Hymnal Study-Rock of Ages,cleft for me

    Today ,we(my family) start a daily/weekly hymnal study(it will depend on how well we know the hymn). It is an idea that has played in my mind for a while but with the new Bible study at church(lead by our lovely Pastor Dorothy Ann Webster of Lineville First United Methodist Church /Lineville,AL) ,the idea has caught hold and not let go.
    As I wondered where to start and how to start -I did know with what hymn to start with.
"Rock of Ages,cleft for me" is a personal favorite ,not just for the Biblical aspect , it was my twins lullaby when they were babies,I sang it when they were baptized at 6 months by the late Dr.Jerry Herston at Mt.Moriah ,in the same church that I grew up in.
    I found good info from many sources but  hhtps://huhpages.com/education/hyn-study  had it written out simplest. I will do my best to include the info on where I get any and all info from.
    So here to start is sheet music for "Rock of Ages,cleft for me".

  (image from prayerfoundation.org)

words to look up: cleft,wrath,zeal,languor,atone

The Story behind the hymn(http://officialrockofages.com/Pages/Story.htm)

	"AUGUSTUS TOPLADY - he wrote one of the world's best hymns while sheltering from a violent thunderstorm. LIGHTNING briefly illuminated the primitive, rock- hewn landscape of Burrington Combe in Somerset. It was followed by a deep growl of thunder, and then rain lashed mercilessly down, pouring bubbling streamlets down the craggy sides of primeval cliffs which rise up some 250ft. to the Mendip Heights on one side, and into Cheddar Gorge on the other.
The curate of Blagdon, a nearby village, had been travelling along the road near the cliffs when the storm struck and dashed into a cave for shelter. He had been fortunate to find this hiding-place so quickly, and while waiting for the storm to pass he began to muse on the idea of the "rock of faith" being a shelter from the "storms of life". The words for a hymn began to form in his mind but, according to the legend that still persists, he had no paper in his pocket to write down the words. Looking down he saw a playing card, considered a sinful thing by the young cleric. Nevertheless, he picked it up and began to write: Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee. The curate was Augustus Montague Toplady, and such is the popular story behind the origin of one of the world's best-loved hymns which was first published in the Gospel Magazine in 1775, some 12 years after Toplady wrote it."

From: This England Magazine - Winter 1988 Issue

 ( https://www.challies.com/articles/hymn-stories-rock-of-ages )-contains history of Augustus Toplady's life

http://www.sermonaudio.com/hymn_details.asp?PID=rockofagescleftforme 

contains details of Augustus Toplady's life -also where these scripture references where found -

Rock of Ages, cleft for me- Psalm 62:5-8
Let me hide myself in Thee - Exodus 33:22
Let the water and the blood - 1 John 5:6
From Thy riven side which flowed - John 19:34
Be of sin the double cure - 2 Kings 2:9-10
Cleanse me from its guilt and power- Isaiah 1:19

Not the labour of my hands- John 5:30 (first clause)
Can fulfil the law's demands- Exodus 33:22
Could my zeal no respite know- Psalm 69:6 (first clause)
Could my tears forever flow - Psalm 6:6
All for sin could not atone - Heb. 10:5-6
Thou must save and Thou alone - Hebrews 10:8-10

Nothing in my hand I bring - Isaiah 4:1
Simply to Thy Cross I cling - Galatians 6:14
Naked come to Thee for dress- Rom. 13:14 (first clause)
Helpless look to Thee for grace- Philippians 4:I3
Foul, I to the fountain fly - Psalm 2:7
Wash me Saviour, or I die - John 13:8 (second clause)

While I draw this fleeting breath- Psalm 103:15-16
When my eyelids close in death - Ecclesiastes 12:3-7
When I soar to worlds unknown - John 14:2-3
See Thee on Thy judgment throne - Matthew 25:31
Rock of Ages cleft for me- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (third clause)
Let me hide myself in Thee - Psalm 16:1-8

ok today -I miss my babycat(passed away last Wednesday) , feeling lost trying to comfort my friend/sister by Christ,hub's last day off, sore on my back,stormy weather,..................... tired - thank you for tomorrow Lord

Happy New Year 2017

Wow,2017-thoght you would never get here
Not much to say,
went to church(with blue hair-yeahhhhhh)
not many there
but we were :)
Well,here we go God
I need to remember that You are in charge -thank You for that
thank You for my husband,for our children,for our church family,for family&friends
thank You
May this year make You proud.

The Ending is the beginning

As I was thinking on doing a post for the close of this year,I relised that the last post that I wrote was on the 1st day of this year. HUH Now ,where has this year gone?Oh yes, see the pretty lady in the picture.That is my mama and I lost her unexpectedly this past January .Well,I mean on the unexpectedly part,she has been sick was most of my memory(I'm 43) but she always got better till this time she didn't.It still hurts to think of her gone,I want her back but that is selfish of me.It doesn't change the fact that it is true.My twins(that is who are in the picture with her),they turned 15 the other day.They are 13 ,fixing to turn 14 here,in this picture.We have almost had a year without her,and I mean my little family(me,my huh,our twins) when I say we because right now selflessly that is whom I am thinking about .We live right next door,(my father had been having health problems before this and he was staying with my brother then and is now staying with my sister and I'm grateful to them but my thoughts are on my little family right now).  I want my son to be able to show her his latest creation,for my hub to go over and ask her"Hey pretty lady,when are we going out dancing ?",to hear  her and my daughter  fussing (it was a language was them :)  ) I want but can't have and that pain hurts.

But I can't live wanting(I've done it two much this year) . So ,what do I do?Well,to quote my mama"You need to get your tail in gear and live." And she is right.

Now,she is still with me,looking over my shoulder, but that is ok for I still need her advice but now I will use it as she meant for me too.I shan't say that I still will not get sad and hurt but I need to leave that to this year ,and honor her with a life lived with my little family as she wanted me too.

So ,goodbye, 2016 hello 2017. A toast "To a life lived" .

And to all who face depression ,in any form,please find someone to talk to and never be ashamed of taking medicine to help.

and may it be blessed

Do you ever walked through a house that isn't there anymore ?

Do you ever find yourself walking through houses/buildings that aren't there anymore?
I guess this doesn't seem to make sense but it does,at least to me.Sometimes, I'll be driving and may pass a house or where a house was.Many are places  that my material grandparents lived . My momo once said that if papa wasn't trading cars he was trading houses . Some many houses :) .The brick house that they lived in when I turned ten.The wood house that they were living in when papa died isn't there anymore .The old apartments in town.And it isn't just their old homes , but also my daddy's parents old place.The house that Uncle Bill lived in , Pace's Feed Mill , Aunt Dimple's close to the school, the library before it was changed .Also, stores on the square in Ashland that have either changed or taken down.Sometimes when I feel out of sorts or too much is in my mind ,I walk through places from my past and feel God walking with me and am reminded that He was with me then and He is with me now and life has a bright spot no matter how dark things seem. :)

have a blessed day :)