Bedtime Reflections

Barack Obama is on the major networks right now. I would normally be watching such an event. A political candidate with so much money to throw around that he's buying an entire half-hour of primetime on three major networks. However, I know he will just infuriate and depress me.
Instead I am clinging to God and guns, to turn a phrase (if only I were kidding... Remington 870's are on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods this week). So rather than listen to the political grandstanding and sugar-coated shredding of our Constitution I am listening to my two year old son sing along with Fernando Ortega as he blesses us with some hymns. Allow me to share one of my favorites with you. Written in 1787 it has lifted the souls of Christians through many a dark hour,

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
to you that for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell shall endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."

Beautiful. Now, I must be off to tend to the afformentioned son as he protests the audacity of bedtime.

~ Gabriel