Away In A Manger

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Another of my favorite Christmas carols is often considered a children’s song.  That might be partly because it first appeared in print in 1885 in a Sunday School Bulletin published by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America.  It has long been attributed to Martin Luther but it is highly unlikely one of his writings.  It is first seen in Germany in 1934 as part of a private collection of songs and is clearly a translation from English to German.  All of that aside the song has stood the test of time.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.

Of the 3 verses the last speaks most fervently to my heart.  Sometimes the words pop into my mind even at other times of the year.  It says some very important things to me.

First, Jesus is always with me.  I don’t have to ask for His presence.

Second, He loves me and will continue loving me forever.

Next, I receive blessings upon blessings because it’s what He wants to do for me.

Last, I will be with Him in heaven for eternity.

What more does one need?

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Information in the first paragraph is found at this address: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-away-in-a-manger

The Holly and The Ivy

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I would be hard-pressed to name one Christmas song or carol that I really don’t like.  As a vocalist, there are some that are hard to sing or are written in keys that are not good for me.  I could listen to Christmas music all year long.

As a student of Music History, I learned that the carol was originally a Greek word that meant a circle dance with flute accompaniment.  Later on, the dance was accompanied by singers.  Somehow those singers began using songs with religious meanings and these became carols.

There are very few known Christmas Carols before the 1800’s.  One of these is a favorite of mine called “The Holly and the Ivy“.  The religious reference in this early carol is “…and Mary bore Lord Jesus Christ to be our Sweet Savior…”  (Luke 2:6)  The chorus of this carol is a reference to everyday life and the God-created world around us.  “The rising of the sun and the running of the deer the playing of the merry organ sweet singing in the choir.”

Heavenly Father open our eyes to the mystery, beauty, and miracles of this Holy Season.  Thank You for the greatest gift of all, Jesus. 

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Article first published on 12-7-11.

Five Sentence Friday – Luke 6:40

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Do you have a favorite teacher?  Someone who has had a direct impact on your life?  Someone you could sit and listen to for hours without tiring at the sound of their voice?  I know you do.  We all do.

This verse spoke loudly to me.  So much so that I decided to use it for this post.

  • My ultimate teacher is Jesus.
  • I will never be greater than my Teacher.
  • I will become more like Him as I learn more from Him.
  • My training is directly from God because His Word is my manual.
  • No one knows more than my Teacher.

And there it is.  For everyone who is a teacher, myself included, it’s really important to remember that we don’t know everything.  Only God does!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

When In Doubt… DON’T

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Many years ago a former pastor gave me a piece of advice that I’ve kept in my mind and heart.  When in doubt…DON’T!  This four-word sentence has had a huge impact on my decision making.  When I’m even the least bit uncomfortable with a choice I ponder it carefully.  I question, will it have a positive or negative impact?  Will it support or tear down?  It’s amazing what an influence these four words have had on my life.

Here are a few more don’ts:

  • DON’T judge people for the choices they make when you DON’T know the options they had to choose from.
  • Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind DON’T matter and those who matter DON’T mind. ~ Dr. Seuss
  • DON’T give up! Great things take time.
  • DON’T talk about me until you have talked to me!
  • DON’T do it!

How about these from the Word:

  • DON’T worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6
  • DON’T panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isaiah 41:10 (MSG)
  • Tell everyone who is discouraged, be strong and DON’T be afraid! God is coming to your rescue. Isaiah 35:4 (CEB)
  •  Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we DON’Tgive up. Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
  •  That is why we DON’T give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

Do you have a favorite quote or Bible verse about the word DON’T?  I’d love to add them to my collection.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

 

3 Things …

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While at the doctor’s office with my husband this morning I saw this tacked to their bulletin board and it made me think about other sets of 3’s that are true to life.

People will try to get you to do ‘it’ their way.

Here’s a thought about money: All that we can buy is paid for by hours of our lives.

Your past is just that…past.

Integrity in life (not lying or cheating) is really all that matters.  If it’s the right thing pursue it and never, ever give up.

By far the three most important come from Micah 6:8.

Acting justly is quite simple.  Be fair in ALL your dealings with others.

Mercy is responding with compassion.

True humbleness is not thinking less of yourself but thinking more of others.

I would love to see some of your three’s in the comments.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie