Merry Christmas Everybody!!
I'd like to take a few minutes of your time today to introduce you to a special song and a special person; both have made my life and soul better and more rich.
Below is a YouTube link to my favorite version of "O Holy Night" as performed by The King's Singers with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last Christmas. What this song does to me, words cannot duly say, but suffice it to say I feel like my heart is expanding and glowing as brightly as the New Star surely did at Our Savior's birth. By minute 4:50 my tears flow unceasingly through to the beautiful end. Someday, after all this Life is over and we're all up in Heaven, I am going to hunt down Adolphe C. Adams(music), Placido Cappeau (text), and Mack Wilberg (this amazing arrangement) and just hug them and tell them ,"Thank you so much for what your talents brought and meant to my life. Thank you for enriching my existence and reminding me of what it meant to have a true and actual Savior be born to us on the Earth. Your music and words made it real to me, and helped my testimony and my actions to be more True."
I love this music so much that I even listen to it when it's not Christmas time. If ever I am feeling low, this is now the song I turn to in my hour of need. Something about me already being on my knees in prayer strikes a particular chord within me as I hear the words
"Fall on your knees,
O hear the angel voices.
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born..."
And there really were angel voices to be heard that night so long ago. We are told in the Bible that heavenly concourses of angels sang at Jesus' birth. I had the opportunity and blessing to know one of the women who made up those concourses. Her name was Carol Lisa Jensen. Carol more than any other person in my life taught me the truest meanings of Christmas. Everyone who knew her knew how she felt about Christmas. She made it a point to make sure they did through her decorations, music, gift giving and candy making alone. I used to think she just did it because it was fun and she could. But I found out just what it meant to her one night when she pulled me aside to share her patriarchal blessing with me. I was preparing to receive my own blessing soon, and Carol felt prompted to share hers with me as she and I had been blessed to share a special mother/daughter bond with each other. I remember the feeling of honor I felt to have her share her blessing with me, and as I read I realized with wondering awe just who's presence I shared. You see, Carol really was a Christmas Angel. Her patriarchal blessing specifically spoke of her being present to sing at the Savior's birth. She was there and her Life thereafter continued to echo her special witness to His birth in all she did.
My angelic Carol has since passed away, and I am tempted to say the World is poorer for it, but that would be a lie, as she left it far, far better than she had found it. My tribute to Carol this Christmas Season is this song. I haven't forgotten you, Carol, and the Music we both love still finds my heart with you each Christmas. I still "hear your angel voice" in this song.
Please take a moment and listen to this beautiful music.
I know it's a video clip, but try just listening for the full effect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcC2LUIdLKs
(Apologies if you have to cut and paste this link to get it to work.
I am still not used to this Mac computer...)
Love,
Autumn
