One hymn I think is particularly beautiful, but don’t know well enough to sing without a hymnal, is “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Someone brought it to mind today, so I thought I would work on learning it by heart this week.

If you’re wondering what on earth “raise mine ebenezer” means, here’s a great explanation of the Biblical meaning behind the words in the song.

1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

How many verses of “This is My Father’s World” do you know? Two? Three? Most hymnals include three verses that are comprised of six stanzas of Maltbie Davenport Babcock’s poem. But his original poem, published soon after his death in 1901, actually contains 16 stanzas. Below are the original 16 stanzas, as published in Thoughts for Every-Day Living.

This is my Father’s world.
On the day of its wondrous birth
The stars of light in phalanx bright
Sang out in Heavenly mirth.

This is my Father’s world.
E’en yet to my listening ears
All nature sings, and around me rings
The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world.
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand the wonders wi’ought.

This is my Father’s world.
The birds that their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white.
Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world.
He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.
From His eternal throne,
He watch doth keep when I’m asleep,
And I am not alone.

This is my Father’s world.
Dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise
Cry, ” The Lord is in this place.”

This is my Father’s world.
I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze
God makes His glory known.

This is my Father’s world.
Among the mountains drear,
‘Mid rending rocks and earthquake shocks,
The still, small voice I hear.

This is my Father’s world.
From the shining coui’ts above.
The Beloved One, His only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world.
Now closer to Heaven bound.
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod,
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world.
His love has filled my breast,
I am reconciled, I am His child,
My soul has found His rest.

This is my Father’s world.
A wanderer I may roam.
Whatever my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That tho’ the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world.
The battle is not done.
Jesus who died shall be satisfied.
And earth and Heaven be one.

This is my Father’s world.
Should my heart be ever sad?
The Lord is King—let the Heavens ring
God reigns—let the earth be glad.

Hello, ladies!

I hope y’all are enjoying your summer. A Lady in Waiting will be up-and-running again by the fall, with one big change . . . we’re going digital.

As much as I prefer to hold a hard copy of a magazine in my hands and flip through the pages, I really believe this is what’s best for A Lady in Waiting at this point in time. Magazine printing and mailing is dreadfully costly and we just aren’t bringing in the funds to support it, which is why it’s been so long since we’ve released an issue.

Now the magazine will be available to download online. Current subscribers will receive e-mails with a code to use when downloading so that they aren’t charged, and will have their subscriptions extended to make up for the difference in price. Those who weren’t subscribers to the print magazine can purchase each issue individually, right here from the website.

Additionally, I hope to be able to publish bi-monthly instead of quarterly, as we won’t have to factor in printing and mailing costs and times. This is dependent upon submission quantity however, so be sure to send in your articles, recipes, questions, book reviews, etc. if you’d like to see six issues per year.

Thank you for your patience and continued prayers as we work towards this goal!

Blessings,

Rebekah