As we approach the fall season, which is followed by the holidays, I feel that I must share a dark secret, a very dark secret, indeed. I have broken a cardinal rule. This entire year I have been listening to Christmas music. Bless my husband's heart, it has not even been a wide, Pandora Station variety. Nope, just the fairly small playlist on our iPad. Over and over again, folks.
As a little girl, my favorite day of the year was the day after Thanksgiving. Waking early, I would run to the living room and turn on our giant, this-is-so-the-nineties stereo and play Christmas music from our favorite CDs and cassette tapes. It was a most glorious moment. Waiting made it special. Waiting makes a lot of things special.
Yet, during this year of transition and missing my family, listening to comforting music about the triumph of Jesus and reminders of "the most wonderful time of the year" was just what I needed. It especially has been my companion for waking and baking.
Although I have tried to play it mostly when Eric is gone, sometimes he has turned it on for me--even the ancient Amy Grant album. Now, that is love. *Insert swoon here*
(It's legendary, I promise.)
There are moments I wonder if I will regret playing the music with such frequency--will I treasure it less this coming holiday season? And I may or may not have watched White Christmas several times. After my mother reads this, there is a good chance I will be disowned. Your condolences are appreciated.
Not only have I broken the family rule, but I have also broken my own rule. When stores play Christmas music the first of November, it screams of commercialism: "Let's play Christmas music as early as possible to sucker them all into buying more!" Cue the steam coming out of my ears. And yet, that's not what Christmas music means to me.
Every day is for celebrating the birth of Jesus, and the rebirth He has given us. I come from charismatic roots, and those roots involved much joyful singing (and loud singing).Why don't we sing "O Holy Night" or "Joy to the World" throughout the year? Well, perhaps it is because we are creatures of habit, or perhaps it is because throughout the millenniums, God's people have celebrated certain acts of God at certain times. He is a God of order. The ebb and flow create a rhythm of our culture as people who love Him. And I like that.
But this year, Christmas music served as a daily reminder: a reminder of His faithfulness, His hope, and His JOY.
Merry Not-Yet-Christmas, everyone!
Keep the Faith,
Audrey Ann
Photo 1: Google (free) Images/www.cafeselavy.com
Photo 2: Google (free) Images/ex.wikipedia.org
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