What's saving my life right now

Modern Mrs. Darcy has such a brilliant Groundhog Day tradition to post about what's saving our lives right now.


I didn't know how to feel when my calendar told me that January was almost over.  My first thought was Yay...until I remembered that next comes February, which is worse, followed by March, which is just as bad.

It is, however, always close to 80 degrees in the chicken house where Jed is working these days.  His employers hired him to take care of things on his own while they were out of town last weekend.

Honorable mentions this year go to my ginormous tea stash of various kinds that I got for Christmas; afternoon quiet time in my room after school; and hiring a cleaning service.  I'd probably lose my mind without any one of these.

But the winner for what's saving my life right now is both idiotically simple and groan-inducingly difficult.


Getting out of the house.

I regularly fantasize about being stuck on a deserted island.  I always kind of wonder why Robinson Crusoe was so desperate to get off.  If there was a hermit club, I would join it.  Except I wouldn't.  And there wouldn't be one anyway...

My favorite place in the world is in my room under a fuzzy blanket.  So when life is stressful (as it is), I tend to dig in my heels under that fuzziness.  But through herculean effort, I actually left the house three times this week, not counting church, errands, or kids' activities--and two of those times represent patterns that will continue for the coming weeks.

Our church is doing Christianity Explored on Tuesday nights, over a meal, and I'm on the clean-up team.  So far it's been far more laughing than sweating.

Wednesday night my dear friend planned a girlfriends' night out to dinner, which was so lovely and refreshing and lots of fun and laughs.

And on Thursday afternoon I started my career as a library volunteer.  My shift is once a week, and, this time at least, I enjoyed a good long walk to and fro (and even had my act together enough to have a pot of hot soup waiting for me when I got home).  Being my first time, I got a tour of the library, much of which I knew from my extensive time spent there, but also including the very exciting behind-the-scenes and behind-the-desk tour.  Then I got to shelve a rack of books and learned how to check in returned books.  It was all nerdy and thrilling and slow-paced and I'm looking forward to next week.

Two years ago I posted about how sunrise runs were saving my life.  It could well be that the things we think will kill us (running at dawn; leaving the house, ever) are the things we realize are saving our life.

Quick lit

It's that time of the month again (not that time of the month again) when I link up with Modern Mrs. Darcy for What We're Reading Lately!


This month...


Psalms, Titus and Proverbs

Photo by Lalaine Macababbad on Unsplash

I finished Psalms, zoomed through Titus, and started Proverbs.


Titus 3:2:  "Malign no one...be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men."  Uncomfortably convicting.


Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

I briefly debated leaving this one off my list because I didn't technically read it; I listened to the audio version, read by Kaling herself.  But I feel that my list needs all the padding it can get, so here we are.  Besides, that still counts, right?


I so appreciate Mindy Kaling's voice, by which I mean her persona and message, although her reading voice was very pleasant to listen to as well.  She's funny and refreshing and seems like the girl next door that you could be besties with.  By the end I felt like I had skated on the edge of my raunch tolerance long enough, though.  Glad to read (hear) it, glad when it was over.


Oh, but also--how lovely to hear someone else lament about the trials of having the name Mindy.  I am not the only one who endured years of adults, convinced they were clever, asking about Mork.  Thank you, Mindy Kaling.  We can totally be Mindy friends.


The Witch Elm by Tana French

Ooooh, this was good.  I devoured it in like two days.  Very interesting take on the unreliable narrator.  It kept me guessing for a while, although I did get close enough in the end so when whodunit was revealed I wasn't surprised.


Dead bodies, suicide, family dysfunction, and contested wills, but what bothered me the most was the inevitable romantic breakup!  Alas.


Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

This is really fun.  I think it's the title that really reminds me of Mr. Lemoncello's Library.  But it's also about a giant puzzle.  I have just a few chapters left that I hope to finish off as soon as this post is done....


I do wonder how much of the tech stuff is true.  Can computers really do all the stuff in the book?  And is that an accurate portrayal of the Google campus?  Maybe someone techie will read it and fill me in.


And bonus surprise:  the cover glows in the dark.  So, if you leave it on your nightstand overnight, you might want to flip it face-down.  Unless you want to blearily wonder in the middle of the night (sans glasses) what is glowing and what you could've possibly left plugged in next to you.


The Young Carthaginian by G. A. Henty

I just started reading this to Lizzy and Caleb for school, as we're learning about Carthage.  I read it before, either to or with one (or both?) of the older kids.  It's about a young man in Hannibal's army, learning from the best, so to speak.  Sadly, our library copy does not have nearly as cool a cover as this.


Now I'll go see what happens to Mr. Penumbra.  Happy reading!

Singing through the Psalms, part V

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.


Part V is another especially rich section for modern music!


Psalm 103:1-2, 8:  "Bless the LORD, O my soul, / And all that is within me, bless His holy name. / Bless the LORD, O my soul, / And forget none of His benefits...The LORD is compassionate and gracious, / Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness."

You're rich in love
And You're slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness

I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons

For my heart to find

Bless the Lord oh my soul

Oh my soul

Worship His holy name

~Matt Redman, "10,000 Reasons"

Bless the Lord, O my soul

And all that is within me

Bless His holy name

~Andrae Crouch, "Bless His Holy Name"

Psalm 103:12:  "As far as the east is from the west, / So far has He removed our transgressions from us."

I know You've cast my sin as far

As the east is from the west...

Jesus, can you show me just how far the east is from the west?...

You know just how far the east is from the west

From one scarred hand to the other

~Casting Crowns, "East to West"

Psalm 103:20-22:  "Bless the LORD, you His angels, / Mighty in strength, who perform His word, / Obeying the voice of His word! / Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, / You who serve Him, doing His will. / Bless the LORD, all you works of His, / In all places of His dominion; / Bless the LORD, O my soul!"

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly host

Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

Amen

~Thomas Ken, "Doxology"

Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34:  "Bless the LORD, O my soul! / O LORD my God, You are very great...O LORD, how many are Your works! / In wisdom You have made them all; / The earth is full of Your possessions...You take away their spirit, they expire / And return to their dust. / You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; / And You renew the face of the ground. / Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; / Let the LORD be glad in His works...Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; / As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD."

Lord send out Your Spirit

And renew the face of the earth

Bless the Lord, oh my soul.

Oh Lord, my God, You are great indeed.

How manifold are Your works, oh Lord!

The earth is full of Your creatures.

If You take away their breath, oh Lord,

They die and return to their dust.

When You send forth Your Spirit they live.

You renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord

Endure forever, and may the Lord

Be glad in His work.

Pleasing to Him be my theme,

For I rejoice in the Lord.

~Joe Zsigray, "Lord, Send Out Your Spirit"

Psalm 106:1, 48: "Praise the LORD! / Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; / For His lovingkindness is everlasting...From everlasting even to everlasting."

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King

His love endures forever

For He is good, He is above all things

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise...

Forever, forever

~Chris Tomlin, "Forever"

Psalm 108:3-5:  "I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples, / And I will sing praises to You among the nations. / For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, / And Your truth reaches to the skies. / Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, / And Your glory above all the earth."

I will give thanks to Thee

O Lord, among the people

I will sing praises to Thee

Among the nations

For Thy steadfast love is great

Is great to the heavens

And Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness to the clouds

Be exalted, O God

Above the heavens

Let Thy glory be over all the earth

~Brent Chambers, "I Will Give Thanks to Thee"

Psalm 113:2, 4:  "Blessed be the name of the LORD...His glory is above the heavens."

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious Name

~Matt Redman, "Blessed Be Your Name"

Psalm 118:24:  "This is the day which the LORD has made; / Let us rejoice and be glad in it."

This is the day that the Lord has made

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

~"This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made"

Psalm 119:105, 112:  "Your word is a lamp to my feet / And a light to my path...Forever, even to the end."

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path...

I will love You to the end

~Amy Grant, "Thy Word"

Psalm 121:1-2:  "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; / From where shall my help come? / My help comes from the LORD, / Who made heaven and earth."

I lift my eyes up

Up to the mountains

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from You

Maker of heaven

Creator of the earth

~Brian Doerksen, "I Lift My Eyes Up"

Psalm 124:1-6, 8:  "'Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,' / Let Israel now say, / 'Had it not been the LORD who was on our side / When men rose up against us, / Then they would have swallowed us alive...Then the waters would have engulfed us; / The stream would have swept over our soul; / Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.' / Blessed be the LORD, / Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth...Our help is in the name of the LORD, / Who made heaven and earth."

If the Lord had not been on our side

All our enemies would have swallowed us alive

If the Lord had not been on our side

All the raging waters

And the mighty flood

Would have swept over us

If the Lord

If the Lord

If the Lord had not been on our side

Blessed be the Lord

Blessed be the Lord Who has not given us up

The Lord Who is our help

Maker of heaven and earth

~Rob Mathes, "If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side"

A handful of these Psalms also echo into the New Testament...

- Psalm 109:8 ("Let another take his office.") is quoted in Acts 1:20, in reference to Judas Iscariot.

- Psalm 109:25 ("When they see me, they wag their head.") is quoted in Matthew 27:39 and Mark 15:29 to describe Jesus' mockers.

- Psalm 110:1 ("The LORD says to my Lord: / 'Sit at My right hand / Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.'") is quoted repeatedly; in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43, and Hebrews 1:13.

- Psalm 110:4 ("The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, / 'You are a priest forever / According to the order of Melchizedek.'") is quoted in Hebrews 5:6 and 7:17.

- Psalm 118:22-23 ("The stone which the builders rejected / Has become the chief corner stone. / This is the LORD's doing; / It is marvelous in our eyes.") is quoted in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17, and 1 Peter 2:7.

- The people shout Psalm 118:26 ("Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD") on Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9, Luke 19:38, and John 12:13. 

Next time we finish up with just a few entire psalms in Part VI.  

Singing through the Psalms, part IV

Part I [Psalms 1-25].


Part II [Psalms 26-50].


Part III [Psalms 51-75].


Part IV [Psalms 76-100]:  A mashup of Catholic responsorial psalms, camp songs, 70's praise music, and Matt Redman.


Psalm 81:1:  "Sing for joy to God our strength"

Sing for joy to God our strength

~Don Moen, "Sing for Joy"

Psalm 81:16:  "But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat"

You satisfy the hungry heart

With gift of finest wheat

~John Michael Talbot, "Gift of Finest Wheat"

Psalm 84:1-2, 10:  "How lovely are Your dwelling places, / O LORD of hosts! / My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; / My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God...For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside."  

How lovely is Your dwelling place

O Lord Almighty

For my soul longs and even faints for You...

Better is one day in Your courts

Than thousands elsewhere...

My heart and flesh cry out

For You, the living God

~Matt Redman, "Better Is One Day"

Psalm 91:1-2, 4-5, 11-12:  "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High / Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. / I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, / My God, in whom I trust!'...He will cover you with His pinions, / And under His wings you may seek refuge; / His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. / You will not be afraid of the terror by night, / Or of the arrow that flies by day...For He will give His angels charge concerning you, / To guard you in all your ways. / They will bear you up in their hands, / That you do not strike your foot against a stone."

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord

Who abide in His shadow for life

Say to the Lord, "My refuge

My Rock in Whom I trust."

You need not fear the terror of the night

Nor the arrow that flies by day

Under His wings your refuge

His faithfulness your shield

For to His angels He's given a command

To guard you in all of your ways

Upon their hands they will bear you up

Lest you dash your foot against a stone

~Michael Crawford, "On Eagle's Wings"

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9:  "O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, / Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. / Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, / Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms...Come, let us worship and bow down, / Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. / For He is our God, / And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. / Today, if you would hear His voice, / Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, / As in the day of Massah in the wilderness, / 'When your fathers tested Me, / They tried Me, though they had seen My work.'" 

If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;

let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving;

let us joyfully sing psalms to Him.

Come, let us bow down in worship;

let us kneel before the LORD Who made us.

For He is our God,

and we are the people He shepherds, the flock He guides.

Oh, that today you would hear His voice:

"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,

as in the day of Massah in the desert,

Where your fathers tempted Me;

they tested Me though they had seen My works."

~David Haas, "If Today You Hear His Voice"

Come let us worship and bow down

Let us kneel before the Lord

Our God our Maker

For He is our God

And we are the people of His pasture

And the sheep of His hand

~Dave Doherty, "Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down"

Psalm 100:2-4:  "Serve the LORD with gladness / Come before Him with joyful singing...It is He Who has made us, and not we ourselves...Enter His gates with thanksgiving / And His courts with praise."

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart

I will enter His courts with praise

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice for He has made me glad

~Leona Von Brethorst, "I Will Enter His Gates"


[Side note: an interesting little bio here about Leona Von Brethorst.]

- Psalm 91:11-12 ("For He will give His angels charge concerning you, / To guard you in all your ways. / They will bear you up in their hands, / That you do not strike your foot against a stone.") will be familiar to anyone who has read the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11.

- Psalm 95:11 ("Therefore I swore in My anger, / Truly they shall not enter into My rest.") is quoted in Hebrews 4:3, 5.

Stay tuned for parts V and VI of the Psalm series.  I'm amazed both at the richness of this sacred book...and how much memory is in my brain, after all.  

The good, the bad, and the handsome

Caleb and Jeddy both got post-Christmas haircuts this week and are looking sharp.  I told Caleb as much the other day.

Me:  "Nice haircut, Caleb.  You look good."

Caleb, running off down the hall, scurrying around Jeddy, who is hanging precariously off his new pull-up bar:  "Don't kill me!  I'm too handsome!"

Glad to know he has a proper value for the inherent worth of human life. 

2020 is looking great already

When I booked Jason and myself a New Year's Eve dinner reservation and overnight stay at the fancy inn downtown, I expected it to be pretty nice. 


But nothing prepared me for the delight that was dinner's second course.

"Halibut cheeks" in curry sauce.  

Dinner:  $75.

Wine pairing:  $20.

Ringing in the New Year by stifling explosive laughter while the waiter solemnly describes the tenderness of his "halibut cheeks":  

Priceless.  

Singing through the Psalms, part III

Part I (Psalms 1-25) here.


Part II (Psalms 26-50) here.


Highlighting just a couple Psalm-inspired songs today...


Psalm 51:10-12:  "Create in me a clean heart, O God, / And renew a steadfast spirit within me. / Do not cast me away from Your presence / And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. / Restore to me the joy of Your salvation"

Create in me a clean heart, O God

And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, O Lord

And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation

And renew a right spirit within me

~Keith Green, "Create in Me a Clean Heart"

Psalm 57:9-11:  "I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; / I will sing praises to You among the nations. / For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens / And Your truth to the clouds. / Be exalted above the heavens, O God; / Let Your glory be above all the earth."

I will give thanks to Thee

O Lord, among the people

I will sing praises to Thee

Among the nations

For Thy steadfast love is great

Is great to the heavens

And Thy faithfulness

Thy faithfulness to the clouds

Be exalted, O God

Above the heavens

Let Thy glory be over all the earth

~Brent Chambers, "Be Exalted, O God"

But here are several New Testament Psalm references from this section:

- Psalm 53:1-3 ("There is no one who does good. / God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men / To see if there is anyone who understands, / Who seeks after God. / Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; / There is no one who does good, not even one."), which is almost an exact replica of Psalm 14, is quoted in Romans 3:10-12.

- Psalm 68:18 ("You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; / You have received gifts among men") is cited in Ephesians 4:8.

- Psalm 69:9 ("For zeal for Your house has consumed me") is quoted in John 2:17 as a commentary on Jesus driving the moneychangers out of the temple.

- Psalms 69:21 ("They also gave me gall for my food / And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.") is fulfilled by Jesus on the cross, as described in Matthew 27:34, 48; Mark 15:23, 36; Luke 23:36; and John 19:29.