"Music to Inspire" Corner: How Can I Keep From Singing?

"Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us."

~Martin Luther~

Music and singing are an absolute delight for me. I can't imagine a world without them. The wonderful thing is that I believe God thinks the same way, too! He created music and gave us voices to sing. He wants us to make music for Him and to sing to Him day and night like it is in Heaven. Heaven itself is music, glorious music! The angels before His throne praise, worship, and adore Him day and night with music and song. The saints in heaven also sing a beautiful song (see Revelation 15:3). The Bible is full of songs and psalms and exhortations to sing and make melody to Him. Playing music and singing was central in the worship of the Lord in the Temple. There were orchestras and choirs. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to praise the Lord  and to speak to each other 'in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord' (Ephesians 5:19 NKJV). It also says that God is 'enthroned in the praises of Israel,' His people (see Psalm 22:3 NKJV). 

Music is a gift from God to mankind. Good, wholesome music and singing can be very powerful. It sets our souls sailing to the Heavens. It gives voice to the deepest feelings and emotions of the soul and heart in ways that plain, spoken words alone sometimes fail to do. I personally find that God ministers to my heart in very special ways through music and song. I think that our inner desire for the transcendent, for that 'thing' that is greater than us...that which draws us in and takes us to greater heights, above this earthliness of things...gives us the awe and the wonder; shows us the Glory of Him Who created us and made us in His image. Yes, something that inspires us...

That's why I've decided to join Joy's 'Music to Inspire' series (Fullness of Joy). I think it's a great way to share with you my love of music and singing. 

I play the guitar...though, I'm not that good at it as yet...still working on those sticky bar-chords! However, what I love to do most is sing. When I do, I just 'feel His pleasure', as Eric Liddell  says in the movie Chariots of Fire!! So, join with me as I share with you the songs that bless me. 

[Note: The music I'll be sharing will include hymns, songs (including those that are 'overtly' Christian and those that are not necessarily so...those wholesome, beautiful 'secular' ones, too), movie soundtracks (though that does not necessarily mean I've watched or promote the movie itself), and good, fun folky music!]

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For my first post, I'll share with you two beautiful songs from Libera, a beautiful boys choir in London. 

The first one beautifully expresses why I often feel that urge in my heart to sing...'The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart/ A Fountain ever springing;/ All things are mine since I am His,/ How can I keep from singing?'...Yes, how can I keep from singing? How can you?

"How Can I Keep From Singing?"

by Robert Wadsworth Lowry

My life flows on in endless song, 
Above earth's lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hymn, 
That hails a new creation.

No storm can shake my inmost calm, 
While to that rock I'm clinging, 
It sounds an echo in my soul,
How can I keep from singing?

What though the tempest round me roars, 
I know the truth, it liveth, 
What though the darkness round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm, 
While to that rock I'm clinging, 
Since love is lord of heaven and earth, 
How can I keep from singing?

I lift my eyes, the cloud grows thin; 
I see the blue above it; 
And day by day this pathway smooths, 
Since first I learned to love it.

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, 
A fountain ever springing; 
All things are mine since I am his, 
How can I keep from singing? 
Singing?
Singing?

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The second song is also from Libera. 

It's a song of praise.

I love this verse especially...

We hear a distant music
It comes with fuller swell
For the angels here are human
Not the shining hosts above
For the drumbeats of the army
Are the heartbeats of our love

"Exsultate!"

There's a light upon the mountains
And the day is at the spring
When our eyes shall see the wonder
And the glory it will bring

Et laudate Domino in laetitia

[And Praise the Lord with Joyfulness]
Et cantate Domino gloria 

[And sing 'Glory' to the Lord]

Saecula et saeculorum
Alleluia 

[Through Endless Ages, Alleluia]

Hark, we hear a distant music
And it comes with fuller swell
Tis the glorious song of heaven
And our fears it will dispel

Et laudate Domino in laetitia 

[And Praise the Lord with Joyfulness]
Et cantate Domino gloria

[And sing 'Glory' to the Lord]
Saecula et saeculorum
Alleluia

[Through Endless Ages, Alleluia]

Exsultate Domino omnis Populi
Alleluia 

[Rejoice in the Lord, all ye nations, Alleluia]
Jubilate Domino omnis Terra

Alleluia 

[Be joyful in the Lord, all ye earth, Alleluia]

Et laudate Domino in laetitia

[And Praise the Lord with Joyfulness]
Et cantate Domino gloria

[And sing 'Glory' to the Lord]
Saecula et saeculorum
Alleluia

[Through Endless Ages, Alleluia]

Angeli et archangeli, psallite et laudate 

[Angles and Archangels, sing out Your praise]
Angeli et archangeli, psallite et laudate

[Angles and Archangels, sing out Your praise]In hymnis et psalmis et canticis 

[In hymns, in psalms, and in songs]

We hear a distant music
It comes with fuller swell
For the angels here are human
Not the shining hosts above
For the drumbeats of the army
Are the heartbeats of our love

Exsultate Domino omnis Populi
Alleluia

[Rejoice in the Lord, all ye nations, Alleluia]
Jubilate Domino omnis Terra
Alleluia

[Be joyful in the Lord, all ye earth, Alleluia]

Et laudate Domino in laetitia

[And Praise the Lord with Joyfulness]
Et cantate Domino gloria

[And sing 'Glory' to the Lord]
Saecula et saeculorum
Alleluia

[Through Endless Ages, Alleluia]

Angeli et archangeli, psallite et laudate

[Angles and Archangels, sing out Your praise]
Angeli et archangeli, psallite et laudate

[Angles and Archangels, sing out Your praise]
In jubila

[In joyfulness]

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Chicago Trip 2013 (Part 2)

Are you ready for Part 2 of a glimpse into my last month's USA trip? If you haven't seen Part 1 yet, please, do so.

Well, during the first week, we (my mum, my aunt, and me) spent our time in downtown Chicago. We toured the city and enjoyed seeing many different places, including the Adler Planetarium, the Shed Aquarium, the John Hancock Building Observatory (see photos in last post!), Navy Pier, and Macy's Store on State Street (the one with the mosaic ceiling and the vintage-looking clock!). We also went on the double-decker tourist bus and a river cruise and enjoyed sightseeing and learning about the different buildings in Chicago and their history. It was real fun! 

The second week we spent it in Wheaton College, IL. (about 1 hour by car west of downtown Chicago) for a Christian Conference. It was an amazing week and we were greatly blessed. Perhaps I'll share some highlights of those spiritual blessings sometime in a future post. However, today, I'll show you a glimpse of the Wheaton College Campus. Wheaton College is full of history...Billy Graham was one of its illustrious alumni, as well as such missionaries as Jim and Elizabeth Elliot, and most of the other missionaries who were martyred with Jim Elliot in Ecuador...just to name a few.

It's a beautiful college...not only in the natural, scenic way, but also in its spiritual heritage and present influence.

Beautiful, peaceful college grounds...It was just lovely spending my 'quiet time' there sometimes...so peaceful.

'The Castle'...beautiful, isn't it?

The Fountain!

One of my favourite places in Wheaton College was The Marion E. Wade Centre...a museum and research centre for the works of seven British Christian authors: Owen Barfield, G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy L. Sayers, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams! A paradise for anyone who's interested in these great writers and their works! Guess what I saw in this centre, too...

Well! Can you guess what this is?
It's the wardrobe that was in C.S. Lewis' home.
It's the one that inspired The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe!!

Yes, the coats!!!

I just loved this warning sign they put on the door of the wardrobe...
"Warning! Enter at your own risk. The Wade Centre assumes no responsibility for persons who disappear
or are lost in the wardrobe."
LOL!!!

C.S. Lewis' desk and bust!! The one on which he wrote his works, including the Narnia books...

J.R.R. Tolkien's desk!! The one on which he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings!

At first I wondered why this lamp post was lit in the middle of the day...and then,
I got it! The Narnia Lamp Post!!!

Another place I really loved in Wheaton was the Billy Graham Museum. Unfortunately, it's impossible to really portray what I saw there in photos...one has to enjoy the exhibitions in person...they're just amazing! But here is just one example...

An amazing experience to pass through this narrow cross-shaped passage to get to the cross.

As you can see, Wheaton College campus has quite amazing things! It's really worth visiting. 

I really hope you enjoyed these photos! 

Chicago Trip 2013 (Part 1)

Mum and I just came back last month from our very first trip to the US. It was a really wonderful trip! The Lord really blessed it with His goodness and guidance. It was a really long trip, though - a 13-hour non-stop flight from Brisbane, Australia, to LA and then from LA to Chicago via Dallas, not counting the hours spent between flights in airports, and the same trip back home! It was long and by the end we were just totally feeling all wobbly and exhausted...but it was an excited sort of wobbliness, I guess. I can say that it all proved to be really worth it! 

Unfortunately, we only had the time to visit in Illinois the entire trip. However, we enjoyed visiting Chicago and also enjoyed a lovely stay in Wheaton College in Wheaton IL. for a Christian Conference. It was a marvellous time! Mum and I also got to have a wonderful time with my aunt (Mum's sister) who was also visiting the US at that same time!

Now, one of things I really enjoyed in Chicago and Wheaton was the history. We went on an architectural land and river cruise which was absolutely amazing. The tour guides were really good and I learned a great deal...especially about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. It was just amazing to see and learn how the city grew out of those horrific ashes. 

Here are some of the highlights of this trip...in photos!

Chicago Cityscape and Lake Michigan!
Photo taken in front of the Adler Planetarium. 

Chicago Cityscape and Lake Michigan
Don't you love the colours of this cityscape! Beautiful!

Chicago and Lake Michigan
- from the 95th floor of
the John Hancock Building Observatory!

Chicago Cityscape
from the 95th floor of the
John Hancock Building Observatory!

Courtyard and Fountain
Fourth Presbyterian Church
N. Michigan Ave.

Courtyard
Fourth Presbyterian Church
N. Michigan Ave.

Beautiful Mosaic Ceiling and Arches! Looks quite Byzantine to me...not sure...beautiful anyway!
Macy's Store on State Street.

The Clock!
Macy's Store on State Street.

A closer look...The Clock!
Macy's Store on State Street

I hope you enjoyed these photos. Please, come back soon to see part 2 of this post...more photos waiting...next time I'll be showing you...well, you'll find out soon!

A New Way to Follow My Blog - Bloglovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Rumours are flying like sparks in blogsphere that Blogger is changing the way you can 'follow' a blog. I'm not 100% sure this is true. However, if Blogger 'friends' disappears, you can still get blog updates by following my blog on Bloglovin...It'll make me real happy if you do! 

Thanks!