Put the Lights on the Tree

We are a little over a week into our Advent conspiracy to give away something everyday of Advent. So far it has been...uneventful. We've been somewhat faithful to our pledge, selecting something each day but waiting to give a lot of it all at once. So we haven't actually given anything away, yet.

The sad thing is that we're starting to realize that 30 or so days are not enough. We can easily see reaching Christmas day and not having felt a bit of discomfort in our giving, not a bit of sacrifice. We simply have too much stuff.

We've begun to dare to dream of if we could do this for an entire year, til next Advent. Perhaps then we might actually begin to feel the pain and release of simplifying.

Regardless, Christmas is so much more fun with a two-year-old. Mary Grace is determined to see every Christmas decoration in the Rockies. Tonight as we listened to Sufjan Stevens' and put lights on our tree, she exclaimed with sheer joy, "Its Christmas!" Despite our seeming inability to make room, her hospitable heart is making up for it when she she says "Happy birthday, Jesus!"

Think About Such Things

All this week I am taking a moment to dwell upon the good of 2010. On Christmas night I looked back a few books that impacted me and tonight I want to examine another art form that is rather inspiring, music. Here are a handful of albums, artists and songs that made an impact on me in 2010.

All Day by Girl Talk
More than anything this album reminded how much fun it is to dance. Cliff and I listened to the whole album on a trip back from Colorado Springs and I lost my mind about Monument and never got it back. Speaking of Cliff...

Clifford Hutchison
My dear friend has always spoken to my heart through his music but his latest writing and live performances in my living room have been like medicine for my soul. He is a joyful sound.

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" by Sufjan Stevens
Stevens' entire Christmas album was a wonderful soundtrack to this Advent season, but his reworking of this classic hymn most resonated with my longing to rejoice at Emmanuel's coming.

Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet
I feel inept trying to capture what it is about these songs that open up my spirit and make it howl. Words just seem so inadequate when trying to describe a melody. Do yourself a favor and simply listen.

JJ Heller
A wonderful artist that has ministered to my whole family through both haunting and hopeful lyrics. Michala still sings "Keep You Safe" to Mary Grace when shes having a tough night, I think it means more to me than anyone. (The whole album is great but skip ahead to track 10 for Keep You Safe).