God Himself Is With Us

God himself is with us: let us now adore him,
and with awe appear before him.
God is in his temple, all within keep silence,
prostrate lie with deepest reverence.
him alone God we own, him our God and Savior;
praise his Name forever.

God himself is with us: hear the harps resounding!
see the crowds the throne surrounding!
"Holy, holy, holy," hear the hymn ascending,
angels, saints, their voices blending!
bow thine ear to us here: hear, O Christ, the praises
that thy church now raises.

O thou fount of blessing, purify my spirit;
trusting only in thy merit,
like the holy angels who behold thy glory,
may I ceaselessly adore thee,
and in all, great and small, seek to do most nearly
what thou lovest dearly.

Words: Gerhardt Tersteegen (1729), trans. Frederick William Foster and John Miller (1789)

In The Bleak Midwinter

TUNE I: GUSTAV HOLST








TUNE II: HAROLD DARKE







In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Words: Christina Rossetti (1872)
Music:
(1) Gustav Holst
(2) Harold Edwin Darke

Love Came Down At Christmas

Tune I: Reginald O. Morris





Tune II: Philip Stopford





Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Words: Christina Rossetti (1885)

I Sing Of A Maiden (I Syng Of A Mayden)

TUNE I: PATRICK HADLEY



,

TUNE II: LENNOX BERKELEY





Lyrics in Original Middle English:

I syng of a mayden
That is makeles;
Kyng of alle Kynges
To her Son she ches.

He cam al so stylle
There his moder was
As dew in Aprylle
That fallyt on the gras;

He cam al so stylle
To his moderes bowr
As dew in Aprylle
That fallyt on the flour;

He cam al so stylle
There his moder lay
As dew in Aprylle
That fallyt on the spray;

Moder and mayden
Was never non but she;
Wel may swych a lady
Godes moder be.

Lyrics in Modern English:

I sing of a maiden
That is matchless,
King of all kings
For her son she chose.

He came as still
Where his mother was
As dew in April
That falls on the grass.

He came as still
To his mother's bower
As dew in April
That falls on the flower.

He came as still
Where his mother lay
As dew in April
That falls on the spray.

Mother and maiden
There was never, ever one but she;
Well may such a lady
God's mother be.

Historical Information

Words: 15th c. Middle English, Sloane Manuscript 2593, ff.10v-11
Music:
Tune I: Patrick Hadley
Tune II: Lennox Berkeley

A Spotless Rose (Howells)

A spotless Rose is blowing
Sprung from a tender root,
Of ancient seers' foreshowing,
Of Jesse promised fruit;
Its fairest bud unfolds to light
Amid the cold, cold winter
And in the dark midnight.

The Rose which I am singing,
Whereof Isaiah said,
Is from its sweet root springing
In Mary, purest Maid;
For through our God's great love and might
The blessed babe she bare us
In a cold, cold winter's night.

Text: Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen, paraphrased by Catherine Winkworth (1869)
Music: Herbert Howells (1919)

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
close by me for ever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Text: vv. 1-2: Traditional 19th century), v. 3 attr. to John Thomas McFarland (ca. 1906)
Tune: CRADLE SONG 11.11.11.11, by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921)

Iwanna Wednesday, Toys for Tots, and a Giveaway!

Happy Iwanna Wednesday. Welcome to the day I get to want almost anything in the world. Before we get started Iwanna tell you about two things.

1. My Giveaway - Giving away a $65.00 gift certificate to CSN Stores. Ton's of great stuff at their 200+ stores so you have to go and enter. Click HERE to get the details and enter. Go on...go enter, I'll wait for ya!

Hi, welcome back...ok so next Iwanna tell you this:

2. Toys for Tot via Pier 1 Imports - Pier 1 Imports will donate $1 to Toys for Tots for every new fan on facebook...so go and become a fan of Pier 1 Imports, just click HERE to get there. And I got nothing to do right now, so go and become a fan...again, I'll wait for ya!

All done? Now don't you feel good? Now you have a chance to win a $65.00 gift certificate and you helped a Tot to get a Toy...wow, even if you don't win you're still a winner cause you helped the Toys for Tots Program!

So.....today I was checking out a few of the blogs on my blog list and I ran into one that told me about the Toys for Tots on Pier 1 Imports (I don't remember which one it was, but if it was yours but you inspired me). I went over to Pier 1 Imports and became a fan and did a quick look-see of what they had and I was amazed at how many cool things they had at such great prices.

I saw so many things I wanted that I thought I would share them with all of you. The first things I saw that I thought were cool and that made me think "Oh yeah...Iwanna one of these" were these cute little eyelash curlers.

These are Gemmed Zebra and Cheetah inspired eyelash curlers. I don't know if any of you are big lovers of makeup, especially eye makeup but I am...always have been and always will be. I curl my lashes everyday! Believe it or not...these are only $15.00 each! Iwanna the Cheetah one!

Next I found this gorgeous Brocade Business Card Holder. I don't know about you, but I can't ever find my business cards in my purse so Iwanna one of these so I can find them easily. Plus wouldn't I look ever so classy and successful pulling a business card out one of these holders? $10.00 each people! I know...it's such a steal. They come in fuchsia, lime, purple and teal. Iwanna the fuchsia one please although I wouldn't say no to the lime one either.

And I have a confession to make, "Hi, I'm Alicia and I'm a mug addict." Truly I am. I love unique and different coffee mugs and cups. This is one of the cutest I've come across in a long time and it's only $6.00. Iwanna one of these for my morning coffee and since I can't wear heels due to this darn Sciatica, then at least I can have them on my coffee cup right? Love the Polka Dots at the bottom and the shape of the handle.

And speaking of pretty cups how about these assorted color French Cups? Can you believe these are just $6.00 each? I love the pretty pastel colors. Drinking from these cups you would almost think you're having a delicious latte from one of your favorite coffee houses! Seriously...Iwanna these! I may have to make a trip to Pier 1 Imports on the way home from work tomorrow.

So see...Christmas doesn't have to be expensive. I would love any one of these items. So do you have all your shopping done? I haven't bought even one present yet. Hmmm, I better get on that don't you think? Happy Iwanna Wednesday and may all your Iwanna wishes come true!