What's Your Anthem?

I do not know what it is about hearing a country's Anthem, but I get so choked up.









It might be the fact that as you sing your Anthem, you are joined together with millions of other people who, despite differences in religion, politics, or anything else, stand united in support of their home country.









Saturday Night's "Hockey Night In Canada" always brings a tear to my eye before each game. Hearing the Canadian Anthem of "O Canada" just stirs my heart. I join in on the singing, belting out the lyrics from our family's rec room, and it is all I can do to finish the song without choking on that lump in my throat.

O Canada, our home and native land
True patriot love in all thy sons command.....









Then, if we are playing against the United States, I sing along with their Anthem, as I know every word. The melody to their Anthem is absolutely beautiful, and a small part of me wishes it was Canada's Anthem..... but don't tell anyone I said that.

Oh say can you see
By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming....









Since our oldest son, Blake, has been hospitalized this week due to a severe Crohn's Disease flare-up, he and I have taken the opportunity of enjoying some of the soccer games in the 2010 South Africa Fifa World Cup on television. Of course, at the beginning of each game, the two competing teams' Anthems are played.









The camera zooms in on the faces of each of the players, some standing still and concentrating, others mouthing the words, all in support of their country. Some players display the vertical line of tears streaming down their face; and I can't help but think they've got that same lump in their throat.









The camera captures the supporting fans in the stands as they belt out their Anthem as loudly as they can, waving their country's flag, supporting their team, with painted faces and large coloured wigs and hats, huge flags draped around their shoulders.









What is it about a song that makes us stop what we're doing and reflect on it's meaning? And what exactly IS an Anthem anyways?









The Oxford Dictionary describes "anthem" as:




1 an uplifting song associated with a group or cause, especially a patriotic one adopted by a country as an expression of national identity.
2 a musical setting of a religious text to be sung by a choir during a church service.









So it got me to thinking......









What will be our Anthem in Heaven?









Of all the hymns or worship songs you know, which one do you think we will be singing? Which one will join our hearts as one?









I suppose the first song that comes to my mind would be the hymn that many Christians use as their doxology....









Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye Heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.









But then my mind pondered the word "Holy" and this song came to mind....









Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!









Revelation 4:8 says, Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."









Our "Anthem" in Heaven will be one of praise to our Lord. Our Anthem, the song that joins our hearts and binds us together as one "country" will be a continual song of praise.... non-stop.... day and night.









If it weren't for the fact that there will be no tears in Heaven, then I would say we would definitely have tears streaming down our face and big ol' lumps in our throat!









We'll be waving our palm-branch flags, and shouting words of praise and adoration, and singing full strength to our Lord.









Our hearts will be united in proclaiming that Our Lord Reigns.









And, rather than standing at attention and facing a flag with a hand over our heart, the difference will be that every knee will be bowed in reverence as we kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker.









Yup..... I feel that lump returning.

Prayer (How To Avoid Life Crashes)

I love it when something happens or is discussed and then you're in a different place and that particular subject is touched on again, and you think, "Hey God, are you trying to tell me somethin'?"

In my last post, I touched on the subject of attitude.

Then, today's sermon in church was about Prayer, and it included the subject of "attitude".

That's pretty cool when that happens.

After church we were in Sunday School and were discussing the sermon.

One of the points that we discussed about prayer was busy schedules, being able to slow down our schedules to concentrate on prayer.

Then, this afternoon I'm reading a favourite blog that I enjoy following, and, not surprisingly, I read the very subject that we discussed in Sunday School this morning.

Click on over to A Holy Experience and read Ann's post entitled, How To Avoid Life Crashes.

I just love it when these "God moments" happen!

Blake's Health Update 2009/09/06

Just a quick update to let y'all know that not much has changed over the last few days in Blake's condition.




Blake has spent most of the week at Grandpa & Grandma Fraser's house, just up the road from us. He came home nightly for a couple of hours to talk to his sweetheart in Brazil via Skype (Hi Anelyse!), then would head back to my parents' home for more quality visiting time.





Right now he's sleeping in the tub!




He's usually up about 2-3 times through the night. I don't even hear him get up! Remember when they were babies and you could hear them roll over in their crib???




He's still feeling very weak and experiencing pain. Jeesh, these tests just can't come soon enough; however, I am very thankful that the doctors have sped them up for us. People can wait months and months for tests, so I'm grateful we're only waiting a few days or weeks.





We're going to church this morning. I'm excited to see how everything looks, now that everything is put back in it's place! Our church was just recently renovated with a new paint job and new carpeting. I was asked to assist in picking out colours and carpeting, and although some folks are somewhat 'concerned' with the colours we've chosen, I'm liking it better everytime I see it. I guess if it's a colour that they don't like, they can ask the Lord to ensure that He doesn't have their Mansion in Glory painted in that tone! hahaha.





So Tuesday is the date for Blake's abdomenal ultrasound. Maybe we'll have more news for you by the end of the week. Please continue to pray that his pain is minimal (or better yet, GONE) and that he gains some strength from the protein drinks he's consuming, recommended by the doctor to get his strength built up and get some nourishment into him.





Maybe we will soon get THIS silly boy back:





Blake, you've been hanging out with Little Cousin Abby too long.... :O) When you see your Aunt Danielle with a hairbrush and elastics..... RUN!!!!