a thrill of hope

Thanksgiving 2010, how did you get here so fast? And to think, you have already come and gone. Mercy me, not the band, where does the time go?

For Thanksgiving this year I decided to go stay with some new friends of mine in Seattle, WA. I had never been to Seattle before, and seeing as I now live 3 hours away and had nothing to do for Thanksgiving, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to jump ship in Portland and head even further north for the weekend.

Having been warned about the heavy traffic going into Seattle, even when it's not the day before Thanksgiving, I decided to head out Wednesday afternoon, hoping to at least get there by night fall. I had heard this was a most un-enjoyable drive for most people as not only is it always raining, but the road is always full of big semi-trucks, slopping even more rain onto your windshield from the backs of their ginormous tires, making it impossible for your windshield wipers to wipe fast enough. None the less, I wasn't going to let this keep me from a weekend getaway in the emerald city (I just heard someone call it that once, I should probably google that).

Despite the rumors, it was actually quite an enjoyable drive. It had just snowed the night before, so the sky was clear and the ground was white... the perfect setting for heading into the Holidays. I was quite tired as I had worked that morning at 5:30am and didn't fit in a nap before leaving, so I decided that stopping for coffee was a must. Much to my delight, once I hit Washington, many of the rest stops had signs that said "Free Coffee." Even though I was only 45 minutes into my trip, as soon as I saw the sign I skipped a lane or two, only cutting off one old woman, and tore into the first rest stop exit. It sounds funny to say, because it's a rest stop, but it was the most angelic rest stop I had ever been to. It was hidden under big beautiful pine trees that were covered in snow, kids were skipping to the bathroom as their parents darted straight to the coffee. Everything was white and it was really just breathtaking. Even something about the way the "Restrooms" sign was hung made me envision resting in a cloud instead of hovering over a porcelain pee hole.

Another side note, which will cause for a rewind, my car has been acting up a bit lately and it sometimes decides that it doesn't want to start. This problem is a recent development and the first time it happened a couple of weeks ago, I just thought the battery had died. I called AAA (thank you, mom, for that membership) and when this cute little old man came out to jump it, it didn't jump. It just sat there, as if it had temporarily checked out of it's reality of being an 11 year old Nissan Maxima. The cute little old man rubbed his bald head, pushed his glasses back up, and without saying a word just walked to the back of his truck. He came back with a big wooden stick. I sort of laughed to myself as I wondered what was about to happen.

He asked me to hold the roof of my car up, as I don't have one of those sticks that holds it for you (guys, feel free to interject here and tell me the official name of that stick), and he took his big wooden pole, stuck it down into a crevice and began hitting something. After a few taps, he smiled, looked at me and said "that oughta do it!" I was skeptic, but I was so pulling for this cute little old man, so I walked back around to the drivers seat and gave the engine a crank. Sure enough, it started.

He explained to me, in laments terms, that the starter was locking up and that it should be good to go, but it may need "a few light slams every now and then." I asked him to show me where the starter was and so he took a flashlight, shined it down the crevice, and said "see that metal thing with the dent marks (assuming they were from the "few light slams")? That's the starter. That's what I was hitting." I'm really glad that being a woman, he assumed that I not only knew nothing about cars but was completely unable to put two and two together. Regardless, he was a darling old man and I thanked him ever so much for his help.

My car was fine for about a week and then one day after work, I got in to go home and low and behold it wouldn't start. I went back into work and got a broom. I told one of the guys I work with that my car wouldn't start and I needed help holding the roof up. He probably thought he'd be doing more than that since I was grabbing a broom to fix a car problem, but he followed me out, and did just as I asked. He held the roof, I stuck the broom down the crevice I had discovered the week before and started lightly slamming on the starter. He laughed, then I walked around to the drivers seat and gave the engine a crank. Sure enough, it started. "No way," my co-worker exclaimed and laughed even more. "Yea," I said confidently with my head held high, "I feel like a man!"

Fast forward to last Wednesday and my visit to this angelic rest stop. When I parked, I really did not want to turn my car off only to have to go through the hassle of my car not starting, having to find a roof holder, then lightly slamming on my starter with the closest tree branch I could find. I debated for a bit, and decided that I could trust this angelic scene with leaving my car on and unlocked while I grabbed some coffee and made a brief visit to the restroom. Being a bit nervous about the idea, I decided I would hurry just to be on the safe side.

Going to the restroom while in a hurry just isn't an ideal situation. There's nothing restful about it... especially when you're wearing layers. This might be exposing a bit too much about myself, but I, for whatever reason decided I could get through the whole process a lot faster if I just left my gloves on. After all, then I wouldn't even need to waste time washing my hands. I was OK with the idea until I stepped out of the stall with my gloves on, and maybe it was my own insecurity, but I felt the line of mothers and daughters staring at me as if to watch and make sure I was going to wash my hands. I walked up to the sink, opened my glove flaps, and washed four fingers on each hand (the thumbs don't have flaps). OK, I didn't wash them, I ran them under the water, but it made me feel better about the people watching. Too much information? Probably so, but oh well. Onward! I grabbed a cup of free coffee which, even though it was stale, made it taste great!

I ran out to my car with my free stale coffee and eight of my fingers freshly rinsed, and was ready to hit the road. Before pulling out onto the highway, I found some Christmas music on the radio, which I normally don't condone before Thanksgiving, but being in the spirit of Holiday road trips, I couldn't resist.

I enjoyed all the typical Christmas songs like "I'll be home for Christmas," "Let it snow," and the Jackson 5's rendition of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." I sang out loud, I sang to myself, I sang to pictures I had in my car, I just really got into it. Then a song came on that made it hard for me to decide if I should change the station so as to be nice to the person singing it, or if I should scrap the whole nice thing and just laugh at what I was hearing. I know it may be hard for you to believe, but just as I had my finger on the button to change the station, I pulled it back and decided to keep laughing.

The song was called "Christmas in the Northwest" and it just may be by far the best worst Christmas song I have ever heard. It was complete and utter cheese. I mean I couldn't believe it was even on the radio. I started thinking about the lyrics, and even the lyrics to songs I was just previously enjoying and thought "is this really what we think Christmas is all about?" I say "we," because even though I know what Christmas is really all about, I sometimes forget and get caught up in the commercialism of it. But before I get on that thought, let me go back to the song. The lyrics of the chorus are as follows...

Christmas in the Northwest
Is a gift that we can share
Christmas in the Northwest
Is a child's answered prayer

Take away the presents
And they still will have a dream
For Christmas in the Northwest
Is a gift God wrapped in green

Maybe it's because it's my first holiday season in the Northwest, so I don't appreciate it as much as those indigenous to these parts, but really? A child's answered prayer? God's gift wrapped in green?

Now, I don't want to completely tear apart this song, for a couple of reasons...

1. I felt somewhat like a jerk when I looked it up and found out it was released in 1985 as a means to help benefit Children's hospitals in the area. Yea, I know, I felt it burn.
2. While there are a few parts in the song with more substance, I couldn't get past the cheese of the chorus (lyrically and compositionally). That said, who am I to blast someone else's work? I'm not a profound music critic, I'm just another person with a barrel full of opinions.

I laughed it off as another cheesy Christmas song, but I couldn't stop thinking about that one part "Christmas in the Northwest is God's gift wrapped in green." I literally said out loud something to the effect of "Lord, it's pretty here and all, but I am so glad that's not what life or Christmas is all about. Thank God our gift isn't wrapped in green!"

Now I know, it's just a song, and I don't need to analyze it to death, but sometimes I can't help it, that's what I do. Sure, God gives us gifts, and if you want to wrap that up in a cute little Christmas song, go for it, I'm sure He doesn't mind, but good Lord, don't miss the point along the way!

There is one song that, even though it's termed a Christmas song, may be one of my overall favorite songs. Reason being, every time I hear it or sing it, it doesn't stop there. I feel it. The words literally send chills up my spine. The radio plays it and renditions of it have been done over and over, so much so that you're almost in auto pilot when you sing it or hear it, but if you really stop and take in the words, they will pierce your soul.


O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!


There's too much for me to pick apart in one post. I don't even know how to take it all in. Whether it be because I am in a tough season right now, or because the song is just that powerful, or a lot of both, I had forgotten the truth and the hope behind these words until this commercial of a Holiday season started to roll around (right after Halloween). The truth and the hope is always available, not just at Christmas, but when I listened to these words recently and sang them out loud it shocked me to my core and I just found myself in tears.

Only when HE appeared did the soul feel it worth! And can you imagine, a weary world who for so long just layed in their own mess of sin and pain, just pinning away, until finally, FINALLY, a THRILL of HOPE! Can you imagine feeling that? Finally, after such a long and weary wait, that initial feeling of hope? Thrill seems to be the only world appropriate to describe it. What a thrill it must be to finally feel your true worth! Even now, it makes me tear up out of joy. What a Glorious morning! How can you do anything else but fall on your knees? Can you imagine? A weary world, a weary heart finally being able to rejoice! I can not hold it in! Divine night, indeed. And He, He who came and made us feel our worth knows our need. He is no stranger to our weakness. He is neither surprised by it, nor intimidated by it, He conquers it! He completely shatters that which has held us in bondage for so long! Fall on your knees and behold! Behold your King, your Savior, your Redeemer! Who better fit for us to serve? His law is love and His gospel is peace! Not even the hippies got that right! The law by which He governs is love, and the gospel by which He teaches is peace! No condemnation, just love and peace! Fall on your knees and rest in His truth! Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother! Our brother! Oppressor and oppressed shall be no more, for in His name, all oppression shall cease! O Holy night, indeed! With all of our hearts, with all of who we are, how can we but praise Him?

I surrender who I am, I surrender what I want, I surrender my power and my own glory and I fall on my knees and beg, dear Lord, if you are who you say you are, take all of me and please give me the honor of proclaiming your power and your glory... ever more, ever more!

Oh, Holy Night!

It makes me think twice about saying "holy crap!"