Hymns, Gospel Songs, Bird Watching and Other Monday Things.....

The gazebo is the perfect place to have our coffee while we read the Bible and have our morning devotions. We also do out loud reading and this morning we skipped our Doris Day book and read extra pages in this one!

We started Chapter 2 / Religious Songs and learned something I think we knew but it was still good to hear again - the difference between a hymn and a gospel song.

"A hymn is a prayer set to music. A gospel song is a testimony, or exhortation, set to music......the distinction between the hymn and a gospel song is quite important, for the determining of how the song should be sung.....Sing a hymn with the same reverence and solemnity and humility with which a prayer would be offered, and sing a gospel song with the same enthusiasm and earnestness and victory with which a testimony or exhortation would be delivered."

This book was written in 1975 and church music has changed ever so much since then.

 I personally  prefer the old ones. My favorite as a child was and still is 'The Old Rugged Cross.'

Louis Dean singing 'This World is Not my Home.'

Another thing we do while sipping our coffee is watch the bird feeder to see who is visiting.

I am so NOT a photographer but we DO get many birds and  a great variety of them at the feeders on any given day.

I bought a good many bird books back in our homeschooling days  - and still have them!

These entries are from 1994 and were written by Amber and Benjamin.

I love seeing their writing and reading their descriptions again!

This essay by Benjamin was tucked in the back of the book.

Such good memories!

While we were reading and chatting, Maddie was sunning herself on a garden stone.

She does love getting outdoors!

Today was Louis Dean's first, last and only Physical Therapy session.

He was in there an hour and came out TIRED but got a very good report as well as pages of exercises to do as Homework - for the next two weeks!

While HE was getting his stretches in, I did a little shopping at Big Lots and found this cute personal size water pitcher - perfect for the infused water so popular these days. I have a TON of fresh mint so I added a couple of lemon slices to it and set it in the fridge. Great to gulp down after working in the yard as I have been doing this afternoon and evening!

I also picked up a simple and old fashioned sprinkler ring at Lowes. The younger grands will love playing in the water! They will be here tomorrow afternoon while their mama has an appointment here in town.

I also bought myself a new sander!

I HAVE one - and OLD one - but I CANNOT FIND IT!!

Now that I have a new one it is sure to turn up!

I meant to have this table from the den sanded and stained and ready to put back in the house tomorrow. That didn't happen! It was all those weeds and chores in the front yard that delayed me in getting back to this.

Plus I had to plant my 'reduced for quick sale' plants from Lowes.

So far everything I have bought there has survived and is thriving.

Louis Dean wanted me to thank Susie for the get well card!!!

We had just come in from his PT and he was dragging.

He went back out to get the mail and came in smiling from ear to ear!

Thank you, Susie! Of course he calls you SUSIE Q!!!

To  close tonight I found what was actually Harrison's first selfie!

I thought the one he took yesterday was but NO!!

This was an even better one and he took it nearly 3 weeks ago.

Louis Dean is already fast asleep.

This recovery is taking a lot of rest plus he got stuck right under his left eye yesterday morning as he was walking back to the gazebo after chasing off some squirrels.

It swelled up and I gave him Benadryl.....but that poison still got in his system and his eye is still swollen. Poor guy.