Mary did you know?

There is a contemporary Christmas song with that title. I've heard Amy Grant, Donny Osmond, and many others sing it and it is quite beautiful.

However, I have to tell you how this song came into my life. My mother heard Kathy Mattea sing it. Evidently she has several songs that my mother loved, as they struck a chord with things that my mother could relate to ("Where ya been?" about Alzheimers came out around the time Gma was affected by that disease) Anyway, my mother was obsessed with "Mary did you know?" and wanted to make sure I heard it. I said okay and left it, knowing I'd not only be bothered by her about it again, but that she would make sure I heard it whether or not I managed to hear it on my own.

Around 1999 or 2000, my mother heard the Gaither vocal band on TV and enjoyed it so much that she started watching it on a regular basis. One of the members at the time, Mark Lowry wrote that song. Mom finally got to hear it from the man who wrote it. THAT's when and how Mom decided that I had to hear it, even though I did finally hear either Amy Grant or Donny Osmond sing it. I must say, to hear the words from the man who wrote them was a very moving experience.

Last weekend while flipping channels, I caught that Gaither Christmas special on TV again. I stopped, watched and listened--I hadn't missed the song yet--and I smiled, quietly shed a tear or two--not only for the message in the song, but also to think about my mother and something that gave her joy in her later years.

I just found this site while trying to find the lyrics to include with tonight's entry. This is much better.

http://www.bonniesplace1.com/Marydid.html