Just another sacred Sunday in the South!!!
Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Shenandoah explains it best with their song Sunday in the South. Here are the lyrics to refresh your memory!
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QL450Qz0jM
Sunday in the South
Shenandoah
Millworker houses lined up in a row
Another southern Sunday’s morning glow
Beneath the steeple all the people have begun
Shaking hands with the man who grips the gospel gun
While the quiet prayer, the smell of dinner on the ground
Fills up the morning air, ain’t nothing sweeter around
I can almost hear my mama pray
Oh Lord forgive us when we doubt
Another sacred Sunday in the south, alright
A ragged rebe
l flag flies high above it all
Popping the wind like an angry cannon ball
Now the holes of history are cold and still
But they still smell the powder burning, and they probably always will
And on the old town square, under the barber shop pole
They sit me up in the chair, when I was four years old
I can almost hear my papa say
Won’t you hold still, son, stop squirming around
Another southern Sunday’s comin’ down
I can almost hear the old folks say
You made it big, one day you’ll leave this town
Some other lazy Sunday, you’ll be back around
I can feel the evening sun go down
And all the lights in the houses one by one go out
Softly in the distance, nothing stirs about
And the night is filled with the sound of a whippoorwill
Want a Sunday in the south, alright
Just another Sunday in the south
Oh, another sacred Sunday in the south
How I miss them old sweet Sundays in the south
I can hear my mama calling, in the south, alright
Oh-oh-oh
In the south
Most of my childhood consisted of going to church with my Grandmother, whether it be on a Sunday or any given night of the week. As a child I thought me and my cousins were just going to church with Grandmother. But she had a totally different thought in her mind. She was concerned about our souls!!! She knew the importance of us hearing God’s word. She knew the importance of us being saved, being born-again Christians!! We as children, however, looked at it as an opportunity to play with our cousins.
Many times my Aunt Jean (God rest her soul) would tag along. I have so many fond memories of me and my cousin Manessa (whom is Aunt Jean’s daughter) singing church hymns at the top of our lungs from the back seat. I’ll Fly Away, Blessed Jesus Hold My Hand, He Set Me Free, When the Roll is Called up Yonder, just to name a few! My how we must have gotten on their nerves! But they never told us to hush!
Grandmother always had Sunday dinner ready when we walked in the door after service, and on occasion, we had dinner on the grounds at church. Grandmother always had a big basket of food that she had prepared for the dinner. Back then we didn’t eat from paper or foam plates, folks would bring their own plates and silverware. Grandmother always had real plates from home for us to eat from, and she always brought extra just in case someone needed a plate or forgot theirs.
I thank God for my Grandmother and those sacred Sundays from my childhood. Especially that one special sacred Sunday that God convicted my heart and showed me what a lost, wretched, sinner I was! Praise God I can say that Blessed Jesus Holds My Hand because He Set Me Free and one day When the Roll is Called up Yonder, I’ll Fly Away and I will be in heaven with my Grandmother, Aunt Jean and all those that have gone on before me. And yes, one day, Manessa and I will be singing, not from the back seat of a car, but in God’s Choir!
God Bless America,
Dana
Merry CHRISTmas
Luke 2:8-14
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
While we are visiting with family, filling our bellies with great food and opening presents lets not forget to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, giving HIM thanks for everything.
HE IS THE REAL REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!
We at Southern Gals Cook want to wish everyone very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
What am I preparing today, you ask?
Deep Fried Turkey (actually hubby did this), mashed potatoes, corn, dumplins, fresh homemade yeast rolls and peanut butter fudge.
What’s going on your table today?
GOD BLESS
SGC
The Amish Way: Poems, Quotes and Words of Wisdom
While shopping at my favorite Amish Grocery I happened across this little book. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to buy it. Much to my delight I found way more than canning recipes and home remedies.
Tucked away in the pages of this little book I found poems, quotes and words of wisdom from some very smart and wise Amish Ladies!
My favorite saying from the Amish Sayings and Quotes collection would be the first one listed because it is soooooo true! It’s kinda of like the old saying, “If I knew then what I know now!”
My favorite poem would be Bless this Mess because it gives me insight on how Amish ladies face the same challenges as me on a daily basis! I guess I just somehow figured the Amish ladies had it all together and figured out that they don’t stress over laundry, dishes, dirty windows, etc!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy these as much as I did and please let me know which ones are your favorite and why they are your favorite. I will be interesting see how differently we all see things.
AMISH SAYINGS AND QUOTES– It is less painful to learn in our youth, than it is to be ignorant in our old age! – You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but who wants a bunch of flies? An Amish friend Lobelville, TN – If a rooster crows before goin’ to bed, he’s sure to wake up with a wed head! (rain) Mrs. Robert Gingerich East Rochester, OH – Love is patient, Love is kind. Love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things! – A whistlin’ woman and a crowin’ hen are sure to come to some bad end! Always forgive your enemies. It sure aggravates them! – Any housewife, no matter how large her family, can always get some time alone by doing the dishes! – A peck of common sense is worth a bushel of learning. – God is great, God is good By His had, we are fed. Give us Lord, our daily bread! – Sometimes you get discouraged, because I am so small. I always leave my fingerprints on the furniture and walls. But everyday I’m growing, I’ll be all grown up someday, and all these tiny fingerprints will surely fade away! AMISH POEMS AND WORDS OF WISDOM
The Farmer’s Love Letter
My sweet potato, do you carrot all for me? You are the apple of my eye. With radish hair and your turnip nose, My heart beets for you My love for you is strong as onions. If we cantaloupe, lettuce marry, and we will be a happy pear! Mrs. Robert Gingerich East Rochester, OH A LITTLE AMISH POEM Come, let’s clean our the garden, carry in everything that we find. Stuff everything in jars, with shapes of every kind. When winter comes a howling, along the shelves we’ll snoop, and serve our hungry family, with vegetables and soup. AN AMISH POEM Weary mother mixing dough, don’t you wish the food would grow? Your lips would smile, I know, to see, a cookie bush or donut tree! BLESS THIS MESS I look in the kitchen, and what do I see? But a great pile of dishes, just waiting for me. I glance through the window, my view is all bleary. The prints of small children, make it look very smeary. My glance falls on laundry, hanging over chairs, some of it folded, and some at me stares. With a basket of ironing, and another of mending, I find that my tasks, are almost unending. But the toys of the floor, and the rugs disarranged, show healthy children in this house have played. And the dishes and laundry, are proof that we’re blessed, with food and with rainment, so why get distressed? I’ve health and I’m privileged, to work with my best. So up and at, Thank God for this mess! An Amish friend, Sugarcreek, OH AN AMISH POEM I would rather have a little rose, from the garden of a friend, than flowers strewn around my casket, when my days on earth are ended. I would rather have a loving smile, from one I know is true, than tears shed ’round my casket, when the world I bid adieu. Bring me all my flowers today, and the true smile as I said, now! I’d rather have a smile or rose, than a truckload when I’m dead! TABLE RULESIn silence I must take my seat, and give God thanks before I eat. Must for my food, in patience wait, till I am asked to hand my plate. I must not scold, nor whine, nor pout, nor move my chair or plate about. With knife or fork or napkin ring, I must not play nor must I sing. I must not speak a useless word, For children must be seen, not heard! I must not talk about my food, nor fret if I don’t think it’s good. I must not say, “The bread is cold,” “The tea is hot,” “The coffee cold.” I must not cry for this or that, nor murmur if my meat is fat. My mouth with food, I must not crowd, nor while I’m eating, speak aloud. Must turn my head to cough or sneeze, and when I ask, say “If you please.” The tablecloth, I must not spoil, nor with my food, my fingers soil. Must keep my seat till I am done, nor round the table, sport and run. When told to rise, then I must put my chair away with noiseless foot. And lift my heart to God above, in praise for all His wondrous love. An Amish friend HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, while others are constantly them in hot water. Even the poor varieties can be made sweet and tender by garnishing with patience; well sweetened with smiles and flavored with kisses. Wrap well in a mantle of charity and keep warm with steady fire of devotion. Thus prepared, they’ll keep for years! RECIPE FOR LIFE One cup full of good thoughts 1 cup of kind deeds 1 cup consideration for others 2 cups well beaten faults 3 cups forgiveness Mix thoroughly and add tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy for others. Fold in 4 cups of prayer and faith to lighten other ingredients, and let rise to great heights of Christian living. After pouring all of this into your family life, bake well with warmth and human kindness. Serve with a smile. Lydia Ann Schwartz Berne, IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN Three rows squash 1. Squash grudges 2. Squash criticism 3. Squash gossip Four rows of turnips 1. Turn up for visits 2. Turn up with a smile 3. Turn up with a helping hand 4. Turn up on time Five rows of lettuce 1. Let us love one another 2. Let us welcome strangers 3. Let us be faithful to God’s duty 4. Let us worship God together 5. Let us pray often for one another Mrs. Robert Gingerich
Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did!
Dana
Help, we need somebody! Help, not just anybody! Help, you know we need someone, help!
Do the altered lyrics in our title for this post sound familiar?
Yep, you guessed it!
The Beatles, HELP, released July 1965!
Okay, enough trivia!
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Thanks and God Bless,
SGC
READY, SET, GO …………
Take Our Survey!The Faith of a Virtuous Woman
Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
As I sit here thinking about how tired I am… that it’s only Tuesday… and that I need more coffee, I still can’t help but to look forward to teaching precious little cherubs about the character traits of The Virtuous Woman this evening.
Dana told y’all yesterday that this week our church is having our annual Vacation Bible School and this year’s theme is one that I hold dear to my heart. Every time I read and study Proverbs 31:10-31, I see how much I lack in being the woman who God wants me to be. It humbles me and reminds me that I need the Lord with me everyday. Every meal I prepare, every purchase I make, every song or show I allow in my home, every decision I make, I need God’s wisdom and guidance to be just a hint of a virtuous woman for my family and for my God.
Yesterday {Monday} our character trait was Faith.
Faith
Faith is such a simple, yet complex thing.
In one of my favorite family Christmas movies, The Santa Clause, a little elf tells Scott Calvin {played by Tim Allen} that “Seeing isn’t believing; Believing is seeing.”
Judy the Elf
I asked the kids in my class if they think that there REALLY is such a thing as a million dollars. They said “Yes!”. I asked, “Have you ever seen a million dollars?” Well, of course not. None of them have. So then I asked them, “Then how do you know that it exists?” They looked at me like I had two heads. Then I said, “I bet you’ve seen buildings that cost a million dollars to build– and roads that cost a million dollars to pave, right? You’ve seen people on t.v. that make millions of dollars.” They all agreed.
Then I asked them, “Is God real?” They all exclaimed “YES!” “What about Jesus?” “Oh, YES!” “And Heaven and angels… all of that is real?” “Yes, Ms. Tangi!!” “Well, have you ever seen God? Or Jesus? Or Heaven? Or angels?” “Noooo.” Their big, sparkly, cherub eyes looked at me with anticipation and trust. “Then…How do you know they are real?”
*crickets*
Finally, a little munchkin voice chimed “Because we just know, Ms. Tangi.”
Aw. Sweet baby chile.
I smiled and said, “And that, my dear, is faith.”
It reminded me of this:
Matthew 18:
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
—- Not gonna lie. I got a little teary eyed.—-
I went on to tell the children that like the buildings and roads that cost a million dollars to make, nature itself proclaims the existence of God {Romans 1:20}. And like there are people on t.v. that have a million dollars, there are people in our church and around the world that have been saved, felt the power of God, and have Jesus in our hearts.
Now… back to faith and being a virtuous woman…
I discovered just how weak my faith is during our adult Sunday School class this past Sunday. We side-tracked into a “What would you do?” discussion on a hot topic. I got very real and shared with my church family that if it were an extreme situation, it would be hard for me to not entertain the idea of doing something that I know in my heart is wrong, especially when it came to protecting my family.
Faith in God isn’t just about knowing whether He exists or not, but isn’t it also knowing that He is in control? Isn’t having faith knowing that if we follow Him and do what He has called us to do, that He will take care of things according to His purpose and His glory?
I pray that my faith grows so that when the “extremes” do happen, that I turn to Him– my Rock and my Salvation– and allow Him to take care of it… and that I don’t do anything stupid to make it worse. {Just keepin’ it real, folks}
Proverbs 31:21 says:
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
“…is not afraid of the snow…”
I heard a saying that goes something like… “Don’t tell God how big your storm is. Tell your storm how big your God is.” I think that’s what we are seeing in this scripture. Sometimes our storms can be snow flurries of everyday irritations and disappointments. Sometimes our storms are downright blizzards of death, deception, abuse, and desperation. But whatever the storm, God can calm it if we ask Him to.
I pray that God will increase our faith as we try to grow closer to Him. I pray that He will clothe our families in the Scarlet blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that our lives will proclaim His power, mercy, and grace. I pray that our faith won’t shudder at the cold of the snow, but that the snow will shudder at the power of our God.
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