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thirteenth day of christmas: life and death

By December 14, 2011 No Comments

i attended a memorial service. not exactly something you expect to do less than two weeks before christmas. but my childhood friend’s grandpa passed away and i wanted to be there for her.

i found myself thinking about life and death during the service. here we are getting ready to celebrate the birth of our savior and instead we are mourning the death of a loved one. yet as the service progressed, it was easy to see that this wasn’t a death to be mourned but instead a life to be remembered. everyone that shared spoke about a man that loved the Lord and shared his faith with others.

this is a poem originally written by henry wadsworth longfellow and a song by casting crowns. i really like the melody. but driving home from the memorial service, i was actually listening to the words and struck by the simple beauty.

sometimes i start thinking there is no peace on earth, nor will there ever be. that’s what heaven is for. but then i realize that there can be peace on earth…as a believer i have peace that is just a little glimpse of the peace in heaven that is to come.

i don’t know what surrounds you this holiday season but i would encourage you to rest in the peace of a Savior sent to earth to grow up and die on a cross for you and me so that we might be in relationship with Him once again!

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men
And the bells are ringing
Like a choir they're singing
In my heart I hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth good will to men
But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men

And the bells they're ringing
Like a choir they're singing
And with our hearts we'll hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Do you hear the bells they're ringing?
The life the angels singing
Open up your heart and hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Peace on earth, Peace on earth
Peace on earth, Good will to men

Marie Klein Burtt

About Marie Klein Burtt