God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Last night we went to the Hale Theater to watch A Christmas Carol.  Often when we go to the theater, Emma is working but last night she didn't have to work and we got a ticket for her too.

As the intermission was drawing to a close, Emma noticed something was amiss that the ushers should have taken care of.  There was a barrier across one of the stage entrances that had been placed there for the intermission but that needed to be taken down.

As the lights dimmed, Emma went to the booth to let them know of the problem.

When she came back she whispered to me, "I just saved Christmas."

And Christmas is worth saving.

Sunday a little kid was bearing his testimony in church and he said that Christmas is a time to give, not a time to receive.

Braeden whispered to me, "That's not true."

And it isn't.

I was struck once again (I cried and had make-up smudged raccoon eyes to show for it) by Christmas during the show.  There's something about live theater and the way they portray A Christmas Carol at the Hale Theater.  It gets me.

In the last scene of the show, Ebenezer Scrooge sings this:

God rest ye merry gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember Christ our Savior

Was born on Christmas Day

To save us all from Satan's pow'r

When we were gone astray

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Comfort and joy

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Because of Christ's birth, because of what He freely gave us, we are saved when we have gone astray.  We are lifted when we sorrow.  We have Light in the darkness.  Comfort and joy indeed.

I'm grateful for what we receive on Christmas.  It is about receiving, receiving the glorious gift of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

(I also like giving gifts.  Especially wrapped in red.)