I love this, Del! also had sung it in church; now I know more, the story behind it; terrific post. ----- Original Message ----- From: Sugarsyl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 2:38 PM Subject: [RecipesAndMore] Re: This is long, but it is perty
> > Oh Delma, > so beautiful!! > I have always sang this song at church, by Crystal Lewis, and now I know > what the song stands for, and the story behind it. > Thanks so much > Syl > > Sugar Syl Says: > The kindness you spread today > will be gathered up and returned to you tomorrow. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "delma bliss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 11:32 AM > Subject: [RecipesAndMore] This is long, but it is perty > > > > > > > > THE BIRTH OF THE SONG > > THE BIRTH OF THE SONG "PRECIOUS LORD" > > Back in 1932 I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife, > > Nettie, and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's Southside. > > One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where I was to be the > > featured soloist at a large revival meeting. > > I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our > > first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. > > I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a > > fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. > > However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I > > had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back. I found > > Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was > > strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting > > to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of > > the room with my music. > > The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me > > to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up > > with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. > > Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED. > > People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly > > keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. > > All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead." > > When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung > > between grief and joy. > > Yet that night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little both > > together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart. > > For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I > > didn't want to serve Him any more or write gospel songs. I just wanted to > > go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched > > alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the > > afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with > > Nettie. > > Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that > > day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died. From that > > moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in > > grief. > > Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend, Professor Fry, who seemed > > to know what I needed. On the following Saturday evening he took me up to > > Malone's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the > > late evening sun crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the > > piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to > > me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch > > God. I found myself playing a melody, one into my head-they just seemed > > to fall into place: > > Precious Lord, take my hand, > > lead me on, let me stand, > > I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, > > Through the storm, through the night > > lead me on to the light, > > Take my hand, precious Lord, > > Lead me home. > > As the Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I > > learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from > > God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His > > restoring power. And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, > > until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home. > > -Tommy Dorsey/ "The Birth of "Precious Lord" > > by Tommy A. Dorsey, GUIDEPOST > > It's not over, scroll down. > > Sometimes our greatest and most accurate observations about God come in > > moments of utter despair and desperation, when life seems futile and God > > seems silent. Such was the case for Tommy Dorsey. Such was the case for > > the Psalmist. Perhaps this is your experience as well. > > God is never gone. He is always present, ready to render aid to those > > who will seek and accept His type of help. Our problem, perhaps, is that > > when we are out of options with only one hope left-God, we seem to tell > > him exactly how He should get us out of the mess we got ourselves into. > > We need to let God be God. > > Let Him, from His eternal perspective and heavenly vantage, choose the > > solution to our woes. He will never let you down or leave you. Remember > > the poem "Foot Prints"? when you see only a pair of footprints in the > > sand, don't assume that they are yours. In fact, at the times you called > > out to God and let Him help you, those footprints are the Lord's as He > > carries you. > > I pray that your week will be blessed. Reach out to someone in pain or > > sorrow this week. Let them know how very much our Lord loves them. Be a > > visible reminder of the compassion and mercy that God has for us. > > Be encouraged!! > > Back to Story Room > > ~Please share this page with a Friend~ > > God gives us the gift of faith to share. May we give it to others in the > > loving spirit in which it was given to us. Sharing is caring. > > > > __._,_.___ Delma > > > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
