O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

My favorite part of the holiday season is, without a doubt, the music. When I hear the carols, to me, the holiday season has begun. 

My next favorite thing about the holiday season? 

The lights. I love soft, warm, cozy lights. White lights are my favorite. A couple weeks ago, I purchased a few strings of white lights on white wire to drape across some windows - one in my sewing room and two in my bedroom. I'm amazed what a simple string of white lights can do! They are so cozy and inviting. Because of that, I plan to leave my white lights up all winter long. Candles give the same effect. They bring light and warmth in the darkness. To me, lights and candles are an enjoyable winter thing, not just a holiday thing. 

Admittedly, I also enjoy the treats and gifts of the holiday season. This year, I enjoyed giving gifts to those in my family. Giving gifts brings me just as much joy as receiving gifts. I don't have a lot of money, but for a cheap price, I was able to make something special and practical for each of my six siblings - rice pillows to heat in the microwave. (there are so many uses for them!) I made my parents each one last year, and they loved them. 

I know many Christians who do not celebrate Christmas at all, and I can understand why. Sadly, there are some pagan things mixed in with Christmas. I don't want anything to do with those things either. But I do enjoy the opportunity to remember the birth of our Messiah, a glorious event that is recorded in the pages of Scripture. The birth of Christ was announced by the angels of heaven - a thought that struck me anew as my Dad read the story from the Bible earlier today. 

The carols of Christmas, specifically, the ones that give honor and glory to God for sending us His Son, also remind me of God's wondrous gift. The birth of God's Son is indeed part of that wondrous "old, old story". The story never gets old. 

The carols never get old to me either, and to me, they are the best part of the holiday season. Even as I type this, Christmas carols are playing in our home. In many ways, carols are just beautiful hymns about the birth of Christ, many of them proclaiming the glorious reason of Christ's birth.  

A carol that I love says it this way:

"Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping, 

Vigil till the morning new. 
Saw the glory, heard the story,
Tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you;
Christ the babe was born for you."

(From the carol - "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly")

Christ was born for me. Christ was born for you. 

Such a powerful thought! 

My favorite is "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel". I know this carol is a favorite with many. Its gorgeous melody (being in a minor key) makes it a delight for me to play on the harp, even when it is not Christmas. There are many carols that sound particularly beautiful on the harp! I enjoyed playing a few carols on my small harp at a nursing home earlier this month, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" being one of them.

I remember loving this carol, even as a 12 year old girl learning to play the piano. I was always happy when this carol was sung in church or while caroling with friends. 

I also love the words to this carol, a hymn that dates as far back as possibly the 12th century! This old hymn was translated into English years later. There are many verses to this carol. The verses shared below are some I am most familiar with.  

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appears.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer, 
Our spirits by thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain: 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This carol seems to be, in essence, a plea for God to come and be with His people. 

Emmanuel means: God with us

I love the refrain which says:

"Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel." 

Israel is a reference to God's people.

Over the years, I've often wondered. Why does the refrain say: 

"Shall come to thee..." 

Why doesn't it say: 

"Has come to Thee..." 

That would make more sense. Christ has come, has He not? Indeed, one of the verses references His advent, His first coming as a baby. 

Recently, as I looked into the history of this beloved carol, I was surprised and shocked to realize that this carol is not only about Christ's first coming. It is also about His second coming! Wow!  

It no wonder why the author wrote the refrain that way. We are indeed waiting, yearning, longing for Emmanuel to come be with us once again. 

The last verse I shared above makes this clear: 

 O come, Thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Discovering this has made my most beloved Christmas carol even more special to me. It's okay to cry, to yearn for Christ to come back. We can rejoice though because, just as the refrain to the old carol says, "Emmanuel shall come to thee."

 

The fulfillment of Messiah’s first coming is, in many ways, a guarantee of His second coming. He will come again to literally dwell with His people when He sets up His Kingdom here on earth. 

Earlier this month, I came down with some virus that included a severe headache along with fatigue and other achiness. I found myself in bed one Friday evening, not only feeling very sick, but also, very depressed. This virus affected me, not only physically, but also, mentally and emotionally. 

I lit a candle on my dresser, and as I laid back down, I noticed the appearance of a heart shape on a wall in my room. It was clearly coming from the glow of my candle, and likely, reflecting off the lamp on my dresser in some way. It was something I don't ever remember seeing before. For me, in that moment, it was a visual reminder of God's love and God's presence, even in my sickness and sadness. 

I had to take a picture of the "heart shadow"
that appeared in a corner of my room. 

In the Old Testament, God's people looked forward to the Messiah coming which He did when He was born of a virgin. Now, God's people look back and remember that He came. And we eagerly await His second coming!

In our every day lives though, during the wait, during the sorrow, during the sadness, during all the hard things we deal with on a day to day basis, God still comes to us, sometimes in very personal ways. 

He comes to remind us that He is still Emmanuel - God with us.

More Thoughts on the Life of Joseph

Last year, I wrote several posts about the life of Joseph, my favorite Bible character. I hadn't planned on sharing anymore about him, but lately, I've been thinking about Joseph again. 

Every week, I enjoy reading the weekly Torah portion over the weekend. The first five books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy - are referred to as the Torah in Hebrew. Those books of the Bible were recorded by Moses. The Torah portions are divided into certain chapters each week in order from Genesis through Deuteronomy, enabling someone to read through the first five books of the Bible in a yearly reading cycle. Along with reading certain chapters each week, Jewish people also read a portion of Scripture from one of the books of the prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Zechariah, etc. 

On the day that the Lord Jesus stood up to read from the scroll of Isaiah in His home synagogue in Nazareth, He read from Isaiah 61. When He did that, He did not randomly pick some portion of Scripture to read. He read from a section of the prophets that would have been part of the Torah portion that week. I enjoy reading the weekly Torah portions, and it's special to know the Lord Jesus did the same. 

For the past two weeks, the Torah portions have been about Joseph which has made me think more about him. Often, I like to make a hot cup of tea to sip on while I read. Before reading, I like to pray: 

"Father, open my eyes to behold wondrous things from Your Word."  

The Lord answers my prayer as I read very familiar Bible stories, marveling at things I never quite thought of or saw before. God's Word is like that. After reading, I love to go for a walk in our neighborhood, weather permitting, and meditate and pray about the chapters I just read.  

A few weeks ago, I read the Torah portion about Jacob leaving his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, to flee from his brother Esau. On his way to Haran to stay with his mother's relatives, he had a dream of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. Jacob also met with God there and anointed the stone he slept on as a pillow, declaring some very special things about that place. 

Jacob, Joseph's father, meeting with God in the place
where he slept with a stone as his pillow. 

Most Christians know the rest of the story very well. Jacob met his Uncle Laban in Haran, and Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, later became his wives. (Leah and Rachel would’ve been Jacob's cousins - something I didn’t realize before) 

Jacob's home life was a mess because he had two wives who were sisters. Rachel was Jacob's choice, but because of his uncle’s deception, he ended up with Leah first. Later, Jacob married Rachel. 

Although they were not perfect, Jacob's grandparents (Abraham and Sarah) and Jacob’s parents (Isaac and Rebekah) did not have the dysfunctional home that Jacob had. 

As I read through the story of Jacob's family and the birth of all his many sons, there is something that strikes me as being extremely profound: 

Despite all of the huge problems in Jacob's home, God chose the family of Jacob (renamed Israel) to represent Him to all the nations of the world. I found that tremendously encouraging. 

As I read the story of Jacob’s family, I smiled when I read about Joseph being born, especially after Rachel waited so long to have a son. 

Genesis 30:22-24 says: 

"And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 

And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 

And she called his name Joseph..." 

Sadly, Joseph's mom, Rachel, died giving birth to his younger brother, Benjamin. As I read the story recently, I literally cried while reading parts of it. The story is so gripping. 

Last weekend, I read about Joseph and his brothers, and all that Joseph went through because of his brothers jealousy and hatred of him. I read the familiar parts about Joseph's coat of many colors, about him being sold into Egypt, and about him being put into prison after being falsely accused. This story is real. This story really happened. Joseph was a real person. 

This weekend I will read the next Torah portion, the part where Joseph is taken out of prison to stand before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams, and all that follows.  

As I shared before on this blog, there are several things that stand out to me in Joseph's life as being very inspiring and significant. 

Joseph's trials did not make him a Godly man. Rather, Joseph's trials revealed the Godly man already he was. 

Trials reveal who someone really is. 

Joseph had no Bible to read and no Godly fellowship. All Joseph had in Egypt was God. Joseph was completely faithful to God, even all alone. 

I know some people who believe that, if you are all alone in your walk with God, you do not stand a chance in being faithful in your walk with God. Joseph's life shows otherwise. Though difficult, Joseph was where God wanted him in Egypt.   

Joseph loved and forgave those who did him wrong, namely, his brothers. Joseph focused on God's purpose, even amidst all his pain and suffering. 

Because of his walk with God, Joseph saw God's purpose in all the pain and suffering he went through. Joseph inspires me.  

Beyond the things I already shared, there is something else that greatly inspires me about Joseph's life.

Joseph came from a “less than ideal” home. A book I have about the history of the family of Israel describes Jacob's family as likely being the most dysfunctional family in the entire Bible through which God worked His will. 

Joseph came from that extremely dysfunctional home. Joseph’s home was an absolute mess! 

If Joseph lived in our day, I’m sure there would be Godly fathers and mothers telling their daughters to be careful about considering Joseph as a husband due to the home that he came from.

And yet, Joseph became the incredibly Godly man that we read about in Scripture today. God honored Joseph tremendously. Joseph is among those we read about in Hebrews chapter 11, also known as the faith chapter. 

Undeniably, the home that someone comes from has a tremendous impact on them. That is why God instructs parents to teach their children the Word of the Lord. Godly parents are to be encouraged and praised for doing that. 

However, the home someone comes from does not ultimately determine who they become. Personal choices do. We see this so clearly in Joseph's life. 

As shared in another post several months ago about running the race (Hebrew 12), I know many people who've decided to no longer follow God's Word in areas of their life. Others I know have completely walked away from God. It breaks my heart. I know it breaks God's heart even more.   

There is no such thing as a “perfect home”, but there are good, Godly homes, the type that Christians should desire and aspire to have. I know many people who came from good, Godly, Christian homes, and later, they made a personal choice to walk away from God's Word. 

I also know some people who, like Joseph, came from a “less than ideal” home, and today, they have a strong walk with God. They made a personal choice to walk with God and follow His Word despite things against them.

Like Joseph, a person’s home and family do not ultimately determine who they become. Personal choices do.    

Once again, Joseph inspires me tremendously, reminding me that he is, truly, my favorite Bible character. I'm certain that, for as long as I am here on earth, Joseph's life will continue to inspire me in my walk with God. 

The Lord Your God Is With You

The month of September found me driving to the state of Missouri. I have a friend, a single, Christian woman, who lives there and had been inviting me to come for a visit for a while. I hadn't seen her in nearly 5 years.

Being a single woman myself and needing to earn money towards incoming vehicle bills, I went to Missouri, not only for a visit, but also in the hopes of getting a seasonal job there. My friend assured me she would be delighted to have me stay with her for three months, and I tentatively planned for that.  

Packing my minivan for three months time took some effort, especially with all of my harps (including my large harp!) going along with me.   

Last, but not least, I was sure to bring a smaller item with me, a lovely Scripture mug I found earlier this year, that says: 

"God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9   

The Scripture mug that went with me on this trip.  

I love Scripture, and I love Scripture mugs. When I saw this one, I couldn't pass it up. I loved the verse, the design, and the wildflowers on it. Though I usually like things to match, I do have a small collection of various Scripture mugs. There is something special about sipping a warm drink from a mug with God's Word on it. The one I took with me had a comforting reminder on it - God would be with me. 

I left our home on a Monday in the early afternoon since I'd planned to stay the night with some friends in Kansas, their home being about a 6 hour drive from our home. I planned to arrive around supper time and was grateful to stay a night with them rather than trying to drive 12 hours straight from our home in Colorado to my friend's home in Missouri. I did that once before, almost 5 years earlier, and I hesitated to do that again, especially alone. 

I enjoyed listening to some relaxing harp music on the highway, and just before getting off the interstate, I called the mother of my Christian, homeschooling friends in Kansas. The family used to live in Colorado, not far from us, only having moved to Kansas in the past few years. Since I’d never been to their home in Kansas before, I wanted to make sure the GPS on my phone was giving me accurate directions. 

"I take this exit when I get off the highway, correct?"  

"Yes!" The sweet mother replied. 

She proceeded to give me clear directions about the way to their home after taking the exit. 

"The road you will take is paved for many miles, but the other half of that road is not paved." 

"Ah, okay." 

No problem, I thought inwardly. I've driven on gravel roads before. They aren't my favorite to drive on, but I suppose that is to be somewhat expected in Kansas. 

The dear, sweet mother continued. 

"We got rain last night, so the gravel roads are more difficult to drive on."

Once again, that was no problem. Less dust while driving on a gravel road, I thought.  

She proceeded to share that the gravel roads might be very challenging to drive on and asked her husband if I should take another route to their home on roads that were paved. Her husband thought I could make it on the gravel roads, so I proceeded with the normal route. 

As I pulled off the exit, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon of the Kansas prairie. Birds flew over the prairie in small groups, swooping down across the gently rolling, prairie road. The vast, open prairie was adorned with wildflowers among the tall, swaying grasses. Daisies and sunflowers were among them with stately, yet humble trees adding to the beauty of it all. I felt as though I had stepped into a story book from a by gone era. Driving across brooks, rivers, and streams, with hardly a home in sight, made me realize how peaceful life in Kansas must be. 

The happy, peaceful scenery matched the harp music that was playing in my vehicle. 

But then, the nicely paved road came to an end, and I finally met the wet, gravel road. My peaceful thoughts came to an abrupt end when I suddenly realized just how difficult driving on a wet, sandy, gravel road could be. I had no idea. I'd never driven on a road like this before. It was just as bad as, if not worse than, driving in thick, heavy snow. I slowed down significantly as I slid on areas of the road. I still had many miles of this long road to drive on before turning onto another road that led to my friend's home. Thankfully, my friends only lived about 15 minutes away, but I was scared. While sitting up at full attention and tightly gripping the wheel, I prayed out loud. 

“Abba Father, please help me.” 

I was comforted to know that God was with me.   

At long last, that never ending, wet, sandy, gravel road came to an end, and in a short time, I reached my friend's home on the Kansas prairie. I breathed a sigh of relief as I approached their home and was warmly welcomed by a young, sweet daughter of theirs.     

This was my first time to stay a night in Kansas. Being out there on the prairie, I was reminded of "Little House on the Prairie". Since I already wear a dress of some kind, the only thing I needed was a sun bonnet to help complete the look. 

With heads and hearts bowed around their supper table that evening, I felt incredibly blessed and privileged to be there. The father of the home not only thanked the Lord for the food; he also prayed for our nation. Kansas is the geographical center of the United States, and I was not far from the exact center of it. Something precious, even holy, settled over me around their supper table. 

If only more Americans would return to this, I thought. A simpler life, perhaps some time in Kansas, out on the prairie, enjoying a meal with a sweet, Godly family with prayer and God's Word being at the center of the home - surely that would help fix some of our nation’s problems, I thought. 

I was given a camper to stay in that night, right next to their home, the camper being equipped with a nice bed, a small bathroom, and electric. 

While trying to go to sleep, I smelled something inside the camper that concerned me a little bit. I've always had a strong sense of smell, and I could faintly, yet distinctly, smell propane (natural gas) coming from the area near the stove. Knowing that fumes from natural gas can be toxic and slowly kill you by putting you to sleep, I cranked open a window near the bed, hoping that some fresh air would help. I began to wonder if I should pray the same prayer as Mary and Laura Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie": 

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, 

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. 

I prayed, comforted to know that God was with me, and finally, in the wee hours of the night, I drifted off to sleep. I woke up the next morning to a beautiful sunrise on the Kansas prairie!          

A view of the Kansas prairie sunrise
from a window inside the camper I stayed in. 

After enjoying a wonderful breakfast of baked oatmeal, fresh melon, and tea around their table, (and giving the mother a "heads up" about the propane smell inside the camper!) I was back on the road, heading to Missouri. On my way back to the interstate, I had the privilege of driving on that long, wet, gravel road again, that morning being not quite as bad as the evening before. The beauty of the Kansas prairie made up for it, though I can't say I'd want to drive on wet, gravel roads again. 

Driving on Kansas roads! 

My second day of driving included many stops due to being so tired. Thankfully, I only had 6 hours of driving that day to arrive at my destination. At one point, I discovered that four year olds aren't the only ones who break down in tears when they need a nap. Forty year olds do the same when they haven't gotten enough sleep and are driving in unfamiliar places all alone. 

I arrived at my friend's home in Missouri on a lovely, Tuesday evening. I was happy to be at my friend's home safe and sound. God had been with me.  

The next morning, I woke up to another beautiful sunrise.  

Beautiful Missouri sunrise from the room I was staying in. 

Since I had no job when I arrived in Missouri, I was able to explore the local community and stores while my friend was at work. 

During my first Sunday at church with my friend, I smiled when the message was about Jesus being our good Shepherd. Psalm 23 and John 10 were both referenced. God reminded me that He was my Shepherd. He was with me, leading me, guiding me. 

Missouri is a beautiful state! 

During my second weekend in Missouri, some friends from my former church, friends who live about 2 hours south of where I was staying, invited me to come for a visit that weekend. 

Since my single friend was away that weekend, I was delighted for the opportunity to see them. But on my way down, my vehicle began acting up. Being a little concerned, I called my Dad. 

"Dad, my vehicle is bucking, especially at higher speeds. Any idea what might be going on?"  

My Dad is good with vehicles, and though he might not know exactly what is going on (especially with me being hundreds of miles away from home!), he usually has an idea. 

"It could be a mechanical issue, Erin. Or, it could be that you got some bad gasoline somewhere." 

"Do you think I'm okay to drive a couple of hours away?" 

"Yes, I think you should be okay." 

My Dad's reassuring words brought comfort to my heart. 

But as I got on a highway heading south, my vehicle seemed to get worse. Being nearly in tears, in a state that was very unfamiliar to me, I pulled over somewhere and called my Dad again and my friends. After discussing things with them, I decided to try driving at slower speeds, hoping all would be well. My friends reassured me that their auto mechanic would take a look at my vehicle when I got there. 

Though it did not exactly feel like God with me, I was comforted to know that God was with me. I felt more like an utterly terrified 10 year old rather than a 40 year old. Before my trip to Missouri, various friends told me I was brave to drive from Colorado to Missouri alone. Even though Kansas was the only state between Colorado and Missouri, I didn't feel very brave at times, especially with vehicle troubles. 

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I pulled into my friend's driveway. I gladly handed over my car keys to the man of the house. The verdict from the mechanic? He didn’t know for sure, but his best guess was bad gasoline. (gasoline with a little water in it) 

While I was with my friends, they took me to see something special, something not far from them. I saw a sign when I pulled off the exit to go to their home and couldn't believe it. 

A large sign off a highway in Mansfield, Missouri. 

The real Laura Ingalls Wilder lived near here?!

I found out that Laura and her husband Almanzo did live there later on in life. 

The “Little House on the Prairie” theme came around again. I still didn't have a sun bonnet, but that was okay. 

Although the house was closed over the weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the outside of the house with my friends. This house (pictured below) is where the real Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote all of the “Little House” books. So fun to see! 

In good humor, I told my friend that she and I needed to write a book series so that people might tour our home after we died someday. In all seriousness though, I believe the “Little House” book series have become so well known, so loved, and are such classics today because they describe a time of life that no longer exists. Pioneering the United States is something that captivates young and old readers alike. The TV series has also made people more familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder, but there is nothing like the book set. As a 13 and 14 year old girl, I used to really enjoy reading the “Rose Wilder” books.          

The actual house where the "Little House" books were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

It was quite something to see Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder's tomb stone in the Mansfield cemetery! 

I made it safely back to my single friend's home that weekend in central Missouri, and as I went through the bad gasoline in my vehicle, it got better. I was relieved! 

The next weekend, I went to see friends 2 hours north in Kansas City, Missouri. I was glad that my vehicle troubles went away, and was comforted to know that, once again, God was with me. 

On the highway back to my friend's home in central Missouri, I saw this sign that said: 

"Yeshua, The King is Coming"

It isn't every day that you see a sign like that here in the United States, a sign with our Savior's real name! Yeshua is Jesus’ real name in Hebrew. 

I continued my job hunt in my friend’s local area, and sadly, the job I'd hoped to get was not happening. After being in Missouri for nearly a month, I knew that most places probably wouldn't hire someone for two months, since I was planning to drive back home to Colorado in December.

On my last Sunday in Missouri, the message at my friend's church was on James 1:27 which says: 

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Both points were taught and preached on, and I gave an inward “amen” to all that was shared. But I especially thought about the first part of that verse. The fatherless and widows. Those are children and women without a man in their life. God calls that affliction. God cares about that. 

Something about that struck me in a profound way - women and children need men. 

I realized, even at 40 years old, how much I needed my Dad's help on that trip. I can be independent when I need to be, but I can't say I enjoy it. I need my Dad, and I’m very thankful for him. 

More importantly, I also need my heavenly Dad. 

I asked my heavenly Father for clear direction. Should I continue staying in Missouri? Should I continue pursing a job? The next day, God answered. God made it so clear. I was to go back home to Colorado. 

In October, exactly one month later, I drove back home to Colorado, staying overnight in Kansas with some other friends of mine on my way back.  

My time in Missouri was a blessing. I saw old friends, and I made new friends. 

My vehicle parked at my friend’s home in Missouri
the evening before I drove back home to Colorado.  

God clearly led and made provision for me to visit friends in Missouri for a month. And just as clearly as He led me there, He clearly led me to go home. 

I enjoyed celebrating my 41st birthday at home. 

1 candle instead of 41 candles - October 2023. 

God is our faithful Shepherd. He leads. He guides. He protects. He provides. And God is always with those who belong to Him. 

I enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving with my family this month. This year, I asked God if He would meet me in a special way like He did last year.   

After our delicious Thanksgiving brunch and a lovely morning, I went to my favorite nature area near our home and read some Scripture out loud. Psalm 100. 

I also sat at a favorite spot of mine near a flowing river and sang a hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord, a hymn I grew up singing in school as a girl around Thanksgiving. 

The hymn is titled “We Gather Together”, and as I stood on the banks of the river, I did my best to sing the first verse by memory. 

“We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known;

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.” 

 

I was so moved by the words of this hymn written so long ago. It was as though they were written for our day and time. God answered my prayer. He met me there. 

The phrase that encouraged me the most?

“He forgets not His own.”

God never forgets those who are His. 

When I got home from my little nature walk on Thanksgiving day, I pulled out a hymnal of ours and looked up that hymn. Directly above that hymn was another hymn to the same tune titled “We Praise Thee O God, Our Redeemer”. I was just as moved by those words as I was by the hymn I sang earlier. 

We praise Thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before Thee; we kneel and adore Thee;
We bless Thy holy Name, glad praises we sing.

We worship Thee, God of our Fathers, we bless Thee;
Thro' life's storm and tempest our guide Thou hast been. 

When perils o'ertake us, Thou wilt not forsake us,
And with Thy help, O Lord, life's battles we win.

With voices united our praises we offer,
And gladly our songs of true worship we raise.
Thy strong arm will guide us; our God is beside us.
To Thee, our great Redeemer, forever be praise.

This hymn talks about God being our guide. He will not forsake us. He is beside us. 

I loved both of these hymns with the same melody, I had to play it on the harp. 

Thanksgiving hymns

He forgets not His own. 

The Lord our God is with us.  

The Final Lap

I love the month of September, so much so, it is my favorite time of year! The weather is often a perfect blend of summer and fall, being neither too hot nor too cold during certain times of the month. I absolutely love it! Where I live, September is also one of the most beautiful times of the year. In September, our sky is often a deep blue color, trees are lush and green, and we enjoy many sunny days with large puffy, white clouds floating across the sky - creating the perfect storybook picture. The month of September makes me think about several different things.  

September also makes me think about when God created the world. According to the Hebrew Bible, this is the time of year when that happened. Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning "head of the year" on the original Hebrew calendar, is when that happened the Jewish people say. So special. 

Every September, I also think about the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and the return of the Lord. I think about the verses that say: 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 

It is amazing to think that the Lord Himself is literally going to shout! And He is going to blow a trumpet - a shofar! I used to wonder… why is the Lord going to shout? I think He is going to be so excited to get His bride - a bride that He has waited a long time for!  

When you understand the Bible in its proper Hebrew culture and context, the connection of this event to the Feast of Trumpets is undeniable. Every year on the Feast of Trumpets, I enjoy blowing my shofar, and I cannot help but wonder... will this be the year of His return? Maybe. Maybe not. 

The Bible says that no one knows the exact day or hour of Christ's return, but we will know when it is near, even at the door. (Matthew 24:33) God's Word tells us about many things that will happen in the last days, just before the return of Christ. 

My Dad loves Bible prophecy; he has as long as I can remember. My Dad would sometimes tell us what things would look like before Christ's return. I remember hearing about some "end time" things in the Bible as a young girl in our little brick home in Michigan. I remember hearing about more "end time" things in our home in California when I was becoming a young lady. I always wondered how some of those things might "play out" in our world. I admit, some things seemed "far out" to me in every sense of the word, but I knew the Bible talked about certain things, so I knew those things would happen someday. I would nearly shiver at the thought of the "antichrist" and the "mark of the beast". I still shiver at those things. Not exactly pleasant topics.  

Now at 40 years old, I am hearing about things happening in our world that make me very uncomfortable, things that remind me of things I heard about as a child. Reading about Amazon introducing their new "palm payment" (literally using the palm of your hand to purchase things!), makes me extremely uncomfortable. I sure won't be doing that. And no, I don't think that is the mark of the beast; not at all. But it’s getting too close for comfort. There are signs everywhere that show that the return of Christ is getting very close. That part is super exciting. The other stuff, not so much.  

The month of September, especially Labor Day, also reminds of a Godly, older man I met years ago at the grocery store I worked in close to our home. This elderly man was in his 70's and had a very close walk with God. I met him while cashiering one day, and we soon became good friends. He shared some wonderful things with me, and over the span of nearly 5 years, I learned some things from him. He had such a wealth of knowledge from the Scriptures. 

On Labor Day of 2015, that elderly man asked to see me and a friend (a coworker of mine) at his home that evening. He was dying of cancer and relayed his wish to an elderly woman who also knew us and shopped at that grocery store. My friend called it a "dying wish" - something I wrote about on a former blog of mine. We went to see him that Monday evening, September 7th, 2015. We came in and sat at his bedside. He looked so old and fragile; he was indeed dying. In his late 70's, he looked like a 90 year old man. His skin looked terrible. He lost so much weight. He even lost some teeth. But his soft, blue eyes shone with the bright hope of "going home" soon. He shared some things with us, and I played my small lap harp for him. He cried, and I cried. He said he saw angels of heaven welcoming him home with my harp playing. I cried even more while singing...  "Shalom, my friend… May blessings attend thee, angels defend, shalom, shalom!" This elderly man shared more things with me and my friend that evening, encouraging us in our walk with God. He also blessed us before we left that evening, holding each of our hands in his. He died less than a month later. I will remember that evening for the rest of my life, it made such an impact on me. I cannot help but think of him on Labor Day. His name was David. David Kenders. I cried today thinking of him. I look forward to seeing him in heaven again someday.   

Thinking about that elderly man, along with the return of Christ, made me think about other Godly men and women I’ve known, as well as many Godly people in the Bible who have gone on before us. They have died. They finished their course; they finished their race.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says: 

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." 

  

God's Word likens our walk with God to a race, a race where those in the stands of heaven are watching and cheering us on. The Bible calls it a "great cloud of witnesses". Jesus Himself is at the finish line. 

Thinking about a race made me think of my homeschool days back when we were living in Santa Barbara, California. We were part of a homeschool group that met for different activities. One of our homeschool activities was something called "track and field" - a day where many in our homeschool group met on the grounds of a local college campus to enjoy some healthy, outdoor exercise. I always enjoyed it! We did all kinds of things, ranging from stretches (that I can't do anymore), to hurdles, to many different kinds of races. So fun! 

One of the races we used to do was called a relay race. Our relay races had maybe 5 or 6 on a team with 4 or 5 teams total. It has been so long (almost 30 years ago!), my memory is a little fuzzy, but I think each of the teams had a baton that was a different color. (red, yellow, green, and blue) We would line up on our track and spread out evenly, getting ready to pass the baton onto the next person on our team after we had run our "lap". I remember those relay races so well. 

It seems like one time, I got to start the race for my team, holding the baton tightly, ready to pass it on to the next person on my team when I reached them after running my lap. From there, they would run their lap to the next person, who would then pass it onto the next person. The last person on each team would run with the baton to the finish line with some cheering them on loudly! Relay races were, truly, a team effort. One person did not win; an entire team won. Such fun! 

I also remember getting to be in the middle of our relay races, eagerly waiting for the baton, ready to run with it to the next person on my team. I remember one of our coaches (a homeschool mom or dad, I think!) telling us that we needed to begin running a little bit before we were handed the baton, and if we dropped the baton, we were disqualified. We could not continue running until we picked the baton back up. (which would cost time!) Sadly, I think I remember some dropping the baton. I felt so bad for them. 

I enjoyed the excitement of running in the middle of the race - waiting for the baton, running with it, and then passing it onto the next person.    

One time, I think I was the last person on my team to run with the baton to the finish line. Though running with the baton was the same throughout the entire race, being the last one to run with it was thrilling, but very intense. Your team depended on you to finish well. I remember being handed the baton to run that final lap. I ran as fast and as hard as I could while my team cheered loudly:

"Run, Erin, run!"  

I don't think I came in first place, but I think I may have come in second place for my team. Those relay races gave us good, healthy exercise and good, healthy competition. This was, after all, team effort. I remember that running track so well and even saved a picture I found of it online many years ago. 

The exact running track our homeschool group ran on
at Westmont College, Montecito, California. 

Thinking about those relay races back in my homeschool days in California, made me think about the race we are in as Christians. 

As Christians, we are running a race together as a team.

Sadly, we live in a day when many Christians, running the race, are dropping the baton - God's Word. They don't care anymore what God says. It's painful to watch it happen. But, like my relay races in school, I had to keep running, even when I saw others dropping the baton.

My fellow Christian friends, we have been handed the baton, God's Word. And I truly believe that, right now, we are running the final lap.

Yes, it is thrilling beyond words, but it is also extremely intense. 

Hold tightly to the baton. That is, hold tightly to God's Word. Even more, hold tightly to God Himself.      

If you have to let the tears flow at times because of the intensity of the race, let your tears flow, but keep on running. Jesus is at the finish line. 

That "great cloud of witnesses" is cheering you and me on. Many of them are listed just before those verses I shared above in Hebrews 12. Many of them are named in the faith chapter of Hebrews 11. 

My fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are cheering me on. 

Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel are cheering me on. 

Joseph is cheering me on. Moses and David, and Peter and Paul and so many others are cheering me on. 

And like my homeschool team, they are cheering your name, and they are cheering mine: 

"Run, Erin, run!"

All About Harps

Because I am a harpist and a harp teacher, I get many questions about harps, harp lessons, and my harp recordings. 

Unfortunately, my website is down right now. (www.ErinCrossHarpist.com) 

My older Majesty Harp was the featured harp on my website, and as of last summer, I no longer own that harp. I've needed to update my website featuring my new Roma Bella harp, but haven’t had the opportunity to take any nice pictures yet. For that reason, my website has been down the past year. I’ve gotten a few questions like this one: 

How can I purchase your harp recordings? 

For anyone who would like to purchase my harp recordings, but hasn’t known how or where to purchase them, please send me an email at: ErinCrossHarpist@gmail.com

I have six different harp albums available for sale. If you email me, I am happy to send you more information about each of my harp recordings and how much they cost plus shipping. (I offer a cheaper wholesale rate for those who wish to purchase larger quantities) If you would like to purchase harp CD's, I can give you an address where you can send a personal check to me through the mail. If paying online is easier for you, I also accept payment through PayPal.

In the future, I hope to have my website up again where you can purchase my harp CD's directly online through PayPal. 

Occasionally, I get questions like the ones below. 

How long have you given harp lessons? 

I have given harp lessons since 2006. (my first harp recording was released the same year) I have given harp lessons in our home and online. 

How can I take harp lessons from you? 

Right now, I am only giving harp lessons online. If you are interested in taking online harp lessons from me, please send me an email at the address above. I can give you more information about scheduling a harp lesson along with my lesson rates and how you can pay me for harp lessons.

Being a harpist, I also get questions about how long I have been playing and about harps in general. I would like to answer many questions in this blog post. 

Some commonly asked questions are: 

How long have you been playing the harp?  

I have played the harp since I was 17 years old. 

My parents purchased my first harp for me, a “Marini Made” 31 string Gothic Lever Harp in October of 1999. That year was my “golden” birthday, my birthday being October 17th. To this day, that harp is the most expensive gift my parents have ever given me, a very special gift for a golden birthday. I don’t think my parents planned that, but I like to think that God did. 

I received my first harp on October 29,1999. After learning how to tune my harp that weekend, I slowly began learning how to play the harp from a harp book my parents purchased with that harp.

I began learning how to play the harp around November 1st of 1999. 

As of right now, I’ve played the harp for 23 years. 

How long did it take you to learn to play the harp? 

I was self taught on the harp for a year and a half before finding a harp teacher in our local area. I took harp lessons with my teacher, Rachel Ellins, for three and a half years. 

To play more advanced, it took about five years. 

If I had taken harp lessons from the start, it probably would’ve taken me about 3 years to play more advanced. 

But, I was playing simple, beautiful hymns in a very short time. (less than a year) My first harp was the only harp I had for 4 years. I learned so much on that harp.   

What kind of harp do you recommend for a beginner? 

This is a loaded question that I will try to answer as easily and as simply as I can.

First of all, there are two different types of harps - lever harps and pedal harps. In general, lever harps and pedal harps are played the same way. If you play one, you can usually play the other. 

Harps are expensive due to the time that it takes to build a harp plus the materials involved. But to me, they are worth it because they are such a heavenly instrument!  

Pedal harps are the large concert grand harps that you usually see played in orchestras. Pedal harps cost more than lever harps due to their size and because of the time and mechanism that it takes to build them. As their name suggests, pedal harps have pedals. Those pedals allow a harpist to make key changes on the harp. Pedal harps are very expensive and very heavy due to their size, but they can be very beautiful. Pedal harps give a harpist an optimal playing range with 40 strings or more. You will never lack strings when playing on a pedal harp. 

Lever harps come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from very small harps with maybe only 10 strings, all the way up to 40 strings. Most lever harps have 38 strings or less. As their name suggests, lever harps have levers instead of pedals. Those levers allow a harpist to make key changes on the harp. Because levers are installed on the outside of a harp (unlike pedal harps which have a mechanism that goes inside the harp), lever harps are more affordable than pedal harps. Lever harps can still be expensive, but they are not as costly or as heavy as pedal harps. Lever harps are the type of harps I own.

For beginners, I recommend starting out with a lever harp. 

Levers harps are cheaper than pedal harps, and they are easier to play on while learning because there aren’t quite as many strings on them. Lever harps are also much easier to transport than pedal harps.

What size lever harp do you recommend for a beginner? 

While you can learn on any size harp, lever or pedal, for a beginner, I usually recommend learning on a small or medium size lever harp. 

A lever harp with 22-29 strings will give you 3-4 octaves for playing on.

If you have the money and you know that you would like a large lever harp to learn on, go for it! Otherwise, I recommend a small or medium size lever harp to start with. 

Small lever harps are cheaper, and if you decide that the harp is not for you, you can usually sell smaller harps for about the same price you paid for it. Smaller lever harps are quite popular because they are great for learning on, and they are also great for traveling with. 

Small lever harps usually have 22-29 strings and usually sit on your lap or are placed on a stool.

Medium (or mid size) lever harps usually have 30-33 strings and stand on the floor. 

Large (or full size) levers harps usually have 34-40 strings and stand on the floor. 

If you decide you would like to get a larger harp after learning on a smaller one, you can keep your smaller harp for traveling with, or you can sell it, and put that money towards a larger harp. 

Just some recommendations. 

Do I need to read sheet music or play the piano before learning to play the harp? 

While those things can be helpful in learning to play the harp, no, those things are not necessary. Any good harp teacher should be able to teach you not only how to play the harp, but also how to read sheet music. 

As a girl, I took piano lessons from age 11-13. Because I tend to be a more visual, "hands on" learner, having some piano lessons helped me tremendously when I learned to play the harp. I think that piano lessons can help anyone who wants to learn another instrument down the road. But, it is not absolutely necessary. 

Where can I purchase a harp?

There are many pedal harp and lever harp makers who sell their harps online. There are also harp shops and music stores throughout the United States that sell harps. 

I recommend looking in your local area to see if there is a music store or a harp shop nearby. Ideally, it’s nice to play on a harp before you purchase one, but sometimes that is not possible. 

Is there a good harp maker you recommend? 

Indeed, there is! I highly recommend Marini Made Harps, lever harps made in New Holland, Pennsylvania. You can visit their website here: www.MariniMadeHarps.com 

All of my harps are Marini Made. I love them. The sound quality and workmanship are outstanding. Their harps are beautiful in every way! 

Quite often, when you are familiar with a certain brand or company, you tend to be a bit biased towards them. I will admit my bias. 

Recently, I got an email from a harpist I hadn't heard from in a while, and in her email, she said the same thing. She believes Marini Made Harps are the best! If I remember correctly, I think she said that, in the past 20 years, she has owned 29 harps from different harp makers. She sold 23 of them, leaving her with just 6 harps now. Five of her current harps are Marini Made. 

Marini Made Harps is a family owned business. They are Christians, and they desire to honor God with their music and harps. My mom found out about Marini Made Harps back in 1999 through a church we were attending at the time. A woman at this church told my mom about them. 

Is there a certain harp model that you recommend?    

Any harp you purchase from Marini Made Harps will sound beautiful and the workmanship will match it. There are some harp models they make that I highly recommend though. 

Their small 26 and 28 string Lap Harps sound amazing. I've never heard a better sounding small size lever harp. 

I personally recommend their 26 string Lap Harp for a small size lever harp. 

For a larger lever harp, that is a difficult question for me to answer because all of their larger harp models sound absolutely amazing. I've played on many of them over the years. You cannot go wrong with the model you choose. I'm certain you will love any large harp you purchase from them. 

After playing the harp for over 20 years, I've played on many different lever harps made by other harp makers and companies. Throughout the years, I've owned 12 harps (all lever harps) and sold 7 of them. There are other beautiful lever harps out there for sale. 

However, the sound of other lever harps that I have played on have never quite matched the sound quality I hear from Marini Made Harps.   

There is one harp that Marini Made Harps makes that stands out to me as having incredible sound and is also reasonably easy to transport. 

That harp is their 34 string Regency Harp.  

That harp is pictured on this devotional book written by Alex Marini of Marini Made Harps.   

 

I highly recommend this devotional book
for Christian musicians. 

I personally think the 34 string Regency Harp is one of the best lever harps on the market. 

I used to own a harp that was identical to the Regency Harp but had two added strings and was renamed Majesty Harp by a different harp maker. 

Marini Made Harps makes a line of Roma Harps that are even nicer than the Regency Harp in both appearance and sound. 

I own a Marini Made 40 string Roma Bella Harp, and I love it! Their Roma Harps are magnificent! 

The only disadvantage is their Roma harps are not easy to transport because they are so heavy. 

If size, weight, and price are not a problem for you, I highly recommend their Roma Harps. 

Although the Regency Harp does have weight to it, the reason I recommend their Regency Harp over their Roma Harps is that the Regency Harp is much easier to transport. 

To me, the Regency Harp has a sound that is comparable to their Roma Harps. 

The 34 string Regency Harp has a nice string range, a rich sound, a beautiful design, is well balanced, and is fairly easy to transport. I think anyone would be very happy with that harp. 

I personally recommend their 34 Regency Harp for a large size lever harp. 

Which harps do you own? 

I own a total of five Marini Made Harps. I will share which harps I own in pictures here below.

My large harp - a Marini Made 40 string Roma Bella Harp 
made in natural figured walnut wood with hand carved grape vines on the sides. 

My large harp stands in our living room next to the piano I learned to play on at the age of 11.

My small harp - a Marini Made 26 string Lap Harp
made in natural African mahogany wood with a hand carved rose on the top. This harp also has a strap on it which allows me to play it standing up if I want to. 

My three very small harps on our piano - all Marini Made. 
Left to right: my 16 string Lyre Harp made in natural figured maple, my 12 string Davidic Harp with scrolls in natural cherry wood, my 10 string Davidic Harp in natural walnut wood with hand carved olive branches on the front.    

Why do you have three “very small” harps? 

I have an immense interest in the music of the Bible and in small harps like King David played. My three very small harps each have a different string range. These harps are so small, you can keep them in their case in a closet, and you hardly know they are in there. 

My three very small harps are what I plan to use on one more, future harp recording titled: 

“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

I may play my small harp on that recording too. 

Those are my five Marini Made Harps. 

I really would only need two harps, one for playing and teaching with and the other for traveling with - my large harp and my small harp. 

My large harp and my small harp. 

What wood do you like? 

Every wood is so beautiful, but I would say that my personal favorite is walnut. 

Does wood choice affect the sound of a harp?

Overall, the sound of a harp comes from the model you choose. However, different woods do give a slightly different tone. I have noticed that certain woods tend to sound like these brief descriptions I'll give them here below:

Maple (light blonde color, darkens with age): bright 

Cherry (light red color, darkens with age): sweet 

Walnut (darker brown color, lightens with age): rich

  

I feel like I'm describing chocolate or coffee flavors, but I do hear these sounds pretty consistently whenever I play them on any harp. 

Those three woods tend to be the most common for harps to be built in, but there are many other wood choices as well. All of them are so beautiful! When choosing a wood for your harp, choose what you like in appearance overall.  

Lastly, I've even had some people ask me this more personal question over the years. 

How did you afford all your harps? 

  

Living at home, being single, and working at a grocery store is how I was able to purchase these harps. 

I worked in a small grocery store for 15 years, earning not much more than minimum wage. I worked and saved to purchase these harps. 

At one point, I owned 9 harps - 3 large harps, 3 small harps, and 3 very small harps. All of those harps were played on my harp recordings. I sold many of them. 

If it was up to me, I would have much rather been married and with children. The only thing I wanted when I grew up was to be a wife and mom. 

My dream was to have 9 children, not 9 harps. 

Because I am single, I have wanted to do something with my life for the Lord. So, I have used the gift God gave me with music. To do that, I have needed harps to play on. The harp has been a large part of my life since I was 17 years old. I have always loved music - Godly music especially. 

Hopefully this post helps to answer many questions about the harp. 

I’ve been blessed to own some beautiful harps. I’ve been blessed to learn how to play the harp, record with my harps, and teach the harp. 

The greatest blessing of all has been playing the harp for others, and especially, in worship and praise to the Lord. 

God must surely love the harp because this instrument surrounds His very throne in heaven!