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Before we get into the song go grab the free downloadable journal pages at my store here. They’re free so just go get ’em and use ’em. You can print out whichever pages you like and the others just ignore, again, they’re free.

Now, onto the song. Have you ever listened to the words of I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day? Honestly it’s kind of sad – And in despair I bowed my head “There is no peace on Earth, ” I said. See? Told ya sad. It doesn’t sounds happy and it kind of reminds me of some of the psalms in the Bible. In many of the psalms we hear David cry out in despair and then by the end of the psalm he is praising God. It seems to me this song is the same. Have you ever heard the name Henry Wadsworth Longfellow? He is the author of this poem turned Christmas hymn. You ever heard Paul Revere’s Ride? He wrote it too. Obviously he was a writer and also an educator. In 1831 Longfellow married a childhood friend. Awe so sweet and it was until 1835 when she suffered a miscarriage and couldn’t recover from her illnesses and died. Following her death he wrote – “One thought occupies me night and day…She is dead – She is dead! All day I am weary and sad”. Don’t stress though Mr. Longfellow would bounce back and even get remarried. It wouldn’t be a quick courtship though. She wanted nothing to do with marriage. Writing a letter to a friend he said “Victory hangs doubtful. The lady says she will not! I say she shall! It is not pride, but the madness of passion” In 1843 they married and his passion was as strong as ever, evident in love poem, “The Evening Star” which he wrote “O my beloved, my sweet Hesperus! My morning and my evening star of love!” He once attended a ball without her and noted, “The lights seemed dimmer, the music sadder, the flowers fewer, and the women less fair.” This man was passionate but not just about love. He gave his all in everything. Sadly in 1861 his wife’s dress caught fire. Trying to extinguish the flames he was also burned badly. She was taken to her room to recover, but died the following morning. He was once again distraught and just a few years later his oldest son went to war and was injured leaving Longfellow fearing the worst. Later he wrote the poem Christmas Bells which we know as the song I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. The words to the poem are public domain and listed below.

In it, like a psalm of David we see the writer, although facing trials and hardship acknowledging that God does not sleep, He is aware of what is happening and right will prevail!

Are you going through a season that seems like more than you can bear? Rejoice because God has you and He knows what is in store for you. He knows the future. He offers peace this Christmas season and every season.

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

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