Katrick: Christmas songs and blankets of snow
The juke box in my subconscious is working overtime these days, spinning my favorite songs of the season. Some of these include Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano, Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters, The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, and Song for a Winter’s Night by Gordon Lightfoot.
As far as hymns and carols go, my most frequent replays are Joy to the World and Silent Night. So what kind of records are you playing during your REM sleep cycle? I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many of you are dreaming of a White Christmas.
This song, written by Irving Berlin, “reminisces about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. The best known version is sung by Bing Crosby in the musical film, Holiday Inn.” (Wikipedia.org)
One of my most frequent “wonderings” as a minister is why people so want it to snow on Christmas. This has been the case since the first church I served as student pastor, St. Peter’s UCC, in Clinton, Ohio, to the church I’m currently serving in my semi-retirement, Brighton Presbyterian in Zanesville.
Though I’m not keeping official records, as I recall, more of my Christmases as a pastor have been in shirt sleeves rather than wrapped up in a winter coat, gloves and a scarf. And nobody seemed to be all that disappointed, not having to drive through ice, snow, salt and slush to get to their candlelight services.
Depending upon the location of the church I was serving, this time of the year brought the season’s first accumulating snowfall. And not one person ever complained about it. When you awakened to several inches of the white fluffy stuff, it was a sight to behold, sparkling like diamonds in the rising sun. It was like a purifying agent that made everything feel all fresh and new, including our rushed and harried from Christmas-shopping weary spirits.
So go and fix yourselves that steaming hot cup of coffee or tea, take a few deep breaths and put on Dean Martin’s version of, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow. Then whatever kind of weather it is outside (be it frightful or delightful), take comfort in knowing that our Creator God custom-made this day and all that is in it, for you and me. And whether we’re snowbound or out and about in our shirtsleeves, there are plentiful gifts and opportunities, waiting to be discovered and put to good use within it.
Mark Katrick is a pastor and spiritual director.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Katrick: Christmas songs and blankets of snow
