Tabby on Piano: And Can It Be That I Should Gain?

Several things to briefly share today and only a few minutes to do so!

First, Cindy-the-soap-nut-lady had a good post the other day about using a soap nut product to clean windows - see her post here.  (My post on using soap nuts for laundry detergent is here.)  Don't forget - if you order any soap nut products from Cindy, use the code LILLY10 to get a 10% discount. :)

Second, have you ever tried oil pulling?  This is swishing coconut oil in your mouth for about 15 minutes and then spitting it out.  It pulls all sorts of toxins out of your mouth and even your body!  You can read a fascinating summary of the benefits in a Samaritan Ministries newsletter article here.  Recently Trina Holden shared a post about oil pulling on her blog and how her family has been able to heal cavities by oil pulling.  I'm inspired enough now to make oil pulling a habit. (I thought it would make my mouth really tired but it didn't.)

Next, Tabby has become an awesome goat milker!  She is so faithful to the job I haven't even gotten a chance to try it yet.

Solomon, who just turned 9 months last Saturday, loves pushing his activity walker though he hasn't figured out how to turn yet:

Frank and Lilly were among the fathers and daughters pictured on the SOFT website for Father's Day.  The collage is still up - they are on the "5th page" of it with this picture:

Sigh.  That picture makes me miss holding Lilly's little body.


Seems I like so many hymns written by Charles Wesley.  I am so thankful for God's AMAZING LOVE.  Here is Tabby playing "And Can it be That I Should Gain?" 

And Can It Be That I Should Gain?   by Charles Wesley

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.

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

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!

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for 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.
 
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
 
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
 
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.
 
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

My Jesus I Love Thee

The old hymn "My Jesus I Love Thee" is a family favorite.  We sung it at Lilly's funeral, and I remember singing it at the funeral of other relatives.  Last month I posted a video of my daughter T. playing "Lily of the Valley" on the piano.  She wants to learn how to play on the piano all the songs we sung at Lilly's funeral.

Here is a video of her second effort, "My Jesus I Love Thee."  She played one verse and I thought it sounded beautiful.

My Jesus, I Love Thee - by William R. Featherston

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.


I bet Lilly looks beautiful with that "glittering crown" on her head!  This morning my son H. said he wanted to go visit Lilly at her "house in heaven" and "eat dinner with her."  He said she probably got to eat breakfast this morning with Jesus, and maybe even God.  I love how cheerfully he always talks about things like this.

The Lily of the Valley

One of the songs we sang at Lilly's funeral was "The Lily of the Valley." My daughter T. has decided she wants to learn how to play all the songs we sang on the piano. She's still working on it, but I decided to record her playing "The Lily of the Valley" this morning. (She didn't want to be in the video, so I just filmed Lilly's angel baby picture which is right next to the piano.)




I've planted six lily-of-the-valley plants in our yard, between two Easter lilies, and yesterday I saw green shoots. Yay! Now I'm thinking of one of Lilly's nurses who would whistle "The Lily of the Valley" whenever he came into her hospital room. When we named Lilly "Lillian" we never thought of all the fun connections we'd have with lilies.

The Lily of the Valley by Charles W. Fry

I have found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;
He tells me every care on Him to roll.

Refrain: He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.

He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,
From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.