December 17, 2010
Friday
Peter sings,
“He thinks of home, then he thinks again
And sees his old man shake his head and disapprove
Hear the children singing peace on earth
To a scattered family
You can dream of home for Christmas
But it's a long way back to Harmony”
I saw the sign at Whole Foods yesterday when I was out and about. The line “perfect tree” got me to think about our quest for perfection. I know most corporations and even non-profit organizations have “excellence” as one of their core values. Single people hope to find the “perfect” mate. Expectant parents hope and dream for the “perfect” child. Of course, perfect families need to send their kids to “perfect” schools where there are “perfect” teachers and “perfect” administrators and other “perfect students.” “Perfect” families shop to find the “perfect” church which is served by “perfect” pastors and “perfect” staff. We hope to have “perfect” holiday parties and “perfect” Christmas Eve services. Then we go home to give and receive the “perfect” gifts for each other.
The only problem in this “perfect” picture or scene is that we aren’t perfect. As you and I know all too well, we are far from perfect. In fact, sometimes the holidays heighten the imperfection we all share.
Maybe a better concept or quest to have than “perfect” is HARMONY. St. Paul was hip to this need 2, 000 years ago. He wrote in Romans 12:16,
”Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.”
I’m thinking that with God as the mighty conductor or “mix-master” all our voices, a cacophony of sounds (maybe even noises) get blended into a lovely chorus. This “harmonization” comes about because God sets the tone, the tune and the rhythm.
Peter’s song, Harmony recognizes the discordant sounds of our lives. Often in the story of Christmas we hear the echoes of “Peace on Earth” while we argue and fight with one another. Sometimes the struggle we have is most intense with those we love the very most. Peter sings,
“It doesn't really if it's yours or if it's mine
It's the same amount of distance taken one step at a time”
So, I’m praying today for you and for me. I’m lifting you up to God so that if you are separated from someone right now, if there is distance between you and another that God will fill that space with the sweetest sounds of love, joy and peace.
Joyfully,
rtg
PS Sue Ann & I got our tree yesterday. It’s a nice tree, it’s a lovely tree, but it’s not perfect. However, we had a harmonious time picking it out!
Harmony
Peter Mayer, Mac McAnally, Roger Guth
Tonight a choir sings in harmony
Shoppers hurry by or make a choice
Main Street wears the same Christmas every year
And carolers repeat the sounding joy
Just an hour to closing time at Georges' market
The old man wraps up chocolate and the beer
Says fine when asked how's your boy been
Though he hasn't heard a word from him this year
Hear the children singing peace on earth
Must they close their eyes to see
You can dream of home for Christmas
But it's a long way back to Harmony
Half a days drive east he found Chicago
It took years to shake the small town from his shoes
He thinks of home, then he thinks again
And sees his old man shake his head and disapprove
Hear the children singing peace on earth
To a scattered family
You can dream of home for Christmas
But it's a long way back to Harmony
It doesn't really if it's yours or if it's mine
It's the same amount of distance taken one step at a time
Three more years a choir sings in Harmony
The old man and the market fade away
But his son's been coming home to talk to him
To wrestle out a thing or two he could never say
Hear the children singing peace on earth
To this scattered family
It's never enough for all you try to be
But you're welcome home
It's a long way home
But you're welcome home in Harmony
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