Sunday, April 5, 2009

Sunshine


I have been reading Heidi to my class and I never realised what wonderful lessons are in it! Heidi learns that sometimes God doesn't answer a prayer right away because he has a better plan for us. What a great lesson to learn!

Anyway, while we're reading Friday, my kindergartner asks me to read aloud the hymn about sunshine that Heidi read to the blind grandmother. It's not in the book, so I take a chance and google it: "swiss hymn sunshine". I get the Swiss national anthem, which is so beautiful and moving I thought I would share it with you. (Translation from Wikipedia)

National Anthem of Switzerland
1st verse
When the morning skies grow red
And o'er us their radiance shed,
Thou, O Lord, appearest in their light.
When the Alps glow bright with splendour
Pray to God, to Him surrender,
For you feel and understand
That He dwelleth in this land.

2nd verse
In the sunset Thou art night
And beyond the starry sky,
Thou, O loving Father, ever near.
When to Heaven we are departing,
Joy and bliss Thou'lt be imparting,
For we feel and understand
That Thou dwellest in this land.

3rd verse
When dark clouds enshroud the hills
And gray mist the valley fills,
Yet Thou art not hidden from Thy sons.
Pierce the gloom in which we cover;
With Thy sunshine's cleansing power.
Then we'll feel and understand
That God dwelleth in this land.

4th verse
Towards us in the wild storm coming,
You yourself give us resistance and stronghold,
You, almighty ruling, rescuing!
During horror and nights of thunderstorms,
Let us childlike trust Him!
Yes, we feel and understand;
Yes, we feel and understand
That God dwelleth in this land.

4 comments:

Barbara said...

Very interesting; that's their national anthem? I thought those guys were socialists? Well, praise the Lord! Thanks for sharing that...

Anwen said...

I think they are socialists, but that this was their anthem from before all that stuff...? I got it from Wikipedia.

Elizabeth said...

I had no idea that the Swiss had such an openly devoit national anthem. Wow. Good for them! Thank you for sharing it.

I got Heidi as a book-on-tape and my daughter use to go to bed listening to it. I had forgotten much of the story until you brought it up and i started thinking about it. It really does have wonderful messages in it.

How long have you been teaching Kindergarten?

Blessings,
Elizabeth

jimmy said...

ha ha i watching that movie when i was a kid