A pause for Advent 2013: 4

Every year since I have been a teacher, I have written a song for Christmas for my children at school to sing. I'd love to have a complete nativity after teaching for 10 years which I can put together. This is one of those traditions I have now established and something I will pause from my regular schedule to do each year. For me, it is an act of enjoyment, an act of giving (to my school) and an act of worship, using of my skill and inspiration, even though the songs are not usually written as worship songs but are usually about a part of the nativity.

My thought for today is: Thousands and thousands of songs, plays, scripts and works of art have been written about Jesus and about this time of year and one might say, perhaps there is already enough, it's been done and I should not add to this with my mediocrity (and I am aware, as a trained musician, that this is NOT skillful composing). However, for me, there will never be too many things said and Jesus will always take my offerings as they are- offered in love and to serve.

I always love the story, which I never remember exactly, about the priest or someone in a church who sang loudly and out of tune but with a heart full of praise. One year, someone told him that he was singing out of tune, so he stopped singing. When he was in heaven, God asked him why he had stopped singing and he replied explaining. God replied that to him, the singing was the most beautiful in the world because it was full of his heart. We might not do things well or the best but if we do them trying our hardest, with a heart full of love, then they are beautiful to the person who we wrote them for. Yes, my songs each year vary in quality and execution and they may be flawed and other people have done it better. But, it is always good to look at the nativity in diffferent ways, hear different words, hear different songs, hear someone else's take on it. Perhaps, just perhaps, by hearing something new, your heart might just be touched by it in some way. Thus, I will continue to write songs of the nativity each year though they may not be masterpiece works of art!

FYI, this song was meant to convey the fluster and selfishness that we can feel when we are at our busiest. We might think that we just CAN'T take any more, or help anyone because we are just too crammed, too saturated. But, there is always a part of us that CAN help, offer a little something. Just like that final innkeeper who offered his stable, even though it was a little too dark, a little too dirty and was essentially aimed at animal accommodation, not for the Son of God! He offered it, it was accepted gracefully and it has been heralded for 2000 years since!

This is my Pause for Advent, 2013. Joining in with Floss and co.

You can't hear the words very well as I was too close to the handbells but here is a transcription:

Chorus: Dear Sir, my wife and I arrived
So late, we crave your pity.
Could you spare a room for us.
My wife’s in need of rest.


Not in any shape or form,
we surely have no room.
No inch, no square, there’s none to spare
Goodnight, good luck, no room.


Chorus

You must be kidding, Sir and Ma’am,
my Inn’s at full capacity.
You must be mad to come so late,
They’re all here in this city!


Chorus

The situation’s dire, my Friend,
I hate to let you down.
We’re full, and I hear folks are crammed
in every nook in town

Chorus

I must confess, I’m at a loss,
I don’t have one iota
Health and Safety’ll be after me,
If I exceed my quota!

Dear Sir, my wife and I arrived
My wife is giving birth
It needn’t be grand, you understand.
We just need one small turf.

Well it’s dark, and filled with hay
But warm, spacious and out the way.
If you can bear the animals,
My stable is the place to stay!


Words and music Copyright: KezzieAG Dec 2013