This Advent season has been both wonderful and brutal.
The state of the world and my Facebook feed bring so much fear and hurt to my heart, but I also see so much good happening around me. So many people doing all they can to love on anyone and everyone at every turn.
My first little sister and her sweet little family moved across the country, but my second little sister and her husband are moving back home in January.
One of my kids is having a rough go of it at school, but the other is doing great.
My work at the church is an amazing gift, but I am having so much self-doubt about writing my second book.
This is the first Christmas at Preservation Acres where we have all our things and a finished kitchen, but I have found myself missing our house and holiday traditions back in North Little Rock. It was always best at Christmas, and we haven’t lived here long enough to have established new traditions yet.
I am so grateful for new dear friends, but I am also missing friends who are far away.
And so this Advent, like so many before, is bittersweet.
Every year there is one song that becomes THE song for the whole season for me. One song that sums up everything I am feeling about the season, one song that breaks through all the doubt and fear and sadness with a ray of hope and light.
This year that song is O’ Holy Night.
It’s one of those songs that I have heard for years, but whose message seems more needed and more true this year than ever before.
And just in case this Advent is a bit of a bittersweet experience for you as well, if the birthing pains are more than you can handle, and you need a few rays of hope and light, I thought I would share a the lyrics here.
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Wishing you Hope and Peace,
I liked how you mentioned this is bad, BUT this is good. I can see this very truth in many areas of my life too. An excellent way to express what many of us are feeling this holiday season in particular.
Lovely post. I imagine many of us have similar feelings. A week ago, O Holy Night was the closing number at the UALR Choirs concert. Beautifully sung by a young woman and three choirs, it brought tears to my eyes. My thought as I left that place was that , once again, Christmas had truly arrived in my heart.
Perfect for Advent and one of the most beautiful of all! I don’t recall those later verses so will read this again and again.
Oh this is beautiful and just how I’m feeling this Advent and Christmas season. I just wrote the line “the weary world rejoices” on my chalkboard because this world feels so very weary these days, doesn’t it? We all need to rejoice. Thankful for Hope even when brokenness is abundant.