Tag: song

Peace . . .

~~ a devotional

by tkbrown

Philippians 4:6, 7 (NKJV)

  • 6 — “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
  • 7 — “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

These are trying times. The coronavirus pandemic has been with us now for one year, and with the new variants cropping up around the globe, predictions of another year are being tossed around–even as new vaccines are being approved. The recent snowstorms, Uri and Viola, blanketed the lower forty-eight of the United States more completely than any in recorded history. Only three states escaped being covered completely. We know the world is sharing our experience with Covid-19 and its variants. We also know the weather over the past year has presented many trials and tribulations around the world. Our daily prayers include YOU along with people in the United States.

Economies are suffering with no definitive relief in sight, and the home fires seem to be dimming for many. It is during times like these, God can work in our hearts and bring us closer to Him–if we let Him. The scripture above, Philippians 4:6, tells us to “be anxious for nothing, . . . ” This may seem a difficult task when we are uncertain what the months ahead hold, but with prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving we can tell God what we need, and He can lay upon us “His peace,” which “surpasses all understanding.” He “will guard you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The final phrase tells how God can fill us with peace during times like these. It says, “through Christ Jesus.” Thus, if we have put on Christ Jesus, we can be blessed with the peace that passeth understanding.

As a child, I remember singing a song in Summer Bible School and feeling my heart lifted from any sadness it might hold. The first verse of the song, “Down in My Heart” by George William Cooke, amplifies the “joy” we can hold inside if Jesus lives in our hearts. The second verse says, “I’ve got the peace that passeth understanding down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.” Thus, if we love Jesus and He loves us, and if He lives in our hearts, with prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving we can plea with God for this peace, and Jesus will provide it to us. In times of sadness, sorrow, and hardship, He will carry us–if we let Him.

My prayer today is that all will heed His calling and allow Him to provide the peace that passeth understanding in these trying times. I ask that He Bless YOU personally and guide you to this peace. Have a “peaceful” day! Stay well and Be safe!

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Photo Above: by Daniel_Mingook_Kim@Unsplash.com.

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Source:

Courtney. (8 September 2019). Write On My Heart Every Word. writeonmyhearteveryword.com. (28 February 2021). “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart” – Write On My Heart Every Word.

Holy Bible. New King James Version (NKJV). Philippians: by the Apostle Paul. (28 February 2021).

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AWESOME BLOGGER AWARD

I consider myself Blessed far beyond any expectations I could ever have imagined. I have been nominated for the AWESOME BLOGGER AWARD by Sonal Mishra! She is an avid supporter! Many, Many Thanks, Sonal Mishra, for being such an Awesome Supporter of my blog site!

I cannot say enough to adequately express My Thanks! You are wonderful! And, you are talented to go along with it! Your artwork (sketches and paintings), your writing (poetry and blogs) are all from the heart. I have no doubt your singing is from the heart too! You have a special talent for expressing what you feel and see!

Please visit Sonal Mishra’s blog site: https://ouractionisourluck.wordpress.com/. She is a very talented up-and-coming artist, author, singer, and poet who has a very big heart. Please support her work. I am sure we will be hearing a lot about Sonal in coming years! Her talents are many and varied!!

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Rules for the AWESOME BLOGGER AWARD:
--  Thank the person who nominated you.
--  Tag the post with #awesomebloggeraward.
--  Answer their questions.
--  Nominate up to 5 bloggers and ask them 10 new questions.
--  Inform them of their nomination.

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Sonal’s Questions to me:

Favorite place to visit?

Mountains — When I am in the mountains, I feel so very close to nature and to our creator! It is an awesome feeling!

Describe life in three words?

Choices — Consequences — Experience

Describe love in three words?

Admiration — Respect — Understanding

What advice would you give your teenage self?

If I could go back in time, I would tell my teenage self to “always hold to your moral values, and live the life they instill in you. Do not give in to pressure from others to forsake those values!”

How does it feel when you get ‘Likes’ or ‘Comments’ from bloggers?

I treasure the ‘Likes’ and the ‘Comments’ I receive from other bloggers. They give insight into how others respond to my writing. I know I will never please everyone with my posts. I would never want to please everyone, because to do so would be to give up who I am in order to be ‘a people pleaser’. The problem with this is, I may end up not liking myself in the end. It does help, however, to receive input as to what is liked and disliked. The comments give me food for thought.

What kind of books or blogs do you read?

I read a mix. I enjoy reading both nonfiction and fiction–if it is not vulgar, full of cursing, or obscene. My favorite fiction would be a very well-written historical fiction, but I read many genres. My nonfiction reading runs the gamut of the Dewey Decimal System. I just enjoy reading!

A memory that is closest to your heart and what did it make you feel in that moment?

I was walking with my grandson. He was not quite one year old. As we walked, he held to my finger, and I allowed him to set the pace. One day, he heard music and looked around to see where it was. I pointed to the pipe wind-chimes on a second-floor balcony. The look of awe and amazement on his face was precious. I will never forget it! Seeing the world through the eyes–and ears–of a toddler is like no other experience.

Few words for art?

Art comes in many forms. One might say it comes in as many forms as there are artists. I would say: Each artist may posess talents in many artistic areas. Thus, it comes in as many areas as the sum-total of all artists’ varied talents–because each artist expresses each form of art differently. Art is portrayed in photography, sketching, painting, sculpting, singing, authoring both prose and poetry (both of which are wrought in many forms), needlecraft of wide and varied options, even science is a form of art (when you think on it). So, choose your art, hone your talent. As a result, you will develop skills in a new area. When we utilize one talent to the best of our ability, we develop diverse artistic skills, because we begin to see the world with artistic eyes.

What were the challenges before you started blogging?

I was on Twitter long before I set up my WordPress page, and I was on WordPress for a year or so before I began actually blogging. I did not actively engage Twitter until I set up my WordPress page, which I did not feel comfortable imprinting with my blogs. I was afraid what I would write would not be liked. I had to get past that one fear. Finally, I decided the fear would not leave until I jumped in with both feet, and I was right. It took a bit after I began posting blogs to be comfortable in so doing. The more I wrote, the easier it became. Now, I post both inspiration and projects I assign myself. The more I write, the more I enjoy writing, and I write much that is never posted because I hope to publish it in physical form.

What is something that you want to learn?

Everything — lol. I have always loved reading; the more I read, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I discover I want to learn. Probably, the one thing I would like to have learned–and put into practice–would be neuropsychology. It is a relatively new area of study. The more we learn about the human brain, the more we see there is yet to be learned about it. To me, it is fascinating.

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My nominees for the AWESOME BLOGGER AWARD:

https://capputino.wordpress.com/.

https://millenniallifecrisis.org/.

https://peblogs.com/.

https://shadowsofrinum.com/.

https://thewombwellrainbow.com/.

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My Questions to my nominees:

In what form(s) of artistic expression do you engage?

How much of what you write is inspired versus assigned?

Do you have one physical location where you are most able to express yourself artistically? If so, where?

One becomes an author / poet by setting pen to paper whether or not he / she is ever published. Do you agree? Why?

Is there an area of artistic expression you would like to try, but have not yet engaged? If so, what? Why?

How much do you rely on social media?

In which brands of social media are you engaged, and why?

How much has the coronavirus pandemic affected your artistic expression, and in what ways?

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Again, Thank You, Sonal, for nominating me for this award! Your awesome support is Much Appreciated!

To those of you reading, please go visit Sonal’s blog at https://ouractionisourluck.wordpress.com/. She is an up-and-coming author, singer, poet, artist of many forms. Check out her many talents! I have no doubt, you will be amazed.

I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed creating this post! I look forward to you stopping by again soon! Blessings!

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Pick Yourself Up . . .

Picture Quotes
picturequotes.com

~~ an Essay ~~

~~ by tkbrown

When I was growing up, my mamma and daddy quoted a lot of ‘old sayings’ in response to situations encountered in daily living. Oftentimes, when I was discouraged by not succeeding at something I had tried, my mamma would say, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try it all over again.” At the time, I did not realize just how much her sayings helped me to do just that — move on. Inevitably, when I tried again, I would move closer to my intended goal. This would encourage me, and I would keep trying. Each time, as I moved a little closer to my goal, I was encouraged just enough to ‘try again.’

I thought of and referred to the saying earlier tonight, and I decided to find out from whence the saying derives. So, I did a Google search on it. According to Wikipedia, the source most readily credited is The song, “Pick Yourself Up,” sang by Frank Sinatra, composed by Jerome Kern in 1936 with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. Wikipedia provides some further information regarding the song. “Like most popular songs of the era, it features a 32-bar chorus with an extended coda. It’s rhyming scheme is AABA style, with some variations among the A sections.” The song was first introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 film ‘Swing Time.’ Astaire also recorded the song on his own that year for the Brunswick lable (Eds. Wikipedia). In addition, Wikipedia shows the song was recorded by several other artists and has been utilized by a number of television shows through the decades.

While I do not believe the ‘old saying’ originated with the song, I do believe it became more prominent with the publication; and it brought the words to my mammas attention. I am grateful it did. Many is the time that I relied on strength from these words. It is a strength I tried to hand down to my children; hopefully, they are now passing it down to their children.

Since I believed the song was not the origin of the saying, a bit more research reveals it probably stems from Isaiah 52:2 in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
“Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!” (NKJV)
This scripture, in combination with the rest of Isaiah Chapter 52, references the decline of Israel during and after their captivity in Egypt. In this chapter, Isaiah is telling Israel it is time to get over what has happened to them and start anew.

Thus, it is my belief that this ‘old saying’ derives from scripture — as does, in all probability, the song. Below, I provide the words to the song, as recorded by Frank Sinatra. I also provide links to YouTube recordings by Frank Sinatra and by Nat “King” Cole. Enjoy all three, then tell me what you think. Does this ‘old saying’ originate with scripture in Isaiah Chapter 52, Verse 2 — or does the song implement the saying?

Frank Sinatra
Photo from: biography.com
Pick Yourself Up
          Sang By:  Frank Sinatra

Now nothing's impossible, I've found for when my chin is on the
          ground,
I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip, be grateful for a pleasant trip,
and pick yourself up, dust off, start over again.
Work like a soul inspired until the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired, but you be a man, my son.
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall to rise again?
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, start all over again.

You gotta work like a soul inspired until the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired, but you be a man, my son.
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall and then to rise
          again?
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all
          over again.

Once again now:
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall and then rise
          again.
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start
          all over again.

That's enough now.

Source:
LyricFind
Composed 1936 by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
Pick Yourself Up lyrics (copyright) Universal Music Publishing Group,
Shapiro Bernstein & Co. Inc.

The following link will take you to the performance by Frank Sinatra:
Argosy34 — You Tube — 10 July 2010.
https://youtu.be/3EFPJL1uQbs. 

The recording by Nat “King” Cole and George Shearing includes lyric variations. The following link will access their version:
Paolo Pineda — You Tube — 20 June 2011.
https://youtu.be/QqC5YtutWAU. 

Sources:
Eds. (2019). Bible Hub: Isaiah 52:2 — New King James Version (NKJV). (11 November 2019). https://biblehub.com/isaiah/52-2.htm.

Eds. (2019). Google: Pick Yourself Up. (11 November 2019). Google. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNRImrm4Hd_wNUA7FweTdlSVnmWCOg%3A1573457900640&source=hp&ei=7A_JXY6BJYexgget-pmYDA&q=pick+yourself+up+dust+yourself+off+and+start+all+over+again+lyrics&oq=&gs_l=psy-ab.1.4.35i362i39l10.0.0..7989…0.0..0.135.135.0j1……0……gws-wiz…..10.HCwL6mZ6lJU.  

Eds. (2 September 2019). Wikipedia: Pick Yourself Up. Wikimedia project, Powered by MediaWiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick_Yourself_Up.