I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day--My Favorite Christmas Carol

I gave the sibling assignment about writing your thoughts on "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day", since it is my favorite Christmas carol. I wanted to read a special story based on this carol, with a wonderful message, but couldn't figure out a good way to do it. So, here is Plan B.

Oh, and Inland Empire Girl's thoughts are here, and Raymond Pert's are here.

The words to the carol go like this:

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along the unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:

"There is no peace on earth," I said,

"For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men.

"Till, ringing singing, on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

So often, we see such despair and think nothing can go right. As in the verse which says

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Some situations seem out of our control, and we don't think there is any hope at all....but then the next verse has the answer.

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.

This verse tells us there is hope, that, even if our situation seems out of our control, God is in control, and we have hope. We may not understand always why things happen or turn out the way we do, but I need to have hope and faith in something bigger than myself.

And the Creator of the Universe seems a good choice to put my faith and hope and trust in on a daily basis. It works for me!!