Christmas Hymns

As I sat singing Christmas Hymns in the chapel tonight during our ward Christmas party my heart was happy and my spirit was light.  I was experiencing pure joy because I was filled with gratitude for the day that we had experienced and the wonderful songs we were singing.  Blaine and I had spent most of the day helping Sister Colleen Taylor and Blaine's High Priest group leadership decorate and set-up for tonight's special events. Everything was beautiful, and everyone was dressed in costumes for their "Journey to Bethlehem". Throughout the night we sang beautiful Christmas Hymns, and as we did so I thought about something that my son Ty told me last week.  He said that his seminary teacher told him that when you sing a hymn it is the same as saying a prayer to God, and when we sing hymns we should be reverent and respectful, and everyone should participate.  I agreed with him, and I have noticed ever since then Ty has done just that every time we have sung in church. So tonight as we sang those spirit-filled Christmas Hymns, I reflected on what Ty's seminary teacher had taught him, and I truly felt as if I were singing a prayer to God.  I sang with all of my heart as we sang all of my favorites:  Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Angels We Have Heard on High, The First Noel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain, to name a few.  I love Christmas Hymns.... They are my very favorite songs to sing.

The Washington 1st Ward Christmas Pageant

My Handsome Shepherd Husband

When I arrived home I decided to do a little research on what Ty had shared with me.  I love google! Google most always has an answer or explanation.  Sure enough, when I plugged in "hymns are prayers", I had my confirmation.  Here is one thing that I found:  Alexander Schreiner, long-time Temple Square Tabernacle organist and Latter-Day Saint Church Music Committee Member, offered the following, "A hymn is a special kind of poetry addressed to Deity as a prayer.  The ancient Greeks sang hymns to their pagan deities.  We sing to the everlasting God, our Heavenly Father, and we should address most of our hymns as prayers to heaven..."

I am so grateful for this time of year as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Could you imagine celebrating Christmas without the special Christmas Hymns that draw our hearts nearer to the Christ-child?  I truly can think of no better way to offer our praises to Him than through the inspired Christmas Hymns.  They each are a beautiful reminder of that very special first Christmas night when God the Father offered as a gift His Only Begotten Son; the night when there was no room in the inn for the king of kings and lord of lords; the night that a virgin mother would deliver a precious son that would someday deliver her and all mankind; the night when heavenly choirs would sing and heavenly visitations would be made announcing the birth of the Christ-child; the night a new star would appear and lead the meek and humble to a straw-filled manger where the newborn baby lay; the night that marked the beginning of the most important journey any mortal would be required to make - a journey that once complete would open the doors of salvation to all the sons of earth.

How grateful I am for my Savior Jesus Christ and for the many special Hymns that we sing to celebrate His birth, His life, and His glorious resurrection.  Years ago I wrote my own Christmas song of praise.  I was a very poor college student who wanted to do something special for my family members for Christmas.  Expensive gifts were out of the question so I prayerfully put my creative powers to work.  Over the course of a few days the words and music to my very own Christmas song flowed easily into my heart and mind.  I decided it wasn't half bad so I determined that I would sing it at our family's Christmas Eve party.  I also printed the words in poem form on some nice parchment paper and had them framed in some inexpensive frames and wrapped them for gifts to be given that evening as well.  The Lord had answered my prayers, and to this day, it is one of the most special Christmases I have spent.  From that Christmas forward I have shared this song each year in one way or another.  It is called, "Who is this Child?"

Who is this Child lying in a manger?
Is He the One they promised would come to save the world from sin and suffering?
The stars in Heaven witness He's the One.

Who is this Boy teaching in the temple?
He's telling them of His Father's plan; their asking questions and He knows the answers.
His divine mission He begins to understand.

Who is this man kneeling in the Garden?
Sweat and blood fall from every pore; who is this man dying on the cross for me?
He has completed what His Father sent Him for.

Who is this God - His arms are outstretched toward me?
His eyes beckon me to come. He is my God, He is my loving Savior.
His hands and feet witness He's the One.

Who is this Child?

May your hearts be filled with gratitude throughout this holiday season as you praise the precious Christ-child with Christmas Hymns of joy and rejoicing!

Here are tonight's verses to ponderize: 

1 Nephi 11:20-23

And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

And the angel said unto me:  Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy Father saw?

And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

And he spake unto me, saying:  Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.