February 4, 2018
Pap – photo by Chitter
We went on a long hike yesterday. We tramped up steep mountain ridges and slid down narrow leaf filled mountain hollers. As always Chitter picked up way too many rocks and by the end of the day she was having a hard time keeping up because her backpack was heavy. Staying out half the night making music the night before didn’t help any either.
The Deer Hunter and I were pleased that we can still out do the girls when it comes to hiking. He said “But you know, it won’t always be like this. Someday we won’t be able climb up steep ridges and slide our way down the other side.”
I’ve already got enough creaky joints to know he’s right, but I don’t like to think about getting old.
When I was growing up Pap was like Superman. There wasn’t nothing he couldn’t do-at least that’s how I saw him. When I was a little girl and got too tired to walk Pap would hist me on his back and carry me till I rested enough to walk behind him again. I can still remember how it felt to be on his back with his sure footsteps leading us back home.
As Pap got older he couldn’t do the things he’d always done. I know it bothered him that he could no longer take off up the creek and walk the mountains he roamed as a boy.
One of my favorite hymns to sing in church was “Where We’ll Never Grow Old”. The website hymnstudiesblog shares the following information about the man who wrote the song.
“The text was written and the tune composed both by James Cleveland Moore Sr., who was born on May 2, 1888, at Draketown in Paulding County, GA, the son of Charles Robert and Mary Ellen Hesterley Moore. Intending to become a Baptist preacher, he was educated at Draketown Baptist Institute, Mercer University at Macon, GA, and the University of Florida. Also, he received musical training under Benjamin B. Beale and J. Henry Showalter.
In 1914, while a 26-year old seminary student at Mercer, Moore visited to preach in his home church at Draketown, where his aging father had led the singing for years. The elder Moore’s voice failed him and the son said that he knew that he would not be hearing his father sing much longer. Back in school at Macon, James produced the hymn with the incident still fresh in his mind, and wrote, “Dedicated to My Father and Mother.” Apparently, it was not published until 1930.”
In March of last year Paul uploaded a video of him and Pap doing the song “Where We’ll Never Grow Old” at the Historic Union County Courthouse. The video was provided by Ridgeline TV.
I hope you enjoyed the song. Pap don’t have to worry about getting old anymore and someday I won’t have to either.
When the girls were little they’d sing where we’ll never get cold instead of where we’ll never grow old. They really thought the song was about not getting cold in heaven 🙂
I hope you enjoyed this post from the archives. “Never Grow Old” is a song I’ve thought of often as I watch Granny become more feeble. Her first week of treatments went well. Thank you for the prayers, good wishes, and love you’ve sent to her.
Tipper
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TIPPER I JUST LOVE YOUR WEB SITE. BEAUTIFUL RELIGIOUS MUSIC AND CHRISTIANS ALL AROUND. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. IF I CAN JUST HANG ON UNTIL MATCH 10 I WILL BE 83 YEARS OLD. GOD HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ME. I WAS WATCHING A MOVIE RECENTLY AND THERE WAS A LINE YJAY REMINDED ME OF YOU. ( THE BLIND DOG LOOKING FOR MUSHROOMS).
Love the old hymns and the way you share your faith, recipes and everyday life. We also live in the mountains of North Carolina and feel blessed to live here. Keep sharing Tipper.
“Never Grow Old” is among my favorite gospel songs. I am especially fond of Pap and Paul’s rendition and return to listen often. I also enjoy a sweet version by fellow North Carolinians Connie and Claude Hopper. We surround Granny with our love and prayers. God bless! ❤️
“Never Grow Old” is among my favorite gospel songs. I am especially fond of Pap and Paul’s rendition and return to listen often. I also enjoy the sweet version by fellow North Carolinians Connie and Claude Hopper. We surround Granny with our love and prayers. God bless! ❤️
Good morning, my friend. I am sorry for the duplication. You are kind to post both. I did not get the usual reply when I posted the first time; instead, a reply came saying I was posting too fast and asked me to slow down. Life is ever interesting! My prayers are always with Granny, you, and your family. Take good care.
I felt good enough yesterday to get out and drive around a little. I went over through Yellow Gap on Old Highway 18. It was pretty with all the colors changing and leaves swirling around me as I drove through. I couldn’t look though, very much, because that road crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
There’s one curve to the left so bad that one time I turned on my left turn signal. It’s like the road disappears and you are facing the side of the mountain, so you have to almost stop before you see the road again. It felt so much like I stopping at a stop sign before turning left that I turned on my turn signal in advance. I didn’t see anyone watching so I wasn’t as embarrassed as I would have been if there were.
So happy to hear that Granny’s treatments went well her first week. AMEN Praise the Lord God. I love the video where the family sang the song Where we’ll Never Grow Old. I can remember that song well while growing up. It is a beautiful Hymn. I love it. Thank you, Tipper, for keeping us informed about Granny. Thank you for posting the video of the family singing the beautiful Hymn Where We’ll Never Grow Old. May the Lord keep watch over you and your beautiful family.
Granny
I really enjoyed this song. Heaven is nearer each day!
Beautiful harmony! 🙂
Beautiful song & Paul/Pap harmonized so well. Prayers for your whole family with a special prayer for Sweet Granny <3
P.S. We used Corie's cedar soap today! Awesome product and my husband Richard loves the scent!!
I have never heard this hymn but I like it. It is a beautiful tune with wonderful thoughts of when we get to Heaven. It is neat to hear the history of this hymn the sweet memories and hard to see our parents age and struggle with health. I remember as a young person growing up making a comment in my dad’s hearing something about an older person or maybe I actually made fun of something coming from aging – probably something about moving too slowly, my dad quickly set me straight. He said to me, “If you live long enough that will probably happen to you too.” That stopped me in tracks because I had not thought of that before, youngin’ that I was thinking I was so smart. If ever a critical thought came to my mind after that, I could hear my dad’s voice in my head and I shunned that thought/criticism right quick. The harmony of Paul and Mr. Wilson singing together is really beautiful. Glad that this week went as well as could be expected and hope you all are able to rest well today and tonight to get ready for this week.
I love that song so much. Hope y’all are having a great Sunday. It’s pretty chilly over in Waynesville today. Bout to go put on a big pot of chili beans for supper. I look forward to the cooler days for this very reason…chili just ain’t as good if it’s not cold out. Prayers for granny and all of you
Beautiful song, harmony, memory and family. Prayers for all your family.
We just sang that in church. I like that song. They did a good job. Prayers for granny.
This song is so beautiful! I’ve listened to it many times and each time it is a blessing. I have seen that picture of Pap before and had often wondered who took that picture. It looks like a painting. Our bodies surely do wear out as we age but isn’t it wonderful to think one day we are going to a place where we will never grow old. I am so thankful Granny has gotten through the first week of treatments. Praying every day for all of you.
Well! After being up all night hollerin in pain w 2 weeks post op on my left knee, this song provided the balm I needed to move through this day.
Blessings,
Allison
Allison-I pray your pain improves!
One of my favorites. Love the beautiful family harmony. You are so blessed to have these videos. My mother and her sisters sang together. What I would give to hear them again. Heaven gets sweeter and sweeter. What a joy to look on the face of Jesus and praise Him for all eternity. Prayers for all, especially Granny. Take care and God bless ❤️
Thank you, Tipper and family. It was a wonderful way to start out a Sunday morning. Thanks also for the story about how it was written. You all did a great job on it. I’m always amazed at your Pap’s high harmony. It was the one time I’ve seen Katie quiet and not joking around (But I love to see that too! It is who she is and we love her…Corie and the rest of your family as well.) It’s a great testament to a life well lived
Thanks for sharing your heartfelt feelings and a message of hope. Our thoughts and prayers are with Granny, you, and all the family, Tipper. A great rendition of this beautiful old hymn.
Heaven will be a place that never gets cold. In the beginning, Earth was perfect. When God created land on the 3rd day, He separated the waters for land. Not only, did He push it aside, He placed it in the atmosphere like a padding to control the temperature. Kinda like a huge barometric chamber. Noah spent 120 yrs preaching for the wicked to change their ways as the ark of safety was being built. Only his family was saved. Following the flood, things were different. Hot. Cold. Shortened life span. So the Tree of Life will help us to never grow old nor cold or even hot. Am looking forward to that.
Good Sunday morning everyone. So glad to hear first week of treatment went well. Thanks you for the update..prayers for all are never ceasing.
Now let’s go praise and worship Jesus that loves us unconditionally✝️
One of my favorites!
Thank you so much for this beautiful song! Brings tears to my eyes. I just loved how Pap helped Paul remember the verses. praying for Granny and all of you.
Perfect as always.
Have a blessed day.
Pap and Paul go together as a duo so very well. That song is one that needs to be sung well, reaching the high notes with timing just right to ‘make your hair stand up’. But it is still good with the plow horses like me who know nothing about music.
And as to feeling one’s age — it sneaks up on us. If I have to give in because my body insists with warning signs, that’s one thing. But if I give in because my mind says it is too much, that’s another. That one I resist harder. My wife says about 2 miles is her hiking limit. I don’t let myself have one yet but by and by I guess I’ll need to.
I love that song and hearing Paul and Pap sing it this morning was wonderful. So good to know first week of treatment for Granny went well. I’m praying for Granny and your family!
Good morning friends of Appalachia, God bless Granny Louzine Wilson with healing and health in Jesus name
Blessings to you and your family and blessings to all the pig fans.
I sure know about growing old, yesterday I picked turnip and mustard greens to put in the freezer, by the time I had finished I wasn’t sure I could make it to fix supper but low and behold my son was cooking supper for us, what a blessing when I needed it.
Thanks be to God that granny came through the treatments last week I know how hard it was for her, my husband had chemo and radiation at the same time, if my memory serves me right I believe he had 26/28 treatments at that time, five days a week.
God is good.
Continued prayers for your mom, and for you and your family!!
I love that hymn, it rings of our future truth in heaven!!
I am always excited to read and hear from the ole ‘Blind Pig and the Acorn’. You never disappoint with your words, be it old or new. Getting older, notice I did not way OLD, doing what we did might only be a memory to share out loud or only in our mind. When I say ‘Jesus take the wheel’ it is never more needed than today with our world being rattled daily. Keeping Granny and you guys in my prayers. God Bless.
Love that song. Every second Friday of the month, a gracious lady has a group of us over to pot luck supper and hymn singing. One dear lady always requested that song and tears would stream down her face. We miss her but we know she will never cry again except for happiness. She is with the Lord now. She was from Kentucky. Paul and your dad did a great job with the song.
What a beautiful rendition of this song. Tipper your Daddy had the most amazing tenor voice! I could listen to him all day and what a blessing to have him on so many videos. I pray Miss Granny is feeling well. God Bless
Good Sunday morning Tipper and everyone. I love that old hymn. We always sang that in the little church I attended growing up. It makes me think about my parents also, and really about my whole family. I have just spent a wonderful weekend in a big cabin with my brother and sisters and their spouses—all of whom I most definitely claim as more brothers and a sister. We spent one day with our parents celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. It was such a joyous occasion—just hanging out and talking and, of course, eating together. Last night, after we took our parents home, “all us kids” stayed up till the wee hours singing. We had no instruments like your family— but one of my brother-in-laws had a huge playlist of songs on his phone, and we all sang along. We sang old gospel hymns and old country and pop songs from our youth. We danced and had the most fun ever. We all get along and love each other so much—and one of the favorite songs we all listened to and sang along with was Toby Keith’s “Don’t Let the Old Man In”. We are all in our 50’s and 60’s—and this song really hit home with each of us. It’s wonderful knowing that someday we will all be together forever—singing and dancing—in the land “Where We’ll Never Grow Old”.
Brenda, your statement of we all get along and love one another was so true of how it is and was with my wife’s family. I mean all of us including the aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone. My sister in laws (4) have often told me I was the brother they never had. We would have several large “get togethers” throughout the year. This was the way it was on the Sunday nights I mentioned, just hanging out, having fun and enjoying being together. My wife was also loved by all in my family. My aunts loved her like she was their daughter.
Randy- sure sounds like you have a wonderful family too. We are blessed.
That is beautiful! What a joy to think of what’s waiting for us when we see Jesus face to face and wonderful way to start a Sunday as we head off to church to praise and worship. Thank you and prayers for the whole family!
This is one of my favorite songs and one I often listen to on you tube when I am listening to the BPA singing the old hymns. Almost every Sunday night after the Sunday night church service we would go by my father in laws home and clean up the leftovers from the Sunday dinner. All of his children , son in laws and grandchildren would be there, around 15 of us and sometimes more when friends would stop by. Often times we would talk about our aches and pains, dreading going back to work on Monday and he would tell us wait until you get my age and tease us by saying “ I think I will just lay there in the morning and think about it”. He and Pap were so much alike. I mentioned my bad knees and back a few days ago, I can no longer do many things of the things I once did. Good health and being able to do and get around in your old age is a blessing. Still praying for Granny and her family.