Christmas Hymns

When I was a little girl, about six years old, my parents started me on clarinet lessons.
I don't ever remember asking to play the clarinet, but maybe I did. At any rate, my parents wanted me to have lessons and I began taking lessons from a sweet older lady with the name of Gloreen.

The actual book we played out of...

Gloreen's favorite Christmas hymn was "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day"...she LOVED this
song. Every Christmas I dreaded going for lessons because she wanted to play it, not just once, but one time for every verse and there are at least five. This made no sense to me. We weren't singing the verses, we were playing the song. Looking back, I realize that because she loved this song, she probably heard the verses in her head as we played. For years, I HATED this song. Isn't that funny?

After many years, at least 20....I now love this song. I look forward to the Christmas season and hearing this song. I miss my hours of playing clarinets with Gloreen. I miss seeing her house all decorated for Christmas. I miss the hours she spent teaching me how to make yummy desserts like fudge, oyster crackers and fancy mints. Traditions that I have brought to my own family now.

The song page we played from...

Today, Gloreen is up in Heaven. Perhaps she is singing with the angels or directing some little orchestra made up to please the Lord.

All I know is that when I hear, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day, I see my sweet clarinet teacher's face, I hear my squeaky clarinet playing, I taste her yummy Christmas treats, I feel my cold clarinet in my hands and I breath in deeply of the love that went into those lessons that I didn't appreciate until it was too late.....

I hope you enjoy this...when you know the background, the song becomes even more alive...you can read it at the beginning....


Till next time...

Have a blessed day and embrace the craziness in your life!

Heidi