Carol of Joy

Green leaves are fallen,

Withered and dry,

Brief sunset fading

Dim winter sky.

Lengthening shadows

Dark closing in--

Then through the stillness

Carols begin.

O fallen world,

To you is the song.

Death holds you fast

And night tarries long.

Tidings for sinners

Burdened and bound,

Sweet to your ear,

A Savior is found.

Pale moon ascending

Solemn and slow

Cold barren snow

Deep empty valley

Veiled by the night music

Hopeful and bright.

O fearful world

To you is the song.

Peace with your God

And pardon for wrong.

Jesus is born,

Your curse to destroy.

Carol of Joy--

A Savior is found.

Earth, wrapped in sorrow,

Lift up your eyes

To the chorus filling the skies.

Look up, sad hearted,

Witness God's love. 

Join in the carol

Swelling above!

O friendless world,

To you is the song. 

All heaven's joys

To you may belong. 

You who are lonely, 

laden, forlorn,

Now unto you a Savior is born.

A Poem

I saved a copy of this hymn in my journal in 2007. The words must have meant something to me that day, and they did when I read through them today. It defines love. The perfect kind. I never realized before that it is a prayer to love.

 

O love that glorifies the Son, 

O love that says, "Thy will be done!"

Pure love whose spirit makes us one-- 

Come, fill my soul today; 

Come, fill my soul today. 

 

O love that binds our family, 

O love that brings my heart to thee, 

Pure love that lasts eternally-- 

Come, fill my soul today; 

Come, fill my soul today.

 

O love that overcomes defeat,

O love that turns the bitter sweet, 

Pure love that makes our lives complete-- 

Come, fill my soul today; 

Come, fill my soul today.

 

O Lord, give me the will to mend; 

O Lord, change me from foe to friend; 

Dear Lord, sustain me to the end--

Come, fill my soul today; 

Come, fill my soul today.

 

Text and music: Lorin F. Wheelwright, 1909-1987 (c) 1969, 1985 Lorin F. Wheelwright

 

We ask Pure Love to fill our souls, until the 4th stanza switches to "Dear Lord", where we finally ask the Lord to fill our soul. Christ is synonymous with love, but I think it's interesting to note the difference in each verse, with the focus entirely on perfect Love, and filling our hearts with Christ is the final way to obtain it.

December 12

It's the middle of December, and I have spent the past two mornings on the beach. It makes me feel peaceful. and invigorated. and happy. and LUCKY. Lucky that I live in a warm climate again and that I am not facing the depression I felt while having to stay indoors for months last winter. Rose let me hold her hand, and chattered happily as we followed the tracks of a long-gone truck. Both mornings she picked up a stick to hold in her free hand, and both mornings she announced "Time to go home," which was fine with me because even a short walk near the ocean fills me up.

Fast-forward to this afternoon. Rose had been asleep for a little over an hour when I started to feel a little cold. So I took a hot bath. It felt a little exhilarating taking a hot bath at 3 in the afternoon! Can a person do that? I made an event out of it and took some chocolate ice cream and magazines. I think it eased up some of the back pain I have been feeling all week--it is so unnerving when something in my body is off like that. A reminder to be thankful for the times I am feeling well.

There are some days that I just push through. But today I am feeling kind of lucky.