I love Christmas and almost everything about it.

I can’t wait until November 1 when I can “legally” start listening to the four different Christmas music channels I’ve curated on my Pandora subscription.

Long ago I shifted my Christmas music preferences from the “White Christmas” category of seasonal songs to the music celebrating Christ’s birth and never looked back.

One Christmas Eve many years ago after a crazy day of activity, we decided to go to the 10:00 pm candlelight service at our church. I was not in the best frame of mind to be going to worship as the cares of the day and season seemed to be weighing heavy on my mind and mood.

Twenty-five or more years later, I can still hear the music begin and a singer at our church, who was quite accomplished, singing “O Holy Night.”

She completely nailed it. Every note, important lyric and line, every emotion in the song was perfect; and it saved my Christmas that year.

I recall another Christmas when the season was saved by the reading of the biblical story by a grade school young man at the front of the church while standing near the Advent candle display.

And every year my perspective is reset by candles lit while singing “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve.

Of course, the biblical narratives from Isaiah to the Gospels never get old. As someone who has spent the better part of his life around words and stories, I appreciate a good story, especially when it is true and changes everything.

Christian writers are not involved with mere words. They write about Logos, the Word of God, eternal truth, saving faith, power that changes, love that forgives, mercy, grace, and a hope of eternal life.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” just doesn’t cut it.

Have a great Christmas remembering what it is all about. And as the final chorus of “O Holy Night” exclaims:

Christ is the Lord, then ever! ever praise we!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!