The Real Christmas Song

Wow, two years since I posted about Christmas…I guess last year I wasn't inspired to write anything about this WONDERFUL holiday, maybe I was too busy enjoying it…either way, I have quite a treat for everyone!

I am breaking down the well-known Christmas classic- The Christmas Song.  Since I took it upon myself to listen to start my Christmas music journey early this year, I have been able to really analyze the message behind our favorite songs.  I started listening to Christmas music on August 31st this year…as everyone knows, this gives me four months of solid holiday cheer to enjoy listening to my favorite albums of all time, and the Christmas hits just don't stop delivering that fuzzy feeling that I am about to open a TON of great gifts that fulfill my need for presents.

But tonight, as I listened to Straight No Chaser's Christmas album, during The Christmas Song, I realized all the hidden messages in this song- Christmas is NO JOKE, people! And we all need to get a little more somber about the messages in these songs.

"Chesnuts roasting on an open fire…" According to this, I'm doing it all wrong.  I thought I should roast my pecans and walnuts SAFELY IN AN OVEN… Who knew, we are supposed to roast nuts on an OPEN FIRE at Christmas time…now, I am no fire expert, but that's GOT to be dangerous and some kind of a fire hazard, especially with small children running around, those nuts are bound to start popping something fierce when they start roasting. "Jack Frost nipping at your nose…."  Furthermore, we are dealing with hypothermia in the next line!  Jack Frost is not your friend during December, folks, Mr.Frost is out for warm blood, and he has no bias towards age or iron level- he's coming for you, mom, so you better take heed and do what the song says- dress like an Eskimo (heaven knows where you will find high grade fur and leather to wrap around your nose, though).  "Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow…"  Next, it talks about tiny tots with glowing eyes…again, no expert, but this can't be good.  For one, maybe they are also running a fever and are subject to some sort of pink eye or something from the evergreen tree or maybe their eye is on FIRE FROM ONE OF THOSE CHESTNUTS that we're so calmly roasting on that OPEN FIRE.  Regardless of what's wrong with the tiny tots eyes, we got them not able to sleep in the next line "…will find it hard to sleep tonight…", yeah, that's a nice way of saying, "mom and dad will be up all night with insomniac children who are hyped up on hot chocolate and greed for santa's gifts"…
And when "mother's child" realizes that reindeer DON'T know how to fly, they will be up even longer listening to you, tiredly proclaiming that if they WILL JUST GO TO SLEEP THE MAGIC OF SANTA WILL COME TO LIFE…SLEEP=SANTA…everyone knows this, right?  I honestly think that people that have trouble sleeping had that mantra drilled into their heads as children, Sleep=Santa, and they are actually afraid that when they sleep, there is some white bearded man creeping around their dark house, drinking their milk and eating their cookies and probably sitting in their lazy-boy watching ESPN…

Okay, so that's just the first verse, guys, I have a lot more…but I will guarantee this, you will NEVER hear that song the same way again!

Ha!!!!

“The Christmas story”

December 25                             

 “And it came to pass in those days….

Oh Lord you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things; things planned long ago, *Isaiah 25:1

There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus….

The Lord does not delight in the power of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.  Psalm 147:10-11

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee…

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.  Micah 5:1

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child…

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son.  Isaiah 6:5

And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger…

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.  Jeremiah 31:10

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us: You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.  Micah 7:18-19

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has see any God besides you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.  Isaiah 64:4

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

“Along the Way” by Kara Liggett and Lana Liggett

December 24

Luke 1:50 “His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.”

Last February, our family celebrated my mom’s 80^th birthday.  It was a special day for all of us as friends and family gathered to give honor to her.  Mom has not had many birthday parties, if any, so my sisters and I wanted this one to be special for sure. 

Tomorrow we celebrate one of the most important birthdays of all.  Even though we may forget amidst the trappings and tiredness, it’s all about Him.  We spend so much time getting ready that we almost miss the party!

We make the birth of Christ a serene scene – little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.  Can you imagine, or even try to perceive what it was like when Jesus was born?  That night was the first night in the life of our Savior?  To first-time parents!  With no family nearby to calm their nerves! Just hope and a promise put in their hearts from God. 

When the time came for the baby to be born, Glory streamed down from Heaven gleaming bright and radiant amidst the muted and dingy setting of the rundown wooden stable in the pasture.  For first-time parents, I would think this might be a little over-the-top, not to mention embarrassing for a new mother looking less than her best.  But for our Christ child, nothing was off-limits in the majesty department. 

That first birthday party was quite different than we picture.  What if the stars opened up like a supernatural phenomenon and just enveloped everything in sight? What if that pasture filled up with the Spirit of God and all the brown and gray turned bright green and blue, bursting with the force of God’s power?  What if the biting cold air stopped blowing and in the dead of winter, a warm current blew. It might be something similar to what the shepherds experienced, stopping them from their duties (watching the sleepy animals, huddled to keep their bodies from the chilly air), “sorely afraid” and blinded by sudden light, surrounded with luminescence, warmth, and unbeknownst to them, the presence of the One who would bring them new life. 

We celebrate Christmas with much pomp and circumstance- celebratory carols, sumptuous food, and lights with brilliant LED capacity. Amidst our decorations, in the still, small, frostbitten air- there lies the Christ child, gleaming with Glory, the true reason for our favorite time of year.  Happy Birthday Jesus!

“The Tear Vial” By Kara Liggett

December 23 

Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He recues those whose spirits are crushed.”

An evening childhood ritual I can remember vividly is when my mom would come in to tell me good-night.  She would kneel next to my bed, and usually, she would read a part of a book that we were working our way through, then she would say her prayer for me. 

One time she came in the room to find that I was crying.  The book I was reading had been flung across the room where it laid sprawled out, pages all crumpled and spine bent.  She went to retrieve the book from the place it had landed and asked what was the matter.  I proceeded to tell her that it was “too sad.”  I couldn’t stand the part in the book where the boy had to kill his horse in order to save her from pain.   My mom knelt next to my bed, pushed my hair off my forehead, helped me wipe my tears with a Kleenex, and then asked me to do the unthinkable-  She wanted me to read the sad part aloud to her.  

At first, I didn’t think I would make it through the part again however, with the presence of my mom there by my side, rubbing my arm, I was able to get through the whole part about the struggle of having to “save” his horse by letting her go.

For some people, this may not seem like a big deal, but I wasn’t a kid who did a whole lot of unnecessary “emotional” crying.  I pouted and bawled at the usual things, but I didn’t get worked up over the same sensitive issues that bothered my sister.  This crying over a book was new emotional territory for me.

Our Christian walk is no different, God sometimes takes us to new emotional places that hurt.  We can thrash about and resist all we want, but all of our “thrown books” and tantrums and breakdowns will lead us to the ultimate prize- God’s presence.  Just like my crying led to having my mom, kneeling by my bedside, asking me to do the impossible- confront that sadness and read that book to her; God will sometimes ask us to do take on an impossible task, but not alone.  We can confront our fears, our sadnesses, our heartbreaks, all those intangible impossibilities that keep us up at night and gnaw at our guts during day, God says, “Child, I’m right here, let’s take this challenge on TOGETHER!!” 

Guess what?  I still can’t read that book without getting weepy.  However, I’ve also learned that going through a hard time doesn’t have to be done alone.  Even if it means just leaning on family or Christian friends, sometimes that’s enough.  God will provide comfort through people He places strategically in our lives when He doesn’t do it Himself.

“The ABC’s...” By Kara Liggett

December 22

 “If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”  One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from a man who was no stranger to “knowing” things- Albert Einstein.  

In politics, education, business, medicine, oftentimes, it takes a thorough understanding of a subject to know how to give an easy-to-swallow explanation.  If a doctor examines a patient and says, “You have a heart problem,” the doctor is probably withholding unnecessary information that would only serve to make the patient worry and fret over circumstances beyond their control. 

When we are presenting the gospel, we have to tap into the places in our heart that God has done work in us.  As complicated as “soul” matters can seem, they are really simple.  God moves in our hearts in ways that we FEEL and KNOW but how do we convey these emotions to people without coming across as spiritual and philosophical weirdos?  We tell the Truth.  

As much as I like to exaggerate and spin my stories to add drama and an entertainment factor, I don’t have to do when I am talking about God’s work.  God has performed miraculous transformations in me and my way of thinking.  My thoughts and actions are permeated and inspired by the moving of the Spirit because I know the consequences of all my actions only fall judgment to Him and His standard is high.  

By seriously studying the Word of God, by scrutinizing and digesting the scripture for what it is (not for what we WANT it to be), we can be sure that God will confront us in a major way.   He gives freely of His wisdom and we can’t be fearful to know more, even if we think we aren’t prepared for what He will reveal. In that spiritual, soulful place that God moves in us as Christians, He gives us that access to Absolute Truth.

Revealing these truths to non-Christians and children alike can seem daunting.  But if we take seriously the challenge to share our testimony in a impactful way, God will provide the opportunities and the confidence to SIMPLY explain why we believe what we believe.  Spending time with Him every single day is like filling up with knowledge that we are going to need for our daily interactions with friends, co-workers, and family.  The more we know, the easier it is to spout facts about God in reference to everything that happens in our lives.  We are the “Albert Einsteins” of our personal journey with God.  Let’s make sure that we present ourselves in a simple and accessible way to the lost world.  

“Count on God” by Kara Liggett

2 Peter 1:19 - “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

I stumbled upon this verse by accident (if accidents are possible when it comes to the living and active Word of God).  It was cross-referenced during my study in Proverbs.  When I read it, I had to stop everything else I was doing.  I was floored.  Where had this verse been all my life?  Like many hidden treasures in the Word, it had gone unnoticed by me.  

Everything we have ever learned about God, about our Faith, everything that has been revealed to us in our hearts, it’s “completely reliable!”  For those of us who have ever used a flashlight (or our cell phones) to find something in the dark, we know that light can cut through the darkness...even a small ray of light can cut STRAIGHT through the blackest shadows.  Like a hot knife through butter, our TRUTH will pierce the LIES.  

When the end of our time on earth comes, we will have done well to pay attention to the prophetic word from the Old Testament- those old-fashioned stories about Noah, about Adam and Eve, the Ten Commandments (even the movie with the pharaoh that had a weird ponytail coming out the back of his head), these stories are our prophesy and the Biblical foundation of the stories is just as reliable as the miracles of healing and provision from God in our present day situations.  

When we feel like God is on cruise control in our lives, we need only remember- He is the same God today that parted the Red Sea, delivered His people, and “laid the Earth’s foundation” (Job 38:4).  He never rests, nor does His power fade.  His truth is in our hearts, from now until eternity.

“A Lesson on Verbs” By Kara Liggett

December 21 

Recently, studying Spanish, I discovered “en Espanol,” there are two forms of the verb “to be.”  There is “estar” and there is “ser.”  One form of the verb, “estar,” is a temporary state, like, “I am tired [today]” to describe the state of a noun at the current moment.  The other form, “ser,” is a permanent state, like, “I am an American [forever],” which is used to describe the state of a noun and its nature.

Both forms can be used, but obviously one of them describes what something truly is, by nature.  In English, we have to decipher these differences on our own, using context clues and inference. 

God made a sweeping statement when He described Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 by giving Himself the name: “I Am.”  Using the context clues and inferences that I know about God and His nature, this amazingly brilliant and simple explanation tells me, like a three-way mirror, that God reflects God reflects God.  Genius.  Of course, we would expect nothing less than the most comprehensive description of God from God.  “I Am,” He is, He will be. 

Oh Lord, Our God-

You say “I am,”

That means “You will be...”

You are and you can.

When you say, “I am,”

You’re saying, “I’m there,”

You do, see, feel, know;

You listen and care,

You’re here, you’re there,

You were and still are;

By saying, “I am,”

You’re near and you’re far.

You’ve covered the now,

The here and the yet;

The past and before,

The time we’ve not met.

I am is I am,

No verb is above,

“To be” can’t be topped

When “I am” is love.

By saying, “I am,”

You’ve told us it all.

Right where we need you,

We simply must call.