Hymns

Two years ago today, Bobby, a wonderful brother in Christ passed away from life here on Earth to life in heaven, where Jesus has prepared a place for all of us who are in His family! Bobby is sorely missed, but we also rejoice that He is home in heaven and that we will see him again.

Today is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. While thinking about both things making today significant, I wanted to share some hymn lyrics.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not: Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou has been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!


Jesus, Refuge of the Weary
Jesus, refuge of the weary, Blest Redeemer, whom we love,
Fountain in life's desert dreary, Savior from the world above:
Often have your eyes, offended, Gazed upon the sinner's fall;
Yet upon the cross extended, You have borne the pain of all.

Do we pass that cross unheeding, Breathing no repentant vow,
Though we see You wounded, bleeding, See Your thorn-encircled brow?
Yet Your sinless death has brought us Life eternal, peace, and rest;
Only what Your grace has taught us Calms the sinner's deep distress.

Jesus, may our hearts be burning With more fervent love for You;
May our eyes be ever turning To behold Your cross anew
Till in glory, parted never From the blessed Savior's side,
Graven in our hearts forever, Dwell the cross, the Crucified.

What Wondrous Love Is This
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 cause 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.

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.

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.

He's Risen, He's Risen
He's risen, He's risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;
He opened death's prison, the incarnate, true Word,
Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song
And earth, sea, and mountain their praises prolong.

O, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden's door.
For all our transgressions His blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are His own.

Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;
Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.
Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain;
With Father and Spirit He ever shall reign.

Bats and Blessings

My sister got to come visit for three weeks! It was awesome. We got to travel quite a bit considering that I was starting a new semester of teaching. She got to go with lots of Taiwanese friends to new places and have lots of cultural experiences. Unfortunately, she did not have the opportunity to try "stinky tofu," but there always has to be something for next time, hey?

So the last night my sister was staying with me in Chia Yi, we had driven over to the school campus after our Friday Night Bible Study in the city, so Rachel could try driving my scooter around. (She opted for not trying my scooter out on "the road of death" by my apartment. Surely by miraculous intervention, I haven't seen an accident there yet, but the way cars and scooters zip around the corner of my apartment building, Rachel and I both had the same thought as soon as the suggestion to give the two-wheeler a test run was spoken: Let's go to campus.

On our way back, it was late, after midnight probably, and I was driving with Rachel on the back. I noticed a spastic-ly flapping creature by the light of one dim street lamp. "Ah, a bat," I thought, when suddenly, it dipped down, disappearing out of sight, and WHAM, hit me on the right side of my helmet, also hitting part of my jaw and neck. I expected to see a scratch when I got to my apartment, but Rachel and I both looked without seeing anything. I washed it off, asked many people their opinion, even asked my doctor in the States, and learned that I was probably alright. I guess there hasn't been a case of rabies on Taiwan for "decades" as the doctor here said, plus there is presently a worldwide shortage of the vaccination? Yikes! So please, those of you not living in a rabies free place, beware of bats, etc! (I feel a little bit like I'm heading toward doing a fund raiser to raise rabies awareness like that one "Office" episode... haha...)

In other news, the decision of where I would like to be next year is needing to be made. I realized, while journaling last night, that I've been treating it way too much like a math or physics problem with lots of factors, variables, and things that need to be calculated and figured out. Well, then it occurred to me that probably a better plan would be to listen to God's Word:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

Remembering that we look to God for guidance, protection, and provision helps put everything else in perspective.

I will say that my heart seems to be overseas, but that I'm also curious as to how God is working out different things in my life, and what the future, now or later, will hold. My desire for a husband and family are there, as are a desire for growth and new challenges, but so is (and more so) my desire to serve as a teacher and to be sharing the Gospel. I'm curious to see how God will continue to use my life and how He will continue to guide and provide. Remembering His promises gives me peace in the midst of a lot of unknown. One of the many blessings of knowing the Savior - peace. :) May the peace and assurance of Christ fill your heart today!