Would I be correct in thinking the following is a quote you are familiar with especially with the Christmas holiday season just recently behind us?
Yes, it is a quote from Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” I first became familiar with that quote through listening to a Christmas album from indie artist Weston Skaggs back in 2018 . Last year I penned two thoughts on two other songs from this same album. One is entitled Prepare Him Room and the other is Wise Men Still Seek Him. Feel free to read those posts after you are done with this one! 😉
His album entitled Stories for Christmas has a song appropriately named “Dickens Song.” Feel free to take a listen by clicking the blue link and/or read the lyrics below:
DICKENS SONG by Weston Skaggs
Do you remember that quote old Dickens wrote
I will honor Christmas in my heart
And try throughout the year
To in my memory hold it dear
Keep it well
Keep it well
Keep it well
When I’m happy
When I’m sad
In the joy and the bad
And when this life brings me to my knees
In the sorrow and the sighs
Lord help me to try
To honor and keep Christmas in my heart
Well after the last pine needle is swept up from the floor
In the few months when a reindeer can’t be found in any store
Even when the ones I love are a thousand miles away
Help me Lord
Keep it well
Keep it well
When I’m happy
When I’m sad
In the joy and the bad
And when this life brings me down to my knees
In the sorrow and the sighs
Lord help me to try
To honor and keep Christmas in my heart
So on this Christmas Eve
When the kids are off to sleep
And Nat King Cole is singing
Oh Holy Night
By the glow of these lights
Again I will decide
To honor and keep Christmas in my heart
To honor and keep Christmas in my heart
To honor and keep Christmas in my heart
It’s a funny thing how that song didn’t “speak” to me as much until this year when I attended our Christian Radio Station’s Christmas Dinner Musical show entitled “A Christmas Carol” which was performed with new music!
Before the musical started, quite fittingly, this quote was shown on the screen which advertised some upcoming events and different facts about A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens.
The whole quote that Scrooge ends up saying in the musical is:
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!” ― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
As you think back to a time you saw “A Christmas Carol” you will probably recall that Scrooge is visited by Jacob Marley’s Ghost, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, of Christmas Present and of Christmas Yet to Come.
Penning these thoughts reminded me of a picture of me when I was actually the Ghost of Christmas Present when I was in 6th grade! What are the chances of that? 😉 If I recall correctly I had very few speaking lines; just perfect for soft-spoken, introvert me!
Me, the Ghost of Christmas Present
Why were these Ghosts sent to Scrooge?
Yes, because Scrooge was not too friendly of a guy. In fact, his life was pretty miserable wasn’t it? People didn’t want to even be around him and he would often say “Bah humbug” to show his disdain with life!
I hope you don’t know anyone like that in your life and I’m sure people would NOT be able to say that of your life!
What a wonderful thing that after Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts, he changed his life around! He became a kinder, gentler man sharing God’s love and mercy with all he met!
With the Ghosts visiting him, Scrooge realizes the errors of his past and present self and vows to change those attributes in himself as he lives in the future.
Do you need to do that in your life? Are there things you can change in yourself to enable you to become a better, more Christ-like person?
What an important thought to reflect on. Each day is an opportunity to start fresh, to change whatever we might need to change in our life to make us a better person; to reflect God to others.
What other ways can you honor Christmas in your heart, and try to keep it all year? It is something that I think is important to reflect on and put into action daily.
As I was going through my Christmas cards this year one final time I ran across this one that I think are also ways to honor Christmas every day…
Yes, every time we
…help another
…put conflict aside and strive for understanding
…forget our differences and realize our love for each other…
that is Christmas!
May these thoughts be a reminder to you this day to…..
Honor Christmas in your heart and keep it all year!
Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you. –Acts 3:19 (MSG)
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. –Romans 12:10 (NIV)
People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. –Proverbs 14:29 (NLT)
