Bring Flowers of the Rarest

Bring flowers of the rarest
bring blossoms the fairest,
from garden and woodland and hillside and dale;
our full hearts are swelling,
our glad voices telling
the praise of the loveliest flower of the vale!

Refrain:
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Their lady they name thee,
Their mistress proclaim thee,
Ah, grant that thy children on earth be as true
as long as the bowers
are radiant with flowers,
as long as the azure shall keep its bright hue

Sing gaily in chorus;
the bright angels o'er us
re-echo the strains we begin upon earth;
their harps are repeating
the notes of our greeting,
for Mary herself is the cause of our mirth

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Embracing Life

I'm on the way to healing from my bout with Sciatica. I started hurting on April 18th and I think I've gone to work two days in all that time. Today will be my first full day this week, if I hang in there all day and I think I'm going to be able to. I've so missed blogging and reading all my favorite bloggers! The sad thing is that I've been home for almost 2 1/2 weeks, flat on my back but since I don't have a laptop, I haven't had access to the internet :-(

But more about all that later. Today I wanted to share a video that my cousin Norrie sent to me in email that I think is one of the best videos I've seen.  Take a look and share this with everyone you know who makes excuses for not wearing their seatbelt.

Spirit of the Living God

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me (2x)
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me

Composer: Daniel Iverson (1935)

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Tune: ODE TO JOY)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing(sometimes chanting) bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Historical Information

Words: Henry van Dyke (1907)
Music: ODE TO JOY 87.87 D (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Hail Queen of Heaven, The Ocean Star

Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below,
Thrown on life's surge, we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, O Star of the sea
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee;
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, O star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.

And while to Him Who reigns above
In Godhead one, in Persons three,
The Source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee:
Do thou, bright Queen, O star of the sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me.

Paraphrase of Ave Maris Stella

Historical Information

Composer: John Lingard (1771–1851)

This Little Light of Mine

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine (3x)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Ev'ry where I go, I'm going to let it shine (3x)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

All in my house, I'm going to let it shine (3x)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

I'm not going to make it shine, I'm just going to let it shine (3x)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Out in the dark, I'm going to let it shine (3x)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

African American Spiritual

Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria.
Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria.
Triumph, all ye cherubim, Sing with us, ye seraphim,
Heaven and earth resound the hymn:
Salve, salve, salve Regina!

The cause of joy to all below, O Maria.
The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria.
Angels, all your praises bring, Earth and heaven, with us sing,
All creation echoing:
Salve, salve, salve Regina!

O gentle, loving, holy one, O Maria.
The God of light became your Son, O Maria.
Triumph, all ye cherubim, Sing with us, ye seraphim,
Heaven and earth resound the hymn:
Salve, salve, salve Regina!

Historical Background

Text: Salve, Regina, mater msiericordia (c. 1080), English tr. Roman Hymnal (1884)
Tune: SALVe REGINA COELITUM 84.84.777.45, Choralmelodien zum Heiligen Gesänge (1808)