“O Holy Night” Adolphe Adam
I’m a little obsessed with this song and I think it speaks for itself as to why it is and always will be my favorite Christmas song. Here are a few of my favorite arrangements.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“White Winter Hymnal” by Pentatonix
I’ve been obsessed with this song since it was introduced to me a couple weeks ago. It’s originally written and performed by Fleet Foxes which is a great song in it’s own right but I can’t get over Pentatonix’s arrangement. Not much to say about it, it’s just fun. Enjoy!
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan (performed by David Crowder Band)
If you’ve ever seen or heard me lead worship or just know anything about me as a worship leader, you’re probably surprised that I’m just now sharing this song…in other words, I use this song a lot. Why? Because I love it. I think it’s one of the most powerful worship songs ever written, on par with “Shout to the Lord”, “Awesome God”, and “Oceans”.
The music is great but what really gets me are the lyrics. You spend the entire song dwelling on how much He loves each and every one of us. My two favorite lines from the song are incredible representations of just how much He loves us.
He is jealous for me
Jealous is such a powerful word that typically carries a negative connotation. Here it’s meant to express how badly God desire to have your attention. He doesn’t just want it, he’s jealous for it. He’s jealous for you. I had never really thought of it before. Scripturally, we know that God is jealous God, it’s plainly written down for us, but it’s something that hadn’t really dawned on me until I sang it. He doesn’t just love me, He’s jealous for me.
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking
Some scientists have suggested that we know less about the deepest parts of the ocean than we do about space, that’s how deep and vast the ocean is. McMillan compares God’s grace to the ocean and I think that’s about as close as we can get to describing the vast mystery that is God’s grace (and it’s still not even close to being enough). His grace and His mercy and His love for us is so vast that we’re drowning in it, it’s inescapable. That thought just makes me smile every time I sing this.
How fortunate we are to have a God that loves us like He does. As undeserving as we are and as much as we try to reciprocate we simply can’t because we can’t begin to fathom His love.
(Side note: I’m a “unforeseen kiss” kind of guy.)
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Thessalonians 5:18
Being thankful is not always easy. It’s something I try to practice on a daily basis as I pray and think on the blessings I’ve received but not something I always accomplish. Of course, there is usually an emphasis on it around this time of year as Thanksgiving approaches. However, it seems this year there is more emphasis on what is wrong with the world. There has been a harsh focus for the past week on political and social differences with little focus on what is good and right with the world. I wanted to share with you some things for which I am thankful. I hope it encourages you to spend some time considering all you’ve been given.
Christ, Mom, Dad, Denise, Tori, Griff, Brittany, Addison, Logan, Jordyn, Korban, Lawson, Becca, Bradley, Maria, Goggy, Grandad, Kay, Scott, Ashlyn, Natalie, Lauren, Nathan, Clark, Jeff, CUMC, Matt, Zach, Pat, Joan, Berk, Michael, LPYC, Jim, Amy, Sarah, FUMC-Trussville Youth, Bluff Park UMC, ministry opportunities given to me, mercy, grace, the cross, music, and Advent Conspiracy.
This is just a small list of things currently on my mind but there are so many other people and things that I could share with you. I have lived a blessed life, even when I maybe wasn’t able to see it or realize it.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving Day.
“Thankful” by Josh Groban
I had been having a pretty rough day last week when I heard this song for the first time. It has actually been on a playlist that I listen to often and I had either not noticed it before or it simply hadn’t played before that time. I was stressed, I was upset, and I was complaining to myself about a person that had really aggravated me earlier in the day. I was going through my day in a less-than-great mood blinded to everything around me. As I stewed, this song came on Spotify. I didn’t immediately notice it really, I was too concerned with myself (the irony found in the first three lines of the song). I was dwelling on how that person had upset me when the song finally grabbed my attention with “Each of us can find each other’s light”. I started the song over and listened to it a couple times. I googled the lyrics and listened again.
Even as we approach Thanksgiving this Thursday, it’s easy for each of us to get caught up in day-to-day stress and forget all the things for which we should be thankful. I know because I’m guilty of it and I see others do the same. This song was a refreshing reminder of how important it is for us to focus on the positive of what we have been given…even those people who may aggravate us at times. Every person brings something to the table and enhances this thing we call life, and it’s up to us to “find each other’s light” as we all “find our truth”.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre (performed by the Westminster Cathedral Choir)
I loved being a member of the University of Montevallo Concert Choir. I have many fond memories singing with this ensemble and built many friendships through my participation in this group. During my first semester, we sang what has become one of my favorite choral Christmas pieces, Lux Aurumque. It was the third time I’d ever sung an Eric Whitacre piece and he’d already been a favorite composer of mine before then. The text, the music, the phrasing…combine it with some signature Eric Whitacre cluster chords and it’s a hauntingly beautiful way to capture the spirit of Christmas. I know that not everyone is a fan of “classical” or choral music, but I don’t know how someone can not be mesmerized when listening to this piece.
Lux,
Calida gravisque pura velut aurum
Et canunt angeli molliter
modo natum.Light,
warm and heavy as pure gold
and angels sing softly
to the new-born babe.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Let There Be Peace on Earth”
Because of our mutual affinity for all things Christmas, Becca created a Spotify playlist of Christmas music back in September. When I opened the playlist a couple weeks ago to begin listening to Christmas music for the year, Harry Connick Jr. singing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” was the first song that came on.
I’ve always loved this song. It takes me back to my high school choir days when we closed our Christmas concert every year by singing it as a blessing of sorts for the audience. I thought it was a very appropriate “first song” for my Christmas music listening season, although, I don’t really think it should be a Christmas song. I understand the connotation of connecting peace with Christmas and it’s a great association, but “peace on Earth” is something we should strive for all year long.
Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” As we approach Advent and Christmas, take some time to dwell on peace, hope, and love and how it is connected to this season…but also take some time to think about how it should not be contained or limited to this time of year. Take some time to think about how peace can find a place on Earth if everyone would find a way to “let it begin with me.”
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Born is the King (It’s Christmas)” by Hillsong Worship
If you know me at all, you know that “Christmas is my favorite” just like Buddy the Elf. That’s why I start listening to Christmas music in October every year…and that’s just for my own personal pleasure. When I was directing choirs, I started listening in August to make our Christmas concert and Advent service selections.
I indulge the fact that most people aren’t quite as in to Christmas as me so I don’t make a big deal about my listening to the music until after Halloween but I simply can’t wait until after Thanksgiving like so many people request.
I first heard this song a couple years ago. The first thing I like about it is that it’s a contemporary Christmas worship song, those are few and far between. What I like most about it is that it’s upbeat and reflects the beauty of this season…the idea that we serve a God who loves us so much that he would come down and take on human form to save us from ourselves. Christmas is celebratory because it’s a time for us to reflect on why we even have a reason to celebrate in the first place.
“Goodwill to all the earth
And peace divine
All of the earth rejoice
It’s Christmas time”
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Forever Reign” by Hillsong Worship
Good. Love. Light. Hope. Peace. True. Joy. Life. More. Lord. Here. God.
One of the biggest reasons I love this song is how it talks about all of the ways God is and wants to be to us. Listed above are all words which are used in this song to describe who God. He is good, He is love, He is light, hope, peace, true, joy, life, Lord, here, and God…but the word that stands out most to me is more. He is “more than my words will ever say”.
Despite all of these being great ways to describe our heavenly Father, we can never adequately capture the depths of His love and affection for us. We can never fully understand or explain exactly who He is to us and what we mean to Him. The best part is that we don’t have to understand, explain, or describe Him completely. Our best is never truly good enough but it’s all He asks of us. All He wants is for us to run to His arms.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
I think it would be impossible to have a blog series talking about worship music and not include this song. It’s easily one of the most popular worship songs out right now and I have yet to meet someone who isn’t moved by it’s lyrics or music.
This song is all about faith in dark times, something which obviously speaks to me more than usual right now. I love the whole theme of being called into dark places, being called into hard times yet taking comfort in the fact that we can rely on Him. Nothing from the lyrics stands out to me more than “You’ve never failed and you won’t start now”. It’s just so refreshing to hear and/or sing those words about God’s faithfulness.
Everyone knows the original version sung by Taya Smith of Hillsong. Because she sings it so powerfully, I’ve always thought of this song as “females only”…that was until a month ago when I discovered Shane and Shane’s cover. It’s got a totally different vibe to it, much more acoustic and male lead vocals, but it’s every bit as powerful. I’ve included both the original and the Shane and Shane cover below.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Music Monday, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
'til only You remain 