REJOICE!

Hooray for Christmas trees

And candlelight

And the good old church pageant.

Hooray for shepherd boys

who forget their lines

And wise men whose beards fall off

And a Mary who giggles.

O Lord, you were born!

And I will celebrate!

I rejoice for the carnival of Christmas!

I clap for pajama-clad cherubs

And the Christmas cards jammed 

in the mail slot.

I o-o-o-oh for the turkey

And ah-h-h-h for the Christmas pudding

And thank God for the alleluias

I see in the faces of people.

O Lord, there aren't enough choir

boys to sing what I feel.

There aren't enough trumpets to blow.

O Lord, I want bells to peal!

I want to dance in the streets of

Bethlehem!

I want to sing with the heavenly host!

For unto us a Son was given

And he was called God With Us.

For those of us who believe,

The whole world is decorated

in love!

~ Ann Weems