No Emerging in May

I had been hoping to attend the Emergent conference in Nashville TN May 18-21. Not the whole thing but at least Friday and Saturday. It's only about a four hour drive for me and it would give a chance to hear from different people in the emerging church movement. I particularly want to hear Brian McLaren. I have read a few of his books (A New Kind of Christian, The Story We Find Ourselves In, More Ready Than You Relalize, and Finding Faith) and would like to have been able to see him in person. But I have some other commitments that have come up and will not able to get away. I suppose there is will be other opportunities, God willing.

Turn in your hymnals to #542

I like to occasionally thumb through hymnals to see which ones that I may know. I usually skip over the ones I'm not familiar with, but this one caught my eye. As I read the lyrics a tune suggested itself to me. I found myself sing the words to this tune and was amazed at how well it fit. I don't know where the tune came from, whither from a praise chorus or folk melody, but at that moment as the words spoke of God's mercy, comfort and grace, I felt it was a gift from Him. And a real blessing. It really made my day. Here are the words.

When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart could know
From whom those comforts flowed.

When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou
With health renewed my face;
And, when in sins and sorrows bowed,
Revived my soul with grace,

Thro' every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue;
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

Joseph Addison, 1672-1719

Not being able to leave well enough alone, I found a site on Joseph Addison here, and for the oringinal hymn and music here. enjoy

However, this is the tune that came to me when I read these lyrics. Please excuse my somewhat less than pleasant vocals. And beside it gave my chance to try Audioblogger.

One month is too long

A month between posts is too long. It isn't that I haven't thought about it. I just haven't found the time to sit down and work out a routine for posting. It's a lame excuse I know, but what can I say? I had hoped I could develop a regular habit of logging in. However you have to start before it can become a habit. I also would like this to become more than just my brain dump. But even if I could begin to post the minutes from the meetings that I hold in my head that would be a start.