Life

Come and Dine

/ Gail Johnson / 11 Comments

Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine (John 21:12 KJV).

Just as Jesus cooked a meal for His disciples, He’s prepared a banquet for us. Each day, He extends an invitation to come and dine on His Word. It’s a meal prepared with our specific nutritional needs in mind. No meal is the same.

Think about that!

The Author

Charles B. Widmyer began voice lessons at the age of twelve. He wrote his first song when he was fifteen. Come and dine was written after reading and meditating on the above passage.

The Song

Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
With His manna He doth feed
And supplies our every need:
Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

Refrain:
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

The disciples came to land,
Thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire,
Bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time. [Refrain]

Soon the Lamb will take His bride
To be ever at His side,
All the host of heaven will assembled be;
Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they will feast eternally. [Refrain]

Charles B. Widmyer – 1907 – Public Domain

The Video

Several videos were found on this song, ranging from southern gospel to bluegrass. I chose The Issacs because it reminded me of when my teenage brother taught himself how to play the banjo.

One of the first lessons you must learn is a technique called a roll. You have a forward, backward, reverse, and alternating thumb roll. You pluck the notes over and over and over and over. The secret is to play it slowly until you get it. Speed comes with precision. It’s not the prettiest sound. In fact, it’s right up there with a three-year-old cuttin’ loose on a fiddle. And *Bubba didn’t sound much better. Several plucks into his lesson found him outside on the porch.

Momma enjoys listening to him now, but she wasn’t a fan when he was learning. Come to think of it, neither was I.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent. That would be me.

Please join me next week for an article on this scripture.

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

/ Gail Johnson / 13 Comments

Good morning! Yes, I know it’s Friday. Or at least I think it’s Friday. I also thought yesterday was Friday. LOL. But enough about me. I wanted to share a beautiful story coming July 5 from Sandra Byrd.

About the Book

Title: Heirlooms

Author: Sandra Byrd

Release Date: July 5, 2022

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Inspirational

Length: 460 pages

Back Cover

Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.

After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.

Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim―Eunhee’s granddaughter―to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.

Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women―grandmothers and granddaughters―intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.

My thoughts

This was my first multi-period novel. I was a little wary after hearing other readers say they always prefer one story over the other. But I’m happy to say that wasn’t the case with this reader. The author did a fantastic job connecting the two timelines through loss, hobbies, and secrets.

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd is like unwrapping a  basket of goodies. She immerses the reader in the story’s setting by weaving tidbits from real life into her fictional tale, making the character’s world come alive.

Remember party lines?

By the end of the book, the reader has made new friends and collected a treasure trove of gardening and culinary ideas they can use in their own lives.

I love that Byrd’s characters are always strong and can find a solid solution to their problems. The mid-century story of two widows is a story of triumph and heartbreak. I like the way Helen helped Euhnee even though she knew it could cost her everything. Their friendship is a beautiful reminder of how precious true friends are. The modern-day story of Cassidy and Grace is about overcoming the odds and facing the truth of the past. All four women were relatable and likable.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own. I also preordered a copy.

Come Unto Me

/ Gail Johnson / 16 Comments

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Matthew begins chapter eleven with, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.”

Imagine the people listening to the words of Jesus. All seeking a better way. The man searching for answers. A woman in need of hope. A child craving parental love. The outcast. The sick. The dying. The possessed. The physically and spiritually hungry. Lost souls longing for a way out of difficult circumstances.

In their midst was One Who cared enough to share the truth and supply their needs. Without hesitation, Jesus issued an invitation to the tired and weary.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Rest begins when we repent of our sins and choose His will over self-will. Thankfully, it doesn’t stop there. Jesus is concerned about our day-to-day lives. He is amid our everyday troubles, inviting us to come, and answering when we call.  

Today, people are still looking for a better way. Do you feel burned out? Disappointed? Distressed? Business concerns? Mounting debt? Oppressed? Depressed? Jesus’ invitation still stands. “Come unto Me.”

The Author

Charles Price Jones Sr. was born in Floyd County, near Rome, Georgia. He attended the Baptist College in Arkansas and pastored several Baptist churches. Later, he left the Baptist denomination and organized The Christ Temple Church of Christ (Holiness) in Los Angeles, California. He is the author of more than 1000 hymns. The following is still sung in congregations today.

It’s also one of my favorites. As you read the words, see if you can find a phrase that describes your need. And remember, there is nothing too great or small for our God.

The Song

1-Hear the blessed Savior calling the oppressed, “O ye heavy laden, come to Me and rest; Come no longer tarry, I your load will bear, Bring Me ev’ry burden, bring Me ev’ry care”.

Refrain-Come unto Me, I will give you rest; Take my yoke upon you, Hear Me and be blest; I am meek and lowly, Come and trust My might; Come, My yoke is easy, And My burden’s light.

2-Are you disappointed, wand’ring here and there, Dragging chains of doubt and loaded down with care? Do unholy feelings struggle in your breast? Bring your case to Jesus, He will give you rest.

3-Stumbling on the mountains dark with sin and shame, Stumbling tow’rd the pit of hell’s consuming flame, By the pow’r of sin deluded and oppressed? Hear the tender Shepherd, “Come to Me and rest’.

4-Have you by temptation often conquered been, Has a sense of weakness brought distress within? Christ will sanctify you, if you’ll claim His best, In the Holy Spirit He will give you rest.

Public Domain