“The Sands of Time are Sinking” dates back to the 19th century.  Anne Cousin, the daughter of a doctor and later the wife of a Pastor, wrote this hymn based on letters and deathbed sayings of another Pastor name Samuel Rutherford. The original hymn had nineteen verses! Anne was careful to not copy Samuel’s words verbatim.  She  used poetic images of her own to replace some of Samuel’s sayings.

Anne’s purpose of this hymn was to show the “beautiful Christian reflection on death and what comes after, and on the beauty of the Savior.” Kevin White

What a beautiful hymn to use for a funeral service.  Someone in the recent past asked if I knew of a piano arrangement for this song.  My online search yielded no results. The individual needed the song pronto…so in a few spare minutes….I jotted this arrangement down and provided the person with the following hymn.

Maybe other church pianists can make use of this free hymn for a funeral service or general worship.

Click song title to download free arrangement: The Sands of Time are Sinking

Photo by Jackie Cook

Sorry for the low profile lately. I’ve been recouping from being sick since returning from vacation a week and half ago.

My daughter-in-law requested a violin solo arrangement of Nearer My God to Thee. I finally finished tweaking it! 😉

I enjoyed weaving the melody back and forth from piano to violin. Nearer My God to Thee is a very comforting hymn; making if a nice solo piece for any occasion but especially a funeral.

Nearer My God to Thee

Sacred violin solo w/ piano accompaniment; 4 pgs. *Price covers two copies. A nice solo piece for any occasion. The beautiful melody of this hymn flows gently back and forth between the piano and violin. *Bowing & slur marks included for violin.

Price: $4.50

I know this one took me a while but I’m especially picky with vocal arrangements…trying to get them just so for publication.

I’ll probably want to tweak it here and there over time but there’s a time where an artist’s creation must come to a close.

This particular song reminds me that my God is always watching over me. I don’t need to feel discouraged or troubled because God is my constant Friend and He cares for me!

I also plan to publish this in a lower key if there’s a need.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Sacred vocal solo, High voice--Key of C (7 pgs.) Price covers two copies. (*not a flute arrangement :)) Plan to make one though.

Price: $6.00

My heart is full…had to share an experience that just happened today…

Just returned from playing for a funeral. It was the funeral of a former piano student’s grandmother.

The Lord’s presence was unmistakable! I played about a half hour prelude and it was as  though God was moving my hands…you could have heard a pin drop….everyone else must have sensed God’s presence too.  Nothing to do with me.

God’s presence was felt upon meeting Nathan’s warm and caring grandfather sitting  by his wife’s casket prior to the service. You could tell he walked with God and God’s peace surrounded him and his sweet family.  I would love to have known his wife. How he will miss her…married for 67 years. What a testimony!

I taught Nathan years ago when he was first learning piano. He took so well to the old hymns… which he enjoyed playing for his now deceased grandmother.  He’s now in his second year of college.  At the beginning of the service, Nathan came up and played one of my arrangements I taught him many years ago….”It is Well”.  What I didn’t know until the end of the service..was that he played this very arrangement for his grandmother as she entered heaven’s gates.

Sorry…getting a little emotional as tears run down my face while typing.

All I can say is, “God…thank you for allowing me to have a small part in your training of young people for your service and for using my music as a balm for dying saints.”  God is good!

I discreetly videoed Nathan while he played “It is Well”.   You can tell he was giving all he could for his grandmother. But now…she was hearing Nathan from heaven above 🙂

Just published a new sacred vocal solo by Mina Oglesby that’s never been recorded until now..called “Rest Will Come in the Morning”.

I first discovered this piece in a songbook collection by Mina called “I Would See Jesus” published in the 1980’s.  After playing through the piece, I immediately called Mina and said, “This song needs to be shared! It’s beautiful!”  She allowed me to create an arrangement of this comforting song.  I can’t wait to look through her books and share more of her wonderful songs filled with her love for Christ.

Appropriate song for any time of the year and would also make a nice funeral vocal solo too.

Thanks to Casie Schmidt for the wonderful recording of Mina’s song. I played in E flat for the recording. In case that’s too low for some people…I also included the arrangement in F Major but didn’t charge extra for having both arrangements.

Rest Will Come in the Morning

Sacred vocal solo by Mina Oglesby (4 pages) *Price covers two copies. Key of E flat Major

Price: $4.50

I’ve been in the writing mood ever since our recent snowstorm. (Guess I need more snowstorms to blow in) 😉

Just wrote this early intermediate sacred piano arrangement of Day by Day for one of my teenager lady students who plays in church quite often.  I’ve been grooming her for church pianist material 🙂

She’s been needing an offertory requiring minimal practice… because she’s already trying to learn a new congregational song I gave her recently on top of reviewing all the ones she’s learned.

Remember the two congregational collections I published?  Well, I’ve been writing early intermediate level for some of them along the way and Hannah (the student I’m speaking about)  plays for congregational singing when I’m out of town.

She recently had to cover the whole service on a moment’s notice this past Sunday night. (I wasn’t able to make it due to road conditions with snow and ice.) She said it went well….great experience for her!

Day by Day

Early intermediate sacred piano arrangement, 3 pgs.
You need to have the Audio Player Plugin installed to use this shortcode

Price: $2.75

As a church pianist, I’m always looking for offertories that don’t require alot of practice since I play quite often.  I also attend a small church so shorter offertories work best.

While snowed in this week, I decided to write and finish a piano hymn arrangement in one day like I use to when I first started this website.

Grace Greater Than Our Sin has been on my mind a lot lately, so decided to try writing an arrangement and the thoughts just flowed for a change!

Hope you enjoy this early advanced arrangement of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin with Amazing Grace”.

Grace Medley

Early advanced sacred piano solo, 4 pgs.

Price: $3.95

I’m publishing a new early advanced piano arrangement tomorrow entitled, “Grace Medley”.

I’m snowed in and this arrangement was the result 🙂

Here’s a sneak preview…

Grace Medley

VERY excited about this beautiful song, “We Have a Saviour Who Cares” by Mina Oglesby!

You and your congregation will be blessed by this heart-warming song which reminds believers of God’s constant presence in their  lives.

A very appropriate song for those going through a difficult time…who need that extra encouragement….to know that God cares!

The following video was recorded before the written arrangement took place so I will try to provide a more accurate recording asap but this will give you a general idea of the song.

We Have a Saviour Who Cares

Vocal solo or duet (medium range) 8 pgs. *Price covers two copies * No audio included. Video below. Heart-touching melody and words by Mina Ogelsby. You and your congregation will be encouraged by this uplifting song about God's abundant love. *See youtube video link below to hear this song. This recording took place before my written version on sale above..so it's not an exact note replication but close enough.

Price: $5.00

Looking forward to publishing “We Have a Saviour Who Cares” by Mina Oglesby.

I’m working on the written arrangement of this duet.

Here’s a video clip of myself with a friend singing it at our church this past Sunday.  (The alto part will have a higher harmony in several spots for the final written version; just had to keep a low harmony throughout for my limited vocal range)