LEST WE FORGET

 

“May what Christmas means to us be based on truth, not just merely our take on it.”

 To help put you in the right frame of mind, here is a little Christmas trivia.  In A Charlie Brown Christmas, what was Linus alluding to when he told Charlie Brown that he knew what Christmas was all about?

 

a-      The best way to celebrate Christmas is with a real tree, not an artificial one.

b-      At Christmas time it’s all about how many gifts you buy for those we love.

c-      Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth.

d-     During the holidays we should act happy even if we feel depressed

 

The answer is C.   The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth.

 In 1965, while writing the script for A Charlie Brown Christmas special, Charles Schulz had decided to have Linus quote from the Bible.   So, as the spotlight shines on the stage, Linus quotes a passage from the second chapter of Luke, in which he eloquently describes a group shepherds being summoned by angels to witness the birth of Christ.

This unfortunately was with met great opposition by the network executives who felt the viewers would be bored by such a lengthy speech. However, Schulz refused to budge and change the message, despite the fact that many thought the special would fail miserably.  He said later in a candid interview, “If we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas who will.”

When I was a kid I remember growing up knowing Christmas was Jesus’ birthday.  However, I didn’t know all the preparation and effort that went into one glorious event.  Often, I think a lot of us feel this way about Christmas.

Using a little creative imagination, this is what I believe a few of the headlines would have read like in the Bethlehem Gazette on the first Christmas day:

 

-Unwed mother gives birth to Savior of the World?

 

-New king sets precedent: everyone welcome in kingdom, even shepherds.

-God gives world best gift ever.

 

“Lest we forget at Christmas time, without Jesus’ earthly birthday, none of us would have a chance at a heavenly one.”

 

Swavel

Fa La La

Making merry, in a responsible manner, is never a waste of time.

It was just the other day that I heard Deck the Halls and got to wondering what the phrase Fa La La means.   The only answer that makes sense to me is that it’s a made up word or possibly it was a phrase used back in its day in its day to express merriment.

Fa La La reminds me of a word like peanut butter or watermelon I used to use back in my choir days when I forgot the appropriate words.   Try it sometime it works, but it is best to mouth it, so no one is any the wiser.  Subsequently, uttering the word Fa La La sounds like a filler word to me. 

So, basically we may never know for sure why they used the word Fa La La in this classic Welsh song made popular in the 1770’s.  However, in my opinion, they were just making it up as they went along and it stuck. 

For whatever reason, Deck the Halls is a great song for carolers in top hats to sing that doesn’t have to make complete sense to convey the true spirit of Christmas cheer.

The words fa la la la la la la la la are the perfect remedy for any foul mood.”

Swavel

 

DIAL it in

 

 

At the end of every day we should ask ourselves this question:  Did I Always Love?  

It was sometime around Thanksgiving when I looked at a DIAL ® soap dispenser while washing my hands and had an epiphany .   For some odd reason it hit me like a ton of bricks, the acronym, Did I Always Love?  Sadly, I fail at this more times than not.

Especially at Christmas time, this is a question we should all be asking ourselves.  Rather than what should I be getting or can I get the right gift so I can make myself look good. At least personally, sometimes I forget that love requires I engage with others rather than just run around buying things for them. 

During this festive holiday season, every time we see a bar or dispenser of DIAL ®soap may we be reminded to love.  The message of Christmas is simple: God loves us and He sent his Son as a gift to prove it. 

May we all be inspired by Jesus’ short life, from cradle to the grave, that easily answers the DIAL ® question with a resounding YES.

“People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love” Nelson Mandela

Swavel