a rough post Christmas post

Christmas was wonderful. I hope it was for you all. I finally got to get my butt out of bed & help my Mother put the turkey on for our Christmas dinner. A goal I’ve had for at least 5 years now. We also made Sandtarts together.
LW has a wonderful tradition of giving for Christmas. Which is such a wonderful tradition to have. Our older tradition, is giving away our Christmas Eve offering. The goal was $134,000. We ended up with $143,000. LW began, a few years back, doing “giving trees” [they don’t call them that, but I’m not sure what –if anything- they do call them]. Each tree is for a certain charity or objective. One was reading glasses that will be taken to another country [don’t know if I should say here what country, so I won’t]. they needed 200 pairs. 1 person donated 200, so we ended up with 700 total. So very cool! There were some growth groups who did different things on their own as well. Helping needy families in our “neck of the woods”. I don’t mean this to brag or anything, I just think it’s wonderful.
Serving on the Sunday after Christmas, I heard all kinds of statements & questions. “any returns to do?” “my wife takes our tree down on Christmas day.” Figuring the holiday is over.
For me, I procrastinate taking the Christmas decorations down. In previous years, I guess the thought of “it’s over [sigh]” was just too much of a downer. I’m just learning [ok, at least I hope I’m learning] to enjoy where I am. After all, I won’t be here all that long. I have shared all kinds of song lyrics over the Christmas holiday, so here’s one for right now:
[I first heard this on First Call’s Christmas cd: Beyond December]

After December Slips Away

The season comes
but once a year
A gift
of precious wonder
For all
who hold
it dear
But past the sights
And colored lights
Lord,
far beyond December
I will
remember

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away

Years ago
beneath a tree
Fell the drops of crimson
That set the faithful free
The gift was life
sent in love
Lord,
far beyond December
I will
remember

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away

No matter how bright
the glitter shines
No matter how many
hopes come true
I know that
all I have
Begins
and ends
with You

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away
In my heart
the season
will remain
After December Slips
Away

May you have a Wonderful New Year,

Enjoy the journey,

B

a quick post

...just a quick little musing, at least for now.
if you go on over to Over the Rhine's website you can click on their music player & hear the newer of their 2 wonderful Christmas cds [snow angels]. Just go here, then click on the OtR record player... & enjoy.

take care for now...

a Random post for a random act.

One of the blogs I like has this posted, from youtube.
And it seems both appropriate for my 12 poems of Christmas posts, as well as for the season.

A Random Act of culture, "Hallelujah!"

"and he
shall reign
forever
and
ever..."
hallelujah

Christmas memories

I've been flipping back & forth between 2 radio stations playing Christmas music.
one played a song this week called "snow". It's from the classic movie White Christmas.
you can watch the clip here. Vermont is cool. White Christmas is one of Mom's favorite movies to watch at Christmas. We'd watch it Christmas eve, after getting home from church. This song is probably my favorite song from it. I think my favorite comedic line would be between:
Danny Kaye: grabbing Bing Crosby's lapels & pulling him close "how much is 'wow'?"
Crosby: "ah, it's right up there between, ah, 'ouch' & 'boing"
Kaye: "wow"

AND

Crosby: "I'll get around to that someday." [referring to dating]
Kaye: "my dear partner, by the time what's left of you, gets around to what's left of them. what's left of them, won't be worth getting. Whatever it is you've got left."
Crosby: "if I figure out what that means, I'll come up with a crushing reply."

So many memories...
oh, the one with Mick that I previously mentioned.
We were newly married, & she was frustrated with trying to buy "the perfect gift".
[I know none of you have EVER had this problem, thankfully.]
she told me. So I said: "Honey, just put a bow in your hair & sit by the tree."
Christmas day I came down the stairs, & there she was with a hunter green bow in her blond hair. That image will stay in my head forever.
"is this ok?", she said.
"perfect".

I think of that every time I hear Mariah Carey's "all I want for Christmas is you".
Merry Christmas
7 days till we celebrate Jesu's birthday.

2 not so typical Christmas songs...

ok, so over on Bought "as is" I posted another "classic carol". So I decided to go with another "newer", more obscure song on here...

After December Slips Away
[by First Call, from their cd: Beyond December ]

"after the carols fade away
after the yule fire dies down
when there are no longer dreams
to open & see
because you are hope & joy & peace
because your the only gift I need
in my heart the season
will remain
after December slips
away..."

to go with it, I'm putting a link to Robert Fripp doing silent night "frippertronics style"
It's not like any other way you've ever heard it. Fripp is very different. I tend to think of him as a guitarist version of an impressionistic painter. If you like what you hear, #1. you can purchase some of Fripp's stuff over at his record label's site: dgmlive. #2. you should hear it live! talk about "surround sound". Fripp & Krimson are bands you "step inside of". Kind of like ..."if a room [or the Grand Canyon] could sing". [or, perhaps, the musical equivalent of 3D]. Yeah, you could say I like them. Some of Fripp's stuff is very meditative, at least for me.

Well, it's late. I had a fun night, but I have to try to sleep now...

more Christmas song reflections

I almost hate to share this "piece of a song". It's sad, yet poetic. I reminds me that some people don't get their beloved soldier [or soldiers] back. Knowing so many who served/ are serving...I'm glad I still get to enjoy them. I guess this song reminds me not to take that for granted. And the band, Over the Rhine, help inspire me to write poetry. I need to listen to them more, to help me with my challenge over on Bought "as is"...

"they brought my love
home from the war
in a cart
pulled by
white mules
the Christmas bells
rang out that day
oblivious
as fools
and as the snow
began to fall
I kissed her frozen face
they told me
in
her woolen coat
her last few words
were placed
snow angel
snow angel
someday
I'm gonna fly
this cold & broken
heart of mine
will one day
wave
good bye
good bye to this
cruel wicked world
and all the tears I've cried
snow angel
snow angel
I'll meet you in the sky"
Snow Angel by Over the Rhine [from the disc of the same title]

christmas songs

Loved our very own "LWSO" [Living Word Siberian Orchestra] preforming Carol of the bells...
Love the lyrics:
"...ring Christmas bells
merrily ring
the birthday of
Jesus our king
herald the news
to all the young
tell it to all
in every tongue..."

some Christmas songs I love that are not as familiar or "well worn".
Christmas is Jesus by Bryan Duncan [from the cd of the same name]
"...
Christmas is Jesus
a child
for all men
gone from
the manger
and tomb
he lay in
Christmas is Jesus
God's love
coming true
a star
from the heavens
has fallen
for you..."

Cry of a Tiny Babe by Bruce Cockburn [from the cd: Nothin' but a Burnin' Light]
"...like a stone
on the surface
of a
still river
driving the ripples
on forever
redemption rips
through
the surface of time
in the cry of a tiny babe..."


...I'll try to post some more in the coming days...
[perhaps even one of my favorite Christmas memories, that fits well with Mariah Carry's "All I want for Christmas is you"]
only eleven days till Jesu's birthday...