It's November. This is the month I've been both pushing to get to, seeing it as a summit, and also the month I've been dreading to come, a little sad about the view from the top once reached. It has been a full and busy fall with lots of plans and goals as well as many unexpected surprises. I've backed way off the blogging in an effort to spend time where it really needed to be spent this autumn. And now November is here. Today we dropped off our newest missionary at the Provo MTC and I'm feeling so many emotions I just can't give words to them all. Let's just say that I left a part of my heart in Provo and I'm really feeling it tonight. Even though this is the best decision my son could possibly have made and I am so proud, pleased and full of hope, faith, and gratitude, it's still a little hard to live with it.
As the calendar days have passed I've been looking forward to listening to my November Playlist. After arriving home from the MTC and feeling the need for some grace in my thoughts, I put on David Tolk's appropriately named album Grace which is my newest November Playlist addition.
The music was soothing and filling and then finally releasing. "I Need Thee Every Hour" broke the dam and I had a good, hard, mournful, grateful, prayerful cry.
Raising children is something of a paradox. You nurture and nourish, teach and train, love and lead, and give your whole soul to helping these children of God realize and reach their potential only to feel a little bit sad when they actually do. Wait. Success brings sadness?
It's just that you love these children so much and you love being a mother so much that you'd gladly hit replay and go through everything over and over again so you could hold on to every happy, hard, sweet, trying, silly, bewildering, wonderful moment with these amazing people you've been blessed to bring into the world and hold hands with.
Thank God for motherhood! The privilege! The challenge! The journey! The joy!
I've spent some time this past week seeking additions to my November playlist and I found a "new" song (new to me) that has my heart stirring. "Homeward Bound," written by Marta Keen Thompson, is a very powerful, very emotional, very meaningful song. I've thought so much about it, both when I'm listening to it, and when I'm not. I've listened to several different arrangements and performances, but my favorite so far is by BYU's Vocal Point combined with the All-American Boys Choir.
I think there are many messages and possible interpretations in these lyrics, all of them profound. My first thoughts were of my children and how they need to find their own missions in life and not be chained to whatever my issues or plans are. I have always been an independent person myself and I understand that urge to forge and seek and find my own way on the open road. As insanely hard as it is, it is absolutely right for my children to grow up and be who they want and need to be. This doesn't mean a severing of ties or a dissolving of the family; the road that leads away from home is not one way.
Of course, my thoughts always turn to education, and specifically homeschooling, and how it should facilitate these higher ideals. With a son currently serving a mission and another preparing to go, the growth I see in both of them as the mature and become their own men is amazing. It is ever so hard to say goodbye, but how it would hurt them if I bound them to my pasture and didn't let them go where they needed and were supposed to go. It's both my pleasure and my pain to prepare them as best I can for whatever journeys lay ahead.
Second, I thought of the Plan of Salvation and how each of us leaves our Heavenly Home to find and fulfill our earthly missions and callings. I wonder if I leaped from my Celestial moorings with too much anticipation to look back longingly, or if I turned to wave and sigh and take a mental picture, hoping I'd get back someday.
Bryce Haymond has many other musings on the meaning of "Homeward Bound" that are worth reading and thinking about. Other meaningful musings come from those who had a hand in putting Vocal Point's arrangement and video together (see video below). In the end, I hope we are all homeward bound, metaphorically, spiritually, and in reality. This song makes me thankful for agency, for growth, for music, and for the ability to see and understand truth.
We listen to a lot of music at our house. During December (and often November or even October!) Christmas music is almost constant on the stereo. We love the sounds of the season and everyone keeps rotating in their favorite CDs in the CD changer and singing along as we go about our day. The past couple of years, however, I’ve sought to create a November playlist to specifically reflect and enhance the kind of thoughts and feelings I want to have in my heart this time of year. As much as I love Christmas, I don’t want Thanksgiving overlooked.
I’d like to share some of my favorite songs for November with you. In many cases you will likely already know the song, but I’ll tell you my favorite arrangements and performers as well.
Traditional
“All Creatures of Our God and King”— Paul Cardall has a lovely, peaceful piano arrangement. I love Stephen Sharp Nelson’s percussive cello performance. The upbeat a capella harmonies of the Eclipse 6 version are nice. And for an absolutely joyful rendition that makes one glad, electric guitar and all, check out West Coast Revival’s recording.
“For the Beauty of the Earth”—John Rutter, a brilliant British composer and conductor, has a beautiful arrangement performed by the City of London Sinfonia and the Cambridge Singers. Cantus does a stirring a capella version that is reminiscent of monastic music. John Schmidt’s piano arrangement is classically beautiful. And David Tolk combines this hymn with “Beautiful Savior” to make a happy, hopeful medley.
“All Things Bright and Beautiful” —Michael O’Brien’s recording featuring Joseph O’Brien is full of praise. John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers delight with another arrangement.
“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”—For an instrumental version, you cannot beat the reverent but fervent longing in Paul Cardall’s arrangement. Two good but very different a capella performances are from BYU Vocal Point and Insideout A Capella (the latter having a lot more bass).
“Simple Gifts”—This Shaker hymn is the epitome of gratitude to me. I love the Piano Guys’ reggae medley combining this and “Over the Rainbow” for a happy, thankful, feel-good song. Aaron Copland’s rousing orchestration of it as a part of his Appalachian Spring is, to be sure, more spring-y than fall-y, but it’s great music. The 5 Browns give a nice classical piano performance. Cantus sings a fantastic a capella version.
“Shenandoah”—Not really a song of thankgiving, but I love, love this stirring traditional folk song so much, and for some reason I like it even more in November. Peter Hollens sings it so fantastically that he’s my number one pick to listen to. If you like jazz, the Julian Waterfall Pollack Trio plays a truly delightful, carefree arrangement.
Seasonal
“Thankful”—Sung by Josh Groban
“Thanksgiving”—George Winston
“Colors/Dance”—George Winston
“Before the Last Leaf Falls”—David Lanz
“Leaves on the Seine”—David Lanz
“Gratitude” by Paul Cardall is the instrumental version of his vocal “Grateful.” “Grateful” is peppier and full of praise, while “Gratitude” is quietly reflective. I like them both.
Because
“Homeward Bound”—Written by Marta Keen Thompson and performed by BYU Vocal Point, this moving piece sounds like a traditional folk song but isn’t very old. Full of meaning and emotion, this is an amazing song.
“More Than the World”—Sung by Mindy Gledhill, this is not a Thanksgiving song per se, but it is about where happiness really comes from. The lyrics are incredibly poetic, the music perfectly compliments it, and I love it.
“Pictures at an Exhibition”—While original composer Mussorgsky is responsible for the main melody, The Piano Guys’ adapted arrangement finished what Mussorgsky started. This song is on my November playlist because it is so beautiful it makes me unspeakably thankful to be alive and able to hear.
I'm too tired to link everything. Sorry. But I'll add some videos of a few of these songs below. The video portions aren't much, but turn up your volume.
P.S. I wrote most of this earlier today but didn't have time to finish and post. I had to leave for a few hours and when I got home my kids had the stereo cranked with Christmas music. What'd I tell ya?
A few years ago I wrote a homeschooler's version of the Thanksgiving hymn "Come, Ye Thankful People." Originally published in LDSNHA's The Sentinel, it's been a good, long time since I've read it. Proverbially dusting it off today I was reminded of the specific blessings of homeschooling that I am especially thankful for.
