This morning we sang “Once in Royal David’s City” a song that, ironically, I learned in 7th grade at a private school where I was surrounded by quite wealthy, mostly Jewish people. I got a scholarship and was bussed in from the poor neighborhood to one of the best schools in the state.
I owe a lot to Graland Country Day School. My hardest two years of school, even including college, my master’s degree, and my doctoral classes, were 7th and 8th grade. It was there that I was pushed to excel academically -- challenged beyond my abilities sometimes. I had 3-4 hours of homework a night and I did it. I found myself frustrated and yet remember even then being happy not to be bored in school.
I moved on from there to a couple other private schools and then graduated from West High School at my request. But those 7th and 8th grade years really prepared me for the rest of my life. It was those kinds of risks that my parents took -- to push me into uncomfortable territory -- that made me who I am today. I hope I can live up to the potential they saw in me.
In reading these lyrics, isn’t it odd that I learned them from the same people who taught me songs about Dradles?
Once in royal David's city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven,
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor, the scorned, the lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.
And, through all his wondrous childhood,
he would honor and obey,
love and watch the lowly maiden
in whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be
mild, obedient, good as he.
For he is our childhood's pattern,
day by day like us he grew;
he was little, weak and helpless,
tears and smiles like us he knew.
and he feeleth for our sadness,
and he shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love;
for that Child who seemed so helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing round,
we shall see him; but in heaven,
set at God's right hand on high;
when like stars his children crowned,
all in white shall wait around.
I owe a lot to Graland Country Day School. My hardest two years of school, even including college, my master’s degree, and my doctoral classes, were 7th and 8th grade. It was there that I was pushed to excel academically -- challenged beyond my abilities sometimes. I had 3-4 hours of homework a night and I did it. I found myself frustrated and yet remember even then being happy not to be bored in school.
I moved on from there to a couple other private schools and then graduated from West High School at my request. But those 7th and 8th grade years really prepared me for the rest of my life. It was those kinds of risks that my parents took -- to push me into uncomfortable territory -- that made me who I am today. I hope I can live up to the potential they saw in me.
In reading these lyrics, isn’t it odd that I learned them from the same people who taught me songs about Dradles?
Once in royal David's city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven,
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor, the scorned, the lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.
And, through all his wondrous childhood,
he would honor and obey,
love and watch the lowly maiden
in whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be
mild, obedient, good as he.
For he is our childhood's pattern,
day by day like us he grew;
he was little, weak and helpless,
tears and smiles like us he knew.
and he feeleth for our sadness,
and he shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love;
for that Child who seemed so helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing round,
we shall see him; but in heaven,
set at God's right hand on high;
when like stars his children crowned,
all in white shall wait around.
