Happy Birthday Jesus
I love this time of year! Christmas music starts playing on the radio, Christmas lights decorate the streets all over town, the kids start getting excited about presents and I start dreaming about all the yummy Christmas treats to be enjoyed over the next few weeks. But, with all the lists and things to do, it is easy to lose sight of the meaning of the season.
The preschool kids have started practicing their songs for their Christmas “program” (it will be virtual this year) and one of the songs they sing is Happy Birthday Jesus. This song has quickly become a favorite with my 3 year old, Brooklyn! She sings it at the top of her lungs in the car and even while riding in the shopping cart at Lowes. She is so excited to sing about Jesus’ birthday.
We decorated for Christmas and while the kids were hanging the ornaments on the tree, I took out my favorite decoration of all, my nativity set. Brooklyn was very interested in all the figurines. As I took out each piece, I told her their names. I showed her Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the sheep. Then she noticed that Mary was holding a baby. I told her that it was baby Jesus. Without missing a beat, she exclaimed “Happy Birthday Jesus!” It was clear that the connection between the song and Christmas all of a sudden made sense to her! Christmas was about Jesus’ birth!
I used to be a firm believer in no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving and they could only play for a few days after Christmas. But the last few years I have left one Christmas song on my playlist all year long, Noel by Lauren Daigle. The lyrics stir something in my heart and I want to celebrate it all year. The song says:
“Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done.
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love,
The Light of the World given for us.”
That is what I love most about putting out my nativity set. It shines the true meaning of Christmas and reminds us to come and see what God has done! He sent Jesus as a tiny little baby to be the savior of the world. He gave his only son for you and me!
This Christmas, after a year like we have had, I want to share the story of my saviors’ birth more than ever! Let’s sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and share God’s amazing love with everyone! Come and see what God has done!
by Robbi Bishop
