Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 4: 6–7 (NIV)
I unashamedly fall into the category of folks who gladly watch just about any Christmas movie. Yet, there is one that forever resonates and evokes childhood nostalgia for me: White Christmas.
With its delightful love stories, wholesome themes, and feel-good ending, White Christmas, produced in 1954, is the prototype to Hallmark movie plots long before Hallmark movies were ever a thing. It’s about two war buddies who become musical performers after WWII and end up romantically involved with a sister act. Together, they team up to save a failing Vermont Inn.
FAR FROM REALITY
White Christmas was a staple in my family, so much so that my twin sister and I even sang a duet from it in an elementary school talent show. I have never grown tired of Bing Crosby’s silky voice, Danny Kaye’s comedy, and the fun song and dance numbers. There is something so charming about watching a different generation and time period that feels quite distant from the present day. Perhaps another reason I still adore it is because of how innocently sweet the plotline is and how far from that our present-day reality often can feel.
While the film was never intended to be religious, there is a song in the movie that, as a Christ-follower, stands out to me. The song is framed around the main character encouraging his love interest as she worries at night, which keeps her from sleeping. Like a lullaby, he sings to her about how counting his blessings instead of sheep helps him to fall asleep, how when he worries about money, he recalls when he had none at all.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The lyrics suggest that when anxiety is keeping us awake at night, we should shift our focus to gratitude and recognize the ways we are blessed. When you count your blessings, we, as Christians, cannot help but lift up a prayer of thanksgiving in recognizing the One from whom all good and perfect gifts are given. And I pray that we never forget the most cherished gift of all during this holiday season: Jesus Christ our Savior, born to this world as a baby to cleanse us of sin and redeem a weary world. As we quiet our minds and wind down from our busy days during this season, I believe that the Lord wants us to spend this time not only presenting our worries and needs to him but also offering our heart’s song full of gratitude. I certainly would prefer gratitude over worry as my prelude to falling asleep.
Reflect: What worries are you carrying that you need to shift from anxiousness to thanksgiving?
