Today is one of my "rest" days. I have a crockpot full of aromatic dal cooking. The house smells divine! The sun is shining brightly. My daughter, her husband and Honey Dog are on their way out the door for a hike. I have chose to stay home and practice piano, do some yoga and clean. I will be going to the gym this afternoon for a good workout. Then I plan on grocery shopping. I am going to get back on the food prep train. I keep to my healthy eating plan and save money if I make meals in advance.
This week I will make baked chicken and roasted vegetables.
With this beautiful spring weather, I am once again inspired towards my goal of buying a van and taking off to see more of this beautiful country. My son also has my travel bug and will be a nice companion for some trips.
But I cannot save for the future if I continue to spend so much money on eating outs. As much as I enjoy my regular dive hangouts, they will not take me cross country! Although I must admit, hitting the road, seeing the country, feeling the freedom is not complete without trying some little local dining joints!
I cannot wait for this dream to become a reality. I plan on continuing this blog on my travels!
But today, I will focus on the coming week.
I was flipping through my book of 1000 hymns. I stopped on "O Day of Rest and Gladness". It seemed appropriate for today.
I am familiar with the tune. After singing and playing through this hymn, I realized that the day of rest is referring to Sunday, the sabbath. I also saw a word that I have been curious about for awhile. It has come up in several hymns in my church pianist days. The word is "Pisgah". I googled it and discovered a wonderful blog about hiking in Oregon called "Forest Hiker".
On this site I found some interesting information:
This week I will make baked chicken and roasted vegetables.
With this beautiful spring weather, I am once again inspired towards my goal of buying a van and taking off to see more of this beautiful country. My son also has my travel bug and will be a nice companion for some trips.
But I cannot save for the future if I continue to spend so much money on eating outs. As much as I enjoy my regular dive hangouts, they will not take me cross country! Although I must admit, hitting the road, seeing the country, feeling the freedom is not complete without trying some little local dining joints!
I cannot wait for this dream to become a reality. I plan on continuing this blog on my travels!
But today, I will focus on the coming week.
I was flipping through my book of 1000 hymns. I stopped on "O Day of Rest and Gladness". It seemed appropriate for today.
O Day of Rest and Gladness
Words by Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885) Note: He was the nephew of the poet William Wordsworth!
Music from "Gesangbuch der Herzogl. Hofkapelles, Wittenberg, 1784
1 O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm for care and sadness,
most beautiful, most bright;
on you the high and lowly,
through ages joined in tune,
sing "Holy, holy, holy,"
to the great God triune.
O day of joy and light,
O balm for care and sadness,
most beautiful, most bright;
on you the high and lowly,
through ages joined in tune,
sing "Holy, holy, holy,"
to the great God triune.
2 On you, at earth’s creation,
the light first had its birth;
on you, for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
on you, our Lord victorious
sent Spirit forth from heav'n;
and thus on you, most glorious,
a three-fold light was giv'n.
the light first had its birth;
on you, for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
on you, our Lord victorious
sent Spirit forth from heav'n;
and thus on you, most glorious,
a three-fold light was giv'n.
3 Today on weary nations
the heav'nly manna falls;
to holy convocations
the silver trumpet calls,
where gospel light is glowing
with pure and radiant beams
and living water flowing
with soul-refreshing streams.
the heav'nly manna falls;
to holy convocations
the silver trumpet calls,
where gospel light is glowing
with pure and radiant beams
and living water flowing
with soul-refreshing streams.
4 New graces ever gaining
from this our day of rest,
we reach the rest remaining
to spirits of the blest.
We sing to you our praises,
O Father, spirit, Son;
the church its voice upraises
to you, blest Three in One.
from this our day of rest,
we reach the rest remaining
to spirits of the blest.
We sing to you our praises,
O Father, spirit, Son;
the church its voice upraises
to you, blest Three in One.
I am familiar with the tune. After singing and playing through this hymn, I realized that the day of rest is referring to Sunday, the sabbath. I also saw a word that I have been curious about for awhile. It has come up in several hymns in my church pianist days. The word is "Pisgah". I googled it and discovered a wonderful blog about hiking in Oregon called "Forest Hiker".
On this site I found some interesting information:
Pisgah Home Road – what’s behind this curious name?
"What an odd name “Pisgah Home Road” is! The name refers to the
Mountain from which Moses first saw the promised land. But the local
story about this mountain road above Scappoose is even more interesting…
Apparently, it refers to a faith healing movement started around 1900
by Finis Yoakum at his house in Los Angeles. The home originally had
room for only eight persons and was founded “to give free care to
drunkards and outcasts” who wished to reform. Apparently, the effort
grew into a major social initiative that inspired good Samaritans as far
away as Portland, where “Mother Lawrence” took up the challenge. Hattie
Lawrence was born in Wisconsin in 1859 and came to Portland at the age
of 26. She seems to have copied the Pisgah Home concept when she
established a Portland-based “Pisgah Home” to take care of the “down and
out old men”, and it was said that the Portland police regularly
brought her men that had been arrested for drunkenness. Needing a place
in the country where her aged wards could do physical labor and restore
their health, she acquired a piece of land above Scappoose in 1919.
Apparently, she and her “down and out” men built an impressive three
story shake-sided building on the logged-off land. It was surrounded by
gardens and tended by old men hoeing and busying themselves with
horticulture. The refuge even had its own cemetery to accept the last
remains of those whose relatives had forsaken them." (http://www.foresthiker.com/?p=2415)
Wow! I learn something new every day. If I didn’t have so much piano practice, cleaning, cooking and working out to do, I would be tempted to spend the day reading about Mother Lawrence and Finis Yoakum!
I still am thinking about Charles Tindley from my hymn of the day, Stand by Me from yesterday. He was the son of slaves. He had a difficult childhood. He taught himself to read and became a minister and a composer of some of the most memorable hymns that have impacted people, inside and outside of churches. "Many believe that the words and intent of “I Shall Overcome” was the
basis of the anthem for the Civil Rights movement, “We Shall Overcome”. You can read more about Charles Tindely here: http://greatlivesinhistory.blogspot.com/2009/07/july-7-nothing-between-my-soul-and-my.html
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| Charles Albert Tindley |
All these fascinating, strong, motivated people who lived before us. I often think such people compared to my life. Will people remember me when I am gone? Will I have made a difference? Why does this matter so much to me?
I am guessing these questions come up more as we age. I am approaching 55. The age of the senior discount. LOL But perhaps the age of reflection. I still feel I have so much to learn, experience and accomplish in this life. But I am starting to glimpse mortality. My growing faith tells me there is something bigger and glorious to look forward to after this life. But I still want to make the best of my earthly existence. And I desire to impact others in a positive way.
But now I must do some yoga. I woke up less stiff and sore. But not pain free. The yoga helps my flexibility and clears my head. Much needed! My yoga music today is: "Erik Satie: Gnossienne No. 1, 2, 3."
Happy Wednesday!
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