Category Archives: Music

{five favorites}: Favorite Lesser Known Christmas Carols

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#5Faves

I totally am aware that Christmas isn’t for a week and a half. I’m going to be super busy with family things next week so I’m sharing these now!

One

On This Day Earth Shall Ring. I heard this one for the first time at Midnight Mass at either my grandparents’ Episcopal church (most likely) or my church in San Jose about 20 years ago. I love the joyful tone even in the minor key. The Latin doesn’t hurt either. 🙂

Two

Transeamus usque Bethlehem. This is one I learned off of one of Mom’s Christmas CD’s. It’s a German Christmas carol sung in Latin. This particular version has some meaning to me because my mom has actually been to this particular cathedral — she was in Köln on a business trip in the late 90’s and saw this in her spare time.

Three

Star in the East. This carol is done in the shape-note style which was a way of teaching singing and hymnody in the 19th century. It actually pre-dates many of our American Christmas carols. I heard it for the first time this year and I love the harmonies.

Four

While By My Sheep I Watched At Night. I sang this for the first time with the adult choir of my church in San Jose in 1997. I was going through Christmas Eve stuff with them last week (even though I’ll be gone) and we sang through it. Daniel loves to sing “Joy Joy Joy” from the kid’s song “I’ve Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Down in My Heart” and I had to laugh because it reminded me of him.

Five

The Huron Carol. This carol was written by Jesuit missionary and martyr St. Jean de Brebeuf in 1643. I love the imagery of the Christmas story told in First Nation terms. The top video is done in the Huron language. The bottom one is done masterfully by the Canadian Tenors. This was also one of my late grandfather’s favorite carols so I think of him every time I have opportunity to sing it in church.

Go love up Ashley.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 13, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY December 13, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was in the mid-50’s with rain today. I found it positively delightful. Next weekend is supposed to be rainy as well. El Niño is more than welcome in my humble opinion.

I am thinking… about what I need to get accomplished this week.

I am thankful… for the chance to sleep in until 9 a.m. yesterday. I sorely needed it.

In the kitchen… Dad made steak, potatoes, and salad tonight. He also got Cherry Garcia for dessert. Yum!

I am wearing… my VBS shirt from this year and black capri sweats.

I am going… to be working on Daniel’s SSI overpayment appeal this week.

I am wondering… if we’ll have the kitchen back to normal this week. *crosses fingers*

I am reading… some Jessica Beck murder mysteries and Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber.

I am hoping… the counters arrive this week so the sink and stove can be installed and I can cook again.

I am looking forward to… seeing family at Christmas.

I am hearing… The Bells of Dublin by the Chieftains. It’s my favorite Christmas album and what we used to put on while decorating the tree.

A Daniel story for today… Mr. Boy curls up on the heating vents in the morning so I curled up with him on the one in the living room this morning and wrapped a blanket around us to keep the heat in. He is a wonderful cuddlebug.

Around the house… people sleeping. I think I’m the only one awake.

A favorite quote for today… “How can God stoop lower than to come and dwell with a poor humble soul? Which is more than if he had said, such a one should dwell with him; for a beggar to live at court is not so much as the king to dwell with him in his cottage.” — William Gurnall

One of my favorite things… Coca-Cola. I know how bad it is for me but it’s irresistible at times.

A few plans for the rest of the week: organize my Christmas card list, work on Daniel’s appeal, knitting group on Tuesday, Daniel’s 30-Day IEP meeting on Wednesday, Bible study on Thursday morning, choir on Thursday night, and whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… Our anthem from this morning:

Post Script…

My friend Carrie also blogged about gluten-free life for 31 Days of Writing and she compiled all her recipes into a new cookbook. She offered me a copy and after reading it, I am excited about cooking!

I should warn people that it isn’t grain-free in the event that people are following the advice of renowned quack William Davis of Wheat Belly. (I’m not linking to his blog because I don’t want to give him any more hits than necessary.)

Anyway, go check it out!

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

{five favorites}: Miscellanea (LV)

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{five favorites}

One

Year of Mercy. Kerry Weber has a fabulous article on this in the Washington Post.

Two

Marie. Girlfriend posted her birth story in two installements here and here. I have seen pics of the kiddo on Facebook and she is a cutie pie!

Three

Geek Squad. I took my old laptop in on Monday to get the data off the hard drive and they had it back to me today (Tuesday). Additionally, they had me book an appointment so they could chat with me for 15 minutes about my wishes, how I wanted to handle things, and were just fabulous in terms of customer service. Go here for details on them. If you get anything through Best Buy, you need to work with them. Seriously, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Four

This Christmas carol. Someone recommended checking out this carol in the comments on this post:

Five

This version of “I Saw Three Ships”. I’m seriously loving Blackmore’s Night and their “Winter Carols” album right now:

Go love up Ashley.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 6, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY… December 6, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was in the 60’s earlier when I got out of church. (Granted, it’s technically 1 a.m. on the 7th as I’m writing this.)

I am thinking… that Daniel really needs to be going back to sleep. *looks at the small child who is finding new and creative ways to fall asleep while touching me*

I am thankful… that Daniel was a complete angel today. He snuggled with my mom, focused on his Legos and engaged in focused play, and went to sleep with no drama tonight. The current round of wakefulness is mostly due to me daring to get out of bed to use the bathroom and disturbing his sleeping position (his head on my stomach and the rest of him contorted around me).

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and black capri sweats — my jammies.

I am creating… this entry. 🙂 Also a big boy blanket for my wee bairn.

I am going… to try and find a provider who will see my kiddo on straight Medi-Cal so I can avoid having to deal with the county hospital’s pediatric urgent care. Kiddo runs out of Adderall on Wednesday and I don’t want him missing any days as we’re seeing some serious improvement with him on it.

I am wondering… when I’ll be able to do some Christmas shopping.

I am reading… a bunch of Jessica Beck murder mysteries. I also have Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber on my e-reader for the time when I run out of library books.

I am hoping… my kiddo goes back to sleep and stops balancing on his elbow on my leg. It’s causing me a bit of discomfort. *gives the kid a sideglance*

I am learning… to back up my data lest I have to take my laptop to Best Buy again to have them extract all my data.

In my kitchen… Dad made steak for dinner. Yum.

A favorite quote for today… “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Definitely this list of fabulous Christmas carols. Someone even made a playlist of all the YouTube videos she mentioned:

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Blog.

The SImple Woman’s Daybook: November 29, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 29, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It got to about 59F earlier when I was sitting out at $tarbux having coffee with Rebecca. I was loving the cold even if I wasn’t dressed for it at the time. (Note to self: tights are a good thing in places where it gets chilly during late fall/early winter.)

I am thinking… about Advent things and worship this morning at my church. I love the Trisagion setting that we are doing in place of the Gloria for Advent. (The text is here and the music is here.)

I am thankful… for several days with Jon, my evil twin, and the evil twin’s wife.

In the kitchen… shrimp linguine made by my dad. We all licked our plates completely clean.

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and gray pajama bottoms.

A Daniel story for today… Kiddo lost his other front tooth while eating corn chips on Thanksgiving. He’s missing exactly the same teeth that I was at his age. (We watched some old home movies from that year this last weekend.)

I am going… to be making a Goodwill run tomorrow morning. I think the guy who mans the trailer is pondering closing it up and claiming that it’s full each time he sees me.

I am wondering… what to do to get my kid to sleep well again. He’s finally going to sleep… at 9:45 p.m. after my mom chewed him out for screwing around. (I think he’s really stuffed up and uncomfortable so he’s having a problem getting to sleep.)

I am reading… Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon. It’s interesting to read the story from the point of view of some of the other characters.

I am hoping… that I can go to Knit Wits on Tuesday.

I am looking forward to… Daniel sleeping well again.

Around the house… sheets to wash tomorrow.

I am pondering… what I have to get done this week.

A favorite quote for today… “Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised…” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… venti iced vanilla lattés from $tarbux.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Goodwill runs, possibly Knit Wits on Tuesday night, choir on Thursday night, and whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… My friend Thomas put together a wonderful Advent playlist on YouTube several years ago. As I’m without my iTunes at the moment, I’m listening to it to scratch that itch.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Refugee Takes, School, and Choral Evensong

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Refugee take #1. The French are suggesting that we use “Da’esh” instead of ISIS. This is why. It actually makes sense.

— 2 —

Refugee take #2. Not all Muslims agree with Da’esh. (The vast, vast majority find them despicable.) The closest Muslims to what they believe are the Wahhabis who control things in Saudi Arabia. This piece explains why. It’s also why Saudi Arabia has not taken any refugees thus far — they don’t take Christians (the country is officially 100% Muslim and those who convert to something else face death) and it’s a Sunni Muslim theocracy so any Shi’a Muslims are out of luck.

— 3 —

Refugee take #3. I have seen some pretty foul behavior from my fellow Christians over the whole refugee issue in talking about how we should not welcome refugees to the USA and this is one of those times when I actually *AM* calling out people in my own life for their behavior. (I’m usually pretty reserved, but not on this subject.) Jamie the Very Worst Missionary actually has a pretty good take on all of this. Ditto with Ryan Dueck.

I think my friend Sarah of Fumbling toward Grace put it best when she quoted something she had read at the beginning of the refugee crisis (and she would like me to clarify that she can’t remember who said it):

“We don’t help refugees because they are Christian. We help refugees because we are Christian.” (emphasis mine)

— 4 —

Refugee take #4. To maybe shut a few people up and remove the complete atmosphere of unfounded fear that seems to be pervasive, here is what *ACTUALLY* happens with refugees and immigration from an *ACTUAL* immigration attorney.

Now can the fearmongering stop?

— 5 —

The school sitch. Daniel *FINALLY* started school up here this week. He was a little nervous on Monday (his first day) but when he saw the toys, he looked at me and said “bye!” which was my cue to leave. He seems to like his class, his teachers, his aides, and his therapists thus far and I’m hoping it remains a good school and a good program for him.

— 6 —

Choral Evensong. We have a new rector at my church in San Jose and she is a fan of choral evensong so we’re doing it for the Thanksgiving service next Tuesday night. If you’re in the area, let me know and I’ll give you the details!

— 7 —

Gary Haugen’s TED talk. Fifteen years ago, I heard Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission speak at Urbana 2000. It changed my life and the way I look at a lot of the world. (You can watch it here.) He’s done a TED talk. Go watch it! Do it now!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

{five favorites}: Miscellanea (LIV)

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One

Fauré’s Requiem. As I was packing up some things for Goodwill this morning, I had a playlist on my iTunes on random and several of the parts of this Requiem came up. Given the events of this last weekend, it is appropriate music.

Here is a Youtube video of the entire work (35-40 minutes). My favorite part is the “Libera me Domine”.

Two

Phillip Gulley. Gulley is a Quaker minister in Indiana and he has written a series of fiction books centering around a small Quaker meetinghouse in Harmony, Indiana. I love the books because they are so completely off-the-wall in terms of what happens in the church (example: a Quaker militia to protect the live Nativity from the ACLU) but they are also so incredibly accurate as to what congregations can do to their clergy and some of the more *interesting* expectations people have.

Three

Amos 4:13 This was part of this morning’s section in my read the Bible in a year plan and I loved it. This is from the NRSV.

For lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
reveals his thoughts to mortals,
makes the morning darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth—
the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

Four

Daniel cuddles. He is a cutie pie and snuggles very well. We usually watch Winnie the Pooh before bed and he’ll snuggle with whoever is with him. I’ve come home to some wonderful pictures of him snuggled up against my mom sleeping while Mom is on her phone or her tablet.

Five

ADHD meds. It’s like night and day with Daniel. He is calmer and can play better independently. We’re still doing some tweaking to deal with the insomnia side effect but it has overall been really positive after almost a month of having a consistent dosage.

Go love up Ashley.