read c a r e f u l l y) Bluebonnet Electric because dead tree limbs fell on their power lines and started the raging wildfire in the area.

Our world has gone lawsuit crazy. In the first case, of Jaycee Dugard, I can feel sympathy. If only... But still the suit shifts the blame from where it really lies -- Phillip Garrido and his wife -- to someone who probably has deeper pockets. In the second case, the newly wealthy couple accepts no responsibility for the baby THEY created and shifts the blame to the medical profession. Perhaps folks who gave birth 50 or 60 years can find someone to sue because there weren't any sonograms/ultrasounds/whatever available to them at the time. (And we should not fail to notice that the couple intended to use the information to commit murder). And Bastrop County, in Texas no less, the power company is now responsible for what used to be called "acts of God". I suppose the lawyer couldn't figure out how to sue God!! Why not try -- all the gold and silver is His and the cattle on a thousand hills.

3 hymns

Months, days and hours shall pass away
Blending in one eternal day.
The Christian's hope shall be his store
When time shall be no more.
R. L. Vaughn, 2011
____________________

Psalm 102:3. 25-28. Third Part
Man's mortality and Christ's eternity; or,
Saints die, but Christ and the church live.

It is the Lord our Saviour's hand
Weakens our strength amidst the race;
Disease and death at his command
Arrest us, and cut short our days.

Spare us, O Lord, aloud we pray,
Nor let our sun go down at noon:
Thy years are one eternal day,
And must thy children die so soon?

Yet in the midst of death and grief
This thought our sorrow shall assuage,
"Our Father and our Saviour live;
"Christ is the same thro' every age."

'Twas he this earth's foundation laid;
Heaven is the building of his hand:
This earth grows old, these heavens shall fade,
And all be chang'd at his command.

The starry curtains of the sky
Like garments shall be laid aside;
But still thy throne stands firm and high;
Thy church for ever must abide.

Before thy face thy church shall live,
And on thy throne thy children reign;
This dying world shall they survive,
And the dead saints be rais'd again.
By Isaac Watts
____________________

How charming is the place
Where my Redeemer God
Unveils the beauties of His face,
And sheds His love abroad.

Not the fair palaces
To which the great resort,
Are once to be compared with this,
Where Jesus holds His court.

Here, on the mercy seat,
With radiant glory crowned,
Our joyful eyes behold Him sit,
And smile on all around.

To Him their prayers and cries
Each humble soul presents:
He listens to their broken sighs,
And grants them all their wants.

To them His sovereign will
He graciously imparts;
And in return accepts, with smiles,
The tribute of their hearts.

Give me, O Lord, a place
Within Thy blest abode,
Among the children of Thy grace,
The servants of my God.
1787 by Samuel Stennett

The narrow way, by Cowper

The narrow way.

What thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when 'tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of God,
Will seek or choose it for their own.

A thousand ways in ruin end,
One, only, leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleased with a journey to the sky.

No more I ask, or hope to find,
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind
That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.

The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek immortal joys above;
There, glory without end, shall be
The bright reward of faith and love.

Cleave to the world ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust;
But God shall fight, with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.

William Cowper (1731-1800)
Olney Hymns, 1779

Huh?

We live in a world so intolerant that we can't even have the Ten Commandments on student book-covers, all the while wondering why they lie and cheat and steal and rape and kill.

Go figure.

Daniel Read complains, gets even

I enjoyed and was amused by these honest thoughts of Daniel Read.

“It is not only ungenerous but unjust to publish the works of any author without his consent.—Irritated beyond measure at the unprovoked robbery committed upon the American Singing Book by the Editor of the Worcester Collection and having no redress but by retaliation there being then no law in existance to prevent such abuses I availed myself of that opportunity to publish some peices [sic] from the Worcester Collection to which I had no right.” – Excerpt from a 1793 letter from Daniel Read to Jacob French, as printed in Music in the USA: a Documentary Companion, Judith Tick, editor, (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008, p. 74)

The Wal-Mart of Lumber

It struck me while hunting for something in Lowe's that they are the "Wal-Mart" of lumber.

(This is not complimentary to Lowe's or Wal-Mart.)

Psalm 27, Watts

PSALM 27 PART 2 v.8,9,13,14
C. M.
Prayer and hope.

Soon as I heard my Father say,
"Ye children, seek my grace,"
My heart replied without delay,
"I'll seek my Father's face."

Let not thy face be hid from me,
Nor frown my soul away;
God of my life, I fly to thee
In a distressing day.

Should friends and kindred near and dear
Leave me to want or die,
My God would make my life his care,
And all my need supply.

My fainting flesh had died with grief
Had not my soul believed,
To see thy grace provide relief;
Nor was my hope deceived.

Wait on the Lord, ye trembling saints,
And keep your courage up;
He'll raise your spirit when it faints,
And far exceed your hope.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
The Psalms of David, 1719

Louisiana singing

North Central Louisiana Sacred Harp Singing meets at Ringgold, south of Minden on Saturday September 3rd, starting at 10 a.m. (d.v.). Singing is from both the “red book” and the “blue book”. The location is at New Providence Primitive Baptist Church. From Interstate 20 at Minden, take US 371 south and travel about 20 miles to Ringgold. Turn left/east on Highway 154 and go about one mile; the New Providence church and cemetery is on the left. More info: (318) 894-9549.

Y'all come.

On what has been sown

On what has now been sown
Thy blessing, Lord, bestow;
The power is Thine alone
To make it spring and grow.
Do Thou in grace the harvest raise,
And Thou alone shalt have the praise.

To Thee our wants are known,
From Thee are all our powers;
Accept what is Thine own
And pardon what is ours.
Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive
And to Thy Word a blessing give.

Oh, grant that each of us
Now met before Thee here
May meet together thus
When Thou and Thine appear
And follow Thee to Heav'n, our home.
E'en so, Amen, Lord Jesus, come!

John Newton (1725-1807)
Olney Hymns, 1779

The joy of Sacred Harp

As for me.....when I can no longer sing Sacred Harp, I want to listen. When I can no longer hear, I want to see it. When I can no longer sing, hear, or see, please wheel me in and prop me up against some old singer so I can feel it!

And when all my senses are gone, plant me under a stone engraved with four shapes and the inscription "Here lies the dust of R.L.V., his spirit sings at home."

Ye immortal throng

O ye immortal throng of angels round the throne,
Join with our feeble song, to make the Savior known:
On earth ye knew His wondrous grace;
His glorious face in Heav'n ye view.

Ye saw the Heav'n-born Child in human flesh arrayed,
Benevolent and mild while in the manger laid:
And "Praise to God, and peace on earth,"
For such a birth, proclaimed aloud.

Around the bloody tree ye pressed with strong desire
That wondrous sight to see, the Lord of life expire:
And could your eyes have known a tear,
Had dropped it there in sad surprise.

Around His sacred tomb a willing watch ye keep
Till the blest moment come to rouse Him from His sleep:
Then rolled the stone, and all adored
Your rising Lord with joy unknown.

When, all arrayed in light, the shining Conqueror rode,
Ye hailed His rapturous flight up to the throne of God,
And waved around your golden wings,
And struck your strings of sweetest sound.

The warbling notes pursue, and louder anthems raise,
While mortals sing with you their own Redeemer's praise:
And thou, my heart, with equal flame,
And joy the same, perform thy part.

Philip Doddridge (1702-1751), 1737

Prophecy and inspiration

HYMN 151, L. M.

Prophecy and inspiration.

'Twas by an order from the Lord
The ancient prophets spoke his word;
His Spirit did their tongues inspire,
And warmed their hearts with heav'nly fire.

The works and wonders which they wrought
Confirmed the messages they brought;
The prophet's pen succeeds his breath,
To save the holy words from death.

Great God, mine eyes with pleasure look
On the dear volume of thy book;
There my Redeemer's face I see,
And read his name who died for me.

Let the false raptures of the mind
Be lost, and vanish in the wind;
Here I can fix my hope secure;
This is thy word, and must endure.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II, 1707

The debt ceiling fraud

If you're listening to the news at all, you've read and heard ad nauseum the hand-wringing episodes over the national debt ceiling. Now I'm no economist, and I might be wrong, but it seems to me that the so-called debt ceiling is mostly a fraud perpetrated on the U.S. public.

Why do I say that? Let me put it in simple terms that I can understand. The debt ceiling is basically a credit limit. If I apply and obtain a credit card, the lending institution sets the credit limit. I can borrow up to that amount and no more. In the case of the Congress, they are the ones borrowing and setting the credit limit. A little conflict of interest? What is the purpose of having it if they just bump it up whenever they need to? Sounds like a lot of hocus pocus to me.

Sacred Harp Singing School

If you're in Southeast Texas, take advantage of the Sacred Harp Singing School sponsored by the Florida Avenue Baptist Church and Heritage Baptist Institute. It will be at the Florida Avenue Church's fellowship hall this Saturday, July 30.

When: Starts at 10 a.m.
Book: 2006 Sacred Harp, Cooper Edition
Location: 645 W. Florida Ave.
Beaumont, TX 77705

For more information please email: sheilatx-AT-hotmail.com

A sea of comfort

(Rom. 8:28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

"A self acclaimed minister boldly informed me some years ago that only good things work together for good: bad, evil, and sinful things, said he, could never work together for the good of the redeemed. Does this not drain dry the sea of comfort found in this verse? Where does the child of grace go for comfort when plagued with inner sin and outward trials if God does not work evil for their good?" -- From 'A Blessed Promise', Wayne Gregory, July 9, 2011

Hymn 45 by Watts

Hallelujah Meter 6.6.6.6.8.8.

Hosannah to the King
Of David's ancient blood!
Behold, he comes to bring
Forgiving grace from God:
Let old and young attend his way,
And at his feet their honors lay.

Glory to God on high,
Salvation to the Lamb;
Let earth, and sea, and sky,
His wondrous love proclaim:
Upon his head shall honors rest,
And every age pronounce him blest.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book III, 1707

Follow the money

A new Texas law requires doctors performing abortions to show women the results of their sonograms and explain the child and its development. Abortion doctors normally do ultrasounds for their own benefit but don’t usually give women detailed information about it.

A group is bringing suit against this new law. Dr. Alan Braid, an abortion practitioner in San Antonio, objects to the law, saying "My job is not to make the patient feel guilty about her choice or force information on her that she does not want; my job is to care for the patient, act in her best interests, and respect her autonomy. To provide her information that she does not want and that may cause her harm is certainly against my oath as a physician to 'do no harm'."

Unbelievable! A man who is about to snuff out an innocent life invokes the "do no harm" clause!? Might it have more to do with not making a sale than doing no harm? In any other case a doctor would be negligent to not discuss all the details with the patient so she could make informed consent. Why not in this case?

Come, let us join our friends above

Let saints on earth in concert sing
With those whose work is done;
For all the servants of our King
In Heav'n and earth are one.

One family, we dwell in Him,
One Church, above, beneath;
Though now divided by the stream,
The narrow stream of death.

One army of the living God,
To His command we bow;
Part of the host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.

E'en now to their eternal home
There pass some spirits blest;
While others to the margin come,
Waiting their call to rest.

Jesu, be Thou our constant Guide;
Then, when the word is given,
Bid Jordan's narrow stream divide,
And bring us safe to Heav'n.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Funeral Hymns, 1759.
Derived from Wesley's hymn "Come, let us join our friends above."

In memory

Susan Delaine Vaughn Milstead, passed away Saturday July 2, 2011. She was the youngest and last surviving child of James Thomas Vaughn and Delanie Jane Whitten.

The book of God's decrees

HYMN 99 C. M.
The book of God's decrees.

Let the whole race of creatures lie
Abased before their God;
Whate'er his sovereign voice has formed
He governs with a nod.

Ten thousand ages ere the skies
Were into motion brought,
All the long years and worlds to come
Stood present to his thought.

There's not a sparrow or a worm
But's found in his decrees;
He raises monarchs to their throne,
And sinks them as he please.

If light attends the course I run,
'Tis he provides those rays;
And 'tis his hand that hides my sun,
If darkness clouds my days.

Yet I would not be much concerned,
Nor vainly long to see
The volume of his deep decrees,
What months are writ for me.

When he reveals the book of life,
O may I read my name
Amongst the chosen of his love,
The followers of the Lamb!

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II, 1707