carol

Carol - a song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas

Mary's Kiss

tonight, a violin and some carol music was delivered to my door, resulting in unexpected joy and pleasure (from me) as i bowed my way through some traditional carols ready for our church carol service tomorrow night.

honestly, when i found out that the orginal second violinist had to pull out last Thursday I was a little peeved that my name had been passed on as a potential substitute, but i wish i could take back those original thoughts and feelings because tonight as i breezed through the obvious crowd pleasers (o litle town of bethlehem, joy to the world, o come all ye faithful) i felt joyful and thankful that again this Christmas, two thousand and seven years on, together we celebrate Christ's coming to earth. and although we often know the lyrics off by heart, and giggle our way through attempts to sing the soprano of 'hark the herald' (maybe that's just me?) it is still a wonderful and beautiful thing that we do.

what strikes me as more amazing is that so much music has been inspired by Christ's birth (life, death and resurrection), some of it, for example Handel's Messiah is simply divine.

so to honour this evening of celebration over such songs of joy and praise at Christmas, I leave with the lyrics of a couple of faves. ENJOY!

Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattleshed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven
Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable,
And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor,and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

For he is our childhood's pattern,
Day by day like us he grew,
He was little, weak and hlpless,
Tears and smiles like us he knew;
And he feeleth for our sadness,
And he shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him,
Through his own redeeming love,
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on
To the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him, but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned,
All in white shall wait around.

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and chile

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night

Shepherds quak at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

heavenly hosts sing alleluia

Christ the Saviour is born

Christ the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams thy holy face

With the dawn of saving grace

Jesus, Lord,at thy birth

Jesus, Lord,at thy birth

O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in the dark streets shineth

The everlasting light;

THe hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King,

And peace to men on earth;

For Christ is born of Mary;

And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep the angels keep

Their watch of wondring love

How silently, how silently,

THe wondrous gift is giv'n!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heav'n.

No ear may hear his coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in,

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel.

Singing along whilst typing them out is so lovely, do it! Sing a carol for me! Sorry for the wee spelling errors, its a wee bit late.