2019 Christmas Card - A Christmas Wish

It may seem a bit odd that I'm posting my 2019 Christmas card right after Halloween. Well, there's a good reason that I’m pushing up the beginning of the Christmas season this year. You see, I’m scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery in a few days, on November 4^th, 2019. Hopefully, my recovery will not take much time, but you never know how these things will go. God probably has more of a race for me to run, but when He does call me home, I hope you’ll celebrate my new situation. Right this moment, however, I’m celebrating the creative gifts God has blessed me with as I publish my 2019 Christmas card. It’s coming out early because I’ll be recovering for 6 to 8 weeks. As usual, come find me if you want an actual paper version of the Christmas card.

Here is the electronic version. Merry Christmas.

A Christmas Wish

By David Alan Hoag - October 15, 2019
(Sung to A Whole New World, from Aladdin)
(Apologies to Alan Menken and Tim Rice)

You can have a new life
Loving, joyful; with purpose
You can exit the circus
And leave that old life behind.

There’s a light in this world
Calling you to a new start
Reimagining your part
In a life to be reborn.

A Christmas wish
A non-commercial holiday
No need to shop in malls
Or deck the halls
Or wear an ugly sweater

A Christmas wish
A season greeting you can say
Welcome the Christ Child in
And die to sin
For God has come to birth a brand new day

Just let go of the weight
All your sins, so unsavory
Jesus frees you from slavery
To pursue a brand new life.

A Christmas wish
It’s not a decorated tree
It’s like the light of day
Chased fears away
The world is made brand new for you and me.

A Christmas wish
A wish that never will be done
A wish that when unfurled
Is for the world
God has sent this wish to everyone

A Christmas wish
How can this be?
A baby’s birth
Brings peace on earth
For you and me

This season, I pray that you see past the commercial spectacle
that the world touts as Christmas, and discover the promise of
a life embracing the message of Jesus.
I love sharing Christmas with you! Merry Christmas!

Dave Hoag

2018 Christmas Card - A Merry Christmas

Well, it looks like this will be another year where I get my annual Christmas card onto the blog early. Of course, early for me is any time before Christmas Eve. As usual, if you want one of my cards in all its paper glory, you will either have to get one from me in real life, or request that I email you the Word file so you can print, fold, and hold it in your hands. Unbelievably, I still stubbornly send these cards out via snail mail to a select few... when I can get my address database, printer, and the Post Office to all work together at the same time.

Here is the electronic version. Merry Christmas.

A Christmas Message

by David Alan Hoag  -  December 18, 1979

Only the children,
And young ones at that,
Believe in the man
With the red suit, who’s fat.

But now you can know
In your heart that I’m real,
And not just a figment
Of some merchant’s zeal.

For down from the pole
I come, yearly, unswerving,
To make an appearance
To those quite deserving.

And what should I see
From my sleigh as I flew?
But the fact that there’s
No one deserving like you!

For, your normal habit
Of sharing and giving,
Keeps Christmas a season
That’s vibrant and living.

So stay glad of heart,
And spread Christmas all year.
…From the man with the beard
…And eight tiny reindeer.

Back in 1979, the people I worked with all chipped in to buy
our secretary a much needed watch. It was placed in her car
where she could find it, along with this poem. Is there
someone who needs YOUR compassionate help, some
encouragement, or just a kind word this Christmas season?

Merry Christmas to You!

I pray this Christmas season bring you
love, peace, and uncontainable joy
to fill your heart, and New Year, too!

Dave  Hoag

 

So Will I

This song, “So Will I” by Joel Houston, Benjamin Hastings, and Michael Fatkin is such a wonderful worship song! It invites us to worship with the whole of creation. Every time I hear this song, I have images playing in my head… this video by Hope Community Church does a great good job of reflecting my imagination. Enjoy.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave



Oh, if you want the lyrics, here they are:

So Will I (100 Billion Times)

Hillsong United

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
So will I
So will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

Songwriters: Joel Houston, Benjamin Hastings, Michael Fatkin

© CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP

For non-commercial use only.