The Elf's Workshop

[elf]

For Lily of Archenland, a Christmas poem:

THE SHEPHERD'S SONG
EDMUND BOLTON

Sweet music, sweeter far
Than any song is sweet:
Sweet music, heavenly rare,
Mine ears, O peers, doth greet.
You gentle flocks, whose fleeces pearled with dew,
Resemble heaven, whom golden drops make bright,
Listen, O listen, now, O not to you
Our pipes make sport to shorten weary night:
But voices most divine
Make blissful harmony:
Voices that seem to shine,
For what else clears the sky?
Tunes can we hear, but not the singers see,
The tunes divine, and so the singers be.

Lo, how the firmament
Within an azure fold
The flock of stars hath pent,
That we might them behold,
Yet from their beams proceedeth not this light,
Nor can their crystals such reflection give.
What then doth make the element so bright?
The heavens are come down upon earth to live
But hearken to the song,
Glory to glory's King,
And peace all men among,
These quiristers do sing.
Angels they are, as also (shepherds) He
Whom in our fear we do admire to see.

Let not amazement blind
Your souls, said he, annoy:
To you and all mankind
My message bringeth joy.
For lo! the world's great Shepherd now is born,
A blessed Babe, an Infant full of power:
After long night uprisen is the morn,
Renowning Bethlem in the Saviour.
Sprung is the perfect day,
By prophets seen afar:
Sprung is the mirthful May,
Which winter cannot mar.
In David's city doth this Sun appear
Clouded in flesh, yet, shepherds, sit we here!

[elf]

For Engee, who said she likes good piano pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4JD-3-UAzM

Link approved by Lucy Took. YouTube is not affiliated with TLC.
Disclaimer: I've never seen this movie, so I cannot recommend it. But I think this piano piece is amazing.

[elf]

For Eriathwen, who wanted Christmas cheer, I found the following (which is in the public domain):


KEEPING CHRISTMAS

Romans, xiv, 6: He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord,

HENRY VAN DYKE

[From "The Spirit of Christmas."]

It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.

But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellowmen are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness—are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open—are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

[elf]

*Digs around in bag*

Lets see, what do I have here?

A set for Islie!




And one for Tenny

[elf]

For Tenethia, we have some pretty music--some quieter, some lively--and a BBC Narnia Lucy set.

Music links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wxrB41PMhw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c0FBSUd1Hk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBzmSKFlbHg

(Links approved by Tookie)



Merry Christmas.

[elf]

Tenny, I have a chat log for you!

jesusgirl4ever:
Hi.

Ethranduil:
You left when I got on

Ethranduil:
Barely made it

jesusgirl4ever:
And I got back on.

Ethranduil:
Yah

Ethranduil:
Hi sis

jesusgirl4ever:
Sis? *doesn't see his sis*

Ethranduil:
Eria

jesusgirl4ever:
Oh. *reloads* *does now*

jesusgirl4ever:
Hi, Eria!

jesusgirl4ever:
*looks at her cat* You know what the problem with naming your cats after royalty is?

Ethranduil:
What?

jesusgirl4ever:
They expect to be treated as such.

Eriathwen:
Hello

Ethranduil:


jesusgirl4ever:


jesusgirl4ever:
Lucy is wandering around the room and rubbing against everyone and everything.

Ethranduil:
Our cat expects it too but we wouldn't think of it.

jesusgirl4ever:
And Edmund is taking his own sweet time to get here so he can be brought inside for the night.

jesusgirl4ever:


Ethranduil:
Yah, Midnight is so conceited so we don't bother him and his beauty sleep and his bath.

jesusgirl4ever:


Ethranduil:
There isn't that much people on

jesusgirl4ever:
Nope.

Ethranduil:
At least we are

jesusgirl4ever:
Chat: Nom, nom on Jaygee's comment

jesusgirl4ever:
(meaning chat ate my comment

Ethranduil:
*bonks Jaygee's chat*

jesusgirl4ever:
I was trying to say: Just realized... No staffies on!

jesusgirl4ever:
Thanks.

jesusgirl4ever:
*bonks chat and internet and computer*

jesusgirl4ever:
9:36pmWanna do something silly like climbing on chandeliers while there aren't any staffies?

jesusgirl4ever:
*climbs on chandelier and starts swinging*

jesusgirl4ever:
Anyone want to join me?
Ethranduil:
9:38pmSure

Ethranduil:
*Swings on another chandelier*

[elf]

Merry Christmas one and all!

Today I bring a special gift for Kristi, Tooky, White Rose, Swan White, The Goofy Clan, Stew (if he sees this) and any other Whovians that I've forgotten:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AledulxJKqo

Link approved by Ajnos

Enjoy!!!

[elf]

*drags in sack* Ooh, I have here two little gifts for Tooky:

[elf]

*lugs in huge sack* I have several sets for Engee here!




































Those should keep you busy for a while.

[elf]

I found another chat log for Tenny! Now, let's see, *disappears into bag* where did I put it? Oh! *comes out* Here it is!

jesusgirl4ever:
*climbs on chandlier*

jesusgirl4ever:
*swings*

jesusgirl4ever:
Wanna join me?

jesusgirl4ever:
Staffie!

jesusgirl4ever:
*jumps off chandelier*

jesusgirl4ever:
Oof.

Lucy Took (Admin):
Oh! Hi Jaygee!

Ajnos:
*Tooky Hugs*

jesusgirl4ever:
1:23pm*blushes* Hi, Tooky. *is off the chandelier now*

Lucy Took (Admin):
Hi Ajje

Lucy Took (Admin):
Go back up there!

jesusgirl4ever:
*gets on chandelier again*

Lucy Took (Admin):
That chandelier needs cleaned!

jesusgirl4ever:
*cleans anD swings*

Lucy Took (Admin):
*Is impressed*

jesusgirl4ever:
1:26pm

Ajnos:


jesusgirl4ever:

jesusgirl4ever:
*jumps off and lands*

jesusgirl4ever:
Oof.

jesusgirl4ever:
It's cleaned, Tooky!