so this is a collage called swamp. i made it in february of last year. it is currently framed in a homemade, hand-painted frame. it is paper collage on a book binding panel. it is 7" x 10". and i am giving it away. i've been wanting to have a blog giveaway for some time, and the time has finally arrived. here's how it works. all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. by leaving a comment you are automatically entered into the contest (as long as your comment offers a way for me to get in touch with you, or you know that i know you). the contest will be open until next wednesday at noon, eastern standard time. at that time the contest will officially be closed and i will pick a random number. the person whose comment matches that number wins! for example, if i happen to pick the number 33, the thirty-third comment will win. oh, and one more rule: you can only post ONCE. if you win, i will send you the collage, signed by me, the artist, free of c...
a collection of words about God and life and art and baseball and football and hope and my family and my ministry and music and the immense joy in each moment of all of it. it's a record of being human. welcome.

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caroling: Deck The Halls
in church: O Holy Night
I'm going with her trend...
caroling: toss up between Joy to the World & Silent Night- I love hearing carolers sing Silent Night and Joy to the World is such a triumphant song to celebrate Our Saviour's birth.
Church: O Come All Ye Faithful- because it was the first song we sang after I walked down the aisle to my prince charming on our wedding day and it just reminds me of that blessed day AND I just love the words.
That was a tough one, there are soooo many Christmas songs I love.
Greg, you'll be happy to hear that I've come around to Snow Angels. I haven't listened to it as much as I'd like, but it is definitely a magnificent little gem of a CD.
if i'm caroling just to sing, i enjoy many of the more 'fun' christmas songs like rudolph (like a lightbulb!). i especially like "we three kings," because i picture the camels from the "claymation christmas" singing it. does anyone remember that sweet christmas special? so good.
if i'm worshipping, though, that is a whole 'nother story. i love "o come, o come emmanuel" which is actually an advent song. i also love "what child is this?" but my mostest favoritist is:
"o holy night" because the music is so dramatic the way it rises to a fever pitch during the chorus, and i love how the third verse brings in this whole social justice thing (chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease...)
anyone else going to weigh in here?
Favorite church carol: "Silent Night" which must be sung acapella with everyone holding a candle in total darkness. It is profoundly meaningful and worshipful on Christmas Eve.
But truthfully, I love them all. I have been listening exclusively to Christmas music since my birthday (November 13) and I am not tired of it yet. Thiis year's favorites: Michael Buble's "Let it Snow" and Josh Groban's duet "The First Noel." Oh and of course it wouldn't be Christmas without the 2 Cd set of "Christmas with the Carpenters." Her voice is like velvet. Don't forget Bing's renditiion of "White Christmas" oh and...well, you get the picture. One exception, No, two. "Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer" and "Blue Christmas" for reasons stated in another blog.
Amen
also, you can't forget, "please, daddy, don't get drunk this christmas."
or, what i'm listening to right now: "there's no christmas on the moon."
as sufjan sings, "get behind me, santa."
LOl
guess who??????????????