Let the Caroling Commence
The time has come for the ring-ting-tingaling of sleigh bells and all the other crazy phrases we use only once a year. I love the fact that Christmas is a ridicule-free zone for the airwaves as we listen to songs about God, family, fun and all the sugary sweet sentiments that the holidays bring.
Some of the most hardened rock stars and macho country singers can be found singing of snow and mistletoe. Just consider some of the lyrics we hear without thinking twice:
Gone away is the blue bird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song, as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland
Or the ever manly:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la
Who decided we were allowed to indulge our softer side from Thanksgiving until the 25th of December? Whoever it was, God bless them. What a relief to turn on the radio, hear a silly song about an olfactory-challenged reindeer, and join in without a second thought.
Of course there are songs with much deeper meaning, too. Let’s never forget whose birthday we are celebrating. As we practiced Handel’s Messiah this week, my chorus director pointed out that the Messiah the Jews expected was a mighty warrior to lead them into battle. Instead they got a gentle babe in an animal’s feeding trough.
The greatest Christmas gift ever came in the most unassuming wrapping ever. It thrills me to think that God loves to gives us gifts, and He is all about the surprise. I need to remember this during the rest of the year, as well. Whenever a situation arrives wrapped in a pretty undesirable package, it might possibly be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I just need a little leftover Christmas spirit to last from January to November.
But for this month, I have a radio full of musical reminders. It horrifies me that my Sunday school class knows so few of these amazing carols. Perhaps my favorite is Joy to the World. The words and the music meld together to create a mood that could never be mistaken for a dirge.
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven-
And Heaven, and nature sing
I’d like to put those lyrics on repeat in my soul and play them all year round, so the world can hear and sing along.
Some of the most hardened rock stars and macho country singers can be found singing of snow and mistletoe. Just consider some of the lyrics we hear without thinking twice:
Gone away is the blue bird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song, as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland
Or the ever manly:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la
Who decided we were allowed to indulge our softer side from Thanksgiving until the 25th of December? Whoever it was, God bless them. What a relief to turn on the radio, hear a silly song about an olfactory-challenged reindeer, and join in without a second thought.
Of course there are songs with much deeper meaning, too. Let’s never forget whose birthday we are celebrating. As we practiced Handel’s Messiah this week, my chorus director pointed out that the Messiah the Jews expected was a mighty warrior to lead them into battle. Instead they got a gentle babe in an animal’s feeding trough.
The greatest Christmas gift ever came in the most unassuming wrapping ever. It thrills me to think that God loves to gives us gifts, and He is all about the surprise. I need to remember this during the rest of the year, as well. Whenever a situation arrives wrapped in a pretty undesirable package, it might possibly be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I just need a little leftover Christmas spirit to last from January to November.
But for this month, I have a radio full of musical reminders. It horrifies me that my Sunday school class knows so few of these amazing carols. Perhaps my favorite is Joy to the World. The words and the music meld together to create a mood that could never be mistaken for a dirge.
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven-
And Heaven, and nature sing
I’d like to put those lyrics on repeat in my soul and play them all year round, so the world can hear and sing along.
posted by SSD at
Thursday, November 29, 2007
3 Comments:
Quote:
" It horrifies me that my Sunday school class knows so few of these amazing carols."
I agree with you, 100% Too bad the life-affirming nature of all these songs aren't palatable for the sterile, power-point blue screen.
-R
No kidding, we have to have a cram session with the Jr Choir to make sure they know some carols to go to the nursing home and sing.
Pa-the-tic.
Shannnon,
So right. We were just talking the other day in Theory II (your favorite) about the fact that the day after Christmas is so depressing. Why? Because of exactly what you just said here. It seems that for at least a month or so before Christmas the best of who we are is allowed to show. Try as the anti-Christmas crowd might, can they ever really silence or remove the affect that His birth has had? That's testimony enough for me.
AA
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