I Heard the Bells...

 As Christmas approaches, I've been reflecting on some of the old Christmas Carols that I've listened to since childhood.  Many of the songs have beautiful back stories to why they were written. I'd like to take some time to share about some of the songs that are most meaningful to me during the next month leading up to Christmas.  

I have always loved the song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," but never knew the story about why it was written.  This song was penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas day in 1863.  Longfellow had experienced a great deal of pain in his life, losing two wives tragically.  His second wife burned to death right in front of him and he was unable to save her.  He had a son badly injured in the Civil War who was home recovering that Christmas when he wrote these words.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

I found this website with a great summary of the story behind the song if you'd like to read more.  https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/finding-praise-through-pain-in-i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day.html

There is a sort of sadness that creeps in for me each year, as Christmas arrives.  So many memories come flooding into my mind, of years past when loved ones who are no longer with me were present.  Perhaps too, it is because the Christmas season has become so completely inundated with materialism and commercialism and frantic schedules that overshadow the simple and sweet story of Jesus's birth.  Though I love the decorations, the tree, the cards and the presents...I don't ever want them to be the focus.  I relate to this song because while we can cover up some of the pain we see around us with the trappings of Christmas, there is still plenty of sorrow to be found.  At times it may even seem like all hope is lost...but that's where Jesus steps in.  God is not dead...He lives and loves each one of us so very much.  While the Civil War was literally raging around him and he was caught up in the despair of so much family tragedy, Longfellow captured the true beauty of all that Christmas has to offer.  And I hope you too can find some of this beauty, this PEACE, this hope. 

Being Glad...

 As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow with family and dear friends, it is so easy to let the day slip by without really devoting much time to being thankful.  Some years, as Thanksgiving approached, I'd have the kids write down something each day that they were thankful for and then read them out loud as we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. That always brought on some good laughs!  This year, I unexpectedly stumbled across a classic book that we have been reading together, that I feel embodies the spirit of Thanksgiving.  The book is called "Pollyanna" and it was written back in 1913 by Eleanor H. Porter.  Pollyanna is a young girl who has lost both her mother and father.  But before her father died, he taught her to play a game and it is a game she lives by every day.  It is called the "just being glad game" and the game is simply to, "find something to be glad about in everything - no matter what it is."

As the story progresses, Pollyanna teaches more and more people to play this game and she astonishes almost everyone she meets by showing them that they too have many things to be thankful for, even when they thought that everything was very bad.  The story is refreshing and uplifting and has challenged me to rethink how I can be more glad throughout my days.

Tonight I was reading 2 Corinthians and came across a passage I've read many times before.  It reminded me, in a way, of the gladness game.  

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 MSG says, "All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us."

We can always find something to be glad about.  We can always draw from our difficult experiences and use them to help others who struggle and are hurting.  We can always find a reason to wake up and thank God, Who gives us all good things.  

There will be empty seats at our table tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner. Not a single holiday passes that I do not grieve the losses in our family and think back on years past.  This year I've often felt that sadness creep in as I did simple tasks that I might have shared with my mom or when I recounted a memory of something my family did together when I was young.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds me to "Give thanks in all circumstances..."  Even when things are difficult, unfair, unclear, or painful. 

Please Dear God, don't allow me to fall into the traps of negativity, ungratefulness, and constantly wanting more, that plague so many.  Help me to see, every day, all the ways that You are blessing me and give me reason to lift up my hands in praise and thanksgiving for all that You have done in my life.  And help me to take whatever You give me and teach me and use it to help others who are also struggling.  Amen.