December 20th, 2006

There was a wide variety in the music of the Christmas program this year. All the children and youth sang. The youth orchestra played The First Noel and O Little Town of Bethlehem. Josh and Luke selected Mannheim Steamroller's Deck The Halls for an exciting keyboard duet. Taylor, Stephanie, and Seth performed What Child Is This as a cello trio.

Liz gave us a gorgeous Breath of Heaven. I performed Snowflakes, a song I recently completed writing. Kelly and his sons performed One Bright Little Star. This was a beautiful choral piece he composed in 1987. It was a standard for a few years of the University of Puget Sound. The lyrics revolve around the light of the Christmas star and bring in other light sources from the Christmas story, stable lights and the moon. They emphasize the light coming into the world that is piercing the darkness.

The choir sang from three songs from Let Heaven and Nature Sing Gloria. Awaken Us, O Lord reminded me of Agnus Dei that the choir sang for two years as the Christmas program. There were many reminders of programs past. There were glorious moments in the past like there were at this performance. The evening ended with Go Tell it on the Mountain.

Matt and David provided music and direction throughout the program that pulled everything together and left everyone with an incredible Christmas spirit high.

Creator Christmas programs remain memorable for me and I have thought about what would best express that. The lyrics to Time Wraps Around You by a band called the Velvet Crush from their album Teenage Symphonies to God capture part of what I feel:

To the summer of love from the winter of fear / Seasons change us around, the reason’s not clear...

Like the motions you make, the wave of your hand / Like the time that it takes to know that you can. Standing by... to try and make you feel alright

This time wraps around you and I wrap around you know I’ll stay.

It is a song of hope and comfort. The main lick of the song circles around itself, as do the vocals in the chorus. Even in the lyrics I wrap around you, [you] know I'll stay the you is implied and links two lines together.

Time Wraps Around You is inspirational, and comforting in the same way as this Christmas program tonight. It is a lyric like the voice of your best friend leaving you with a warm feeling. It is a memory that will be tucked away to both remain and sustain.