My mother asked for "How Great Thou Art" at her funeral, and I chose it for one of the hymns at Ian's in March, given his love of the outdoors and wild places.

HOW GREAT THOU ART

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, etc

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, etc

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, etc


I believe it was translated from a Russian hymn, and that's where Ian died.

As for Christmas, given the state of the world, it has to be "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear":

"...but man at war with man hears not
the love song that they bring.
Oh, hush the noise, ye men of strife,
and hear the angels sing!"

Not bad for something 19th century.

Andrea