Tag Archives: Hymns of Praise

Don’t Forget Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge where Jo asks the questions for us to answer. Thank you Jo.

1. Something you’ve done recently that required you giving 110% ?

Supervising these two. They spent a couple hours at our house and they went on a marble hunt outside and then released them inside. The marbles went rolling everywhere and under everything. JJ was intent on filling his pockets with them. Addy moved too fast for me to get a clear photo of her while she chased the marbles.

2. What task-sport-chore-hobby-activity have you participated in or completed, that if judged, would land you a perfect 10?  

The Russian Sacred Singers of Los Angeles are a group of California young people of Russian background. They sing in English and Russian under the inspiring leadership of director Leonard Wozniuk. The unique bi-lingual choir responded to our challenge to record their selections for radio use. Today, their joyful singing is heard world-wide over several short-wave radio stations and over local broadcasts in North and South America.

Hymns of Praise was recorded in stereo in the Lorin Whitney Studios with the creative accompaniment of organist Bill Fasig and pianist John Innes of the Billy Graham Association. Tom Keene on guitar and Paul Stilwell on bass add their distinctive sound to several selections. ~ Andrew Semenchuk, Producer.

One of my sisters, a few cousins, and my best friend were part of this Russian Youth Choir and in the world of Russian Sacred Hymns during the 70’s this was a 10. The recording was used to spread the gospel behind the Iron Curtain. Through the recording of this album and the exposure to the other professional musicians in the studio I eventually met Dear. One of the musicians, a director of a Christian singing group recruited my best friend to sing in his group. I tagged along with her to the concerts. Dear was in this group. I ended up auditioning for the group and was selected. This Christian music group would sing at different churches in the Southern California area on Sunday evenings and toured England in the summers. Dear and I started dating while in this group and later got married. One 10 led to another 10!

3. What are ten of your favorite things right now? 

  1. Our children and their spouses.
  2. Our two grandchildren
  3. Our Church
  4. Sermons by John MacArthur while I mow. I have a 2 sermon lawn.
  5. Podcasts by Costi Hinn, The Sword and The Trowel, Justin Peters.
  6. Fall like mornings. It’s coming y’all. I love Fall!
  7. The Bible
  8. Writings by Charles Spurgeon
  9. Coffee in the morning
  10. My hard working husband (he’s painting our bedroom right now), he makes my coffee in the morning, tomorrow is his birthday.

4. Nine times out of ten I _________________________.

Nine times out of ten I choose joy!

5. Where were you when the world stopped turning, twenty years ago this week? 

I will never forget this day. Where I was, what I did, who I talked to. My TV was still in my living room in Kenmore, Washington in 2001. I sat on the edge of an ottoman in shock. I started dialing, first my husband, then my married son and his wife, (they were married 2 weeks before 9/11).  I woke up Dan and Katie who were still at home. That day seemed like it would never end. Called my SIL to find out if she’d heard anything from our niece who was working in Manhattan. Our niece was in route to Manhattan on that day, no one at work had seen her yet. She wasn’t a casualty that day. She made it. She had to turn around and try to get home again. It took her over 6 hours to get home. Small price to pay compared to so many…

This flag that I unfurled out the window of our daughter’s room in 2001 is the flag that was presented to my mother-in-law, Verna, at Dear’s father Rex’s funeral in 1985. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII. This window is on the street side of this home. Things have changed on this side of the house but the memories are the same. This flag is folded and in a special flag case now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Thank you to all who serve and protect including our Military, Border Patrol, Police, Firemen, and Coast Guard!

Wednesday Hodgepodge~ Music (A to Z)


I’m combining the A to Z with Wednesday Hodgepodge on this tax day that isn’t really a tax day. Our taxes were filed but we won’t be sending that big fat check until July 15th. How nice to have that delay! Hopefully we won’t have to delay the Hodgepodge and Joyce will have her internet up and running in time. For A to Z we are on the letter M and Music is my M in this Meme.

1. In Monday’s post I mentioned I would incorporate the word I was given for letter K into this week’s questions. That word was karaoke. On a scale of 1-10 how excited would you be to find out there was karaoke happening at your next gathering/outing with friends? 10=gimme that microphone!, and 1=I suddenly remembered there’s somewhere else I need to be. Have you ever actually done karaoke? If you had to perform karaoke what would be your ‘go-to’song?

I’ve only done Karaoke once. I have been on stages singing with a mic right up to my face several times, long ago and far away. If I was on stage doing karaoke with my friends it would be a 10. If it was a solo it would be a 1. The photo above is of the Christian “Rock” group Dear and I were part of in the 70’s.  I’m the one on the right and Dear is next to me. I am not a soloist except for in the shower and in the privacy of my own home. I love the idea of Karaoke. My go to song would be…

2. How do you listen to music these days? Favorite app or do you listen the old fashioned way? Do you have music playing often in your home? Is there still a CD player in your car?

This is my old fashioned playlist and my CD changer. I’m so thankful to still have a CD changer that works and is connected to nice speakers so I can hear my music from anywhere in our country bungalow. We have a relatively new 2019 Highlander and I’m also thankful to be able to say it does have a CD player. I know most new vehicles do not have a CD player as standard equipment. On road trips we enjoy listening to books on CD.

3. The HP lands on US tax day this year. Or what used to be tax day before everything including filing your taxes was cancelled, delayed, postponed or extended. FYI- filing your taxes has not been cancelled, only delayed for a bit.

Besides staying away from anyone and everyone, what have you found taxing lately?

I have found it is hard to know what day of the week it is.  Concentration has been taxing.

4. You’re without power so no oven, and you can’t open your frig or freezer in order to keep what’s in there from spoiling. And you don’t have access to take out. What will you make us for dinner?

I will go to the outdoor barbecue that is powered with propane and use the side burner to heat up a can of pinto beans, a can of black beans, a can of green chilies, a can of chopped tomatoes all together, add some chili powder and cumin. I’d serve that in a bowl with tortilla chips unless I had a fresh package of flour tortillas that haven’t been opened. I’d toast those tortillas on the grill. If I had an avocado and tomato in my fresh basket I’d cut them up to add on top. It you don’t have a propane powered barbecue you could do this over an open fire.

5.  I’ve seen this exercise going around Facebook and thought it would be a good one to include in the HP…what are five things everybody seems to love and go crazy for that you personally don’t care for?

Don’t Judge!

  1. Sushi
  2. Cruises
  3. Protein Drinks
  4. “Facebook Chain Letters” example “If you love your sister copy and paste”
  5. Women in Power (I could explain this better in person)

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of old school/old fashioned this is an album that some of our family and friends were part of.

The Russian Sacred Singers of Los Angeles are a group of California young people of Russian background. They sing in English and Russian under the inspiring leadership of director Leonard Wozniuk. The unique bi-lingual choir responded to our challenge to record their selections for radio use. Today, their joyful singing is heard world-wide over several short-wave radio stations and over local broadcasts in North and South America.

Hymns of Praise was recorded in stereo in the Lorin Whitney Studios with the creative accompaniment of organist Bill Fasig and pianist John Innes of the Billy Graham Association. Tom Keene on guitar and Paul Stilwell on bass add their distinctive sound to several selections. ~ Andrew Semenchuk, Producer.

The songs sung in Russian include: The Lord is my Light, Like a River Glorious, Jesus Name I Love, Hallelujah What a Saviour, The Good Shepherd, What A Friend, Glory in the Highest, Blessed Assurance, Submission, Let the Beauty of Jesus, Praise Ye the Triune God, Why Not Now, and Peace Perfect Peace.

Five of my cousins and two of my sisters sang on the album along with a future cousin-in-law and the director became my brother-in-law. 

We now have the album on CD so we can listen to it more easily. We don’t have a phonograph anymore.

Music has been a big part of my life and it has enriched my life in so many ways. Being part of music groups I met some of the most important people in my life namely my dear husband. Music took me across the pond to Great Britain. I would have never traveled as extensively as I did were it not for music. Music that honors God and is true in lyrics moves  me to worship my God and Saviour. I hope to be singing when my time comes to leave this earth. I know I’ll be singing when I get to heaven.

Thank you to Joyce for coming up with the questions! Click here to see more answers.