On December 25th, 1864 one of Americas most celebrated poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the words to one of our oldest and most loved Christmas songs..I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. Many of my SLY brothers and sisters may not know the history of this song though. Longellow wrote these words from the heart. If you read and listen to the words of this song you can tell this man was writing from a standpoint of personal tradgedy. His wife, Fanny Longfellow had died as a result of burns from a house fire July 10th, 1861. It was also the year that our nation was plunged into the Civil War. Longellow had tried to save his wife and was severely burned and not able to attend her funeral. He would later write, "A Merry Christmas say the children but that is to be no more for me." His son Charles would also be severly wounded in the war. Yet in the midst of his tradgedies on a personal as well as the potential destruction of the country in war he was inspired to write the words to this song.
Today our nation is in many ways facing one of our greatest tests. An economy in shambles, fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the uncertainy of a new president multitudes of people loosing their homes through foreclosures, what seems to be endlless terrorism throughout the world and needless to say the challenges that may be going on in each of our own personal lives. Yet no matter your faith there is God in the midst.
So with that I want to offer all my SLY brothers and sisters a gift for this Holiday. And mind you this is not just a "christmas gift" for it is to all of you no matter of what faith you are or even if you are an agnostic or atheist. For I think the heart cry of all of us is for peace...Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men.
With that please enjoy a renditon of I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day by a group called Casting Crowns
