Monday, November 30, 2009

Advent #1 -- "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!"


Advent started on Sunday. I've been thinking about hymns. We typically sing Christmas Carols for the Advent season because there are only a handful of Advent hymns in our hymnals. Advent just isn't celebrated the way it used to be. For instance, we now use blue instead of purple because we do not view this season as one of reflection and repentance.

So starting now I am going to blog one Advent hymn a day, with music (if possible) ending with Christmas Eve.

Have a Blessed Advent. O come, Emmanuel!

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Seasons

I'm having a hard time blogging (in case you hadn't noticed.) I'm either really dry, or I'm tired of people pontificating or maybe a little of both.

I've entered into a couple of conversations recently where I just grew weary of the debating. They are usually the same old debates: the authenticity of Scripture, double dipped supralapsarianism with a twist, evil, yada, yada, yada. I am just tired of it. I wish we could spend less time debating and more time living it.

I honestly wonder if there is anything new under the sun; if all the big newsie stuff is just the old stuff in a new package, in a new medium.

Just where I am right now. I think I'll go back to posting pictures of kittens.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Illustration for the Widow's Mite

Sermon title: Enough

Source: http://www.bobperks.com/wish.htm

I Wish You Enough

Speaker Bob Perks was at an airport when he overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough." She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."

They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

... Read the rest at the website.