Yes! I am one of those.
It is September 27, 2021, and fall is clearly upon us. Many thoughts come to mind as I think of fall. As I have gotten older, it seems the days of the calendar get marked off at a faster rate than when I was a kid at Holice Powell Elementary School, but since it is fall, that can mean only one thing for me because, you see, I am one of those.
One of those what you may ask. Well, I will be honest. I am definitely one of those. One of those people that start listening to Christmas music as soon as possible, and today officially begins the as soon as possible part of the calendar for me, but I must confess that I started listening to Christmas music last week. I can feel the quizzical looks on your faces as you read this edition of THE BLOG. Some of you are pondering this question as you read: Why would a 55-year-old preacher and retired educator want to listen to Christmas music in September?
Christmas is special, and there is just something about those songs that awaken a feeling in me that the King of Kings loved me so much that He left the splendors of Heaven and came to this earth just so that I could, one day, rejoin Him in Heaven. Those beautiful Christmas songs, even the “worldly” Christmas songs, scream the uniqueness of Christmas. I even have a painstaking ritual with my Christmas music. I have done this for several years now that I have learned out to download music and play it through my truck. Oh, the joys of technology! I actually go through the Christmas music I have downloaded and handpick that particular year’s version of my Christmas playlist. There is a meticulous process as to what classic is chosen, and I must admit the chipmunk Christmas songs did not make my list this year, so if you are with me this Christmas season, you will not hear Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, but you will hear plenty of Bing Crosby.
Yes! I am one of those. So, do not be a hater if you pull up beside me, and I have my windows down, and you hear Little Drummer Boy blasting out of my speakers. If you hear me singing along with Chet Atkins singing It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, do not think I need psychiatric help because, you see, I am one of those. Just remember. If there were no Christmas, there would be no Easter, and most importantly, for you and I, if there were no Christmas, there would be no Heaven because without Christmas, Good Friday and Easter would have been impossible. Take it from me, nothing will ease your mind in a fast-paced sin-plagued world like riding with your windows down on a beautiful fall afternoon jamming to It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
So, yes, I am one of those.
Jimmy Clendenin