On a Personal Note: a pause in the season

There are a lot of expectations during the Christmas season:

- buy everyone the perfect gift (and somehow afford it)

- have a "holly jolly" time (even though, for many, the holiday season is a painful reminder of broken relationships or death in the family)

- create a Christmas card that makes your life look close to perfection

and so on...

I was driving yesterday, listening to the Christmas radio station and was captured by the words to the following song(s). I've known these songs for years but the richness in the lyrics touched me differently. This time of year we get to hear everyone singing about the greatest news ever- Christ came, he is ruling and he will come back. My favorite part about this post is that the song is sung by the band Barenaked Ladies...yes, everyone is singing about Christ.

I hope reading these lyrics and listening to this allows you to pause today in the midst of the list-making and errand-running and reminds you that comfort and joy in this season come from why Christ came- to save us!

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to rein

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav'n replies