Day by Day

As a Swedish child growing up in a Swedish community and Swedish church in northern Michigan, I learned (along with many others) to love a Swedish hymn, "Day by Day." Its author, Lina Sandell, first published the words in an 1886 calendar. First she told a parable about a wind-up wall clock that suddenly stopped. The dial investigated, and found that the pendulum was at fault; it had become weary of swinging back and forth 86,400 times every day. "Try swinging six times," suggested the dial. This was easy for the pendulum to do, but it pouted, "It's not six or sixty times I worry about--it's six million." To that the dial replied, "But only one swing at a time is required of you. And no matter how often you must go through the same motion, you will be given a moment for each one." So the pendulum went back to its daily challenge.

Then the hymn:

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is wise beyond all measure
Gives unto each day as He deems best,
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special blessing for each hour.
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose name is "Counselor" and "Power."
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid. "
As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every situation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting
E'er to take, as from a Father's hand,
One by one, the days--the moments--fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

I think I've learned more good theology from hymn writers like Lina Sandell than from a whole bunch of sermons! This one is certainly truth with which to face this day. My chemo is this morning. We pray for the usual: a suitable vein, and that the chemo will find and destroy all the cancer cells. Good friends of ours face chemo tomorrow and Thursday respectively, and on Thursday another friend has a complicated prostate surgery for cancer. We pray for them all.

Love,
Carol
P.S. It's 1:30 pm Monday and we're now back home after chemo. All went well, beginning with finding a good vein. Thanks for your prayers.