The Meaning Behind the Carols

Nick Batzig, a pastor and blogger, recently posted a compilation of sermons by Ligon Duncan and Derek Thomas, pastors of First Presbyterian church in Jackson, Mississippi, on his Feeding on Christ blog. Here is an excerpt from his post and below is the web address, which will direct you to the sermon links. They will certainly transform the way you listen to and sing these familiar tunes. Want to know what "rest" and "merry" meant in the original context? Listen, learn and then worship the infant-King who brought true "Joy to the World!"

"One of the burdens of a minister’s heart is to bring his people to a place of thinking about the theology of what they are singing, and to sing them with a mind and heart, filled with grace, to the Lord. In 2004, Derek Thomas and Ligon Duncan gave several lectures on various, well-known Christmas hymns, at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. These lectures are quite unique, in that they give the cultural, historical and theological backgrounds of both the hymn, hymn writer and composer of the tune to which the lyrics were set. These should be required in seminary for men preparing for the ministry."

http://www.feedingonchrist.com/derek-thomas-ligon-duncan-lectures-on-the-songs-of-christmas/

Holiday Event Schedules (and Theirs!)

Only two weeks and two days until Christmas! Time is flying and as preparations are gearing up for holiday festivities and celebrations, parents should be gearing up to make some preparations of their own. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the season, the little one's needs can sometimes get lost in the swirl. Begin voicing suggestions now to give all involved plenty of time to adjust as needed to make this a merry Christmas for all!

1. Think about the timing of the meal(s), gift opening, gathering, etc.. Go ahead and decide what times are best to schedule "the biggies." You might want to request an early lunch or dinner for your big Christmas day meal to keep in sync with the kid's normal routine. If you think that both you and they would enjoy eating separately, plan around nap times, or pick up a new video to provide quiet entertainment while the adults feast. As for gift opening, try to coordinate with the extended family so the kids can be rested at that time and at their peek.

2. Pray for patience and understanding. If all of the events surrounding this Christmas go off without a hitch, in terms of the children, then you are one of the lucky few! Otherwise, prepare for the inevitable - kids will get overtired, overstimulated and one or more fits will be thrown. If your schedules are filled to the brim with people and activity, this will likely affect them, and, unfortunately, the affect may very well be negative. Be patient with them and give them some quiet reprieve when needed. This may even mean that you have to miss out on some events for their sakes. If this is the case, switch off with your spouse or find a babysitter if you think the kids might be better off missing an event than miserably enduring it.

3. Go with the flow. While mothers (at least I can speak for myself) love to be in control, we can't control everything, particularly when many others are involved, as they usually are this time of year. There will be times when you'll be much better off rolling with the masses, than fighting against them. Prepare for this ahead of time and relax in the moment. You'll enjoy the celebration far more, as will those around you.

4. Plan for quiet time. Make sure that you pencil in some alone time for your immediate family - enjoy going through an advent calendar, reading the gospel accounts of Jesus' birth, watching a Christmas movie or playing at home, or in a room separate from the chaos if you're not in your own home. Don't let the season fly by without allowing for time to let all of the joys of remembering that "the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11) assumed human flesh all those years ago so that we might have life on this earth and life everlasting!