My favorite Christmas poem is not often used as a Christmas poem...but it should be.
Our children's Christmas program will take place this Sunday. I designed it to open with this poem, though I have altered some of the words to make it more comprehensible to today's diverse audience. (Romantic Era friends, please do not throw tomatoes in disgust! :-)
One preschool boy costumed as a LAMB stands alone center stage.
ADULT MALE VOICE: (on microphone)
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Do you know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, wooly-bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Do you know who made thee?
(Fifth-grade girl enters and addresses LAMB)
READER ONE:
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee;
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is called by your name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb
He is meek, and He is mild,
He became a little child.
I a child, and you a lamb,
We are called by His name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
I get very enthusiastic about Christmas programs. I just wish I could go see more of them! To me, music puts the holy in holiday. I especially like traditional choral performances by large and small ensembles, but I enjoy almost anything that's heartfelt. Are you or your children in Christmas programs or nativity pageants this year? What's everybody going to be? What artistic or musical program do you enjoy most at the holidays?
14 comments:
Because the academic year finishes here at Christmas time (well actually it finished a week ago now) there is always a big Christmas production and an awards night. I love seeing my son up there dancing and singing. Every grade is involved. All very cute!
I love the poem! A glowing testament to the beautiful picture of Christ.
This time of year it's important to teach the children the real meaning of Christmas. Poems like these make that happen.
I helped plan ours presenting this weekend.
I like this mood and angle of celebrating Jesus. The picture is adorable too!
~ Wendy
I love that line, "music puts the holy in holiday." That speaks to my musical heart. I'll be singing in my church choir and playing piano at a different service and doing some singing then as well. And, I'll be listening to my favorite MN choir next week!
Lovely.
Ah, that's perfect. I love that poem.
I have to say that other than our Lammie singing Christmas songs, I like the scene of Linus in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special as he explains Christmas to Charlie Brown: (you can cut and paste)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn10FF-FQfs
Hi Rosslyn! I just completed a third grade concert at school. The children sang a spiritual, "Children Go Where I Send Thee". The lyrics are unabashedly Biblical, as spirituals are wont to be! ;) This was received with rousing applause, even a standing ovation in some cases, when we finished by singing, "Born, born, born in Bethlehem!"
In many cases, the common thought that "You can't say God in school" is a myth. You can. You just can't preach him. So I'm grateful that my students can sing Christmas songs that are not watered-down, but authentic to the holiday.
God bless you this Friday.
That IS a beautiful opening to the play! We've gone to many plays over the years with my children having roles in them. And for me, the special part is really watching the joy they've experienced in being apart of the nativity program.
The high school my daughter attends has a wonderful band that does an excellent concert a few days before Christmas. Seeing them perform is always one of the season highlights for me.
First, we had our elementary kids' Advent program -- I love that. Then our middle school kids' Christmas concert -- very nice as well. And this week, the Joy Bag, which I wrote about last night. It's not a Christmas program but something we've had a chance to enjoy several times through the years because of our first-grade teacher, who has worked hard to instill an appreciation for a prayerful, family-oriented Advent in the heart of the young souls she guides. On Sunday, a good friend gave me a ticket to her choral program. I am filled with delightful Advent/Christmas songs and reflections!
That is a clever little poem. I like it.
My 7-year-old son is Joseph and and our five-year-old daughter might be an angel or something. I'll find out tomorrow.
Have a good one!
Last week I was in Washington, DC. I got to see "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot. It was a great production. This particular one interspersed several very old, traditional carols throughout the play. Loved it.
I've never heard this poem before. It's beautiful in its simplicity.
My husband and I went to Sight and Sound Theater in Pennsylvania on our honeymoon. They put on a production of the nativity with live animals and fabulous music. It's a treasured memory.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Post a Comment