13 days to go...

Yes, I'm a little "bah humbugging" at this point. 13 days to go until the end of 2016 and time to begin anew. I had hoped that I would take the season of Advent a bit more seriously this year and thus have that translate into a merrier Christmas season. I "should have" made a plan like I did for Lent because although my intentions were good, I've fallen flat. My morning devotions have been lacking, even though I was and still have been concentrating on incorporating specific advent devotionals--even a Catholic one called "Best Advent Ever" which shows a different video each day,  I have found little to take away. Little nuggets here and there for which I am thankful...but not enough...I've also worked every weekend (not complaining--just stating a fact), have been off my schedule for the last few weeks with various nighttime events which has rendered my sleep and, um, "plumbing" routines altered, resulting in uncomfortable days, and the early nightfalls have proven a challenge to walk the dog off leash which might sound like a silly thing but when it's one of the joys of my days and I have to strain to find him several yards ahead of me in the dark, it adds some angst. 

One constant I've tried to keep to elevate my mood is music. There are only 2 stations in this area that play 24 hour Christmas music and they seem to play the same 15 songs on a constant rotation. Pandora on my computer offers a variety of options but even my John Rutter Holiday station has too many repeats--I mean, how many versions of "The Holly and the Ivy", "In the Bleak Midwinter", "Once in Royal David' City", and "Lo, How a Rose Ere Blooming" can you stand!? 

There are 2 songs that never fail though...

My dad's "rule" was no Christmas music before December 1st, one I now break and still feel guilty about but oh well! My brother and I each had our favorites we'd ask him to play. Mine was a version of "Sleigh Ride" that was upbeat and had, "Giddyup Giddyup Giddyup it's grand!" sounding like, "Yucky yucky yuck it's grand", to which my brother and I would follow with, "BM in your hand!" (Oh, the joys of being a child!). My brother would ask for "The Little Drummer Boy" from the album above. Not a favorite of mine but ever since my dad went to the other side of life, strikes a chord with me. Thankfully, both local radio stations play it and I can usually only make it to the second verse before tears are pouring. It reminds me of my father--taking the time to play Christmas tunes, to humor my brother and I with what we wanted to listen to, and the joy of childhood Christmases. But the adult in me also listens to the story in the song (fiction, to be sure) and how this little boy decided to use what he had to praise and worship a baby. "Shall I play for him?" he asks Mary. It's all he had, all he could think to do in the moment of "a newborn King to see". 

I listen to this song and in each verse the male voices add a few "bumbumbums" so that by the time "I played my best for him", comes around they are in full "bumbumbumbumbumb bumbumbumbumbumbum bumbumbumbumbumbumBUM!" and I'm in a full cry imagining this fictional character beating with all his might on a drum for the Savior...call me a little crazy, but it lifts my spirit, even if for a few moments. There is also some personal pondering also...what is my "drum"? What do I have to give to the Lord and do I "play my best" for Him? Am I giving my talents and skills and abilities to Him? How am I worshipping the "newborn King" and what are my "finest gifts"? It leaves me thinking and challenged each time I hear it, which I guess is a good thing...

"O Holy Night" was traditionally the song I vied for the solo part in high school (and got it each year) and also sang at Media Pres each Christmas Eve for as long as I can recall. I never thought much of the song except for the challenge of singing, "His power and glory evermore proclaim" without breaking the phrase with a breath. However, for the last few years when I've heard it, it's taken on a new meaning.

Yes, it starts out quite lovely with "brightly shining" stars and "thrills of hope". But then we get to the chorus with the declaration of, "FALL ON YOUR KNEES!" I have come to appreciate this "command" if you will, with the magnitude of that moment in history. The Messiah has been born, the Savior of mankind has come! Don't marvel about--FALL ON YOUR KNEES! I imagine that if I were the conductor of a choir singing this song I would direct them to sing the first and second verses with cheer and a bit quieter and reserved...so that when they got to the, "FALL ON YOUR KNEES!" part it was thunderous and magnificent, a complete contrast to "bright shining" stars, commanding reverence, and perhaps causing the audience of listeners to, in fact, fall to their knees. 

But is that my response? Am I falling to my knees this Christmas season in reverence to the "gift"? The ransom of my sinfulness? The Savior that was promised and did, indeed, come? The "wonderful counselor, Almighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace", Emmanuel? Something I ponder when I hear this song...a good challenge for me.

So 13 days left to "get through"...4 days of work, 4 family events, and everything in between. I hope that I play my best for Him in the remaining time (and after!) and fall to my knees in humility for what He has done for us...