Christmas Dawn

After a long twelve-hour drive, we made it to Iowa last night. The roads were clear, it was above freezing the entire day, and Moji was the perfect little traveler (as were our kids.) I did, however, learn a painful lesson. Having skipped a few days at the gym because of my pressing book deadline, I squeezed in a good hard weightlifting session the night before we left. The next morning, and for the next twelve hours…ouch.

Our little traveler

I’m now holed up in my dad’s office, still working on edits. I’m about to call it a day, but before closing things down, I wanted to write a quick Christmas note and share two two songs for the holiday.

The first is one that was familiar to me but I’m not sure I ever really paid much attention to the lyrics, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Andrew Whitehead mentioned this song the other day on a Zoom call as a favorite of his and reminded us of the lyrics:

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

I looked the song up after the call, and I saw what Andrew was talking about. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote those words after the death of his wife. (Her dress had caught fire, and he was injured severely trying to put it out.) The country was on the brink of civil war, and darkness loomed all around. It feels right this year.

The lyrics are below, with two performances to choose from:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

The other song is a favorite Advent song of mine, and we sang it this past Sunday in church as part of what can only be described as The Best Christmas/Advent Pagaent Ever. We’re usually already on the road by the final Sunday of Advent, so I was unprepared for what awaited. There were shepherds and stuffed sheep and angels and banners and a fabulous retelling of the covenant and the coming of Christ told by little ones and adults, and a real “baby Jesus” held by his real immigrant parents. And there was this song, “Canticle of the Turning.”

It also feels just right for this year:

My soul cries out with a joyful shout
That the God of my heart is great
And my spirit sings of the Wondrous things
That you bring to the ones who wait
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight
And my weakness you did not spurn
So from east to west shall my name be blest
Could the world be about to turn?
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears for the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!

Though I am small, my God, my all, you
Work great things in me
And your mercy will last from the Depths
Of the past to the end of the age to be
Your very name puts the proud to shame
And to those who would for you yearn
You will show your might
Put the strong to flight
For the world is about to turn
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears
For the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!

From the halls of power to the fortress tower
Not a stone will be left on stone
Let the king beware for your
Justice tears ev’ry tyrant from his throne
The hungry poor shall weep no more
For the food they can never ears
There are tables spread, ev’ry
Mouth be fed
For the world is about to turn
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears
For the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!

Though the nations rage from age to age
We remember
Who holds us fast
God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp
This saving word that out forebears
Heard is the promise which holds us bound
‘Til the spear and rod can be
Crushed by God
Who is turning the world around
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears
For the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!

My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears
For the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!

Now it’s time to set work aside and start working on gingerbread houses and Christmas cookies.

May your holidays be filled with beauty and a profound sense of goodness and peace.