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Sunday Gratitude – 18.X.2026
Hi everyone! Glad to be back here. I’m still struggling with a lot, and there’s a lot that’s really overwhelming. However, I’m going to give it a shot as far as gratitude here.
Most importantly, probably, is that my son had a surgery on his ear a couple of weeks back, and everything went really, really well. Yes, he had the same surgery back in February on the other ear, and it went really well, but there’s still a good bit of nervousness attached to all these things.
Secondly, I recently took part in the Serbian Orthodox Choral Association’s annual choir festival. Because it was only a week after the surgery, I wasn’t going to go, but then there were people who had signed up who either couldn’t go or couldn’t sing, and I was asked if there might be some way that I could go. I managed to get things arranged, and I went. It was an amazing trip, and I hope to write about it separately. Most of us who went ended up driving, including the people I rode with, but everything went off without a hitch, there were no accidents or incidents with the driving, and the event was a lot of fun. I am very grateful for that, and for getting to see the city and experience the city a little.
If any of you are interested, our choir’s performance can be found here (our group starts at 45:15):
The weather has gotten cooler, and I’m grateful for that (St. Louis at over 90F was quite a shock to the system). This just seems to be one of those patches that is especially rough, so I’d appreciate your prayers for me and my kids.
Thank you ever so much for following; you are amazing!
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Songs of the Season – Mario Lanza – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
I happened to be in the car late this afternoon where I caught part of the Mark Belling show. Yes, he’s a political commentator, but he also is very, very familiar with all sorts of music, and I guess he’s been playing a little bit of Christmas music on his show in full.
I didn’t know before this evening that Mario Lanza existed. However, he’s definitely one of those “old-fashioned” voices. Considering that he died in 1959 at the age of 38, that makes sense. Belling remembers him as being someone popular in his grandmother’s time. This isn’t the song that Belling chose, but it’s another that showcases Lanza’s voice.
In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.
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Wordle #541
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Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.
Line 1: Naive – just an “A” and in the wrong place.
Line 2: Same thing here.
Line 3: Now, since the “A” didn’t go in spot 2 or 3, I was thinking that the word might start with “A”. With the letters that were still available, the idea that it was an “AP” word was strong. I didn’t necessarily want to go for something with the double letter, but I couldn’t think of anything better, so I went for it and it ended up being the solution!
Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!
Happy Gaming!
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Wordle #540
Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!
Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.
Line 1: Not much for “knock” – just an “N”, needing to find a home.
Line 2: Moving the “N” to the beginning worked out, and getting the “I” is a bonus.
Line 3: I’m excited that I get to play “nadir”. Yes, I’m a geek. Unfortunately, it’s not the word. However, the “A” is in the right place now!
Line 4: I guessed that the word very likely starts “NAI”, and even thought “nails” might officially not be a word that would be an answer, I think it’s worth a shot to play. It got me the knowledge that “NAI” is correct, but what the last two letters is taking me awhile to think out.
Line 5: “Naive”. Yep. Definitely a little unusual. 🙂
Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!
Happy Gaming!
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Songs of the Season – Straight No Chaser (kind of) – The Twelve Days of Christmas
In 2008, a ten-year-old video went viral of a men’s singing group from Indiana University called Straight No Chaser. The song was a humorous take on “12 Days of Christmas” and it garnered so much attention that the group was offered a recording contract. That album, Holiday Spirits, did really well, and since then, the group has been recording and touring. Not all of their material is Christmas music, but a good percentage is, some of which is humorous, but all of which is beautifully sung.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a tough carol because it can sound repetitive and boring pretty easily. Different artists have put their own spin on the song, but Straight No Chaser’s version has become extremely popular, and the following video is a project the band did recording singing groups of their fans singing the song their way. I was really surprised at how well it turned out.
In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.
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Sunday Gratitude – #11
It’s been another week that has just flown by, but was tough to get through nonetheless. Next week is probably going to be extremely tough as well, with one thing in particular that I’m really dreading. To tell the truth, part of me doesn’t want to be grateful about anything right now. That is willfulness, and while I don’t like it, this whole year has been a tough slog, and part of me is just ready to say “I’ve had it, do what you want to me, world!” but there’s nothing to be gained with that.
We didn’t make it to church today. I felt sick yesterday and today, and youngest daughter seems to never really be completely over whatever cold she has – sometimes she’ll go a week or two with minimal symptoms, and then something will come up again.
But there are always things to be grateful for, and it’s often when we don’t necessarily feel like being grateful that it’s all the more important to remember to be grateful.
I’m grateful that I had the option of ordering groceries online for pickup, so that I didn’t have to drag a sick toddler through the grocery store.
I’m grateful to the lady who saw I only had a loaf of bread at Aldi, and waved me in front of her.
I’m grateful for friends who listen even when things are not going well.
I’m grateful for things like the “‘Tis the Season Cinema” thing, because it’s been fun to do, and it’s been nice going back and forth discussing the movies.
I’m finishing this on Monday morning… The day begins, and there’s a lot to do. If you would, say a prayer for us.
I found this film through a blog, and it’s pretty good. It’s 39 minutes, so it’s not long. “What Men Live By”.
I found this film through a blog, and it’s pretty good. It’s 39 minutes, so it’s not long. “What Men Live By”.
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Wordle #539
Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!
Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.
Line 1: Nothing here with “braid”.
Line 2: More letters – got a “C”, but in the wrong place.
Line 3: The “C” went into my second-favorite place for it, but it’s interesting that it’s not followed by an “H” or a “T”. The “O” is interesting too… I wonder if it precedes the “C”
Line 4: There are a few words ending in “OCK”, but a lot of the possibilities are already eliminated… What sort of consonant combination might be left?
Line 5: “KN” for “knock”!
Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!
Happy Gaming!
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Songs of the Season – There Was Great Rejoicing/Nova radosť stala
(,,,and not the Monty Python kind!)
Getting back to kolady, I think there are a good number that ought to have a wider audience, though that is often somewhat difficult, as there tend to be issues with finding good versions in English, recording quality, etc.
This is one that I like that I know in English as “There Was Great Rejoicing” although there are at least two more translations that have been published.
There Was Great Rejoicing
There was great rejoicing On this Christmas morning O’er the manger softly glowing The bright star was shining O’er the manger softly glowing The bright star was shining Christ was borne in glory Of the Virgin Mary Let us humbly like the Shepherds Kneel in adoration Let us humbly like the Shepherds Kneel in adoration Angels softly singing Glory, praise proclaiming From the heavens to the manger Praising Christ the Savior From the heavens to the manger Praising Christ the Savior
I *think* that in this version, they sing “From the heavens to the people”, but I left what I know better in here.
And, in Rusyn:
Nova radost’ stala/Нова радость стала In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested. I hope to have some more stuff organized soon!
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Wordle #538
Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!
Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.
Line 1: “Infer” didn’t do too badly! The letters are interesting too – “I” and “R”.
Line 2: Shuffling around a bit. Still the two letters in the wrong places, but if the “I” isn’t in the middle or at the beginning, I wonder if it’s a word with “AI” since that’s much more common than something with “U”. If that’s the case, moving the “R” to the second spot may be a good option.
Line 3: Add “B” to the beginning and “D” to the end and there you have it, “braid”! (Oddly enough, I almost played “plait”, but realized before I played it that it didn’t have the “R” that I needed.
Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!
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Songs of the Season – Sufjan Stevens – Holy, Holy, Holy
The sisters Lily and Madeleine, whose version of “In the Bleak Midwinter” I posted yesterday also have a second “Christmas” song on their channel, a beautiful song called “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
It sounds like a traditional hymn, though I’m not familiar with it. As I read through the comments, it seems like that part was confirmed, but when someone responded that they are familiar with the song being in 4/4 rather than 3/4, I was intrigued, because as musically talented as they are, it doesn’t seem like they arrange music already written.
My suspicions were confirmed, possibly in the next comment down, when somebody answered back that they were doing a cover of Sufjan Stevens’ version of the song.
This was interesting to me because while I’ve never really gotten into Sufjan Stevens’ music, as someone who grew up in Chicago, he got a fair amount of attention for his song “Casimir Pulaski Day” because Pulaski Day is one of those Chicago things that one kind of has to experience to understand.
So, anyway, a more traditional setting of the hymn can be found with this BBC version, and technically, it really isn’t even a Christmas song, but rather a hymn for Trinity Sunday, but I supposed if Sufjan Stevens can change the timing from 4/4 to 3/4, he can put it on his massive, 5-disc Christmas album from 2006.
I think by changing it from a full choir, full orchestra, “triumphant” piece, the way he sings it, it makes for a much different feeling. To me, it feels a bit like a song on a dark winter night, and the two voices are like little candles flickering their light into the darkness. I think this is why it “fits” here for Christmas. (I told you I have a thing for Christmas melancholy!)
In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.
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Songs of the Season – Lily and Madeleine – In the Bleak Midwinter
This is a song that I’ve heard more often as an instrumental than with lyrics, though, ironically, the song was written to fit the poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti. Oddly enough, I remember reading a blog post about Rossetti recently, but I don’t know where now. Ironically, the original name of the poem was “A Christmas Carol”.
In any case, this is a version with the lyrics, sung by two sisters, and it’s simple but amazingly beautiful as well.
“A Christmas Carol” (1872)
In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Our God, heaven cannot hold Him Nor earth sustain, Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter A stable-place sufficed The Lord God Almighty — Jesus Christ. Enough for Him, whom cherubim Worship night and day, A breastful of milk And a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, whom Angels Fall down before, The ox and ass and camel Which adore. Angels and Archangels May have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim Thronged the air; But only His Mother In her maiden bliss Worshipped the Beloved With a kiss. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? — If I were a Shepherd I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man I would do my part, — Yet what I can I give Him, — Give my heart.
So beautiful, yet captures a bit of the melancholy of the season as well.
UPDATE: It was a post from Bluebird of Bitterness commemorating Christina Rossetti’s birthday that I was thinking of!
In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.
If you enjoy my posts, please consider:
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Thank you very much!
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