Up, Up And Away

          Over the years I've taken two years of Latin, two of French and two of German.  But, unfortunately, I no longer can speak or even read any of these languages, even though I did earn the credits which I needed for each of these.  I do admire people who are fluent in several languages.  Now the only language I am somewhat fluent in is English.  But I am told that it is one of the most difficult languages to learn.  And here is an example of one reason that is so.
          A two-letter word has a hundred completely different meanings. So what is this stuff about English being easy?
          There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meaning than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."
          It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we waken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
         At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
         We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
          At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
          To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
          And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
          We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
          We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
          To be knowledgeable of the proper uses of UP, look UP the word in the dictionary. In a desk size dictionary, the word up, takes UP almost one-fourth the page and definitions add UP to about thirty.
          If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
          When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it doesn't rain for a while, things dry UP.
          Now many years ago when my grandfather was a pastor in Bethlehem, the morning after Halloween he discovered that his gate was missing from the back yard.  He searched all over the neighborhood but couldn't find it.  Then he saw a young boy and he offered him a reward if the boy could locate it.  the lad said, "Look up".  And he did.  And there hanging UP in the tree was his gate.  And as a result, one of my grandfather's favorite expressions was "Keep looking UP."    And his life modeled that of one who looked UP to the Lord rather than at the difficulties around him.  And that is a good lesson for us to learn.    
         So one could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so I'll shut UP!  And, oh yes, "Keep looking UP"!

1.    Often I've watched the clouds up in the sky,
Always I've heard they were many miles high;
Then as they sailed out of sight far away,
I said, I'm going far higher someday,

Chorus
I'm going higher, yes higher someday,
I'm going higher to stay;
Over the clouds and beyond the blue sky,
Going where none ever sicken or die;
Loved ones to meet in the "Sweet by and by";
I'm going higher some day.


2.    Men sail the ocean, or soar through the air,
Scarce can the nat'ral eye see them up there;
Some seek for fame which so soon will decay;
I'm going higher, yes, higher someday.

Chorus


3.    Moses went up in a mountain and prayed,
Glory came down while alone there he stayed;
But he came back, he just went there to pray,
I'm going higher, yes, higher someday.

Chorus


4.     Often my soul has been lifted above,
Lost in the ocean of God's mighty love;
Though I am higher than once, still I say,
I'm going higher, yes, higher someday.

Chorus


5.    Soon will the Saviour appear, bless His name!
Someday this earth will be all wrapped in flame;
Then as I see the fire mounting on high,
I'm going higher, beyond the blue sky.

Chorus