JOY to the world the LORD has come!

This past weekend we attended the Belhaven singing Christmas tree. For those of you who are not familiar with the event, it happens every December and is put on by Belhaven college for free for the Belhaven neighborhood (and beyond). It is held in the soccer bowl where tons of people congregate to hear traditional Christmas hymns and carols from a whimsical people-tree (seen above) with lights and everything. I've always looked forward to the singing Christmas tree--it is such a festive event! This year David and I got a great spot on the ground and cuddled under a blanket with our hot drinks--so fun. Hearing the hymns reminded me of what it was like for me to hear those hymns for the first time after becoming a believer. There was one particular Christmas where I was rediscovering the beauty of hymns such as Joy to the World, O Holy Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Come all ye Faithful, Silent Night, and O Come O Come, Emmanuel. I told David that I felt sad for those who hear those songs and don't know the magnitude of their meaning. I sang these songs for years as a kid and had no idea how impacting the words were. I love that in the Christian life there is always some new truth unfolding before us as more and more scales fall from our eyes. Rediscovering those hymns was one of those sweet moments for me. I can remember singing those songs, meditating on those words and feeling an intense wonder and joy over the truth that was so plain to me starting at that point. I could barely sing through one without tears stinging my eyes. Those hymns are so sweet to me. They send a strong message of hope to the world, to the lost, sick, distressed, and overwhelmed. Well, and I am always on the lookout for anything that's growing hope. What hope there is for us in knowing that Jesus has come to conquer evil in a way most unimaginable!