The Seventh Carol of Christmas

        We've all heard the popular question, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it still make noise?" Many and varied are the answers given, both lighthearted and scientific, and anyone's intuition can answer the question simply, however, one child's answer has always been my favorite. In a nature magazine question forum where one child asked the question another answered saying, "but of course it makes noise because God is always there to hear it." This simple answer struck me. We can come up with scientific retorts all we want but in the end, the question is non-existent because God is always present to hear every tree that ever falls.

 John Rutter is probably my favorite contemporary choral composer. Last year I shared with you all my favorite of his Christmas works, "What Sweeter Music," and this year I thought I'd share another very high on my list, "The Shepherd's Pipe Carol."
   
    In this lively song, the narrator speaks of hearing a shepherd boy merrily caroling on the way to Bethlehem. He asks the boy why he sings so merrily since no one will hear him, but the boy replies that though none will hear him, he will continue to carol as it will be a lullaby for the newborn King. The identity of the narrator is then revealed as one of the Shepherds in the scriptural account as he then asks for permission to accompany the boy to Bethlehem since He was met by Angels in the fields telling him to seek out a newborn King.
  I love the message brought by Rutter....in the words of the Shepherd boy,