The Prompt: Follow this website: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/ Now pick a hymn and write a short story about why the author wrote that song.
From the list of hymns to choose from, I went under "B" (since that's what my first name begins with) and chose "Be a Ray of Sunshine" by Anna B. Russell. That was the first one that stood out to me that did not already have a story behind it. Lyrics are here http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/r/beraysun.htm
The author wanted to stress the line "Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go." I think she thought this was important for two reasons. First, she wanted to bring some hope into the world. She was born in 1917, so she probably lived through the Great Depression, World War II, the 60's, and Vietnam. Any of those time periods could have been bleak and overwhelming. With so much sadness and hopelessness around her, she probably wanted to write something cheerful.
Russell sat down at her desk and thought about all the things that would make this world a better place to live, maybe they were things she did herself that she knew brought happiness. They could have also been things that she just wished she could do more, such things as "make yourself a blessing every passing day" or "kind words cost but little."
The author could have also been inspired by the Bible passage about light found in Matthew 5:14-16. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Perhaps Russell was reading in her Bible one day, searching for a comforting passage, when she stumbled across this verse. She observed that not many of her Christian friends were showing the light of Christ, so she wrote "Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go, shining for the Savior with a steady glow." After Russell was satisfied with her hymn, she could have presented it to her church that Sunday.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Day 3: The Navity
Prompt: You are standing in the manger scene. What do you hear and smell?
"Alright, everyone, please stay together. I don't want anyone to get lost."
I quickly snapped another picture before I followed our tour guide. "I can't believe the Mary and Joseph actually walked on the same ground I am walking," I thought in wonder to myself. Bethlehem was even more amazing than I had imagined.
"And this," our tour guide continued in her knowledgeable tone, "is believed to be the very place where Jesus was born."
I eagerly looked beyond the people that were in fornt of me and strained to catch a glimpse of the birthsite. It was a small, dark-looking cave, showing obvious signs of several different renovations.
"I'll just stop here to let you ponder about this spot a few moments."
I patiently waited for the fellow tourists in front of me to move on so I could get a close look inside the cave. "Mary must have been awfully cramped giving birth inside of that," I thought as I gazed inside.
I then started to imagine what it all must have been like on that night over two millenniums ago. I'll bet the cave floor felt cold and damp. Maybe Joseph had to start a tiny fire to keep them warm. The smoke must have irritated them. However, a breeze might have been blowing to help carry some of that smoke out. A welcome breeze from God to help ease Mary's delivery. She must have felt so scared and worried. Would she be a good enough mother to God's Son?
I'm sure the stench from the animals didn't help very much. Horses, cows, and sheep, all huddled together for hours (maybe even days). Who knows when they were last taken care of with the innkeeper so busy with all of his guests. Maybe Joseph helped care for them as a way to show appreciation to the innkeeper for letting them stay there.
"After Jesus was born, they probably laid Him in a manger that looked something like that," I pointed out the replica manger to myself. Straw might be coarse and itchy to the skin, but I'm sure if was better than lying directly on the wood. Did God keep the animals quiet during that time, to let Jesus get some sleep, or did He enjoy letting His Father's creations lull Him. Wouldn't it be really if the animals did talk on that first Christmas, even just a few words?
"Now, over this way we have..." My tour guide's voice snapped me to reality. Smiling, I took one last look at the scene before I jogged to catch up with my group.
"Alright, everyone, please stay together. I don't want anyone to get lost."
I quickly snapped another picture before I followed our tour guide. "I can't believe the Mary and Joseph actually walked on the same ground I am walking," I thought in wonder to myself. Bethlehem was even more amazing than I had imagined.
"And this," our tour guide continued in her knowledgeable tone, "is believed to be the very place where Jesus was born."
I eagerly looked beyond the people that were in fornt of me and strained to catch a glimpse of the birthsite. It was a small, dark-looking cave, showing obvious signs of several different renovations.
"I'll just stop here to let you ponder about this spot a few moments."
I patiently waited for the fellow tourists in front of me to move on so I could get a close look inside the cave. "Mary must have been awfully cramped giving birth inside of that," I thought as I gazed inside.
I then started to imagine what it all must have been like on that night over two millenniums ago. I'll bet the cave floor felt cold and damp. Maybe Joseph had to start a tiny fire to keep them warm. The smoke must have irritated them. However, a breeze might have been blowing to help carry some of that smoke out. A welcome breeze from God to help ease Mary's delivery. She must have felt so scared and worried. Would she be a good enough mother to God's Son?
I'm sure the stench from the animals didn't help very much. Horses, cows, and sheep, all huddled together for hours (maybe even days). Who knows when they were last taken care of with the innkeeper so busy with all of his guests. Maybe Joseph helped care for them as a way to show appreciation to the innkeeper for letting them stay there.
"After Jesus was born, they probably laid Him in a manger that looked something like that," I pointed out the replica manger to myself. Straw might be coarse and itchy to the skin, but I'm sure if was better than lying directly on the wood. Did God keep the animals quiet during that time, to let Jesus get some sleep, or did He enjoy letting His Father's creations lull Him. Wouldn't it be really if the animals did talk on that first Christmas, even just a few words?
"Now, over this way we have..." My tour guide's voice snapped me to reality. Smiling, I took one last look at the scene before I jogged to catch up with my group.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Day 2: Confessions of a Pharisee
Day 2: Describe how a Pharisee saw Jesus standing on the steps of the temple. What did he see and hear? Use all the senses.
I had just been in the middle of my third prayer that day to the Almighty Lord, Ruler of all, when I saw him. Actually, I didn't see him right away. Someone bumped into me while trying to see him while I was praying.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, you ruffian! You could have ruined my best robe." I dusted it off and carefully inspected it for any marks.
"I'm s-s-sorry, sir," the young boy stammered. He backed up a cautiously for a couple feet then turned around and continued running towards the temple.
It was then that I had become aware of the crowd gathering. Dozens of people were hastily following the boy's path. I was amazed that I could have even droned out this noise before. There were shouts of joy and desperation. The voices that mingled together made it impossible for me to think anymore, and more people were coming all the time.
"Do you see Him yet?" a young woman asked as she strained to see above the crowd.
"No," said a man, presumably her husband. "Let's move in closer."
"I hope we haven't missed too much of His teaching."
I was confused about who this man was that the crowd was hurrying to see. I doubted that it was the High Priest. I followed the throng of people and took advantage of my right to push my way through them. The closer I got to the temple, the thicker the people became. Soon I had to literally shove men out of my way to get closer. Their clothing felt coarse and damp, probably from the heat of the day. The sun had been beating over my head for a good fifteen minutes now. I was repulsed when my fingers went through some holes of one person's clothes as I was making my way through. His skin felt moist and wrinkled. I turned to see an old man with a crutch struggling to get off the ground. Other people were helping him.
A voice started to tower above the rest. It was loud yet mellow, powerful yet subdued. There was a certain warmth in it that I couldn't recognize, a warmth that comforted me in a way nothing had ever done before. I shook off the feeling and moved in closer to see this speaker. The sharp stench of sweat, disease, and the beggars was almost unbearable, but I pressed on. The voice got louder and louder, and I could finally start making out what he was saying. It was something about loving other people like yourselves. I wasn't sure what that even meant.
Then I saw him. He was dressed in average clothes. He did not possess any stunning good looks or other features. His face looked lean and worn, as if he hadn't eaten very much or slept in a while. Despite his weariness, he seemed animated as he spoke, captivating everyone including myself. Then his eyes locked on mine. They were a soft brown. It is difficult to describe what I saw in them. It was as if all the love, joy, hurt, pain, and hope in the world were wrapped up in one. I even detected a sparkle in them. But they were also piercing. I felt like he was penetrating the depths of my soul. I stood fixated. I couldn't move away from his gaze if I tried. It was the worst feeling in the world. All other noises were in the distance. Then he turned his head to look at someone else. I shook my head and started studying my surroundings again. There were one, two, three...twelve men near to him. Then it occurred to me.
"This is that Jesus fellow that everyone has been talking about." My eyes turned cold. "The fraud. He's trying to put us out of a job." I stalked away with a big huff. I never did forget those eyes. They have haunted me ever since.
I had just been in the middle of my third prayer that day to the Almighty Lord, Ruler of all, when I saw him. Actually, I didn't see him right away. Someone bumped into me while trying to see him while I was praying.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, you ruffian! You could have ruined my best robe." I dusted it off and carefully inspected it for any marks.
"I'm s-s-sorry, sir," the young boy stammered. He backed up a cautiously for a couple feet then turned around and continued running towards the temple.
It was then that I had become aware of the crowd gathering. Dozens of people were hastily following the boy's path. I was amazed that I could have even droned out this noise before. There were shouts of joy and desperation. The voices that mingled together made it impossible for me to think anymore, and more people were coming all the time.
"Do you see Him yet?" a young woman asked as she strained to see above the crowd.
"No," said a man, presumably her husband. "Let's move in closer."
"I hope we haven't missed too much of His teaching."
I was confused about who this man was that the crowd was hurrying to see. I doubted that it was the High Priest. I followed the throng of people and took advantage of my right to push my way through them. The closer I got to the temple, the thicker the people became. Soon I had to literally shove men out of my way to get closer. Their clothing felt coarse and damp, probably from the heat of the day. The sun had been beating over my head for a good fifteen minutes now. I was repulsed when my fingers went through some holes of one person's clothes as I was making my way through. His skin felt moist and wrinkled. I turned to see an old man with a crutch struggling to get off the ground. Other people were helping him.
A voice started to tower above the rest. It was loud yet mellow, powerful yet subdued. There was a certain warmth in it that I couldn't recognize, a warmth that comforted me in a way nothing had ever done before. I shook off the feeling and moved in closer to see this speaker. The sharp stench of sweat, disease, and the beggars was almost unbearable, but I pressed on. The voice got louder and louder, and I could finally start making out what he was saying. It was something about loving other people like yourselves. I wasn't sure what that even meant.
Then I saw him. He was dressed in average clothes. He did not possess any stunning good looks or other features. His face looked lean and worn, as if he hadn't eaten very much or slept in a while. Despite his weariness, he seemed animated as he spoke, captivating everyone including myself. Then his eyes locked on mine. They were a soft brown. It is difficult to describe what I saw in them. It was as if all the love, joy, hurt, pain, and hope in the world were wrapped up in one. I even detected a sparkle in them. But they were also piercing. I felt like he was penetrating the depths of my soul. I stood fixated. I couldn't move away from his gaze if I tried. It was the worst feeling in the world. All other noises were in the distance. Then he turned his head to look at someone else. I shook my head and started studying my surroundings again. There were one, two, three...twelve men near to him. Then it occurred to me.
"This is that Jesus fellow that everyone has been talking about." My eyes turned cold. "The fraud. He's trying to put us out of a job." I stalked away with a big huff. I never did forget those eyes. They have haunted me ever since.
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