It's a Wonderful Life

Each year about this time (if you are a traditionalist like me), you probably sit down in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn and watch one of the most well-known, well-loved movies ever - It's a Wonderful Life. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed (as well as several others), this movie is one of my all-time favorites! To my continued amazement, when I watch it each year, I give it my full attention (even though I've probably seen it several dozen times!). And even though I know the complete story by heart and obviously remember from year to year how it ends, I still get red in the face and tears start automatically flowing down my cheeks at certain scenes. Amazing! I'm such a sap! It's just a movie, for goodness sake! But, an incredible one with a terrific message...

This week I had my annual It's a Wonderful Life - "George Bailey" moment. I usually have one of these leading up to the Christmas holiday, and this year it came one week before Christmas. No, I haven't watched the movie yet. Rather, my "moment" came when I watched my wonderful "angel" sing in the Southwest Airlines choir. It caught me completely off-guard. Didn't see it coming at all...

You see, in some respects, this has been one of the best years of my life! But, in other respects, the past three months have been a real bummer... As with George Bailey, I guess I had kind of lost perspective. I started seeing the "bad" and the "problems" with everything. That was all I could think about. It was starting to consume me. For example, there was that someone who had dreamed big and moved on to become a huge success elsewhere (similar to George's brother Harry, and his friend Sam Wainwright) while I stayed in one place with the same job seemingly forever. There were those people in my life that needed help in the past, and now needed even more help from me while I was weary of giving it (similar to how George may have felt about Uncle Billy, old Mr. Gower and/or Violet). There was that painfully antagonistic person in my life who seemed to do things contrary to what I considered good values and sound thinking and still got away with it (similar to old man Potter). Finally, there was my sweet family who loved me greatly and tried so hard to make everything in my life special, but all I could see was their occasional slip-ups and selfishly harp on their actions/behaviors (similar to how George reacted to Mary and his children when his problems and the pressure they created consumed him on Christmas Eve).

Then it happened. Seeing my wonderful daughter Katie sing with the Southwest Airlines choir, seeing the smile on her face and the obvious JOY she was experiencing started me on the way to much needed repentence and tears - tears of confession and tears of gratefulness over how much the Lord has forgiven me and blessed me beyond my imagination. I was really caught up short. It climaxed when a young man in the choir sang "O Holy Night" magnificently! Read some of the incredible lyrics to this song below.

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 Spirit 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!

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 in 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!

Thanks, Katie (my Clarence), and the Southwest Airlines choir for ministering to me in such a powerful way! Despite all of our problems, despite the fact that we may have sacrificed dreams on behalf of others, we still can say "It's a Wonderful Life" because of what the Lord has done! Joy to the World and Merry Christmas!