Have you watched A Charlie Brown Christmas lately? I could get a little obsessed with its music because I love it so much. One song in particular, "Christmastime is Here."
The song captures the strange melancholy that often washes over me in waves during the holidays. Somehow it is as if this flood of wonderful Christmas memories brings with it the painful realization that things aren't just right... I haven't accomplished everything I meant to by now, pretty soon I might be bald like Charlie Brown, there are loved ones with whom I will never share another Christmas dinner. The melody, with its odd chords paired with the sweet and beautiful lyrics together paints, in the foreground, the "Sleigh bells in the air, beauty everywhere," against a back drop of this unsettling, even disconcerting longing for something more.
This longing can feel like so many different things:
Why won't this stupid string of lights work?
Is everybody conspiring together to make me this mad?
Why don't I have enough money to really make this a great Christmas?
Why can't things be perfect?
Can I get a witness? Charlie Brown can relate.
I believe this longing is placed purposefully in our hearts by God. It is an awareness that we are yet incomplete. Inadequate to fulfill our own longing. We need a Savior.
The cartoon is as a near a perfect advent sermon as I have ever heard. Charlie Brown is depressed by all the trappings of the holiday season. In his frustration he turns to Lucy's "Psychiatric Help" stand and you know she only makes things worse! Finally, at the end, Charlie Brown pleads "Doesn't ANYONE know what Christmas is all about?" and we get to the point. Linus stands center stage and eloquently recites directly from Luke's gospel, the story of Christ's birth.
That is where we always must return. I'm not sure when "A Charlie Brown Christmas" airs in your area, but pay attention and watch it. It's great.
1 comment:
We were just listening to that soundtrack today in school and Caroline told us that it's on tonight!
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