It's that Time of Year Again! For what, you ask? Christmas, yes, but ALSO time to see Amy Grant!
Ahh, it's the small things in life that excite me. This year I will not be dragging my husband or my parents to see Amy. I will be joined by a few of the lovely woman I work with. We have all had a busy 2010 and we are looking forward to an even busier 2011. With this said, we are all frantically looking for some time off around Christmas to relax with our loved ones and refocus on Christ before we get back to it as we bring in the New Year.
One thing I love about seeing Amy in concert is the relaxation I feel. I know, during those few hours, that I am there and my mind can let go of everything else as I sing along with the songs that are so familiar to me. The songs will be even more familiar this time since Amy will be joined by her husband Vince Gill to perform their Christmas show. I am so glad that the ladies I work with will be able to join me in a night away just to fellowship, relax and think about what Christ has done for us through His birth (and to make a big deal over Amy Grant too, of course).
There are several songs performed by Amy that hit home with me (some of which I have blogged about before) but there is one Christmas song that is beyond real in my life and I am sure the lyrics will hit home for many of you as well. Amy's "I Need A Silent Night" portrays how I often feel around the Christmas season. What about you?
I've made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove
Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?
Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?
Every shepherd's out in the field
Keeping watch over their clock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid
And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night
Amy sang this song the last time I saw her in concert, and before she started, she asked everyone in the audience to raise their hand if they almost didn't come that night due to their busy and over booked schedules. Evan and I joined many other individuals when we raised our hands (we had moved into our current house that day and barely made it in the door in time for the concert). Before the song began, she spoke about the importance of a silent time with Christ. She spoke from the heart about the times in her life when things felt like they were spinning nonstop due to all that was going on. As I sat in that large audience, I thought about how crazy life had been that month. Now, I sit at home and think about how crazy life is now. With our goals of giving our best performance at work, taking care of the ones we love and getting all the errands taken care of, it is so easy to run and run and forget to take the time to sit, listen and appreciate what we have. I spend a lot of time telling others to have a silent night with Christ but I don't take my own advice often enough.
So, here is a challenge for us both. Do you need a silent night with Christ? I do. Let us decide to make that happen this week. Let us decide to make this happen more than once over the Holidays. And for Christmas, let us give those silent nights to ourselves as a gift and share those precious moments, the ones we find when God meets us where we are, with the ones we love!
