December 22, 2025 • 21 mins
This special Christmas episode of Quirks, Bumps and Bruises is a thoughtfully curated collection of favorite Christmas moments from the morning show, selected by Melody. Alongside laughter, kids’ voices, and simple traditions, the episode gently makes space for those experiencing grief during the holidays.
Following the loss of her father earlier this year, Melody brings a tender, honest perspective to Christmas—one that acknowledges sorrow while still pointing hearts toward Christ, hope, and love. You’ll hear encouragement for choosing presence over perfection, comfort for those carrying loss, and reminders that the most meaningful parts of Christmas can’t be staged.
If you’re navigating the season with both joy and sadness, this Christmas collection is for you.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_06 (00:01):
Melody along with you here on Quirks, Bumps, and
Bruises, the Christmas edition.
And these are just a few of ourbreaks from the morning show,
all during the month ofDecember, that I think are
funny.
Some are a little bit moreheartwarming, and some even deal
with loss and grief atChristmas.
So here is the Christmas editionof Quirks, Bumps and Bruises.
(00:25):
Alright, let's settle a debate.
It's the Christmas flower thatwe see each and every year
called a poinsettia or apoinsetta.
I have always said poinsettia.
Many others say that I'm wrongand that it should be poinsetta.
And so I went to Webster'sDictionary where they actually
(00:48):
have what something should soundlike so that you can hear it.
So I'm gonna go along withWebster's, no matter what that
is.
Let's look it up and we'll see.
Okay, Webster's what do you say?
SPEAKER_05 (01:01):
Poinsettia.
SPEAKER_06 (01:02):
So that made me feel better.
Although, to be fair, Webster'shas two different ways to
pronounce it.
The one you just heard,poinsettia, which is what I've
always called it, was the first.
But they did offer this as well.
Poinsetta.
So I think from that we can justconclude you can call it
(01:23):
whatever you want.
Poinsettia, poinsetta, or thatred flower over there in the
corner.
SPEAKER_03 (01:32):
An angel came to see Mary.
She was doing laundry, and thenthe angel just appeared and she
was really scared.
So Gabriel was like, Mary,you're gonna have like I can't
say good.
Mary, you're gonna have a baby.
You're gonna have a baby and youwill call him Jesus.
(01:55):
And then Mary was like, I'm notgonna have a baby yet.
I'm only a teenager, I'm notmarried.
Then the angel Gabriel toldJoseph that Mary is not lying.
She you are having a new baby.
And so they met up.
They went to Bethlehem, whichwas Joseph's old town.
(02:20):
They ride a donkey.
A camel.
Oh yeah, a camel.
She said, this donkey's fast.
Would they try to go to a hoteland they asked the keeper um for
a place to stay.
The keeper said, We have norooms.
Literally, no rooms.
So Mary and Joseph walked awaysadly, but then he said, The
(02:45):
only place in here in Bethlehemthat you can stay stay is a
staple.
And then he just pointed the waythey followed.
When the shepherds were takingcare of the sheep, then they saw
angels.
The angel said, A new baby isgetting born who is king of the
(03:08):
Jews.
The angel were singing.
Reason.
And then the shepherd said, Ithink we should go there and
meet him.
The second Tai Sang said, Yeah,I agree with you.
And the other said, Yeah, metoo.
(03:30):
They had to walk through a bunchof grass and bushes.
Maybe have to camp out a night.
And then the wise men heardabout it.
And then a star appeared.
We should probably follow thatstar.
It's pointing down to the barn.
So maybe we should follow it.
Maybe.
(03:52):
So the wise men went to Jesus.
They gave them gifts.
Like a header one.
And I have at home.
Some diapers, some wife, somemilk, some shoes, some Jordans.
Gold Frank and Latimer.
And I don't know how it wouldsurvive in that barn.
(04:12):
Too stinky, too crowded, andugh.
I think he probably because theroom is very smelly.
Thank you for coming.
He's adorable.
He's gonna be our best friend.
I love you and you're the bestbaby I ever seen.
There, I said it.
(04:35):
The new baby is gonna change theworld.
SPEAKER_06 (04:40):
It's the morning joy ride melody along with you.
Y'all, 10 days until Christmas.
So just keep this in your mind.
If you are frazzled, you'refilled with being overwhelmed or
full of anxiety.
Remember this.
If the house isn't clean, it'sstill Christmas.
If the desserts aren't made yet,it's still Christmas.
(05:01):
If the gifts aren't evenpurchased yet, much less
wrapped, it's still Christmas.
Because if it's not aboutChrist, it's not Christmas.
So no matter where you are inyour journey to Christmas in
about 10 days, just rememberthat.
It is about Jesus Christ.
All the other things arewonderful and fun and nothing
(05:23):
wrong with them, but always keepin our minds that if it's not
about Christ, it's notChristmas.
Melody here with you on thejoyride, and some of you may
know that I keep my littlegrandson Benson throughout the
afternoon until my daughtercomes home from school.
She's a teacher.
And uh seeing Christmas thisyear through the eyes of a three
(05:44):
and a half year old has beenwonderful.
It's been good for my heart,especially this year in a season
that has been full of grief.
Losing my dad, uh Candy comingoff the morning show, and y'all
know she's my go-to girl.
And so I'm uh that was a loss,and losing dad was a loss, and
then some help things.
It's just been kind of a rough,hard year.
(06:05):
But being able to see Christmasthrough the eyes of a
three-year-old has just reallydone something for my heart.
So if you have children that arethat young, I know it can be
loud, I know it can just be alot, but let them, I'm gonna say
that this morning, let them.
Let them stay up a little later,let them make a mess, let them
(06:26):
eat chocolate for breakfast, letthem sing Christmas songs to the
top of their lungs, let themplay with loud plastic toys
because y'all, they will neverbe this little at Christmas
again.
So if you have those youngchildren at home or you have
young grandchildren that likeme, you help take care of, just
let them.
Christmas to them right now isabsolutely magical.
(06:50):
Their eyes light up, they loveeverything about it.
So just let them.
Good morning, welcome to Joy FM.
We're glad you're here with us,Melody along with you.
And on our social media, Josh,who heads up all of our social
media and does such a fantasticjob, puts something on there
that really has gotten a lot oftraction, and it's called this
(07:10):
the gospel according to aChristmas tree cake.
And you know, everyone lovesthose little Christmas tree
cakes that come out aroundChristmas.
And so the gospel according tothat Christmas tree cake is this
the tree shape itself pointsupward because our hope and help
come from above.
The white icing on this littleChristmas tree cake is a picture
(07:31):
of grace that covers uscompletely.
The little red swirls on thetree represent Christ's love and
sacrifice woven througheverything.
And then the layers inside, lifehas layers, right?
Jesus meets us in every one.
So today, taste and see that theLord is good.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
One of our favorite games to play as a family around
the holiday season uh is uh HaveYou Seen Jesus?
It's just something we do.
We have this plastic nativityset.
So on a really windy night.
We usually lose them.
(08:11):
It's always a family cousins.
We all gather in and we just gothrough the night.
Excuse me.
Have you seen Jesus?
It's weird.
I know you're not going to neverstore, I'm sorry, but we have
Jesus back.
He's in your he's in your bushesand come home from church and
(08:34):
Joseph is facing down in a ditchsomewhere.
Mary's falling over a big holein her head.
Mary don't know.
It's over, you know, and so wejust we just scattered.
You know, we just messed up thetime of the just to make sure
(08:57):
we're, you know, altogether.
We water the wise men on thefront of my husband's car.
This is the only, you know,documented incident where men
actually ask for directions.
(09:23):
Look at how I'm going.
She just had a go learning.
SPEAKER_06 (09:30):
Melody here along with you on the joy ride.
And moms, I know that Christmasis a special time for families,
and you want everything to justbe as perfect as it can be,
especially for your children.
You want to make holidays funfor them.
You want to do all kinds ofexciting things.
You want to just make incrediblememories with them and things
(09:54):
that they'll bring up later toyou as they get old.
A lot of times that puts so muchpressure on the mom.
So today I want to talk to youmoms, especially you moms of
young children.
It's okay if you don't takeChristmas pictures and matching
pajamas this year.
Or spend hundreds of dollars onendless activities every day
during December.
Yes.
(10:15):
You don't have to do an elf on ashelf.
You don't have to do that stuff.
And if you don't do that stuff,this is what I want you to know.
You're still a fantastic mom.
Even at my age, there is stillsomething so heartwarming about
the Charlie Brown Christmasreminding us what Christmas is
(10:36):
truly all about.
SPEAKER_02 (10:38):
I guess you were right, Linus.
I shouldn't have picked thislittle tree.
Everything I do turns into adisaster.
I guess I really don't know whatChristmas is all about.
Isn't there anyone who knowswhat Christmas is all about?
SPEAKER_03 (10:51):
Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all
about.
Lights, please.
And there were in the samecountry shepherds, abiding in
the field, keeping watch overtheir flock by night, and lo,
the angel of the Lord came uponthem.
And the glory of the Lord shoneround about them, and they were
sore afraid, and the angel saidunto them, Fear not, for behold,
(11:12):
I bring you tidings of greatjoy, which shall be to all
people.
For unto you was born this dayin the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign untoyou.
You shall find the babe wrappedin swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.
And suddenly there was with theangel, a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, andsaying, Glory to God in the
(11:36):
highest, and on earth peace,goodwill toward men.
That's what Christmas is thoughtabout, Charlie Brown.
SPEAKER_06 (11:44):
Hey y'all, it is Friday, and you know I love fun
fact Fridays.
I love trivial, uselessinformation that you don't need
to know.
Yeah, but it's still fun to knowit.
And so Parker Webb is in herewith me today.
So, Parker, I'm gonna give yousome trivial information.
Right.
And you can take it back tothose you love and know.
SPEAKER_01 (12:01):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_06 (12:02):
So, did you know that the first artificial
Christmas tree was made fromdyed goose feathers?
Wow.
How about that?
SPEAKER_01 (12:09):
That is I did not know that.
SPEAKER_06 (12:11):
We're gonna keep moving.
More than three billionChristmas cards sent in the
United States every year.
Oh my God.
Now I find that amazing knowinghow much a stamp costs now.
SPEAKER_01 (12:21):
No joke.
Well, think about I mean, ifthey sent it through the Postal
Service, why are we in such adeficit with the Postal Service?
SPEAKER_06 (12:26):
I don't know.
Christmas should catch a stamp.
SPEAKER_01 (12:29):
Oh, it's it's a lot.
SPEAKER_06 (12:31):
It is a lot.
Y'all getting a text from me.
Right.
Right.
All right.
The top selling Christmas songof all time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:38):
White Christmas.
White Christmas.
SPEAKER_06 (12:41):
Being Crosby's White Christmas.
SPEAKER_01 (12:43):
I love that's my number two favorite movie after
It's a Wonderful Life.
Oh, it is.
It is.
I love White Christmas.
SPEAKER_06 (12:49):
All right.
The best-selling Christmas toyall the way back in 1980.
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
Yep.
The Rubik Cube.
I love my boys have one.
SPEAKER_06 (12:56):
I never could do that.
Oh.
My brain just does not work thatway.
SPEAKER_01 (13:00):
No joke.
I I use it as a baseball morethan I did the a Rubik's Cube.
SPEAKER_06 (13:04):
We talked yesterday about places in the United
States that have Christmasnames.
Yeah.
Like there's an Eggnog, Utah.
Did you know that?
I did not.
But there are two islands namedChristmas.
One is uh in the Pacific Ocean,the other in the Indian Ocean.
Wow.
So there you go.
Christmas trees.
You think about where they aregrown.
(13:24):
But they are grown in all 50states.
Are they real?
Every state.
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
Even Florida.
SPEAKER_06 (13:29):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (13:29):
That is amazing.
SPEAKER_06 (13:30):
Fruits were the first ornaments.
People hung fruit on theirtrees.
SPEAKER_01 (13:34):
See, my mother would do that.
My mom used to put oranges andhad little special and cinnamon
and stuff.
It was really nice.
That's great.
SPEAKER_06 (13:41):
So here in the United States, you know, Parker,
we think about ham and turkeywhen we think about eating.
SPEAKER_01 (13:46):
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (13:46):
But uh just so you know, in Japan, their favorite
holiday meal is Kentucky FriedChicken.
Well you can't go wrong withthat.
SPEAKER_01 (13:56):
Did do you love fruitcake?
Uh well, it depends.
I love the Southern Supremefruitcake from North Carolina.
Down East Carolina.
I love it too.
Yeah.
So good.
Yeah.
Now some of it not so good.
Well, when I lived in Alabama,people would send Southern
Supremes to my in-laws.
I would receive it because theydidn't like it.
They never even tried it.
(14:16):
But I for sure wasn't gonna tellthem because I was the recipient
of the Southern Supremes theydidn't want.
I love it.
SPEAKER_06 (14:22):
Well, it can last a lifetime, and that's a little
scary.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
Well, so can a McDonald's, the cheeseburger.
So I don't we still eat that.
SPEAKER_06 (14:30):
So Parker Melody back with you with some fun fact
trivia things that you don'tneed to know, but hey, it's fun
to know.
So Parker, the highest grossingholiday movie of all time, home
alone.
SPEAKER_01 (14:41):
Now, see, that surprises me.
Me too.
Here's the thing.
I watched it when I was a kid.
We try to not watch that.
In fact, I've I've told my boyswe don't because he's a little
spoiled acting.
He's got an attitude that Idon't want my boys to emulate in
some of the stuff he says to hismother.
Now, watching him beat up onthose two robbers is pretty
funny.
I love that.
SPEAKER_06 (15:01):
It is.
I personally don't think youcan, you know, mess with the
Grinch movies.
SPEAKER_01 (15:05):
That's right.
And Jim Carrey's part in that isamazing.
Did you hear about it took himeight hours to put that costume
on?
A day.
And he did it a hundred times.
SPEAKER_06 (15:15):
I don't think I'd have the patience to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (15:16):
No way, uh-uh.
SPEAKER_06 (15:17):
Well, money talks, I guess.
SPEAKER_01 (15:19):
That's right, that's right.
Several million of work.
SPEAKER_06 (15:22):
So the song Jingle Bells, everybody loves that,
originally started out as aThanksgiving song.
Yeah.
It was written for the churchThanksgiving concert in the
mid-19th century.
SPEAKER_01 (15:33):
Right.
The it was the pastor's son.
I don't know if you knew that.
He had he had done somethingbad, and his punishment from his
daddy, who was the pastor, wasto write a Thanksgiving song.
And it was jingle bells?
And he did not preview the songbefore the little boy got up and
sang it.
So he was in more troublebecause he sang jingle bells.
Isn't that great?
Look at Parker giving me a funfact.
(15:54):
Listen, how about that?
I don't know.
Useless, useless facts there.
SPEAKER_06 (15:59):
Speaking of jingle bells, the astronauts, Wally
Shearer, Tom Stafford, aboardthe Gemini Six, right?
They did jingle bells all acrossthe atmosphere.
SPEAKER_01 (16:09):
Isn't that great?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (16:10):
The most recorded Christmas song, of course,
Silent Knight.
SPEAKER_01 (16:14):
I love Silent Night.
SPEAKER_06 (16:14):
I don't know that you can ever really beat Silent
Night.
SPEAKER_01 (16:17):
Oh, it's great.
SPEAKER_06 (16:18):
Just in its original, simple form.
SPEAKER_01 (16:20):
That's right.
No fancy stuff.
That's right.
SPEAKER_06 (16:22):
Kind of like the national anthem.
Don't be all fancy.
SPEAKER_01 (16:25):
No, just sing it.
Get the job done.
Yeah, the words can speak forthemselves.
SPEAKER_06 (16:28):
This one is not funny, but it's funny.
Christmas decorating sendsnearly 15,000 people to the ER
every year.
SPEAKER_01 (16:36):
There's my proof.
I need to we procrastinate solong putting our decorations up,
and I like to stay kind ofminimal.
I there's my proof to tell mywife it's dangerous.
SPEAKER_06 (16:46):
Falling off those ladders.
That's right.
I'm not getting up on a ladder.
All right, Chris Griswold.
SPEAKER_01 (16:51):
Uh talking about Christmas trees.
You know that uh the best way ifyou if you have allergies around
this time of year, usually it'sfrom a Christmas tree.
If you bring a live Christmastree in.
SPEAKER_06 (17:02):
We have a live one.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:03):
So I worked at a Christmas tree lot all through
high school.
Oh, did you?
And what we would tell people isthe trees are like filters up on
the side of mountains.
Make sure before you bring inthe house, hose it down for
several days.
Of course, keep it in a bucketof water so it stays live.
Hose it down and it takes allthe pollen off the tree.
And it'll usually bring thatback a little bit so you don't
(17:23):
have as as bad of allergies.
So look at there.
SPEAKER_06 (17:26):
Not all useless knowledge.
SPEAKER_01 (17:27):
Well, that's useless.
It might be helpful for you.
SPEAKER_06 (17:30):
So you got some fun fact trivia and you got a tip.
SPEAKER_01 (17:33):
That's right.
That's right.
All in one swoop here.
Now what's our what's our phonenumber here at Joy FM?
You can send your uh donationsin to ParkerWebb at Joyfm.org.
SPEAKER_06 (17:44):
Melody along with you here on the Joyride.
And if you have lost a lovedone, holidays can be difficult.
I hope that this by Tim Kellerwill help encourage your heart
during this season.
SPEAKER_00 (17:56):
If you lost a loved one this year, if you have uh
had actually any kind of sorrow,major grief or major loss this
year, Christmas is you're justdreading Christmas.
I'm so sorry because Christmasshould be a time of joy, but the
fact is that Christmas remindsyou of the other Christmases you
had with the person, forexample, that you've lost, or
(18:16):
maybe you've lost a condition, ajob or a home or something like
that.
Then Christmas actually almostwounds you more.
Um but there's two ways to dealwith suffering.
One is to let it drive you awayfrom God, and one is to let you
let it drive you closer to God.
I mean, uh suffering can be thehammer that drives you like a
nail into the love of God uhbecause you just cling to him.
(18:41):
Uh I would say at Christmas,even if you feel like you're
getting weaker, even if youdon't feel like praying, pray.
If you don't feel likeworshiping, worship.
If you don't feel like going tochurch, go to church.
And afterwards you'll actuallyfeel, just like when you go into
a gymnasium and you'reexercising, you feel like you're
getting weaker.
Even though you're actuallygetting stronger.
(19:02):
Uh if you just hold on to Godduring hard times, and Christmas
can be a really hard time forsomeone who's suffered recently,
you'll find that when it's over,when you're out of the
gymnasium, you're stronger forit.
So don't let suffering and don'tlet Christmas drive you away
from Jesus.
It can let it drive you towardhim, even though it may be
painful at the moment.
SPEAKER_06 (19:22):
This is a beautiful way to think about and live out
the Christmas season taken from1 Corinthians 13, but the
Christmas version of it.
It says this If I decorate myhouse perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights, andshiny balls, but do not show
love to my family, I'm justanother decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchenbaking dozens of Christmas
(19:45):
cookies, preparing gourmetmeals, and arranging a
beautifully adorned table atmealtime, but do not show love
to my family, I'm just anothercook.
If I work at the soup kitchen,carol in the nursing home, and
give all that I have to charity,but do Do not show love to my
family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce withshimmering angels and crocheted
(20:07):
snowflakes, attend a myriad ofholiday parties and sing in the
choir's cantata, but do notfocus on Christ, I have missed
the point.
Love stops the cooking to hugthe child.
Love sets aside the decoratingto kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried andtired.
Love doesn't envy another'shouse that has coordinated
(20:27):
Christmas china and tablelinens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids toget out of the way, but is
thankful they are there to be inthe way.
Love doesn't give only to thosewho are able to give in return,
but rejoices in giving to thosewho can't.
Love bears all things, believesall things, hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
(20:48):
Video games will break, pearlnecklaces will be lost, golf
clubs will rust, but giving thegift of love will endure.
What a beautiful way by SharonJames, who wrote that to keep us
in perspective of what lovetruly means, even at Christmas
time.
Melody along with you here on Quirks, Bumps, and
Bruises, the Christmas edition.
And these are just a few of ourbreaks from the morning show,
all during the month ofDecember, that I think are
funny.
Some are a little bit moreheartwarming, and some even deal
with loss and grief atChristmas.
So here is the Christmas editionof Quirks, Bumps and Bruises.
(00:25):
Alright, let's settle a debate.
It's the Christmas flower thatwe see each and every year
called a poinsettia or apoinsetta.
I have always said poinsettia.
Many others say that I'm wrongand that it should be poinsetta.
And so I went to Webster'sDictionary where they actually
(00:48):
have what something should soundlike so that you can hear it.
So I'm gonna go along withWebster's, no matter what that
is.
Let's look it up and we'll see.
Okay, Webster's what do you say?
SPEAKER_05 (01:01):
Poinsettia.
SPEAKER_06 (01:02):
So that made me feel better.
Although, to be fair, Webster'shas two different ways to
pronounce it.
The one you just heard,poinsettia, which is what I've
always called it, was the first.
But they did offer this as well.
Poinsetta.
So I think from that we can justconclude you can call it
(01:23):
whatever you want.
Poinsettia, poinsetta, or thatred flower over there in the
corner.
SPEAKER_03 (01:32):
An angel came to see Mary.
She was doing laundry, and thenthe angel just appeared and she
was really scared.
So Gabriel was like, Mary,you're gonna have like I can't
say good.
Mary, you're gonna have a baby.
You're gonna have a baby and youwill call him Jesus.
(01:55):
And then Mary was like, I'm notgonna have a baby yet.
I'm only a teenager, I'm notmarried.
Then the angel Gabriel toldJoseph that Mary is not lying.
She you are having a new baby.
And so they met up.
They went to Bethlehem, whichwas Joseph's old town.
(02:20):
They ride a donkey.
A camel.
Oh yeah, a camel.
She said, this donkey's fast.
Would they try to go to a hoteland they asked the keeper um for
a place to stay.
The keeper said, We have norooms.
Literally, no rooms.
So Mary and Joseph walked awaysadly, but then he said, The
(02:45):
only place in here in Bethlehemthat you can stay stay is a
staple.
And then he just pointed the waythey followed.
When the shepherds were takingcare of the sheep, then they saw
angels.
The angel said, A new baby isgetting born who is king of the
(03:08):
Jews.
The angel were singing.
Reason.
And then the shepherd said, Ithink we should go there and
meet him.
The second Tai Sang said, Yeah,I agree with you.
And the other said, Yeah, metoo.
(03:30):
They had to walk through a bunchof grass and bushes.
Maybe have to camp out a night.
And then the wise men heardabout it.
And then a star appeared.
We should probably follow thatstar.
It's pointing down to the barn.
So maybe we should follow it.
Maybe.
(03:52):
So the wise men went to Jesus.
They gave them gifts.
Like a header one.
And I have at home.
Some diapers, some wife, somemilk, some shoes, some Jordans.
Gold Frank and Latimer.
And I don't know how it wouldsurvive in that barn.
(04:12):
Too stinky, too crowded, andugh.
I think he probably because theroom is very smelly.
Thank you for coming.
He's adorable.
He's gonna be our best friend.
I love you and you're the bestbaby I ever seen.
There, I said it.
(04:35):
The new baby is gonna change theworld.
SPEAKER_06 (04:40):
It's the morning joy ride melody along with you.
Y'all, 10 days until Christmas.
So just keep this in your mind.
If you are frazzled, you'refilled with being overwhelmed or
full of anxiety.
Remember this.
If the house isn't clean, it'sstill Christmas.
If the desserts aren't made yet,it's still Christmas.
(05:01):
If the gifts aren't evenpurchased yet, much less
wrapped, it's still Christmas.
Because if it's not aboutChrist, it's not Christmas.
So no matter where you are inyour journey to Christmas in
about 10 days, just rememberthat.
It is about Jesus Christ.
All the other things arewonderful and fun and nothing
(05:23):
wrong with them, but always keepin our minds that if it's not
about Christ, it's notChristmas.
Melody here with you on thejoyride, and some of you may
know that I keep my littlegrandson Benson throughout the
afternoon until my daughtercomes home from school.
She's a teacher.
And uh seeing Christmas thisyear through the eyes of a three
(05:44):
and a half year old has beenwonderful.
It's been good for my heart,especially this year in a season
that has been full of grief.
Losing my dad, uh Candy comingoff the morning show, and y'all
know she's my go-to girl.
And so I'm uh that was a loss,and losing dad was a loss, and
then some help things.
It's just been kind of a rough,hard year.
(06:05):
But being able to see Christmasthrough the eyes of a
three-year-old has just reallydone something for my heart.
So if you have children that arethat young, I know it can be
loud, I know it can just be alot, but let them, I'm gonna say
that this morning, let them.
Let them stay up a little later,let them make a mess, let them
(06:26):
eat chocolate for breakfast, letthem sing Christmas songs to the
top of their lungs, let themplay with loud plastic toys
because y'all, they will neverbe this little at Christmas
again.
So if you have those youngchildren at home or you have
young grandchildren that likeme, you help take care of, just
let them.
Christmas to them right now isabsolutely magical.
(06:50):
Their eyes light up, they loveeverything about it.
So just let them.
Good morning, welcome to Joy FM.
We're glad you're here with us,Melody along with you.
And on our social media, Josh,who heads up all of our social
media and does such a fantasticjob, puts something on there
that really has gotten a lot oftraction, and it's called this
(07:10):
the gospel according to aChristmas tree cake.
And you know, everyone lovesthose little Christmas tree
cakes that come out aroundChristmas.
And so the gospel according tothat Christmas tree cake is this
the tree shape itself pointsupward because our hope and help
come from above.
The white icing on this littleChristmas tree cake is a picture
(07:31):
of grace that covers uscompletely.
The little red swirls on thetree represent Christ's love and
sacrifice woven througheverything.
And then the layers inside, lifehas layers, right?
Jesus meets us in every one.
So today, taste and see that theLord is good.
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
One of our favorite games to play as a family around
the holiday season uh is uh HaveYou Seen Jesus?
It's just something we do.
We have this plastic nativityset.
So on a really windy night.
We usually lose them.
(08:11):
It's always a family cousins.
We all gather in and we just gothrough the night.
Excuse me.
Have you seen Jesus?
It's weird.
I know you're not going to neverstore, I'm sorry, but we have
Jesus back.
He's in your he's in your bushesand come home from church and
(08:34):
Joseph is facing down in a ditchsomewhere.
Mary's falling over a big holein her head.
Mary don't know.
It's over, you know, and so wejust we just scattered.
You know, we just messed up thetime of the just to make sure
(08:57):
we're, you know, altogether.
We water the wise men on thefront of my husband's car.
This is the only, you know,documented incident where men
actually ask for directions.
(09:23):
Look at how I'm going.
She just had a go learning.
SPEAKER_06 (09:30):
Melody here along with you on the joy ride.
And moms, I know that Christmasis a special time for families,
and you want everything to justbe as perfect as it can be,
especially for your children.
You want to make holidays funfor them.
You want to do all kinds ofexciting things.
You want to just make incrediblememories with them and things
(09:54):
that they'll bring up later toyou as they get old.
A lot of times that puts so muchpressure on the mom.
So today I want to talk to youmoms, especially you moms of
young children.
It's okay if you don't takeChristmas pictures and matching
pajamas this year.
Or spend hundreds of dollars onendless activities every day
during December.
Yes.
(10:15):
You don't have to do an elf on ashelf.
You don't have to do that stuff.
And if you don't do that stuff,this is what I want you to know.
You're still a fantastic mom.
Even at my age, there is stillsomething so heartwarming about
the Charlie Brown Christmasreminding us what Christmas is
(10:36):
truly all about.
SPEAKER_02 (10:38):
I guess you were right, Linus.
I shouldn't have picked thislittle tree.
Everything I do turns into adisaster.
I guess I really don't know whatChristmas is all about.
Isn't there anyone who knowswhat Christmas is all about?
SPEAKER_03 (10:51):
Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all
about.
Lights, please.
And there were in the samecountry shepherds, abiding in
the field, keeping watch overtheir flock by night, and lo,
the angel of the Lord came uponthem.
And the glory of the Lord shoneround about them, and they were
sore afraid, and the angel saidunto them, Fear not, for behold,
(11:12):
I bring you tidings of greatjoy, which shall be to all
people.
For unto you was born this dayin the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign untoyou.
You shall find the babe wrappedin swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.
And suddenly there was with theangel, a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, andsaying, Glory to God in the
(11:36):
highest, and on earth peace,goodwill toward men.
That's what Christmas is thoughtabout, Charlie Brown.
SPEAKER_06 (11:44):
Hey y'all, it is Friday, and you know I love fun
fact Fridays.
I love trivial, uselessinformation that you don't need
to know.
Yeah, but it's still fun to knowit.
And so Parker Webb is in herewith me today.
So, Parker, I'm gonna give yousome trivial information.
Right.
And you can take it back tothose you love and know.
SPEAKER_01 (12:01):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_06 (12:02):
So, did you know that the first artificial
Christmas tree was made fromdyed goose feathers?
Wow.
How about that?
SPEAKER_01 (12:09):
That is I did not know that.
SPEAKER_06 (12:11):
We're gonna keep moving.
More than three billionChristmas cards sent in the
United States every year.
Oh my God.
Now I find that amazing knowinghow much a stamp costs now.
SPEAKER_01 (12:21):
No joke.
Well, think about I mean, ifthey sent it through the Postal
Service, why are we in such adeficit with the Postal Service?
SPEAKER_06 (12:26):
I don't know.
Christmas should catch a stamp.
SPEAKER_01 (12:29):
Oh, it's it's a lot.
SPEAKER_06 (12:31):
It is a lot.
Y'all getting a text from me.
Right.
Right.
All right.
The top selling Christmas songof all time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:38):
White Christmas.
White Christmas.
SPEAKER_06 (12:41):
Being Crosby's White Christmas.
SPEAKER_01 (12:43):
I love that's my number two favorite movie after
It's a Wonderful Life.
Oh, it is.
It is.
I love White Christmas.
SPEAKER_06 (12:49):
All right.
The best-selling Christmas toyall the way back in 1980.
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
Yep.
The Rubik Cube.
I love my boys have one.
SPEAKER_06 (12:56):
I never could do that.
Oh.
My brain just does not work thatway.
SPEAKER_01 (13:00):
No joke.
I I use it as a baseball morethan I did the a Rubik's Cube.
SPEAKER_06 (13:04):
We talked yesterday about places in the United
States that have Christmasnames.
Yeah.
Like there's an Eggnog, Utah.
Did you know that?
I did not.
But there are two islands namedChristmas.
One is uh in the Pacific Ocean,the other in the Indian Ocean.
Wow.
So there you go.
Christmas trees.
You think about where they aregrown.
(13:24):
But they are grown in all 50states.
Are they real?
Every state.
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
Even Florida.
SPEAKER_06 (13:29):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (13:29):
That is amazing.
SPEAKER_06 (13:30):
Fruits were the first ornaments.
People hung fruit on theirtrees.
SPEAKER_01 (13:34):
See, my mother would do that.
My mom used to put oranges andhad little special and cinnamon
and stuff.
It was really nice.
That's great.
SPEAKER_06 (13:41):
So here in the United States, you know, Parker,
we think about ham and turkeywhen we think about eating.
SPEAKER_01 (13:46):
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (13:46):
But uh just so you know, in Japan, their favorite
holiday meal is Kentucky FriedChicken.
Well you can't go wrong withthat.
SPEAKER_01 (13:56):
Did do you love fruitcake?
Uh well, it depends.
I love the Southern Supremefruitcake from North Carolina.
Down East Carolina.
I love it too.
Yeah.
So good.
Yeah.
Now some of it not so good.
Well, when I lived in Alabama,people would send Southern
Supremes to my in-laws.
I would receive it because theydidn't like it.
They never even tried it.
(14:16):
But I for sure wasn't gonna tellthem because I was the recipient
of the Southern Supremes theydidn't want.
I love it.
SPEAKER_06 (14:22):
Well, it can last a lifetime, and that's a little
scary.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
Well, so can a McDonald's, the cheeseburger.
So I don't we still eat that.
SPEAKER_06 (14:30):
So Parker Melody back with you with some fun fact
trivia things that you don'tneed to know, but hey, it's fun
to know.
So Parker, the highest grossingholiday movie of all time, home
alone.
SPEAKER_01 (14:41):
Now, see, that surprises me.
Me too.
Here's the thing.
I watched it when I was a kid.
We try to not watch that.
In fact, I've I've told my boyswe don't because he's a little
spoiled acting.
He's got an attitude that Idon't want my boys to emulate in
some of the stuff he says to hismother.
Now, watching him beat up onthose two robbers is pretty
funny.
I love that.
SPEAKER_06 (15:01):
It is.
I personally don't think youcan, you know, mess with the
Grinch movies.
SPEAKER_01 (15:05):
That's right.
And Jim Carrey's part in that isamazing.
Did you hear about it took himeight hours to put that costume
on?
A day.
And he did it a hundred times.
SPEAKER_06 (15:15):
I don't think I'd have the patience to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (15:16):
No way, uh-uh.
SPEAKER_06 (15:17):
Well, money talks, I guess.
SPEAKER_01 (15:19):
That's right, that's right.
Several million of work.
SPEAKER_06 (15:22):
So the song Jingle Bells, everybody loves that,
originally started out as aThanksgiving song.
Yeah.
It was written for the churchThanksgiving concert in the
mid-19th century.
SPEAKER_01 (15:33):
Right.
The it was the pastor's son.
I don't know if you knew that.
He had he had done somethingbad, and his punishment from his
daddy, who was the pastor, wasto write a Thanksgiving song.
And it was jingle bells?
And he did not preview the songbefore the little boy got up and
sang it.
So he was in more troublebecause he sang jingle bells.
Isn't that great?
Look at Parker giving me a funfact.
(15:54):
Listen, how about that?
I don't know.
Useless, useless facts there.
SPEAKER_06 (15:59):
Speaking of jingle bells, the astronauts, Wally
Shearer, Tom Stafford, aboardthe Gemini Six, right?
They did jingle bells all acrossthe atmosphere.
SPEAKER_01 (16:09):
Isn't that great?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (16:10):
The most recorded Christmas song, of course,
Silent Knight.
SPEAKER_01 (16:14):
I love Silent Night.
SPEAKER_06 (16:14):
I don't know that you can ever really beat Silent
Night.
SPEAKER_01 (16:17):
Oh, it's great.
SPEAKER_06 (16:18):
Just in its original, simple form.
SPEAKER_01 (16:20):
That's right.
No fancy stuff.
That's right.
SPEAKER_06 (16:22):
Kind of like the national anthem.
Don't be all fancy.
SPEAKER_01 (16:25):
No, just sing it.
Get the job done.
Yeah, the words can speak forthemselves.
SPEAKER_06 (16:28):
This one is not funny, but it's funny.
Christmas decorating sendsnearly 15,000 people to the ER
every year.
SPEAKER_01 (16:36):
There's my proof.
I need to we procrastinate solong putting our decorations up,
and I like to stay kind ofminimal.
I there's my proof to tell mywife it's dangerous.
SPEAKER_06 (16:46):
Falling off those ladders.
That's right.
I'm not getting up on a ladder.
All right, Chris Griswold.
SPEAKER_01 (16:51):
Uh talking about Christmas trees.
You know that uh the best way ifyou if you have allergies around
this time of year, usually it'sfrom a Christmas tree.
If you bring a live Christmastree in.
SPEAKER_06 (17:02):
We have a live one.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:03):
So I worked at a Christmas tree lot all through
high school.
Oh, did you?
And what we would tell people isthe trees are like filters up on
the side of mountains.
Make sure before you bring inthe house, hose it down for
several days.
Of course, keep it in a bucketof water so it stays live.
Hose it down and it takes allthe pollen off the tree.
And it'll usually bring thatback a little bit so you don't
(17:23):
have as as bad of allergies.
So look at there.
SPEAKER_06 (17:26):
Not all useless knowledge.
SPEAKER_01 (17:27):
Well, that's useless.
It might be helpful for you.
SPEAKER_06 (17:30):
So you got some fun fact trivia and you got a tip.
SPEAKER_01 (17:33):
That's right.
That's right.
All in one swoop here.
Now what's our what's our phonenumber here at Joy FM?
You can send your uh donationsin to ParkerWebb at Joyfm.org.
SPEAKER_06 (17:44):
Melody along with you here on the Joyride.
And if you have lost a lovedone, holidays can be difficult.
I hope that this by Tim Kellerwill help encourage your heart
during this season.
SPEAKER_00 (17:56):
If you lost a loved one this year, if you have uh
had actually any kind of sorrow,major grief or major loss this
year, Christmas is you're justdreading Christmas.
I'm so sorry because Christmasshould be a time of joy, but the
fact is that Christmas remindsyou of the other Christmases you
had with the person, forexample, that you've lost, or
(18:16):
maybe you've lost a condition, ajob or a home or something like
that.
Then Christmas actually almostwounds you more.
Um but there's two ways to dealwith suffering.
One is to let it drive you awayfrom God, and one is to let you
let it drive you closer to God.
I mean, uh suffering can be thehammer that drives you like a
nail into the love of God uhbecause you just cling to him.
(18:41):
Uh I would say at Christmas,even if you feel like you're
getting weaker, even if youdon't feel like praying, pray.
If you don't feel likeworshiping, worship.
If you don't feel like going tochurch, go to church.
And afterwards you'll actuallyfeel, just like when you go into
a gymnasium and you'reexercising, you feel like you're
getting weaker.
Even though you're actuallygetting stronger.
(19:02):
Uh if you just hold on to Godduring hard times, and Christmas
can be a really hard time forsomeone who's suffered recently,
you'll find that when it's over,when you're out of the
gymnasium, you're stronger forit.
So don't let suffering and don'tlet Christmas drive you away
from Jesus.
It can let it drive you towardhim, even though it may be
painful at the moment.
SPEAKER_06 (19:22):
This is a beautiful way to think about and live out
the Christmas season taken from1 Corinthians 13, but the
Christmas version of it.
It says this If I decorate myhouse perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights, andshiny balls, but do not show
love to my family, I'm justanother decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchenbaking dozens of Christmas
(19:45):
cookies, preparing gourmetmeals, and arranging a
beautifully adorned table atmealtime, but do not show love
to my family, I'm just anothercook.
If I work at the soup kitchen,carol in the nursing home, and
give all that I have to charity,but do Do not show love to my
family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce withshimmering angels and crocheted
(20:07):
snowflakes, attend a myriad ofholiday parties and sing in the
choir's cantata, but do notfocus on Christ, I have missed
the point.
Love stops the cooking to hugthe child.
Love sets aside the decoratingto kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried andtired.
Love doesn't envy another'shouse that has coordinated
(20:27):
Christmas china and tablelinens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids toget out of the way, but is
thankful they are there to be inthe way.
Love doesn't give only to thosewho are able to give in return,
but rejoices in giving to thosewho can't.
Love bears all things, believesall things, hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
(20:48):
Video games will break, pearlnecklaces will be lost, golf
clubs will rust, but giving thegift of love will endure.
What a beautiful way by SharonJames, who wrote that to keep us
in perspective of what lovetruly means, even at Christmas
time.
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