I have been going through my house and garage trying to divest myself of “stuff” that has accumulated over the years since we moved here in 2007. When Bob and I moved around a lot, we never accumulated much, but in the last 15 years that changed. I am now trying to throw away or give away anything I am not using.
While going through storage containers in the garage I found a container packed to the brim with journals. Hidden among the journals were a set of “Joy Books” dated from 1990 to 1995. I tossed the journals; I kept the Joy Books.
My Joy Books contained quips, sayings, cartoons, thoughts on faith and even old cards and thank you notes. I am now going through the Joy Books and have come across some treasures. Those treasures have reminded me that we can and should learn much from those who have gone before us. Here is a precious treasure I found from Lancelot Andrews (1555-1626).
“To remember Thee, to worship Thee,
To confess to Thee, to praise Thee,
To bless Thee, to hymn Thee,
to give Thanks to Thee,
maker, nourisher, guardian, governor,
preserver, worker, perfector of all.
Lord and Father.
King and God.
Fountain of life and immortality,
Treasure of everlasting goods,
Whom the heavens hymn,
and the heaven of heavens,
the angels and all the heavenly powers
one to another crying continually—
And we the while, weak and unworthy under their feet—
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts
Full is the whole heaven
And the whole earth
Of the majesty of Thy glory.” Amen.
