Good to Know...

In 14 days it will be Christmas. 2013. Today's blog is a little different. It's not about a particular song, although there is a song. One of my favorites actually. It's called The Simple Birth and I first heard it performed by Windham Hill Artists. Right now, I don't need a bunch of Christmas tunes or lyrics. I need simple. Simple music, simple moments, simple thoughts, simple days. Simple everything.  For some reason, complicated Christmas decorations, gift wrapping, dinners and parties, are too much. Maybe it's because of the busyness of the end of the year, busyness around the holiday itself, busyness of trying to be in the Christmas spirit. There's something beautiful about simplicity that feels right. Simple sounds create a peaceful thread through the air, simple menus make it easy to feel healthy, simple shopping creates a stress free kind of giving. Simple designs on a cake, simple strands of sparkling lights on the tree, simple ornaments with simple

Don't bother looking for Day 17. It didn't happen. Well, it did happen, but the blog never happened. It was my goal to do this daily, and it's a worthy goal. However,  life and stuff happens. So, extending grace to myself, and moving on to Day 16. :) And it did give me an extra day to think and listen to more Christmas music. This song, Mary Did you Know, was written by Mary Lowry in 1984 and Buddy Greene. So many people have performed, recorded or sung this song since then. My absolute favorite was CeeLo Green. Not the most likely person in my mind to even sing it, but the notes just flowed from his voice. But that's not the video linked below. This link is to a version of the song sung by Mark Lowry, with an intro to the song at the beginning. This was his very first time recording it. He wrote the lyrics and Buddy wrote the music. Together they blended so perfectly into this beautiful song, with so much passion about the baby born of Mary, who was the creator of th

Today, listening to Christmas music, I could not have been more surprised. This is one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs. The version we are most familiar with was recorded by Coldplay. Chris Martin plays the piano like no one else and sings even better. I love this version. The surprise...Coldplay didn't write this song. Originally it was written and performed by The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde in 1983. Now, I was a big fan of this group but never, ever heard this song. Until Coldplay. I feel so musically illiterate! Either way, the song triggers feelings many people experience around Christmas time and many other holidays. It's sad in a way because of the picture it draws of one being away from someone they love. But beautiful in a way because of the snowy winter, Christmas-y feeling that's portrayed. 2000 Miles - The Pretenders  He's gone, 2000 miles, Is very far. The snows falling down. It's colder day by day. I miss you. The children were s