Christina Blust’s crystal voice lilts over Jimmy Rinehart’s skillful guitar arrangement of the traditional “Land of Rest” melody. Together they breathe life into poet Mark Minster’s canticle of sleepy children and long, starry nights. 

Recorded live in October 2018 in Terre Haute, Indiana, by Eric Rasley, who held Jimmy & Christina’s baby Dottie on his lap during the session. (Listen closely and you’ll hear her babbling.) 

Mastered by Blue Mountain Mastering, Nashville, Tennessee. Cover photo of the Pokljuka forest, Slovenia, by Dreamy Pixel. Design by Christina Blust/Blustery Day Design.

Song story

Read a bit about the story behind “Rest, Restless Children.”

As Jimmy Rinehart finger picks his acoustic guitar, his wife Christina Blust sings in a lilting soprano the words of Mark Minster’s poem “Rest, Restless Children” to the tune of “Land of Rest,” a traditional American folk song. … It relishes children resting, yawning, sleeping and dreaming through a wintry night.

Mark Bennett, Tribune-Star

Lyrics

by Mark Minster

Rest, restless children, blessed and dear
   Let fall all feverish fear
The fall is falling and winter nears
   The longest nights of the year

Yawn, yawning children drawn to rest
   From rush and restive fest
Let hush and peace come ease your chest
   These nights are winter’s longest

Sleep, sleepy children deep and tight
   Bathed by broad swaths of moonlight
The bright of noon will wait polite
   All winter solstice night

Breathe, breathing children sheathed by song
   By love kept snug and strong
By hugs and prayers of ancient throng
   The nights of winter are long

Dream, dreaming children, gleams appear
   Beyond Earth’s atmosphere
Till dawn responds we’ll stay right here
   The longest nights of our years