Countdown-to-Christmas - The Christmas Project

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I greatly enjoyed celebrating with my family and keeping my three grandsons for a sleep-over! The past couple days have been busy and filled with joy!

So, today, I am very happy to start my "Countdown-to-Christmas" where each day I'm delighted to share with you a Christmas song I enjoy! Today, I'm sharing a song from - The Christmas Project from the former lead singer of Petra (my all-time favorite group), John Schlitt! (Just a note on the "side", years ago when we lived in Redding, CA, my husband provided transportation and security for concerts - when Petra came to town, he took our five year old son with him to the concert - Petra was his favorite! After the concert our son rode in the van with his dad to take the band to their hotel. These guys were tired after a long day and concert, but the took time to not only answer a little boy's questions, but to engage him in conversation! This mom was touched and impressed and they have been my favorite band ever since. They not only sang songs with "spunk" and excellence, but they were genuinely nice people!)

The Christmas Project is described as: "Grammy and Dove Award winning vocalist John Schlitt, one of the most distinctive voices in Christian music, has never recorded a Christmas song--until now. Schlitt's The Christmas Project is slated to release digitally and through online retailers November 19, with a brick and mortar retail store release to follow in 2014. The full-length CD is comprised primarily of beloved traditional Christmas carols, but this doesn't mean The Christmas Project is all egg nog and holly. This album rocks with the unmistakable John Schlitt style which legions of fans have come to know and love."

The Christmas Project has ten songs - most are familiar and loved carols which you will be quick to join in and sing along - but be ready for some unique and special "touches" to these familiar Christmas songs!

• The Hallelujah Chorus - the promoters say this song is, "arguably the greatest Christian song of all time, 'The Hallelujah Chorus.' While Handel's masterpiece has been interpreted by a multitude of musicians over the past 250 years, no one sings 'hallelujah' like Schlitt." They are right. No one sings The Hallelujah Chorus like John! I didn't particularly enjoy the beginning of the song - it think it was just too high for even him to sing, but the rest of it is wonderful!
• Do You Hear What I Hear - described as; "a guitar-driven, barn-burning version" of this song, it is one which will give you an all new idea of what this old song can be like! 
• Little Drummer Boy - this song allows fans of John to once again hear his amazing range and experience a song filled with emotion in the way John is known for singing!
• Oh Holy Night - simply beautiful! I LOVE the harmonies in this song - John's voice at it's best! The lyrics . . . "Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace; Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, And in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name; Christ is the Lord, Oh, praise His name forever!" This is the message of Christmas - Jesus taught us to love others and when we do the chains break away and our hearts will overflow with joy! What better gift could we ever receive! "Let all within us praise His holy name; Christ is the Lord, Oh, praise His name forever!" John does this and we will want to join in and praise Jesus with him! Excellent!
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - This song is presented in a very creative way - the simplicity of John's clear voice with layers of music and sound for a very enjoyable treat!
• Good Christian Men Rejoice - many of us may not be familiar with this song, but even if you are, John adds a "fun, funky Irish feel" we will all enjoy which will remind us Jesus Christ was born to save us all giving us much to rejoice!
• That Spirit of Christmas - this song is a wonderful surprise! I didn't realize John had such a "mellow, bluesy" sound to his voice! This old song reminds us: "Christmas is the time of year For being with the one's we love Sharing so much joy and cheer What a wonderful feelin' Watching the one's we love Having so much fun All the kin folk gather round The lovely Christmas tree Hearts are glowing full of joy Sense the gifts that we're giving And the love that we're living Why can't it remain ohh all through the year." This is a true delight!
• We Three Kings - this song was one of my childhood favorite Christmas songs and I enjoy the way John sings it!
• What Christmas Needs to Be - this is an original song; look closely at the message in the chorus - "It’s Christmas now The Gift of Heaven given Love can be found In every heart that hears it A Baby crowned The hope of our salvation He Is what Christmas needs to be." The song asks the question; "What would happen if we choose to give ourselves instead?" I love this song and how John reminds us, "Jesus is what Christmas needs to be" and challenges us to give what really matters; ourselves! Excellent song!
• What Child Is This? - My absolute favorite song from this project! John does an amzaing job with this classic, Christmas carol! It reminds us, "This, this is Christ the King" Jesus came as a baby, but He absolutely is, Christ the King! He absolutely deserves all our praise and John does not fail to lift our hearts in praise along with his own with this beautiful song! Tremendously well done!

The Christmas Project is a collection you will find yourself turning to when you want to hear Christmas songs not only with "spunk", but which will lead you in praising Christ the King, as well! It would make a wonderful addition to your own collection of Christmas music and it is also an excellent idea for a gift to take as a hostess gift to parties or to give to someone on your gift list!