Song: Be Thou my vision

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thy art
Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Waking or sleeping, Thou presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight
Be Thou my armour and be Thou my might
Thou my soul shelter, and Thy my high tower
Raise Thou me heavenwards, oh power of my power

Riches I need not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine inheritance through all of my days
Thou and Thou only though first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art

Oh high king of heaven, when battle is done
Grant heaven’s joy to me, bright heaven sun
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, Though ruler of all

Word and music by Eleanor Hull & Mary E. Bryne
Public Domain

Quite a number of singers sang this song “Be Thou my vision”.
But hearing a blind singer sing this song, bring new dimension to me.
Ginny Owens received good review about her voice.

Abstract from a reviewer, S. Peek (Montana, USA):
“I hadn't known that she is blind and has been since a very young age. Hearing her sing 'Be Thou My Vision' live while seeing that she is blind really impressed me with the way she deals with and views her disability. She certainly has the big picture in mind. Also, her fantastic song 'If you Want Me To' took on a whole new meaning.

Some of the lyrics from that song are: 'I don't know the reason why you brought me here, but just because you love me the way that you do, I'm gonna walk through the valley if you want me to.'

She goes on to sing: 'It may not be the way I would have chosen when you lead me through a world that's not my home, but you never said it would be easy, you only said I'll never go alone.'

After hearing her in concert, I picked up this CD and was hooked. Her other songs have equally touching and relevant lyrics. Her sound is incredible.”

I will certainly look out for her CDs.

“Be Thou my vision” means a lot to me.

Maybe I am facing mid-life crisis.
I am aware that I am going to be 40 soon.
My life is more than half gone.
I want to offer my life to Jesus to do what is meaningful to Him.

I do not want to live just for myself.
It is in His great mercy that I live.
My colleague died at the age of 27 due to heart failure.
He overworked and neglected his health.
My secondary schoolmate died before the age of 30 due to lung cancer.
Even though he does not smoke.
I belief Jesus does not let me live to take up space on earth.

I am still searching of what I should do that will count.

But each day, when I can be a blessing to others, I am happy.
My friends, I am most happy when you know Jesus.
The One that gives us life that is truly life.

Song: Amazing grace

Amazing grace-how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
was blind but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we'd first begun.

“Amazing grace” is a very common song.
Grace has special meaning to me because God called me “Grace”.

Recently, learnt that “Amazing grace” is not a song to sing with gusto.
We should sing with the feeling that the author intents to convey.
One way is to check out the life of the author, John Newton.

With Google search, there is tons of information of John Newton.
I am very encouraged by his life.
Truly a wretch saved by grace.
His transformation is not immediate.
But his life tells of God immeasurable grace.

I am also a wretch save by God.
Thankful to Jesus for coming to save the sick, tired and weary.
He wants to give us a new life.

The more I know God, the more I find good deeds and religion is impossible to reach God.
We simply cannot reach God by our own way.
Only by the grace of God that we can come to Him.

Recently, I was being condemned for nothing.
Trust betrayed. I was very hurt.
I am thankful that in my human RAM, I remember what God said in
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.

I did nothing wrong to be condemned. By His word, I stand.
I am also thankful to Jesus for my understanding friends.
True friends make a world of different to me.

The grace of God has come to a soul that needed Him most.