Is anyone happy (merry, KJV)? Let him sing songs of praise.
James 5:13
Take it in ladies. The sounds and smells and sights of Christmas are everywhere, tickling my senses. I confess to loving it all. Yes, ’tis the season to be jolly, or happy, or merry—as you wish to express it. For sure the traditional greeting, Merry Christmas, embodies the spirit of celebration for those who love Jesus. Let’s get in the mood with a Merry Christmas Monday.
How about a trip to the Gaylord Texan to snow tube down their two-story ice slide, or skate on the outdoor rink—yes, outdoors, for 6 weeks, in Texas! Or put on a parka and see “mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap” along with the rest of the Night Before Christmas story carved out of 2 million pounds of ice. Then top it all off with the breath-taking, crystal-clear, full Nativity, glistening under the lights. Tends to make one’s heart merry!
Maybe you’d rather start closer to home with your precious child or grandchild’s Christmas extravaganza—certain to make you merry. Sue Monk’s story in her book When the Heart Waits, may top yours, or not:
When my daughter was small she got the dubious part of the Bethlehem star in a Christmas play. After her first rehearsal she burst through the door with her costume, a five-pointed star lined in shiny gold tinsel designed to drape over her like a sandwich board.
“What exactly will you be doing in the play?” I asked her.
“I just stand there and shine,” she told me.
Or maybe, just maybe, a good old fashioned Christmas sing-along will make your Monday merry. The comma placement in God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen has piqued my curiosity. In days of olde, resting merry invited peaceful contentment in the knowledge of Christ as Savior.
Take note, ladies, of the true meaning of merriness, with liberty:
God rest ye merry, gentlewomen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ, our Savior was born on Christmas day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy…
So then: Is anyone (merry, KJV)? Let him sing songs of praise (James 5:13).
Nancy P
