Requested by TheWhiteRabbit, sung by the Yoder Family–O Little Town of Bethlehem.
I haven’t yet looked at any nooze today. So much better to get the Good News of the gospel first.
Tag: Christmas 2019
Memory Lane: the Sears Christmas Catalogue
Another dreary, grey, rainy day–and me without a Sears catalogue.
One of my coziest childhood memories is cuddling up on the sitting room couch with the Sears Christmas catalogue: and there’s no school, because it’s snowing like mad outside.
I felt like Howard Carter peering into Tutankhamen’s tomb, who answered, when asked what he could see, “Things! Wonderful things!” Bikes and pogo sticks. Toy guns and real guns (not much chance of me getting one of those!). Erector sets and plastic models.
But for me the ultimate treasure was the play sets. Like this farm set.
I wasn’t much for army men, but oh!–all those cool animals in the farm set. And my Grammy gave it to me for Christmas that year. I still have some of those animals. When I see them, I remember her. And her Christmas tree, every year in the same corner of her living room. I still have a few of her ornaments, too, including the elf who winds up on our tree every year.
Yeah, I know it doesn’t count as holy–unless family, and love, and delight are holy, too. Gifts of God, who is the source of every good gift we’ll ever know.
P.S.–And get a load of those prices! The whole 100-piece farm set for $4.99. I can’t imagine what a toy like that would cost today.
By Request, ‘Wise Men Follow Him’
Requested by Erlene, Wise Men Follow Him, by Carroll Roberson. We seem to be on the subject of the Wise Men today. Well, why not? But Matthew does say they found the baby Jesus and His family in “the house”–they weren’t in the manger anymore, by then.
Byron says…
We have a new leader in our Christmas carol contest–40 views! That’ll be tough to beat, but we’re here to let you try.
My Favorite ‘We Three Kings’
All right, Joshua, you talked me into it… This is my favorite rendition of We Three Kings, sung with gusto by actors Hugh Jackman, David Hobson, and Peter Cousen. I think this was originally part of an Australian TV Christmas special. My eyes tear up when I hear it–but those are tears of joy. What hath God wrought!
By Request, ‘We Three Kings’
Requested by Joshua, We Three Kings, sung by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. I have a favorite version of this carol, but I’ll wait a bit to see if someone else asks for it.
Keep those carols coming! This world needs Christmas!
By Request, ‘Joy to the World’
Requested by Lydia, Joy to the World–sung by a children’s choir somewhere: I don’t know who they are, but they make a lovely sound.
Thing is, we need these carols, and we need Christmas! May God the Father bless this Christmas season of 2019, and give it power to work in every day of 2020.
By Request, ‘Hark, the Herald Angels Sing’
Requested by Erlene, a classic carol by Charles Wesley, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. And this is the deluxe version: sung by the Christendom College Choir, with Schola Gregoriana–and nice big lyrics so you can sing along. Turn up the volume. This will stir your soul.
And now, for the time being, I’m caught up on hymn requests.
By Request, ‘The First Noel’
I seem to be posting a lot of Nat King Cole, this Christmas season–but who’s complaining?
Requested by TheWhiteRabbit, The First Noel. Sung by Nat King Cole.
Reminder to Christmas Carol Contest entrants–you can request any Christmas hymn you want, even if it’s been posted before. Let’s get into the spirit!
By Request, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’
Before we go slogging into the nooze, we have some Christmas hymn requests that came in late yesterday.
Requested by Ina, first up today, Mary’s Boy Child, performed by Boney M.
Keep those carols coming!
‘I Saw Three Ships’
Not much video to go with this–but just try and sit still: this hymn won’t let you do it. Another one of my favorite Christmas carols: I Saw Three Ships, performed by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band.
How old is this carol. No one knows for sure. Old enough for the lyric to say, “sailing to Bethlehem.” You’d do better to get out and walk.