It's Christmas Time

"In the town of Bethlehem

See the stars shine

Fall down and worship Him

It's Christmas time..."

I love everything about Christmas. I love the religious celebrations of the birth of our Savior.  I love reading from Luke 2 (just like Linus!).  I love the decorations, the trees and Santa Claus. I love the movies and TV specials. And I love the music. I know that they start playing it way too early for most of us, but when it it time I am sooo ready for it! I love it.  And I love a wide variety of Christmas tunes. My play-list includes everything from traditional carols to rock anthems to singing vegetables. In fact, the first VeggieTales Christmas CD is a traditional favorite for us. And I love sharing some of my favorite Christmas music with you. 

Today's selection may be a little obscure, but it also is one of my very favorite contemporary Christmas songs. It comes from the 2002 album City On A Hill: It's Christmas Time.  This album featured various contemporary Christian artists including Third Day, Caedmon's Call, Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer. The title track, It's Christmas Time, was written by Terry Scott Taylor and Steve Hindalong. Taylor's roots in CCM go all the way back to the beginning at Calvary Church in southern California. He has been a prolific songwriter and member of the bands Daniel Amos and Lost Dogs.  His songwriting has been listed as an inspiration by artists as varied as U2 and Michael W. Smith. Hindalong received a Dove Award for his production work on the City On A Hill albums. He was in the classic CCM band The Choir, and with Taylor in Lost Dogs. He is perhaps most noted as a drummer and percussionist, having played on numerous albums for various artists over the years. This song (for me) sets the mood for the celebration, joy and reverence that the Christmas season should be all about. It is sung by an all-star choir, including Dan Haseltine (of Jars of Clay), Mac Powell (of Third Day), Michael Tait (of dc Talk and now Newsboys), Leigh Nash (of Sixpence), Caedmon's Call and Out of Eden. I trust the God will use it to move you as much as it moves me. The celebration of the birth of our LORD is coming quickly. Let's prepare ourselves now for the coming of the hope of the world. Enjoy the song!

My Deliverer is Coming,

Throwback Thursday: Let Me Be There

Christmas Party -  There were 50+  youth in our
2 bedroom, 1 bath home!

For me, Throwback Thursdays don't get much better than this memory. In March of 1994, after 8 glorious years of service, it was time for Marilyn and I to leave Springfield Friends Meeting. It was was one of the hardest decisions we ever made. Before we left, the church threw us a farewell party. There were food, skits, music, laughter, tears and lots of gifts, including money and pies. The pies were given to us in the face (and on top of the head- both Marilyn and I were covered in whipped cream!) and things got a little crazy, but the kids in the youth group were not quite done yet. They wanted to sing one more song. One last song together. For the previous songs they had performed that night, Bob Spencer, our choir director, had played guitar for them. For this last song they wanted me to play - and they wanted to sing Let Me Be There. The song was an old country/pop tune that had been a hit for Olivia Newton John in the 1970's, and that we had been singing at TNT for a number of years. I never thought of it as a spiritual song- we made up special parts, sang it with great gusto and it was just fun. But as we sang it for the last time, the meaning of the words became crystal clear to me and the only thing that kept me from breaking down was the whipped cream in my eyes.  Here are those lyrics:

Wherever you go, wherever you may wander in your life

Surely you know, I always want to be there

Holding your hand, and standing by to catch you when you fall

Seeing you through in everything you do

Let me be there in your morning

Let me be there in your night

Let me change whatever's wrong

and make it right (make it right)

Let me take you through that wonderland

that only two can share

All I ask you is let me be there (oh let me be there)

Watching you grow and going through the changes in your life

That's how I know, I always want to be there

Whenever you feel you need a friend to lead on, here I am

Whenever you call, you know I'll be there

Christmas Party Overflow Room!

Now, some 20 years later, that song (minus the "wonderland" line!) has become the very definition of student ministry in my mind. Being there for one another in the name of Jesus is a great privilege and a true calling- and one far too many ministries fail to see as important. In youth ministry, relationships are job #1. At SFM, we GOT that. I spent 8 years "being there" for one of the greatest groups of kids anyone has ever had the privilege to serve, and they were there for me and for each other. The love we shared remains strong to this day. God had called Marilyn and I to a new ministry, and we were faithful to that calling. But as someone once wrote, "Miles may separate as life moves along, but the bond between friends will remain ever strong." As I write this, I suddenly wish I had some whipped cream in my eyes...  I love you guys. Have a blessed and happy Thursday!

Because of Jesus,

All is Well

Today's Christmas song of the day is All Is Well, from Michael W. Smith's first yuletide album simply entitled Christmas. It has long been one of my favorite songs about the birth of Jesus, even though you will notice that MWS seems to be missing from the singers. This song is all about the message.

People have been using the phrase "all is well" to describe situations and conditions for hundreds of years. In colonial days the Town Crier used to announce "11 o'clock and all is well!" Of course he didn't really mean it; he simply wanted to assure the villagers they were not being attacked. There were still things that were not well. In the movie Animal House there is a scene where the town is involved in a riot, and a very young Kevin Bacon stands in the middle of the street yelling "All is well!!!" It wasn't. And how many times has a politician looked directly into a TV camera and announced that "all is well" when in fact things were falling apart? The phrase carries very little weight in our world, because all is such a big word and we know that something, somewhere is not well.

There have been numerous times in my life when I was convinced that "all" would never be "well" again. During my morning quiet time around one Christmas several years ago it occurred to me that I was focusing on the wrong "all." It was quite true that things happen in life and we are never the same again. It is also true that there are times when we hurt people and wonder if they can ever forgive us. But God already has. God sent his Son to earth through Mary, a very young woman who at times must have been certain all was NOT well- and yet it was. And as I thought about that story, this song came to mind. The birth of the Christ-child was God's announcement to everyone that "all is well." And when God says it, "all" really means ALL!  Life will never be perfect, but how can it be anything but "well" when you are secure in the knowledge that the God of the universe sent His Son to save you- and ME! And that is what the song is all about.

Life is still hard. Things go wrong. People disappoint us. But because of Jesus, there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do to make Him love you less. I don't know about you, but to me, that truly means all is well...

My Deliverer is Coming,

"Over Macho Grande?"

The clip below is from the hilarious classic comedy film Airplane 2, one of the few truly great sequels to a comedy movie. I share it here today to introduce some thoughts on the selection process for the first every college football final 4. Seriously, this post is about football. But first, prepare to laugh. The captions are not mine, but I have no issue with them either. Listen closely...

The clip expressed my feelings upon hearing that Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State had been chosen for the FBS final 4...and Texas Christian University had not. I have no issue with the teams that got in- they are all deserving. It is the process that has me bummed out. And I'm not sure I will ever get over selection Sunday. Here are my reasons.

During the course of this season I became a TCU fan. There are several reasons for this, some valid and some random. First off, is there any better nickname in the world than Purple Horned Frogs? That just rocks! I watched them play several times early in the year and loved their style, their speed and the way they play the game. Throw into the mix that my dear friend Teresa Tysinger lives minutes from their campus, and I was hooked. Then midway through the season I entered a contest to pick the national champion before November 1. The fewer people picking a given team the better chance you had of winning a big jackpot. Hundreds of thousands had picked 'Bama, FSU, Auburn, Mississippi State and Oregon. Only a couple of thousand had picked TCU. So I went with my heart. And up until Sunday afternoon, it seemed my prediction stood a real chance of becoming reality. And then a 12 person committee stomped on my heart.

You may wonder that if my feelings are that the teams that got in are deserving, then what do I have to complain about? It was the process that ticked me off. For weeks leading up to Sunday, my Frogs had been ranked in the top 4. The week previous to the final selections they had jumped undefeated Florida State (who should have been #1 anyway- the only undefeated team was at #4? This process was a joke!) and been ranked 3rd. They then proceeded to beat Iowa State 55-3 on Saturday. You are #3, you win 55-3 and finish with one 3 point loss to another top 10 team. You have to figure you will not fall out of the final 4. Right? Doesn't that only make sense? With their final selections, the committee is telling us that while winning 55-3 TCU suddenly became a worse team than FSU, Ohio State and Baylor. I understand those are all great teams who deserve their shot as well. But if TCU was better the previous week and won their game 55-3, how did they get worse? It just makes no sense. The college football season turned into a beauty pageant. Who looked the best and how badly you ran up the score became more important than who won the games. Metrics and measurements replaced football and common sense. And then there's the ESPN conspiracy theory. Funny how OSU and it's massive national fan base got the nod over the much smaller alumni pools of Baylor and TCU. I'm just sayin' that money talks. It will all work out for all those involved because they chose 4 excellent teams. But the process truly sucked!

I have one more lament to share. My main concern at the end of every college football season is that someone beat Alabama. I'm a UNC fan, so my  CFB season is mostly tied up in despising Nick Saban. And I really believed TCU could be that team this year. 'Bama hates to play fast, and the Horned Frogs are a blur. The Maroon Elephants struggle with unpredictable, athletic quarterbacks (think Johnny Football), and TCU has one of the best. There is a question as to whether or not they could stop the Alabama offense, but there is no doubt in my mind (think about Auburn's success) that TCU could score a ton of points. But now we will never know...and I have no shot at that jackpot. Ugh.

So here's the deal. Everyone who is not part of the #RollTide cult of evil needs to be pulling hard for THE Ohio State University. Should they fail, then all of us- War Eagles, Tigers, Blue Devils, Tar Heels, Wildcats, Trojans, Gators, Aggies and everyone else- will need to be cheering for the winner of the other semifinal between the 'Noles and the Quack Attack. The point here is this- AnyBody But Alabama. In fact, that is my new hashtag for the bowl season. #ABBA Use it freely in the hopes that the Elephants will meet their demise- find their Waterloo.  See what I did there?

Over selection Sunday? I don't think I'll ever get over selection Sunday. Those wounds run pretty deep. But an Alabama loss sure would be a great start...

An Ornament Story: Big Balls

When I was growing up in Greensboro, NC as an only child our family Christmas tree was decorated primarily with garland, lights and round glass ornaments. At some point my Dad purchased a new set of ornaments that were larger than the ones we usually had on the tree. They quickly became known as the Big Balls (and this was years before the TV show Wipeout). I loved them. Dad loved them. Mom was never a fan. As the years passed, new ornaments were added. Glass balls were broken and replaced. But the Big Balls lived on. And every year the argument continued- were the Big Balls too tacky for our tree?

After moving to Florida in 1995 my folks downsized their tree and a number of the ornaments they had traditionally used were left in the box each Christmas. Marilyn, Will and I would always spend Thanksgiving at their home and help them decorate the tree, and then guys made sure that the Big Balls tradition continued- now with Marilyn also fighting them tooth and nail.  

In 2006 my Dad passed away, and for the next several years Mom didn't put up a tree because she was spending Christmas at our house. All of her ornaments sat unused. Then in 2011 she brought a box of classic ornaments to us, and much to my surprise a few of the Big Balls had survived. She and Marilyn refused to allow them on our tree, which is dominated by Hallmark ornaments and Disney collectibles. Will and I complained, but to no avail. And so the Big Balls waited.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving weekend, 2012. I am fresh off of toe surgery, sitting in my recliner and removing ornaments from boxes as Mom put hooks in them and Marilyn and Will place them on our tree. I come across the box containing the Big Balls, and Will decides to take charge. Before anyone can react, Will has placed them on the tree. It is a major victory for us...and for my Dad, who was no doubt smiling down on us. And after a bit of battling, they remained on the tree that entire season.  

But this story has an epilogue. On Christmas morning of that year I was given a new ornament for the Jones family tree. It's an ever BIGGER ball, which is pictured here hanging in a place of honor on the 2014 version of our tree. It joins the remaining vintage big balls as a great reminder that Christmas is full family traditions- and not all of them make sense to anyone else. In fact, those are often the very best ones!  

I hope that all of you cherish your traditions during this festive season and celebrate the birth of the Christ-child with warm memories and loving family. From the Jones family, we wish you an early Merry Christmas! And Big Balls...

Advent: Love Has Come

"Love has come

For the world to know,

As the wise men knew

Such a long time ago.

And I believe that angels sang

That hope had begun,

When the God of Glory,

Who is full of mercy,

Sent His Son."

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and if you attend a church that is using an Advent wreath then today they will light the candle of love. (I love my church, but they don't do a Advent wreath. In fact, they seldom mention Advent. Uh-oh- I feel a rant coming on! We attend a very "non-traditional church" and I love many of the things they do in worship. The music, the message, the dramas and the technology all help make it a large growing church that preaches the gospel and serves the community in the name of Jesus. But in their attempts to be "non-traditional" they often eliminate tradition completely. Not only just Advent, but this year I am still waiting to hear about Lent, and Pentecost as well. It wouldn't hurt to say the Lord's Prayer or the Apostle's Creed on occasion. Some old hymns were better in their original arrangements. And Moses H. Cone, could we just sing a normal Christmas carol at least once this year? Thus endeth the rant...and by the way I am to be at church today!) You have no doubt heard it said that love came down at Christmas time. The lyrics from the song Love Has Come at the top of this page, written by Amy Grant, tell a similar story. Scripture tells the story in a most familiar yet meaningful verse: "For God so loved the world that He sent his only Son..." Let there be no doubt- God's love has a name, and that name is Jesus.

So as you prepare your heart for the coming of the Christ-child this Christmas season, remember that love has come. Show grace and forgiveness to those around you. Find a way to show love to those who are hurting, under-resourced or different. And take time each day to thank God for the love He has shown you in sending Jesus to bridge the gap between our sinful nature and his perfect peace. Make this Christmas season one of true expectation, remembering that the coming of Christ changed the world. We are called by the Babe of Bethlehem to do the same in our world...

My Deliverer is Coming,

We're All Colored People

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world,

Red & yellow, black & wile they are precious in his sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

For the past several weeks it has been impossible to watch TV, read blogs or see the news without seeing or hearing the word "race." For the most part this discussion has been centered around the color of people's skin and the differences in cultures. We are each unique and different- this is true. But it seems we are still allowing skin color and nationalities to divide and separate us. As a historian it seems to me that one thing is clear- we have not learned from the past. We have been here many times before. There is no question that racism exists. The question is does it exist in me? If we fear a young man on the street because he is black, or trust a man in a suit because he is white, then our hearts are dealing with racism. As I have tried to sort out my own thoughts on this renewed discussion of how we are different, this song - now 20 years old- has been running through my  mind. The great Christian band dc Talk reminds us that while we have differences, we share two great similarities. We are children of God. And we all sin. Thus we are all Colored People - and we all "depend on a Holy Grace." I pray that this song and this wonderfully well-made video will inspire you to examine your heart. The lyrics are also included so there will be no misunderstanding the message of the song. Jesus calls us to be one people, one family- the Samaritans, the Jews and the Greeks all living as one. That is the City on the Hill, the true vision of the family of God. And as Toby Mac (one of the writers of this song) sang 10 years later in his hit Diverse City, "we will never be that shining City on a Hill until we truly become a Diverse City." Indeed, diversity is God's design. In the Creator's eyes there is only one race- the human race. And God ought to know- he painted us all! Be blessed, my friends!

Pardon me, your epidermis is showing, sir
I couldn't help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
Cause I see the beauty in the tones of our skin

We've gotta come together
And thank the Maker of us all

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace


A piece of canvas is only the beginning for
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an Artist's heart
By God's design, we are a skin kaleidoscope

We've gotta come together,
Aren't we all human after all?

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace

Ignorance has wronged some races
And vengeance is the Lord's
If we aspire to share this space
Repentance is the cure


Well, just a day in the shoes of a color blind man
Should make it easy for you to see
That these diverse tones do more than cover our bones
As a part of our anatomy

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace

We're colored people, and they call us the human race
(Oh, colored people)
We're colored people, and we all gotta share this space
(Yeah we've got to come together somehow)
We're colored people, and we live in a tainted world
(Red and yellow, black and white)
We're colored people, every man, woman, boy, and girl
(Colored people, colored people, colored people, colored people, yeah)

Because of Jesus,