Keeping Christmas

I have mentioned that one of my favorite Christmas movies is An Avonlea Christmas.   It is a reunion movie of sorts, taking place a couple of years after Avonlea stopped production.

The first time I watched it, I wasn't certain I liked it very much.  For part of the storyline is their son, Felix, is MIA during WWI.  That didn't seem very Christmas-y.

However, it was when I watched it a second time (and a third, and a fourth, etc.) that I realized there were two messages of the movie.  The first is how important love is in our life, love of family and friends.

The second theme throughout the movie was how "keeping Christmas" as usual was an important part of the war effort.   I was thinking of that this weekend as my heart was broken over the events of last Friday.

I felt I needed to keep silent online, no words seemed sufficient.  I will publish the planned posts this next weekend that I did not publish Saturday or Sunday.

However, I've put a lot of thought into the remainder of this Beautiful Season and I've decided... like the families in An Avonlea Christmas... I can best honor those children and teachers by Keeping Christmas.

For we need Light in the midst of Darkness this year as never before!  We have mourned with those who mourn and I am certain we will continue to weep as we watch the evening news this week.  I cried through all thirty minutes last night.

But we must not let the enemy of our souls win by letting evil steal Christmas.   I plugged in the lights of the Christmas tree, listened to some music on the radio, talked to both my children, and spoiled my cat... and prayed... a lot.

You may already know the story behind the classic Christmas Carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.  I was reminded of it again yesterday while listening to the radio.

The poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote the poem Christmas Bells (from which the Christmas carol is taken) during a time of great personal despair in the Civil War years.  I have felt such despair and wrestled with angels... only to come away knowing God is good even when life is not.

I think the message is appropriate this year as our Christmas joy is mingled with the tears of the people of Connecticut.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!