One of the most glorious aspects of the Christmas season for me is the sound of the melodies of Advent. My delight in the songs of Christmas is deeper than I can even express on the written page.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?/ When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God."

One thing you must understand about my affinity for Christmas music is that it is actually not the little ditties that refer to snowmen who dance, reindeer who fly and chestnuts that roast that are my musical drug of choice.

I really don't care about Santa, baby, or about how cold it is outside or even about the wreath that hangs on your front door.

But I do care about the message of Christmas. I care about it very, very much.

"Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing/ O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

I deeply desire for the message of Christmas to nestle its way into the recesses of your heart until you are changed forever, and until you, like me, simply can't get enough of the theology of Christmas that is proclaimed through music.

"Immanuel/ Our God is with us/ And if God is with us/ Who could stand against us/ Our God is with us/ Immanuel."

I was introduced this year, for the very first time, to an incredible quote by the respected Chuck Swindoll: "Christmas is the one time of year when the whole world is singing our song."

Thank you, Mr. Swindoll. Thank you for verbalizing what I have always known to be true.

Contained in the heart of that newly discovered quote is the singular reason why I love Christmas music with a passion that drives me to listen to it again and again and again.

You see, this is the truth. During the month of December, the whole world celebrates!

They celebrate in the only ways that they know how: by spending, and eating, and shopping, and sending, and baking, and giving, and partying, and relaxing and decorating.

However, they can celebrate for an entire month without ever knowing what or whom they celebrate.

"Joy to the world! The Lord has come/ Let earth receive her King!"

We know who we celebrate. We know why we sing.

And our song is so resilient, so extraordinary, so eternal that we must sing it more than 30 days of the calendar year. Just as the skies over Bethlehem exploded with the song of the angels, my heart explodes with the song of Christmas.

"Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace/ Hail the Son of righteousness/ Light and life to all He brings/ Risen with healing in His wings/ Mild He lays His glory by/ Born that man no more may die!/ Born to raise the sons of earth/ born to give them second birth!/ Hark! The herald angels sing! Glory to the newborn King!"

And so, too, I will sing.

I will sing of the manger through the dark of January and through the snow of February.

I will sing of shepherds and wise men through the slush of March and the showers of April.

I will sing with the angels through the flowers of May and the sunny days of June.

I will sing about Christmas through the fireworks of July and the dog days of August.

I will sing about Bethlehem and its wonder through the cooling days of September and the colorful days of October.

I will sing about that baby boy during the bounty of November.

And then, when my calendar turns its expectant page to December, I will singer louder and clearer!

I will sing about the heart of Christmas during the heart of the season—and then I will sing some more!

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written 10 books, including The Rooms of a Woman's Heart; Defiant Joy!;Holy Estrogen!; No More Ordinary; Refined; Joy For All Seasons; Let There Be Joy!; Pass the Joy, Please!; Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue; and Stormproof, which releases on March 1, 2019. Her teaching DVD, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart, won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. You can also listen to Carol's "Jolt of Joy" program daily on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with Carol or inquire about her speaking to your group at carolmcleodministries.com.

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