There are 695 songs in the hymnal at my church. I think there are approximately 230 of them that I have never sung or heard. So it was no surprise last week when we started singing Wonderful Peace and my eyes drifted to a strange hymn on the opposing page. I am sure I have never heard of it let alone sung it. It is named, “Life Is Great! So Sing About It.” What a great title. So I read the words. I particularly like the second stanza. “Life is great! – whatever happens. Snow or sunshine, joy or pain, hardship, grief or disillusion, suffering that I cannot explain – Life is great if someone loves me, holds my hand and calls my name.” I wanted to say, “Right on” but I guess because I was in church I should have said, “Amen” – same thing.
It instantly reminded me of a popular song by Martina McBride entitled, “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. “I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden / Along with the sunshine there’s gotta be a little rain sometime / When you take you gotta give so live and let live and let go oh oh oh oh / I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden…”
What God does promise us is strength to endure and ultimate victory. 1 Peter 5:10 says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I wonder what other wonders I have missed in my hymnal?
Spring Of Life