Friday, December 21, 2012

Lullaby Language of Long Ago-Silent Night


Christmas season gets crazier every year.  If your church is like ours, there are parties every night and sometimes several at the same time.  Everyone wants the pastor and his wife to attend their party.  Right now, we only have one night between now and Christmas to just sit and have a silent night with a nice cup of cocoa.

Ah . . . "Silent Night" is one of my favorite carols of the season.  I absolutely love a candlelight Christmas Eve service to end with this carol.  I can barely hold back the tears when we softly sing the words.  I have found myself at times closing my eyes to picture the first holy night.  I imagine in the quietness of the night Joseph is holding his sweet Mary’s hand as she labors in childbirth.  Around them the farm animals munch on hay or are resting.  I see stars sprinkled in the skies overhead.  It is a bright, clear night.  The world seems at rest yet I wonder if even the rocks know what is about to occur.  It is silent night until suddenly the cries of a new born baby can be heard.  Suddenly the heavenly hosts cry out with joy at the arrival of the Savior Christ Jesus.  All creation rejoices at the birth.

When my sons were little, “Silent Night” became one of their “go to sleep” songs on Christmas Eve.  After we would set out cookies for Santa and read “The Night before Christmas,” my husband would sit with the boys on the couch and read the true Christmas story.  Afterwards we would march our boys to their bedrooms and tuck them in.  When the lights were out, we would softly sing “Silent Night” together.  For me, it did seem the night was full of peace.  That creation was remembering the first holy night of long ago.

As we approach this Christmas season with all its commercialism, let’s remember to find a moment to be still.  Take a cup of cocoa, stand outdoors and look up to the star filled sky, and softly sing “Silent Night, Holy Night.”

 

**To each of you this Christmas season, many God pour out His riches blessings on you and may know you just how much He loves you.

 

 

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