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Obamamed

Jul23

Bill Kristol: “The juvenile happy talk reached its peak with this presidential statement: ‘If there’s a blue pill and a red pill, and the blue pill is half the price of the red pill and works just as well, why not pay half price for the thing that’s going to make you well?’
Now, there’s good idea. Why hasn’t anyone else thought of that? For this reform, we need to spend $1 trillion?”

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts: “I’ll believe he’s serious about improving health insurance when he says, ‘I know this can work, and we’ll start with all federal, state and local officials, elected and appointed, me and my family, Congress and SCOTUS included, and civil service staff, run it as a model for 5 years to tweak and improve it, just to show to you it can work.'”

Richard Land: “Unless Congress specifically prohibits abortion services being covered as an ‘essential benefit,’ government bureaucrats will inevitably create an “abortion mandate” for both public health insurance plans and publicly subsidized private plans. Then tens of millions of Americans will be forced to pay through their taxes for that which they find morally reprehensible.”

The Senate will NOT vote on the health care legislation until after the August break. In the meantime you can do something to stop this ridiculous legislation that will give the federal government control over something that they have no right or responsibility to control: our health and the doctors and hospitals that dispense health care.

What you can do if you DON’T want Obamamed:

1. Pray
2. E-mail and write letters to your Representative and two Senators.
3. Call the Washington office and the local office of your Representative and two Senators.
4. Spread the word! Distribute this flyer to everyone you know and use Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail samples.
5. Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper.

Hymn #55: My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less

Jul23

Lyrics: Edward Mote, 1834.
Alternate Title: On Christ the Solid Rock

Music: SOLID ROCK by William Bradbury, 1863. the vocalists are a group of homeschooled sisters called The Cadet Sisters:

Or MELITA by John Dykes. Here it is sung by Deborah Liv Johnson:

Theme: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 3:11

Read here for the story of Edward Mote’s writing the hymn’s lyrics.

LifeSpring Hymn Stories: The Solid Rock.

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico

Jul21

I’ve seen two movies based on books written by Paul Gallico: Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris starring Angela Lansbury, Omar Sharif and Diana Rigg and the blockbuster 1972 movie The Poseidon Adventure starring Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman, Red Buttons, Stella Stevens, Carol Lynley, Ernest Borgnine, and Jack Albertson. However, I’ve never read anything by Mr. Gallico until now.

Paul Gallico was a movie critic, then a very successful sports writer, but he wanted to write fiction. He wrote short stories for various magazines, got a $5000 check for one story, and promptly retired from sports-writing to write fiction. His first and most successful novel(?) was The Snow Goose. Not really a novel or even a novella, the book clocks in at 58 small, widely spaced pages, and I would call it a short story. It was first published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1940, and The Snow Goose was one of the O. Henry prize winners in 1941.

The story itself is set on the Essex coast of England, beginning in “the late spring of 1930” and ending approximately ten years later. The main action of the story takes place in and around the evacuation of Dunkirk by the British near the beginning of World War II. It’s a romantic, and sad story about an artist, his young friend and protege, and a Canada snow goose that makes its way somehow to the Essex coast and becomes a symbol of hope for survivors of the debacle and rescue that was Dunkirk.

I would think that as a gentle introduction to World War II literature, The Snow Goose would be a winner among high school students. Other books and movies featuring the evacuation of Dunkirk:

Books:
The Miracle of Dunkirk by Walter Lord. Nonfiction.

Dunkirk: The Complete Story of the First Step in the Defeat of Hitler by Norman Gelb. More nonfiction.

Dunkirk: The Men They Left Behind by Sean Longden. Times Online review/

On Rough Seas by Nancy L. Hull. Young adult fiction. Fourteen year old Alex lives in Dover, England in 1939, and he is eventually a hero as he participates in the rescue of the British soldiers at Dunkirk.

The Little Ships: the heroic rescue at Dunkirk in World War II by Louise Borden. Picture book. “A young English girl and her father take their sturdy fishing boat and join the scores of other civilian vessels crossing the English Channel in a daring attempt to rescue Allied and British troops trapped by Nazi soldiers at Dunkirk.”

Dunkirk Crescendo by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Rather melodramatic, fast-paced Christian fiction by a pair of prolific writers in the genre of historical fiction. This book is Book #9 of the Zion Covenant series published by Tyndale House.

Atonement by Ian McEwan features Dunkirk in the second half of the story. Semicolon review here.

Movies:
Dunkirk (1958) “Documentary-style film which tells two sides of the evacuation of more than 350,000 troops from Dunkirk beaches in 1940. A British corporal (John Mills) finds himself responsible for getting his men back to Britain from the Dunkirk beaches, after their officer is killed and they are separated from the main allied forces. Meanwhile, a civilian reporter (Bernard Lee) follows the build-up to the eventual evacuation of British and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk.”

Mrs. Miniver (1942) “Mrs. Miniver nobly tends her rose garden while her stalwart husband participates in the evacuation at Dunkirk. She personifies grace under pressure as the Miniver family huddles in their bomb shelter during a Luftwaffe attack, while she is forced to confront a downed Nazi paratrooper in her kitchen, and while she is preparing for her annual flower show despite the exigencies of bombing raids.” I saw Mrs. Miniver about a year ago, and I thought it was delightful. If you like The Snow Goose and its somewhat sentimental picture of a world at war, you’ll enjoy Mrs. Miniver, too.

The Snow Goose itself was made into a 1971 film starring Richard Harris and Jenny Agutter. I’ve not seen the movie; have any of you?

Nicely maintained website for fans of Paul Gallico and his books.

Red Skelton and the Pledge of Allegiance

Jul18

I see that today is comedian Red Skelton’s birthday. Red Skelton aka Cauliflower McPugg aka Clem Kaddiddlehopper aka Sheriff Deadeye aka San Fernando Red, (not to mention his many other aliases: Freddy the Freeloader, Willy Lump Lump, The Mean Widdle Kid) was a clown, a composer, a painter, a short story writer, and a poet. And a patriot. His monologue explication of the Pledge of Allegiance has become a classic. And his sign-off phrase for his TV show was the first and best of the “good wishes” signatures: he said simply and sincerely, “Good night, and God bless.”

When asked about the character of Freddy the Freeloader, Red Skelton said:

“I get asked all the time; Where did you get the idea for Freddie the Freeloader, and who is Freddie really?
Well, I guess you might say that Freddie the Freeloader is a little bit of you, and a little bit of me, a little bit of all of us, you know.
He has found out what love means. He knows the value of time. He knows that time is a glutton. We say we don’t have time to do this or do that. There’s plenty of time. The trick is to apply it. The greatest disease in the world today is procrastination.
And Freddie knows about all these things. And so do you.
He doesn’t ask anybody to provide for him, because it would be taken away from you. He doesn’t ask for equal rights if it’s going to give up some of yours.
And he knows one thing … that patriotism is more powerful than guns.
He ís nice to everybody because he was taught that man is made in Godís image. He’s never met God in person and the next fella just might be him.

I would say that Freddie is a little bit of all of us.”

I have fond memories of watching Red Skelton on television back the olden days (the 70’s). If you’ve never seen him perform, head over to you tube and look him up. He’ll make you smile, and maybe, probably, that’s what you need today.

Good night, and God bless.

Hymn #63: I’ll Fly Away

Jul11

Lyrics: Albert E. Brumley, 1929.

Music: Albert E. Brumley

Theme: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17

Here’s Allison Krauss singing with scenes from the movie O Brother Where Art Thou.

My brother-in-law loved that movie; I was and am completely unable to share his enthusiasm, except for the music which is worth enduring the tediousness of the movie.

Some bright morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To that home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away

Chorus
I’ll fly away oh glory
I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone
I’ll fly away
Like a bird from prison bars has flown
I’ll fly away

Oh how glad and happy when we meet
I’ll fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet
I’ll fly away

Just a few more weary days and then
I’ll fly away
To a land where joys will never end
I’ll fly away

Albert E. Brumley, the author and composer of this famous gospel hit, was the son of an Oklahoma share-cropper, and at the age of sixteen he decided to write gospel music.

“In 1926 Albert made a life-altering decision. He left the family farm and traveled east toward Hartford, Arkansas, searching for a “Good Samaritan.” His name was Eugene Monroe Bartlett, owner of the Hartford Music Company and director of the Hartford Musical Institute. . . . Throwing back his frail shoulders, Albert found the Institute and soon located Mr. Bartlett in his office. He introduced himself and said, “Mr. Bartlett, I hear that you’ll teach a fella how to sing and how to write music. I’ve come to learn and I understand I don’t have to have any money.”
Mr. Bartlett asked Albert if he at least had money for tuition, which was five dollars. Albert answered, “No, sir.” Bartlett then asked if he had any money for his room and board. Again the answer came, “No sir, Mr. Bartlett, I don’t have any money period.”
Albert never forgot what happened next. The “Good Samaritan” looked the frail young man up and down and said, “Well, in that case you better go over to my house and board.”

Brumley spent the rest of his life writing music,and he eventually bought Eugene Bartlett’s music publishing company after Bartlett’s death.

You can listen to this gospel favorite sung by almost any country or folk or gospel artist you want to hear. They’ve all recorded it: Wynona Judd, Johnny Cash, Jars of Clay, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride, Nickel Creek, Hank Williams, Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn, Kanye West, WIllie Nelson, Plainsong, Ronnie Milsap, Aretha Franklin, George Jones, Avalon, and Jerry Lee Lewis, just to link and name a few.

Sources:
Biographical Sketch on the Life of Albert E. Brumley.

Hymn #64: To God Be the Glory

Jul11

Lyrics: Fanny Crosby.

Music: William H. Doane.

Theme: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 1:6-7

Steve Webb at Lifespring Hymn Stories: “One of Fanny Crosby’s many hymns which was not at all popular when it was first published. Cliff Barrows, of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association team, was introduced to this wonderful hymn eighty years after it was written, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

To God be the glory, great things He hath done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin,
And opened the lifegate, that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer, the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done!

William H. Doane was one of Fanny Crosby’s many collaborators. He was quite prolific himself, writing over 2000 hymn tunes.

I love this one, tune and lyrics. I can still hear my father-in-law, John Early (now with the Lord), humming and singing To God Be the Glory as he went about his daily tasks, gardening and cleaning and studying. I tend to slide into the same song, unconsciously, whenever I feel the urge to praise the Lord. I use the words I learned: “lifegate” and “transport.” I don’t mind adding new verses to an old song, but I don’t like changing the original words unless there’s a good reason to do so.

Now it’s also possible to write an entirely new song, inspired by an old one. This Andre Crouch standard isn’t Fanny’s song, but it’s obviously informed by her lyrics.

Sources:
Faith Alone Journal: To God Be the Glory.

Hymn #65: What Wondrous Love Is This

Jul10

Lyrics: Attributed to Alexander Means.

Music: Appalachian folk tune arranged first by William Walker for his hymnal, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, then later by Southern Baptist musician William J. Reynolds.

Theme: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14.

This bluegrass version by a group called Blue Highway is not exactly the same tune that I’m used to hearing, but it’s probably more authentic and true to the older shape note rendition:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

Ye winged seraphs, fly! Bear the news! bear the news!
Ye winged seraphs fly! bear the news!
Ye winged seraphs fly!
Like comets through the sky,
Fill vast eternity with the news, with the news,
Fill vast eternity with the news!

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

Come, friends of Zion’s King, join the praise, join the praise,
Come, friends of Zion’s King, join the praise!
Come, friends of Zion’s King,
With hearts and voices sing,
And strike each tuneful string, in his praise, in his praise,
And strike each tuneful string in his praise.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

It would be easy to make new verses to this song. Maybe I’ll see if my urchins can make up a new verse to sing to this tune that expresses their faith. Here’s mine:

Amazing grace, how sweet, sweet the sound, sweet the sound,
Amazing grace, how sweet, sweet the sound.
Amazing grace, how sweet
My Lord in heav’n I’ll meet,
We’ll sing and praise His grace, sweet the sound, sweet the sound.
We’ll sing and praise His grace, sweet the sound.

Yes, I borrowed a bit, but I rather like it. Anyone else want to try it?

Adventures in (Homeschool) Education

Jul9

What wonderfully educational activities have my urchins been involved in this week since we’re “out of school” and taking our summer break?

I wish I could say it’s been all cultural enrichment and self-guided educational pursuits here at Semicolon Ranch, but to tell the truth, sometimes they’re all picking at each other and teasing and annoying and driving me straight to the looney bin, wherever that may be. However, whan I stop and think about it, we have managed to do some things that might be considered “educational” in the midst of the summer restlessness and provocations.


1. We’ve been listening to Adventures in Odyssey non-stop for the past two days. I’m rather tired of Mr. Whittaker and Company, but I don’t think the urchins are yet. We’ve managed to visit with Daniel (from the Bible), the founding fathers of the U.S., Abraham Lincoln, and various other historical and Biblical figures and heroes. We’ve also heard stories that illustrate the meaning of becoming a responsible adult, the dangers of lying and cheating, the value of gratitude, and the pitfalls of materialism. I’ve also developed a desire to gag Eugene and make him be quiet.

2. Soap-carving. Engineer Husband was going to let the seven year old carve WOOD with a KNIFE. “Free range children,” he said to me. (Why did I have him read that review?) Anyway, I suggested soap as safer and easier alternative, and the rest is history —and soap flakes, everywhere. They haven’t really carved anything too recognizable, but they have had a blast turning the bars of soap into soap shavings. It’s cheap fun, and we now have a large jar of soap flakes sitting in each of our bathrooms. Oh, and the house smells pretty good.

3. We watched the BBC miniseries of Dickens’ Oliver Twist, starting on Monday night and finishing up on Tuesday. I thought it was a good production, but I’m not sure how true it is to the book since I haven’t read the book in twenty years. Oliver was a little more pugnacious in this version than I remembered him, and Engineer Husband said the whole thing was darker and more violent than he remembered the story to be. However, I think his only standard for comparison is Oliver!, the musical.

4. Z-baby (age 7) made supper with a little help from her older sister (age 14). It was Z-baby’s idea to make supper herself, and she planned the menu: pancakes. I suggested some bacon for the sake of adding a little protein to the meal, and Z-baby agreed.

5. Before Adventures in Odyssey, we were listening to the audiobook version of Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls WIlder. Z-baby, who still can’t read very well, says she’s “obsessed with listening to books.”

6. Brown Bear Daughter is studying for her tests in biology and algebra. She’s trying to test out of those two courses that she took this year at home so that she doesn’t have to repeat them in the public high school she’s planning to attend in the fall. She’ll be my first child to attend public school, and I’m excited/nervous for her.

7. Betsy-Bee read The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom on Monday when she went over to help her grandma with her laundry. Brown Bear Daughter re-read The Black Cauldron by Lloyd ALexander since one of those books that Z-baby was obsessed with last week was The Book of Three on CD.

8. I can’t get Karate Kid (12) to read anything right now for some reason. I think it’s just a phase he’s going through. He wants to socialize (Facebook, telephone, in person), and he needs to work and burn some energy. However, our lawn mower is in the shop. Any suggestions for the reading or the work?

9. We’re still reading a chapter a day, more of less, of The Hobbit. However, the only one who’s still with me is Z-baby. It makes me sad to hear my sweet Karate Kid say that The Hobbit is “boring” (“I’ve already read that book, and I don’t read books over again.”), but I take consolation from this quote courtesy of Palm Tree Pundit.
10. I’m pushing myself through a book about the history of modern Cambodia/Kampuchea, as per this quotation from The Common Room. It’s interesting, but the details about the Communist Party intrigues and the sheer brutality and wickedness of Pol Pot and his cohorts sometimes is overwhelming. I know a lot more about Southeast Asia, particularly Indochina than I ever did before. Who knew that the Vietnamese have a reputation as really bad dancers?

So, maybe we’re not really driving one another to distraction. And maybe we’ll all survive summer break. But I did threaten to start the new school year on July 20th.

Hymn #67: Jesus Loves Me

Jul8

Lyrics: Anna Warner wrote the first four verses printed below. Several authors have added more verses, including Anglican priest David Rutherford McGuire in 1971.
The chorus was added by William Bradbury.

Music: William B. Bradbury.

Theme: The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. I Timothy 1:14

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Jesus loves me he who died
heaven’s gate to open wide.
He will wash away my sin,
let his little child come in.

Jesus loves me! Loves me still
Tho’ I’m very weak and ill;
That I might from sin be free
Bled and died upon the tree.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Additional verses and variations:
Jesus loves me, this I know,
as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee,
saying, “Let them come to me.”

Jesus loves me when I’m good,
When I do the things I should,
Jesus loves me when I’m bad,
Though it makes Him very sad.

Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
If I love Him when I die,
He will take me home on high.

Jesus loves me! See His grace!
On the cross He took my place.
There He suffered and He died,
That I might be glorified.

Jesus loves me! God’s own Son
Over sin the vict’ry won.
When I die, saved by His grace,
I shall see Him face to face.

Jesus loves me! He is near.
He is with His Church so dear.
And the Spirit He has sent
By His Word and Sacrament.

The lyrics to “Jesus Loves Me” first appeared in a novel written by Anna Warner’s sister Susan. Mr. Bradbury came across the lyrics and added music and a chorus.

Amy Carmichael, the Irish missionary to India, was converted after hearing “Jesus Loves Me” at a children’s mission in Yorkshire, England.

Wikipedia: “In 1943 in the Solomon Islands, John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 was rammed and sunk. Islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana who found Kennedy and the survivors remembers that when they rode on PT boats to retrieve the survivors, the Marines sang this song with the natives, who learned it from missionaries.”

John Stott: “The love of Christ is an immense subject, shallow enough for a child to paddle in; “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” But deep enough for giants to wade in: “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ!” “the love of Christ is ‘broad’ enough to compass all mankind (especially Jews and Gentiles, the theme of these chapters), ‘long’ enough to last for eternity, ‘deep’ enough to reach the most degraded sinner, and ‘high’ enough to exalt him to heaven.”

Glimpses of Christian History: “When Mao Tse Tung founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Christian church was severely persecuted, with little information coming to the outside world. In 1972 some Americans received an unusual message from China–that the “This I know” people were well! The Chinese authorities thought the message nonsensical, so they let it through. The Americans clearly understood the reference to Anna Warner’s simple hymn–“Jesus Loves Me.”

One Sunday at the close of a church service at Swiss L’Abri, Francis Schaeffer asked the congregation to sing, “Jesus Loves Me.” He smiled and added, “Some of you may realize that this is my favorite hymn.”

And on it goes. As a “Sunbeam” I earned to sing the chorus to “Jesus Loves Me” in Spanish, in Chinese, in Japanese, and probably in several more languages. I don’t remember any of the language versions except for the Spanish, but I do remember the point my teachers were trying to make: the gospel of Jesus, who loves us all, is for all people everywhere.

Ms. Warner’s little song continues to preach the gospel around the world in all sorts of languages and in many, many places. It’s been parodied, mocked, translated, taught, added to, revised, and sung all over the earth. This simple little hymn with even simpler chorus captures the essence of the gospel and, especially in Ms. Warner’s second and fourth verses, presents who Jesus is and what He did for us in terms so simple that any child, or child-like adult, who is willing to listen can understand and respond.

Hymn #68: Children of the Heavenly Father

Jul7

Lyrics: Carolina W. Sandell-Berg, translated from Swedish to English by Ernst W. Olson.

Music: TRYGGARE KAN INGEN VARA, Swedish melody, arranged by Oskar Ahn­felt.

Theme: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. I John 3:1.

The View From the Porch: “‘Children of the Heavenly Father’ is a sweet and lovely lullaby that is traditionally heard at Swedish funerals in these parts. When the small family group rose to sing this song as the service started, I knew I was in trouble. I held my own with only my chin trembling, until they sang the last verse… in Swedish. That was it. The tears flowed and it was so beautiful.”

Garrison Keillor: “I once sang the bass line of Children of the Heavenly Father in a room with about three thousand Lutherans in it; and when we finished, we all had tears in our eyes, partly from the promise that God will not forsake us, partly from the proximity of all those lovely voices. By our joining in harmony, we somehow promise that we will not forsake each other.”

Children of the Heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given

God His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms He bears them

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth

Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children ne’er forsaketh
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy

Lo their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Your Protector never slumbers
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foe man must surrender.

Lina Berg, as she was known to her friends, wrote and published hymn lyrics even as a child. She was a sickly child and at the age of ten had to stay at home while the rest of her family attended the Lutheran church where her father was a pastor. When Lina was twenty-three, she accompanied her father on a boat trip and watched as he fell from the boat and drowned before her eyes.

After that experience, Lina wrote the other hymn for which she is most known in the English-speaking world, Day By Day.

Day by day and with each passing moment
Strength I find to meet my trials here
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best!
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Sources:
Christian History Institute: Lina Berg.
Luther Products: Children of the Heavenly Father, the Story of Lina Sandell.