Count Your Blessings

-
Johnson Oatman Jr. was a bivocational Methodist minister. Besides his full time work in Retail and the Insurance Industry, he served various local churches -- and still somehow found the time to write 5000 hymns.

One of them, published in Songs for Young People, was published in 1897. It's a great Thanksgiving Song. I tickled the ivories as we sang it at church this past Sunday: Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Comments

  1. Anonymous8:20 AM

    I've recently read a few books that can certainly give some perspective to our complaints--"Year of Impossible Goodbyes" by Sook Nyul Choi (living in & escaping from North Korea in the late 40's), "Night" by Eli Wiesel, and "The Hiding Place."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:38 AM

    Happy Thanksgiving Mark: You are one of the people I give God thanks for. Have a wonderful day. Steve

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If This Is Not A Place. . .

-
If this is not a place where tears are understood, Then where shall I go to cry? And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings, Then where shall I go to fly? I don't need another place for trying to impress you With just how good and virtuous I am. I don't need another place for always being on top of things; Everybody knows that it's a sham. I don't need another place for always wearing smiles, Even when it's not the way I feel. I don't need another place to mouth the same old platitudes; Everybody knows that it's not real. So if this is not a place where my questions can be asked, Then where shall I go to seek? And if this is not a place where my heart cry can be heard, Where, tell me where, shall I go to speak? So if this is not a place where tears are understood, Where shall I go, where shall I go to fly? -- Ken Medema
Read more

My Updated Ordination Succession

-
 I made an error when I listed my ordination succession a few weeks ago.  I was ordained by Earle Wilson and he was ordained by William Neff. I had thought that Neff was ordained by early Pilgrim leader, Seth Rees, but upon further investigation, he was actually ordained by Winfred Cox.  Thus, my ordination line takes a fortunate turn. It was a struggle reconciling Rees anyway.  I had taken a leap saying that he was ordained by the Nazarenes -- when, in fact, he was originally "recorded" (not ordained) by the Quakers, and the Nazarenes claim they never ordained him.  I find that hard to believe -- especially when, according to historian, Kostlevy, he participated in ordinations for the Metropolitan Church Association, a forerunner of the Pilgrim Holiness Church. Anyhow -- deepest apologies for leading anyone astray and here is the updated ordination succession for Earle Wilson and anyone ordained by him (including former Wesleyan GS, JoAnne Lyon). I was ordained by Earle Wils
Read more