SINGING OVER ME

"For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” 
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)


As I read this verse again today it sent my mind cascading to memories of songs that weave our family together.  Music is a common thread among many Tippetts. To think that God also sings over me with joyful songs sparks a smile on my face and joy in my heart.  People we love.  Songs we sing. 

Grandma Strickland's rocker now
has a place in my home.

Mama sang to me:  "Too-ral-loo-rall-loo-ral, it's an Irish lullaby."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C3UHiD29BI&feature=related
I took my turn in the rocking chair and sang it to my three who did the same with their babies.  I wonder if some great-great grandmother began that chain in Ireland before some Tippett or Strickland sailed to America.  I sang it over the phone recently to our little Canadian grandson, Caleb, feverish in his mother's arms.

Caleb, on a happier day

Mama to me then the chain again linked to our kids and grands: " 'Skeeters am a-hummin' on the honeysuckle vine, sleep, Kentucky babe. . ." 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2siVMuhXz9o&feature=related                                                                                Now that song definitely began in the good old USA. Kentucky Babe ties to our southern roots.


Mama to me and you know the rest.  "God will take care of you, through every day o'er all the way. . ." A song of Christian comfort and a lullaby.  Once my little 4 year old Kimberly sang it back to me when she saw me crying.   We'd just returned home from a week's vacation to find our freezer had stopped working.  All our food was spoiled, a big loss to a young family.  As I bailed bloody meat, floating pecans in a sea of rotten tomatoes, I wept.  A little cherub hand touched my back and sang in a helium voice:

God will take care of you through every day o'er all the way.

He will take care of you, even when your food's all gone!

My wise little composer adapted the last line and sang my sermon right back to me.  If you listen to the end of this video, this little child sounds much like what I heard from Kimberly that day long ago.
God Will Take Care of You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLPp4gXUY3o


As a family of five we harmonized on the old southern gospel tune Turn Your Radio On.  The theology there was a bit thinner but the four part harmony was attainable.  The kids groaned and hated when I suggested we sing it while traveling in a car.  Then Kent came to our church recently for an event and he strummed it on his guitar, called Doug and me to stage and indulged me once more as we sang it again.  Must reflect back to pre-TV days in our clan.  Turn Your Radio On:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=yhs-avg-chrome&type=yahoo_avg_hs2-tb-web_chrome_us&p=you+tube+turn+your+radio+on


The Spirit-filled saint is a music filled saint.  God used a shepherd boy's music to calm a king, even knowing one day he would become the king.  So sing to God today whether you find yourself in a back woods pasture or on a throne.  God's listening as you praise Him.


But even more thrilling is that God sings over me!  I wonder what He's composed for me.  One day I'll hear it.  Can you imagine the voice of God singing a song just for you?   What a day that will be!  Glad reunion day!  

IN WITH THE IN-CROWD

Growing up I never was cool or part of the in-crowd. Strangely enough I wasn't all that impressed with them either.  Not that I didn't want to belong.  I did. Just not with the cool kids.  We had a tight youth group at church and from that close unit, many went on to succeed in life for the Lord and we remain friends.




Photographic proof of my UNcoolness:

 Tho' I had aspirations and tried. . .

Our children were much cooler.  Or at least they thought they were.  

                                             


















Or not. . .

Kent could actually be both. . .

. . .simultaneously!

Belonging is a natural desire and part of being human.   When life is good and as it should be, family and friends provide that.   Values are at the core of that magnet.   When folks lack basic values, most anything will draw them into a cohesive group.  
Here are 10 examples from Readers' Digest of actual Facebook groups.  No thought is too random, no grievance too petty to keep folks from organizing a group.  Sadly, these easy-to-join virtual groups require no real relationship and often replace real face-to-face conversation or time.


1. Students Against Backpacks With Wheels


2. When I Was Your Age Pluto Was a Planet


3. People Who Always Have to Spell Their Names for Other People


4. No, I Don't Care if I Die at 12  A.M., I Refuse to Pass on Your Chain Letter


5. Friends Don't Let Friends Wear Crocs


6. I Seriously Want to Punch Slow-Walking People in the Back of the Head


7. I Don't Care if the Spider is Not Hurting Anyone, I Want it Dead


8. I am Fluent in Three Languages:  English, Sarcasm, and Profanity


9. I Will Carry 20 Grocery Bags So I Don't Have to Make Another Trip


10. An Arbitrary Number of People Demanding That Some Sort of Action Be Taken


Most of these are funny but I might actually consider joining #7 because I'm a hater of spiders.  Here's a 20 second reason I'd not be alone in the group:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6eOeUwXZPo


Might be wise if every week we take a day off and unplug from technology.  Spend that time in actual eye contact with someone we love.   Swap hours with facebook friends for actual face time with friends.

If a man would have friends, he must show himself friendly.

~ ~ ~

I went outside to find a friend and could not find one there.

I went outside to be a friend and friends were everywhere!

Why are you sitting here still reading this blog?  Go outside!  Be a friend!  Go kiss your wife, hug your hubby, take a friend out to lunch!


Apparently Toby Keith wasn't cool either but found his own way around it.

                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3umaLe37-LE&feature=fvwrel

Offline,

Kathy   

DESTINATION UNKNOWN

"OK, kids finish your homework and chores because we have a surprise waiting for you!" I lured.


"Dessert?" one guessed.


"Nope.  It's a Destination Unknown!" I announced in my best echo-chamber voice.


Squeals of delight and math word-problem solving flew right along with copying spelling words.  Hand-writing aside, homework was done in record time.

Doug and I did this with our children as well as youth groups through the years. The unknown held such a thrill of anticipation.  


Sometimes we'd drive across town through Raleigh traffic with giggling and guessing from the back seat.  Then we'd pull into the Pullen Park parking lot. (Try saying that fast three times!) Unison voices chimed, "Pullen Park! Picnic!"  




The next hours we enjoyed family time on the playground, carousel or riding the little train in circles.

Kimberly & Kent at Pullen Park

Recently our firstborn, Kimberly, reminisced, "Sometimes your Destination Unknown would be a simple cookout at a friend's house.   But it was so much more fun not knowing where we were going.  I did it with our kids just last week to Krispy Kreme."

Probably this element of life surprise was woven into my life by Uncle Sam. As a Naval officer, Dad's orders came about every two years.  He might make several location requests but nothing was guaranteed.  Until the orders came it was a destination unknown.   Newport, Rhode Island.  Jacksonville, Florida. Norfolk, Virginia.  Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


Through the generations we've enjoyed Destination Unknown.  It's a lifestyle for Christians.  I've had this card posted on a door of our home ever since we moved to Florence to remind me of its truth.

"For I know the plan I have for you
 says the Lord. . .:

God has ordered our steps through life right into eternity. Every day is planned if I choose to follow Him. Planned by Him though sometimes unknown to me.  I haven't always squealed with delight in anticipation. I confess sometimes fear and doubt precede change. Adults like control.  But as I recall our children being delighted children, I understand why they were so happy, even not knowing.




They trusted us.


They knew we loved them.


They knew it would be good. 


That'll preach!


Lord, help me, as Your beloved child, to simply trust you with childlike faith, knowing You love me and will work all things together for good.


Sincerely,
Kathy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh65wLVbaww

'THMILE, 'THWEETIE!

Be encouraged.  Better yet, be an encourager.

Recently I read a verse and it spoke to me in a new way.  Job 29:4 says, "I smiled at them.  My look of approval was precious to them."

Have you ever been down but then a clerk smiles at you in the checkout line and you smile back?  You're encouraged.  Or in a reversal, a saleslady does a great job for you so you praise her and add a big grin of approval.  You've encouraged her!  It works both ways and can create a chain link.  It costs nothing.

You can even encourage yourself with a smile.  Try it.  It takes fewer muscles than frowning.  As we age our facial muscles sag, pretty much like all the others! Smiling gives you an instant face lift, increases your face value and makes you look younger.

When telemarketers are trained, they are taught to smile while speaking.  You can actually hear the difference.

The medical community also discovered the truth of the Psalmist, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."  Some patients are actually prescribed comedy TV-watching to help heal.  Chemical changes actually take place as the body produces serotonin, the happy hormone.

I'm not suggesting an ignorant approach to life, prancing Pollyanna style through our doldrums.  It's OK to sit on the pity pot occasionally.  Just don't stay there long enough to get ring-around-the-hiney!

The oldest book in the Bible chronologically reinforces my simple message today. Smile approval and spread encouragement.  If anyone had cause to drown in a frown, it was Job.  Notice it was not his three friends who lifted his spirits.  He himself knew the value of a smile.  

So whether you're having a good day or a bad one, take a cue from that wonderful missionary poet, Amy Carmichael.  


Before the winds that blow do cease,
   Teach me to dwell within Thy calm:
Before the pain has passed in peace,
   Give me, my God, to sing a psalm.
Let me not lose the chance to prove
   The fullness of enabling love.  
Oh love of God, do this for me:
   Maintain a constant victory.


One step on your Victory Road is to smile!

                                            Need a faith lift?  SMILE!


Several times this week when I needed a good laugh, I watched this and relived my friends' encouragement from last weekend.  It began as spontaneous after dinner music with the Parkers, Miles and Welches but when Ray Charles and an uninvited priest with rosary in hand showed up, it dissolved into laughter!  Be encouraged!