Singing Advent Before Christmas

The congregation  is ready to start singing Christmas carols but this is still Advent.  The solution this week -- using the lectionary(ish) readings Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-10 -- is to write new verses to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." This is my talented wife Libby Moore Slade's work:

A voice cries in the desert
“For the Lord, prepare the way,
Exalt the valleys, raze the mountains
crooked roads, make straight.
Exalt the valleys, raze the mountains
crooked roads, make straight.
O tidings of comfort and joy
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

The day the Lord is coming,
he’ll be like refiner’s fire.
Like strongest soap, he’ll cleanse
his people; he shall purify.
Like strongest soap, he’ll cleanse
his people; he shall purify.
O tidings of comfort and joy
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

John calls us to repent:
“The ax is ready at the root.
The tree it must bear fruit or perish.”
What then shall we do?
“The tree it must bear fruit or perish.”
What then shall we do?
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

We’ll turn our hearts to Jesus and
our lives will be restored.
His name it shall be Wonderful,
our Counselor and Lord.
His name it shall be Wonderful,
our Counselor and Lord.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

(c) 2015 E. Slade