Praise to the Lord

Posted on April 6, 2008 by Barbara Harper

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

~ Joachim Neander

Book Review: Mansfield Park

Posted on April 5, 2008 by Barbara Harper

In Mansfield Park, Fanny Price is the “poor relation” who helps to relieve her family’s financial woes by going to live with a more prosperous aunt and uncle, the Bertrams, when she is ten. Her other aunt, widowed Mrs. Norris, lives near the Bertrams and has more influence with the family than Lady Bertram. Sir Thomas Bertram is imposing and, though not unkind, neither is he warm. Mrs. Norris feels it her duty to constantly keep Fanny in her “place.” Fanny’s female cousins, Mariah and Julia, are selfish, spoiled, and vain and interact little with her. Her oldest cousin Tom takes little notice, but cousin Edmund sympathizes with her and helps her find ways to learn and to interact. Fanny is quiet, shy, “finding something to fear in every person and place,” but eventually the family decides that, “though far from clever, she showed a tractable disposition, and seemed likely to give them little trouble.”

The family continues on this way for years until their neighbor’s younger sister and brother, Henry and Mary Crawford, come to town for an extended visit. Both are bright, witty, vivacious, and personable, and the young people –except for Fanny — soon become best friends. Fanny’s high regard for Edmund has become secret love over the years, but Edmund, who is planning to join the clergy, begins to fall for Mary, who has no use for the clergy and tries to talk him into changing to a profession where he can “distinguish” himself. Fanny begins to see some of Mary’s flaws, but Edmund is willing to excuse them. Meanwhile Henry, who has been showering attention on both the Bertram sisters, begins to show a decided favor not towards unattached Julia, but rather to her engaged sister. Thus the stage is set for the character of each one to be displayed in the ensuing conflicts.

I’ll leave the plot there for the discovery of those who have not yet read the book, but I did want to discuss a few other aspects of the book.

In the introductory notes of this edition as well as the introduction to the recent Masterpiece Classic version on PBS, there seemed to be an almost apologetic tone that shy, quiet Fanny is the hero of the story rather than vivacious and witty Mary. Amanda Claybaugh, who wrote the introductory notes, writes that “Fanny differs not merely from Mary, but also from our most basic expectations of what a novel’s protagonist should do and be. In Fanny, we have a heroine who seldom moves and seldom speaks, and never errs or alters.” I am not the expert Ms. Claybaugh is, but that is not my impression at all. We’re shown many of Fanny’s inner thoughts, and I find the conflict is in Fanny’s staying true to her moral core despite everyone else’s failure to varying degrees. Edmund says of Fanny at one point that she “is the only one who has judged rightly throughout; who has been consistent.” She is far from self-righteous and ungracious, however, and though morally she does not change, she does mature and grow. Though her nature remains shy and reticent and fearful, she begins to overcome it or act in spite of it in situations like heading a ball in her cousins’ absence and standing up to Sir Thomas when he wants her to marry someone whom she not only does not love but in whom she sees moral flaws that she cannot expound on.

In almost all of Jane Austen’s books, she subtly points out the ironies of life in her time. Perhaps the irony here is the truth that though Fanny lacks the characteristics that are highly valued in her setting — wit, wealth, and worldliness — she possesses qualities far more valuable in her moral goodness, graciousness, insight, and steadfastness.

I enjoyed this book very much and found it very readable. I highly recommend it.

This completes my reading Jane Austen’s novels. I had read Emma back in college and would love to revisit her, but all of the rest I have read over the last couple of years in a quest to catch up on some of the classics I somehow missed along the way. I know I will enjoy reading these books again in the future.

Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt: Glass

Posted on April 4, 2008 by Barbara Harper

PhotoHunt

Theme: Glass | Become a Photo Hunter

This is a stained glass window in a little chapel in the woods at the Ida Cason Memorial Chapel at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA. My husband was given a gift pass to Callaway several years ago as a reward for service at his job, and we took the whole family for a visit. You just come upon this little chapel while walking along a trail, and many times during the day someone is there playing hymns on an organ. I have to admit the organ is not my favorite instrument, but if I am going to listen to one I like the old-fashioned pipe organs, and in this setting many people just stop to sit and listen for a while. It makes for a lovely, peaceful experience.

Thanks!

Posted on April 2, 2008 by Barbara Harper

Thanks so much for your kind words and prayers concerning my earlier post. I saw the doctor today. She said I did still have cellulitis, but did not prescribe another round of antibiotics. I was both relieved and concerned by that She’s been concerned for a while about the fact that my blood flow from my feet back up to my legs isn’t good, and the excess fluid in my lower legs makes me more prone to infections like cellulitis. So we are working on that angle of things right now. I may have to go to a vein doctor — but I hope not. I’d appreciate your prayers.

Though rain was forecast for the whole week, the sun came out yesterday and again today. I know, especially as a Christian, my outlook shouldn’t depend on the weather, and normally it’s not that affected by it, but when feeling a little gloomy in spirit anyway, I think it helps those feelings along.

The Lord blessed with some ideas today for the monthly newsletter I am working on my our church ladies’ group. Plus, in thinking about my morning schedule with things that needed to be done around getting to the doctor’s office, I didn’t even know how to arrange it — but it just fell into place. Those “little” tokens of the Lord’s love and guidance mean a great deal.

Our ladies luncheon is coming up earlier than usual this year, and though I knew that, some of the ramifications just hit me this week — like needing to decide on a caterer and menu so I will know ticket prices so I can start getting announcements out.

I have thoughts for several posts, but because of these other duties I am short of time this week — plus I do still need to keep my feet up a good bit to try to counteract gravity. It will probably be pretty light posting here at least til the weekend (though I have said things like that before….)

Psalm 3:3: But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Overcast

Posted on March 31, 2008 by Barbara Harper

I don’t always have a cheerful, sunny disposition…

The cellulitis I mentioned earlier has not completely cleared up, and since I am on my last day of antibiotics, I need to see the doctor before it relapses like it did before. This is an already busy week, leading into one of the busiest months of my year, and I was so hoping this issue would be resolved so I could get the things done I needed to without having to keep my foot elevated and go another round of antibiotics with their accompanying side effects.

Some part of my mind has been occupied with decisions relating to the month ahead, and there is always a sense of unsettledness and pressure until some of those decisions are made and the next steps of doing can be taken.

Then a couple of hours into the day I began not feeling well — I’ll spare you the details.

Our brief taste of spring has been replaced with a cold front and gray skies, and as I began to rustle up some breakfast and listen to the weather report on the radio of more coolness, cloudiness, rain, and probable coming thunderstorms, my mood matched the overcast scene out the window.

After the weather report, the announcer of the Christian radio station read Ezekiel 34:26, “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Instead of cheering me, that verse reminded me of one church we attended where, on on any rainy day, we could count on being asked to sing “Showers of Blessing” or “Heavenly Sunlight” or “Sunshine In My Soul Today” in a manner of seemingly forced cheerfulness which usually had the opposite effect on me.

As I continued on with my breakfast preparations, though, I was reminded that our area has been suffering a drought for months, and a good soaking rain was sorely needed. Rain is often spoken of in the Bible as a blessing: in those days before irrigation was common, crops and livelihoods and health depended on good rains coming at the needed times.

And I began to see the irony of complaining and chafing against something that was essential to growth, health, nutrition and further blessing.

Even though my little irritations of the day can scarcely be compared to some of the serious and awful problems many in my church family and among my Internet friends are going through, I was reminded that trials of all sizes have their purpose, and sometimes they are just the needed thing for the next step of growth and Christlikneness to develop.

Hosea 10:12: “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”

Lord, come and rain Your righteousness on me and forgive me for resenting the means of Your blessings.

(Bottom photo courtesy of the stock.xchng)

Strength for our duties

Posted on March 29, 2008 by Barbara Harper

“Yet the duties God requires of us are not in proportion to the strength we possess in ourselves. Rather, they are proportional to the resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in ourselves to accomplish the least of God’s tasks. This is a law of grace. When we recognize it is impossible for us to perform a duty in our own strength, we will discover the secret of its accomplishment. But alas, this is a secret we often fail to discover.”

John Owen

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: High

Posted on March 29, 2008 by Barbara Harper

PhotoHunt

Theme: High | Become a Photo Hunter

This wasn’t what I was originally thinking about for “high,” but once I came across it, I just had to use it.

One of my sons has been counting calories, and he had done so well and had so many calories left after dinner one day that he splurged and went out to his favorite coffee shop to get dessert. He got a piece of chocolate cake, but it was so rich he could only eat about half of it. He looked up the nutrition information online afterward, and it was a whopping 1,400 calories!! Here is the half that was left, or about 700 calories worth.

And it sits there looking so innocent.

Chocolate cake is high in calories anyway, but I don’t know what they did to this to make it that high!

And now for a more traditional look at something high:

This the clock tower downtown, picture borrowed from my son.

Come over to TN Chick‘s place to join in on the fun.

Show and Tell Friday: Childhood Jewelry

Posted on March 28, 2008 by Barbara Harper

I wanted to show today some jewelry left from my childhood through my teen years. I don’t have a lot — I was something of a tomboy back then. 🙂

This bracelet was given to me by a friend in elementary school named Cindy.

I liked hearts even then. 🙂 Cindy was the first person to be kind to me when I first came to that school in the third grade. We were fast friends for a few years, but then drifted away from each other and eventually lost contact when I moved away.

This was from an uncle when he was in the service in Viet Nam.

He and my aunt had three daughters near my age, and we did a lot together when I was young.

I think this was from a friend’s mom when I was a teen-ager. I love this though I don’t like wearing bracelets any more.

I don’t remember for sure who gave this to me:

But it was one of my favorites when I was growing up. The top part opened into a little compartment that held a solid type of perfume — you could run a fingertip over it and dab it on. I thought that was no neat!

This was a necklace from another aunt and uncle when they lived in Jamaica for a time.

Remember when chokers were all the rage?

I almost didn’t show this because the velvet ribbon, originally white, is so discolored. As I pulled it out I wondered that my neck had actually fit in it at one time!!

These are three different necklaces:

I know the “B” was from my dad; I don’t remember where the other two came from. The chain on the heart one desperately needs cleaning, but after that it would be wearable today I think.

This was a ring I just loved then.

And I also loved and wore this one a lot:

It was found at my mom’s workplace and no one ever claimed it, so she gave it to me. I don’t know if you can tell, but the area behind the flower is a little mirror.

One piece of jewelry that I no longer have but wish I did is a little pin of an animal — I think it may have been a squirrel — that had little jewels for eyes. It was given to me by a couple of elderly great aunts on my mom’s side. I am afraid I didn’t really like or appreciate it all that much then, but I came to appreciate that these aunts made the effort throughout my life to remember me and keep in touch with me. When I graduated from high school we almost didn’t send them an invitation because we hadn’t been in contact for some time and didn’t want it to seem like we were just sending an invitation in expectation of a present. But we heard that they would be very offended if we did not send them one, so we did. One of them sent me a robe that I loved and used all throughout college in the dorms.

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane. 🙂 You can visit Kelli’s to see more “Show and Tells” and even join in the fun.

Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home hosts “Show and Tell Friday” asking “Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there’s a story behind your special something, that’s even better! If you would like to join in, all you have to do is post your “Show and Tell” on your blog, copy the post link, come over here and add it to Mr. Linky. Guidelines are here.

A reminder when I want my “own” way

Posted on March 27, 2008 by Barbara Harper

I think the essence of sin must be wanting my own way instead of God’s.

One of my sons used to object to Ken Collier’s statement, “Just two choices on the shelf: pleasing God or pleasing self” because it is possible to please both God and self if self is perfectly submitted to God. And that’s true. But we still have a constant pull toward wanting things our own way when God or the authorities He has placed over us want something from us other than what we want at the time.

Some time back I looked up verses containing the word “own” in them and sorted through the ones that speak of our own way in some form. It’s a very convicting study! I found some four pages of verses — too many to reproduce here. But I wanted to share some of them. I know sometimes it is hard to just read through a list of verses, but I would encourage you to look through them, note the dangers of our own way, and apply God’s remedy. Even more, though, I would encourage you to do this study on your own. Looking up these verses one by one had a greater impact than reading them.

Judges 17:6b: Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
II Kings 17:33: They feared the LORD, and served their own gods.
Isa. 53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Prov. 14:14a: The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways
Prov. 21:2: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
Isa. 65:2: I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
Isa. 66:3: Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Jer 18:12: And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
Ezek. 13:2: Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
Eze 16:15a: But thou didst trust in thine own beauty,
Mark 7:9: And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Rom. 10:3: For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom. 16:18: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly
Php 2:21: For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
II Tim. 3:2b: For men shall be lovers of their own selves
Jude 1:16: These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

Results:
Prov. 25:28: He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Ps. 22:29: None can keep alive his own soul.
Ps. 81:12: So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
Prov. 1:31: Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Ezek. 11:21b: I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezek. 36:31: Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Rom. 1:24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Remember:
I Cor. 6:19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Ps. 44:3: For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
Prov. 25:27b: For men to search their own glory is not glory.

Remedy:
I Samuel 15:17: And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
Prov. 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Prov. 3:7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Prov. 12:15b: He that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
Mt. 7:5a: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye…
I Cor. 10:33: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
I Cor. 13:5: Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil….
II Cor. 8:5: And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
Php 3:9: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Works-For-Me Wednesday: Claiming donated items on tax returns

Posted on March 26, 2008 by Barbara Harper

Did you know that if you itemize your tax deductions, you can claim donations to charities?

To do so, you need to make a specific list of what you are donating and get a receipt when you donate the items. When we have done it, we have simply listed “5 boys’ shirts; 6 men’s slacks,” etc. The recipient does not assign a value to what you have donated: you must do that. There are guides for how much you can claim for donated items at the Goodwill site and the Salvation Army site. I imagine you can use the same guidelines if you donate to a local rescue shelter or children’s home.

For example, you can claim $2-12 for a shirt, $2-10 for pants, $3-20 for a dress, depending on the condition. That’s more than you could make at a yard sale on those items. Household items seem to have about the same value that you might get at a yard sale, maybe a little more (lamp: $4-12; books: $.75-1.50; chair: $5-15).

There is a much more detailed document titled “Determining the Value of Donated Property” on the IRS web site at which covers multitudes of types of donated items. It also warns that there can be a 20-40% penalty if it is discovered that you overstated the value of a donated item. The IRS document on Charitable Contributions details what types of organizations and donations qualify for deductions.

The advantage to a yard sale is that you can get the cash immediately for your items. But if you don’t need the money immediately, you might make out better donating the items and claiming the deductions. Both efforts take time: the yard sale takes time to price things, advertise, and spend a morning actually selling and then packing up what’s left over. Donating to charitable organizations takes time to make lists and assign values and haul your stuff to the donation site (although some charities will pick up items) and then keep up with the paperwork until tax time. It just depends on which method you find less frustrating and confusing.

Of course, if you have things you need to get rid of and you don’t itemize your deductions and don’t want to have a yard sale, you can just take them to a donation site and drop them off without dealing with itemizing or receipts. Or you can donate them to a charity that is holding a yard sale. Some things might do well on eBay, but to list things item by item would be a bit tedious if you have a lot, and I don’t know that common everyday household items would do well. Some items, particularly children’s clothes and women’s clothes, might do well at a consignment store. Mrs. Wilt had a great post about that this week.

See Rocks In My Dryer to find more great tips or share your own with us.