Anyone who knows me will know that I find Christmas music to be annoying if I here too much of it. What I have been learning lately is it is not so much that I do not like Christmas music, but that I get bored with or tired of most Christmas songs that are frequently sung. If it is a song that is not as popular or newer or different in some way, then I actually do not mind listening to Christmas music.
On that note, I have had Downhere's Christmas CD playing at home for a couple of days and there is one song I keep listening to again. The lyrics just grabbed me when I heard it tonight and I have been thinking about them as I continue to listen to.
Gift Carol
Under the tree lights
All wrapped and labelled
Each one with a dear one in mind
Day's ever nearer
We're all the more eager
To see what, that morning, we'll find
Heaven gave the first time
There's a gift marked for us
By the angel chorus
Not in sparkly paper
But a lowly manger
Sealed in hopeful promise
For every doubting Thomas
From God, with love to all mankind
Under the startlight
Laid in a stable
God, with His dear ones in mind
Given the Savior
Soon to deliver
The brightest new morning you'll ever find
When heaven gave the first time
There's a gift marked for us
By the angel chorus
Not in sparkly paper
But a lowly manger
Sealed in hopeful promise
For every doubting Thomas
From God, with love to all mankind
It was the chorus and being drawn to dwell on the incredible gift that it is that made me stop to pause. Ultimately the gift of Christ was the best gift we could be given. May that be what we focus on this Christmas season.
those numbers make it seem like a long time, but, in reality, it's not that long. And yet, so much happens in that span of time . . .
new jobs . . .
new friendships . . .
new places to live . . .
good times . . .
hard times . . .
And in the midst of all that goes on, I wonder if we sometimes forget that people are the most important, after God. It is easy to get caught up in all the activities of life and in acquiring stuff, and forget about what really matters.
Today is three years since my Uncle passed away and it has caused me to stop and think. There is a lot of stuff - good and hard - that has happened in my life over the last three years. But, what has remained is the value of people in my life - my family and my close friends.
As I have been reflecting a bit on that, I started to think about what my life would be like without those people. (Maybe that seems a bit of a morbid thought to some, but for me it wasn't.) Life would not be the same without them. Life would still go on and I would still have good times and hard times. But, without some people in my life, it would feel like a part of me was missing. There are people in my life I consider it a huge blessing to have in my life and it is honestly difficult to imagine life without them.
Then I started to think about when the last time was that I let these people know how much they meant to me. With some of them it was not that long ago. But, with others it has been far too long. And, so today, I came to the conclusion that I need to take the time to let these people know.
What about your life? Who are the people who you have a hard time imagining living life without? When was the last time you let them know how much they mean to you? Is there anyone you need to let know this now?
