A Christmas Surprise Just for You!
posted on
December 25, 2022
click for full size picture
Good morning Family Cow friends,
Top of this Christmas Sunday to you!
Guess what...
We have a surprise! A Christmas surprise.
Just close your eyes and listen... Imagine the whole Family Cow Team is on your doorstep this morning to sing a few carols for you!
That could be sort of neat, right?
"Yeah, but it's not going to happen."
Exactly. It's not going to happen. But, we did do the next best thing!
Last week one evening our team got together for our annual Family Cow Christmas supper. But first, before we ate, we sang and recorded a few Christmas songs just for you!
So here they are, as sung by The Family Cow farm team.
Note: Sometimes these Google Drive audio files take a minute to open for some reason. It may help to download the files.
I'm just warning... It was very, very impromptu. We had no formal practice, the children were making background noise and we recorded it with a couple of our phones. It's far from professional... but maybe that's what makes it real. It sounds like real, impromptu, stand-on-your-porch, totally acapella, four part harmony, traditional Christmas caroling.
I hope you enjoy it. We sang three songs. Two of them being actual Christmas songs and the last one about the real reason Jesus came to this earth. We posted the lyrics below since with the makeshift recording equipment etc. the words may not come through totally clear.
So, find a comfortable spot, shut your eyes and listen. We hope our small efforts can be at least a small meditation inspiration for your Christmas morning.
And if you do not know the grown-up Jesus... maybe these songs can stir a small longing somewhere deep down inside to learn to know Him. He's worth knowing. He's a friend like none other.
He's a healer, a mender, a repairer of broken things, a rescuer. Lives, dreams, relationships, characters, communities, families, marriages and even reputations... all of that and more!
In fact, here is Jesus' own Mission Statement at the beginning of His ministry:
Jesus' Mission Statement
drawn from ~ Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because
He hath Anointed Me:
To Preach the Gospel to the Poor;
To Heal the Brokenhearted,
To Preach Deliverance to the Captives,
To Recover Sight to the Blind,
To Set at Liberty them that are Bruised,
To Preach the Acceptable Year of the Lord.
With Love from:
Your farmers and friends,
Edwin and Dawn Shank and family and team
Silent Night
written by Fr. Joseph Mohr
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia,
Christ, the Savior is born!
Christ, the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light,
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace-
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
written by Charles Wesley
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,
Glory to the newborn king.
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity;
Pleased as Man with men to dwell.
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,
Glory to the newborn king.
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark, the Herald Angels sing,
Glory to the newborn king!
Because He Lives
written by Bill & Gloria Gaither
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
