Welcome
to Tuesday and another SPECIAL edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes. If
you look around in medialand, you are quick to notice that advertising
is beginning to transition to its fourth-quarter stance. This is the
time of the year retailers absolutely adore. Folks spend money
indiscriminately because of the time of the year. Unfortunately, as we
have bemoaned time and again, the season tends to be getting earlier and
earlier. Decorations for Christmas have begun appearing in stores as
we entered October and now, we are inundated with the ads, special buys,
and "bundles" that populate the airwaves and newsprint.
While
celebrated all over the world, the United States has tended to go all
out for this time of the year. It began in the 1700's as a Gaelic
festival of passage through seasons and transformed into a Christian
celebration of saints gone by. It has now become a season that is
confusing in that it maintains some of the traditions of its Celtic
origins (bonfires, festivals, etc.) as well as showing some twists on
early Christian influences (celebration of saints already passed). In
the last 50 years it has become associated with some very dark symbolism
and the perpetuation of fear. But let's face it, most of all its about
the candy!!! This is Halloween...
Adapted from a poem written by Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas
has become a cult (not occult) classic. From the beginning of October
through New Year's day, Jack Skellington and crew find their way into
stores, via video and "accessory" items, as well as on television.
While not as popular as It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, The Nightmare Before Christmas
has a loyal following. In the past few years it has run seemingly
nonstop on Disney's family of television stations and usually gets
promoted well at Disney parks during October. I confess that I have
never seen the movie. Therefore, we will not pass judgement or provide a
critical review. However, based solely on the plot synopsis and the
opening song, we feel sure that this film is not as appropriate for
younger viewers as the aforementioned Charles Shultz classic.
It
seems in recent history, there is much in which to be afraid. Watching
the news promulgates the anxiety as we see images, some incredibly
graphic, that would never have been shown on television in the 50's or
60's. In fact, we see so much of it through various media outlets, that
there is a desensitization to things that are truly horrific. Please
don't misunderstand, we DO need to understand where we are as the world
today. We DO NOT however, have to be inundated, nor allow the next
generation to be exposed to gore of acts of violence, war, crime, or the
United States Presidential election. Scary Stuff!!!
But
the Bible has assurances that we should not be afraid...of anything!
Many times God's Word expresses to us that, in the vernacular of the
day, "God's Got This!" Or as Bob, the tomato, Larry, the cucumber, and
Junior, the Asparagus might put it...
You
can thank me later for THAT earworm...Let's face it most of us are kids
at heart and sometimes the simplicity of Children's tales speak wisdom
to all of us. And besides, who among you doesn't act just a
bit juvenile during this season? What did you say your costume was?
The
phrases, "do not be afraid" and "fear not" (or some variation of the
theme), are meant as a comfort to the anxieties that we all face.
Ponder this: If you are a follower of Jesus, (God in the form of Man),
who was present with God (God in the form of a Father) when EVERYTHING
was created, why should we be fearful (
Some
say that "fear not" or some derivative is found 365 times in the
Bible. I personally haven't been able to find that many with the
context that we are suggesting, so I recommend that you do your own
search of the Bible and find the passages that provide comfort for you
in times of anxiety. Allow God to speak to you through His Word, the
Bible, and soon you will see the darkness of fear fleeing in the Light
of His Word.
Serving HIM by serving you,
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