Welcome to December 2017!!! It seems like only yesterday that we were introducing ourselves to the New Year with this Musical Note - Tuesday's Musical Notes - "New Years Day". Now we find ourselves glancing down the not too distant future into 2018. What does the New Year hold? We won't have to wait very long to find out!
While we are waiting, let's celebrate Christmas!!! It is certainly something worth celebrating and on occasion, a time for reflection. Like today's Tuesday's Musical Note. It is the very last Christmas Note to make its presents known to internet land via email, that we haven't given its reprise (I know its spelled wrong, but let's be festive shall we?). So, put on your best virtual reality gear and let's flashback to December 20, 2011, where we catch up with The Peanuts gang and the beloved opening to one of every year's favorite Christmas specials.
Merry Christmas and welcome to Tuesday!!!!
It all began like this......
"Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Trio from the Christmas special A Charlie Brown Christmas
On Thursday, December 9th, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas, aired for the first time and has been on television during the Christmas season every year since. That's 52 years for you mathematicians out there! It preempted The Munsters (Tuesday's Musical Notes - Theme From "The Munsters") that night and came on before Gilligan's Island. (my, how TV has changed)
It all began like this......
"Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Trio from the Christmas special A Charlie Brown Christmas
On Thursday, December 9th, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas, aired for the first time and has been on television during the Christmas season every year since. That's 52 years for you mathematicians out there! It preempted The Munsters (Tuesday's Musical Notes - Theme From "The Munsters") that night and came on before Gilligan's Island. (my, how TV has changed)
It was the first of many Peanuts television specials that are beloved by kids of all ages. It has won the Emmy and Peabody awards and was watched by 50% of American televisions on its initial airing. While it is considered a cultural icon today, television executives in 1965 weren't so enthusiastic. In fact, A Charlie Brown Christmas almost didn't make it to the airwaves. Read the story here: "How A Charlie Brown Christmas Almost Didn’t Happen" by Lee Habeeb nationalreview.com December 1, 2015 "
I don't think Charlie Brown was the first to bemoan the commercialism of this time of year. There is at least a hint of it in many old Christmas movies. Some of my favorites include It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Holiday Inn, and A Miracle On 34th Street. Like these old movies, many Christmas specials and cable Christmas movies today focus on at least one character whose heart is in the wrong place for the season. While not exceedingly greedy like the antagonists of our favorite Christmas show, each one of us has probably succumbed to the temptation of an advertisement.....ever participated in Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or free shipping day? Yes, I have too. But as I have gotten older, I realize that while advertisements suggest you are saving money, reality dictates that you are only receiving a discount while you SPEND your money. It begs the question, in light of those would would be a "Scrooge", where is your heart this Christmas?
Maybe because I've gotten a little older or maybe it's because I have all of the "toys" that I could ever play with, but with the passing of the years, it seems (for me anyway) to get just a little bit easier:
To look past the Christmas lights and see the light of one star. ("Lights please")
To look past the stress of the season and see the shepherds. ("And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.")
To look past mundane commercialism that so easily besets us and look for the miraculous that causes such awe that we ache in our bones from fear. ("And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid")
To look past Santa and see the Savior. ("And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of a great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord.")
To look past the wrapped gifts and see the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. ("And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” )
To look past my exhaustion and look at the angels' exultation. ("And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God,")
To look at my family and friends and realize that God has blessed me. (and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.")
More importantly, to look at the baby in the manger and realize that through His sacrifice my relationship with God can be restored.
To look past the Christmas tree and see a crucifixion tree. ("That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.")
The ancient prophets wrote and told others about His first coming. It was as miraculous and precisely what God had told them it would be. It is our turn to take up the mantle and tell about the celebration of His first coming as a baby. But we mustn't stop there. We must be as equally bold in telling of His next visit to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That event will result in the ultimate Christmas celebration in heaven.
Just like in 1965 when Charles Schultz prevailed and had Linus tell the Christmas story from Luke 2 to a national television audience, let us prevail and be as bold as Linus VanPelt......"Lights Please"
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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