Shining Stars

Oh Holy Night….the stars are brightly shining.  I LOVE that carol!  It might be one of my favorites.  There is something so beautiful and enchanting about a night sky full of twinkling, shining stars.  In the South, this time of year, and again in the spring, the skies are clear and crisp.  It seems as though you can see straight into another universe.  Living in the country this amplifies because there are no buildings constraining the view.  Dave and I have often laid on the trampoline until wee hours in the morning conversing about our hopes and dreams of the future.  Many nights we just stayed there until we fell asleep and were awakened by the crisp morning air.  The shining stars in a clear sky are just magical.  There are so many ballads about them, I guess there have been star admirers for decades.

My fascination with stars flows over into my decorating life too, as you might remember this star made of tree trimmings.  It could also be attributed to the Texas star too.  I have a six-foot aluminum star that some older gentleman had at a garage sale.  It was a recycled treasure made from what looks to be pieces of storm windows.  It just stole my heart, as did many of his little recycled gems.  This gigantic treasure generally sits in my garden leaning against my old antique wire fence.  As Christmas decorating time came, I thought to myself: “what a PERFECT start to a “clippings” project.”   I ventured out to the old creeping cedar in the front drive, that is in pretty bad need of a trim.  I noticed the other day the mail lady was having to lean WAY over to keep from pulling her car too close to the mailbox.   With some trimmings from the cedar and a couple of strands of lights in tow, I was ready to turn that baby into a Christmas joy.  I didn’t even have to use any wire….just secured the branches with the lights as I wound them around the lines of the star.   It might have taken me all of ten minutes……but boy is she pretty!  Kinda makes me think of the star that guided the three Wise-men to our Lord and Savior the night of his birth.  As the song says!

 

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wise-men from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Do you ever just lay and looking at the shining stars in the sky?  What’s your favorite hymn?  What decorations to you treasure on this holiday?  Do you go BOLD and COLORFUL…..or QUIET and DEMURE?

Love Y’all!