Experiencing the Manifold Grace of God
We absolutely LOVE Christmas music around here and listen to it pretty much year round. As I was listening to our customized Pandora station the other day, the thought came to me of writing an Advent devotional series incorporating some of the amazing hymns and carols of Christmas. The series is set to start on November 29 and go through Christmas Eve.
This poem written by English country clergyman Robert Herrick in the 17th century, was put to beautiful music by John Rutter 3 centuries later. It so beautifully expresses the heart from which we look upon this Christmas Day, that I had to include the words for you here. What an amazing season of Advent! We [...]
How do you capture the wind on the water? How do you count all the stars in the sky? How can you measure the love of a mother? Or how can you write down a baby's first cry?Shepherds and wise men will kneel and adore Him. Seraphim round Him their vigil will keep. Nations proclaim [...]
This worshipful carol was written by Christina Rossetti in the 1800's. So many of these Advent hymns were written in the 1800's and earlier. If you read Sunday’s post, you got a glimpse into what life was like in England back then. Somehow, these older hymns speak louder to me knowing the hardships most people [...]
"Joy to the World" by Isaac Watts is known as "the accidental Christmas carol" (Greg Foister). Watts had originally included it as part of a book of poetry in 1719. In this collection, he wrote "Joy to the World" as an adaptation of Psalm 98. Over 100 years later, composer Lowell Mason put the words [...]
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is one of the oldest Advent hymns. Dating back to the 15th or 16th century, the author is unknown. It was written in England and sung for 400 years before it was officially published in 1815. Knowing the Old English meaning of this old song, along with the hardships people [...]
The famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, penned these words out of great personal tragedy. Life was good in 1831 when at the age of 24, Henry married his childhood sweetheart Mary Storer Potter. He was offered a job as a professor at Harvard but had to study abroad for a year before he got [...]
What Child is this who lay to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?WHAT CHILD IS THIS? verse 1 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulders. And His name will be [...]
O Come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels! O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him! O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL verse 1 Originally written in [...]
Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth; ye who sang creation’s story now proclaim Messiah’s birth. ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY verse 1 “Look Daddy! Every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings!” As adorable as this is from my favorite Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful [...]
A few years ago, Prince William and Kate had their first baby Prince George. You may have heard the Town Crier on the news shouting at the top of his lungs, "Hear ye! Hear ye!" He was announcing the royal birth. "The birth of the royal baby had been followed around the world. In America, [...]
Simply Persuaded 