“TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS”
Merry Monday by Parris Bailey
Tell Santa not to worry!
“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78
The time frame I have in mind is the 60’s living in San Antonio. My parents always tried to make Christmas special. We took out our LP’s and played Christmas songs while we decorated the tree. Mom would make her special fudge and toffee bars, my dad loved to make Yorkshire pudding with his roast beef. I never remember any year with no presents, they managed to get us three kids what we wanted. My older sister and I shared a room and slept in a double bed with an iron headboard. I remember it was so hard falling asleep the night before Christmas. My sister Toni would love to hit her ring on the iron bed making a tapping sound. She would whisper “the Elves were busy making toys tonight”(tap tap tap). So between the elves tapping and me straining to look out the window for Santa and his reindeer I would find myself waking up Christmas Day. Opening my presents with my family is probably the best memories I have as a child.
Forty years ago at Christmas time I met Frank, we got married that August. We soon started our “Christmas” with our growing family of four children. We threw out Santa (poor guy) but took the good memories from both of our families. Frank’s dad would read the “Christmas story” from the family Bible. I tried my best to cook and decorate just like my mom, I never have mastered the Yorkshire pudding. One year I even tried to put a manger instead of a Christmas tree in our home but something just didn’t feel right!
Our children have long been gone, now raising their own children celebrating Christmas their own way. Some have resurrected old Santa and others haven’t. This year 4 of the 5 grandchildren will gather round and listen while Pop (Frank) reads the Christmas Story from his Dad’s Bible. My mother, who is 80 years old, is the last surviving great grandparent on both sides; she will join us this year.
It’s the night before Christmas and Santa you don’t have to worry about me. As I lay in my bed tonight after the Christmas Eve Candlelight service I no longer have to pretend or play make believe. Christ broke through to me that Christmas of 72 and the darkness was overshadowed by the light of his love. Forty years of His grace upon our lives never stops overwhelming me. Maybe you might find yourselves not in a good place “the night before Christmas”. I pray this song will minister to you:
Bethlehem morning
Is more than just a memory
For the Child that was born there
Has come to set us free
Bethlehem sunrise
I can see Him in your eyes
For the Child that was born there
His spirit never dies
His star will never, will never grow dim
And it’s a brand-new dawn
A new Jerusalem
And we and we will reign
We will reign with him
Composed by Morris Chapman