Christmas Decorations Part 2

I know it's after Christmas, but I thought you still might enjoy seeing more Christmas decorations.

Here are some of my favorite ornaments from our tree:

These bells are Mara's.	I really like this cardinal.
Dad says this is his favorite ornament.	You can't really see her, but this ballerina spins in a circle!
We always use this tree topper.	The spinning carousel is Helena's.

Messiah 53: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Revelation 5:12-13
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Merry Christmas! I hope you've enjoyed listening to all these videos of beautiful Christian music.

Messiah 52: If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31-34
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

(The text of the aria leaves out verse 32.)

Messiah 51: But thanks be to God

I Corinthians 15:57
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This concludes the passage from I Corinthians. Most of the third part of Messiah is from I Corinthians.

I found out that this is the first time in the whole Messiah that Jesus' name occurs.

Messiah 50: O death, where is thy sting?

I Corinthians 15:55-56
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Messiah 49: Then shall be brought to pass

I Corinthians 15:54
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Messiah 48: The trumpet shall sound

I Corinthians 15:52-53
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Messiah 47: Behold, I tell you a mystery

I Corinthians 15:51-52
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Messiah 46: Since by man came death

I Corinthians 15:21
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

Messiah 45: I know that my Redeemer liveth

Job 19:25-26
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

I Corinthians 15:20
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

This is the beginning of Part 3 of Messiah.

Messiah 44: Hallelujah!

Rev 19:6
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 11:15
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 19:16
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

My big sister thinks this is rather appropriate timing (completely coincidental, of course), as today is the day she finishes finals.

But seriously though, this song is expressing joy that Jesus will have a future reign. He will be the king of kings over the earth. Isn't that something to look forward to?



A concert hall or recording studio isn't the only place you're allowed to sing this. In the next video, a bunch of people in a food court stand up a few of time and start singing from memory!

Messiah 43: Thou shalt break them

Psalm 2:9
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.


This guy also looks like he's wearing a wig, but at least he's not standing in a kitchen. (He's not the person singing; he's the composer.) (If you don't know what we're talking about, you should go back to Messiah #40.)

Messiah 42: He that dwelleth in heaven

Psalm 2:4
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

Book Review: Saddle Club #15: Team Play

I really like reading books about horses. The Saddle Club books are one of my favorite series. There are three main girls in this series. They are Carole Hanson, who is an absolutely horse-crazy person; Stevie Lake, who is rather unpredictable and likes practical jokes; and Lisa Atwood, who is a girl who always gets good grades, and gets convinced to start riding by her mother, then realizes she loves it.

In this book, Team Play, a riding team from Italy is visiting Pine Hollow—the local riding school, where the girls ride—and Stevie volunteers to take them under her wing while they are visiting. But Veronica diAngelo (the Saddle Club's rich, stuck-up archenemy) wanted the privilege for herself, and now she wants Stevie to have to back out. So, with the day of the riding team's arrival drawing near, Stevie suddenly finds herself getting congratulated for turning from her former ways, and deciding to organize the annual school fair, to run the Children's Hospital Festival, and to run for election as class president. This all comes as a great surprise to her. And the girls find out that their friends Kate and Christine (Kate was introduced in book 4 and Christine in book 6) are going to be visiting from Kate's family's ranch in the Southwest. But the visit, the school fair, the Festival, and the debate for class president all fall on the same day. Will Stevie be able to juggle 5 things at once, or will this turn out to be a great national calamity?

Messiah 41: Let us break their bonds asunder

Psalm 2:3
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

This chorus and the previous aria, as well as the next two movements, are all from Psalm 2.

Messiah 40: Why do the nations so furiously rage

Psalm 2:1-2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,


We think this video looks like he's standing in a kitchen wearing a wig; but the singing sounds good.

Messiah 39: Their sound is gone out into all lands

Romans 10:18
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Now that we're out of the prophecy section, there's more text from the New Testament. This chorus and the preceding aria are from Romans.

Messiah 38: How beautiful are the feet of them

Romans 10:15
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Messiah 37: The Lord gave the word

Psalm 68:11
11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

Messiah 36: Thou art gone up on high

Psalm 68:18
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Messiah 35: Let all the angels of God worship Him

Hebrews 1:6
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Messiah 34: Unto which of the angels said He

Hebrews 1:5
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Messiah 33: Lift up your heads, O ye gates

Psalm 24:7-10
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Messiah 32: But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell

Psalm 16:10
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Messiah 31: He was cut off out of the land of the living

Isaiah 53:8
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

This is the last quotation from Isaiah 53 in Messiah.

Messiah 30: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow

Lamentations 1:12
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

Messiah 29: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart

Psalm 69:20
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.