Dear Friends,

In the year 2000 there was a movie released called High-Fidelity starring John Cusack. I don’t recommend the movie; I don’t even remember anything about the movie except for the fact that the lead character had a vast expanse of musical knowledge, and he loved top 5 lists. Which for me made him a totally relatable character. I love music and I love lists. I am always making up lists in my head. My top 5 movies of all time. Top 5 songs of various Christian Singers. Top 5 sitcoms (Of course the number 1 show was Gilligan’s Island). When Facebook started, I made a page called “My Top 5”. I was expecting it to be a resounding success, that others were just as excited as me to share their likes. Apparently, I was wrong. Soon the page was lost to oblivion…LOL. I still do the same for Christmas Stuff. Here is one of my Christmas Top 5 lists.

Top 5 Christmas TV Specials

1. The Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
3. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
5. Veggie Tales: The Toy Who Saved Christmas (1996)

I wont even begin to start my Christmas music top fives. I love Christmas music. I could have many different categories of top fives. If I had a category of old songs that are current favourites, probably the top of that list would be Johnny Mathis’ “We Need a Little Christmas.” I’ve always loved Johnny’s voice, and I heard this lost gem on our KFM’s nostalgic Breakfast Special Last Christmas. Like I often do when I find a song I like, I do a little background research. I found out, it really isn’t a Christmas song per se. It was from a Tony award winning musical from 1967 called Mame. Originally sung by Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote) and her co-star Bea Arthur (Maude, Golden Girls). In the 1970’s it was made into a movie starring Lucille Ball (which was a box office failure and critically disappointing). The story is about a rich woman who falls into hard times when she losses all her money in the Wall Street Crash of 1929. To try and cheer everyone up they decide t o decorate for and celebrate Christmas. The lyrics tell the story:

Haul out the holly
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now

For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute
Candles in the window, carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas, right this very minute

Hasn't snowed a single flurry, but Santa dear we're in a hurry
Climb down the chimney
Turn on the brightest string of lights I've ever seen
Slice up the fruit cake
It's time we've hung some tinsel on the evergreen bough

For I've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder, grown a little older
And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder
Need a little Christmas now

For we need a little music, need a little laughter
Need a little singing ringing through the rafter
And we need a little snappy, happy ever after
We need a little Christmas now

I find it interesting the song has it all right and all wrong at the same time. When she says she “needs a little Christmas”. It is the decorations that she pulls out: the holly, the tree, the stockings, the candles, the string of lights and the tinsel. She’s even willing to try fruit cake (which doesn’t do anything for me…LOL) It is her desire that in doing so it will bring some hope, cheer and happy ever after. There is nothing wrong with any of those things and they can add some festivity to your celebrations, but they will never provide the results that she is looking for. She does need Christmas, but what she really needs is the meaning of Christmas: Jesus. I love what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:12. He quotes the prophet Isaiah and says that hope is found in Jesus:

“The Root of Jesse (Jesus) will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
in him the Gentiles will hope.” (Italics mine)

For many the world is crazy right now and circumstances are overwhelming. People are desiring the same things though: Hope, cheer and happily ever after and all of these are found in Jesus. They all need the message of Christmas right this very moment. They need the heart of Christmas now. Let’s share it with them.

May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the Power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor John & Jennifer.