Short and sweet thought for the week…
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I’m so glad. I love the Christmas season. While some hate the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, I relish it. Yes, I know Christmas commercialism has gotten way out of hand, but Christmas is a time when the whole world celebrates the Savior’s birth whether they think they do or not. Without Christ, there really is no “Christ”-mas.
I especially love Christmas songs. This includes Christmas carols like Silent Night, holiday standards like White Christmas, and goofy songs like Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. I’m not remotely offended even though I am a grandma!
Music can be a positive powerful influence. Studies show that music can boost moods, reduce stress, sharpen recall, help slow cognitive decline, and bring back pleasant memories. Neuroscientists say that music and memory are like neighbors in the brain—physically close and emotionally connected. When we hear a melody tied to our past, it affects the same regions that help us store and retrieve long-term memories. It’s not just a flashback, but more like a sensory time machine.
People will forget where they put their keys, but will remember the words to carols like O Come All Ye Faithful or O Little Town of Bethlehem, even if they aren’t Christians. I think God must smile when He hears atheists sing, “O come let us adore Him.” In some ironic way, they are giving honor to the one they deny exists. On the other hand, I’m sure it pleases Him greatly to hear Christians jubilantly sing Joy to the World!
So have yourself a merry little Christmas! Don’t be shy about singing or humming along when you hear a favorite song. After all, it’s been a rough year. So we need a little Christmas and a lot of Christ who makes the season possible.
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord…” ~Psalm 95:1 (NAS)
