I totally FORGOT to post yesterday. Hey it’s been a busy week with a GRANDBEBE being born and Dave’s BIG production coming up this Friday and Saturday!
Christmas 2006, the year Guini walloped Santa is his big, fat beard.
This group is making the rounds this year and I have to say, I am on the bandwagon! Their song, “Little Drummer Boy,” was the first I had ever heard of them, and I think they captured it well. REALLY great rendition. And it does make you think: Jesus came to bring so much. Of course we want to give back.
A really beautiful song and so perfect for Advent, as we look forward to Christmas, “Glory is Here” by Gungor.
Someday You’ll come.
Darkness will cease.
True light will dawn, everyone will then see everything new
We’ll finally see You.
Awaiting that day, searching for more
While along You are found with the poor.
Help me to see
You’re all around me
Our praises arise
As we come to recognize
Jesus is near
Glory is here
Oh yes, it is! And when I focus on that, Christmas burns brighter.
I have never actually seen an Advent-Music category at a music store and while I do have a pretty high stack of Christmas records (the old vinyl kind, ya know) and CDs, I don’t have an Advent music category. I am just visiting all styles and types of music with words that seem appropriate for this high-church tradition of the days leading up to the {12} days of Christmas, as evidenced by most of my blog posts these last 2 1/2 weeks or so.
What I am doing is trying to make sure I just take a few minutes, the length of the time of the song, to observe these days from a perspective I was not raised in (I come from the day-after-Thanksgiving-to-the-day-of-Christmas-is-just-a-mad-rush-to-but-to-bake-to-have-a-gazillion-church-activities-and-parties-and-then-collapse-in-utter-fatigues-the-end variety) and think about {in expectant waiting and preparation} Jesus – and all His coming changed, the first time…
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9.2
And I don’t want to be as blind and as busy and as un-expectant as those who may have missed Him the first time. We are people of the Light and we just live like…nothing is different (I included you in that sentence so I wouldn’t have to take all the blame, *wink).
So for Advent, I am remembering that the Light, Jesus, He came and that we’ll be celebrating that in a few days. But that He is not finished and He has gone to prepare a place for us and He will come again and we are looking for Him, preparing for Him and waiting for this momentous occasion with expectant joy, on earth as it is in heaven!
Today’s happy-song of watching and waiting: Prepare the Way by Charlie Hall
Prepare the way, because we still can for so many living in darkness. An oldie, but goodie. :)
I didn’t post yesterday (because of something BIG). But I did observe Advent in probably its’ most recognizable heart-longing way, which I shall explain…
I won’t tell the whole story here, but there will be details to follow, I am sure. BUT, on Sunday, we had our Annual Girl’s Baking Day at the house. We get together with sugar and flour flying through the air. Nuts are chopped, pretzels are dipped, chocolate is melted, icing is squeezed…and at 6 pm, all the guys show up and ooh-and-aah over tables and counters full of Christmas treats and sweets. Every year, we cut back, waaaaaaaay back. And yet yearly, there are just mountains of sweets and Christmas treats – it is crazy! But then everyone has some festive goodies to get them to December 25th, or to share with neighbors and friends. It is ONLY once a year! Because otherwise….no bueno.
So, we did that on Sunday. Ay-yi-yi! We worked our buns off. And Tredessa, completely pregnant, with a baby due THE NEXT DAY, worked and worked and worked! We were hoping she’s go into labor because of it. Instead, we wore her out! And me, too – the doula!
9 pm…whew! Tired. Everybody leaves, everybody is exhausted by the merry-making. Everyone has been up since before the days-shortened dawn. Then, suddenly…her water breaks at that moment, at that least-expected, boy-we-could-sure-use-a–good-night’s-sleep moment as she was leaving.
We get to the hospital a couple of hours later and blah-blah-blah…
EVANGELINE WAS BORN! *happy-dance* *singing and rejoicing*
She came at 1:23 pm on her “due date.” She was 20″ long, weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces and has some curly looking honey-colored hair and is just gorgeous-gorgeous-gorgeous! I LOVE her!
Stephanie took this one, a first glimpse at Evangeline
So I didn’t post a song yesterday but it was mainly because I was in a room filled with longing and expectancy, a birthing room. The room was filled with holy music the entire time and it was beautiful and all I could manage to do was Tweet about it.
After they told Tredessa, late morning, she was dilated to 5 cm and she had been hoping to be so much further, I backed away as she and Ryan literally danced through contractions. He’d reach out his hand to her like they were at any romantic event and she would lean into his chest and they’d sway softly, Tredessa breathing carefully while Ryan cheered her on and encouraged her. Then as the contraction would subside, she’d sit down to rest for a minute or two and then he’d say, “Let’s have another contraction. Are you ready?” And he’d reach out his hand and lift her, as if he had just said, “May I have this dance?” And they had a contraction every single time, on and on, for nearly an hour. And I sat in front of my majestic snow-capped mountain backdrop on this perfect sunlit day praying for them, praying for my sweet daughter to have the strength she needed, and I wept. They were working hard for their love, for this baby…
This was part of what we saw through the window at the hospital
The birth of a granbebe shows me the Advent-Christmas connection in Technicolor. You wait with longing for 9 months, you labor through dark hours hoping, concentrating, wondering if you can see this thing through…then in a moment of total surrender, when you believe you cannot go on – she arrives…LIFE!
Welcome to the world, little Evangeline Lilly. Your Nonna already loves you.
And now to Ryan and Tredessa: Prepare the way for Baby Eva! Eva!!!
First, I love Gary Chapman. I think he is very talented both as a singer and of course as a songwriter.
I subscribe to Hymn a Week and this was today’s offering. Beautiful. Just lovely. Take a few minutes in the light of the tree. Listen. Observe. Breathe. Be at peace, friends and familia!
It’s an early 1990s prophetic worship song. Dave and Tara sometimes lead it still, and it is a beautiful song of longing for what is ahead for us in Christ.
Another shooting at another high school in Colorado today.
So, as I pray for the students and the community, when Fear wants to run rampant, I am praying for, welcoming, inviting the Prince of Peace to visit us here. May it be on earth as it is in heaven. And I am praying that God will be now, as our need has grown, a very, very Present Help in these times of trouble. For now is when help is needed.
Somehow, the observance, the careful thought of taking specific time daily (with a song) to look ahead with anticipation for all God has in store is making the season brighter, merrier, more joyous for me. :)
“It is now, at Advent, that I am given the chance to suspend all expectation…and instead to revel in the mystery.” ~ Jerusalem Jackson Greer
I am re-using a song I used earlier this week because Tredessa was perplexed (she gasped that I didn’t use the Martin Smith-Kim Walker version) that I didn’t use this version. And she was so right!
This song, Waiting Here for You, is so-so-so perfect as an Advent song. Which I already went on about. And I love this live, worship version with Jesus Culture’s Kim Walker and Martin Smith himself singing it (he co-wrote it with Chris Tomlin). So if you are ready to get your worship on, turn it up and go!
If faith can the mountains, then let the mountains move
BUT ALSO – I just discovered the official video version from the God’s Great Dance Floor album. I didn’t know I could like it better than the Jesus Culture version, but it turns out, I really do. You still get the full-crowd, live-worship-like-you-are-there rendition, but you also get the cool, intimate, just-me-and-Jesus in His beautful creation version. SO GOOD.
Either way, this song of Advent is meant to be voiced with strength and abandoned love and desire: Waiting Here for YOU! Pick a version, any version…Merry Christmas!
There is a song for Advent in this post – you just have to read a lot first! :)
Today I am adding Casting Crown’s “I Heard the Bells.” It was probably about 10 or 12 years ago that I began to really understand the amazing thing that happened over “secular” radio airwaves each Christmas season as classic Christmas carols were played. There it was – out in the hustle and bustle of shopping and crowds and malls, KOSI-101 playing Bing Crosby’s voice singing these lyrics:
“…’There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.’
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOES HE SLEEP;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With PEACE ON EARTH, goodwill to men.”
The story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow writing these words, while unique to him, also proves that across time, we all experience the pain of loss. These are chaotic and confusing days and our world is politically, socially and most certainly spiritually distraught. Then in our own small lives an unforeseen setback comes to mar the beauty of the life we had tried to carve out. Sickness, professional fails, broken friendships, shattered dreams, the death of some one important…it can cause us to want to just forget about the whole Christmas thing, to feel as Longfellow did at the prospect of merry-making
“In despair I bowed my head, ‘There is no peace on earth, ‘ I said.”
But, oh how I thank Henry W. Longfellow for pressing through and getting the revelation of the truth of what the angels proclaimed in dazzling, glorious, bright-light words to the shepherds so long ago. Because he wrote the words that led to a song that, while we may see it as just another old-fashioned Christmas carol, becomes a TRUTH released into the atmosphere proclaiming the VERY words of God and His Word will always, ALWAYS accomplish what it was sent forth to do. Dig it, people – Christmas is a time you can actually, really, with total boldness and clarity declare the Word of God on your life, on the lives of your friends and family and into your community. You have the GOOD NEWS! Give it!
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
‘Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'” Luke 2
So, for today, Casting Crowns with a newer rendition of these powerful lyrics. This song gives me goosebumps! Everytime the choir sings, “Peace on Earth,” I get so excited about this amazing gift from heaven all over again.
Glory to God in the highest – I worship Him, I gift Him with my abandoned love and praise. Peace on earth and goodwill – He gifts me back! And He gives good gifts! Please receive this today, and believe it no matter how scary or hopeless the world seems: God is good and He gives PEACE. May you be blessed today with a “suddenly” moment just like the shepherds were. :)
P.S. No kidding – I really just mean to post a song, not get all crazy enthusiastic about it, but this i what happens to me!
Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14.27
The 8 grandbebes have had cold, wet paint squished through their fingers and toes for Nonna’s annual Christmas art exhibit. And just in case she gets here on time (and oh, we hope she will since she is due to arrive in a mere 6 days, I have Evangeline’s “canvas” all ready to go.
I know Jesus wasn’t born on December 25. But as we observe, we are marking the time as if He had been. So Tredessa, my daughter, is in much the same place Mary would have been about now in her pregnancy. The time is close and everthing about life begins to focus in on the coming glory. So glad Tre will have a nice car for getting to the hospital instead of riding on a donkey for 4 days. Although – that cannot hurt labor, can it?
And on that note, we have the iPhone docking station ready to go to the birthing room, where it will be playing the anointed, beautiful Hidden in My Heart Scripture Lullabies. I cannot tell you how soothing and lovely this music is and how very peaceful the atmosphere becomes when it is playing. The songs are beautifully arranged and while each stands alone, as an ongoing part of the whole: just so restful and faith-building! Bonus: pure Word of God released into the air. And His Word will accomplish everything it sets out to do. Period.
So, this is perfect for now. The week of desiring and longing and looking for the Peace only Jesus can give. PLEASE take a few minutes and listen….
The Peace of God, Hidden in My Heart, Volume I
By the way, check out the Hidden in My Heart website and you can download a free song, or even send a free song. I met the Stockers once (they are the writers/producers) and I gushed all over them because I love my 2 CDs so much. They are a generous bunch, the people at Hidden in my Heart! And Volume III was just released! BUY!
I told you the other day I looked up something about Advent from a Catholic site and they had used Wikipedia’s definition of it, which is…odd. But anyway…I have not come to criticize, I have come to try to figure out the traditions of it because it is fun. And I have started my own tradition this year – songs. :)
Amelie was glad to discover her old friend is back today
Anyway, in the 80s we lived in a small Nebraska city and there was a strong liturgical bent and I followed along, observing customs like the Advent wreath and lighting candles and basically just did whatever everyone else was doing. But I’ve decided to try to understand the value of it in my old age, because I like things with meaning, and I find that rituals and patterns in our lives offer a rhythmic order that keeps our steps steady, day in and day out, season by season…
So, this morning I wondered, “Now what exactly are all those purple candles and the one pink one about???” And found, after just clicking through a few sites on my Google-search: that explanation varies greatly!!! Proof: {{click here}}.
Pick a meaning, any meaning. What? Am I going to have to attend seminary to sort this thing out? I don’t think so. I am choosing for the week following the second Sunday of Advent to be about Peace (which is one of the options listed. Last week, hope. This week. peace.). So let’s just agree that yesterday’s Advent candle (which I did not light) began a week looking forward to Peace. Yes, Peace on earth, in the world, OK. But Peace inside us, too, in our homes, where we go, as we drive (with all the maniacs on the road), in the decisions we make and the conversations we have: Peace.
And since for whatever reason, I seem to be on an 80s kick today (as evidenced by my Twitter posts), I shouldn’t have been surprised by this song coming to mind when I said, “God? Give me a song for my Advent observation. Something in the peace-genre,” as if He is just spinning discs on request for me. I waited for something spectacular to come to mind. Then, just as evening fell, I heard Carman’s voice in my head. From the mid-80s: Fear Not, My Child. It isn’t actually a “peace” song, but it reminds me of Jesus’s words in John 14.27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
I think if Jesus says He is giving us HIS peace, we can safely kiss fear good-bye. It isn’t helping us at all, anyway. So, it’s 6:40 pm and I am going to listen, in the light of the tree (yes-TV is off!)…join me…
Today’s Advent Song…Fear Not, My Child
He knows how to take care of what is causing us fear.
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