Memento Mori

Just got back from church. Lebanon had a potluck, too, so I decided to stay for that. Otherwise I'd just be eating another huge vat of mac and cheese and this way I got some other kinds of food into me as well. :-p Including 3 kinds of dessert, one of which was CARROT CAKE. I think George is never going to stop teasing me about the carrot cake thing, because of all my Facebook googawing over it prior to the shower.

The men's chorus was grand. GooGoo was, literally, dancing the whole time they were singing. When they stopped, he stopped. It was really funny. I'm very glad I went. After all, NOTHING beats "We Have This Hope" sung by a herd of big, strong male voices. *DIIIIIIIIIES*

When I got home, I found my first Target package waiting for me (the Pooh sheets). Yay. Seriously....... adorable.

I wish I could remember more clearly the bizarre dreams I had last night. Because they were, truly, bizarre. I vaguely recall something about adding "o" to the end of words, and now that I'm awake I can't get "Peggy-O" out of my head.

I find this particularly fascinating. The whole thing can be read here.

Shouting No Evidence of Sanctification

The manner in which the meetings in Indiana have been carried on, with noise and confusion, does not commend them to thoughtful, intelligent minds. There is nothing in these demonstrations which will convince the world that we have the truth. Mere noise and shouting are no evidence of sanctification, or of the descent of the Holy Spirit. Your wild demonstrations create only disgust in the minds of unbelievers. The fewer of such demonstrations there are, the better it will be for the actors and for the people in general...

...The Lord desires to have in His service order and discipline, not excitement and confusion. We are not now able to describe with accuracy the scenes to be enacted in our world in the future; but this we do know, that this is a time when we must watch unto prayer; for the great day of the Lord is at hand. Satan is rallying his forces. We need to be thoughtful and still, and to contemplate the truths of revelation. Excitement is not favorable to growth in grace, to true purity and sanctification of the spirit.

Worship With a Bedlam of Noise

It is impossible to estimate too largely the work that the Lord will accomplish through His proposed vessels in carrying out His mind and purpose. The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit's working.

No encouragement should be given to this kind of worship...

...The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with such a confusion of noise and multitude of sounds as passed before me last January. Satan works amid the din and confusion of such music, which, properly conducted, would be a praise and glory to God. He makes its effect like the poison sting of the serpent.

Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted. God calls upon His people, who have the light before them in the Word and in the Testimonies, to read and consider, and to take heed. Clear and definite instruction has been given in order that all may understand. But the itching desire to originate something new results in strange doctrines, and largely destroys the influence of those who would be a power for good if they held firm the beginning of their confidence in the truth the Lord had given them.

- Ellen White, Selected Messages, Volume 2

Why are the church bells playing "All Through the Night" at eight in the morning?

Okay, so this has been running through my head anyway, and so I'm listening to various renditions of it on YouTube. Verse 4 was new to me via ruthette and then I discovered it is included in the version in the Adventist hymnal - sweet. I like the whole song, but there's something special about that verse.

But verses 2 and 5? New. I have to say I think 2 is kind of an odd one because I'm not quite sure what is implied by "firstborn seraph"... since angels were created, not born. I find that confusing. Aside from that it's a good verse. In 5 I'm not too fond of the reference to "hostile Heaven" because if Heaven was hostile, Jesus would never have bothered to make the sacrifice in the first place. There would probably be a way to reword it suitably.

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.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

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!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out 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.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

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.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

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.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.


^^This is sooooooooo lovely and majestic.

I really don't have much to say. Andrew and Kai were both pretty out of it last night. I think Andrew said maybe ten words outside of prayer time.

I really wish I had the sheet music for this version of Before the Throne of God Above. Go listen. It's purty. I love this album muchly. Dan has it. It makes me happy even though I think he could have incorporated a few more less-well-known hymns in there. So calming.

I iz tired. I've spent a good part of my morning editing down my digital copy of my Messiah record to individual tracks, and today's burning question is this:

Why does it seem there is NO copy of "Messiah" that is complete and unabridged? And I'm talking about really, truly complete and unabridged, including the four choruses after "Lift Up Your Heads" that I have yet to hear, period. I can understand why in a concert performance you abridge it, because the average modern audience isn't into three hours of baroque vocalisations, but on a recording, dude, seriously.

***

Spot looks so pitiful and sad in his Plastic Collar of Doom. I can't wait for him to be out of it.

***

I'm on iTunes and I found a Messiah that is complete. My irritation can now subside.

I love the ghetto-ness of MySpace because it allows me to be "friends" with the likes of Jaime Jorge and Fernando Ortega. The latter currently has all the tracks of his new Christmas album to listen to on his page.

DROOL.




I hate pain. How are you?






EDIT: That would be FIVE of the songs from the new Christmas album. I blame pain.