Today, 12/20/16, is the 24th day of Advent! I hope you will enjoy going caroling with us in this delightful Christmas village of yesteryear!
Open the Window today and what do you see? Ah! Yes! We are going caroling! There is nothing I can think of that evokes more pleasant Christmas memories than going caroling with our church friends and family ~ and don't you just love this vintage caroling book? I discovered a real treasure trove of these old familiar caroling booklets in the bench of the organ that came from my parent's home. Some of them go back to my childhood and beyond...
Those of you who grew up with me will recognize the advertisement on the back of this caroling book...from the Bank of Tavares...which used to be the only bank in our little town back in the day...the kind of bank where everyone knew you by name...and the tellers and bankers went to church with you and their kids were your friends and school-mates. Ah! yes...such memories!
Sing along with me as we ride along in our "one-horse open sleigh!"
I hope you are enjoying this caroling experience as much as I am! It's a shame that more people don't actually go out caroling anymore, from door to door, house to house...and get invited in by the grateful people to have a cup of hot cocoa and some Christmas cookies, or some Christmas wassail and fruitcake...as our little group warms up by the fire while visiting with the people and having such a merry time together...
And then it seems that we always close our little concert with:
"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..."
followed by a joyful chorus of:
as we gaily dance out the door and onto our next place to start all over again!
What a wonderful way to continue to prepare our hearts for the Advent of the KING!
"Rejoice! Rejoice!
Immanuel
shall come to thee,
O Israel!"
"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon HIM,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of
the fear of the LORD.
His delight is in the fear of the LORD,
and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But with RIGHTEOUSNESS He shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with
the rod of His mouth,
and with the breath of His lips
He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the
belt of His loins,
and FAITHFULNESS the
belt of His waist."
Isaiah 11:1-5
"And in that day there shall be
a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be
glorious."
Isaiah 11:10
I hope this little caroling adventure has brightened your day! Perhaps it will inspire you to actually go out and do some caroling for real! I am sure there are people around you or in the local nursing homes, hospitals or retirement homes who would love to hear some Christmas carols. So gather up some of your friends and go out and cheer someone up today!
Merry Christmas!
