Midweek Music: On Eagle’s Wings

Posted in For the Soul by Rebekah

Psalm 91 is one of my favorite Psalms. Rich with promises and comfort of God’s Almighty protection and love.

This song is a combination of Psalm 91 and Isaiah 40:31. I think this children’s choir has the best rendition of the song on Youtube. In England, the BBC Songs of Praise have an annual competition of children’s choirs from churches, private schools and public schools around England. I think it’s a great program that really inspires kids to do something worthwhile, especially since they mostly choose Christian songs to sing. I wish there was a national program like this in the United States.

I hope this song brightens your week! I know it has encouraged me through difficult moments, to know that I am sheltered under His wings.

Which is your favorite Psalm?

On Eagle’s Wings

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.”

Refrain

And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.

Refrain

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.

1Mar2017

Midweek Music: My Song is Love Unknown

Posted in For the Soul by Rebekah

Listen to this soulful rendition of the hymn “My Song is Love Unknown” by Fernando Ortega.

The melody and rendition reminds you of an Appalachian style song where a story is told through music. The lyrics are deep and tell the narrative of Christ’s Crucifixion.

Do you have any new songs you would like to share?

I added the lyrics below in case you want to read them.

My Song is Love Unknown

My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.

In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

24Feb2017

Prince Rupert’s Drop

Posted in For the Mind by Rebekah

When I’m not working, making things, exercising, or doing any other of the things on my “to do” list, I like learning some physics. The funnest way to learn new things is with Destin from Smarter Every Day. I was introduced to his channel by a friend from Ireland.

Are you wondering what a Prince Rupert has to do with physics?

Prince Rupert was a German from Bavaria, and he brought a special piece of glass that looks like a drop of water, to the British king in 1660. Since then, that glass drop is called by his name. This glass has impressive properties that I’ll let you learn in the video. Glassmakers have known about Prince Rupert’s Drop even since the Roman Empire. The glass drop has also been used as toys around the 17th-18th centuries. It used to be called “Dutch tears” or “Prussian tears” because they claimed to have invented the glass drop.

In his 7 minute video, Destin takes you on a journey to learn about this mysterious and fascinating piece of glass that continues to amaze people throughout generations.

Whenever I learn about the wonders of physics or chemistry or any other science subject or the world around us, it makes me glorify God for His intricate, perfect, creation!
“Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5)

After watching the video, what do you think?
Have you known about the properties of Prince Rupert’s Drop before this post?
Since we’re on the topic of glass, would you try glass blowing if you had the chance?

2Feb2017

What Does God Say about Books & Reading?

Posted in Creation & Apologetics, For the Mind by Rebekah

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I love reading; I’m a book collector, and a constant scout for new stories to read. I have a growing list of books I want to read this year…but I might need to get creative with my time to plow through them all. If you have any title suggestions to add to my reading list, I invite you to share! Then I can blame you if my list grows so long it has to wrap around the earth twice 😉 Nah, I’d be thrilled! I’m not endorsing the books on my list, I still have to check them out and see if they are good books, but the titles and descriptions look solid!

But what does God think about books and reading? Have you ever wondered? I read an interesting description by Institute for Creation Research on this topic, and I encourage you to read it too! After that, check out my book list below and see if you recognize any book titles, or if you’d be interested to read any of them yourself.

THE BOOK OF BOOKS

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” (Genesis 5:1)

The Bible (literally “the book”) contains over 200 references to books. This implies, among other things, God’s approval of communication by books. Our text, containing the first mention of the word “book” in the Bible, indicates that the very first man…. (Continue reading).

A Few Books on my Reading List for 2017

For the Glory: Eric Liddell’s Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr by DUNCAN HAMILTON
Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the raid on the Entebbe Airport, the most audacious hostage rescue mission in history by SAUL DAVID
Beyond the Call: The True story of one World War II Pilot’s Covert Mission to Rescue POW’s on the Eastern Front by LEE TRIMBLE WITH JEREMY DRONFIELD
When God Looked the other Way: An Odyssey of War, Exile and Redemption by WESLEY ADAMCZYK
The Forgotten 500: The untold story of the men who risked all for the greatest rescue mission of World War II by GREGORY A. FREEMAN
No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland’s Forces in World War II by Kenneth K. Koskodan
Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman and Andrew Postman
Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust–Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour by James A. Grymes
The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr Isaevich
Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik
Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
A Good Place to Hide: How One French Community Saved Thousands of Lives in World War II by Peter Grose