Christmas Is All In The Heart

I love the song "Christmas Is All In The Heart", by Steven Curtis Chapman. I have heard the song many times and felt the profound meaning. However, the impact of this song has further depth as a result of spending Christmas away from home. Living abroad can make the familiar traditions difficult to maintain. During previous Christmas's we  cherished family and friends who sat around the Turkey on Thanksgiving Day.  Enjoying the laughter which would soon spring into Christmas Day! The entire holiday season is enthralled with traditions, fun, and sentimental emotion. Every year we drive to the Christmas Tree farm, where we spend hours searching, arguing, and laughing about the perfect tree for our home and hearts. Many dark evenings we drive through neighborhoods seeking the biggest and brightest lights.  The hype of the Christmas eve service is always long anticipated.  I long for these familiar traditions in the same familiar setting.

This is our third Christmas season in Seoul. God has been bending, mending, and teaching me to see the World through His eyes and not my own. Therefore this year my theme Christmas song is "Christmas Is All In The Heart".

Jesus is the reason for the season.  As Christian's we all know we are celebrating Christ's birthday.  Yet, I wonder; Do we focus our attentions on celebrating His birth, His life, and the blessings of being His child?  The first year living abroad I reminisced familiar traditions of the past.  The tear's flowed needlessly and my heart ached.  It wasn't bad to grieve the traditions of the past.  My heart grieved the loss of my familiar family, friends, and surroundings.

Christ has always been an important part of my dedication, emotion, and attention during the Christmas season.  Past Christmas's he has only been a "part" of Christmas.  This year my intentions are to make Christ the focal point of my admirations.  Thus far the Christmas season has been less painful and more fulfilling as I focus on Jesus and less on myself.  The lights are brighter, the tree's more beautiful, the carol's more meaningful, the laughter deeper, family time more satisfying, and literally my heart is leaping with joy.  

Christ was born at Christmas!  He spent His life serving and ultimately sacrificing His life!  I recognize Christ is not a "part" of Christmas but "all" of Christmas!  This year I challenge you to join my family as we strive to celebrate Christmas as "Christ" mas!!!

John 6:38 "For I have come down from Heaven not to do my will but the do the will of Him who sent me."

Christmas Is All In The Heart (lyrics)

In a one bedroom apartment on the humble side of town

There stands a little Christmas tree, looks a lot like Charile Brown's

And underneath there's one little gift for him and one little gift for her

After six months on the new job, they're still barely getting by.

So in the way of decorations, there's nothing there to catch your eye

But both of them would be the first to say

We're together, we're gonna have the merriest Christmas anyway

Chorus:

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart, that's where the feeling starts

And like a fire inside, it touches every part

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart

And even if no white snow falls, that's all right because

The joy can still be found wherever you are

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart

Two little blonde haired boys with big dreams, tried to sleep but sleep wouldn't come

We'd be tearing into presents, long before the break of dawn

With Mom and Dad and cameras making sure we'd never forget that day

Now I'm the one who's taking pictures, in the middle of the night

Of my own blonde headed dreamers that just can't wait until daylight

And in my sleepy eyes the spark still glows

Well I guess there's just some things a kid never outgrows

Chorus:

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart, that's where the feelings starts

And like a fire inside, it touches every part

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart

And even if now white snow falls, that's all right because

The joy can still be found, wherever you are

'Cause Christmas is all, all in the heart

Chorus:

No, it's not in the snow that may or may not fall

And it's not in the gifts around the tree

It's in the love heaven gave, the night our Savior came

And that same love can still be found wherever you are

'Cause Christmas is all in the heart

And the joy can still be found, wherever you are

'Cause Christmas is all, all in the heart

It's all in the heart