Dear family and friends,
Well tomorrow is a big day here with The Thomas Troops.
First we are getting up early and driving into Honolulu to take our much beloved violin teacher and to breakfast for her birthday. Nikki Routman is an absolute joy to our family. She's an amazing teacher, accomplished violinist, and dear friend.
We've worked hard this year in school and pretty much run a "normal" school schedule. I mean compared to when we were in early years of homeschooling and we just had so much more flexibility. So to be going out to breakfast on a Monday morning is very exciting.
Then I drop Caroline off to the orthodontist across the island to have her braces taken off. I remember this day so well in my own life, a few years back. Am I really old enough to have had a child in and OUT of braces. I guess so. Caroline is so ecstatic. She's worked very hard on her school as she'll have to miss class. I was really proud of her work that she did this weekend in order to not be behind this week. She will listen to the recording of her English class tomorrow night. That is one of the few downsides to homeschooling that I've found, they just don't get to miss school.
Church was wonderful this morning. A real blessing to be in the Lord's house with the Lord's people.
I can't imagine what it will be like someday to worship Him "in person". The music at this little church really prepares my heart for the teaching of God's word. They do something well that not many churches do (well). They pretty much sing 50/50 hymns and worship songs.
The kicker is that they do a great job of both! I am so grateful for this. In the past almost 18 years Ed and I have been a part of 12 church bodies, this number in no way includes the churches that we've attended for one to six Sundays. Most churches seem to lean one way or the other, a few in between. It always makes me sad because both have so much to offer. The hymns are rich with theology and poetry to honor my King. It's a privilege to sing words that so many before me have sung, words that have ministered year after year, even century after century. The worship songs are uplifting and help me focus my heart on Jesus rather than myself. They often take me straight to the throne room and give me the tiniest glance of what it will be like someday.
It saddens me when I hear believers in one camp slamming the other camp as I KNOW this doesn't honor Jesus. I've always played whatever we do not sing at church at home, as we really want our children to grow up with knowing and loving hymns and worship songs.
Now I will admit Ed and I got tickled this morning as we ended with How Great Thou Art, which is one of my all time favorites. You need to understand the Hawaiian flare that this church has, yeah?
I've sung this song so many different times in so many different ways...organs, orchestras, guitars, and accapella. I've sung it in the car, to my babies, in the shower, and in my closet. I've sung it slowly, love it quickly, and can twirl with it in between. Until this morning I'd never heard it with a western strum...in our little church in Hawaii. I thought they were bringing the horses down the aisles (wearing flip flops of course) any minute. I've heard nothing western sounding in that church until now. I'm just here to tell you that even with a bam buh de dah, this song brings me closer to my Saviour....
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"
I pray that I will daily proclaim this in how I live, oh by the grace of God...
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops
