'Till safe in glory my anchor is cast'

First off, sorry for last night's post. I was actually having a really good evening, tuning into my church's Bible study and then eating some decadent New Year's Eve finger foods with my mom as we watched the Ohio State vs. Miami football game.

Then my foot with the plantar fasciitis started to really ache after I somehow stepped wrong getting up out of my chair. I let that get me all nervous once again, thinking that I surely won't be able to keep my job and what will I do without the health insurance, etc., etc., etc.

Yes, I am one of those "worst-case scenario" people. That's why I think I don't have long to live, in fact.

Alas, I have had a good day today after going to work and finding my foot was no worse off than it was the day before at work.

So, everything's much brighter and my mom invited my brother and his wife over this evening for our New Year's tradition of roast pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes and apples stewed in butter.

I have to admit I tend to get a little melancholy when the holidays are officially over and January, my least favorite month, is fully upon us. But life is good and I really am following the advice that I post on this blog as much as might seem that I'm not.

I came across a song recently that was written in 1898 by Lelia Morris, a native of Pennsville, Ohio who liked to write hymns as she did her housework. After becoming blind at 52 years old she relied on a 28-foot-long blackboard her family built for her just so she could continue writing hymns. Lelia is said to have written 1,000 hymns! Here are the lyrics to "Nearer, Still Nearer":

Nearer, still near­er, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Sav­ior—so pre­cious Thou art!
Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast.
Shelter me safe in that Ha­ven of Rest;
Shelter me safe in that Ha­ven of Rest.

Nearer, still near­er, no­thing I bring,
Naught as an of­fer­ing to Je­sus, my king;

Only my sin­ful, now con­trite heart.
Grant me the cleans­ing Thy blood doth im­part.
Grant me the cleans­ing Thy blood doth im­part.

Nearer, still near­er, Lord, to be Thine!
Sin, with its fol­lies, I glad­ly re­sign,
All of its plea­sures, pomp and its pride,

Give me but Je­sus, my Lord, cru­ci­fied.
Give me but Je­sus, my Lord, cru­ci­fied.

Nearer, still near­er, while life shall last.
Till safe in glo­ry my an­chor is cast;
Through end­less ag­es ev­er to be
Nearer, my Sav­ior, still near­er to Thee;
Nearer, my Sav­ior, still near­er to Thee!

Here are the lyrics to her song "Sweeter as the Years Go By":

1. Of Jesus’ love that sought me, when I was lost in sin;
Of wondrous grace that brought me back to His fold again;
Of heights and depths of mercy, far deeper than the sea,
And higher than the heavens, my theme shall ever be.

2. He trod in old Judea life’s pathway long ago;
The people thronged about Him, His saving grace to know;
He healed the broken hearted, and caused the blind to see;
And still His great heart yearneth in love for even me.

3. ’Twas wondrous love which led Him for us to suffer loss,
To bear without a murmur the anguish of the cross;
With saints redeemed in glory, let us our voices raise,
Till Heav’n and earth re-echo with our Redeemer’s praise.

Refrain:
Sweeter as the years go by, sweeter as the years go by,
Richer, fuller, deeper, Jesus’ love is sweeter,
Sweeter as the years go by.