Music: Amazing Grace By Hayley Westenra

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  It's always refreshing to see what the newest generation does with a traditional standard, especially the Christian ones.  Hayley Westenra performs her wonderful rendition of a difficult song to sing, both emotionally and artistically.

(Check out the link to her name for an extensive biography over at Wikipedia.)

Music: Oh, Rejoice By Hillsong

From Denny:  While my husband was dashing into a convenience store to pick up a few items I was waiting in the car, seeking on the radio stations.  I landed on one talk show where a man was discussing the Christmas season shopping frenzy - and often violence - that breaks out when people fight for the best deals.

It's like the Christmas holiday season has been reduced down to this greedy fever pitch shopping season.  Big Business has clearly hijacked what should be a holy season.  The essayist continued saying how business changes their cashier greeting (Walmart) to try and sound like they are dispensing goodwill as if that will suddenly cement a good relationship with the customer, making up for the rest of the year.

Well, it should be a goodwill season.  During this time of year, he said, you often see strangers relax a little and make more of an effort.  But here's the real question, Did Jesus really come just to make our December's better or did He come to make our entire lives better?

Then the program featured this song and I smiled as my husband put the groceries in the car and we drove back home listening to the reason for the season.

Music: I Will Go by Starfield

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  This video has the inspiring lyrics posted so you can read along as the song plays. While this is primarily of interest to the Christian community it also universally speaks to the need to reach out to fellow humanity that is struggling to keep hope in the world. The focus of the real Jesus Christ is about developing the heart level, true spiritual compassion, which is a mighty force when people discover how to operate in it effectively and appropriately.

Thanks to the christian computer and media user blog from Christian Gittings for posting this gem!

Music: Wheres The Line To See Jesus? by Becky Kelley

Check out the newest addition to Christmas music this season born out of a true story - and a YouTube viral hit.

From Denny: This is a thoughtful song to help get people back into focus about the celebration of the Christmas season. This singer, Becky Kelley, age 30, is an unknown who has suddenly gone viral the past two weeks on YouTube with well over 630,000 hits.

This Christmas song was born out of a four-year-old's innocent but perceptive question, "Where's the line to see Jesus?" Kelley is taken by surprise by the amazing response to the song. She now spends up to three hours a day answering fan e-mails and calls from radio stations and record producers curious to know if she has more songs like this.

"I’m blown away. DJ’s are calling and asking me, ‘Who are you? Do you have anything else? What other records do you have." And I have to tell them this is it. I don’t have anything else."

The song sprung up from a visit to the mall with Kelley's nephew, Spencer Reijgers. While they were standing in line to visit with Santa, he asked her the question about the absence of "where were all the people standing in line to visit with Jesus?" Kelley spoke to her father about the incident and it was he who wrote a song around the story idea. Kelley's father, Steve Haupt, a business owner, also happened to have a background as a pianist. The recent hit song is well on its way into Christmas music legend. "Out of the mouth of babes..." :)








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Music: Light of the Stable by Tara MacLean

From Denny:  This country song was recorded back in the 1990's yet retains a classic quality for the season.  To learn more about this Canadian singer, go here to understand her inspiration.

This is her most recent album released in 2009.  It contains some familiar folk songs along with her own: