Jonathan LeMaster-Smith

Each day, for the month of the December, I am going to post a reflection on a song that has meant something to me this year.

First, “December Day” by Willie Nelson.

I’m working my way through Willie’s Catalog with the intent of teaching a class in rural ministry and country music next fall. It will likely be Dolly and Willie focused. “December Day” only found me a a couple weeks ago. It shows up on two of his early albums, *Good Times* and *Yesterday’s Wine.*

I heard this song while walking at the park with my dog. It hit me as a beautiful that some of our lives may active and full of meaning, but other parts are about reflecting on the beauty and the pain of life.

It’s been a pretty amazing year, and December is really a time of celebration, reflecting, and looking forward to the future. So, on December 1st, it looks like a December Day.

A lyric selection:

This looks like a December day
This looks like a “time to remember” day
And I remember the spring, such a sweet tender thing
And love’s summer college,
Where the green leaves of knowledge,
Were waiting to fall with the fall

And where September wine,
Numbed the measure of time
Through the tears of October, now November’s over,
And this looks like a December day