THE BIRTH OF THE SONG "PRECIOUS LORD"

Who Wrote "Precious Lord"? Back in 1932, I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's Southside. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.

However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back. I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay, but eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music. The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED. People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out.

I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead Nettie is dead." When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart. For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him any more or write gospel songs.

I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.

From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend, Professor Fry, who seemed to know what I needed. On the following Saturday evening he took me up to Malone's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place:

“Precious Lord, take my hand; lead me on; let me stand! I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.”

The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power. And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home. -Tommy Dorsey

THREE STEPS TO SUCCESS

Here are three simple steps to make things happen in your life:

DO IT. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale put it like this: "Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all." Do it.

DO IT RIGHT. One poet put it like this: "If a task is once begun, never leave until it's done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all." Do it right.

DO IT RIGHT NOW. In the Spanish-American War, as the American soldiers were trying to capture San Juan Hill, they were thrown back again and again. The black powder ammunition they were using pinpointed their position for their enemies. As soldier after soldier toppled, the troops began to panic. Up rode Teddy Roosevelt, on a little horse named "Texas," urging his men on. Encouraged by his bravery in exposing himself to the whizzing bullets, the troops began to cheer their commander.

"Don't cheer, men," Roosevelt called out to them, "Fight! Now's the time to fight!"

There is a time to cheer, a time to reflect, a time to plan, a time to reminisce. But there is also a time to act. Those who accomplish anything worthwhile know that time is now.
Do it. Do it right. Do it right now. These are three simple steps to success.




Hmmm! - Think About It! - It’s enough to make one become a vegetarian!
An ad for a new restaurant:

“Carrabas Italian Grill – People are our specialty.”

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” – Abraham Lincoln
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The Best Mathematical Equation Ever ~

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given


Pun-ishment: A backward poet writes inverse.
I
nquiring minds want to know: Why do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage?


What Love means to a 4-8 year old children:

“Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.”
Terri - age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.”
Danny - age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing , you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'” Emily - age 8

“They say women talk too much. If you have worked in Congress, you know the filibuster was invented by men.” – Clare B. Luce
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Declarations to make “In the Midst of a Trial” ~ by Andrew Murray

I am here by God’s appointment.
It is by His will that I am in this difficult place. In that fact, I can rest.

I am here by God’s keeping.
He will keep me here in His love and give me the grace to behave as His son/daughter.

I am here under His training.
He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons that He intends for me to learn, and work in me the grace He means to bestow.

I am here for this time.
In His good time, He can bring me out of this trial – how and when He chooses.

* * * * * * *

Pun-ishment: The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.
Hmmmm!

What Love means to a 4-8 year old children:

'When my grandmother got arthritis , she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time , even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' ~ Rebecca- age 8

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” ~ Karl - age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” ~ Chrissy - age 6