Ah...the Christmas HYMNS!

One of the special things about church services in the month of December are the Christmas Hymns.

Today's services were opened with this one:

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o' er the plains,
And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains.

Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.
Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.
Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heav'nly song?

Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.
Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.
Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the new born King.

Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.
Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.

Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.

.

(yeah. If you're reeeeeally into music... you'll note from the way I factored in the 'Glorias' above here - that I take to the 'alto' line - thankful, too, of all the other voices which cover and out shine mine. heh.)

.

Today, being the first Sunday of the month, was also a fast and testimony service... those always bring the spirit close.

It's a blessing and a privilege to fast and pray for special purpose - all of which would be incomplete if it was not followed up by generous offerings.

A blessing and special privilege, also, to have the opportunity to either stand and bare personal testimony of the Gospel - as Christ exemplified through out His entire ministry - or, sit quietly by, listening to other's speak, through inspiration's power, of the deeply moving experiences, treasures really - that they've gained through exercising their faith in the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Awesome, uplifting, thought provoking, stuff.

.

I had a mini break with the grindstone last night...

I went with friends to the theater on campus and took in the closing night performance of 'Miracle on 34th Street'.

It was sweet.

I'd forgotten how cool and funny and sweetly touching small town community theater is. 'Cause you just 'know' a good portion of the cast, personally (in some form or fashion) - which only adds to the delight of seeing them carrying on 'in character'. (Big, cheesy grins!!! ha!)

It was the first time I'd been in that theater for anything (other than the induction ceremony to Phi Theta Kappa).

It's all pretty much 'black-box' and I wondered how they'd pull off something as complex as 'Miracle on 34th Street'.

Ingeniously, they used a projector to change backdrops for the scenes which meant the most elaborate set up they had overall, was the court room set - and for that - the actors individually carried their own props on and off the stage area during the fade-to-black in-between the scenes.

.

I'm thinking this was my big cozmic prompt to get out and do more in the name of FUN! Once the semester is over and I hit that luxurious Winter break... ahhhhh. (eyes glaze over...)

Ya know, I poo-pooed and put up a wee resistance...

I didn't wanna go.

(Listen! -> Hear that faint rattle of m' Marley chains connecting text books to brain. ???)

I sure did enjoy it, though once I got there and was in the mix and thick of it all.

Thankfully my friends wouldn't take "no" for the answer - your ticket will be at the door. .. . .. .

When I got there, a gracious man by the name of Tom told me, "You've been paid for."

&

I thought, 'Yes. So I have. Haven't we all?'

...reflecting on the Christmas season we are now entering into....

... haven't we all been paid for?

... by, Him whose birth the angels sing...'

Glo - ooo-o, ooo-o, ooo-o ri-a in excelsis Deo.

=)

D.~