Christmas Eve Music

Last night I finished editing my Christmas Eve music for this year. Each year I compose a vocal piece which then illustrates my sermon message. Some years I have reached back and reused an old one but this year's will be original.

At last Tuesday's Worship Team meeting our Music Director asked if my music was ready and did I want her to sing it this year (as she did last year). I said, "Yes, I wrote it with you in mind." Now the song is made up of a short musical comment from Joseph to baby Jesus and then another from Mary. At the end the two melodies are sung together. I had planned on singing the Joseph part but, "Praise the Lord," Jen's husband will be home for Christmas on leave from his deployment in Afghanistan. I asked her if he might be willing to sing the Joseph part. She immediately replied, "Yes, of course he will! I'll make sure that he does!" All this enthusiasm for music she hasn't even seen yet. I felt complimented (which is not a common thing with musicians!).

In any case the music is now finished and printed out more or less legibly on my MusicTime Deluxe computer program. Unlike some years, when I feel I have tried too hard to make my music too elaborate, this year's piece is short, simple and elegant...sort of like the Christmas story in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. I can't wait to hear Jen and Jaime sing it together. After all the miles and all the dangers of the past eight months of separation just having them stand up together in worship will be more sweet than the music itself.