Chris Rice

I was searching for different artists who sing "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go" and found a BEAUTIFUL version by Chris Rice! I have tried and tried to find a way to get in on the blog, but can't. So I just thought I'd tell you about it. It's on his album "Peace Like a River" and there are so many other wonderful hymns (including "It is Well with my Soul" which I did find on YouTube, so I posted it below.) So... in case you wanted a good lead. I bought the whole album on iTunes. It's just beautiful!

Chris Rice- Peace Like A River

The words don't have to be mine!

So... last night after posting, I went to bed. Sometime in the early morning Ethan came and got in bed with us. As is his way, he nearly smothers me while I sleep, and as I am such a heavy sleeper I end up waking up in a very uncomfortable position. About 4:15 this morning I awoke pinned to the bed wearing Ethan around my neck like one of those stuffy Victorian collars. (I'll have to get John to take a picture of it sometime, since this happens frequently.) Anyway... at the precise point that I woke up, the words (and music) of the third verse of this song were running through my head. How wonderful of God to bring me music in my sleep and give me words when I had none of my own! I still don't have any words, but now I don't care. The words don't have to be mine! Ahhhhhhh

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Words by: George Matheson
Music by: Christopher Miner

I found a version of this song on YouTube that I loved, so I'm putting that on for those of you who aren't familiar with the tune.

Oh Love that Will Not Let Me Go

I have lost my words...

Hi all. Thanks for your sweet comments. I'm sorry once again for the lapse in my postings. I don't know how long it will take me to get back into the groove again... it's not even that things are so difficult or terrible right now... It mostly seems that I have run out of words. I know that's hard to imagine coming from me! But it's true. Even, and probably especially, in person - I simply have nothing to say. I am definitely wordier in writing than verbally (even on my good days) and for the moment I am just drawing a blank. So - I wanted to let you know that we are doing o.k. I think I'm totally exhausted from the long past months. I have also realized that a huge part of those months was the constant communication - with doctors, with Ellie, with each other, on the blog - and for the moment I am done communicating all together. So rather than just saying nothing, I thought that I would tell you that I am on hiatus from the written and spoken word. Nothing personal. It's where I'm at right now. Love you all!

Physically better and not too emotionally crippled...

Hi. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. We are all finally starting to slowly get back up from this sickness. I never had it as bad as the others, but there was an exhaustion phase to this bug that did hit me. Loretta is the slowest to come back, and her energy is not up yet, but she is starting to feel a little better as the days go by. Ethan bounced back great, and John did recover, but spent one whole week with a fever. Now this is the house of coughing, but we all agree that coughing sure beats the fever, chills and congestion (and in La's case, asthma).

I will try to get back with you sooner next time, but for now there just isn't much to tell. On the emotional front, some days are better than others. John seems to be much better than he was (for the most part) and I am starting to feel the pains of the numbness wearing off. Ethan is mostly o.k., but does talk about Ellie frequently. A week or so ago, he had the foresight to worry that he might forget Ellie. I told him that some things would be harder for him to remember as he grows up, but that his daddy and I will not let him forget her. I told him that we would tell him stories and show him pictures and videos. He was happy about that. He was missing her the other day, so I told him that he could pick out some pictures of him and Ellie together to put in his new room if he wanted. He liked that idea, and when I said "that way you can have a little bit of Ellie in your room" he said "no, I want a lot of Ellie in my room!" He's never ceases to delight me with his feelings for his sister.

As always, thanks so much for the love and prayers! Lots of love to you and yours.

sick...sick...sick...

I'm sorry that I've not been posting. Just wanted to let you know that we have been sick. Pretty much everyone in the house has taken turns with varying degrees of a nasty bug. Mike, Reni and I have had a nasty head cold but John, Ethan, Loretta and Lauren have all had fevers with their colds. John and Loretta have been hit the hardest. John had a fever for a whole week and Loretta has been miserable. Loretta's asthma has been acting up terribly during this sickness. Ethan had a bad night's sleep last night, therefore I did as well. So, we have not fallen off the face of the Earth... we just wish we had. I will get back with you when we are back in the land of the living!