Mistletoe & Wine

The child is a king, the carollers sing
The old has passed, there’s a new beginning
Dreams of Santa, dreams of snow
Fingers numb, faces aglow

Oh, it’s Christmas time, mistletoe and wine
Children singing Christian rhyme
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see

Yesterday was the day that Christmas officially arrived at our house. The Christmas tree was brought into the living room and decorated, Christmas cards were hung up, multicoloured lights hang inside and outside the house, an illuminated Santa and snowman guard our front door, the first presents are under the tree, Mr Turkey is in the freezer…

Cliff’s ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ paints a picture of the best of a traditional Christmas.

A time for living, a time for believing
A time for trusting, not deceiving
Love and laughter and joy ever after
Ours for the taking, just follow the master

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine
Children singing Christian rhyme
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see

Cliff says that there is a deeper meaning to Christmas; it’s more than just ‘stuff’. Christmas presents us with a challenge to love, give, forgive, rejoice, trust and believe. It’s about living honestly, embracing differences, enjoying each other.

I’m challenged to step outside my self-centred, protective, demanding neediness; I’m challenged to share my life, serving others self-lessly and empathetically.

It’s a time for giving, a time for getting
A time for forgiving, and for forgetting
Christmas is love, Christmas is peace
A time for hating and fighting to cease

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine
Children singing Christian rhyme
With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree
A time to rejoice in the good that we see

The song starts ‘The child is a king’. I muse again on the message of advent – the miracle of incarnation, angels and heavenly involvement in earthly affairs, the baby born to be king.

The last verse ends ‘Christmas is peace – a time for hating and fighting to cease’ – particularly poignant this Christmas internationally, but also personally with our individual conflicts and disagreements.

And the second verse calls us to ‘follow the master’. In this last week leading up to Christmas I’m reflecting again on what that looks like for me… following the one who comes to bring light to the darkness, comfort to the suffering, and change to the complacent.