November 6, 2005 2:33 PM
Thanksgiving Hymns
First of all, I have to admit I am prejudiced when it comes to hymns. Praise songs are okay, but to me they seem more based on feelings. Hymns have feelings too ;) - but they are so packed with the tenets of our faith that for me they pack a double whammy.
When I was homeschooling a large crowd, we began each morning with hymns. Since no one played piano, we sang a capella (or as my younger kids always said, Alcapulco). Today, even though I'm at best a mediocre singer,my kids are all sensational. When people ask how they got such good voices, we always tell them we sang hymns each morning. God was gracious in return.
When our church bought new hymnals, we bought ten of the old ones so there would always be plenty to go around (our family now includes 12 children, 2 sons-in-law and 9 grandchldren and is still growing, so maybe we should have bought more). But today, you can find any hymn you want at Cyberhymnal - with a history, associated Bible verse, all lyrics, and the melody plunked out so you can sing along at your computer.
In early November, we begin singing our special Thanksgiving hymns. We all memorized them way back when and through the years they've provided a rich backdrop to Thanksgiving, just as carols do for Christmas. Also an excellent way to add meaning to a celebration with nonbelieving relatives.
Click on each of these for the lyrics and music:
We Plow the Fields and Scatter
I hope you have the time to read and sing these wonderful hymns. Gather your kids around the computer to learn their histories and sing the verses together. Do it every day at least for a while - your kids will love it, and soon you'll hear them humming away as they do their work.
By the way, our family hymn - which we always close with and which was part of Jasmine's wedding - is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. You might want to choose or ask God to help you choose a family hymn - one that's emblematic of how your family began, what you stand for, your vision and utmost prayer.
Posted in Big families, Family, Holidays, Music, Thanksgiving | Permalink
Comments
I totally agree!! Wonderful! Love, Jeani
Posted by: Jeani | November 6, 2005 7:45 PM
I love the idea of a family song time. We've started doing this each day and it is one of the best things we have ever done. I help keep time with the maraca while we go through the songs we are learning - and then each kid gets to pick a favorite and use the maraca on their song. I thought about getting them each a noisemaker, but it gets a little chaotic that way and I want them to focus on the singing - plus I also want to keep a good rhythm going. We don't do hymns, but I choose the choruses that are straight Scripture - there are so many of those, and it is a fun way to learn some new verses.
Posted by: Lydia | November 6, 2005 7:58 PM
that's a cool idea, Barbara, to have a family hymn...thanks for the idea!
just recently became interested in hymns through a group called indelible grace....
Posted by: terry | November 6, 2005 9:23 PM
One of our favorite hymns is "Come Thou Fount." It was also the hymn that got me interested in learning hymns. I first heard it while watching the movie "Love Comes Softly." Our family hymn is "Bringing in the Sheaves" because we began homeshooling at Thanksgiving time 6 years ago and named our homeschool "Harvest Christian Academy."
Posted by: Mrs. Happy Housewife | November 7, 2005 1:07 PM
I learned all these hymns you mentioned in your post when I was just a little girl.I can still sing by memory all the verses to all of them. I had to sing We Plow the Fields and Scatter by memory in front of the school class one year!
Posted by: mrs darling | November 7, 2005 11:56 PM
I can also remember so many of the verses of the old hymns I learned while growing up. I think that is such a treasure to give your children, to fill their memories with those words.
Posted by: Julana | November 8, 2005 10:00 AM
I love hymns! My husband and I both have hymnbooks from the churches in which we grew up, and my husband used to play organ for churches as a teen (dying breed!) so we have his organ. I'm thinking of how I can fit it into a more central spot than our office room, where it is now.
I really want my daughter to grow up with the beautiful poetry of the hymns I've loved all my life.
Posted by: Allie | November 8, 2005 3:37 PM
sometimes, on the rare times at church when the praise team breaks for "traditional hymn" I sing them with the book closed and my face up and forward. I see the notes and staffs in my mind. (Who made the decision we've all come to accept that song lyrics are to be projected on a big screen with NO NOTES?!) I was so blessed to be immersed in hymns as a child, but it has been many years. I know the words without looking for they are deep in my heart. And they come forth fresh and new at the first chord...
Posted by: floorplan | November 8, 2005 3:56 PM
