All the Babes on Christmas Born

All the Babes on Christmas Born

Through Bethlehem a cold wind swirled

Past shed and stable, shop and inn

By window, doorway, dimly-lit,

And homes bent low ‘neath sorrow’s din.

It paused beside a humble place

Where in a manger lay a child.

His father stood in awe, and still;

His mother held her heart and smiled.

 

A heavenly light shown kindly down,

Piercing through the wind and dust,

God, the Creator, blessed His child

With Tender Mercies, Love, and Trust.

The babe was Jesus, who would teach

Of God’s Compassion and His Care,

Who would live and who would die

For our Dear Father’s Love to share.

 

On that night, all ‘round the world

Other newborns’ cries were heard.

All the babes on Christmas born,

God’s own daughters, His own sons.

And every child since dawning time

Has been a flower of His Heart,

Here to live, to learn, to grow,

Side by side and not apart.

 

Bridge:

Through days of toil and joys,

Struggles, joys, and fears,

God has kept us in His Sight,

And washed away our tears.

  

With the lessons Jesus shared,

Of Love, Forgiveness, Patience, Grace,

All God’s children, everywhere,

Shall someday, surely, see His Face.

We’ll live and love, we’ll search, we’ll find,

Rejoicing, praising, our Great King,

One in family, one in heart,

And then fly home, safe on His Wing.

 

Award-winning author Elizabeth Massie wrote the lyric for this hauntingly beautiful song, set to music by singer-songwriter Johnny Schaefer. it begins quietly with a solo guitar and instruments chime in gradually, then a choir, as it builds and soars to a stunning crescendo at the glorious end. For those longing to return to the true meaning of the holiday, this is a perfect anthem. Luscious arrangements and Schaefer's rich baritone vocals communicate Massie's powerful message with clarity and warmth. You'll be caught up in the splendor and majesty of the Christmas season and find yourself sighing with reverence and even awe. Massie and Schaefer became friends through a Facebook community Schaefer formed called the Gratitude Club. They learned a lot about one another seeing five things each other was grateful for every day. They gained a mutual respect for one another's talent and Massie presented Schaefer with the exquisite poem the song is crafted from. With Massie living in Vifginia and Schaefer residing in Los Angeles, the two have never met, but you would not know it from the perfect synthesis of their work on All the Babes on Christmas Born. Be sure to catch the uplifting video on YouTube and elsewhere.

Elizabeth Massie, a ninth generation Virginian, is an award-winning author of novels, short fiction, media-tie ins, poetry, and specialized features for textbooks and nation-wide educational programs. Her more recent works include the novels Hell Gate, Desper Hollow, the novelization of Versailles (based on the 2015 French mini-series of the same name), and Night Benedictions, a collection of gentle thoughts, poems, and meditations on the goodness of the night. Elizabeth has won the Bram Stoker Award twice – for her novel Sineater and her novella “Stephen” – and the Scribe Award for her novelization of the third season of Showtime’s original television show, The Tudors. Active in Amnesty International for more than 30 years, Elizabeth also writes letters on behalf of victims of human rights abuses worldwide. She created and for three years managed Hand to Hand Vision, a project in which quality hand-made goods were auctioned and 100% of the money given to those in need. Elizabeth lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, illustrator Cortney Skinner. 

 

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