A Joyous Moment

As I watched my children complete their crafts for their advent calendars, I sat back and watched and enjoyed them. It was a moment of peace.  You see this is our first year working on an advent calendar from beginning to finish. Before I would purchase the ones that have candy or toys in them as a treat for each day.  We would start off great but after the first week I would forget to let them flip it open for the surprise inside.  Looking back, I also realize there was no substance to what I was doing.  I had not given any lessons or reminders to what the calendar was for.  They just saw it as a countdown calendar to Christmas. 

 This year, I felt it had to be different. This year I felt convicted and wanted to make sure they truly understood what it was they were doing, why this month is so special and to make sure they new it WAS NOT about receiving a overload of toys. So when we started they were not sure what to expect. At first they didn't care to read the verses because I read the same story to them early in the day for their bible lesson. They just wanted to do the craft and have fun. 

Well after a few days of the advent calendar my children were reminding me to work on the calendar.  They liked looking for the clues of what they would be doing that day.  I was happy to see that all three of them were enjoying the different projects.

  

We actually fell behind a few days because we were searching for certain materials for the projects so tonight we sat down and work on them so that we were caught up. Even though I was tired and tempted to wait until tomorrow I didn't and you know, I was grateful that I did not allow my flesh to decide.

 They happily took turns reading and listening to the stories from the bible and patiently waited for instructions of how to create the craft. To continue in this mood of worship they even used there time while waiting for everyone to finish their craft to continue praising God through song and dance. 

 It was one of those moments that I felt so blessed and grateful to be homeschooling. It is moments like this that are confirmations that I am doing what God intended for me to do. So I pulled out the camera and took a few pictures to help hold on to this moment!

DID YOU KNOW

I was thinking about a previous article I wrote about the sparrow and wondered, Hmmm where the song came from, or where it originated.  This is something we don’t think of very often, but I am sure it comes up once in awhile in conversations, but really do you know the background of the song.

by tamburix

So what thought or action provoked such a melodic piece that can bring even the mature Christian to tears when sung by the spirit?

Eye on the Sparrow was written in 1905 by  Civilla D. Martin, who wrote the lyrics,  and Charles H. Gabriel, who created the music, worked together to create the hymn that we now know as Eye on the Sparrow. The lyrics are beautiful and simple at the same time.   The song was birthed from a conversation that Civilla and her husband had with friends in New York.  Their friends both had physical issues that prohibited what most would considered a normal life. 

Civilla questioned how they were able to live such happy lives.  Lives in which they were more of an inspiration to others, than down and out about the world and their situation, all the while bringing joy to all those they meet.  The simple reply was, His eye is on the sparrow. This is what moved Civilla to write the poem Eye on the Sparrow.   

Once she finished her poem she shared it with Mr. Gabriel so that he could add music.  The original arrangement of Eye of the Sparrow does not sound much like it is sung today, however its messages still effects many of us that open our hearts to receive. 

Artist such as Rosetta Tharpe, Mahilia Jackson are just a few who were the first to perform the song, but it was not lost to artist like Mickey Newbury, Andy Griffith or even Marvin Gaye. As time passed it became more and more popular and never fell short of expectation, one minute especially when it was sung by artist such as Shirley Caesar Whitney Houston, or Lauryn Hill.  

Keith Fujimoto's photostream

These of course are not the only to perform the song and I am very sure they will not be the last.

Through out the different arrangements, the meaning of the song has not changed.  I see the different arrangements as a form of expression for the different genres as well as the generations.  I hope you get a moment to listen to the original piece.  I was even amazed at the difference of what we here today, but not surprised at how I was still moved by the simplicity of it. 

Additional links:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hiseyeis.htm

Ethal Waters: http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_waters_ethel.htm

http://www.hymnary.org/text/why_should_i_feel_discouraged