faithMile

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjjlzBtI1AY[/youtube]

O Come Emmanuel – Jamie Finch

This was a difficult song to find. Oh, there are several versions online, but I love this song and wanted to find a solitary voice with a little flair but not too much stylistic change. That was difficult to find. I had almost given up when I ran across Jamie. I have no idea who she is, but I like her rendition of the song, so that’s the one I included. So, in a sense, the internet gave us YouTube, which allowed Jamie to give us this performance, which allowed me to share it with you – in the perfect spirit of Christmas.

She only sings two verses of the song, but the lyrics are here in their entirety, courtesy of carols.org.uk.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmF2rsDHOZc[/youtube]

Grown-Up Christmas List – Amy Grant

From the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas eve, we are often bombarded with advertisements for the latest fashions, toys, and gadgets. “Must-have items!” they say. But what really is a “must-have item?” This song says it perfectly.

Lyrics courtesy of AbsoluteLyrics:

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.

Well, I,m all grown-up now,
And still need help somehow
I,m not a child,
But my heart still can dream.

So here,s my lifelong wish,
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.
(there’d be)

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end, oh.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

This is my grown-up Christmas list.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPrCuvfT1X8[/youtube]

Have Yourself A Blessed Little Christmas – Ruthie Henshall

Yesterday, we had a merry little Christmas with Luther Vandross. Today, we are enjoying the re-write performed by the writer of the original. He wanted to make the song refer more to his religious beliefs, so he changed the lyrics to celebrate Christ. Here is the remake, beautifully sung by musical theater actress Ruthie Henshall.