Round the Sphere Again

Adoption Again
November 8 is Orphan Sunday.

On Orphan Sunday, Christians stand for the orphan. We are a people called to defend the fatherless…to care for the child that has no family…to visit orphans in their distress.

From many sources, one voice. Hundreds of events across America and beyond, all sharing a single goal:  that God’s great love for the orphan will find echo in our lives as well.

You’ll find lots of resources here, including this pdf poster: 10 Ways to Care for the Orphan.

And Again
A little adoption story: I prayed for this child (Girls Gone Wise)

Unorthodox Tale
The day I deliberately taught heresy (Against Heresies)

Carrying On
With the top 100 hymns at Semicolon:

• The Old Rugged Cross (18)
• In Christ Alone (17)
• O Sacred Head Now Wounded (16)

Fall Flair
Your favorite fall decorating idea could win you a $50 gift card. (girltalk)

Lego Can Be Useful
On second thought, maybe not so much.

It’s Always Fun
To be a Twins fan. (StarTribune.com) Guess what I’ll be doing on Tuesday afternoon.

Sunday's Hymn

I’ll be posting hymns by Isaac Watts for a few Sundays.

Our God, Our Help in Ages Past

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men:”
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

—Isaac Watts

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

• Lord’s Day 40, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• All Creatures of Our God and King at The Happy Wonderer
• As When the Hebrew Prophet Raised at Fieldstone Cottage
• Christlikeness from The Valley of Vision at The Upward Call
• Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Languid at Hiraeth
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Do Idols Deserve Respect?
• O Happy Home, Where Thou Art Loved the Dearest at Whatever Things
• Rejoice the Lord Is King at Tapestry of Graces
• All Creatures of the Earth and Sky at Conjubilant With Song

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) 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.

From the Front Porch

I’ve got a review of Big Truths for Young Hearts coming later today. I hope.

In the meantime, here was the view from my front porch last weekend. There are fewer leaves and less color now, and we’re one big wind away from leaflessness. But it’s still pretty, especially when you consider that it’s the first of October, and most years, we’ve already had our one big wind.