Christmas has come! Rejoice!!!

I absolutely love this time of year - I love the decorations, I love the food, I love the smells, I love the Christmas specials on TV and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas music. Seriously. I would play the stuff 12 months a year if it wouldn't drive eveyone around me completely crazy by February!

I love the music for 2 reasons - first, so many of the songs that play this time of year remind me of wonderful Christmas's of the past and literally warm my heart, and secondly, because it is the only time of the year that I can walk into almost any store or restaraunt and hear music playing that talks about the most important part of this season - the birth of Christ. There is no other time of the year where all over secular society we hear the truth, love and beauty of Christianity blasted through the speakers! It is wonderful!

Music has always been a way that I connect with my Creator - for me, listening to and singing praise and worship songs is one of my most intimate forms of prayer. And I love when I hear a new song that touches a new place in my heart. Two songs came out last year that did just that - Francesca Battestelli's "You're Here" and Chris Tomlin and Audery Assad's "Winter Snow".

"You're Here" looks at the miracle of Christmas morning through the eyes of a new mother - Mary. It is sung as if she is holding the newborn Baby Jesus in her arms, falling deeply in love with Him, both as her son, and her Savior. Almost brings me to tears everytime I hear it.

"Winter Snow" speaks of the beauty and power of the simple, quiet and gentle way that God chose to come to us. He could have come in any form, in any manner, and yet, out of love for us, He came AS one of us - entering our world as peacefully as a winter snow. I dare you to listen to this song and not be moved by the true Christmas Spirit.

Here is a link to "You're Here": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKJ1aWt1J4

And here is one for "Winter Snow": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpHiAmL8-b0

I hope these songs add to the wonder and joy of your Christmas like they do to mine!!

Merry Christmas!!! Rejoice - Christ is born!!!