It is Well With My Soul

IT iS WELL with MY Soul

This was my grandfathers favorite song. He had lots, but I think this was WAY up there. We sang it at his funeral, per his request. I still cannot sing it without the tears free flowing. I think that the reason is two fold, one the memories. But two, even more powerful, is the grip the songs words have on my heart, the lessons my grandfather taught me through witnessing his life are all wrapped up in the lyrics here....

That no matter what, IT IS WELL, because GOD IS GOOD. 

So read these out loud, go the the link and read them to the tune even.... 

This is a powerful hymn.

377. It Is Well with My Soul

Click to Listen to Tune of Song

Text: Horatio G. Spafford
Music: Philip P. Bliss
Tune: VILLE DU HAVRE, Meter: 11 8.11 9 with Refrain

---

1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, 
 when sorrows like sea billows roll; 
 whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, 
 It is well, it is well with my soul. 
Refrain:
 It is well with my soul, 
 it is well, it is well with my soul. 

2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, 
 let this blest assurance control, 
 that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, 
 and hath shed his own blood for my soul. 
 (Refrain) 

3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! 
 My sin, not in part but the whole, 
 is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, 
 praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! 
 (Refrain) 

4. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, 
 the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; 
 the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, 
 even so, it is well with my soul. 

Jesus Take the Wheel...by Carrie Underwood

ok, this one has been on my phone for years, so if you have ever called me you listen to it while waiting for me to pick up.... Its the chorus that I love.
JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL, I AM LETTING GO, CAUSE I CAN'T DO THIS ON MY OWN.....
This is a HUGE statement if you stop and think, mule it over. For me anyways.
So often I want to rely on ME. I CAN DO IT. Its so easy to try and put God up on a shelf, or as I like to put it, in a "GOD BOX" for later use.
I need to daily ask him to take the wheel because I cannot do it on my own. We cannot do even the mundane simple things that we think we can on our own, we need him daily, in EVERY ASPECT.... SO this CHORUS is one of my mantras I guess you could say.
Something I like to repeat over and over to myself....
DAILY, more often really!!!!

(but I did post the whole song)



She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy
With the baby in the backseat

Fifty miles to go and she was running low
On faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year

She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
 She was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning
On a thin black sheet of glass

She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was so scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands 
Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheelIt was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat
Sleeping like a rock

And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life

I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my handsCause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Oh Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go

So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, take it, take it from me
Oh, why, ooh

He is With you... by Mandesa ( beautiful lyrics just read them out loud to yourself)

If you haven't figured it out yet I am doing a little "series" on song lyrics that mean something to me.... This one hits to the heart big time for me....
There is suffering. But GOD IS GOOD in all things. JOY can be found in all situations because our focus is to be on HIM, on the "who",not on the why, or the circumstances....

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE GOD AND ARE CALLED TO HIS PURPOSE...romans 8:28

 listen to these words, reflect on them,

(and please respond, tell me how this song hit you! I really would love for this little "series" to be interactive a bit, to know what anyone who reads this thinks!)

There's a time to live
And a time to die
There's a time to laugh
And a time to cry
There's a time for war
And a time for peace
There's a hand to hold
In the worst of these
In the worst of these

Chorus:
He is with you when your faith is dead
And you can't even get out of bed
Or your husband doesn't kiss you anymore
He is with you when your baby's gone
And your house is still and your heart's a stone
Cryin' God, what'd you do that for?
He is with you
There's a time for yes
And a time for no
There's a time to be angry
And a time to let it go
There's a time to run
And a time to face it
There is love to see you
Through all of this

Chorus:
He is with you in the conference room
When the world is coming down on you
And your wife and kids don't know you anymore
And he is with you in the ICU
When the doctors don't know what to do
And it scares you to the core
He is with you

We may weep for a time
But joy will come in the morning
The morning light

Chorus:
He is with you when your kids are grown
When there's too much space and you feel alone
And you're worried if you got it right or wrong
Yes he is with you when you've given up
On ever finding your true love
Someone who feels like home
He is with you

When nothing else is left
And you take you final breath
He is with you

Basically, he is with us through it all, through all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the valleys, the rock bottom, and there is JOY to be found even in that through KEEPING OUR EYES UPON HIM!- thats what I get from this one.

What do I know of HOLY????

These words hit me to the core. These are words that I feel could be coming right out of my mouth these days...thoughts that are in my mind, in my heart.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song.

It speaks my heart.

I wanted to write out the lyrics. To have them to come back too, to share my heart with ya'll.. Raw, honest words to my Lord via the words of Addison Road. 

Does this song hit anyone else???

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?


What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know?  

What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees


What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know?

What do I know of Holy?

 
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life "its" name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? 

What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?

Christmas in Atlanta (in Feb) Better Late than Never!!!

The COUSINS and MIMI!!!!
I HEART this couch pic of all of our kiddos!

Watchin Jack lov on his cousin Tatum was just so awsome!

Opening Presents
We missed our Christmas in December as I was in the hospital and Caroline has strep throat so we could not have her around baby Tatum....so we finally got together to open presents in Feb.
 better late than never
Merry Christmas Hooper-Yaman Families!!!

SNOW DAY

The boys had a BLAST playing in the snow! They spent a lot of time sliding down the drive way on cookie sheets! I remember doing that when I was little and it snowed here!! Of course, for some reason no cookie sheet pics...

\ 

Caroline spent the weekend in Charleston with Maggie and Papap. When she got home on Sunday she made a little snow man on the back porch!!

Getting Back into LIFE....

Wow, I have to say.... I am now almost 2 months post surgery now. All recovered physically, pretty much anyways. I am freed from my doc to walk for exersize now.
No more sickies.
No more excuses.
I have to say I am finding reentering my life, Our lives, harder than I would have thought.
I am finding it a bit overwhelming.
I think I want to be everything all at once again. I want to do it all, all on my own strength.
One would have thought in these last years that I would have learned this lesson.
I would have learned that Reliance on my Lord is essesntial. That I cannot do it alone.
I cannot do anything alone.
But here I go again, trying and getting defeated...
And I am suprised????
CRAZINESS ERIKA!
I need to realize that I was out of things for a long time and it is ok that its not super simple to just feel normal in every aspect.
I need to realize that I have to cling to my Savior. I need him in everything I do.
I have the head knowledge, I pray Lord Jesus that you would help apply it to my heart daily. That I would daily seek you out first. That i  would walk with you, look to you for guidance, for patience, for help with my days. I pray that you would continue to teach me and grow me closer to you.