The Joy's and Inspirations of Thrift Stores

OK, me and my buddy Eric are kinda wierd when we get together, well I guess we're wierd all the time but...! Ok, let's start over, Eric and I hadn't seen each other since November 1 at the Indescribable tour! ROCK ON! Anyway, I called him up to talk and we found out both of us were off the next day...so, we decided to do lunch. Well, we decided on Cici's Pizza, If you've never been to a Cici's they're pretty decent, the slices are small, the price is fairly low and the variety is incredible. So, we went through the line for the first of many times (it's a buffet place) and picked up, oh, probably 4-5 pieces each. I tried the new maccaroni and cheese pizza, pretty good. Well, we talked, we pondered the worlds problems, and solved none of them. We decided we're pretty fallable, we encouraged one another, and most importantly we tried to out eat each other. Neither of us were very succesful, but we both ended up with overfilled stomaches and a silly grin on our faces!

We decided that a trip to the local Goodwill for a treasure hunting adventure. Well, we went in and started snooping, perusing, and overall making far too much noise for the fellow shoppers and associates. We went to the book section and started skimming the books, yes with our hands ready to cover our eyes should a romance novel attempt to intrude upon our innocent vision. Well, Eric found the Lost Adventures by J.R.R. Tolkein. He was totally excited and made a ruckus. I don't think ruckus is in the dictionary, but if it is it probably has a picture of Eric and me next to it! To shorten this already ridiculously long story let me tell you our spoils.

Eric got a water fountain like the one pictures below, and the afore mentioned Tolkein Book!Ben got a nifty vest..............................And this pair of shoes for only 6 bucks!
But the point of all this is that I also found the hymnal pictured above. I am not methodist, I don't know too much about methodists except that the Wesley's started it way back when. As I flipped through it I saw, right on the first page something like this:

Directions of Singing

I. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.

II. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.

III. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.

IV. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.

V. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

VI. Sing in time. Whatever time it is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing to slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when He cometh in the clouds of heaven.

From John Wesley's preface to Sacred Melody, 1761

Wow, there's some good stuff in there. Read over that a few times. Let his wisdom soak into your hearts. And the next time you sing, think of Wesley's words. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature.

Go to the thrift store and check out the book section and find a hymnal. They have some incredible stuff in them!

BenZ