Christmas in an American Food Court

I always enjoy the fun of seeing people surprised. And this certainly happened in the US at this food court just a week or so ago. Maybe you will enjoy the video as well.

Beyond that, however, the song itself is one of my favorites. I first sang this in junior high school back in the 1960s at Meadowbrook Junior High School in Prairie Village, Kansas. My parents and I were Orthodox Jews and whenever our choir got to the point in the song (quoting John the Revalator), "The kingdoms of this world have become...the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ" I would simply mouth the word "Christ" and not sing it. I felt that it was a bit of an honor to give the man Jesus, and I wasn't willing or ready to go there.

Things changed for me, of course, when I was 19, and the book of the Revelation from which this quote is taken became one of my favorite books of the Bible.

So much was this on me, that in 1977, when Patty and I married, I wanted this song sung during the ceremony. I guess it was too much, and we didn't have it sung. But I still love it.

A few weeks ago, not to be morbid, but to be forward planning (is there any other kind of planning?), I worked on my funeral. I have a bunch of items (modular) to include and even wrote a message that I hope someone will read there on my behalf. Of course, the chorus "Hallelujah" is included and there should be no reason not to sing it that day. I'll invite you to join us now in the singing, and then in the pondering, if you are around.