"Lights Please"

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts...Luke 2:13

Every town has one. And every city has several. I am talking about tacky light displays at Christmas, so overwhelmingly gaudy, the gimcrack array of lights brings Las Vegas to mind. We actually have had radio stations in Mont- gomery to run Tacky Lights Bus Tour contests. Winners load in a large bus, are treated to some holiday cheer, and feast on some of the most garish illuminations in the city. Now if you want to enjoy this time-honored activity with just the fam or friends, our local paper prints the addresses so encounters with these yule tide yard meteors can take place in the privacy of your own car.

A few years back, our office decided to have a decorations contest. I think the bus could actually make a stop and let folks have a walking tour. My assistant, Priscilla, and I add a little bit of tacky chic to our gaudery every year, usually something we have tucked away in the attic or box that we don’t care to put in the house any longer. It has been a wonderfully warm and fun activity that almost all of us join in on and some go all out in bringing a touch of the laughter and love that becomes infectious at Christmas time. My office favorite this year had to be the near life sized Dancing Santa who brought people from afar to cut a rug with Ol’ St. Nick. Our receptionist, Frances, scored muticultural Santas dancing together in harmony for all who entered our festival of lights.








If you can remember "A Charlie Brown Christmas", Charlie became disgusted with Snoopy for flashing up his doghouse. In our fun, and unlike Snoopy, many of us really do know the answer to Charlie’s question, which he shouts loudly at one point of the show: "Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about!?"
Linus answers sweetly and simply "Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about." (wasn’t that original Linus voice wonderful?) "Lights please." (Luke2:8-14) What a marvelous monologue. What I find so striking about this particular piece of scripture is that it rolls off my tongue like my address and phone number. It was the first long scripture I committed to memory as part of a school Christmas pageant at Edgewood Elementary, in 1963, my second grade year.

I was brought back to this time just a few days ago. A nationally known rehabilitation facility that my agency does business with had their own Christmas pageant, complete with solos all sung a capella, original poems, scripture readings, prayers, and an original play written by one of the participants. All of the players had one thing in common. They were people with disabilities, with one common goal, hoping to improve their lives by participating this worthwhile job training program through Goodwill Industries.

My mind drifted to simpler times, and despite the fun of our decorations, like Charlie Brown, I too, still seek the real meaning of Christmas. It came to me this week in that simple pageant as I recalled my own youthful school play during those Ft Benning/Columbus, Ga. years, a place where I started my journey with Christ.

I was struck by the simplicity of the man who opened the Goodwill pageant with prayer. He sincerely thanked God for our food, even the water we drink, and how we could hold fast to Him during difficult times. It reminded me of the prayers of my youth, and now the prayers of my adulthood, as I am returning to the simplicity of the gospel of grace through Christ Jesus. My sincere wish is that each of you would seek and find that meaning, it is a simple click on "Lights please."

That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.
Merry Christmas from the Hatter home....to yours.

Mark
Prov 17:22
And no...that is NOT my home at the top of the blog. ;-)