The Dinner Conversations Christmas Special 2019

EpisodesEpisodes - Season 3
Written By

Dinner Conversations co-hosts Mark Lowry and Andrew Greer invite you home for the holidays for an intimate evening of stories and songs with platinum-selling vocal group Point of Grace. Including a very special version of Mark's classic Christmas song, "Mary, Did You Know?" 

 

Transcript

Mark: Dinner Conversations is brought to you by ChildFund, a community development organization that has been envisioning a world where every child is free to live at their fullest potential no matter where they're from or what challenges they face since 1938.

Andrew: Partner with us and our good friends at ChildFund to change the world and the life of a child by considering sponsoring a child today.

Mark: It really does take so little to make a difference.

Andrew: Visit childfund.org/dinnerconversations.

Mark: A child is waiting.

Andrew: Two, three, four.

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh
Hey
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

Mark: Hey, everybody. Welcome to another Dinner Conversations Christmas Special.

Andrew: Another.

Mark: Number four.

Andrew: Oh, my gosh. You love Christmas.

Mark: This is the fourth one. How many times can you--

Andrew: You love it.

Mark: Have a Christmas special.

Andrew: You have made your entire living--

Mark: Don't talk while I'm interrupting.

Andrew: Off of Dinner Conversations Christmas Special. Think about it, without Christmas, you would not have this home.

Mark: Hi. Welcome to another Dinner Conversations Christmas.

Andrew: This one is a special one, isn't it? Because where are we?

Mark: We're at my house.

Andrew: We are celebrating in two different places for this Dinner Conversations Christmas Special. The fact is, our budgets are getting big.

Mark: We are?

Andrew: No.

Mark: No?

Andrew: So you can buy our new Christmas mugs to help them get even bigger. But we're in Texas at--

Mark: My house.

Andrew: At your house. Did you notice that wreath behind you? Have you ever even seen that wreath before?

Mark: Mm-hmm.

Andrew: Yeah?

Mark: Every Christmas I just blow off the dust and hang it back up on the front door.

Andrew: It's nice, it's nice. And then we'll also be in Nashville with the Point of Grace girls, who are our very special guests.

Mark: Now that'll make it worth doing another Christmas Special.

Andrew: Will it? Yes.

Mark: Those three sweet girls that I have known, actually--

Andrew: Yeah, tell me.

Mark: Longer than you.

Andrew: Oh, probably before I was alive.

Mark: Probably.

Andrew: No.

Mark: Back in the 80s maybe. Or even, yeah--

Andrew: Late 80s, early 90s.

Mark: Late 80s. Late 80s, early 90s, when they used to be called Say So. Did you know this?

Andrew: Say it again.

Mark: They were in Dallas, Texas, and they were a group. I believe it was First Baptist Dallas. I’m not sure.

Andrew: Okay.

Mark: But the name of the group, they called themselves Say So. And then the guy at Word--

Andrew: John Mays.

Mark: John Mays, that's right.

Andrew: We love John.

Mark: Changed it to Point of Grace, and the rest is history. See, I know stuff.

Andrew: And now, 25 years in their career.

Mark: I hope that's true. Check all that out.

Andrew: Twenty-five years in their career, we're gonna help them make history again right here on the Dinner Conversations Christmas Special. Welcome our friends, Leigh, Denise, Shelley.

Both: Point of Grace.

Point of Grace singing “Candy Cane Lane”

Just a hint of peppermint and every single thing begins to feel like Christmas
And just like the snowflakes, no two are ever the same
Red and white and candy-striped in every shape and size
Oh what a sweet treat this is
So hop on the choo-choo and woo-woo
To Candy Cane Lane

You'll be all a glow
From your head to mistletoes ohFrom your head to mistletoes oh
There's no road
That could ever smell as sweet or look as good enough to eat
There's nothin' like
A city block of hangin' lights where I
Just wanna curl up by the fire for a couple cups of cider
And roast all those marshmallows
They're hung up in the trees in line
The bulds all fill the street just like a scene
From a snow globe
So baby, lets go take a stroll down
To Candy Cane Lane

Leigh: Travis on the fiddle, also known as the violin. 

You'll be all a glow
From your head to mistletoes oh
There's no road
That could ever smell as sweet or look as good enough to eat 
There's nothin' like
A city block of hangin' lights where I
Just wanna curl up by the fire for a couple cups of cider
And roast all those marshmallows
Add a pinch of cinnamon and suddenly the world
Begins to taste like December
Well, you'll always remember comin' down
To Candy Cane Lane
Just a couple licks from the minty sugar stick
And every thing turns winter green
On Candy Cane Lane
One block from Gum Drop Street

Shelley Breen, Point of Grace | A Christmas Memory

Shelley: One of my very favorite Christmas memories was when I was growing up, and I remember that the thing I wanted most this year, I think I was about 8-years-old, was a little kitchen set. You know, like a little sink and a stove that all the little girls used to have, and I was so excited for Santa to bring me that. And I remember distinctly going to the living room and giving it a really fast scope right when I got up that morning, and I didn't see it anywhere. And my heart was broken, and I thought that Santa had betrayed me. And then I remember, after opening all of my presents, I still hadn't forgotten that I didn't get my little play kitchen. And so my dad said, "Hey, Shelley, why don't you go into the other room and grab my hat off the table?" And it's like it happened yesterday, and I walked in there and he was sending me in there on a mission because he knew that right by the table where I was grabbing his hat, underneath our little bar area, was my brand new Christmas set, avocado green, kitchen set from Santa Clause. And I was so happy. All of my little girl foodie dreams came true that morning, and I got what I wanted.

Andrew: Okay, so it's time for our annual Christmas game. This is actually Mark's favorite part of this.

Mark: I hate this part.

Andrew: Okay, so it's time for our annual Christmas game. This is actually Mark's favorite part of this.

Mark: I hate this part.

Andrew: I would say all year long, what do you look forward to? But what we're gonna do--

Mark: I forget that you do this.

Andrew: I know, 'cause I'm the director.

Mark: You know, I was having such a good time up 'til now. The girls were singing so pretty.

Andrew: They were. But you know what they were singing about?

Mark: No.

Andrew: Candy and treats and, boy, do I have a treat for you in this game, okay? So you just stay right there--

Mark: Wait, I gotta take my glasses off.

Andrew: Take those glasses off. We're gonna blindfold the man. All right, look, right there.

Mark: Can you get that around my head?

Andrew: Actually, no, I can't. Golly.

Mark: Just be kind, be kind.

Andrew: Like a dinosaur.

Mark: Be kind.

Andrew: All right. So what you're gonna do is I'm going to get out some favorite Christmas treats and you're gonna guess what you're tasting, big boy.

Mark: Uh-uh.

Andrew: That's right.

Mark: Okay.

Andrew: Can you actually see?

Mark: No. I cannot.

Andrew: Chris, what do you think?

Mark: I feel like my head's in a vice.

Andrew: All right, so here we go. Okay, so the first thing we're gonna do is I'm going to let you taste as much as you want of each treat.

Mark: Can I ask any questions up front?

Andrew: Sure.

Mark: Like, are these food products I'm tasting?

Andrew: Correct. Yeah, there's no trick to this.

Mark: Human-grade?

Andrew: "Human-grade," what does that even mean?

Mark: That means made for humans, not animals?

Andrew: Yes, made for humans to ingest. This isn't poison.

Mark: Okay.

Andrew: This isn't your last Christmas.

Mark: All right.

Andrew: Okay. So, here's the first one, all right? And you can feel it all you want.

Mark: I can--

Andrew: Okay, so I'm gonna put this in your hand. There it is.

Mark: Oh, this?

Andrew: Uh-huh. And then you have to tell me what it. You're supposed to eat it.

Mark: Feels like a big, old cookie.

Andrew: Taste it, well, maybe it is. Just savor that, what is it?

Mark: Kinda dry. I don't feel that I like this. Well, that is very dry.

Andrew: Yeah, well, what is it?

Mark: This is some kind of Mexican cookie.

Andrew: That's one you figured out.

Mark: Where's my coffee?

Andrew: There's your coffee.

Mark: Right here?

Andrew: Yeah. Do we give him that point?

Mark: Feel like Gordon Mote.

Chris: Yeah.

Andrew: Okay. Number two, here we go. You got one point, ding. This one, you need to fully...

Mark: Oh, Lord, is it bad?

Andrew: Explore. So, it's gonna take two hands.

Mark: Oo. Oh, I know what this is.

Andrew: Well, eat it first.

Mark: A churro?

Andrew: Here's the last one. This is my favorite, I think.

Mark: Uh-oh.

Andrew: You gotta take a big bite.

Mark: Okay.

Andrew: Okay, here we go. You take a big, old bite.

Mark: Oh, is it gonna go everywhere.

Andrew: No, not at all. Not on that coat.

Mark: The floor and stuff?

Andrew: That pretty coat that's part of gospel music history.

Mark: It's another sweet of some sort.

Andrew: Yeah, but you gotta get into it.

Mark: Oh, no.

Andrew: You gotta get into it. There's something in it.

Mark: It's so dry, I can't quite--

Andrew: Put your teeth, chompers into the whole--

Mark: It is still dry as a bone!

Andrew: What's in it? What is in it? No, eat this part. This is the part that's in it.

Mark: I'm tasting the innards.

Andrew: What is it?

Mark: A jelly of some sort?

Andrew: No! That's a cheese empanada. So.

Mark: Oh. That's not bad. 

Andrew: Cheers.

Mark: Now that you say that, tastes pretty good.

Andrew: Okay, so, I just wanted you to--

Mark: Well, that was sure a flop of a segment.

Andrew: It was, wasn't it?

ChildFund Sponsorship Message

Mark: You can help change the life of a child today by partnering with Andrew and me and supporting a boy or girl in Guatemala through ChildFund today.

Andrew: Your sponsorship will not only improve the future of one child's life, your child sponsorship will promote communities in Guatemala. The communities that Mark and I just visited where we saw parents who are learning to value and to protect and to advance the worth and rights of their teens and children who, through your child sponsorship, are literally changing the culture of each child's community from the inside out.

Mark: Perhaps you already sponsor a child. Would you consider sponsoring another child in Guatemala? Maybe in honor of one of your children, a new grandchild, a special niece or nephew. It takes so little to make such a profound difference in the life of a child.

Andrew: Your sponsor child is a real kid with real dreams, just like the dreams of your children and grandchildren. We know because we met them. Kids that want to be doctors and lawyers and teachers, even musicians, kind of like us. Your sponsorship gives these children their chance to achieve their very unique dreams.

Mark: You may not be able to change the whole world, but you can change the world for one child. Visit childfund.org/dinnerconversations to sponsor a child in Guatemala today. As a small way to say thanks for your child sponsorship, we will send you an autographed Season Two DVD and Songs From The Set CD.

Andrew: Yes. Plus a special item made just for you by the communities in Guatemala.

Mark: And every sponsor and a guest is invited to a Dinner Conversations Friends and Family weekend in Nashville.

Andrew: Hey, now. Which includes mealtimes with Mark and me, private, little concerts, and chit chats with our friends, and a special Sunday morning service that will happen right before you head out of town.

Mark: And if you sponsor more than one child, you will have the opportunity to be a guest on an actual episode of Dinner Conversations during the Friends and Family Weekend in Nashville.

Andrew: Does it get better than that?

Mark: No.

Andrew: Does it, Mark? Does it? Stay tuned for exact details, and don't forget to visit childfund.org/dinnerconversations to sponsor your child today.

Denise Jones, Point of Grace | A Christmas Memory

Denise: You know, Christmas has always been a sweet time for me. Growing up, I grew up next to my grandparents, they lived in the same town, and so we would have Christmas and then we'd be over at our grandparents to have Christmas, and we all went to church together, and so Christmas for me has always been family. And I can remember, as a mom, you know, those times when my boys were little and they would always wanna sleep in the same bunks together and they still kinda wanna do that just for the nostalgia of it. But just those Christmas mornings where we had been up all night, literally, you know, helping get gifts under the tree, if you know what I mean. But I just remember, I can vividly see those little boys in their little pajamas coming over the little staircase and heading down Christmas morning. And so sweet and, you know, it just goes by so fast. My husband and I are empty-nesters this year, and both boys are off at college, and, you know, Christmas is different. It's just different. They come home, and they wanna see their friends, not me. But I think we cherish it even more in some ways of just, you know, they're older, they don't need a bunch of stuff, and it's just, you know, we just wanna cram every moment with them, I think. I don't know what it will look like this year exactly, but I know that I will appreciate just sitting down to dinner with them and fixing all their favorite foods that they're excited to eat because they don't get to eat it at college. I don't know, we'll see what happens. 

Point of Grace singing “Tennessee Christmas”

Oh, you know I want to go home
Come on weatherman
Give us a forecast snowy white
Can't you hear the prayers
Of every childlike heart tonight
Rockies are calling
Denver snow falling
Somebody said it's four feet deep
But it doesn't matter
Give me the laughter
I'm gonna choose to keep

Another tender Tennessee Christmas
The only Christmas for me
Where the love circles around us
Like the gifts around our tree
Well, I know there's more snow up in Colorado
Than my roof will ever see
But a tender Tennessee Christmas
Is the only Christmas for me

Every now and then
I get a wanderin' urge to see
Maybe California
Maybe tinsel town's for me
There's a parade there
We'd have it made there
Bring home a tan for New Year's Eve
Sure sounds exciting
Awfully inviting
Still I think I'm gonna keep

Another tender Tennessee Christmas
The only Christmas for me
Where the love circles around us
Like the gifts around our tree
Well, they say in L.A., it's a warm holiday
It's the only place to be
But a tender Tennessee Christmas
Is the only Christmas for me
Oh you know I wanna be home

Well, I know there's more snow up in Colorado
Than my roof will ever see
But a tender Tennessee Christmas
Is the only Christmas for me
A tender Tennessee Christmas
Is the only Christmas
Oh you know I wanna go
Wanna go home

Andrew: So, Mark, those Point of Grace girls know how to sing a Christmas tune.

Mark: Well, yeah.

Andrew: Don't they? Yeah, they do.

Mark: Of course.

Andrew: But you also know how to sing a Christmas tune. What's one of your favorite Christmas songs?

Mark: You know, when I was kid, actually in college, there was a little blonde Norwegian girl named Evie Tornquist, and she had a Christmas album, and she had a song on there called “Come On Ring Those Bells.” You remember that?

Andrew: I've heard it before.

Mark: Key of D, please.

Andrew: All right, okay.

Come on ring those bells
Light the Christmas tree
Jesus is the King
He was born for you and me
Come on ring those bells
Everybody sing
Jesus, we remember
It's your birthday

Everybody loves to take a holiday
Everybody likes to take a rest
Spending time together with the family
Sharing lots of love and happiness

Come on ring those bells
Light the Christmas tree
Jesus is the King
Born for you and me
Come on ring those bells
Everybody sing
Jesus, we remember
It's your birthday

Jesus, we remember
It's your birthday
Jesus, we remember
It's your birthday

Mark: That was one of my favorites.

Andrew: Yeah, I like that one.

Mark: What's one of yours?

Andrew: Oh, I like the old carols. I think the words to this one are my favorite.

The First Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel

Mark: That's a pretty song.

Andrew: It is a beautiful song. You know the one verse that I love, it says, "And then let us all in one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord who hath made heaven and earth of nought and with his blood has mankind bought.”

Mark: Ooh.

Andrew: Isn't that gorgeous?

Mark: I love that.

Andrew: Yeah, it's a beautiful poetry. You got one more?

Mark: You know, another one I love is, Mary, did you know that your... But you know what?

Andrew: There's a word for that. It's called incorrigible.

Mark: Let's have Point of Grace sing it.

Andrew: Let's do. Will you welcome back our friends, Leigh, Denise, Shelley, Point of Grace?

Point of Grace singing “Mary, Did You Know?”

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new
This child that you delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would give sight to a blind man
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would calm a storm with His hand
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod
And when you kiss your baby
You've kissed the face of God

The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
What child is this
What child is this

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Was Lord of all creation
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day rule the nations
Did you know that your baby boy
Was Heaven's perfect Lamb
And this sleeping child you're holding
Is the great I Am
What child is this
What child is this
Ooh

Mark: Our Season Two guests include singer-songwriter Amy Grant.

Andrew: Grammy winner Michael W. Smith with Ginny Owens, and Today Show host Kathie Lee Gifford.

Mark: American Idol Danny Gokey, and Dr. Caroline Leaf. Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton.

Andrew: Thistle Farms founder and pastor Becca Stevens, preacher Will Graham with Billy Graham's daughter, GiGi Graham.

Mark: Singing duo Seth and Nirva with Montell Jordan.

Andrew: And multi award-winning female vocalist Crystal Lewis.

Preorder now! Season Two of Dinner Conversations on DVD

Mark: Ho, ho, ho, everybody. Merry Christmas. It's time for the pre-release of Season Two Dinner Conversations.

Andrew: That's right, you can preorder the three-disc DVD set now, featuring all of the table talk and the guests from our Season Two, plus!

Mark: Plus, the CD of all the music. One song after another, no talking, just the CD.

Andrew: That's right, and there's tons of these special Christmas mugs and Christmas ornaments. We'd love for you to go check it out at dinner-conversations.com.

Both: Merry Christmas.

Mark: They did good.

Andrew: They did. You know, I will say this, it is a gorgeous song. It really is.

Mark: Thank you.

Andrew: Yeah, you and Buddy--

Mark: Buddy Green.

Andrew: Have made a beautiful marriage to that and the lyric of it still. I mean, people just keep coming back to the mystery of that lyric and imagining them in the position of a mother or a father or whoever with a child and thinking that this is the Son of God.

Mark: Wrapped in swaddling clothes. An eight-pound bundle was the fullness of the Godhead, think about that. Compressed and compacted into eight pounds was the fullness of the God of God, the Father God, the Son God, the Holy Spirit, all wrapped up in that little baby, the Lord Jesus, and that's what Christmas is. At least it is to me.

Andrew: Yeah.

Mark: It was the beginning of everything.

Andrew: It's the beginning of love.

Mark: Yeah.

Andrew: Truly the beginning of love, and I can't think of a more beautiful way to express it than through music.

Leigh Cappillino, Point of Grace | A Christmas Memory

Leigh: My favorite Christmas song the Point of Grace recorded, we recorded it on our second Christmas record, wonderful writer Tony Wood wrote it, and it's actually entitled “Immanuel.” And I think for me, it hit home because a few years ago my grandfather passed away on Christmas Day, and it was the first time that I remember in my adult life recognizing that people around me may not celebrate Christmas like some of us do as children. You know, it's just the best time of the year, but for some people it's not necessarily the best time of the year. It’s a time to just remember those that may not be with us anymore. And I think it's because, I hope that it just ministers to the heart of the people that are having a difficult time at Christmas but yet gives them a hope that He is with them.

Point of Grace singing “Immanuel"

No decorations
No tree with tinsel
No lights this year at home
The rooms are silent
No carols play
It's the first time that she is all alone
But what a wonder
She says, "There's comfort”

Immanuel
Our God is with us
Yes, He is with us still
Immanuel
He has not left us
And He never will

They may be next door
Maybe the next row
But there's someone with a heartache
They face the seasons
The happy greetings
With no joy in this holiday
For all the broken
Here in this moment

Immanuel
Our God is with us
Yes, He is with us still
Immanuel
He has not left us
And He never will
Immanuel
Immanuel
Immanuel

Immanuel
Our God is with us
Yes, He is with us still
Immanuel
He has not left us
And He never will
Immanuel
He has not left us
And He never will
Immanuel

Mark and Andrew singing “Go Tell It On The Mountain”

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
Everybody

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
That Jesus Christ is born
Let me tell you that
Jesus Christ is born

Mark: Merry Christmas, everybody.

Andrew: Merry Christmas.

ChildFund Sponsorship Message

Mark: Dinner Conversations is brought to you by ChildFund, a community development organization that has been envisioning a world where every child is free to live at their fullest potential no matter where they're from or what challenges they face since 1938.

Andrew: Partner with us and our good friends at ChildFund to change the world and the life of a child by considering sponsoring a child today.

Mark: It really does take so little to make a difference.

Andrew: Visit childfund.org/dinnerconversations.

Mark: A child is waiting.

Andrew: Thanks for watching our show on YouTube. Have you subscribed yet? Be sure and press that subscribe button and ring that bell to get notifications.

Mark: And be sure to like this and comment.

Andrew: All good ratings.

Mark: Oh, of course.

Andrew: Go to dinner-conversations.com to get show updates and find limited edition merchandise.

Mark: Thank you for watching Dinner Conversations with Mark Lowry.

Andrew: And Andrew Greer.

Mark: Turning the light on.

Andrew: One question at a time.

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