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Christmas Concert 2019


          In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

         It’s another Christmas, and we’re celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. Two of the gospel writers wrote about it. Two didn’t. It wasn’t until sometime after the first century that it became important, and too soon after that it became political. Now it’s become commercialized. Every year, I hear complaints about how commercialized it is, and having worked in retail for too long, I tend to agree.
          With all the changes that are taking place in my life, I find myself thinking about holidays. Of course, they can be as big or as small as we need them to be. We can even ignore them completely. Years ago, I started out each year with a purchase of twenty-four taper candles, two for each month (if I didn’t have the color already.) I have several pairs of candle-holders so I could put the candles on the kitchen table each month.
          After my parents started going south for the winter, I tried another tradition that I love. I found everyday objects to put under the tree that represent intangible blessings I’ve received. Space is at a premium, but it’s an idea I’d like to revive. Maybe if I could find them in miniature.
This year, I’m thinking in terms of basics. What makes a holiday a holiday? Ultimately, it’s the focus of attention but what focuses my attention? Light, color, smells, tastes, sounds… It’s the sounds that have given me joy at Christmas, even when everything else disgusted me. It brings me back to sanity, reminds me of the Truth, and smaller truths. With that in mind, here is this year’s Christmas Concert.

I can't say that it's been my favorite Christmas carol, but I've loved it for years. It expresses my own sense of Christmas and the world. I chose this performance because it includes more verses from Henry Longfellow's original poem than most of those we hear. 
There doesn't seem to be anything that says "Christmas" about this orchestral piece except for its title. It's beautiful, but I had to listen to it several times to realize that Michael W. Smith was putting the circus that is the world's view of Christmas in juxtaposition with the majesty that is the real Biblical Christmas. 
Hallelujah  (Lindsey Sterling instrumental)
         What makes this version a Christmas song is what Lindsey Sterling does with it.
      So many people miss Christ in Christmas. It is tempting to think that we have to fight to "keep Christ in Christmas." Christ may be hidden in Christmas, but He emerges in the strangest places (like vocal competitions and New York City subways) in the strangest ways. No matter how dark it may seem around us, God is not dead, nor doth He sleep... so keep your eyes open because it's clear that Jesus still shows up in places that clearly have no room for Him. Merry Christmas, and may He bless you with His presence in the coming year.
          In 1914, soldiers on the front lines observed a Christmas truce. Christmas Truce (History.com) 
          In 2014, for the 100th anniversary of that truce, Sainsbury produced this dramatized version as an ad. Sainsbury's Christmas Truce ad


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