Then Sings My Soul Saturday...

I have about a million camp posts just waiting to make their way from my swirling mind to my keyboard, but first must finish editing the 1000 + photos I took at camp so I can pass some on for tomorrow night's slideshow. :)  In the meantime, this is just a super-quick post linking up with Amy from Signs, Miracles, and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday. The youth/adult ensemble sang this song Thursday night at camp, and it has been stuck in my head ever since. Such a beautiful expression of worship...and so appropriate for our camp theme of "Heads Up!", taken from Colossians 3:1-17.






I also have a partial video of the ensemble singing this at camp. I wish I had thought to video all of the special music at camp...Mrs. Sarah did a wonderful job of putting it together, and it was all beautiful. I did get a few videos, which I'll be posting here and there amongst the camp posts. This one cut off right in the middle with the "card full" message...which is really unfortunate, because the last half was the best! Hopefully I'll be able to get someone to video it...with plenty of space on my card...when we repeat it Sunday morning. In the meantime, here is a little preview. :) Please forgive the video quality...I had handed off my camera to my husband, who really doesn't like to even hold the camera, but who was sweet enough to agree to attempt a video for me. :)



(Btw...I just now noticed that Bud has a pair of the "Timothys'" glasses hanging on the back of his head as we're singing...lol!)

Sunday Song...

There were several songs from this morning's worship that spoke greatly to me, but the one that ministered most was one we didn't even sing!  Katie played Steve Green's  "God and God Alone" this morning for the offertory...so beautiful!  Bits and pieces of the words flitted through my head as she played...I hadn't heard it in years, so I had to come home and look up the rest of the lyrics:

God and God Alone Steve Green God and God alone, created all these things we call our own; from the mighty to the small, the glory in them all is God's and God's alone. God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown. And the best and worst of man, won't change the Master's plan, it's God's and God's alone. God and God alone is here to take the universe's throne. Let everything that lives, reserve its truest praise for God and God alone. God and God alone will be the joy of our eternal home. He will be our one desire, our hearts will never tire, of God and God alone.

Whisky Frisky

Whisky, Frisky,

                                                  Hippity-hop

Up he goes

To the treetop!

Whirly, twirly,

Round and round,

Down he scampers

To the ground.

Furly, curly,

What a tail!

Tall as a feather,

Broad as a sail!

Where's his supper?

In the shell,

Snap, cracky,

Out it fell.

Power of the Cross

Another night I didn't at all feel like staying for choir...another night I'm glad I did.  So needed to just immerse myself in these words for a while tonight....

Power of the Cross

Once in darkness now in light 
Once blind now you see 
Once a sinner now a saint 
Once bound now free. 

[CHORUS:]
That's the power of the Cross 

See the chains fall 
That's the power of the Cross 

See the chains fall 

Once a stranger now a child 
Empty now filled 
Once condemned now reconciled 
Broken now healed 

[CHORUS:]
That's the power of the Cross 
See the chains fall 
That's the power of the Cross 

See the chains fall 

Once a prodigal now home 
Once lost now found 
Once and enemy now a friend 
Once poor now crowned 

[CHORUS:]
That's the power of the Cross 

See the chains fall 
That's the power of the Cross 

See the chains fall!

~Shelly E. Johnson

This is not my favorite arrangement of this song, but it is the only one I could find. :)

Sunday Song...Super-Quick version :)

It's been a great, crazy, exhausting day here...more on that tomorrow, I hope.  But before I collapse into bed in preparation for a super-busy (and hopefully super-productive) day tomorrow, I'm going to post a super-quick Sunday Song post. :)  

I love (LOVE) Travis Cottrell's "Jesus Saves".   We've been singing it as a choir piece for about a year now (I think...), and it's a favorite for many of us (as well as many in the congregation.)  I ran across a video of Wes Hampton singing it this morning as I was getting ready for church and thought "I need to post this later..."  Then I dashed into the choir room this morning and discovered we were singing it in church this morning. :)   

As many times as we've sung it, it's one of those songs that always thrills me (and speaks to me) in a slightly different way.  This morning, I was just totally caught up in worship through the whole song...and then we hit this line:  "The redeemed will sing forever, Jesus Saves!"  

I almost couldn't finish the song as emotion (and a few tears) hit hard.  All of the sudden, all I could think of was my dad...and Bro. Roy and Mrs. Jimmie...and dear Lucy...Tom Stuart...Aaron...Andy W...Linda Vaughn...so many who are gone now, but who I associate with singing...in a tremendous choir, singing Jesus Saves, over and over again, like the angels that proclaim "Holy, Holy, Holy".   Wow.  What a thought!   We have assurance of that salvation through a glass darkly, but they have that assurance face to face!  It was one of those times when words you've heard and said and sung over and over just overwhelm you in a whole new way...and they are overwhelming me all over again just thinking about it.  

In all the hubbub, in all the craziness...that's what matters.  That's it.  That's what ALL the rest of it is about...whether we realize it at any given time or not.  Jesus Saves!  

Hear the heart of heaven beating
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
And the hush of mercy breathing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Hear the host of angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King"
And the sounding joy repeating
Jesus saves!

See the humblest hearts adore Him
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
And the wisest bow before Him
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
See the sky alive with praise
Melting darkness in its blaze
There is light forevermore in
Jesus saves!

He will live, our sorrow sharing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
He will die our burden bearing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
"It is done!" will shout the cross
Christ has paid redemption's cost
While the empty tomb's declaring
Jesus saves!

Freedom's calling
Chains are falling
Hope is dawning
Bright and true
Day is breaking
Night is quaking
God is making all things new
Jesus saves!

Oh, to Christ, how great a debtor
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Are the saints who shout together
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Rising up so vast and strong
Lifting up salvation's song
The redeemed will sing forever
Jesus saves!

~ David Moffett and Travis Cottrell

Quick One...

I went out to try to get another {better focused} shot of this...

and instead got these...

Then I looked up and discovered this watching me... :-)

Weekend Wildlife...

Saturday morning backyard wildlife...

We have a whole clan of brown thrashers in our backyard...they live in our fencerow.

Baby Brown Thrasher...