Lead, Kindly Light (Tune: SANDON)

Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom,

lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home;

lead thou me on!

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see

the distant scene; one step enough for me.



I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou

shouldst lead me on;

I loved to choose and see my path; but now

lead thou me on!

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,

pride ruled my will: remember not past years!



So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still

will lead me on.

O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till

the night is gone,

And with the morn those angel faces smile,

which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!



Text: John Henry Newman (1833)

Tune: SANDON 10.410.4.10.10

Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer

Father, hear the prayer we offer:

not for ease that prayer shall be,

but for strength, that we may ever

live our lives courageously.



Not for ever in green pastures

do we ask our way to be ;

but the steep and rugged pathway

may we tread rejoicingly.



Not forever by still waters

would we idly rest and stay;

but would smite the living fountains

from the rocks along our way.



Be our strength in hours of weakness,

in our wanderings be our Guide;

through endeavor, failure, danger,

Savior, be thou at our side.



Text: Love Maria Willis (1864)

Tune: SUSSEX 87.87

Gwaed y Groes syn codi i fyny (Tune: Bryn Calfaria)

Gwaed y Groes syn codi i fyny

Reiddil yn goncwerwr mawr

Gwaed dy roes sydd yn darostwng

Cewri cedyrn fyrdd i lawr



Gad im deimlo,

Gad im deimlo,

Gad im deimlo

Awel O Galfaria fryn

Awel O Galfaria fryn



Cymer, Iesu, fi fel rydwyf

Fyth ni allaf fod yn well

Dallu di am gwna yn agos,

Fewyllys i yw mynd ymhel



Yn dy glwyfau, yn dy glwyfau, yn dy glwyfau,

Byddain unig fyth yn iach

Byddain unig fyth yn iach



Ymddiried af yn dy allu

Mawr ywr gwaith a wnest erioed;

Ti gest angeu,

Ti gest uffern,

Ti gest Satan dan dy droed



Pen Calfar-ia,

Pen Calfar-ia,

Pen Calfar-ia,

Nac aed hwnw byth om cof

Nac aed hwnw byth om cof





Calvary's blood the weak exalteth

More than conquerors to be,

Calvary's blood the strong abaseth

Myriad hosts to bow to Thee.



O Revive me, O Revive me, O Revive me

With a breeze from Calvary

With a breeze from Calvary



Take me as I am, O Saviour

Better I can never be

Thou alone canst bring me nearer

Self but draws me far from thee



I can never, I can never, I can never

But within Thy wounds be saved.

But within Thy wounds be saved.



Wearied of the desert journey

Which through pain and peril goes

I have failed, alone, to conquer

E'en the meanest of my foes.



But the strongest, But the strongest, But the strongest,

Flies, before Thy glorious Name

Flies, before Thy glorious Name



I will thrust Thy might unmeasured

Great the work that marks Thy way;

Thou hast death, and Thou hast Satan,

Thou hast hell beneath Thy sway;



Hill of Calv'ry! Hill of Calv'ry! Hill of Calv'ry!

I shall praise for evermore.

I shall praise for evermore.

I shall praise for evermore.

Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendour

TUNE I: BRYN CALFARI





TUNE II: ST. HELEN





Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour,

first-begotten from the dead.

Thou alone, our strong defender,

liftest up thy people's head.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Jesus, true and living bread!

Jesus, true and living bread!



Here our humblest homage pay we,

here in loving reverence bow;

here for faith's discernment pray we,

lest we fail to know thee now.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou art here, we ask not how.

Thou art here, we ask not how.



Though the lowliest form doth veil thee

as of old in Bethlehem,

here as there thine angels hail thee,

branch and flower of Jesse's stem.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

We in worship join with them.

We in worship join with them.



Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished

once for all when thou was slain,

in its fullness undiminished

shall for evermore remain.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Cleansing souls from every stain.

Cleansing souls from every stain.



Life-imparting heavenly Manna,

stricken Rock with streaming side,

heaven and earth with loud hosanna

worship thee, the Lamb who died.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Risen, ascended, glorified!

Risen, ascended, glorified!



Text: George Hugh Bourne (1874)

Tune: BRYN CALFARIA or ST. HELEN 87.87.444.77

Firmly I Believe And Truly

Firmly I believe and truly

God is Three, and God is One;

and I next acknowledge duly

manhood taken by the Son.



And I trust and hope most fully

in that Manhood crucified;

and each thought and deed unruly

do to death, as he has died.



Simply to his grace and wholly

light and life and strength belong,

and I love supremely, solely,

him the holy, him the strong.

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And I hold in veneration,

for the love of him alone,

holy Church as his creation,

and her teachings are his own.



Adoration aye be given,

with and through the angelic host,

to the God of earth and heaven,

Father, Son and Holy Ghost.



Text: John Henry Newman (1865)

Tune: SHIPSTON 87.87

We Walk By Faith (Tune: SHANTI / Marty Haugen)

We walk by faith, and not by sight;
no gracious words we hear from him
who spoke as none e'er spoke;
but we believe him near.

We may not touch his hands and side,
nor follow where he trod;
but in his promise we rejoice;
and cry, "My Lord and God!"

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound,
to call on you when you are near,
and seek where you are found:

that, when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are,
with full and endless sight.

Text: Henry Alford (1810-1871)
Tune: SHANTI, CM, by Marty Haugen

Read my Lips!

I was born with a small mouth.

I know - I know, those of you that know me know me as a big mouth! But I mean my mouth physically is small, just a lot of big and lengthy words, opinions and observations come out of it!

I've always hated my mouth and would lust after women with big, beautiful, pouty, red lips!

Lips that actually look great with bright red lipstick or no lipstick at all. Lips that look luscious with just a clear hint of gloss.

I've even envied all those people who post photos on facebook of what is called duck face or kissy lips. Alas...my small mouth will not allow me to make that gorgeous little pout :-(

I remember once telling my daughter (who has big, beautiful, gorgeous, luscious lips!) that someday I was going to go to a doctor and have them suck fat out of my butt and inject it into my lips so that I could purposely say to her, "Kiss my butt" and literally she would be kissing my butt.

She never thought this was funny.

Will I ever have the money to get those big lips? Probably not, but I will always lust after them.

What one area on your body would you change if you could?

This post was inspired by In Stitches, this month's selection at From Left to Write. Anthony Youn's memoir In Stitches gives readers a look into the training of a medical doctor who discovers his passion is plastic surgery. As a member of From Left to Write book club, I received a copy of this book for review. You can read other members posts inspired by In Stitches by Anthony Youn, M.D. on book club day, August 9 at From Left to Write.

Thy Hand, O God, Has Guided

Thy hand, O God, has guided
thy flock, from age to age;
their wondrous tale is written,
full clear, on every page;
thy people owned thy goodness,
and we their deeds record;
and both of this bear witness;
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Thy heralds brought glad tidings
to greatest as to least;
they bade men rise, and hasten
to share the great King's feast;
and this was all their teaching,
in every deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

When shadows thick were falling,
and all seemed sunk in night,
thou, Lord, didst send thy servants,
thy chosen sons of light.
On them and on thy people
thy plenteous grace was poured,
and this was still their message,
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Through many a day of darkness,
through many a scene of strife,
the faithful few fought bravely,
to guard the nation's life.
Their gospel of redemption,
sin pardoned, man restored,
was all in this enfolded:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

And we, shall we be faithless?
shall hearts fail, hands hang down?
shall we evade the conflict,
and cast away our crown?
Not so: in God's deep counsels
some better thing is stored;
we will maintain, unflinching,
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Thy mercy will not fail us,
nor leave thy work undone;
with thy right hand to help us,
thy victory shall be won;
and then, by all creation,
thy name shall be adored,
and this shall be their anthem:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Words: Edward Hayes Plumptre (1889)
Tune: THORNBURY 76.76D

At the Name of Jesus

At the Name of Jesus

every knee shall bow,

every tongue confess him

King of glory now;

'tis the Father's pleasure

we should call him Lord,

who from the beginning

was the mighty Word.



At his voice creation

sprang at once to sight,

all the angel faces,

all the hosts of light,

Thrones and Dominations,

stars upon their way,

all the heavenly orders,

in their great array.



Humbled for a season,

to receive a Name

from the lips of sinners,

unto whom he came,

faithfully he bore it

spotless to the last,

brought it back victorious,

when from death he passed;



Bore it up triumphant,

with its human light,

through all ranks of creatures,

to the central height,

to the throne of Godhead,

to the Father's breast;

filled it with the glory

of that perfect rest.



Name him, brothers, name him,

with love as strong as death,

but with awe and wonder

and with bated breath;

he is God the Savior,

he is Christ the Lord,

ever to be worshiped,

trusted, and adored.



In your hearts enthrone him;

there let him subdue

all that is not holy,

all that is not true;

crown him as your Captain

in temptation's hour;

let his will enfold you

in its light and power.



Brothers, this Lord Jesus

shall return again,

with his Father's glory

with his angel train;

for all wreaths of empire

meet upon his brow,

and our hearts confess him

King of glory now.



Text: Caroline M. Noel (1870)

Tune: KING'S WESTON 65.65 D

Family Night

It seems like Brett and I have been on the go non-stop for the past 

week and a half. After such a chaotic and busy week, it was nice to 

be able to spend time with the Aitken family. Being able to spend

time with family is such a blessing to us. We especially love when 

we get to participate in family home evening with our families. This 

past Monday night we went up to Sundance to watch "The Sound 

of Music". It was a great show with a lot of cute singing and dancing. 

Even though the show was very entertaining and fun to watch, I think 

the highlight for both Brett and I was being able to spend time with 

our loved ones.