Mountain Musings

An Evening of Hymns & Music

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing." ~ Psalm 100:1-2

One Sunday evening recently we invited our friends from Heartland Harvest over for a meal and an evening of singing...such a grand time! Seeing as they've had us in their home on several occasions, it was about time we had them over!

Here's a picture of the whole family taken at the end of the evening just before they signed the guest book and left for home:

And here are some pictures of us all making a joyful noise unto the Lord:

We "gathered together" around the fireplace for many familiar hymns:

They can strum, too!

Mandolins, guitars, harmonica, bass, and violin all joined in:

Then all the siblings sang one last song for us, harmonizing together on The Lord's Prayer:

We even captured it on video:

 

 What a wonderful evening! I wish you could have joined us!

~Deb

Whistle While You Work

Yesterday was such a beautiful day here! Sunny, breezy, and in the mid 60s - not your typical January weather in Virginia. I took advantage of it, opened the windows to get some fresh air, and scrubbed the kitchen floor. Naturally, I also put on a CD to sing and whistle along with to make the work go faster. :)

It just so happens that I have gotten into a tradition of always playing a John Marshall Family CD while I scrub. I'd Do It All Again, Just For A Moment, and Peace are the three that we have.

I have gotten attached to the Mulfinger CDs when we're taking down all the Christmas decorations and cleaning up from the holidays, and Adagio Trio CDs when we're getting ready for company. Now when I hear that music, it instantly brings those occasions to mind. :)

Does anyone else have favorite music to work to?

~Sarah

An Evening of Blessing

This past weekend our family traveled to Prince George, Virginia, to attend the most delightful occasion and one which I'd never heard of celebrating.

Our friends' oldest daughter had just turned 13, and they wanted to honor and bless her as she left childhood behind and entered womanhood. A special ceremony--a Blessing--was held, and it was indeed a blessing to all who were there!

We arrived and enjoyed talking with our friends and the other families attending. Here we are conversing and meeting their newest addition.

Here's the guest of honor below (second from left) with three of her four sisters and their friends:

The evening began, and seven families were welcomed who had come to honor the birthday girl. We started with singing Blest Be the Tie That Binds with Tom on guitar, and we also sang Be Thou My Vision accompanied by piano.

Each of the dads had been asked to prepare some encouraging words of wisdom to present before the group. Here's one of the dads encouraging us all:

After the talks, scriptures, and encouragements from friends were shared, our friend called his daughter forward and told her that he was praying for her as she entered this new stage of life and that he was willing to lay down his life for her if need be.

This is my favorite photo of the evening because it shows a young daughter totally trusting her father to look out for her and to advise her in the coming years.

He encouraged her especially to look first to the Lord and then to her parents for counsel and prayer when temptations and hard times come. What a privilege it was to witness the signing of the covenant between a dad and his daughter and then watching as she was presented with a ring to seal the covenant:

After the ceremony we enjoyed a delicious meal and conversing around the table. You can also catch a glimpse of the "growing-up-years" collage on the wall in the background that was made for the occasion. Uh-oh...a little brother snitches some birthday cake icing!

And just before we left for home, we had a picture taken of all of us with the guest of honor. What a wonderful evening and one which we'll recommend for other families with sons and daughters approaching the teen years.

Have you ever attended a Blessing?

~Deb

Sunday Hymn

If the only way you could witness to someone was by singing a song, which song would you pick?

That's the question Jonathan posed to everyone at the supper table on Friday evening. We were gathered round having our family devotions before celebrating Jonathan's 26th birthday later that evening.

Granny immediately answered Jonathan's question with Amazing Grace as her song choice.

Jonathan said he'd pick And Can It Be That I Should Gain (click on Midi link for tune). And since it was his birthday after all...that's the song we selected. After pondering the words, I think it's a good choice for someone to hear of God's amazing love, don't you?

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

How would you answer Jonathan's question? Which song would you pick? All answers awarded a piece of Jonathan's birthday Turtle Cake. Hurry...only a few pieces left! :)

~ Deb

Dunlap's Creek

Here's a new hymn we're learning taken from the 1854 Southern Harmony hymn collection.  The tune name is called Dunlap's Creek and is named after Dunlap's Creek Presbyterian Church which is near where the tune originated.

 

My God, my portion and my love, my everlasting all,

I've none but Thee in heaven above, or on this earthly ball.

 

What empty things are all the skies, and this inferior clod!

There's nothing here deserves my joys, there's nothing like my God.

 

In vain the bright, the burning sun scatters his feeble light;

'Tis thy sweet beams create my noon; if Thou withdraw 'tis night.

 

And whilst upon my restless bed, amongst the shades I roll,

If my Redeemer shows his head, 'Tis morning with my soul.

(Credit: Image of Dunlap's Creek Presbyterian Church from The Little List. Net)

-Jonathan

A Musical Weekend

Our family enjoyed quite the musical weekend:

Saturday a few of us attended the dress rehearsal for the Shenandoah Christian Music Camp's Choral Festival, which was the evening before their real concert. Our friend, Sarah, had told us about the event, since one of her brothers was participating in the choir at the conclusion to a week of camp.

Several different combinations of students sang, including a children's choir. Even the youngest ones did so well with their selections!

The choirs presented various psalms, hymns, and spirituals, including a brilliant version of Were You There that was woven with scriptures mentioning "trembling."

The evening concluded with members singing their way down the aisles to the stage for some final numbers as an entire group.

 

Sunday afternoon our whole family was treated by Dad to a concert as part of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. It was Granny's first time at such a concert, and she was pleasantly surprised.

We heard concertos by Bach, Mozart, and Haydn, as well as some solo piano preludes by Chopin and Rachmaninov.

I'm not sure how the cellist played her challenging pieces all by memory!

We had an enjoyable time as a family on these special musical outings.

~Hannah

A Backward Glance at 2010

Happy New Year, Everyone!

We're celebrating not only the beginning of a new year but the beginning of our 7th year of blogging!

Oh, my, it is hard to believe that we received Typepad as a Christmas gift back in 2004, and after 1,550 posts we're still at it! We're thankful to have made so many new friends in the process. Thanks for reading and commenting and being one of those friends!

We're taking a look back at 2010 in photos and thanking the Lord for the blessings He's given us throughout this past year:

January, 2010 ~ The Blessing of Friendship

Last January I met my friend, Dorothy, at Wintergreen Ski Resort (blogged about here), and Tom and I met our friends Fred and Chris in Richmond for a lunch date at Ukrops. We also met as couples again in September (blogged about here). I'm thanking the Lord for special friendships!

February, 2010 ~ Delivering a Cake

Sarah, our diligent dessert maker, takes cake orders by word-of-mouth advertising, and if Dad needs a cake for any of his work functions, he knows who to ask(blogged about here).

March, 2010 ~ Making Melody

March ended up being the month for music. Hannah and Sarah practiced for the upcoming Hymn Sing in northern Virginia.

April, 2010 ~ New Garden Fence

Jonathan and Erich worked hard to get the posts in for the new fence (blogged about here). And (below)Tom and Hannah unload all the pickets. I love new fences! This spring we'll be painting it white.

May, 2010 ~ Geo-Caching

This is a local waterfall that we never would have known about until we followed the geo-cache coordinates and clues. What a beautiful spot at the end of a hike!

 ~ Photography Boot Camp

Tom, Hannah, and I traveled to Fairfax Station to participate in a photography boot camp. It was an excellent time of learning (blogged about here). 

Also in May we spent a week at my sister's in South Carolina. See days 137-142 in Hannah's photo album.

June, 2010 ~ Our Friends Moved Away

Our church friends moved back to Chicago, and we still miss them.

June will definitely be remembered for the hospital trip and major surgery; I spent the summer recuperating, and I'm thankful the Lord brought me through that rough time.

July, 2010 ~ Celebrating a Birthday!

I love birthdays, and this family really spoils me! Fun!

August, 2010 ~ Opening the 30th Anniversary Quilt

What a surprise this was (blogged about here)!

~ Anniversary Trip to Canada 
August was all about our 30th anniversary! Here's the link to the post that sums it all up with links to each day's adventures in case you missed them.

September, 2010 ~ Baskets Everywhere!

The month of September: baskets! Here's the link to Granny's series of guest posts.

October, 2010 ~ Travels from North to South!

~ Family trip to Connecticut to see Tom's side of the family

Jonathan and his cousin fished from the backyard dock at Tom's sister's home in Niantic while Grampa and Hannah watched. We enjoyed visiting the Connecticut relatives before heading north to Saratoga and on to Niagara Falls.

~ Niagara Falls, New York

This was our first time at Niagara Falls--what a powerful force in God's creation! Jonathan posted another picture of the Falls on his blog here.

~ Satellite Beach, Florida

We returned from Niagara on a Friday afternoon...the very next morning Granny, Hannah, and I left for Florida! What a whirlwind of travel! But so very fun! Here's a link to all the posts on our Florida trip in case you missed them.

November, 2010 ~ Jonathan turns 25!

Sarah prepared one of Jonathan's favorites ~ Turtle Cake.

November will also be remembered for soap making classes and visiting friends at Thanksgiving.

December, 2010 ~ Baking Cookies

Baking gingerbread cookies for Christmas...this was before the oven malfunction which means the oven broiled instead of baking the cookies!

~ Uh, Oh...

Why do bad things happen to good gingerbread men??  We're waiting for the repairman to show up--hopefully this week to fix the problem.

~~~~~            ~~~~~            ~~~~~            ~~~~~           ~~~~~

Well, that's been our 2010...and we didn't even mention quilting and gardening and all the other things that make up our lives here at Mountain Musings. But if you stick around in 2011, I'm sure we'll be off on more adventures with plenty of pictures to share!

We hope your 2011 is a good one!

~Deb

Sunday Hymn

Abide With Me

Words: Henry F. Lyte, 1847/Music: William H. Monk, 1861

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

~Deb

* Photo: Sunday morning fog near Rockfish Gap...taken this morning from the car window coming down Afton Mountain on our way to visit a home church in Dillwyn.

He put a new song in my mouth

In 2008, Hannah received a New Harmonia Sacra hymnbook for her birthday.There are many new songs included that are unfamiliar to us and which will be enjoyable to learn!

From a previous post:

What is Harmonia Sacra? "It is based on a shape-note tune book first published as Genuine Church Music by Joseph Funk in Winchester, Virginia in 1832. This book, later renamed the Harmonia Sacra, and since revised in 25 editions down to the present, is the oldest shape-note book in continuous use. Approximately 16 annual singings are held from it in Mennonite communities in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and some in Indiana." See this web page for some more information on the background of the Harmonia Sacra tradition.  The Serven Clan wrote an interesting post earlier this year about Sacred Harp, which is a related style of harmony.

Some more interesting information about Joseph Funk and Harmonia Sacra singing can be found here.

One Saturday night a couple of months ago, Dad and Mom were off running errands, and the three of us pulled out Hannah's hymnbook and attempted a new song together. With Jonathan on guitar, we quickly learned it and were able to sing it for Dad and Mom when they got home. Then the next morning at church we learned it together as a congregation.

The words are a wonderful testimony of God's grace! We can't find any information on who the author was, only that this is a folk hymn. Also, this past week the three of us recorded this together, with Hannah and me singing and Jonathan providing instrumental accompaniment.  So if you wish to hear the tune with the words, you can click here.

Redeeming Grace

Come all who love my Lord and Master,

And like old David I will tell,

Though chief of sinners, I've found favor,

By grace redeemed from death and hell;

Far as the east from west is parted,

So far my sins by dying love,

From me by faith are separated,

Blest antepast of joys above.

I late estranged from Jesus wandered,

And tho't each dang'rous poison good;

But He in mercy long pursued me

With cries of His redeeming blood;

Though like Bartimeus I was blinded,

In nature's darkest night concealed,

But Jesus' love removed my blindness,

And He His pard'ning grace revealed.

Now I will serve Him while He spares me,

And with His people sing aloud,

Though hell oppose and sinners mock me

In rapt'rous strains I'll praise my God.

By faith I view the heav'nly concert,

They sing high strains of Jesus' love,

Oh! with desire my soul is longing,

And fain would be with Christ above.

~Sarah

Family Encouragement Weekend 2010

Last weekend we had the opportunity to attend the fourth annual Family Encouragement Weekend. It was started by the Wilkes family whom we had met a few months ago at a hymn sing in Northern Virginia. One of the chronic disappointments my family has is the small number of like-minded godly families in our area so we were thrilled to see the invitation to the "FEW."  

Contrary to the conference's acronym, there were about 200 people in attendance--quite the crowd!  It was great to meet so many different families from Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Before we began on Friday night, we sang a lot of hymns, led by the homeschooled orchestra!

Both on Friday night and all Saturday, there were several different speakers, including an overview by Mr. Wilkes, "Family Oneness" by Mr. Hynes and "From Completeness to Maturity" by Mr. Neely.

It was encouraging to taste this spiritual food. I think it is great for even godly, committed Christians to hear continual exhortation toward spiritual maturity and growth. Personally, I know it is easy for me to lapse into Christian Autopilot Mode and not actively seek Christ more.

In addition to spiritual food, there was physical food as well! The doctrine of cookies was well expounded upon, to the edification of all.

There were also multiple times throughout the weekend in which families were arranged in 3 or 4-household groups for mutual prayer. Family members prayed for each other, families prayed for other families, and everyone prayed for those in authority over us, especially our federal government. These were great times; Mr. Wilkes shared, "This is the best part of the Family Encouragement Weekend."

What could be better than preaching of the Word, prayer, singing, and fellowship with like-minded believers?

~Jonathan