Songs of The Season: O Holy Night.

I've heard O Holy Night dozens of times, but never had I paid attention to the words until a couple of years ago.  I remember sitting in my old office, working away.  I had Christmas carols playing in the background.  The music started for O Holy Night, and midway through the first stanza, I heard the following line,

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth..." 

A spiritual light bulb went off.   

So often, Christmas becomes a parade of presents, a festivity of food, and an explosion of decorations.  Most of us, intentional or not, forget about the true meaning of Christmas.  We don't forget about family and friends, or spending the holidays with loved ones.  And most of us don't forget about the spirit of selflessness and giving.  We see the manger scenes in passing, and don't give them a second thought.  We sing Away In The Manger and Silent Night, but the words are just words.  We don't really read them or take time to grasp their full meaning. 

Many years ago, a Child named Jesus came into the world who's very existence changed everything.  In the centuries following that holy night, millions of lives have been touched, souls saved, bodies healed, and hearts changed.  He was born to teach, to love, to show, to save, and ultimately to die.  Before His birth, the world didn't know love or joy ... hope or peace.  It wasn't until that glorious night, that our souls felt their worth.  A tiny baby with a humble birth changed it all. 

I challenge you to seek out the Truth this Christmas -- you'll be blessed. 

Happy Christmas!

Songs of The Season: The Night Before Christmas.

The words, "the night before Christmas", are usually followed by "...and all through the house.  Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse..."  Right?  Isn't that what you were expecting?  Don't lie...you know you were.

A couple of years ago, a singer/songwriter took those four words and gave them a new meaning.  Brandon Heath's The Night Before Christmas is one of my favorite modern Christmas tunes.  One line says,

"We were so lost on Earth, no peace, no worth, no way to escape.  

In fear, no faith, no hope, no grace, and no light, but that was the night before Christmas."  

His message is how we, as a people, were hopeless and lost before the birth of Christ.  It's such a beautiful twist on a classic Christmas tale.  The words speak for themselves...

The Night Before Christmas

Empty manger, perfect stranger about to be born.

Into darkness, sadness, desperate madness, creation so torn.

We were so lost on Earth, no peace, no worth, no way to escape.

In fear, no faith, no hope, no grace and no light.

But that was the night before Christmas.

Warm hay, cold sweat; a mother, not yet.

Praying Godspeed the dawn.

She looks to her man, holding her hand. 

They wonder how long.

And the shepherds, wise men come to find them

And bow to a King. 

One star above shining on Love, 

So bright it lit up the night before Christmas.

And the world didn't know mercy was meek and so mild.

And the world didn't know that truth was as pure as a child.

The night before Christmas.

The night before Christmas.

And the world didn't know redemption was sweet and so strong. 

And the world didn't know salvation was writing a song.

The night before Christmas.

The night before Christmas.

Songs of The Season: While You Were Sleeping.

It's a rainy Monday here in Florida.  The weather has gradually gotten cooler since this morning, and the precipitation has remained a constant drizzle since last night.  Normally I love the rain - I would gladly take gloomy, cloudy days over sunshine almost any day.  But today?  Not so much.  I'm not sure why today is any different, but it is. 

A couple weeks ago, our pastor's sermon was about Christmas, but not in the way you might imagine.  He didn't speak of shepherds watching their flocks by night, or the three wisemen traveling from afar.  Nor did he speak of the tiny Baby in a manger, or the star over Bethlehem.  Instead his message leaned more toward our need, as a society, for stuff.  We thrive on stuff.  We want stuff.  We buy stuff.  We accumulate so much stuff that we have to get rid of that stuff in order to make room for new stuff.  Stuff, stuff, stuff.  When is enough stuff enough?  Why do we continually try to fill a void - spiritual, emotional, psychological - with stuff?  We're all guilty of it in some way, at some point.

After hearing those words, I haven't looked at people or stuff the same way.  My drive to Christmas shop is somehow tainted.  I look around and see sad faces that reflect empty lives and hurting hearts.  I sometimes wonder where the hope is for these people, but at the same time I wonder when some of them will reach out to the Hope that has been there all along. 

Today's song somehow fits.  I get choked up every time I hear it.  But through the emotions, the words always make me stop and think.  Such a powerful message for a world of hurting people. 

Songs of The Season: I Need A Silent Night.

Being a full time working mom and wife is hard.  It's tiring, and leaves you with little time (and energy) for yourself.  My days start early and end late.  The alarm sounds at 6:04am (no, I don't know what the random :04 is about, but that's what time it goes off), and I'm lucky to be in bed before 11:00pm most nights. 

We get up, get breakfast put together, get a groggy little girl up, dressed, teeth brushed, makeup on, diapers changed, grab all of our crap, and we're out the door.  I put in my eight hours, swing by and pick G up from the nanny's house, rush home, start dinner, clean up after dinner, pack lunches, scoop litter boxes, get G bathed and in bed, and usually by about 9:00pm, I can relax for a few minutes before completely zonking out on the couch only to awake an hour or more later and realize I still have to shower.  Oy vey.  As if a regular work week isn't draining enough, when you add the holidays into the mix, it's like a double whammy. 

I've heard today's song of the season dozens of times.  I've liked it since the first time I heard it, because I can relate.  This year, I Need A Silent Night seemed to take on a different meaning.  With all the hustle and bustle of every day life, and the added impact of the Christmas season, I just need a break.  And chances are, you're probably nodding your head in agreement because you need a break too.  December tends to get shorter every year.  College football season starts, then Halloween, Thanksgiving, and before you know it's the day after Christmas and you find yourself standing in a living room full of Christmas remnants wondering where the month went.  It happens every year...but seemingly quicker and more aggressively with each Christmas that comes and goes. 

Personally, I'm trying to make this year different by focusing on what's important -- family, good health, love, and most importantly the birth of our Savior.  If my mind and heart are in the right place, I'm sure my body will follow ... and maybe then, I'll get my silent night. 


Happy Christmas!

Songs of The Season: Carol of The Bells.

Today has been a weird Wednesday for me, and in all honesty, I'm not really up to blogging.   Here I am, though...regardless. 

Today's song of the season is Carol of the Bells - it is my favorite Christmas song of all time.  I've only heard one arrangement of the piece for which I haven't cared.  I'll spare you which one it is just in case it's your favorite rendition ever.  

Everything about the song is beautiful.  It's melody is unique, and it's one of the few Christmas carols that's written in a minor key.  Yes, that's the music major coming out in me.  It's beautiful done acoustically or in an orchestral setting.  And it has words!  I say that only because I'm surprised of the number of people who don't realize it has a chorus.  Because I love this piece so much, I've included two versions of it -- an instrumental version and an acapella piece.  I hope you hear the beauty in both. 

Happy Christmas!

This first one is acapella by Barlow Girl.

This is August Burns Red's instrumental version.

Songs of the Season: Winter Snow.

"Man, I wish it would snow." 

Every year in my house, that phrase is uttered at least a dozen times between November and February.  Matter of fact, I just said it to Mr. M as I stumbled upon some beautiful snow scenes via Google.  Unfortunately, we don't get much snow in Florida.  It does get cold, and we do get snow flurries on occasion - believe it or not - but snow in Florida isn't a common occurrence...at all.

Growing up, we were blessed to travel, as I've mentioned in the past, so I have seen my share of snow.  It's funny though, because with all the snow I did get to see as a kid and teenager, I never actually saw snow fall until I was an adult.  As I referenced in my post about road trips a few days ago, in 2002'ish, my parents, and brother and sister and I spent Christmas in Chicago at my aunt and uncle's place.  It was ridiculously cold.  I remember when I first stepped out of the car in Chicago - I can still see it in my head.  We had stopped at a gas station, and we all single-filed ourselves out of the van.  It was freezing, and the wind was piercing.  As a natural born Floridian, I thought I was smart with my hand-me-down fake leather coat, and cheap Walmart gloves.  I was wrong.  No cheap coat or shamefully thin gloves would prepare me for the bitter cold of Chicago.  But, I made do.  We spent close to a week there, and on Christmas Eve it snowed.  I remember me and mom taking my aunt's little dog out for a walk as the snow fell from the sky.  It was the first time I had ever seen snow fall.  It was beautiful.  The thing that fascinated me the most - and still does to this day - is how peaceful the snow is.  Even in the midst of a snow storm, you don't hear the snow crash against the roof, or pour on to your windshield.  It can come with much force, but in near silence.  It's strong, yet gentle.  Mighty, yet serene.  Forceful, yet silent.

I think that's why I love today's song of the season so much.  I've always been quite the traditionalist when it comes to Christmas music, but over the last couple of years, I have really learned to embrace newly composed seasonal tunes.  Audrey Assad is a contemporary Christian artist, and Winter Snow is one of the first songs I ever heard by her.  The words are touching, and give a beautiful depiction of the real meaning behind Christmas.  Please take a moment to listen.

Winter Snow

You could've come like a mighty storm

With all the strength of a hurricane.

You could have come like a forest fire

With the power of Heaven in Your flame.

But You came like a winter snow.

Quiet and soft and slow.

Falling from the sky,

In the night to the earth below.

You could have swept in like a tidal wave,

Or an ocean to ravish our hearts.

You could have come through like a roaring flood

To wipe away the things we've scarred.

But You came like a winter snow.

You were quiet, You were soft, and slow.

Falling from the sky,

In the night to the earth below.

No, Your voice wasn't in a bush burning.

No, Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind.

It was still, it was small, it was hidden.

You came like a winter snow.

Quiet and soft and slow.

Falling from the sky,

In the night to the earth below.