This past winter the Fuse 8 blog surveyed her reader’s for their favorite picture books. It was a lot of fun to see the results… it reminded me of picture books I hadn’t payed attention to in a long time. Well, this weekend, visiting blogs for the 48 hour book challenge, I visited Semicolon‘s blog and found her Top 100 project, top hymns!
Well, the hymn is perhaps my favorite form of music, I think it’s in my blood (long story). I love that my husband can say something to me and the thing that comes in my head is a hymn. I love that when I need it most hymns are right there for me. If you aren’t familiar with hymnody, stop and really read them. At our wedding, the soloist sang “Now thank we all our God”, the second stanza still resonates:
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
Anyway, here are my top 10 hymns… it was hard and I’m sure I missed some:
1. Holy Holy Holy.
2. Day by Day. It’s the first hymn I ever memorized.
3. And Can It Be. An old pastor used to say, sing the exclamation points!
4. Great is thy Faithfulness
5. To God be the Glory
6. Wonderful Grace of jesus
7. Trust and Obey
8. Christ the Lord is Risen Today
9. Joy to the World
10.Now Thank We all our God
If this sort of thing is for you, you can follow Semicolon’s top 100 countdown. I got in on the game late, enjoy!
The Bend in the Road 
IMHO A good hymn comprised both good poetry and accomplished music composition. The short, uncomplicated form of the hymn belies the skill and craft necessary to create one. And then, once sung by a choir or congregation, the hymn takes on a life of its own, as it carries the power to praise, uplift, encourage, unite.
At least, that is my take on it.
Sharon,
I came to your blog through Barb Perry Shelton’s FB. I love your hymns and can’t wait to read some of your book picks.
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