Road Trip

Of all the posts I’ve written while blogging, this one written in the spring of 2004 is my favorite. I’m in the reorganizing mood (Isn’t that what January is all about?) and I want to make sure that all my faves are here on this blog. I’ve tried just importing the blogger posts to Squarespace, but I have formatting that doesn’t always come through right and I can’t have that. I’ll post of those oldies but goodies with their original dating so they won’t show up at the top of the blog, but once in a while, I may post one up here. Like today.

….today the sun is shining. This morning, I’m longing for another road trip.

When the weather gets nice in the spring, I always get a hankering to pop the Eagles into the CD player in my car and hit the road for a long road trip. Not a five hundred mile a day, find your reserved hotel room, swim in the pool, then have supper sort of road trip, but the real thing, when you drive from sunrise until midnight, eat sandwiches from the cooler, sleep in the car, and don’t shower for three days. I’m not sure why I like this sort of trip. It means you arrive at your destination looking like a mess and ready to sleep for 24 hours. It means you get where you’re going with a trunk full of dirty laundry and no clean clothes left in your suitcase. But there’s something about being connected to nothing but what’s inside your own vehicle that brings a refreshing reprieve from everyday life.

I’ve been on many of these hard driving road trips. This was the kind of trip our family took when I was a child. We rarely slept in the car, but each day we pushed for as many miles as possible. When I first got married, we were two students living on one income from the GI bill, but we loved to travel, so we traveled as cheaply as possible. Out west, up north, all in a little dark green Porsche my husband had bought before we met. It was good on gas, but small for sleeping.

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Two Things

1. I’ve got photo galleries. Look in the far right sidebar underneath the More From Me collection of links. So far there are only two three galleries and very few photos, but I hope to add more. Around the Town is the gallery for things you’d see might if you visited my town and In the House will show you things you might see if you visited my house on a good day. I will try not to post photos of dirty laundry piles unless they are particularly attractive ones.
   
   [Update: I’ve also added From the Yard for photos taken … well…I’m pretty sure you can figure it out.]


2. If you enjoyed the Beatrix Potter post, you’ll want to read Brandon Watson’s additional information about her research into mycology.

Sunday's Hymn

This is another of my favorite hymns. Like all the really good old hymns, it has a million verses, only four of which we find in our hymnals.

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize will be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now,
And through eternity.

O Jesus, King most wonderful
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou sweetness most ineffable
In Whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus, light of all below,
Thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire.

Jesus, may all confess Thy Name,
Thy wondrous love adore,
And, seeking Thee, themselves inflame
To seek Thee more and more.

Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless,
Thee may we love alone,
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.

O Jesus, Thou the beauty art
Of angel worlds above;
Thy Name is music to the heart,
Inflaming it with love.

Celestial Sweetness unalloyed,
Who eat Thee hunger still;
Who drink of Thee still feel a void
Which only Thou canst fill.

O most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs
Which unto Thee we send;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries;
To Thee our prayers ascend.

Abide with us, and let Thy light
Shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night;
And joy to all impart.

Jesus, our love and joy to Thee,
The virgin’s holy Son,
All might and praise and glory be,
While endless ages run.

—Ber­nard of Clair­vaux

This YouTube video shows the hymn sung by a group caroling at a hospital.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Great God, We Sing That MightyHand at Hiraeth
• Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him at Field Stone Cottage
• Lord’s Day 2, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Joy Is The Fruit That Will Not Grow at The Happy Wonderer
• The Heavenly Child in Stature Grows at Nova Scotia Scott
• Great God of Wonders! at Whatever Things
• “I come,” the Great Redeemer Cries at Conjubilant With Song
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Don’t Pamper Your Doubts

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.