Christmas times a comin’

Christmas time’s a-comin’

Christmas time’s a-comin’

Christmas time’s a-comin’

And I know I’m goin’ home

If you are into Christmas music and who isn’t, one of the standards is the title of this blog post. Or maybe you are just into bluegrass music. “Christmas Time’s A-Comin” was written by Bell Labs engineer Benjamin “Tex” Logan. It was originally recorded by Bill Monroe in 1951. In 1950, Gene Autry wrote and recorded “Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer.”  So, the Christmas song has been around for a long time.  Among those who have covered the “Christmas Time’s A-Comin” are Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Raffi, Patty Loveless, Rhonda Vincent, Peter Rowan, Sammy Kershaw, Diamond Rio, Charlie Daniels with The Grascals, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Waltons cast (Yes, John Boy’s family), and the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.

In preparation for Christmas, I have dedicated a considerable amount of time to putting out our Christmas decorations—not all of them, but most of the ones we put on the main floor. I started the week before Thanksgiving. When the clan gathered, I got a lot of help and am thankful.

But over a week later, I hit a lull in my preparation. Empty boxes and boxes still holding their joyous articles are everywhere. And I just sit! I have little motivation to complete the task.

My sitting is not idle. No! No! I am processing the mixed feelings of my first Christmas without my “Mary Christmas.” For Jan, Christmas was a time for extravagance. She accumulated three closets and an attic crammed with decorations for the house and gift-wrapping supplies. Our ten grandchildren each have a tub in the attic bulging with gifts she collected over the preceding year.

“Christmas time’s a-comin’,” and it will be radically different. Though I know my family will not be, my mind is filled with the dread of disappointing them, that our celebration will be somehow, “less-than.”  How can it be otherwise? Christmas with out Jan just will not have the customary bling of the “jing.”

While some of me will be bemoaning the blingless celebration, another part of me cannot help but celebrate with the greatest joy. God used Jan to make our Baldwin Christmas celebrations extraordinary! It’s exhausting, for sure, but exceptional!

 In the debilitating “darkness” of our matriarch’s death, we are promised that a “great light” will be seen. We will be reminded, forced to reconsider our festive celebration, that our Christmas is not about our tradition but of the constancy of our God to deliver us with a brilliant hope of His presence.

Jesus told his disciples that “no one lights a candle and puts it under a basket but on a lampstand that it might give light to everyone in the house.” That lampstand is Jan. The light has not been impacted by the darkness of her death. She continues to be a lampstand, lifting the glory of God’s ever-present help.

Christmas night will be darker this year, but that only allows the “Star” to shine that much brighter.

Because we live in a time of great darkness, we will be in a place to have blossoming hope issuing from our confidence that our Creator has sent His “great Light.”

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the sea road, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles! The people who live in darkness have seen a great light, and for those living in the shadowland of death, light has dawned.’ (Matthew 4:14-16, CSB)

I choose, I “faith,” that this celebration of the birth of Jesus will be done in the light! So, help me, Holy Spirit.

Photo – This is not a very good photograph but an excellent memory picture.