God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

A couple weeks ago I was on the metro traveling home when I saw a man use the bars in the metro train to help him stretch his muscles. When I say he used the bars to stretch his muscles I mean he was wrapping his legs around them this way and that doing all sorts of things that were completely unexpected and out of place for a metro train at rush hour.

I've chronicled the randoms of my metro commute before, several times. But this morning I experienced something so unique, unexpected, and beautiful that it almost brought me to tears.

As I was on my knees last night praying I thanked my God for the Christmas Spirit that I've felt particularly strongly this year. For weeks now I've been brimming with gratitude for all the goodness in my life, for there is plenty, and more than once have found myself ducking away to shed a tear or two.

I was just standing there on the metro this morning. We'd just stopped at Roslyn station when a middle-aged Asian man got on. As the doors closed behind him, in not-so-perfect broken English he said out loud, Good Morning Everyone! Then, lifting a book to his hands he began to sing the Christmas song God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman. His voice filled the entire train with the words of his song. I looked at him at first bewildered and then humbled. Here was a man singing a Christmas song to people he'd never met. He was singing about Christ. Most people in the train car ignored him, there were a few who thanked him for what he'd done. I looked at him with respect and gratitude. He sang until the train came to a stop at the next station and then he stepped off to find another spot.

Thank you my dear metro friend. Thank you for your courage among all of us, non-believers and believers alike. Thank you for believing in Him. Thank you for your voice, which I can still hear inside my hear. Thank you for singing about my Savior, that tiny babe that came to save us all.

God rest ye merry gentleman

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we are gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy, 

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, In Israel, 

This blessed Babe was born

And laid within a manger

Upon this blessed morn

The which His Mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn

O tidings of comfort and and joy, 

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy. 

My favorite Christmas song, sung by my family friend Shane and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.