Another Year is Dawning

You might not be familiar with these words. I wasn't when I was looking for a hymn to put on today. We have a book of hymns called Amazing Grace and it gives one hymn per day of the year. I looked at January first thinking about some New Year hymn. I found this and I looked it up on net hymnal. When the music started playing it was the same tune as "The Church's One Foundation." (Look for this hymn next week.) The music was written by Samuel Wesley, the grandson of the famous Charles Wesley.

Another Year is Dawning
by Frances Ridley Havergal

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

***

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and year.”

Genesis 1:14

Merry Christmas!

The Holy Night
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem;
The dumb kine from their fodder turning them,
Softened their horned faces
To almost human gazes
Toward the newly Born:
The simple shepherds from the star-lit brooks
Brought their visionary looks,
As yet in their astonied hearing rung
The strange sweet angel-tonge:
The magi of the East, in sandals worn,
Knelt reverent, sweeping round,
With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground,
The incense, myrrh, and gold
These baby hands were impotent to hold:
So let all earthlies and celestials wait
Upon thy royal state.
Sleep, sleep, my kingly One!

My Younger Sister's Favorite Christmas Carol

I know, I know! It isn't Sunday but I didn't do my younger sister, Bekah's favorite Christmas carol. I put My favorite (it is also my brother's), my mom's, my older sister's, and my dad's so just this once I am posting a hymn on another day of the week.

~~~

Silent Night

by Josef Mohr

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

***

“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”

Luke 2:8-9

Dad's Favorite Christmas Carol

Joy to the World

by Isaac Watts

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

~~~

“I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Luke 2:10

Christmas Cookie Baking Day

3 bakers
+ 7 hours
+ 3 ½ pounds of butter (!)
+ 11 ½ cups of flour
+ 4 cups of sugar
+ 3 eggs
+ chocolate
+ 3 cookie sheets
+ lots of dish washing
+ 8 cookie tins
= 4 kinds of Christmas cookies!

Some Girl-y Christmas Decorations

This is a tour of my room and Bekah's. I am on tour with the Nester from the Nesting Place.

My room:
I don't have many Christmas decorations because the Christmas-y colors don't go in my room. I do have a red candle and a green one that come out during the Christmas season. (See picture below.)

My yo-yo tree. The tree skirt is a pillow sham that I was not using. The idea: courtesy of the Nester!

My desk is decorated with all my Christmas candles. my nice built-in book shelves that are stuffed with books are in the back ground.

My candles with the tree in the background.

~~~

Bekah's room:

Bekah's tree is decorated in kitty ornaments. (That is so Bekah!) The nativity is a foam one that she made several years ago.

Bekah's table is decorated for Christmas with a pink snowman bag, a nativity scene snow globe, and "Baby Deer" that her grandmother gave her before she was born.

Her little winter bears are sitting in her chair.

*** Go to the Nester's big Christmas Tour of Homes 2009 post to see more house tours.

My Older Sister's Favorite Christmas Carol

O Holy Night

by Placide Cappeau

translated from French to English by John Dwight

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here came the wise men from Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our Friend!

He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His Name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!

His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

***

“An angel of the Lord appeared…and…said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the town of David a

Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’”

Luke 2:8-11

When Did This Happen?

Today my oldest nephew, Gavin, is turning seven. He is a special boy. I remember the day he was born just like it was yesterday. He is growing up so fast!

Happy Seventh Birthday, Gavin!

Gavin with his new Lego ornament. He LOVES his Legos.

*To see another birthday post about Gavin, visit my sister's blog.

Mom's Favorite Christmas Carol

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” Luke 2:13-14

***

Angels From the Realms of Glory

by James Montgomery

Angels from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o’er all the earth;

Ye who sang creation’s story

Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,

Watching o’er your flocks by night,

God with us is now residing;

Yonder shines the infant light:

Sages, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar;

Seek the great Desire of nations;

Ye have seen His natal star.

Saints, before the altar bending,

Watching long in hope and fear;

Suddenly the Lord, descending,

In His temple shall appear.

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,

Doomed for guilt to endless pains,

Justice now revokes the sentence,

Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Though an Infant now we view Him,

He shall fill His Father’s throne,

Gather all the nations to Him;

Every knee shall then bow down:

All creation, join in praising

God, the Father, Spirit, Son,

Evermore your voices raising

To th’eternal Three in One.

Refrain:

Come and worship, come and worship,

Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Baby Shower Bunnies

When I realized that we were going to a baby shower and that I needed a gift, I thought of these bunnies that I found in Simple Gifts to Stitch. I found this book on Anna's blog. The original project used terry cloth but I changed it to pink gingham flannel. They are so easy to make and fun, too!