Mid-Week Music #20 - Cinnamon Bear

This week's MWM is the first Christmas song. Well, not an official Christmas song, but it's always played around Christmastime. It is the theme song of a Christmas radio show. And of course, Advent is soon to begin. So I decided to put it up. Also, because I couldn't find a version of the song just on its own, I decided to post the first entire episode (which isn't very long--just eleven minutes). But if you want just the song, it starts at about 6:48.

So, time for me to tell you a little about The Cinnamon Bear. It first aired in 1937, between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's about a pair of twins--Judy and Jimmy--who go on a magical adventure to get back their Silver Star from the Crazy-Quilt Dragon. Cinnamon Bear is their most constant companion, and their guide through Maybeland. They go on adventure after adventure, and encounter all kinds of danger and excitement along the way. It's very whimsical, I'd say, and quite fun too!

We started listening to it at our house recently, and my younger brothers and sisters (especially the latter) could not stop talking about it all the way to the restaurant Sunday afternoon. Even my youngest sister (about three, I guess) keeps asking and asking to do "another Cin'mon Bear". It's definitely a classic. Now, since the Silver Star is the one for the top of the twins' Christmas Tree, as well as the object of their quest, I figured it'd be a perfect way to kick off the holidays. Let me know what you thought of the episode (if you listened to it), or if you're already a listener of the old radio show, in the comments below.

And here's the Cinnamon Bear!

I'm the Cinnamon Bear, with the shoe-button eyes
And I'm looking for someone to take by surprise
I go growling and prowling each night after dark
But they all say my growl's just a cinnamon bark

Though I growl--Grr-ahh!
And I growl--Grr-ooh!
My victims only say
"Oh, who's afraid of you?"

I'm the Cinnamon Bear, with the shoe-button eyes
And I'm happy and fluffy and tough forrr my size
I devour lots of honey and cinnamon buns
Just to make me ferrrocious, but nobody runs

Now I'll growl--Grr-ahh!
And I'll growl--Grr-ooh!
And if you'll act afraid
I'm much obliged to you!

Mid-Week Music #19 - Sleep Sound in Jesus

So... wow. It was even longer than I'd expected before I was able to get back to this. Things will hopefully get back to a normal schedule now. I'm really sorry about all this. But someone decided to show up late.

Ah, of course not. Only after four days of waiting in the one little hospital room.

In case any of you have not guessed, the reason why I have been so busy, why I put that picture up just now, is because of my now week-old baby brother, Ransom! (Well, he's a week old at the time of my writing this, which is sometime between Thursday and Friday). Two weeks ago was when we were all preparing for Mommy to go to the hospital, which was why I posted that I was so busy. He came on Thursday, at 11:01, I think.

I am not sure if I will post pictures yet. Not in this post (unless I edit them in later). But he's such a sweet little baby, and I love holding him--when I get a turn, that is. In a house with five other people who love holding him, not including Mommy and Daddy... well, you can guess how that is! But I love all of them, especially little Ransom. As Thanksgiving is coming (or here), I know we're all very thankful for him.

This week's MWM is a lullaby--the first song on an entire album of them--by Michael Card. I'm not sure why I decided on this one, but since it was the first, I suppose it makes sense. I wonder if someday, when little Ransom is older, he sees this little post. In such a case, hi! Hope things are going well in the future! You've probably listened to this many times as you've grown up. So here is a lullaby for you, baby brother: Sleep Sound in Jesus.

Sleep sound in Jesus, my baby, my dear
Angels are watching, they keep you so near
Though for His sake you'll be safe through the night
Sleep sound in Jesus, I'll turn off the light

Sleep sound in Jesus, sweet heart of my heart

The dark of the night will not keep us apart

I lay you down in your bed for the night

He holds you gently till morning is night

Sleep sound in Jesus, the angels are near

They're keeping watch, so there's nothing to fear

Against any foe they are ready to fight

So sleep sound in Jesus, I'll turn off the light

Sleep sound in Jesus, my baby, my dear

Angels are watching, they keep you so near

Though for His sake you'll be safe through the night

Sleep sound in Jesus, I'll turn off the light

An Apology (and a Laugh or Two)

I must apologize to you, dear readers.

Some of you may have noticed that there is no Mid-Week Music post this week. That is not just a mistake or glitch. We have been extremely busy for the past... well, several weeks, I suppose. And all that is coming to a head this week. I haven't even had time to think of a song to put up here. I'm very sorry, especially since I said there would be one every week, no matter what.

But never fear. There will be a MWM post next week for certain. The cause for all this busyness will be explained then. While we wait for Wednesday, I will give you a picture. Hopefully, it will make you laugh long enough for me to get back on track. I know I laughed for several minutes when I first saw it.

Oh my word, I'm laughing at it right now. It's hilarious. Please do comment if you laughed at it too!Anyway, busyness is calling my name, so I will go now. Actually, my mother is now calling my name, so... bye! Mid-Week Music will return next Wednesday!

Mid-Week Music #18 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Last week, I put up a song called "The Last Halloween". It was one of the funniest Halloween songs I've ever run across, especially with Dakota singing the whole thing. But, like my dad reminds me, things like that are like cotton candy, really. They're fun to have sometimes, but we need things that will fill us--the meat and potatoes of the thing, really. And today, I am posting a song that is just along those lines. It's not a song, though: not just a song, I mean. This is a hymn, to remind us of why we celebrate.

"But Grace!" you may say. "You're getting mixed up! It's not Christmastime yet--now's not the time to be pulling out 'Reason for the Season' messages." Still others may wonder what on earth I'm talking about: Halloween isn't a Christian holiday. Everybody knows it. Ask anyone you like. Unless you happen to be one of the few who do realize my reasons for this, do read on for your own knowledge.

You see, Halloween (especially by that name) has always been Christian. The name itself means "All Hallows Eve", which precedes All Hallows Day. Just like Christmas Eve precedes Christmas Day. From what I've been told, the origin of the way we celebrate today was that people believed that demons and all manner of evil would run wild on All Hallow's Eve, in order to try and ruin the festivities of the next day. Thus (and this is according to people I've heard), the folks would dress as demons, goblins, and witches because they were afraid of them, and wanted to hide and protect themselves from the creatures.

Some Christians today believe this means All Hallow's Eve is a holiday that's all about evil, and the Devil, and so are wary of celebrating it. The Adventures in Odyssey lost episode "What Are We Gonna Do About Halloween?" addresses this. All Hallow's Eve was just a day for the Devil to run wild--why would they want to celebrate it?

But, in case any of you are thinking of stowing your Halloween costumes next year, let me tell the real reason we celebrate, why we dress up in costumes like that every October the 31st. You see, people didn't dress like demons and things like that out of fear--they were mocking the evil things. No one thought all witches were green with warts all over them, no one thought the Devil was red with pointy horns and a pitchfork. They were doing it to mock him and his servants, because they knew he can't stand being mocked. He and his hate it, and so we do it even more.

And we can do it, because we know they can't hurt us. The servants of darkness can't separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, no matter what they do. That's why they run wild, you see: it's as if they're making a last desperate attempt to gain a victory. But Jesus has thrown their kingdom into disarray, and we will surely be the victors. A theologian by the name of James Jordan has a wonderful article on the matter, which has even more than what I've included here. Please do give it a read.

That's not the only reason, either, as my brothers and sisters eagerly pointed out when we listened to the Odyssey episode. It was on this very day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg and begun the Reformation, 500 years ago. That's part of the reason why I chose this hymn: to commemorate Luther and the Reformation. This is his most famous hymn, and has been called the Battle Hymn of the Reformation. 500th anniversaries only come once, you know.

The second reason I chose this hymn was because of what Luther preached. Among other things, he taught that the Bible said we cannot be saved through works of the flesh. Without God, we are nothing. If Jesus had not died to conquer sin, then risen again to conquer death, we would have good reason to fear these demons and witches and evil spirits. But because God has saved us, and we have faith in this promise, we will not fear the Prince of Darkness or his servants. Whatever happens, God's Truth abideth still, and His Kingdom is forever. And if God is for us, who--be they witch or demon, goblin or ghoul--can stand against us?

With that in mind, dear readers, let us listen to the great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask Who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His Truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little Word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's Truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.