So there are probably lots of interesting things I could blog about today – stories of our first Christmas as a married couple, deep thoughts about living in Nairobi a year, thoughts of the year to come.  You know, powerful words that would basically change your life.

But instead, I want to share a discovery I’ve made this week.  And it’s about style.  Particularly, my decorating style.

I’ve been wondering about this lately, trying to figure out what it takes for a house (or apartment in our case) to feel like a home.  And then it hit me – it’s a feeling.  Where have I most felt at home?  Of course, I first go to thoughts of my childhood home in Montana.  I think of warm cups of tea or cocoa.  Cozying into an afghan to read a book or watch “Wheel of Fortune.”  I think of cheese and crackers.  I think of applesauce simmering on the stove.

I think of my grandma’s house.  Her cookie jar, her big pot of pennies, her button box.  I think of the VanSlembrouck’s home in Detroit – the red kettle on the stove, always ready to make a cup of tea.  The stories told around the island in their kitchen.  I think of Linda’s house in Pennsylvania and the comfy sofa that was always perfect for naps.  The amazing aromas coming from her kitchen.  I think of Carrie’s apartment in China – soft candles burning, warm homemade bread, a big coffee table book.

When I think of home, I think of a place where I can curl up with a mug of tea, tuck my legs under me, and feel like I can leave the stress of the day at the door.

This is the type of home I want to create here in Nairobi, and wherever else we may live one day.

In the days I’ve had off work recently, I’ve gotten pretty addicted to Pinterest.  Basically, it’s a site you can join where you can save or “pin” favorite things you find on the web.  This could be clothing, do-it-yourself projects, recipes, what have you.  My latest obsession has been homey things.  As a result, I’ve narrowed it down to the few things I hope to achieve in our home…

• A feeling of rest, laughter, and peace
• A sense of the places and people we love
• Good smells coming from the kitchen
• Comfortable seating, soft lighting
• Plenty of cheese and crackers

To be a bit more particular, I’ve learned that my decorating style is called “modern vintage.”  What does this mean?  It means I like the main furniture pieces in my home to be modern, with clean lines.  But it also means I like bursts of color and accent pieces that are vintage or retro.  So how would this come together?  Well, maybe you’d have a nice sleek side table with a cool vintage lamp.  Or maybe a shelf that highlights an old camera or collection of vintage books.  I love the idea of vintage linens, a collection of mismatched old mugs, an antique quilt on a modern bed frame.

Here are a couple examples I’ve seen online:

I bet it’s probably more interesting to see photos of our how our little nest is coming along instead, so I’ll try to take (and post) some photos soon.  I’m excited to see it come along in 2012!

The contents included two kits for holiday food I crave – pumpkin bread and fudge.  Before I even fully realized that soon I would be eating PUMPKIN BREAD and FUDGE, I just stood there marveling at the packaging itself.

“In the States, they actually put all the ingredients together for you?!?  In a box?!?  Pre-measured?!?”

I’ll be honest that lately I’ve been idolizing life in the States.  And by that, I mean a pre-packaged life – the sort you could buy at Target.  Caroline-in-a-box.  I’ve wanted a life where everything coordinates, makes sense and has met all necessary safety standards.   Ideally, this life would come in a lovely gift box with a ribbon and gift tag.

Here you are Caroline – a nice, predictable life.

None of us have this luxury, do we.  I suppose at the end of the day, none of us would choose a life that was designed by a mega-store anyway.  But maybe we each know what it feels like to want to settle down into a life where you can just breathe a sigh of relief and say, “Aaah, this is me.”

I haven’t felt much like me lately.

Maybe it’s adjusting to married life.  Maybe it’s adjusting to life in Kenya.  Maybe it’s just being 32 and still wondering what I want to be when I grow up.

I tried to articulate this to my friend Jessie over lunch today, and she gave a marvelous analogy that I will try to repeat in some understandable form…

She explained that when living overseas, you really have to stitch a life together.  It’s sort of like making a crazy quilt.  There are all sorts of fabrics of all shapes, sizes and colors.  On their own, they don’t amount to much.  But together, you have something colorful that provides warmth and covering.  It may not be the fabrics or patterns that you would choose, but somehow they all come together.  You make adjustments.  In time, you find yourself content.

You feel like yourself.

I remember doing this in China – making friends from around the world, learning to cook in a tiny oven, decorating an apartment, stumbling through a new language.  I stitched together a crazy quilt of a life that I loved.  It wasn’t anything like my life in the States, but I felt like me.

Three years ago, Dave began quilting a life for himself here in Nairobi.  (For those of you who know him, isn’t it funny thinking of him making a quilt?  But I digress…)  It took time and work, but now he’s got this colorful life that covers what he needs to enjoy living here.  Friends.  Frisbee.  Softball.  Poker nights.  Work.  Travel.  Work travel.  Overall, it’s been a good fit.  It suits him.

Then almost a year ago, I started quilting a Nairobi life too.  I pulled in different pieces from here and there and began stitching them together.  Friends.  Safaris.  Cooking adventures.  Jobs.  Swimming lessons.  All through the year, I’ve added pieces to this quilted Kenyan life of mine.  But there are still some gaps and holes – it’s not a great fit just yet.

Dave freely offered his quilt to me when we got married.  But a quilt made for one isn’t meant to keep two people warm.  I’ve attached my half-sewn creation with all its holes and ratty edges too.  We’ve been adding new pieces on together, and that’s been the most fun of all.  Travel.  Dinner parties.  Movie nights.  Fierce games of Dutch Blitz.  Church involvement.  Soon we’ll celebrate our first Christmas together as a married couple.  The quilt we share is expanding and starting to cover what it takes for us to share a life.

It seems a bit early to be thinking of 2012 when we haven’t even celebrated Christmas yet.  But next year, I really want to enjoy the ride.  I want to appreciate this colorful, crazy quilt life we’ve got here in Kenya, rather than longing for a predictable life instead.  I want to be thankful thankful thankful for this one-of-a-kind life I get to share with my one-of-a-kind man.

And hopefully soon I’ll be able to sit down and breathe, “Aaah, this is me.”

This is more for me to help remember, I think.  I had a whole lot of fun thinking of little details to personalize our wedding – not just for us, but for other people as well.  It was a little tricky at times, ordering things online and having things made here but not knowing until the day before the wedding if any of it would match.  Thankfully, it was gorgeous.  I want to make sure I don’t forget these little details and what they meant.  So please indulge me one more time and  allow me to walk you through our wedding at the micro level…

Colors
This was an easy one.  Turquoise/teal has been my favorite color for a long time – I find myself wearing it almost every day.  JCrew makes really cute bridesmaids dresses, and I loved that each of my ladies got to pick a style that suited them.  I love how it turned out!

Favorite girls in my favorite color

Flowers
Red was an easy choice for our accent color.  It’s bright and cheerful, looks fabulous with turquoise, and happens to be my grandma’s favorite color.  After some debating, I narrowed the flowers themselves down to three:  roses, gerbera daisies, hypericum berries.

Roses – My dad has always loved growing roses, so our house has been surrounded by bushes of every variety and color for as long as I can remember.  They’re a gorgeous flower that is difficult to grow in a rough Montana climate, but my dad patiently coaxed hundreds of them back to life after a long, brutal winter.

The specific variety of rose I chose for our wedding was called a “Freedom Rose.”  It was a gorgeous red color but especially paid tribute to both our patriotic dads, who each served in their respective state assemblies.

Daisies – I chose gerbera daisies because my best friends Anna and Kathy both used them in their weddings, so it felt only right that they should carry them in mine.

Hypericum Berries – My wonderful friend Chitra used them in her wedding, and she has the best taste of anyone I know.  Because I loved them so much, I ended up using them in Homecoming florals at Grove City every year I worked there.

I ordered all the flowers online in bulk, so each of us got to make our own bouquet.  In addition to my bouquet, I also made small bouquets for our moms and Dave’s grandmother Mossy.  Anna also did an incredible job on the boutonniers, and my mom and Robbie made every centerpiece a work of art.

Turquoise and red - love the combo!

Vases
I touched on this a couple posts ago, but Dave and I ordered a bunch of vases from a company called Kitengala here in Nairobi.  They make unbelievable things out of recycled glass.  We began with purchasing two pitchers for our moms and then ended up ordering smaller vases that we used as centerpieces and gifts for our guests.

And here’s how it looked all together…

Finally, here is a quick photo tour through a few of my other favorite details..

The stones in my ring are tsavorite, from the Tsavo region of Kenya. Dave's ring was a disappointing online purchase, so we got him a replacement to this one after the wedding.

These are the earrings my friend Jane gave me in China - long before a proposal or anything. Good thing they ended up looking so great with the dress! The necktie was my wedding gift to Dave - made by Hugo Boss, his favorite designer from his fashion days in NYC.

I ordered a unique piece of jewelry for each bridesmaid, all made by the same artist on Etsy. So they kind of coordinated but also reflected each person's personality.

Had Maasai bead sandals hand made in Kenya for all the special ladies in the wedding. Each girl got a uniquely-designed pair, and most of them fit (sorry Robbie!). Also, we all painted our toes in OPI Red - my favorite polish color!

My sister Maryann made these unbelievable strawberry cheesecake cupcakes for our reception. Also, they were displayed on my mom's lace tablecloth. This tablecloth was used on the cake table for the weddings of all 3 Koopman girls.

Our friends Linda and Susan provided unbelievable cookies for our western Pennsylvania-inspired cookie table. My two sisters also made incredible contributions. So delicious! Maryann even made mini "black and whites," a favorite of my dad's. They were also a tribute the great city of New York - a city my grandma loved, and the place Dave called home for 6 years.

We had this box made in Kenya to carry our rings for the ceremony. My original goal is that we would put love notes to each other in it for years to come. It's where we store our keys.

All images by Lockie Photography

What process am I describing? You know, the process where you make appointments at a variety of pretty little bridal shops.  You take your mom, sisters and best friends along with you while you try on dress after dress in front of an enormous 3-way mirror.  A sales lady fusses around you, adjusting here and there and telling you how gorgeous you look.   (Even if she’s lying through her teeth, she still makes you feel pretty, right?)  You keep trying on gowns of every sort.  Then all of a sudden, everybody in the room goes silent.  Somebody starts sniffling.  And then YOU sniffle.  You’ve found it – the one.  Right then and there, you are a bride.  You’ve found your dress and you’ve never felt more beautiful.  The sales lady starts excitedly running around the shop, pulling out veils and earrings and tiaras to accent this dress-of-amazingness that you just discovered.

Am I describing this accurately?

This did NOT happen to me.

I will admit there was a good amount of sniffling involved, and I did have my sweet friend Lauren with me at most of my fittings.  But that’s where the similarities end.

Let me just preface all this by saying I hate it every time I use the phrase, “Well in America…” as if we Americans have everything all figured out.  If I’m living in Kenya, I should stop complaining about actually being in Kenya, right?  Be that as it may, I am human and this is my story.

My first consultation with Monica, the designer, went really well.  I brought in a few photos of dresses I liked – some were silk, some were lace, but all of them had a similar style.  After weighing pros and cons of each, she made a sketch of my gown and took my measurements.  We decided on a lovely raw silk fabric.  I left a deposit, feeling great.

She warned me up front that the first couple fittings were meant to just get the general shape/fit of the dress down and I should not expect it to look like much.  So I tried not to get too flustered when they sewed the skirt on backwards or there was about 4 extra inches of cloth in the mid-section.  Each time, they pinned and tucked and adjusted and I left feeling okay.  (Sorry I didn’t take any photos along the way – in retrospect it would’ve been really fun to have!)

I started getting discouraged on the week that they asked me to come in with the jewelry and shoes I would be wearing.  The dress was still a bit lumpy and needed about two more fittings, so I was already feeling like a sack of potatoes.  But when I slipped on my little beaded sandals and put on my simple dangly earrings, I could have cried when I saw the look on their faces.

You’re going to wear THAT?”
“Where is your veil?”
“You do realize you’re a bride, right?”
“You’re going to look awfully plain…”

It’s hard to stand there all confident and dignified when a bunch of women are telling you that you’re going to be an ugly non-bride.

It wasn’t until later that I learned that your wedding day is a BIG DEAL in Kenyan culture.  People actually gather committees of friends to plan their wedding – who ante up a few hundred dollars each to go towards the festivities.  Everything from the dress to the cake are a really, really huge deal.  So when a girl wants a simple dress with simple accessories, it’s only natural they would think you’re crazy.

With that understanding, it makes sense that they would try so hard to convince me to make my dress a little fancier or wear heels instead of sandals.

The day that was supposed to be my last fitting, I looked like a mummy.  There was so much fabric  and ruching, I had absolutely no distinguishable shape.  Well, unless you consider a marshmallow a shape.  My friend Lauren could tell I was about to cry – I was so hopeful that I would finally feel like a bride.   They made just a couple tiny adjustments and told me to come back a couple days later to pick it up.  I left feeling awful.  I felt awful that I hated the dress, and I felt awful that I was so upset about a dress in the first place.

After several hours of turmoil, I finally worked up the courage to call the designer and explain my disappointment.  I emailed her photos of the original dress we’d discussed and stated firmly that she needed to take out at least 75% of the ruching.  This is NOT something that former Caroline would have done.  Former Caroline would have buttoned her lip and worn the dress she hated.  She would have felt like an ugly frump forever.

The day of my last fitting, the dress was perfect.  I couldn’t stop grinning.  I think I may have even twirled a little.  It didn’t even dampen my spirits when the designer sighed and said, “Well, just so long as you’re happy…”  She clearly thought I looked hideous, but I didn’t care.

The best lesson I learned is that it’s okay to stand your ground.  When you know what you like and the result is attainable, it’s totally appropriate to calmly and firmly state what you want.  I know that isn’t rocket science, but this has been a very new lesson for me.

And then the day came – the day that Chitra helped me into my dress while Anna and Kathy exclaimed over how well it suited me.  Kathy started sniffling first I think.  I put on the earrings that my Chinese friend Jane gave me before I left Beijing.  She made me promise I’d wear them for my wedding one day.  I slipped on the simple beaded sandals I bought in Kenya.

Dave’s sister Robbie told me more than once that on my wedding day, Dave should know he’s marrying me.  Not a dress, not a phenomenal hairstyle, not a photoshoot-worthy makeup job.  I should feel pretty, but I should also feel like me.

I’ll never, ever forget the look on Dave’s face the first time he saw me in that dress, with my simple little sandals and earrings.  He didn’t even look at the dress really.  He was only looking at me.

The people who knew me best knew that it was all perfect.

All photos of my dress compliments of the amazing Lockie Photography

Four months ago, I took my dad’s arm and walked across a lawn I’d known for over 20 years.  We walked down a short aisle towards the man I love, past people who love both Dave and me so much.

It was a really great day.

But before I tell you about that day, I also want to remember the day before that.  When I think of our wedding, I have to start with the rehearsal dinner.

Here was our backdrop…lovely, right?

This is Holland Lake in northwestern Montana.

Why did we pick this venue?  To begin, it was a nostalgic place for my family.  We vacationed here ever since I was little, and it’s just a place our hearts returned to again and again.  I used to say I wanted to be married there.  Who would have thought God listened to that little girl’s wish and tucked it away for 20-something years?

We also chose Holland Lake because they specialized in 2-day wedding events for small groups.  We could reserve the lodge and all the cabins for our guests – all we had to do was enjoy the scenery and each other’s company.

As we planned our wedding from Kenya, both Dave and I thought about the people we loved and how rarely we got to see them.  Had we lived in the States, we would have had a blast taking the time to plan a big celebration with all our great friends and family.  But as it was, we realized our wedding should be small and focused on the few folks who could come.  We ended up with a core of about 35 amazing, wonderful, loving people.

The rehearsal dinner couldn’t have been better.  The weather was unbelievable and the food was tremendous.  We ate outdoors by the lake, enjoying a lot of laughter and food and wine.  Because the group was so small, we wanted to take some time to introduce everybody and share what they meant in our lives.  Dave and I had a blast finding gifts for each person or couple.  Some we ordered online, some we carted over from Kenya.

Dave and our niece Ciara have a very cute relationship.  She just adores him, and he thinks she’s pretty special too.  So when it came time for her gift, Dave asked if he could introduce her.  As she jumped up and down in front of him, he scanned the small crowd, searching for the “important princess” who was to be our flower girl.

Our nephew Sammy is another great kid.  He took his job as ring bearer very seriously, rehearsing by walking back and forth across the grass countless times.  At the rehearsal, our pastor said that most ring bearers don’t get to carry the actual rings, and Sammy thought it was very special that he was given this enormous responsibility.  Dave bought this awesome airplane for him in Kenya – Sammy’s dad is a pilot who is in training to do aviation missions, and we think that’s pretty terrific.

Taking a moment to talk about each person really got to both Dave and me – in a good way.  We used a napkin as a bit of a “curtain effect” as the other person regained composure.

I remember how overwhelmed we felt that day, just seeing everyone who traveled to a remote part of Montana with only a few weeks notice to be a part of our wedding.  But more than that, we were surrounded by people who loved us fiercely – people who were always on our team.  We knew these were the same people who would pray for our marriage and always be important parts of our lives.  Recognizing that – just having everybody together like that – was really impossible to describe.

One person in all this who has to be mentioned is our dear friend Susan.  More than anyone, I think she rooted for us the most.  Susan dropped little hints (and sometimes not-so-little hints) about how great we would be together.  Somehow, she was determined we’d be a good pair.  She told me more than once that she would be a Scripture reader at our wedding one day.  It meant the world to us that she could come.  And true to her word, she was the first to read Scripture in the ceremony.

I could keep going on with stories.  My best friends Anna and Chitra flew across the country, leaving babies and husbands behind to be a part of our wedding.  My sister Maryann flew from Ireland, also leaving a hubby and baby.  She baked unbelievable cupcakes for our wedding reception.  Our moms compiled hundreds of photos that Dave’s mom put into slideshows so we could see “Dave and Caroline through the years.”  My mom let countless boxes pile up in the living room – wedding gifts and decorations galore and reported on the arrival of each package.  My sister Bonnie thought of every detail – more things than I’ll ever know.  Dave’s friend Dave flew across country, even though he was in grad school.  My friend Linda baked unbelievable cookies so we could have a cookie table – a beloved Pittsburgh tradition from our Grove City days.  Dave’s sister Robbie did my hair and makeup and brought a whole variety of gorgeous ribbons for our wedding bouquets.  My friend Kathy and her husband Josh came through with the best wedding photos we could’ve imagined (including the ones in this post).  Dave’s friend Melissa printed our wedding programs.  Really, I could go on and on.  I’m really getting ahead of myself, because my next post will primarily be photos of how the whole wedding came together.

But I say all this because at our wedding, we knew we were surrounded by love.  It wasn’t just a celebration of our love for each other, although it’s a super fun reason to put on a white dress.  It was a time for us to thank God for all the ways He came through for us over the years.  In the years we were single, Dave and I were never, ever unloved.  God’s goodness and mercy truly has followed us all the days of our lives.  I’m not really sure it hit either of us until we stood up with some inadequate gifts in our hands the night before our wedding, trying to figure out how to say thank you.  In that moment, a bag of coffee beans or a pair of earrings just didn’t seem enough.

All photos by Lockie Photography

Coming Soon…How a girl plans a wedding in Montana from Kenya!  Everything from Kenyan dress-making woes to the joys of Etsy!

I never noticed until today.

I’ll never be able to cook like her – I’ll leave that to my sisters.  I’ll never be able to dance like she could.  But when I look down at my hands, I see a bit of her.

She taught me how to knit – something I’ve been doing a lot of lately.  My best friend Anna has three little girls who are all getting similar (but not identical) stockings for Christmas this year.  A whole bunch of friends have been having babies over the past few months too, so that means lots of little sweaters and hats and socks.  It seems I’ve always got at least one knitting project going.

I remember the day she first taught me to knit.  After lunch, she took me to the closet where she stored all her yarn.  I remember more than half the shelves were filled with shades of red and pink, her two favorite colors.  After I made my choice, we went into the little guest room where she stored her knitting needles.  They all lay in a long tin box on top of a lace doily.  She picked out a pair of size ten needles, and we sat together on the day bed.  She repeated the same stitches over and over again, slowly looping the yarn back and forth around the needles and her fingers.

I can’t tell you how old I was that day, but I remember how the sun came through the lace curtains.  I remember how she smelled.  I remember her hands.

Even though I learned all those years ago, I never knitted one thing until about a year ago when I picked up a pair of needles again.  I was living in Bozeman for a brief time and visited her every few days.  She couldn’t really talk much anymore, and I didn’t have much to say either.  So I would bring my knitting.  I’d wheel her to a sunny little area away from everybody else, and I’d pull out my needles and yarn.

This time, she was the one watching me.

I’d talk to her about what I was knitting and who was receiving the gift.  Before I left, I’d always hand her my project so she could inspect my work.  She’d hold that scarf or hat with experienced hands.  She told me I should knit something pink.

Whenever someone watches me knit, they say I hold the needles the old fashioned way.  Nobody knits like that anymore, they say.

It makes me smile.

She died on my wedding day.  I saw her a couple days before.  I got to hold her hand, kiss her forehead and thank her for all she invested in my life.

But I haven’t let myself really miss her until today…

I snapped it last weekend in Lamu.

Even though I’m not terribly busy most of the time, I still can’t believe I’ve been here two months.  I’ve started substitute teaching and have a couple job possibilities out there, but for the most part I don’t think I could say I’ve been “busy.”  But still…where have the days gone?

They go by so fast…

We grab keys, run out the door.  Wolf down meals.  There’s just an awful lot of hurrying.

I love this photo because it captures a slow moment – a moment when we could savor a sunset and the sand beneath our feet.  I could hold my camera and fiddle with the settings while he threw a disc back and forth with a friend.  The air was fresh, warm and salty, and all we had to do was breathe it in and smile.

Last night another friend told me that Africa has taught him just one thing:  how to identify as a human being instead of a human doing.

That’s something I’d like to learn.

Instead of worrying when I’ll be working full time, I want to slow down my racing thoughts and take more deep breaths.  I want more moments like these.

Playing the guitar.
Speaking fluent Italian.
Baking a souffle.
Whistling with two fingers.
Running a marathon.

This week I tackled one of mine.  It’s still going to take some time until I feel like I’ve actually “mastered” it rather than my current floundering.  But I’m excited to learn and it’s really fun to already see a little success.  In the midst of all the trying, concentrating and learning, it’s great having short snapshots of, “Hey, this is fun!”

So how about you?

What are you wanting to learn these days?

Show me how you offer to your people and the world the stories and the songs you want our children’s children to remember, and I will show you how I struggle, not to change the world, but to love it.

Sit beside me in long moments of shared solitude, knowing both our absolute aloneness and our undeniable belonging.  Dance with me in the silence and the sound of small daily words, holding neither against me at the end of the day.

And when the sound of all the declarations of our sincerest intentions has died away on the wind, dance with me in the infinite pause before the next great inhale of breath that is breathing us all into being, not filling the emptiness from the outside or from within.

Just take my hand and dance with me.”

– Oriah from The Dance Moving to the Deep Rhythms of Your Life

This past Sunday, we went to a Mennonite Hymn Sing.  A what?  A hymn sing.

There are many things I admire and respect about Mennonites.  I remember taking trips to Lancaster with my friends Kristina and Theresa, staying with their family.  I love how Mennonites embrace simplicity and peace.  I love how they cook and fellowship.  And I love how they sing.  Have you ever seen a family gathering where all the relatives sit in a circle and sing hymns acappella in perfect four-part harmony?  I have.  And their church services are even better.

I’ll admit that I love their singing partly because it brings out my inner Von Trapp.  Ever since I was tiny, I wished I could throw on a dirndl and stand in a line of fresh-faced Austrians singing “Edelweiss.”  Yodeling through the Alps with a bunch of Mennonites is something I’d love to do before I die.  But I digress.

Back to Nairobi.  There we were on a lovely Sunday morning, singing these faith-girding words completely without instruments but in perfect harmony.  There was no sermon, no corporate prayer than I can remember.  Just the singing.  It wasn’t a typical way of spending a Sunday morning, but I loved it.

And now for you fellow hymn-lovers, I have a quiz for you!  Can anybody tell me the titles to all of the following ten hymns?  I will post the answers on Friday, February 11. First person with all the correct answers gets a prize!  What kind of prize?  A knitted-by-Caroline prize!

No worries if you’re more of a contemporary worship person – your quiz will come one day too!

One:
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet…

Two:
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise…

Three:
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end!

Four:
He left his Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite his grace!
Emptied himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race.

Five:
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Six:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

Seven:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Eight:
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Nine:
Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Ten:
All to Jesus, I surrender, All to Him I freely give
I will ever love & serve Him, In His presence, daily live.