Tag: Christmas Carols

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Silent Night, Holy Night

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Each day brings us closer to celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus, and the anticipation continues to grow. The lights around town take on a brighter glow. The Christmas carols being played on radio become more precious as we sing along to “Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm, all is bright”. We dream about actually having a silent night to which we could just sit and reflect on that Holy Night so long ago.

Maybe our days around Christmas are not filled with wonderful memories, or we are not going to be spending this year with friends or loved ones who for various reasons, will not be sitting around our tables. Some years, we can only dream about “I’ll be Home for Christmas” because circumstances dictate otherwise. In those years when Christmas in our homes, is not the Christmas picture we have seen and dreamed about in so many Norman Rockwell pictures or Hallmark movies, we begin to ponder, just what was the night like when Jesus Christ was born. Did He really come to give us life and that this life could be abundant with hope and faith? When will our hectic lives give us nights when all will be calm? Was it a Silent Night when Jesus was born? Probably not. Bethlehem was full of people who had come to partake in the census. It only became a Holy Night because of the birth of the Savior. He came as a little baby, destined to take up His cross for our sakes. But the stillness which He offers to us is a stillness in our hearts. That, because of Him, circumstances of loneliness, depression and/or sickness can still offer all of us, hope of an eternal life to come, when sin will be no more. That is our hope in Christ Jesus! Where or who are we putting our hope in this Christmas?

As I approach December 25th, are my thoughts on that Holy Night so long ago. Am I continuing to live to bring Joy to my world? Is my life such that others watching me would “give glory to God in the Highest?” Do I give my heart a chance to be Silent for even a night, that my hopes and dreams are only on the Christ Child? Am I remembering that “little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie, the hopes and dreams of all the years are yet in thee tonight.”

Good Christian Men Rejoice,for that Star of Wonder, Star of Bright, Star with Royal beauty bright; continues to pursue us, continues to love us and desires that we might recognize that Holy Night, when the stars shone so brightly! It was the night of our dear Saviors birth.
From the cradle to the cross! Because He lives, we can face tomorrow”
Revelation 21:5 “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold i make all things new”.
A dear sweet friend of ours used to sing a song every Christmas, Ring the Bells, Ring the bells, let the whole world know, Jesus Christ was born so many years ago.

May my heart be silent in awe of wonder before Him and my heart kneel before His throne.

Joy to the World, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King!

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

A Different Type of Christmas Carol

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It’s the dream of every (well almost every) grandmother to have a houseful of family over Christmas, and I am no exception. When our kids from Phoenix decided to come here for Christmas week, we were elated. Oh I could just imagine the sights and sounds we would get to have all around us. The grandkids are now 14, 6 and 3. Our 2 adult kids that live here have one child each, one 18 months, the other family 11 years. We have a granddaughter, 5 which lives in Orlando but was not blessed to see them this Christmas so one less to bake for.  So we have quite a span in ages. About a week ago, I began making cookie dough to put in the freezer so that all I had to do was unthaw and bake.  I made sure that I knew how to find the Christmas music stations on the TV so the house would be filled with “Ring The Bells, Joy to the World and Silent Night while we snacked on homemade cookies, made just for the precious angels that would be running in and out all week. Making sure to have just everyone’s favorite cookie made, I had my checklist all checked twice and made sure that everyone’s favorite was made and on the platter the minute they walked in the house. Isn’t it amazing how we conjure up what we feel like would be the perfect way to begin Christmas. Visions of a pretty platter of peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip and sugar cookies sitting out, while listening to It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas playing in the background. The little ones would bring us the book,  Twas The Night Before Christmas while wiping sleepies from their eyes the first morning here. We would have the fireplace going with Frosty The Snowman movie on the TV while they cuddled on our laps. IS THERE A FAMILY THAT GETS TO ACTUALLY PLAY THIS SCENE OUT? If there is, please send me to them so I can see what that is really like!

So far, the visit has gone like this:

The 14 year old arrives, gives us a hug, disappeared to the bedroom and worked on his hair for 30 minutes. Then left to go spend the night with his cousin. Haven’t seen or heard from him since. But we still have the 6 and 3 year old right?

Well, after having the 6 year old in our bedroom on a makeshift bed, he awoke this morning asking every 10 minutes, “can I open a present”! Literally, when we finally had to tell him that every time he ask that, we would take one of the presents out from under the tree and give it to someone else. So he rephrased the question to, “can I NOT open a present” telling us that he wasn’t asking “can I open a present now”, so it didin’t count so we couldn’t take any of his presents away since he wasn’t asking that question. After we got that settled and thought, “ok, we won that battle” he begins to stomp around the house singing,  “What do you do with a drunken sailor, what do you do with a drunken sailor, what do you do with a drunken sailor, so early in the morning?”

I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know what I would like to do with a little 6 year old that sings that song over and over 15 times.

Maybe if I offer them some homemade goodies, they will be more in the Christmas spirit. So I bring out all the homemade cookies, that are sure to put a sparkle in their eye. They look at them and say, “Nana, do you have any of those Little Debbie Christmas trees you gave us when you came to visit us?” What? They are choosing Little Debbie over Nana?

Everyone is gone for a couple of hours, even Frosty left (probably is sitting in the car at a park someplace to get some peace and quiet) so I am sitting here, listening to Christmas Bells Are Ringing. At least I can have visions in my head of what some magical family out there is experiencing with family. And I wonder why our kids gave us a CD of Christmas Vacation with Clark Griswald. Maybe because our family much more resembles that family that the families inside the pages of Southern Living.

Do we really think it was an accident that Grandma stepped in front of the reindeer? Hum….maybe she just couldn’t take listening to “what do you do with a drunken sailor” one more time!

Merry Christmas to one and all! May you and your family make some precious memories this year as you celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord! Because of Him, we can have life eternal, peace on Earth and Joy….we give Him thanks for the laughter and joy that fills our home this Christmas!