A Pair of Bartletts

Total Abandon

 

On August 3rd we lost a very special person in our lives...both for me and for Rob (and certainly a host of others).  She stood in the place of my own deceased grandmother at our wedding.  She was our "MeMe" and she was a mother and grandmother to many more than her own biological children and grandchildren.

Our "MeMe" was the mother of my best friend, Sue.  She went to be with the Lord after what we thought would be a successful open heart surgery that she had undergone in the days before.  She was an incredible woman of God with an incredible life story.  She loved the Lord her God with all of her heart, mind and soul...and she'd be very quick to ask you if you knew Jesus....and if you weren't sure, she would tell you how you could in a heartbeat.  And she wasn't just a witness, MeMe was a worshiper.  She adored singing to her God....to the top of her lungs, no matter who was around.  She worshiped with true abandon.  Not many people can honestly say that they can or do worship like this.  

While thinking about her today, an old hymn came to mind that I thought I would share with you.  I pray that you have a wonderful day tomorrow in your place of worship.  And think of MeMe....with her head thrown back and lifting worship to her Lord.  

Missing her,

 

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

Refrain

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Refrain

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Refrain

Saved Alone

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way....

"Saved Alone".  Those are the words sent back by Mrs. Horatio Spafford in a telegram to her husband in the aftermath of losing her four daughters in a shipwreck when the S. S. Ville du Harve was struck by the English vessel Loch Earn.   I'm sure that as Mr. Spafford read those chilling words that he was immediately overcome with the most horrific grief imaginable.  He was supposed to have been on that trip.  At the last minute, an urgent business matter kept him in Chicago while his family left to vacation in Europe.  Never would he dream that as he waved his goodbyes to his family that only his wife would return.  

But, God was still sovereign.  God still had a plan for the Spaffords.  It was in the midst of the grief that Mr. Spafford penned the words of a song that had one message...."peace".  As a result of this horrible tragedy, one of the greatest songs was anointed by the Lord to rise up out of the grief and despair.  The Lord gives us peace beyond our understanding (Philipians 4:6-7).  It was then that "It Is Well With My Soul"  was penned.  

I don't know why (other that it's just a God thing), but I literally woke up this morning with this song in my mind.  I think it's so incredible how the Lord can gently infuse something into our thoughts so that we wake up with it on our hearts and in our minds.  

I pray that it is "WELL" with your soul this morning!

It Is Well With My Soul

Horatio Spafford

1. 1. 1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
       
   
   
   1. 1. When sorrows like sea billows roll;
       
   
   
   1. 1. Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
       
   
   
   1. 1. It is well, it is well, with my soul.
       
   
   

   • 1. • 1. • Refrain:
              
     
     
     1. • 1. • It is well, with my soul,
              
     
     
     1. • 1. • It is well, it is well, with my soul.
              
     
     

2. 1. 1. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
       
   
   
   1. 1. Let this blest assurance control,
       
   
   
   1. 1. That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
       
   
   
   1. 1. And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
       
   
   

3. 1. 1. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
       
   
   
   1. 1. My sin, not in part but the whole,
       
   
   
   1. 1. Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
       
   
   
   1. 1. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
       
   
   

4. 1. 1. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
       
   
   
   1. 1. If Jordan above me shall roll,
       
   
   
   1. 1. No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
       
   
   
   1. 1. Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
       
   
   

5. 1. 1. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
       
   
   
   1. 1. The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
       
   
   
   1. 1. Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
       
   
   
   1. 1. Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
       
   
   

6. 1. 1. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
       
   
   
   1. 1. The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
       
   
   
   1. 1. The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
       
   
   
   1. 1. Even so, it is well with my soul.
       
   
   

   
    
   

 

Her Most Favorite Tune

 

As Art Linkletter used to say with such verve, "Kids say the darndest things!".  In my mind, that phrase really should have been "Kids say the CUTEST and SWEETEST things!  While my brother and his family were in town for the week of Thanksgiving, we learned very quickly that it was absolutely NO secret that our most PRECIOUS little three year old niece has a favorite Christmas song.  Here on the local dials, we are blessed to have several "all Christmas, all the time" radio channels.  My sister in law had told me that our sweet little Mag-pie has been SOOOOO into the Christmas spirit for the last couple of weeks.  She's at the age that she is just soaking up every little Christmas-ey detail.  One of these details has been the song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".  Every time she hears it in the car on the Christmas station, she gets SO excited and wants to sing along--SO CUTE!  And once the song is off, she begs "can it be da-moswunnafel-time-of-dayear again"?  So, with all of this said....as the first song in my Christmas playlist, I have added little Mag-pie's favorite tune for her (and your) listening enjoyment...and so that she can hear it anytime she wants from her Mommy and Daddy's computer!  Crank up the volume y'all!

We love you sweet girl!

 

 

Bee Aware!

Can you believe it?  It's almost here again!  Another great installment of "Bee My Guest" will be back on Tuesday...and you are in for a real blessing.  My dear friend, Heather (Fath) Messick  will be sharing her heart with us specifically regarding the birth of her youngest daughter, Victoria, who was born with Down's Syndrome and a heart defect.  You do not want to miss out on this!  And, as with the last post, there will be a great giveaway!  As always, to be eligible for the giveaway, all you have to do is leave an encouraging comment for my guest author--and that's it!  Then just sit back and be blessed!  Once the comments are in, I will enter all of them into a random drawing.  This week, we will be giving away a copy of Heather's CD, "Wonder".  As a BONUS, I will also be giving away a copy of our church's  newest CD that was released July 7th called "God Hears" (Jason Breland and the North Mobile Worship Choir).  If you love praise and worship music, then you DON'T WANT TO MISS this giveaway!  So, please come back and visit with us on Tuesday (August 11th).  You will be most blessed, I'm sure!   For now, here is a picture of our lovely guest, Heather and her dear little Victoria Jayne.  I am praying that we'll have another great crowd as we welcome Heather to "Bee My Guest"!

And mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 18th when we will welcome the very precious Joy Lockwood, wife to Chris of 33Miles and Mommy to sweet little Ella.  Joy will be giving us a peek into the life of a wife and mother who has a husband on the road.  Then on August 25th (my Mom's birthday!), we will be  welcoming another very special guest who will be talking to us about the joys (and challenges) of adoption.  Folks...there are some GREAT things coming your way!  I hope that you will mark your calendars for these very special ladies who have taken time out of their busy schedules to bless us and encourage us.  

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!  See you soon!