I read in the “Our Daily Bread” devotional just recently the following:

Praise is the song of a soul set free

I don’t know what it is like in your church/denomination, but in the one I attend there has been a trend the past at least 10-15 years to stop singing hymns on Sunday morning.  I don’t know why that is, but I have had a chance to know several young people who have attended Christian colleges, and some of them have had a worship emphasis.  And they say they are taught not to sing hymns anymore.  Why? I don’t know!

I had a friend a long time ago tell me that their pastor told them he didn’t want hymns sung in the church because, and I quote, “They are old and slow”.  I was dumbfounded.  My jaw dropped.  A pastor said that??!!  “Old”????  The Bible is old – do we stop reading it and teaching it because it is old?  “Slow”???  Have you ever sung “I’ll fly away”?  What about “There is Power in the Blood”?  Slow? I don’t think so!

I miss singing hymns.  Don’t get me wrong – the worship at the churches I’ve attended the past 10-15 years have had good worship.  Great singing, great leadership, great instruments, great songs and choruses.  I’ve been lifted almost to heaven with some of the worship I’ve heard in church.  It isn’t that the worship is bad.  It is just lacking.  Missing something.  It has been missing hymns.

I wish we sang hymns more in church.  Here are some of my favorites.  What hymns do you like?

It is Well with my Soul

Blessed Assurance

Day by Day

How Great Thou Art

Rock of Ages

Nearer my God to Thee

Amazing Grace

Softly and Tenderly

I’ll Fly Away

Christ the Solid Rock

Holy, Holy, Holy

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

A Mighty Fortress is our God

O Worship the King

To God be the Glory

Crown Him with Many Crowns

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Be Thou my Vision

Come Thou Font of Every Blessing

Fairest Lord Jesus

Great is Thy Faithfulness

He Lives!

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

The Old Rugged Cross

There is Power in the Blood

Victory in Jesus

What a Day That will be

When we all get to Heaven

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

My husband has several long-term chronic health problems.  He has developed two more since we started dating (we just had our 4th anniversary!).  The latest one started 10 months ago.

I knew well before I married him that his chronic health problems would only worsen.  Aside from a miracle healing from God, one thing or the other would finally kill him in the end.  We had expected things to start worsening 3-5 years from now.

We did not expect them to worsen immediately after we married.  It has been an adjustment for us.  Gradually, I have to take over all the duties.  Cooking and cleaning and taking care of him and our cat.  He has to stay close to home, or not go too far from it.  Going on a honeymoon is out the question.  Even going away for the weekend is out of the question.  I have a big family gathering coming up soon at a cousin’s house, and we don’t think he will be able to go to that.

We have talked about it a lot, and continue to talk about it.  Neither of us is very happy with this development, but we strive to adjust as best we can.

Life never really turns out the way you want it, or plan for it, or think it will, does it?  God alone is eternal and never-changing.  THIS is something to count on.