Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella,
Bring a torch, to the cradle run!
It is Jesus, good folk of the villiage;
Christ is born and Mary's calling;
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the Mother!
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is her Child!
Hasten now, and tell all the neighbors;
Hasten now the stable and see.
You will find him asleep in the manger;
Quietly come and whisper softly,
Ah! Ah! Peacefully now he's sleeping.
Ah! Ah! Do not disturb his dreams.
It is wrong when the Baby is sleeping
It is wrong to talk so loud;
Silence, all as you gather around him.
Lest your voices waken Jesus.
Hush! Hush! See how the Babe is sleeping!
Hush! Hush! Beautiful Little Child
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Softly come to the little stable.
Softly for a moment come;
Look and see the beautiful Jesus
He is so fare, his cheeks are rosey!
Ah! Ah! See how the child is sleeping;
Ah! Ah! See how he smiles in his dreams.
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Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle
Un flambeau, courons au berceau!
C'est Jésus, bonnes gens du hameau,
Le Christ est né, Marie appelle,
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que la mère est belle,
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que l'enfant est beau!
C'est un tort quand l'Enfant sommeille,
C'est un tort de crier si fort.
Taisez-vous, l'un et l'autre, d'abord!
Au moindre bruit, Jésus s'éveille,
Chut! Chut! Chut! Il dort à merveille,
Chut! Chut! Chut! Voyez comme Il dort!
Doucement, dans l'étable close,
Doucement, venez un moment!
Approchez, que Jésus est charmant!
Comme Il est blanc, comme Il est rose!
Do! Do! Do! Que l'Enfant repose!
Do! Do! Do! Qu'IL rit en dormant!
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One time, not long before Christmas the pastor of our small rural church was preaching about the birth of Christ.
He was telling all about how Mary gave birth out in the dirty animal shed, not even a barn, and how she was far from home
and in very poor circumstance. I looked over and noticed my friend Margie starting to bristle. Pastor went on to say
that the swaddling clothes they wrapped the baby in were old dirty rags that they used to wipe the sweat off the animals.
Poor Margie couldnt take any more! She said, right out loud, "There Were Women!"
Later, after the sermon was over, Margie explained that there was no way baby Jesus was not planned for, and loved
and cherished and cared for as we women care for all babies. Yes, the Bible
says "manger" and "swaddling clothes", but think about it. What do you do the minute someone says "baby"?
Grab the knitting needles? Run to the Baby Department for a special gift? Go through the box of your
most treasured posessions and say, "I wonder if he could use this?" How could the women of Bethlehem
have reacted any differently? I am sure the women came. Hurrying, like they did in this song, to see the beautiful new baby.
Margie says, "As women, one of our jobs is to welcome babies," I know if a baby was born in a stable today, Margie would be
there with a quilt. That is why I knit, during my daughter's soccer practice. I make tiny hats. Newborn size. When I finish one, I start on the
next, so I am sure to have one ready if a baby is born. In a way, I'm knitting for Jesus, because
"whatever you do for another baby, you do for me." Okay, Mathew 25:40 doesn't say that exactly, but thats okay.
I always pray for the baby and pour lots of love into the knitting. Babies born these days need our prayers.
I guess that has always been the case. It really does take a village to raise a child.
They don't show in the
typical manger scene, probably because they are all out back by the cooking fires, knitting like crazy, but always remember,
"There were Women!"
Pattern for Baby Hat and Blanket
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