Have I told you how much I love the YouVersion app for the iPad? Lots of translations, you can highlight, you can add your own notes, etc. There are also some really good daily devotionals that can help you in your daily Bible reading and walk with God. I am presently doing three of them, including a Christmas Carol Devotional that takes a Christmas song each day and talks about them.
I love Christmas songs. And being a worship minister has some great advantages in this department because you can start listening to Christmas songs and no one will think you are loony (at least not completely.) My favorite Christmas song has been documented in this blog (that would be O Holy Night, I am sure it will come up in this devotional), but I am excited to look at other Christmas songs and glean a deeper truth from them.
First up on the docket is Joy To The World. I have two favorite versions of this song right now. One is called All Creation Sing (Joy To The World), originally done by Fee but the North Point version is awesome. The other version is Future of Forestry's version, which throws in a little bit of All Creatures Of Our God And King and just has a cool sound.
I think sometimes in the Christmas season, it is hard to find people who are joyful. I read several different stories of crazy Black Friday incidents, including a lady in California who pepper sprayed other shoppers so she could get to the good stuff first. I watched a video of what seemed to be a thousand people pour into an Urban Outfitters store. We are often tired from shopping, tired from Christmas festivities and school plays and holiday office parties and opening cards and getting pictures with Santa and hearing those Salvation Army bells ringing incessantly and more...to actually stop during this craziness and think of things to be joyful about seems almost anti-Christmas season, right?
One way I try to be joyful is thinking about the little things that go on in our lives in December: my birthday, my grandmother's birthday, Debby and my anniversary, cookie and goodie baking (and collecting) with our brother-in-law's huge family down in Cincinnati, Christmas eve services at our church, finding new versions of songs to try out this year, etc. Today I experienced a joyful moment as I helped set up our worship center's stage to look like the movie set of It's A Wonderful Life. Taking time to find joy in the little things this holiday season is a great way to have a joyful spirit this time of the year. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. EGG NOG.
What are some things that remind you to stay joyful during this time of the year? Ultimately, reminding myself of why I do this stuff every year - because our Lord was born, because our Savior reigns, and that He rules the world, not through force and demands, but through truth and grace is the best way to keep a joyful spirit now and any time of year.
2 comments:
As I get older, and my kids have left home, I find joy in having them home. That is my best present. I also find joy in Christmas lights..not gaudy ones but just simple ones on my tree or our wreaths. My grandma was the best pie maker ever and she always made me a mincemeat pie on Christmas Eve which gave me joy..I'm still trying to find someone who can make mincemeat pie :)
I was always afraid of mincemeat pie because of the word meat in it. :D
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