For many, this is a season of elves and Santas. For me, it is a season of anticipation and worship. It's a season of focus.
Focus on Jesus.
Focus on Who He is.
Focus on why He came.
We began our Christmas celebrations last night. Each year in December, our church celebrates Christmas on Main Street. That's appropriate, since the church is located on Main Street! The first of the Christmas on Main Street events was held last evening. Keyboards and Carols is one of my favorite ways to kick off this season of celebrating.
Keyboards and Carols is exactly what it sounds like. Multiple keyboards. Last night that meant four grand pianos, four electronic keyboards, and our church's magnificent organ. Those keyboards, and the very talented musicians who played them, gave us an assortment of carols. There were solos and duets. Sacred songs and secular. And the grand finale was magnificent! All the instruments at the same time. Wow! Just wow!
If you would like to jump-start your holiday celebrations, or if you need a little help getting into the holiday spirit, you can watch Keyboards and Carols here:
https://new.livestream.com/fbcspartanburg/events/3625625
As we enter this Christmas season, the music of the season can be heard everywhere. I love Christmas music! I could listen to it all year long!
It's become traditional for me to devote quite a lot of my blogging time during December to my favorite Christmas carols. And that always makes me curious about what other people's favorites are. I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know your favorite Christmas songs, and why they are your favorites.
I'll get us started with my all-time favorite line from one of my most favorite Christmas carols.
I'll be writing more about this another day. But for now, here's my favorite line:
"God and sinners reconciled."
Do you recognize it? Leave a comment if you do.
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" can definitely make me feel the hope, but my favorite, the one that makes me fall on my knees and weep every time, is "Oh Holy Night". It seems to put the season in perspective, in an instant. All I need are the first few notes. :) Thank you for allowing me to share something that is so important to me, with you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Christine! "Oh Holy Night" is definitely another one of my most favorite favorites!
ReplyDeleteSusan,I visited your blog for the first time today,what a wonderful ministry it is.When I think of Hark the herald Angels sing,I think of the 2nd line in the song=Glory to the new born King,the reason I think of that is because we owe all the honor and the Glory for all we have and who we are to our King,Jesus Christ,our Lord and Saviour.January 10th will be 4 years since I lost my wife Mary to breast cancer which she battled through 3 events and 10 1/2 years until she finally got her victory in Jesus and a permanent healing in heaven.Any healing we have here on earth is temporary.I have been Santa for 30 years at Christmas time and it brings me great joy because of my love for children.It is one of the many blessings God has given me.I am Santa at our church FBC Gowensville at our 2nd Saturday meal for the community that we give each 2nd Saturday of the month for the less fortunate or people that just like to come together in fellowship.Before the meal last year I got up and talked to the attendees of our meal and told them ,You believe in Santa because you see him,we are a very visible people but I'm asking you to believe in something you can't see and will never see unless you have the courage to step forth through Faith and 1st admit you're a sinner,2nd yiu must believe that Jesus lived,died for your and my sins and was risen on the 3rd day to ascend into heaven to reign there in our behalf.Right after Mary passed I put a sticky note in my Bible,God's holy word which had 5 words written on it,BY FAITH YOU WILL SUCCEED,5 simple words,one simple truth,Faith.My Faith,my family and friends and my Church family is what kept me going through my time in the valley because you see, just like the song,God on the Mountain says=God on the Mountain is still God in the valley.God never leaves us nor forsakes us,so at Christmas time remember the most important thing about Christmas is the 1st 6 letters CHRIST.Thank you for letting me share my Faith,Amen Ron aka Santa
ReplyDeleteRon, thanks for sharing! Blessings to you at CHRISTmas and always. Susan
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