Merry Christmas everyone!
I’ll be taking some time to chill and be with my family. But first I wanted to share some Christmas favorites around my house, “set” to a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I was first introduced to the poem by the lyrics of the Casting Crowns song, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
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| Pomanders in my dining room |
With a heaviness on our hearts, we head to the Christmas holiday. So I thought the poem fitting. I believe Longfellow wrote the poem during the American Civil War. He had lost his wife and his son had been injured in the war. Undoubtedly he witnessed other cruelties of war.
And yet he was encouraged by the bells on Christmas morning tolling the good news of God’s promise that evil will not win out.
It brings me hope and I hope it encourages you too. May we all find peace and hope.
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Bells
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!
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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| Favorite music makers, a favorite Nativity, and a mama and baby reindeer made by my Grandma Bubbles. |
And 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!
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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| Each year, my children make a handprint on a canvas. I look forward to having a tree dedicated to these ornaments someday. |
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 world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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| An ornament from a set of Bridal ornaments given to me and my husband on our first Christmas as a married couple |
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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| Another favorite Nativity, they are candle holders. |
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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| One of the first ornaments I purchased after we were married. |
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!”
“There is no peace on earth,” I said:
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
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| My mother gave me a dollhouse ornament every Christmas for a few years when I was growing up. |
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!”
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
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| Our stockings and a Christmas dolly for my Christmas dolly (born in April, but still a gift) 🙂 |
***
Merry Christmas!
Beautiful, Becca! I hope you and your family have an absolutely wonderful Christmas!
Good Will & Peace to you & your family.