My Christmas Playlist

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the carols. Me and my brother grew up with dad and mom playing old & new Christmas carols in many different versions. I even remember when I was still in high school...one December night...our family sat by the stairs of our rented apartment...the house dark and Christmas lights were the only sparks that we have while carols sung by the Osbourne brothers are being played in our old Akai stereo. So even as years passed by, me & my brother have always been a fan of Christmas carols. Inspired by a set of Christmas carols sung in ATS chapel one time, I decided to make my top ten list and consistently play them this December. One of my professors, an OT scholar, mentioned to me the theology behind them while we sang and I enjoyed analyzing them myself. It speaks so much of Jesus, NT words combined with OT words. But taking away those stuff... simply put, these songs touched my heart.

On our way home from a family get-together last December 25, my brother played a Christmas carol and said it’s his number 2 favorite. He too has a list! Just as I suspected! He made everyone in the car guess what’s his no.1 and I was the only one who guessed it right… I’ve known him the longest and I know what’s on top of his list.

Let me share my list here and I’ve included some significant lines from the songs (&carols) that made me feel the real meaning of Christmas… Love, Salvation, Hope… yes, there is hope.

My Christmas Playlist

1. How deep the Father’s love

“…How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the chosen One, Bring many sons to glory…”

2. Count Your blessings (Diana Krall)

“…If you're worried and you can't sleep, Just count your blessings instead of sheep. And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings…”

3. Thou didst leave thy throne

            “…O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!”

4. Christmas Lights (Coldplay)

“Those Christmas lights Light up the street down where the sea and city meet may all your troubles soon be gone …Oh Christmas lights keep shining on”

“…Up above candles on air flicker, Oh they flicker and they float but I'm up here holding on to all those chandeliers of hope”

5. It came upon a midnight clear version (Kutless version)

“…O ye beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow; Look now, for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing; Oh rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.”

6. What child is this by mercy me

“…Raise, raise the song on high, the virgin sings her lullaby: Joy, joy, for christ is born, the babe, the son of mary!”

7. Hark the herald angels sing (charles Wesley)

“… the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark! The herald angels sing...Glory to the newborn King!"

8. The first noel 18^th century Ralph vaughn Williams

“…Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord That hath made Heaven and earth of nought and with his blood mankind has bought. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel! “

9. Christmas like a child (Third Day) (my top3 most played song this December)

“…I wanna feel Christmas, how it used to be with all of its wonder falling on me the season is felt so empty, Oh for quite awhile I wanna feel Christmas Like a child…”

10. Shake it up (The Train)

“…Shake up the Happiness… Wake up the Happiness… Shake up the happiness…Its Christmas time.”

Allan James’ (my brother) Only Top 2 Christmas Songs

… he said he has only 2 top favorite carols

1. Let it Snow

“… oh the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful, and since we’ve no place to go… let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”

2. Count Your Blessings (same as mine J)

How about you? What’s your favorite Christmas song? or what soothes you this Christmas? My song #4 isn’t really a happy carol but it definitely warms my heart. The top on my list is not considered a carol but it tells of how significant to me the birth of Jesus is. He is my one and only Christmas. Hugs to Jesus & back!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

*note: search the songs in you tube and enjoy them! December isn’t over yet!

wait 'til it comes... pray 'til it happens...

I’m impatient. I am persistent. I remember when I was still a kid my dad would always say that when I request or ask for something I’ll keep repeating myself. When I grew a little older I heard him telling me the same especially when I remind him of payments in school. When I had my first formal relationship, he said I’m the most overly-eager person he ever met. My girl bestfriend whom I grew up with spiritually said the same thing to me. There seems to be some recurrent theme here. And it proves my first statement. I’m impatient.

For a month now, God has been telling me themes on waiting. I read a book on waiting and a friend suggested I listen to a song that will inspire me to wait. Umm, do I look like that importunate?

But honestly, I’ve never dealt with waiting like this. I’ve never stretched my patience this way. And I’ve never reflected on me this much. I am learning much about myself and the Lord is personally dealing with me. I am dealing with it face to face.

I’m not a prayer warrior. I miss the days when I listen to music, read the bible and pray until I sleep on God’s strong lap or comforting arms. Years and events have passed and those nights are vivid in my mind but I just can’t seem to do it. Was I overtaken by seminary and ministry life? Until I found myself needing that moment again. It is like getting sick and realizing you’ve neglected your vitamins. But please don’t think that I don’t pray. I do! When I had my “retreat in daily life” with a spiritual adviser… I had very critical praying nights… I dialogue with God in the most personal way. But I just don’t have the same intense loving prayer I had years ago when I just listen. These past few months… I’m having them all over again. I am enjoying listening to God and comforting me in many ways… it transforms me. I see it, I feel it and the agonizing pain that comes with it is for me an indication that indeed something is happening in me. I’m learning.

I’m on a journey then I can say. The agony of waiting is painful enough, not to mention the heat I go through just like being molded into silver. The process is hard, the journey is painful. But what made me move on with courage is His comfort and peace. His love, His strength, His grace & His mercy. He is not giving up on me… so I’m not giving up. What a wonderful God.

The most unbelievable thing here for me is to see myself realizing things and actually offering to God in prayer how I’m to do it. It is facing myself and dealing with my own challenging areas. This is an opportunity for me and I need to seize it! absorb it and find the beauty in it… despite the pain & the tears.

I’m but human. I feel. The journey to waiting and prayer led me to silence and just listen to Him. He’s my teacher and each day I hear something from Him. He is my comfort. He is my peach. He is my strength and He pushes me to move… and stand my ground.

He pushes me to wait until the day comes… and to enjoy praying and be transformed by it! I am beginning to understand things, yet I realized there’s still much to learn. Life is short to be passive. People pass by not too often so I better make the most out of relationships. Opportunities to learn that I may have a better future may not come again, so despite the agony… I need to grab the chance to learn.

I don’t know the end to this journey… it may never even come. It may even end the other way around. But i have now… this moment to wait until what I’m waiting for comes… and I have to enjoy my conversation, consultation and learning from the God… who at the same time has His ready hands, shoulders and embrace to comfort and affirm me. Without God….I would definitely be nothing. 

*note from streams in the dessert