Hymn of the Month

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." - Ephesians 6:1

Hymn of the Month

We're on our second of the Bible Verse Card Hymns of the Month. This month is B - "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

Hymn of the Month

(This post was backdated to January 1, as all Hymn of the Month posts are, but it was actually written on January 9.)

The first Bible verse I remember learning was Romans 3:23. It was in Mrs. English's K-4 class at Oakwood Christian School in Anderson, South Carolina, and we used the a Beka Book verse cards to learn one verse each week. The "A" verse was "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23."

I've never forgotten that verse - or those 26 cards. In fact, I gave Jones a framed set at his baby dedication, and it still hangs in his room.

My plan has long been to use the cards to teach the verses to the boys. I'd already made up little tunes for a few of them to make the memorizing easier (a tip I got from Pam Tebow when she spoke at Teach Them Diligently in 2013). Well, when Jones started singing along with every song I sang, I thought, "He's ready!"

So this month, Romans 3:23 has become the first verse Jones learned, too. He picked it up VERY quickly and always adds a little flourish of his own - clapping his hands on the downbeat after we sing the final "Romans 3:23."

So for at least the next 26 months, our "Hymns" of the Month are actually going to be VERSES of the Month, set to whatever embarrassingly simple ditty I can construct.

I'm super excited about this!

Hymn of the Month

(I'm backdating this to December 1, because that's when I post all Hymns of the Months, but this month, as in many months, I kept forgetting to post it. Also, the videos below are from December 21).

"Away in the Manger"

I picked this year's December Hymn of the Month, because it syncs up with what the Angel sings on the boys' Little People Nativity Set, so I thought it'd be helpful for him to know the words, so he could singalong as he played. In fact, that "singing along" makes this month's Hymn noteworthy, because it's the first month that he's started singing along with me! He's learned several over time, but this is the first one that he's gotten during the month that it was our "featured hymn."

I guess I noticed him singing "Manger," as he calls it, about halfway through December. Ever since, I've been trying to get a video of it. As you can see, it ain't always easy! You can also see that I look AWFUL, but ... whatever.



(Also, I can't hear him sing this without thinking of the "Tonto, Tarzan, Frankenstein" SNL sketch.

Hymn of the Month

"Psalm 103," by Kevin Inafuku

Hymn of the Month

"I Need Thee Every Hour"

Hymn of the Month

"Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners"

Hymn of the Month

"Oh, Love that Will Not Let Me Go"

Hymn of the Month

"Jesus is the Lighthouse"

Hymn of the Month

"Wide, wide as the ocean,

high as the heavens above,

deep, deep as the deepest sea

is my Savior's love.

I, though so unworthy,

still am a child of His care, 

for His Word teaches me

that His love reaches me

ANYWHERE."

I was inspired to go with this one while we were at Pawleys Island last week (I'm pre-dating this one when I post it). I couldn't look at the ocean without singing those lyrics to myself, so it seemed like the perfect Hymn of the Month to pass on to the boys.

Hymn of the Month

"Wonderful, Merciful Savior"

Hymn of the Month

"The Joy of Jesus"

Hymn of the Month

"Dare to Stand"

Take your stand with the Son of God,
oh, be faithful to His name;
plant your feet on the Word of God;
it shall ever be the same.

CHORUS:
Dare to stand alone for Christ,
claim the blood He sacrificed,
lift the name of Jesus high!
Press onward to the sky!

Join us, Christian, and take your stand;
daily feast upon His Word;
face the foe with your sword in hand,
'til the vict'ry shout is heard.

Hymn of the Month

As Jones has started picking up phrases of lyrics in songs that we sing - think his "STAR" solo from "Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven" and "BIBLE!" at the end of "The B-I-B-L-E" - I've been thinking that we should start singing some simpler songs for his Hymns of the Month with the hopes that he'll have these little "Sunday school" songs in his head forever. I'll do this some and use harder songs some, too - and, of course, as the boys get older, we'll go with increasingly more difficult Hymns, but for this month, we're going the simpler route to teach the boys the greatest Truth of them all in a month that is all about LOVE:

"Jesus Loves Me"

Hymn of the Month

In honor of Freddie's standing today, the January Hymn of the Month is:

"Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus."

Christmas Comes to Canton

After an incredible Thanksgiving week, Jones and Freddie's Christmas celebrations are in full effect. Now that Jones is old enough to really enjoy things (as opposed to last year when December was just any other month to him), I'm trying to be intentional about starting traditions within our immediate family. I'm writing them all here, so I don't forget to do them again next year.

Obviously.

I put up our Christmas tree (3 easy steps!) the weekend before Thanksgiving, but we didn't put any ornaments on it until the Sunday after. After church, we read this big board book about the man who created the candy cane (and why - it's an awesome story!), watched a DVD of the Christmas story from the same Read-and-Share Bible that we read with the boys every nite, and, finally, put the ornaments on the tree. Freddie couldn't have been less interested, but Jones enjoyed it, though he didn't want to hang the Coke bottle ornament that Jeremy and I got on our honeymoon. He preferred to drink it instead. I can't really say that I blame him.

That nite, we started our Advent devotions. This basically involves reading some an advent meditation from this little book that I bought, reading some Scripture, putting that day's character on the Little People Advent Calendar that Mom bought Freddie to match the Little People Nativity she gave Jones for HIS first Christmas (as featured in last year's Christmas card!), singing the Hymn of the Month (first verse of "Joy Has Dawned," by Keith and Kristyn Getty), and praying.  After this, Freddie goes to bed and Jones generally talks me into an episode of "Tec" before he goes down himself. He's got me right where he wants me.

In addition to our nitely routine, there have been a couple of special outings already, too.

1) December 3: The boys and I took Sissy's kids to check out the self-proclaimed Greenville Griswolds. This is a place that must be seen to be believed, so here you go:



How do they DO that?!  And why??!?!? And WHO PAYS FOR IT?!?!?!

2) December 4: We went to the Canton Christmas Parade! Before the Parade, we met the Pressleys at Sid's for dinner. Afterwards, we walked back to their car for a front-row seat to the action. I'd actually assumed we'd sit in the car, staying warm until the parade started, and then transfer the party to the place I'd staked out on the sidewalk.  The thing about Jones, though, is that, once he's given access to a steering wheel, he's not all that willing to give it up. That translated into Jeremy and I standing on the sidewalk for the first part of the parade, while Jones sat on his Pop's lap in the driver's seat, and Freddie sat shotgun with Nan. Periodically, Jeremy or I would walk over to the driver's side to see if Jones wanted to come get closer-up to the action. Every time, he'd say, "No" and then wave, "Bye."

Message received.

Eventually, Jeremy and I got in the car, too, and it was so much fun to watch Jones interact with the (many, many) floats that passed by (the parade lasted well over an hour). The float for a church passed by, and Mrs. Pressley read the sign on it: "Christmas is all about Jesus." Jones immediately said, "BA-BY!" which I'm hoping is because he's heard us refer to "Baby Jesus" about 19,000 times in the past week and a half. Or maybe not, but I'm hoping so.

Then, we headed home, fat and happy with visions of sugarplums dancing in each of our pretty little heads.

So that's our holiday so far. We're planning to go to a live nativity (in a barn!) tomorrow nite. Assuming I'm not too lazy to do it (a big assumption), I'll post pics from that little excursion, as well.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Hymn(s) of the Month(s)

It's not that we DON'T have Hymns of the Month; it's just that I don't ever think to post them.

That's why I'm posting every HotM, since July.

One day, I'll be a better blogger.

August: "More than Wonderful"
September: "Jesus, I am Resting, Resting"
October: "Always the Same"
November: "My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness"

Just writing these titles makes me think, "Mmmm.  I LOVE that song." For my own gratification, I'm going to write out my favorite pieces of the songs.

August:
"He's more wonderful than my mind can conceive.
He's more wonderful than heart can believe.
He goes beyond my wildest hopes and fondest dreams.
He's everything that my soul ever longed for -
everything He's promised and so much more.
More than amazing.
More than marvelous.
More than miraculous could ever be.
He's more than wonderful.
That's what Jesus is to me."

September:
"Jesus, I am resting, resting,
in the joys of what Thou art.
I am finding out the greatness
of Thy loving heart."

October:
"Always the same,
oh, praise His name.
Jesus never changes.
He's always the same.
Always together,
His love is forever.
Jesus never changes.
He's always the same."

November:
"My heart is filled with thankfulness
to Him Who walks beside,
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
and causes fears to fly,
Whose ev'ry promise is enough
for ev'ry step I take,
sustaining me with arms of love
and crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
to Him Who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev'ry thought is love,
for ev'ry day I have on Earth
is given by the King,
so I will give my life, my all,
to love and follow Him."

Hymn of the Month(s)

June - "Did You Ever Talk to God Above?"

July - "All That Thrills my Soul is Jesus"

Hymn of the Month

Today starts a new Hymn of the Month!  I'm also posting the Hymns of the Month, since January, since I haven't exactly been a faithful blogger.

May - "Because He Lives"
April - "Near the Cross"
March - "Lord, Here Am I"
February - "Love Lifted Me"

Hymn of the Month

Today's a really big day in the Pressley household.

As I've already posted, it's the day before Freddie presumed birthday, but it's also the day when we start learning a new "Hymn of the Month." For months, I've been meaning to write about this, as an attempt to keep track of the songs we've sung, but as you may or may not have noticed, I'm hardly consistent about blogging.

How do people do it?!

Anyway, at Charlotte, NC's Northside Christian Academy, where I attended some of second and all of third grade, we learned a "Hymn of the Month." At the end of each month, we'd be tested on that month's hymn, the same way we were our memory verses. It worked; those songs STILL stick with me.

So in September, I started a "Hymn of the Month" with Jones. Granted, there's no test or anything (though, when the boys get bigger, there may be!), but it keeps me from singing whatever sixteen songs randomly come to mind whenever I'm getting him ready for bed, thus significantly short-ening the sleep process. I figure if I keep track of the songs, we can revisit them every so often, and if the boys are anything like me (which they probably aren't), they'll learn as much doctrine from song as they do from Scripture.

Here are the Hymns of the Month that we've had so far:

SEPTEMBER = "No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus" (1st verse)
(verse)
I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
since I found in Him a Friend so kind and true.
I would tell you how He changed my life completely.
He did something that no other friend could do.

(chorus)
No one ever cared for me like Jesus.
There's no other Friend so kind and true.
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.
Oh, how much He cares for me.


OCTOBER = "I Asked the Lord"

I asked the Lord to comfort me when things weren't going my way.
He said to me, "I will comfort you and lift your cares away.
I asked the Lord to walk with me when darkness was all that I knew.
He said to me, "Never be afraid, for I will see you through."

I didn't ask for riches.
He gave me wealth untold!
The moon, the stars, the sun, the sky
and gave me eyes to behold!

I thank the Lord for everything, and I count my blessings each day.
He came to me when I needed Him. I only had to pray,
and He'll come to you, if you ask Him to!
He's only a prayer away!


NOVEMBER = "We Thank Thee"

We thank Thee for the morning light, for rest and shelter through the nite,
for health and food, for love and friends,
for all Thy goodness sends.

Our God is great; our God is good, and we will thank Him as we should!
By His great hand, we all are fed.
He gives our daily bread.

We thank Thee for the summer breeze, for song of bird, for shade of trees.
For stars that glitter in the sky,
we thank Thee, Lord on high.


DECEMBER = "Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven"

Jesus, Joy of the highest Heaven,

born as a little baby

under a wondrous star.

Like us, crying He takes His first breath, 

held by His mother, helpless,

close to her beating heart.

Jesus, laid in a lowly manger,

facing a world of dangers,

come to turn me, a stranger,

into a child of God.

Jesus, King of the highest Heaven,

learning to take His first steps,

that He might bring us life.

Like us, knowing our smiles and sorrows,

He showed the way to follow,

a way that is true and right.

Jesus, take away every darkness,

steady my simple footsteps

that I might, in your goodness,

live as a child of God.

JANUARY = "My Very Best Friend" (picked because it seemed appropriate for Jones to learn a song about "Jesus sticking closer than a brother" in the month that he becomes a brother.)

Jesus is exalted. Every knee shall bow to honor Him.
Praise the Prince of Heaven. Join the angels and the seraphim.
Though he rules creation, even though He reigns above,
from His throne on high, Jesus came to die.
Taste His wondrous love.

(chorus)
Jesus sticks closer than a Brother, every moment He is near.
I know He never will forsake me.
He has conquered all my fear.
Jesus sticks closer than a Brother;
on His love, I can depend!
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, conquering Son,
though all of these, He's my very best Friend.

Glory to the Savior. All my praise shall be to Christ alone.
He is my Foundation. He's my Rock, and He's my Cornerstone.
Like a mighty Fortress, He is ever more the same,
yet he died for me on Mt. Calvary.
Now I bear HIs name.

(chorus)


I'm going to try to keep this updated monthly, purely so I can remember what we've learned - or at least, what they've heard.

Thanks for indulging me.