Happy second Advent Sunday to you.

Back on Tuesday I played at Dulling Hall with my father and friends Mike and Allie Murphy. Full transparency I don’t normally enjoy playing in my hometown. I’m kind of like Jesus – (go read Mark 6:4 if you don’t know it already).

But man it was a special night. In large part thanks to my friends.

Today I’m going to continue the 37 Days of Christmas by sharing more about Mike and Allie Murphy’s upcoming project Sing Kairos.

Have you heard of Sing Kairos? No? Then let me introduce you to one of their holiday releases Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee sung by our mutual friend Matthew Clark.

Listen and celebrate the belief we have in the coming and return of Jesus.

Blessed Lord, you have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning—grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them; that by the patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, 1552

– Trailand

Joyful, Joyful (We Believe) | Lyrics

Joyful, joyful, we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before You,
Op’ning to the sun above.

We believe in God.
We believe in God.
We believe, O help our unbelief.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

We believe in God.
We believe in God.
We believe,
O help our unbelief.

AMEN.

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to you while sitting at a Mediterranean restaurant in Conway, Arkansas, with my dad. This is what the 37 Days of Christmas is all about: a couple of American guys enjoying something that first took place in another part of the world, and then telling everybody they know about it.

Last night, we were at The Lamb Burners Guild for the second night of our 37 Days of Christmas Tour. We are officially underway, ladies and gentlemen. I played one of my favorite songs I’ve written for some new and old friends. It’s called “Sophia,” and it was inspired by Proverbs chapters 8 and 9, where Lady Wisdom is personified in human form.

It’s also a song about saying thank you to my father for the wisdom he gave me.

So thank you, Dad, for picking this Mediterranean restaurant.

And thank you, Father, for sending us your Son in human form.

— Trailand

Sophia | Lyrics

I knew I’d heard that voice before
And when she looked in my direction
I remembered what my father said
“Son, one day you’ll see wisdom”
We shared a glass of her greatest truth
And I watched as her mouth became
A simple gift of love
She said her name

Sophia
Abide with me
Sophia
Walked into the room
Taught we wisdom

I lost her name after the day we met
I couldn’t find her in my phone for year
And when I tired to look her up online
Oh, I wasted a lot of time
When I found her, she was on my shelf
In a book from an age gone by
When I held her on the very first page
I prayed her name

Sophia
Abide with me
Sophia
Walked into the room
Never left me

I can tell you where she is today
She is here in this very place
I can tell you about her gentle ways
As she teaches me of my many mistakes
I have tried to call her a thousand words
And each time they never sounded quite right
But I remember what my father said
How he sang her name

Sophia
Abide with me
Sophia
Walked into the room
Taught me wisdom

I was riding a plane when in the aisle next to me, a little child reached his arms up to his dad and said, “Abba, abba”. Linguist teach that the term, “Abba” does not mean “daddy” but more of an intimate respectful term…but hearing a little toddler say it, well it was quite tender. And in some Christian circles the term Daddy God is used – and in my life I realize that I know Father God about as much if not less than a toddler understands his father.

There are days still in my old life I wanna reach up my hands in a child-like, yet reverent way, to the Father-God-Daddy who adopted me.

– Doug

ABBA To Me | Lyrics

When children speak Hebrew
And they call their father
Abba is the word that the children will use
The Father in Heaven
Calls us His children
Jesus says that Abba is the word we can use

Abba Abba
The Father of Jesus is Abba to me
Abba Abba
The Father of Jesus is Abba to me

When children speak Russian
And they call their father
Papa is the word that the children will use
The Father in Heaven
Calls us His children
Jesus says that Papa is the word we can use

Papa Papa
The Father of Jesus is Papa to me
Papa Papa
The Father of Jesus is Papa to me

When children speak Spanish
And they call their father
Papi is the word that the children will use
The Father in Heaven
Calls us His children
Jesus says that Papi is the word we can use

Papi Papi
The Father of Jesus is Papi to me
Papi Papi
The Father of Jesus is Papi to me

When children speak Chinese
And they call their father
Baba is the word that the children will use
The Father in Heaven
Calls us His children
Jesus says that Baba is the word we can use

Baba Baba
The Father of Jesus is Baba to me
Baba Baba
The Father of Jesus is Baba to me

When children speak English
And they call their father
Daddy is the word that the children will use
The Father in Heaven
Calls us His children
Jesus says that Daddy is the word we can use

Daddy Daddy
The Father of Jesus is Daddy to me
Daddy Daddy
The Father of Jesus is Daddy to me

He’s the Papa of Papas
The Papi of Papis
The Baba of Babas
The Daddy of Daddies

Abba Abba
The Father of Jesus is Abba to me
Abba Abba
The Father of Jesus is Abba to me

Gloria Gaither helped me write this song – or perhaps I helped her, don’t remember who brought the idea to the other person. She was moved by a couple of testimonies that was shared in her home church by families telling about how their children were used by God to bring spiritual healing.

It reminded her of Isaiah 11:6 – where the phrase “and a little child shall lead them” is found. This verse describes a future time of peace and harmony, where even natural enemies coexist peacefully, symbolizing hope and restoration.

Jesus is that future time of peace…

– Doug

And A Child Shall Lead Them | Lyrics

Lions and lamb
Leopards and rams
Fed together
Gentle and Wild
Vicious and mild
Lie down
Natures change there in the manger
Where history turns the page
God breaths the breath of a baby

CHORUS:
And a child shall lead them
From their war torn lands
Yes a child shall lead them
And they shall walk hand in hand
And my holy mountain shall be filled with peace
Like water covers the ocean
And a child shall lead

Broken and torn
In silence they mourn
A family
Shattered a trust
Lies in the dust
And dies
In its place wonder and grace
Like a seed that sprouts from sand
Remakes a man and a woman

CHORUS:
And a child shall lead them
From their war torn lands
Yes a child shall lead them
And they shall walk hand in hand
And my holy mountain shall be filled with peace
Like water covers the ocean
And a child shall lead

And a child shall lead them
From their war torn lands
Yes a child shall lead them
And they shall walk hand in hand
And my holy mountain shall be filled with peace
Like water covers the ocean
And a child shall lead
Like water covers the ocean and a child shall lead

We often talk about what is the best gift to give to someone. God has given us gift after gift, blessing after blessing, yet none better than bringing Himself to earth – dare say moving into our neighborhood so he could swing by and let us get to know Him.

Emmanuel, You Came was written for all of us. It is singable by the congregation and I hope that it is a blessing to you and just maybe you’d like to add it to your worship song list to sing this Christmas season.

– Doug

PS. There is PDF of this song that you can use for your gatherings this Christmas season available here

Emmanuel, You Came | Lyrics

Emmanuel, you came among us dwelt
Emmanuel, you came and brought yourself

Your will, your heart, your mind, your soul
Your love revealed for us to know

We could not see, but now behold
We could not touch, but we hold

Is this the best song every written? Nope!
Is it written about the best live ever lived? Absolutely!

“born of woman and Jehovah into a family living under law” and perfectly he lived!

– Doug

Star Child Is Given | Lyrics

The silent night was broken
Through pains and sounds of birth
Our God appeared
In barren darkness
Star Child was born
Star Son was given

The dweller of the heavens
Once visited the earth
Yes, God was here
Into hungry darkness
Star Child was born
Star Son was given

Born of woman and Jehovah
Into a family living under Law
Perfectly this earth-felled nova
Brightly burned, then faded
So that all could be reborn
Star Son was given

To those who walk in darkness
Who see only distress and fearful gloom
To those discouraged
Star Child was born
Star Son was given

The God of birth has spoken
His spirit into flesh – into to womb
Be of good courage
Star Child was born
Star Son was given

Judah’s Great Lion – The Visitation 1989

Happy first (official) day of the 37 Days of Christmas in the year 2025!

Check out the first family advent Sunday post if you missed it!

Today I am sharing with you a song that my father, Doug Eltzroth, wrote while he was working as the “Composer in Residence” at First Presbyterian Boulder, CO. in the mid ‘80’s. He made this recording in 1989 while he was still living in Colorado. As far as we know this is the only recording to date of Judah’s Great Lion. We hope to re-record it in the coming year.

I turned 30 this year so that means Judah’s Great Lion is a few years older than me. But the story is as true today as it was in the 80’s. During this 37 day of Christmas we will share old and new songs that contain the beauty and truth of the Christmas story. The story of Advent was foretold, took place and then was written long ago and now I invite you to celebrate with us over these next 37 days.

Last year my father told me the story of when Judah’s Great Lion became his favorite poetic expression. There was a sermon series on the Old Testament prophets that he was a part and that is when he got the initial spark that inspired him to write this song. He learned that Judah’s Savior had long been foretold in the Hebrew scriptures and that story is fulfilled in the New Testament. The story of Christmas does not turn out like people expect it. Judah’s Great Lion became a Lamb.

– Trailand

Judah’s Great Lion | Lyrics

This baby of Nazareth
Is God breathing human breath
Infinite God now infant so small

Israel’s “I Am I Am”
Cradled in Bethlehem
The Giver of law at the mercy of all

Chorus:
He’s the ancient of days now brand new
Hear the Voice of the Creator as He coos
God Omnipresent in small Bethlehem
Come worship Judah’s Great Lion now Lamb
Come worship Judah’s Great Lion now Lamb

Human nativity
Is God now on bended knee
Omniscient and wise now unable to speak

Ruler of Zion
Just straw now to lie on
Once never slumbered yet now fast asleep

Bridge:
The refuge of David, his rock, his strong hold
Is now wrapped in softness for Mary to hold

My good friends Mike and Allie Murphy have created SingKairos which is a project focused on providing material for families to walk in love and sing to the Lord with full hearts.

They are releasing a few of their upcoming collection (which I played and sang on) as Advent Songs. Before we officially start the 37 Days of Christmas tomorrow I wanted to share this beautiful collection with you today.

We share the hope that you are able to use this material with your family like we have to start Advent with care and intention. 

And then pass it along to other families that you love!

Find their Advent For Families here – WITH CRAFT IDEAS 

See you tomorrow!

Cheers,
Trailand