Tennessee vs The Maxims vs A Merry Christmas to One and All

#1

OneManGang

Senior Member
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Sep 7, 2004
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#1
I attended Midnight Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral with those two outstanding young men I am privileged to call my sons.

20251225_012803.jpg

I made to the entrance hymn before I lost it. The song was O Come All Ye Faithful which was the entrance hymn we used for Sandy's funeral.

I was a wreck after that.

My son Jimmy just got back from a trip to Brazil with his girlfriend Paula (pronounced "Powla") to her home town of Pimente. The town features a statue.

IMG-20251215-WA0026.jpg

Finally, I came across this:

NOEL


Grim was the world and grey last night:
The moon and stars were fled,
The hall was dark without song or light,
The fires were fallen dead.
The wind in the trees was like to the sea,
And over the mountains’ teeth
It whistled bitter-cold and free,
As a sword leapt from its sheath.
The lord of snows upreared his head;
His mantle long and pale
Upon the bitter blast was spread
And hung o’er hill and dale.
The world was blind,
the boughs were bent,
All ways and paths were wild:
Then the veil of cloud apart was rent,
And here was born a Child.
The ancient dome of heaven sheer
Was pricked with distant light;
A star came shining white and clear
Alone above the night.
In the dale of dark in that hour of birth
One voice on a sudden sang:
Then all the bells in Heaven and Earth
Together at midnight rang.
Mary sang in this world below:
They heard her song arise
O’er mist and over mountain snow
To the walls of Paradise,
And the tongue of many bells was stirred
in Heaven’s towers to ring
When the voice of mortal maid was heard,
That was mother of Heaven’s King.
Glad is the world and fair this night
With stars about its head,
And the hall is filled with laughter and light,
And fires are burning red.
The bells of Paradise now ring
With bells of Christendom,
And Gloria, Gloria we will sing
That God on earth is come.

J.R.R. Tolkien - 1936

The boys and I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers during Sandy's illness and funeral.

GBO!
 
#3
#3
@OneManGang you and the guys stay in our thoughts and prayers. It's these times that are the hardest.

You all have each other, your family, and all of us...the one thing that got me through my Mom's passing was a support system, and you have an incredible one to lean on.

God continue to bless and Merry Christmas !!!

Side note - some of the lesser known musings of Tolkein are my favorites, so thank you.
 
#4
#4
We all run the race, OMG. Paul looked forward to the finish line.

As I expect happened often throughout your lives together, Sandy simply outpaced you.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” You too in due time will hear.

She’ll be standing there waiting on you when He says it.

May the Prince of Peace surround you during this first Christmas without her.
 
#6
#6
I attended Midnight Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral with those two outstanding young men I am privileged to call my sons.

View attachment 800941

I made to the entrance hymn before I lost it. The song was O Come All Ye Faithful which was the entrance hymn we used for Sandy's funeral.

I was a wreck after that.

My son Jimmy just got back from a trip to Brazil with his girlfriend Paula (pronounced "Powla") to her home town of Pimente. The town features a statue.

View attachment 800944

Finally, I came across this:

NOEL

Grim was the world and grey last night:
The moon and stars were fled,
The hall was dark without song or light,
The fires were fallen dead.
The wind in the trees was like to the sea,
And over the mountains’ teeth
It whistled bitter-cold and free,
As a sword leapt from its sheath.
The lord of snows upreared his head;
His mantle long and pale
Upon the bitter blast was spread
And hung o’er hill and dale.
The world was blind,
the boughs were bent,
All ways and paths were wild:
Then the veil of cloud apart was rent,
And here was born a Child.
The ancient dome of heaven sheer
Was pricked with distant light;
A star came shining white and clear
Alone above the night.
In the dale of dark in that hour of birth
One voice on a sudden sang:
Then all the bells in Heaven and Earth
Together at midnight rang.
Mary sang in this world below:
They heard her song arise
O’er mist and over mountain snow
To the walls of Paradise,
And the tongue of many bells was stirred
in Heaven’s towers to ring
When the voice of mortal maid was heard,
That was mother of Heaven’s King.
Glad is the world and fair this night
With stars about its head,
And the hall is filled with laughter and light,
And fires are burning red.
The bells of Paradise now ring
With bells of Christendom,
And Gloria, Gloria we will sing
That God on earth is come.

J.R.R. Tolkien - 1936

The boys and I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers during Sandy's illness and funeral.

GBO!
Merry Christmas OMG. Great looking family. Hope you have a wonderful New Year.
 
#9
#9
So good to hear your voice, especially during these trying times. Sincerely thankful that you have your faith and sons to lean on. Merry Christmas to you.
 
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