The 2012 Advent Christmas music list...

Another advent season past, and another advent Christmas music experiment complete... I have no idea if people find my advent music postings on Facebook interesting, annoying, or if anyone even pays attention. Regardless, I find the experience personally enjoyable. I spend quite a bit of time each day (except for those days I forgot), choosing the song, reflecting on the lyrics, and selecting a music video (care of YouTube). This gave me time to really meditate on the forthcoming celebration of Christ's birth. It also gave me an opportunity to share with others the story of Christmas through music. I had such fun compiling this year's list and I hope others were able to enjoy it as well.
So, here is the list for this year, starting on the first Sunday of advent up to and including Christmas day.

Day 1 - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear


Day 2 -  Angels We Have Heard on High


Day 3 - The First Noel


Day 4 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night


Day 5 - Away in a Manger


Day 6 - In the Bleak Midwinter


Day 7 - The Seven Joys of Mary


Day 8 - Come Thou Long Expected Jesus


Day 9 - O Come, O Come Emmanuel


Day 10 - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen


Day 11 - We Three Kings


Day 12 -  Go Tell it on the Mountain


Day 13 - Candlelight Carol


Day 14 - Hark the Herald Angels Sing


Day 15 - Silent Night


Day 16 - Once in Royal David's City


Day 17 - What Child is This?



Day 18 - Good Christian (Men) People Rejoice


Day 19 - O Come all ye Faithful


Day 20 - Joy to the World


Day 21 - Angels from the Realms of Glory


Day 22 - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly


Day 23 - O Holy Night


Day 24 - A Cradle in Bethlehem


Merry Christmas!
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14)

The Advent Christmas song experiment...

On the first Sunday of Advent, I came home from church feeling inspired. We had sung some great Christmas songs during the service and it put me into a reflective Christmassy mood. After lunch I sat down at my computer, and after spending about 5 seconds looking at the school work that I was supposed to do, I opened my web browser to look up some Christmas music on YouTube.
One of the songs that had been sung that morning was O Come, O Come Emmanuel. I love that song. I found a great video of the Franz Family performing the song and posted it on my Facebook page. Then I had a thought; what if, starting today, I post one Christmas song every day until Christmas day? It could be a little advent project. I thought it would be a good idea, to look at one Christmas song everyday in preparation for Christmas. Isn't that what advent is all about?
I decided that the songs had to have rules; I wanted to make sure the songs had something to do with the Nativity. No songs about Santa or winter wonderlands, just songs with some reference to Christ's birth.
I wasn't sure that I could come up with that many songs, but here we are 29 songs later. So, to finish off this wonderful advent experiment here is the grand list and corresponding videos... ENJOY!


November 27 (First Sunday of Advent) - O Come, O Come Emmanuel


November 28 - He Shall Feed His Flock from Handel's Messiah


November 29 - Come Thou Long Expected Jesus


November 30 - The First Noel


December 1 - Ding Dong Merrily on High


December 2 - Angels we have Heard on High


December 3 - Christmas in the Harbour


December 4 - Silent Night


December 5 - God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen


December 6 - Oh Little Town of Bethlehem


December 7 - In the Bleak Midwinter


December 8 - Do you Hear What I Hear?


December 9 - Away in a Manger


December 10 - I Saw Three Ships


December 11 - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear


December 12 - See Amid the Winter Snow


December 13 - Hark the Herald Angels Sing


December 14 - We Three Kings


December 15 - What Child is This


December 16 - Once in Royal David's City


December 17 - The Seven Joys of Mary


December 18 - O Holy Night


December 19 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night


December 20 - Go Tell it on the Mountain


December 21 - Joy to the World


December 22 - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day


December 23 - Angels From the Realms of Glory (Come and Worship)


December 24 - O Come all ye Faithful


December 25 - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

a new post...

Here are the lyrics to the song I posted previously. I love this song and have had it on repeat for the last 2 months... so powerful... "Your blood is enough to break every chain". It's so amazing to know that whatever you are struggling with, whatever is holding you captive, God can break the chains and truly set you FREE. .

Deliverer come set me free
Break every chain holding me
Deliverer come have Your way
I surrender to Your rule and reign

Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is healing

You say the word and mountains are moved
Oceans and stars stand in awe of You
Just say the word and I will be changed
We'll see Your face and we will not be the same

Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is hope
Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is healing
Your blood is enough
To break every chain
Your blood is enough
To break every chain

Vicky Beeching - Deliverer

My Beloved....

My Beloved...
Oh, how beautiful you are to Me! I love you as a husband loves his bride. In My eyes, there is no flaw in you. You are without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. You are holy and blameless in My sight. You have stolen My heart as a bride steals her husband's heart.
I am the One Who gave you life and made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. I spread the corner of My garment over you and covered you. I gave you My solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine. I saved you and called you to a holy life - not because of anything you have done but because of My own purpose and grace.
I have committed Myself to you forever, in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I have raised My banner of love over you. I take great delight in you; I quiet you with My love and rejoice over you with singing.
I have prepared a special place for you in My house. It is far greater than anything you could imagine. And that is where we will live, forever and ever. I love you.

Ps 23:6; SS4:1,7,9; Eze 16:6-8; Hos 2:19; Zep 3:17; Jn 14:2-3; Eph 5:25-27; 2Ti 1:9

Another paraphrased letter from my NIV Worship Bible. Love being reminded of God's amazing love for us... for me... AWESOME!!!

Let The Rain...

Love this entire album... but this is my current favourite.
Enjoy!



"I wish I were pretty . I wish I were brave . if I owned this city . then I'd make it behave . and if I were fearless . then I'd speak my truth . and the world would hear this . that's what I wish I'd do, yeah . if my hands could hold them you'd see . I'd take all these secrets in me . and I'd move and mold them to be . something I'd set free . I want to darken in the skies . open the floodgates up . I want to change my mind . I want to be enough . I want the water in my eyes . I want to cry until the end of time . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down tonight . I hold on to worry so tight . it's safe in here right next to my heart . who now shouts at the top of her voice . let me go, let me out, this is not my choice . and I always felt it before . that the world was filled with much more . than the drowning soul I've learned to be . I just need the rain to remind me . I want to darken in the skies . open the floodgates up . I want to change my mind . I want to be enough . I want the water in my eyes . I want to cry until the end of time . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down tonight"
Let the Rain - by Sara Bareilles

I Belong...

I think it was pretty evident in school that I knew Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs and pulled it out whenever I could. It really was one of my favorties, I'm not sure if that makes me a geek. But me and Maslow, we were good pals in University.

Maslow had a good point you know... we all have basic human needs. I think the one that stuck out to me personally was the need to belong. It's the third from the bottom... first comes Physiological, then comes Safety, and then comes the Social aspect of our needs. We naturally feel the need to belong... to a family, to a group of friends, to someone. I think it really stems around the idea that we all need to feel loved by someone.

I've grown up in the church most of my life and was brought up to believe that we are all part of the family of God, that we belong to Him, our Creator. How amazing is it that we are loved and we belong to God!

I've recently come across a song by Kathryn Scott called "I Belong". It's a great song and the words are so simple, yet powerful. She reflects on a portion of scripture taken from Romans 8:38, 39...

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Such an awesome thing to ponder. God loves us, and nothing, absolutely nothing can seperate us from that. God loves us beyond our shortcomings, our faults, our failures. We belong to Him and He loves us. It doesn't matter what happens or who tries to stand in our way... regardless of our past, present or future... HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY and NOTHING and NOBODY can seperate us from HIM!

Sometimes we drift away from God, we forget that we belong to Him and we carry on as though we've been seperated from Him... But He's still there, loving us irregardless and waiting for us to return to Him.

Come near to God and He will come near to you... Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up

When I was making my way through James some time ago, these words stuck out to me from James 4:8&10.
God's love is unconditiona... He loves us irregardless... He wants us to seek Him, draw close to Him, to hunger and thirst for His righteousness, and to follow His will for our lives.

This song is a great reminder of God's love for us and reminds us of the peace and comfort that comes from knowing that we belong.

Check off that third block Maslow, God's got love and belonging covered!