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Is there a Perfect Christmas?

Merry Christmas!

 

It is December 23rd and I have been out and about today.  Aerobics class was fun we exercised to Christmas music.  As I ran a few errands after the gym I got the feeling that everyone was stressed out.  The drivers were aggressive and speeding to get to their destination, the checkout people were not as friendly as usual, the people shopping were not as polite as usual and I wondered why today was so different from the last few weeks where people were smiling and saying Happy Holidays.  I came home after completing my errands, glad to be home out of the traffic and ready to relax for the holiday but thoughts about the lyrics of this some came to my head.

On this night of hope and salvation
One child lies embraced in a dream
Where each man regardless of station
On this night can now be redeemed

Where every man regardless of his nation
Ancestral relations
On this night the past can fly away

And that dream we’ve dreamed most
That every child is held close
On this night that dream won’t be betrayed

All as one
Raise your voices
Raise your voices
All as one on this Christmas day

All rejoice
Raise your voices
Raise your voices
All rejoice, Anno Domine

On this night when no child’s forgotten
No dream sleeps where he cannot see
No man here is misbegotten
And this night’s dreams are still yet to be

Where every man regardless of his nation
Ancestral relations
On this night the past can fly away

And that dream we’ve dreamed most
That every child is held close
On this night that dream won’t be betrayed

All as one
Raise your voices
Raise your voices
All as one on this Christmas day

All rejoice
Raise your voices
Raise your voices
All rejoice, Anno Domine

 

This song stresses to me how the Holiday is about the Savior who cams as man to save us from the imperfect life we live now.

Getting closer to the holiday I believe puts stress on those who are wishing for the “perfect” holiday.  Well, if there is one thing I have learned in this life so far is that “perfect” holiday does not exist.  The decorations do not matter, the food does not matter, the gifts do not matter – the perfection in Christmas comes from within – from the absolute KNOWING without a doubt Jesus Christ was born and became man for me – He is the Savior of the World.  That is my perfection and how I choose to live as a Blessed Child of God.

I love the song I have shared with you – the melody, the voices but mostly the words.  As a public school teacher I have encountered far too many children who will not have a Merry Christmas. On this night of Hope and Salvation…. the dream of every child is to be held close – there will be children out there who are not held close, they are ignored or even hurt by the hands of their own parents.  That is what this song means to me that one day – one day when Jesus comes back each and every child will finally be held close and taken care of.  Jesus came on Christmas to redeem each and every one of us. That dream we have dreamed most every child is held close that dream won’t be betrayed.

My heart breaks as I remember just a few of the children I have had in my classroom these past 36 years.  One child who had finger marks on his wrist and arm from being held too closely by a father.  One child who had a bruise and scratches on her cheek., When I asked her, she told me “Mom did it” I wanted to cry.  Even closer to home a, 3 year old child left alone in an apartment for 2 days because Mom is involved in the drug world.  This Christmas will not be perfect – nothing will ever be perfect – until………..

Mary, did you know?

Happy 9th Day of Christmas!  I don’t have ladies dancing today but I have two of my favorite Christmas songs to share with you.

The first is a popular song and I will share the version sung by Pentatonix.  There is something about acapella singing I adore, it goes straight to my heart.

Mary, did you Know? https://binged.it/2R3TqvN

I have always had a special place in my heart for Mary, the Mother of God.  Maybe because I have her name, maybe it got stronger while I was pregnant.  To have new life inside of you and to know that you are a part of God’s plan to CREATE life.  Pretty spectacular feeling!  I can be certain that Mary felt the same things all pregnant mothers feel, but on top of that she had the Angel of God tell her this was the Savior, the Lamb of God, the Son of God.  What might she have been feeling with those added pressures? 

The song looks at our perspective – did she know all the details of her Son’s life?  Well, no she didn’t but she had the same hopeful feelings during her pregnancy that all mothers do.  What will my child look like?  What will he or she become or do in the world?  Don’t all Mothers aspire to leave the world a better place and hope that our offspring are part of making it a better place?  Mary had one more thing to rely on and that was her faith that these promises told to her by the Angel and to Joseph in a dream were in fact the voice of God telling her who this child really was – the Son of God!

This next song is not as well know but really speaks to my heart and is probably one of my all time favorite songs.  This is a song more from the perspective of what Mary was thinking and helps me connect with what she might have been feeling and how she got through hard times of doubt and pain.

Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) https://youtu.be/TOQRtYYERGo

Again, it connects me to Mary –  Even after the message from the Angel, even after the dream Joseph had, surely she had her doubts about this baby?  I can believe it was her faith that kept her going.  Well, her faith along with the occasional visits from strangers (the king bearing gifts) and the words from strangers (Simeon).

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” – Luke 2:25, RSV-2CE  

Those encounters must have kept her and Joseph going every single time they doubted.  And in those times of doubt Mary’s faith led her to pray and ask for that light Breath of Heaven to be with her.  I have sung this song and said this prayer through hard times of my own and asked that God just send a small breath of heaven to push me through the hard time and remind me of His love and promise to take care of me always.  Maybe that is what Mary prayed for – the breath of God to help her through the task of raising the Son of God.

 

 

Christmas Past

Christmas past

Many childhood memories surface around the Christmas Holiday.  Many of them include music – Adeste Fidelis Oh come All Ye Faithful – I can still HEAR my Mom singing that hymn literally I hear her voice singing it in latin.  Adeste Fideles

I was the youngest of three girls and there was quite a gap in our ages.  My oldest sister A was 16 when I was born and my middle sister C was 11 when I was born so I really was “the baby”.  My Mom called me her baby until she passed away.  It was almost like I was an only child with all of us being so far apart. So, when I became conscious of Santa I was the only one in the house getting Santa presents and it was pretty cool to have all the attention.

I few gifts that stick out in my memory was the year I REALLY wanted a puppy – but did not get one – a real one at least.  I had my pretend puppy in the basement and he was there every time I went down there to play, he walked with me to school and waited for me each afternoon. I believe I had that “puppy” until at least May – maybe I was just lonely?

The year I got my own stereo and headphones was the best – I could listen to my music as loud as I wanted anytime I wanted – it was most likely the Osmonds! The Osmonds

I loved Christmas, I still do.  The music, I love listening to it, I love singing it I love playing it.  Even this year as a member of our community band I still enjoy, really enjoy playing all of the traditional Christmas music.  You’d think after playing Christmas Festival almost every year since I was in high school I would be sick of it by now but noooo I LOVE IT! Christmas Festival – Boston Pops

Music has always carried me away to a happy place, it touches something inside me that is very hard to explain and Christmas music even more so because of all of the memories attached to it.

TO all who took the time to read this entry, thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you! 

Welcome to my life!

I have been planning to start this Blog for many months now and finally on December 2, 2018 it is done.  What will I write about?  Well, my first love has always been and will always be music so you will read my thoughts on musical pieces and how they have affected my life.  I also will include personal thoughts about my life and the world around me.  I hope this will allow my children and grandchildren to know me better.  I love discussion and welcome comments, but remember this is all my own opinion so you might not agree with everything I share, but I am adult enough to hear your side.  So, Happy First day of Advent 2018 and Welcome to my Life!!!