About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Carol for the Troops in 2011

( This is a re-post from December 2009. Two years later, the draw down of troops from Iraq is finally a reality, but the Middle East still claims too many young men and women. Unfortunately, the scenes described below will still be the reality for many families in the United States.)

"The Christmas Morning Furlough" was the cover for the 1863 Harper's Weekly. As the American Civil War waged on, a Union soldier managed to get home on Christmas Day. He wraps his wife in a loving embrace while his children surround them. The Christmas tree is ready and the stockings hung, all the plans have been made--just waiting for the soldier to return home from the war, even if for a few days.

This year, almost 150 years later, a different war rages on--this one in the Middle East, not on American soil. Military families in the United States and our allied countries try to celebrate the holidays without a central family member present--a husband, wife, father, mother, son, or daughter. They try to go on with the festivities or they wait, postponing the holidays until everyone can be together.

At Campbellsville University in south central Kentucky, Matthew Hodge, a 24 year-old graduate student in the music department wrote the music and lyrics to "What is Christmas?", a tribute to American troops serving overseas while their families carry on at home. The carol was first performed at the Christmas Tapestry concert by the Campbellsville University Chamber Choir. They received a first time ever standing ovation. People were deeply touched by the heart-felt lyrics and beautiful harmonies. More so, because the carol reflected their own personal stories of absent loved ones in harm's way:





On December 9 the entire chamber choir travelled to Nashville to do a professional recording of "What is Christmas?- A Carol for the Troops. CDs are now being distributed to departing soldiers as a reminder to them that in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season families and friends left at home are thinking of them and longing for the day when the celebrations will be complete again with their presence.

Merry Christmas, Everyone. Peace on Earth.

10 comments:

Jan n Jer said...

Let me try again...I deleted the first comment. As I sit here with tears running down my cheek, I thank you for this heartfelt song Faye. And yes..."LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME"

Patience-please said...

Thank you for sharing that, Faye.

your soggy fan in Paducah

Lane Mathias said...

Watery here too.

So poignant.

Merry Christmas Faye. x

Living Life said...

What a beautiful song with well written lyrics. I am sitting here drinking my coffee in the quiet morning watching the sun glisten on the snow outside. This song was a wonderful meditation for today. Thanks for sharing. And, Thanks for your Christmas wishes, Faye.

I also wish you a very Merry and blessed Christmas to my wonderful bloggy friend!!

Swampwitch said...

Pass the tissues, please.
I've not posted this yet, but our son-in-law arrived home safely from Iraq (for the third time) just days ago. AnodeMan is in GA and will get pics of the family together again and as soon as I receive them, I'll post...
Thanks for taking the time to share this very moving post with us.
May your HollyDaze be healthy, happy, and safe.
Thanks for being a good glob-bud this past year...visiting and commenting even though you've very seldom hear from me.

laurie said...

merry christmas, faye! and thanks for the Irish card. we love it.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

So touching!

I have such a large family that apart from my children and husband, rather than buy countless presents, my siblings send donations to charities of our choice. This year mine was Help for Heroes, as I believe they are truly heroes.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. x

Gattina said...

It must be terribly sad if a family member is far away as a soldier.

Pamela said...

I'm late -- but it still made me weepy.

So torn... so torn.

m (the misanthrope) said...

Beautiful, Faye. Just beautiful. Sorry i've been scarce but I have been thinking of you. Merry belated Christmas, and a happy New Year to you!