The Forgotten Carols

Our favorite Christmas tradition is attending Michael McLean's The Forgotten Carols. It's a musical production with a story about those Christmas carols that may have been forgotten about. There's the song that Joseph, Mary, the Innkeeper, the shepherds, the angels, and the Wise Men would have sung if they had a carol to sing about the part they played in the birth of our Savior. It's an amazing production and just gets better for me every year. We attended the show a week and a half ago and loved it, as always! It's just refreshing to slow down from the rush of everything this month and spend a night reminded WHY we celebrate Christmas. The birth of our Savior is a beautiful story, but it's more than that. I know it really happened. I know that Christ came to Earth to live for us, to be an example of selfless love, to suffer, bleed, and die for us. And I know He lives today and will come again. And that knowledge brings me great joy!

One of my favorite songs of all time happens to come from The Forgotten Carols. It's entitled "What I Need"

All I ever wanted, all I ever dreamed of, everything I hoped,

and all the things I prayed for couldn't hold a candle to what I've been given.

I've been given what I need.

A mansion on a hill, a love like in the movies,

perfect little dreams where no one has a problem;
Instead of all those things I thought I really wanted,

I've been given what I need.

Even when I didn't understand, when I thought you had no heart.

Thank for you objecting my demands and always giving me the better part.

All I ever wanted, all I ever dreamed of, everything I hoped,

and all the things I prayed for couldn't hold a candle to what I've been given.

I've been given what I need.

Because I listen to The Forgotten Carols CD every day through out December and often through out the year as well, I get a chance to listen to this song often. And each time I hear it, I'm humbled. I feel so grateful that Heavenly Father hasn't given me a perfect life, that I have trials to face day in and day out. Those trials have given me character and have made me a stronger person.

Particularly this last year, as Wade has been searching for a job, it's been frustrating, yet humbling that he hasn't found one yet. He's been turned down again and again and half the time, it's because they're closing the position after all and aren't going to hire anybody because of the bad economy. What I want is for my husband to land a great job. But what the Lord knows I need is to learn patience and to live according to His will, not mine. So Wade and I will continue fasting and praying, and we'll let you know if and when we have good news to share.