Several years ago, I was looking for a Christmas "fake book" that had lyrics and chords to all of my favorite holiday songs. Not finding one, or rather, finding some that were incomplete and others with arrangements I didn't like, I undertook to create my own in Microsoft Word. Yeah, I know, kind of a nutty task.
I gathered song sheets from multiple sources and then began the time-consuming task of typing in the lyrics and chords. As I did this, without the accompanying music in my ears, I was able to reflect on the lyrics in a way I never had before. No, not songs like "Little Saint Nick" or "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," though these fun tunes are in my song book. I'm talking about the yuletide songs of the faith, like "Angels We Have Heard On High," "The First Noel" and "Angels We Have Heard On High."
I ended up with over sixty songs, including church hymns, traditional carols, popular tunes and novelty songs.
Among my very favorite carols to read as poetry is the simple yet beautiful "O Little Town of Bethlehem":
O little town of BethlehemHow still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
The last verse is a sweet prayer:
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
"Emmanuel" - "God with us." I can't think of anything this troubled world need more, both now and every season, than to know the love and peace of God. That's my prayer this season.
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