Siân James – “Arglwydd, Dyma Fi” (Lord, Here I Come).

   Hey all you people! 🙂 

   I’ve shared a few Christian songs/carols this month already, but I decided to share another one today, except this one isn’t about Christmas. In fact, it is a hymn about Jesus shedding His precious Blood on Calvary to save us from our sins. But Christmas is the foreshadowing of Christ’s Passion and our redemption, after all. 

   It is a hymn in Welsh, but I was really surprised when I learned that originally, it’s actually American, because I’ve heard it sung in Welsh many times by many people but never came across it sung in English. Then again, it’s not like I know all that much about English Protestant hymns, or even about Welsh ones, for that matter, but I do get an impression that it’s a lot more popular among Welsh speakers. It was written by a Methodist minister called Lewis Hartsough and I believe it is known as I Hear Thy Welcome Voice. And then translated into Welsh by a Welsh Methodist minister called John Roberts, also known by his bardic name of Ieuan Gwyllt (which translates to Wild John in English). The more common Welsh title is Gwahoddiad (Invitation) as in invitation from Jesus. 

   This version by Siân James is a bit different, because she doesn’t sing it to the traditional tune and it doesn’t really sound much like your typical hymn anymore. But I like her arrangement, as it makes the song more interesting and contemporary-sounding but not in a way that would create a dissonance with the godly lyrics, which I think is a problem with a lot of modern Gospel music. Here’s Bibiel’s translation of the three out of of the original four verses that she sings. 

   I hear Thy gentle Voice 

Calling me 

To come and wash all my sins 

In the river of Calvary. 

Lord, here I am 

At Thy call 

Wash my soul in the Blood 

That flowed on Calvary. 

It is Jesus who invites me 

To receive with His saints 

Faith, hope, pure love and peace 

And every heavenly privilege .

Lord, here I am 

At Thy call 

Wash my soul in the Blood 

That flowed on Calvary. 

Glory ever for ordering 

The reconciliation and the cleansing 

I will receive Jesus as I am 

And sing about the Blood. 

Lord, here I am 

At Thy call 

Wash my soul in the Blood 

That flowed on Calvary. 

Nadja Birkenstock – “Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant” (He Is Born, The Divine Child).

Hey people! 🙂 

   Epiphany is coming tomorrow, so it’s still Christmas time, and I decided to share with you this joyful French Christmas carol, played by the German Celtic harpist. 

Órla Fallon – “My Forever Friend”.

Hey people! 🙂

A song that I’d like to share with you today comes from Irish singer and harpist, perhaps most known for being a former member of Celtic Woman, but who has also released several solo albums – Órla Fallon. – I love her angelic vocals and her harp play. She is also Christian, or clearly seems to be, considering that she has recorded quite a lot of Christian songs and Christmas carols. This song also reflects it very well.

While, to be honest, it doesn’t resonate all that much with me musically as a lot of Órla’s other music does, there’s too much country feel in it for me on this whole album, the way she sings it is so heartfelt, and the lyrics are lovely and of course very relatable for all Christians, if also a little childish, which in my opinion only gives them more charm. So all that makes me really like this little tune and I think a lot of Christians may feel the same. It was written by a British teacher – Charles Alexander Landsborough.

Question of the day (27th December).

Do you think there is a god?

My answer:

Quite obviously I guess for anyone who knows me at least a bit, yes, I do believe there is a god. More exactly, I am a Christian and a Catholic, so I believe that there is only one God who at the same time is three Persons – the Father, His only Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit – is almighty, eternal, perfect, just, forgiving and of endless mercy. He has created the world. He loves all of His creation, but especially us humans whom He has created in His image and likeness, by giving us immortal souls. He is our Lord but at the same time we have the privilege to call ourselves His children and He cares for each of us as His most beloved child. I believe that God in the Person of the Son came down on Earth to become a human just like all of us except not sinful, and save us from our sins (which is why we celebrate Christmas, by the way, but I suppose everyone who celebrates it knows about it). He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary who agreed to become His Mother. He was crucified and gave His life for all of us. He was buried, but on the third day after His death he rose from His grave, later ascending into Heaven which was witnessed by His Apostles. He will come again on the day of the final judgment and will judge us all fairly and mercifully. During His life on Earth, He said to His Apostles that after His ascension, the Father will send Holy Spirit to them in His Name, as a comforter, who came onto them in the form of fiery tongues, and who has the power to inspire us all in our daily lives.

So yeah, if you’re familiar with Christian beliefs, which I suppose a lot of people are even if they aren’t Christian themselves because this religion is so widespread and kind of rooted in our western culture, this is probably all or almost all known to you and very basic stuff about the Christian faith. Obviously it’s just God in a nutshell, as there is so much more that could be said about Him.

How about you? If you do think there is a god, what do you believe him/it to be like, and is it just your own personal belief or do you identify with some specific religion, or maybe you are somewhere in between? 🙂

Merry Christmas wishes to all peeps and pets & Christmassy song of the day – Jackie Oates – “The Worthy Wood Carol”.

Hey people! 🎅

It’s only Christmas Eve today, but here in Poland Christmas Eve is the most festive day of Christmas – a little absurdly maybe – so to me it feels more natural to wish people merry Christmas today, rather than only tomorrow.

So, I’d like to wish you a very happy, joyful and cosy Christmas. I hope that it won’t be difficult for those of you who are particularly affected by Covid this year, and that you will still have someone to spend this Christmas with, albeit it may be less people than usual, I hope you won’t be feeling lonely. I wish you lots of inner peace and joy for this time, whether you actually believe in the whole thing for Christmas and it has any special meaning for you, or it’s just a fun festive time for you. I also hope that you get to eat lots of yummy food and enjoy other pleasures of this time.

If you don’t celebrate Christmas or celebrate something else instead at a similar time, of course I hope you have great holidays or just a pleasant, chill time.

Misha is wishing all the best to your pets as well and lots of nice presents. 🙂

Okay, so time for today’s song of the day now. Since it’s Christmas Eve, this will be a Christmas song, obviously, one from a lovely English folk singer and fiddler Jackie Oates – a beautiful lullaby carol. – Such Christmas carols which are at the same time lullabies are my favourites.

This one is called “The Worthy Wood Carol” and, according to Jackie’s own website, was written by an Exmoor gypsy in the 1920’s. I hope you like it. 🙂

Question of the day (16th December).

What is a miracle that happens every day?

My answer:

I can’t really think of many literal miracles that would be happening around me as frequently as every day, and I do think it’s this kind of word which loses a lot of its meaning when used metaphorically too often. My first thought when trying to answer this question was: the fact that I’m using an iPhone. 😀 This really feels a bit like a miracle, and not even all that metaphorical, as I and people around me all had had quite a lot of doubts and it might have just as well not have worked out. But it did, and I’m so glad about it! But looking at it from a more serious angle, being a Christian, and particularly a Catholic, the answer to this question is really easy to find, only we often tend to underappreciate this miracle we get to witness so often, just because we see it so often and it’s so everyday, but also so difficult to grasp, unless you have some real grace to be able to do it. I am talking about transsubstantiation, which, in case you’re not familiar with this term, means that we Catholics believe that, in Eucharistic prayer during every Holy Mass, thanks to the action of Holy Spirit, the consecrated bread and wine change into Body and Blood of Christ. It definitely is a miracle as it is, like most things to do with faith, the kind of thing you just cannot explain logically and scientifically, and that’s the case with miracles, only just like I said we see it take place so often that it’s often difficult to really see it this way without really trying, and moreover to believe in it. Or at least that’s the experience I and some people I know have had. In any case, this is a great miracle and I am very grateful for it every time it happens in front of me and try to see it for what it is.

What’s such a miracle for you? Do you see any miracles at all around you? Do you actually believe in miracles that they ever happen? 🙂

Enya – “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.

Hi people! 🙂

Perhaps you remember that I was sharing a lot of Enya’s music last year around Christmas with you. I was sure I must have shared this song, but looks like I haven’t, so I think it’s the right time to do it now, since this is primarily an Advent hymn! And I think in Enya’s version it sounds so extremely beautiful. Both full of some silent, secret euphoria, as well as nostalgia. I hope you like it too. 🙂

Song of the day (30th December – Enya – “Journey Of The Angels”.

OK, time to catch up on some music. 🙂 There is so much great Christmas music out there, and since it’s still Christmas season, and will be until 2nd February, I will throw in some Christmas songs/carols once in a while, and because I love Enya so much, and she has so much great Christmas or simply winter themed music, this winter I’m going to focus particularly on her music when it comes to my Christmas favourites. Hope you’ll find them enjoyable as well. Also I must say that at times like these, when I feel particularly anxious, and can’t do much about it, I find Enya’s music very helpful and soothing. So here’s the beautiful Christmas song, or maybe carol actually, called “Journey Of The Angels”. 🙂