Today’s post was written by Paul.
As promised, I’m sharing another song with Granny in this post.
We dedicate the sentiment of this song, as well as our thoughts and prayers, to all of the flood/storm victims of Hurricane Helene (and now Milton) in Florida, Georgia, NC, TN, VA, and SC. Our hearts especially go out to those who lost loved ones.
Thinking back to my last video, I hate that I made it sound like my house remodeling project is an ordeal. It’s nothing at all compared to the housing crisis facing the many victims who had no flood insurance or means of rebuilding their destroyed homes.
Tipper and the Pressley Girls have spoken more about the devastation in Western NC, just a couple of hours east of us, and they’ve used their channels to help collect supplies and share resources for victims. A close friend of mine, who is an EMT, spent several days there helping people who have lost everything. He is returning there this weekend, along with one of my cousins.
At this time, folks are saying that a growing need is coats and warm clothing, since the temperature is dropping fast here in the mountains. Granny and I are sending what money we can, canned goods, and several winter coats that belonged to Pap. I had the opportunity to go along with them to try to help, but I know that Granny needs me here.
She picked the song “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” As far as I know, she never sang it with Pap, and I had never sung it, other than along with the choir in church. It’s typically done with a two-note repeat on the chorus. Since neither one of us felt confident doing the repeat, I just substituted a lick on the top two strings in the spots where the repeat would have gone.
I wish I had turned off the TV before we started. During the second verse, the reflection on Granny’s glasses briefly made it appear she was wearing purple eyeshadow! 🙂
The writer of this hymn was born in NC in 1873, so it’s fitting to upload this song now, during a trying time for our state. Of course, we live in the here-and-now and must do what we can in this life and in this world to help others, but this song brings more comfort than just causing us to look forward to the next life where there will be no heartaches nor times of loss. We know that the same Lord who provides our salvation and who prepared for us a better place to come, also helps us and helps us help others in an immediate sense.
My EMT friend called me Tuesday night to talk over what he had seen and experienced in the impacted towns and communities, and he told me several examples of how the Lord led him to certain people who were in need and then also helped him quickly secure things that they sorely needed, all in a very short period of time. He was astonished at how things transpired. He was confident that it was because he was listening to God’s directions for what to do and where to go. All this to say, God is good, and as this song communicates, He is our Hope and sustains in all times.
I pasted the lyrics below. We left out the 3rd verse.
We read of a place that’s called heaven, It’s made for the pure and the free; These truths in God’s Word He hath given, How beautiful heaven must be.
How beautiful heaven must be, Sweet home of the happy and free; Fair haven of rest for the weary, How beautiful heaven must be.
In heaven no drooping nor pining, No wishing for elsewhere to be; God’s light is forever there shining, How beautiful heaven must be.
Pure waters of life there are flowing, And all who will drink may be free; Rare jewels of splendor are glowing, How beautiful heaven must be.
The angels so sweetly are singing, Up there by the beautiful sea; Sweet chords from their gold harps are ringing, How beautiful heaven must be.
Source: Church Hymnal #105 Listen to original singles released on Spotify:
We hope you enjoyed this little duet. Thank you for watching.
Paul
Wow! Granny and Paul can sing so well. they could do a whole concert! Thank you for recording this. Y’all made my day! Blessings to you all. prayers and love from SC, Jane♥️
Precious
There are no two voices I would rather hear than Granny and Paul’s. Granny has the voice of an angel, and Paul’s voice is beautiful and so reminiscent of Pap’s tenor. I would love to see Granny and Paul do an album. Their voices are stunning.
Enjoyed this so much!! How beautiful Miss Granny is!
That was just lovely, thank you so much for such a blessing.
Thank you, Granny and Paul. It was absolutely beautiful the words and the singing. Continued prayers to all of the hurting people and all the folks helping out.
Tipper, I am in the Spartanburg, SC area and the devastation around here is sad beyond belief! My girls and I just took two totes of things to someone in great need. It’s getting cooler now and they were freezing they said. Still no power for them! We went 11 days without power and that was not fun in any way! No stores were open, or gas stations. It breaks my heart knowing so many are still suffering two weeks after the storm. I must say that I just love Granny!! She comes across as the sweetest angel on Earth. She and Paul singing together makes my heart sing, too. I have no doubt Granny made that wonderfully thick, beautiful sweater. What a talented lady she is. I hope she knows she has touched the hearts of many many of your followers. I hope our dear Lord lets us enjoy her for a long time to come before He takes her to His home. May God bless each and every one of your family members, all of your followers. those impacted by Helene and Milton, and those assisting the needy.
Granny, you are a rare jewel of splendor right here on earth! You both did an amazing job on that song.
I enjoyed Paul’s background and the singing and playing, but the two best parts were saved for the last:
1. Granny’s delight “Oh, we did!!!” when Paul revealed that it had been recorded.
2. Her “Yeah, I know it” when Paul noted he’d used the wrong words.
Paul is exactly right about it turning cooler, and they’re calling for us to have our first freeze this week. We’ve already had a light frost or two which affected some flowers. There has been substantial progress (69% reduction in outages) made in power restoration in western NC since Wednesday, but some of the sections which see the coldest weather in the area, like Yancey and Mitchell Counties, still have almost a third of their folks without power. Based on the Duke Energy outage maps, the bulk of those are all in isolated sections, and I suspect that road access will still be a problem for some.
Prayers are sorely needed for the line crews and construction folks who are helping gain vehicle access. They’re bound to be getting weary from long day after long day – not just from the work itself, but the toll of seeing the extent of destruction and its impact on the lives of the folks they’re trying to help. The same is true for the folks from Samaritan’s Purse, Baptists on Mission and others offering feet on the ground help.
The temperature is predicted to reach 100° here this afternoon. It has been in the upper 90s here all month long and almost every day in September.
What a lovely way to start a Sunday morning.
Beautiful song and beautifully sung by Granny and Paul this morning!! Thank you!!!
Prayers for all those in need from the storms and for those working to take much needed supplies to them. Our church is part of the NE Baptist team that responds to disasters and have had people and supplies taken down to different areas in need. Our sewing servants have been sewing over 100 disaster relief bags and filled 100 last Thursday and sent them down. I hadn’t thought about coats, Paul, but now I’m praying that that need is met too.
Amen. How beautiful Heaven is. Thank you for the reminder. And thank you as well for sharing the lovely video of Granny and Paul.
Thank you Paul & Granny for such a beautiful song today. Granny’s voice was so nice & strong this morning. I had to laugh that she didn’t know you were recording it until you were finished singing.
God bless Granny & all the Wilson family.
Beautiful song sung by beautiful people! Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you!
What a beautiful song. so glad you are taping Granny and you singing.What a priceless treasure. Did she crochet the sweater she is wearing? It’s so pretty. Continued prayers for all the people,especially children and the animals affected by the hurricanes. Also praying for the people who are helping in this long journey.
Debbie-she did 🙂
Paul, when you said you sang the first part wrong Granny said “I know it.” What a woman, tells it like it is!
Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful Sunday.
One of my favorites and so beautifully sung. Thank you Granny and Paul!
Great song and great singers. You have shared so much of your family and I am sure they all are dear to you, BUT, the real Gem is Granny…that lady is something else, and I along with others are so thankful you have shared her. Prayers for Granny and you guys.
I wish that somehow everyone in the devastation from Helene had the electricity and the internet available so they could if nothing else listen to you and your mother sing this song and other songs you have done–and listen to your sister and the girls as they spread the helpful information on how to help give to victims and constantly tell people to pray pray pray…if all those victims could just listen to ya’lls videos they would definitely feel the arms of The Lord around them and even in the middle of these horrible circumstances would feel like He was protecting them, providing for them,caring for them as a mother hen when she is setting on her chicks shielding them and comforting them….I know it is in many many cases hard for these people to accept not just the invasion of so many outsiders who are now in their ‘space’ but to have to receive all the help from strangers because they are use to just being able to do things for themselves or to help one another–but now they are forced out of their comfort zone just to be able to have the very basic life sustaining things such as water, food, clothing, shoes, shelter, blankets, heat, fire–they couldnt even make fire themselves because if they had even flint for a spark there was no dry wood or anything to burn. To have you and your family keep speaking The Word over them and to them can’t help but be a balm over their injured souls, minds, spirits, and bodies. I wish there was a giant projector, screen, and loud speakers that could be seen and heard by all of those precious people so that your family’s words and songs could minister to them immediately and continually–I would almost bet money that some how someone is little by little sharing ya’lls videos to the victims one holler and one mountain top at a time–and prayerfully what they get out of it is among other things that as ugly as things look in the here and now with the destroyed homes and the ugliness of the mud covering everything as well as all the downed trees, dead animals, and humans–Heaven and life in Heaven is beautiful and one day we will all be free of pain and devastation, we will no longer be weary…I love this song and I love and pray for your family–especially Granny. Thank You All for sharing your lives, your hearts, your love, and God’s love and saving Grace to all the world through your YouTube channels and here on Blind Pig
I feel guilty for feeling joyful for getting through Helene without any real problems when so many others didn’t. I was without power for 9 days but had a generator to run my freezers and refrigerators and had city water and was able to save most of my cold food. I cooked food to eat on a Coleman gas camping stove? Doing without power was an inconvenience, not a hardship. I still find it hard to grasp in my mind the destruction I see around here and in the other places. I know of several friends that had their homes damage, one had his home completely destroyed, but have heard of no one in my area being killed outright by the storm. Yes God is good.
I have heard this song sung at church many, times it is often sung as the special music by some.