Christmas Songs

Do you hear what I hear?

  My daughter and I try really hard to wait until after Thanksgiving to play christmas  songs. This year we just couldn’t hold out. We got an almost 16 inch snowstorm 5 days before thanksgiving and we began digging out the christmas songs. It took me awhile to remember where I put those elusive cd’s! We built a fire and as the snow fell heavily outside, those beautiful christmas songs filled the air.

There are always new songs being written every year but when I think of christmas songs, I think of all those old favorites. Joy to the world, Oh come all ye faithful, The first Noel, Oh little town of Bethlehem, Angels we have heard on high, Frosty the snowman, etc.. So many festive as well as sincere  songs to celebrate the holiday season.

I grew up in Mesa, Arizona. As I listened to songs like Jingle Bells, I couldn’t really relate to “dashing through the snow”! It sounded like a really amazing thing to experience, but it wasn’t a reality to me. Frosty the snowman? A childhood dream! To actually see snow and have a sufficient amount to build a snowman! What about a “winter wonderland”? The cactus somehow don’t measure up to the evergreen trees! The desert terrain was a far cry from “the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful let it snow! However, when we moved to Montana, I then could understand what dashing through the snow was all about. The really really deep snow!

I have a really wonderful memory of that small town in Montana nestled at the foot of a huge mountain. We were able to walk everywhere. The school was 3 blocks away. The grocery store and church were within easy walking distance. My favorite place, the library, was a 5 minute walk.  I was walking home one night as snowflakes gently fell on the peaceful street. The christmas song, Silver Bells was playing through speakers along the street. I remember looking up towards the sparkling lights and being mesmerized in those magical moments. It was incredibly beautiful. Whenever I hear that song Silver Bells, I remember those special moments that brought such joy that special night so many years ago.

One of my favorites is Joy to the World. I love the music but the words are so meaningful. Truly what greater joy than that our Lord would come to us! Let every heart prepare him room! That’s a challenge and a prayer to all of us all year long. Do we prepare room in our busy lives for our Lord to dwell? Or Oh come all ye faithful, do we consider ourselves to “be faithful”? Oh come let us adore him. Again another challenge! Do we adore Him by the way we live our lives, the choices we make?

As we sing the christmas songs this season, let us consider the messages in these songs that should challenge us to be more faithful grateful servants of our King, all year long. As I write this today, those wonderful christmas songs are playing in the background bringing joy to my heart!