You're a mean one Mr. Grinch...

For many, many years I had advoided the Grinch. Not that I have anything against Dr. Suess - I don't - I rather like him; and I love a lot of pop-culture Christmas specials. But I was always a Charlie Brown kinda guy and the Grinch just grab my heart. Then my wife got me to watch it about 10 years ago and... I loved it! I loved the spirituality of it, the humor as well as the music and art.

But I didn't know the music well. I know the Vince Guaraldi music for the Peanuts Christmas special like I know some hymns - they are a part of my soul - and my holiday celebrations. I once had my pianist in Tucson play the "Linus and Lucy" music for the Christmas Eve children's worship offering - and I found a LOT of baby boomers coming ba ck to check out worship after that one!

So I thought it rather important to pay attention to three references to the Grinch music in just the past week. First, a friend in Canada, Black Pete, noted that one of his favorite secular Christmas tunes is "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch." Then a music buddy who invited me to play a morning radio show with him today asked me to sing it: You have a great deep voice and could have a ball with it! (And I did.) And then today, while searching out some Christmas gifts in a music store what greeted me when I walked in but... "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!"

As Santa told me while doing this morning's radio show, "Even the Grinch is given a chance to respond to grace - given an extra chance, too - because that's just how God is." And he was right...