Merry Christmas, From Me and My Drum

  I have never blogged before. I'm completely new at this but really wanted to give it a try. So this is my first post and here I am. Since it's Christmas, not the PC holiday time, but truly Christmas time, I thought I would write about the song that has touched my heart every year since finding myself back to being a practicing Catholic, "The Little Drummer Boy", This song gets me every time I hear it and it all starts with the verse

                                 

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum 

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum 
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum 
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, 
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, 

On my drum? 

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum 
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum 
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum 
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, 
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum 
Me and my drum.

My four year old daughter always points out to me, "Mama, you're crying" and since we are usually in the car listening to Christmas Music, and she can't really see my face, I usually say "no, I'm not", but recently I have started owning it. I decided it's good to cry, especially when it's because something is touching your heart. I have really started thinking about just what it is, with this verse, that makes me weep. I have come to the conclusion, the little drummer boy is someone I long to be. He goes to the Manger with nothing but his raw talent and shows our dear Lord the talent that He, Himself, granted to him. I wonder, how often have I neglected the talents God has given me? How many times I had the opportunity to "play" for our God, to entertain Him with the beautiful gifts He has given to me, only to have squandered them foolishly, as I so often did before returning to the faith. Oh, the gifts He gave me and the how I used them so terribly. 

I cry from regret, but not just regret, also longing. I wonder am I playing my best for Him now? The talents and blessings that He has so heavily heaped upon me, a nobody, do I play my best for Him now? I try, I know that's all I can do. I know that in the past seven years Mary has nodded and He has smiled at me. I am not a poor boy, I am a poor girl. I recognize who I am in His sight. How truly beautiful, the King of all creation came to us so humbly, lived among us not as a somebody, but as a nobody. He died and was buried as a pauper, for me, and rose again as the King of all. Dear Jesus, I hope I play my best for you. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958.

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.