Ponder this…..

Another of my favorite Christmas songs. I can’t possibly add anything more than my friend Skye did in this blog post today about the Miracle who is Jesus Christ, born to die for us so that we might be saved.

 

O Holy Night – Canadian Tenors

My favorite group of tenors beautifully singing one of my best loved Christmas carols,

A Hallelujah Christmas

This is a beautiful Christmas version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah which is one of my favorite songs. The re-written words are beautiful! It is interesting to read the comments made by others on you tube also, This version is most definitely being added to my list of most favorite music! Thank you to the Clovertons for recording this video! Merry Christmas!

Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven (a Children’s Carol)

I heard this for the very first time this morning on a blog post from the site Adopting James, http://adoptingjames.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/the-best-christmas-songs-youve-never-heard-part-iii/. He has posted multiple songs in this piece and though I have not yet listened to all of them, this one caught my eyes and then my ears as I listened.

It brought to my mind the greatest of all the gifts we receive, not only at Christmas when we celebrate his miraculous birth, but every single day of our lives if we just ask Jesus into our hearts. He loves us, He will always be with us. He said it himself–“I will never leave you nor forsake you”. What more could we ever want in our lives than this precious love and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ?

I cherish this gift more than life itself. So many changes have happened since I asked Him into my heart and even more wonderful gifts as I have grown in my walk with Him over the last year.

I can’t say it any better than my friend Skye states in her blog post today (http://ohthethingsweshallsee.com/2013/12/09/the-presence-present/). Unwrap the gift of His love given freely to you through the birth, death and resurrection of His Son ~ The ultimate gift. Inviting Jesus into your heart to reign as Lord and Savior is the best way to acknowledge and accept this precious gift from God.

My sewing room/office Christmas tree. I love Christmas trees!

Music – A Joyful Noise to My Ears

Psalm 95:1,2

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Every day I receive a different Bible verse in my email to begin my day with and today’s verse made me smile.  O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

I began to think of how I love music in my life.  I never learned to play an instrument and sadly, I was not gifted with a good singing voice, though I tried when I was young.  I always joke that my voice is so bad that I was fired from three church choirs!  (not true, but I think it’s funny)  At any rate, despite my lack of ability, I do love to listen to music of many different kinds.   I can be found listening to anything from Classical to some Classic Rock, Country, Blue Grass to Southern Gospel, Hymns and Praise music to 50’s rock or jazz and blues.  I love Celtic music and probably among my favorites is to listen to great tenors such as Luciano Pavarotti, The Canadian Tenors and of course Andrea Bocelli! And my kids are more than willing to tell everyone that Christmas music comes out the day after Thanksgiving and gets played right up until New Year’s at my house!

Music plays many different roles in my life.   When I am stressed, it is soothing and relaxing.  When I am trying to get things done around my home, the right type of music can be very energizing.   It can change my mood in a heartbeat if I choose the right music to listen to.  Overall, it just brings great joy to my life.

I mentioned this verse in my Bible study group this morning and that I was going to write a little post about how music affects my life and brings so much joy to it.  We were talking about emotions and how Satan likes to play on our emotions and pull us away from Christ with his lies.  Our bible study teacher brought up a great suggestion for those nights we have trouble getting to sleep!  She said we should lie in our beds, sing hymns and praises and speak Bible verses.  It upsets Satan so much, he will put us to sleep!  I love this suggestion and I am sure she is right about it.  Think I will give it a try when I can’t sleep!  🙂

Hope you all enjoy the wonderful music we have been blessed with in this world of ours and that it makes your life just that much better.

 

You Raise Me Up- Full Version

This is the full version of this song and one of my favorites! I’ve been looking for it for a while so I could listen to it often and share it with others. Beautiful video also! I hope you enjoy it!

On Eagle’s Wings

Sung by Michael Crawford, the very first Phantom of the Opera. He does an incredible job — as someone said it is as if this song were written for him.

Amazing Grace

Sung by an amazing 7 year old Gospel singer!

Hallelujah – My favorite version

This is my absolute favorite of all the performances of Hallelujah by so many. The Canadian Tenors do it beautifully. So glad a friend introduced me to this wonderful group of tenors

Lead With Your Heart

It’s the one thing you can trust to always come from love,