Much to love

Magic of Christmas all around us

Ilove the anticipation of Christmas all through November. And I love the lighting of the four weeks of Advent candles as they arrive in December.

I love the Hanging of the Greens worship service highlighting the Chrismon trees.

And I love that special service of Lessons and Carols full of glorious music.

And of course, I love it when the choirs lift the church’s rafters with the strains of the Christmas portion of Handel’s “Messiah!”

I love watching the annual lighting of the White House’s outdoor Christmas tree on TV.

I love it when familiar reruns of Christmas specials, such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “A Christmas Carol,” remind us of Christmases pasts, and current pop stars bring about new musical specials highlighting songs old and new of the holiday season.

And I particularly love seeing all of our neighborhood homes, businesses and places of worship decked out with lights, tinsel, and welcoming nativity scenes.

I love seeing families at our church show up the third week of Advent with completed shopping lists for families in need who are going to enjoy a wishful Christmas fulfilled.

I love showing up on Christmas Eve at our church and seeing the 4 p.m. family worship service filled with kids, parents, grandparents, and extended family members enjoying a live nativity program reflecting the sights, sounds, and smells of the first Christmas.

I love Christmas knowing that God approached ordinary folks, challenging them to do extraordinary feats to help bring about the savior into the world to bring about Good News. Through the angel Gabriel, God’s message was passed on to Mary that she was needed to carry forth this new child of hope into the world, which she graciously accepted. Joseph was informed that he was needed to accept the responsibility of an adoptive father to assist Mary in raising and protecting this child until he could take care of himself. The shepherds in the fields were charged with helping to spread the word of the arrival of the newborn king, and the Magi were blessed with welcoming the child into the world, but also with assisting to protect this child from Herod by departing Jesus’ presence by another route. All were ordinary participants in the extraordinary nativity.

Ilove Christmas morning and knowing when I awake that this is the day that Christ is born, the shepherds are proclaiming the birth of the little Lord Jesus laying down his sweet head; the angels are harking many stanzas of “Glory to the newborn King;” and the Magi will soon be showering Christ’s arrival with gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh, and love.

And that most of us will be honestly wishing that joyfully all will join in with the triumph of the skies:

Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King.

Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.

Joyful all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies.

With angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King!

And that’s what I love about Christmas!